Towards geospatially-resolved public-health surveillance via wastewater sequencing.

Wastewater is a geospatially- and temporally-linked microbial fingerprint of a given population, making it a potentially valuable tool for tracking public health across locales and time. Here, we integrate targeted and bulk RNA sequencing (N = 2238 samples) to track the viral, bacterial, and functional content over geospatially distinct areas within Miami Dade County, USA, from 2020-2022. We used targeted amplicon sequencing to track diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants across space and time, and we found a tight correspondence with positive PCR tests from University students and Miami-Dade hospital patients. Additionally, in bulk metatranscriptomic data, we demonstrate that the bacterial content of different wastewater sampling locations serving small population sizes can be used to detect putative, host-derived microorganisms that themselves have known associations with human health and diet. We also detect multiple enteric pathogens (e.g., Norovirus) and characterize viral diversity across sites. Moreover, we observed an enrichment of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in hospital wastewater; antibiotic-specific ARGs correlated to total prescriptions of those same antibiotics (e.g Ampicillin, Gentamicin). Overall, this effort lays the groundwork for systematic characterization of wastewater that can potentially influence public health decision-making.

Geospatially-resolved public-health surveillance via wastewater sequencing.

Wastewater, which contains everything from pathogens to pollutants, is a geospatially-and temporally-linked microbial fingerprint of a given population. As a result, it can be leveraged for monitoring multiple dimensions of public health across locales and time. Here, we integrate targeted and bulk RNA sequencing (n=1,419 samples) to track the viral, bacterial, and functional content over geospatially distinct areas within Miami Dade County from 2020-2022. First, we used targeted amplicon sequencing (n=966) to track diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants across space and time, and we found a tight correspondence with clinical caseloads from University students (N = 1,503) and Miami-Dade County hospital patients (N = 3,939 patients), as well as an 8-day earlier detection of the Delta variant in wastewater vs. in patients. Additionally, in 453 metatranscriptomic samples, we demonstrate that different wastewater sampling locations have clinically and public-health-relevant microbiota that vary as a function of the size of the human population they represent. Through assembly, alignment-based, and phylogenetic approaches, we also detect multiple clinically important viruses (e.g., norovirus ) and describe geospatial and temporal variation in microbial functional genes that indicate the presence of pollutants. Moreover, we found distinct profiles of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and virulence factors across campus buildings, dorms, and hospitals, with hospital wastewater containing a significant increase in AMR abundance. Overall, this effort lays the groundwork for systematic characterization of wastewater to improve public health decision making and a broad platform to detect emerging pathogens.

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of perfluoroalkyl-substituted ß-lactones via a concerted asynchronous [2 + 2] cycloaddition: a synthetic and computational study.

The enantioselective preparation of a range of perfluoroalkyl-substituted ß-lactones through an isothiourea (HyperBTM) catalysed reaction using symmetric anhydrides as ammonium enolate precursors and perfluoroalkylketones (RF = CF3, C2F5, C4F9) is reported. Following optimisation, high diastereo- and enantioselectivity was observed for ß-lactone formation using C2F5- and C4F9-substituted ketones at room temperature (26 examples, up to >95 : 5 dr and >99 : 1 er), whilst -78 °C was necessary for optimal dr and er with CF3-substituted ketones (11 examples, up to >95 : 5 dr and >99 : 1 er). Derivatisation of the ß-lactones through ring-opening, as well as a two-step conversion to give perfluoroalkyl-substituted oxetanes, is demonstrated without loss of stereochemical integrity. Density functional theory computations, alongside 13C natural abundance KIE studies, have been used to probe the reaction mechanism with a concerted asynchronous [2 + 2]-cycloaddition pathway favoured over a stepwise aldol-lactonisation process.