Joint research project "Effects of glyphosate on bacteria derived from farm animals" (akronym: Glypho-Bak)

• Funded by: Federal Ministry for Nutrition and Angriculture (BMEL)
• Involved Persons: Prof. Dr. Uwe Rösler, Olga Makarova Ph.D; Judith Pöppe, Katrin Bote
• 4 partner institutions, coordination: Prof. Dr. Uwe Rösler
• Funding period: 4/2016 - 3/2019

The aim of this project is to obtain indications whether and if so in what way glyphosate has an influence on the microbial ecosystem in livestock production. The main focus is to study i) a possible induction of resistance to glyphosate, ii) the influence of the herbicide on the enrichment of as well as relevant and zoonotic bacteria and antibiotic-resistant pathogens in pigs and cattles, iii) a possible chelation due to glyphosate and the subsequent impact on the resorption of minerals, and iv) the effect of glyphosate on the bacterial protein synthesis in cattle.

At first a screening of animal and environmental isolates of relevant germs for a present glyphosate resistance are carried out by MIC determination. Subsequently, the question of whether glyphosate and/or inert components may induce glyphosate resistance in bacteria will be studies by passages of selected isolates of relevant zoonotic pathogens with sublethal glyphosate concentrations followed by a MIC determination. Found MIC increases are elucidated by genetic and proteomic analyses. In addition, the effect of glyphosate will be examined in the fermenter model and in animal models for pigs and cattle. Here, possible qualitative and quantitative changes of enteral/ruminal microbiome including relevant zoonotic bacteria and the enteral/ruminal glyphosate degradation will be investigated. Furthermore, the influence of glyphosate to the microbial protein synthesis as well as a possible chelation and the consequent influence on the absorption and metabolism of minerals will be examined in as well as a fermenter model and in cattle.