  We prove the equivalence between the notion of Wasserstein gradient flow for
a one-dimensional nonlocal transport PDE with attractive/repulsive Newtonian
potential on one side, and the notion of entropy solution of a Burgers-type
scalar conservation law on the other. The solution of the former is obtained by
spatially differentiating the solution of the latter. The proof uses an
intermediate step, namely the $L^2$ gradient flow of the pseudo-inverse
distribution function of the gradient flow solution. We use this equivalence to
provide a rigorous particle-system approximation to the Wasserstein gradient
flow, avoiding the regularization effect due to the singularity in the
repulsive kernel. The abstract particle method relies on the so-called
wave-front-tracking algorithm for scalar conservation laws. Finally, we provide
a characterization of the sub-differential of the functional involved in the
Wasserstein gradient flow.
