Prophage-encoded antibiotic resistance genes are enriched in human-impacted environments

Bibliographic Details
Title: Prophage-encoded antibiotic resistance genes are enriched in human-impacted environments
Authors: Hanpeng Liao, Chen Liu, Shungui Zhou, Chunqin Liu, David J. Eldridge, Chaofan Ai, Steven W. Wilhelm, Brajesh K. Singh, Xiaolong Liang, Mark Radosevich, Qiu-e Yang, Xiang Tang, Zhong Wei, Ville-Petri Friman, Michael Gillings, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Yong-guan Zhu
Source: Nature Communications, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2024)
Publisher Information: Nature Portfolio, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Science
Subject Terms: Science
More Details: Abstract The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) poses a substantial threat to human health. Phage-mediated transduction could exacerbate ARG transmission. While several case studies exist, it is yet unclear to what extent phages encode and mobilize ARGs at the global scale and whether human impacts play a role in this across different habitats. Here, we combine 38,605 bacterial genomes, 1432 metagenomes, and 1186 metatranscriptomes across 12 contrasting habitats to explore the distribution of prophages and their cargo ARGs in natural and human-impacted environments. Worldwide, we observe a significant increase in the abundance, diversity, and activity of prophage-encoded ARGs in human-impacted habitats linked with relatively higher risk of past antibiotic exposure. This effect was driven by phage-encoded cargo ARGs that could be mobilized to provide increased resistance in heterologous E. coli host for a subset of analyzed strains. Our findings suggest that human activities have altered bacteria-phage interactions, enriching ARGs in prophages and making ARGs more mobile across habitats globally.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2041-1723
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2041-1723
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52450-y
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/a3ef77524f834d65815eefa00c7ab3a2
Accession Number: edsdoj.3ef77524f834d65815eefa00c7ab3a2
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20411723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-52450-y
Published in:Nature Communications
Language:English