The Bacterial Mobile Resistome Transfer Network Connecting the Animal and Human Microbiomes

Abstract

The development of antibiotic resistance threatens our modern medical achievements. The dissemination of antibiotic resistance can be largely attributed to the transfer of bacterial mobile antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Revealing the transfer network of these genes in bacteria and the forces driving the gene flow is of great importance for controlling and predicting the emergence of antibiotic resistance in the clinic. Here, by analyzing tens of thousands of bacterial genomes and millions of human and animal gut bacterial genes, we reveal that the transfer of mobile ARGs is mainly controlled by bacterial phylogeny but under ecological constraints. We also found that dozens of ARGs are transferred between the human and animal gut and human pathogens. This work demonstrates the whole profile of mobile ARGs and their transfer network in bacteria and provides further insight into the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in nature.