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Antibiotic resistance genes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau above an elevation of 5,000 m

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Abstract

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) widely occur in both anthropogenic and remote environments. Several studies have investigated the distribution of antibiotic resistance in natural environments. However, the occurrence and diversity of ARGs in remote environments at high elevations have not yet been well elucidated. Abundance, diversity, as well as influencing factors of ARGs in different ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau beyond elevation 5,000 m were explored, using high-throughput quantitative PCR. Totally, 197 ARGs and 12 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were determined with abundances ranging from 3.75 × 106 to 2.39 × 107 and from 2.21 × 104 to 1.62 × 106 copies g−1, respectively. Both the absolute and relative abundances of ARGs in farmland were lower than those in wetland and grassland. The diversity and dominant resistance mechanism of ARG profiles showed obvious differences among these ecosystems. Bacterial communities and MGEs significantly correlated with ARG profiles, while physico-chemical factors showed little impact. The high abundance and strong positive correlation between integron intI-1 and ARGs suggested a high potential horizontal ARG transfer. Based on the results, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau can be regarded as a considerable ARG gene pool. This study provides insights into the provenance of ARGs at high elevations.

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All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

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Funding

This research is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (91851204), Local Innovative and Research Teams Project of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program (2017BT01Z176), Yangtze River Protection Project of Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (RCEES-CJBH-2019-03), Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (QYZDJ-SSW-DQC013), Excellent Innovation Project of Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (RCEES-EEI-2019-02). The author Guibing Zhu gratefully acknowledges the Program of the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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  1. Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

    Xiaomin Wang, Chang Han, Bangrui Lan & Guibing Zhu

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Xiaomin Wang, Bangrui Lan & Guibing Zhu

  3. South China Sea Institution, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Cheng Wang

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  1. Xiaomin Wang
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Contributions

G.B.Z. designed the research and conceived the initial concept. X.M.W., C.H., and B.R.L. performed the laboratory experiments. X.M.W. analyzed the data and wrote the core manuscript with feedback from G.B.Z. and C.W.

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Correspondence to Guibing Zhu.

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Wang, ., Han, C., Lan, B. et al. Antibiotic resistance genes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau above an elevation of 5,000 m. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 4508–4518 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16007-6

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