Large-Scale Biogeographical Shifts of Abundance of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Marine Bacterial Communities as Their Carriers along a Trophic Gradient

Dželalija, Mia; Fredotović, Željana; Udiković-Kolić, Nikolina; Kalinić, Hrvoje; Jozić, Slaven; Šamanić, Ivica; Ordulj, Marin; Maravić, Ana (2024) Large-Scale Biogeographical Shifts of Abundance of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Marine Bacterial Communities as Their Carriers along a Trophic Gradient. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25 (1). ISSN 1422-0067

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Abstract

The role of marine environments in the global spread of antibiotic resistance still remains poorly understood, leaving gaps in the One Health-based research framework. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) encoding resistance to five major antibiotic classes, including sulfonamides (sul1, sul2), tetracyclines (tetA, tetB), β-lactams (blaCTX-M, blaTEM blaVIM), macrolides (ermB, mphA), aminoglycosides (aac3-2), and integrase gene (intl1) were quantified by RT-qPCR, and their distribution was investigated in relation to environmental parameters and the total bacterial community in bottom layer and surface waters of the central Adriatic (Mediterranean), over a 68 km line from the wastewater-impacted estuary to coastal and pristine open sea. Seasonal changes (higher in winter) were observed for antibiotic resistance frequency and the relative abundances of ARGs, which were generally higher in eutrophic coastal areas. In particular, intl1, followed by blaTEM and blaVIM, were strongly associated with anthropogenic influence and Gammaproteobacteria as their predominant carriers. Water column stratification and geographic location had a significant influence on ARGs distribution in the oligotrophic zone, where the bacterial community exhibited a seasonal shift from Gammaproteobacteria in winter to Marine group II in summer.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Adriatic Sea; antibiotic resistance; bottom layer; environmental factors; marine environment; Mediterranean; seasonal and spatial distribution; seawater; surface water; qPCR
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Biochemistry and Molecular Biology NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Microbiology TECHNICAL SCIENCES TECHNICAL SCIENCES > Computing BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES > Biotechnology > Bioinformatics
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Sezonska i prostorna raspodjela gena rezistencije na antibiotike u morskim mikrobnim zajednicama duž trofičkog gradijenta u srednjem Jadranu-ARGAS Ana Maravić UIP-2019-04-9778 HRZZ
Depositing User:	Ivana Vuglec
Date Deposited:	21 Oct 2025 14:19
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/10040
DOI:	10.3390/ijms25010654

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