Metagenomic Comparison of Bat Colony Resistomes Across Anthropogenic and Pristine Habitats.

ABSTRACT:

Background/objectives

The mammalian microbiota constitutes a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), which can be shaped by environmental and anthropogenic factors. Although bat-associated bacteria have been reported to harbor diverse ARGs globally, the ecological and evolutionary determinants driving this diversity remain unclear.

Methods

To characterize ARG diversity in wildlife exposed to contrasting levels of human influence, we analyzed homologs of resistance mechanisms from the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database in shotgun metagenomes of bat guano. Samples were collected from a colony exposed to continuous anthropogenic activity in Spain (Salamanca) and from a wild, non-impacted bat community in China (Guangdong). Metagenomic analyses revealed mar

SUBMITTER: Soto-Lopez JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12838372 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature