Identification of Novel Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Environmental Bacteria

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a major global health threat, with environmental bacteria serving as significant reservoirs for resistance genes. This study aimed to identify novel antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in environmental bacterial isolates from soil, water, and agricultural field samples. A total of ۹۰ samples were collected and processed for bacterial isolation, DNA extraction, and high-throughput metagenomic sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to detect ARGs, annotate their functions, and identify associated mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as plasmids, transposons, and integrons. Results revealed ۴۲۳ unique ARGs, including ۵۶ previously uncharacterized genes, distributed across multiple antibiotic classes such as beta-lactams, tetracyclines, and aminoglycosides. Novel ARGs were often linked to efflux pumps, target modification enzymes, or antibiotic-inactivating proteins. Approximately ۶۸% of ARGs were associated with MGEs, indicating high potential for horizontal gene transfer. Soil samples exhibited the greatest ARG richness, while water samples contained the highest proportion of novel genes. Statistical analysis highlighted correlations between environmental type, anthropogenic contamination, and ARG abundance. These findings emphasize that environmental bacteria act as reservoirs and conduits for antibiotic resistance, with potential public health implications. Monitoring environmental resistomes is crucial for early detection of emerging ARGs and the development of strategies to mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance. This study provides insights into the diversity, mobility, and ecological distribution of resistance genes in natural and anthropogenically influenced environments.

کلیدواژه ها:

Antibiotic resistance ، Environmental bacteria ، Resistance genes ، Horizontal gene transfer ، Genomic analysis