Effects of Salinity Fluctuation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor Genes of Low and High Nucleic Acid-Content Bacteria in a Marine Environment
Salinity, as one of the critical environmental factors in marine ecosystems, has complex and wide-ranging biological effects. However, the effects of salinity fluctuation on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) in the marine environment are not well understood. In thi...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| author | Wei Hu Xinzhu Zhou Yu Liu Yadi Zhang Yingying Wang |
| author_facet | Wei Hu Xinzhu Zhou Yu Liu Yadi Zhang Yingying Wang |
| author_sort | Wei Hu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Salinity, as one of the critical environmental factors in marine ecosystems, has complex and wide-ranging biological effects. However, the effects of salinity fluctuation on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) in the marine environment are not well understood. In this study, metagenomic sequencing analysis was used to reveal the response of ARGs and VFGs, hosted by low and high nucleic acid-content bacteria (HNA and LNA bacteria), to salinity, as it decreased from 26‰ to 16‰. The results showed that a total of 27 ARG types and 13 VFG types in HNA and LNA bacteria were found. Salinity changes had significant effects on the ARGs’ and VFGs’ composition and their hosts’ composition. In the network topology relationship, the complexity of the network between the ARGs and their host as well as the VFGs and their host differed with the decrease in salinity. The abundance of most genera of HNA and LNA bacteria was significantly corrected with the abundance of ARGs and VFGs, respectively. Overall, this study demonstrates the effects of salinity on ARGs and VFGs hosted by HNA and LNA bacteria in the marine environment and suggests the importance of salinity in regulating HNA and LNA bacterial communities and functions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4b51e4d94919445cbbd427353485cdec |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj-art-4b51e4d94919445cbbd427353485cdec2025-08-20T02:47:19ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-07-01137171010.3390/microorganisms13071710Effects of Salinity Fluctuation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor Genes of Low and High Nucleic Acid-Content Bacteria in a Marine EnvironmentWei Hu0Xinzhu Zhou1Yu Liu2Yadi Zhang3Yingying Wang4College of Tobacco Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaKey Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai International Advanced Research Institute (Shenzhen Futian), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaKey Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai International Advanced Research Institute (Shenzhen Futian), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaKey Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai International Advanced Research Institute (Shenzhen Futian), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaKey Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai International Advanced Research Institute (Shenzhen Futian), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaSalinity, as one of the critical environmental factors in marine ecosystems, has complex and wide-ranging biological effects. However, the effects of salinity fluctuation on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) in the marine environment are not well understood. In this study, metagenomic sequencing analysis was used to reveal the response of ARGs and VFGs, hosted by low and high nucleic acid-content bacteria (HNA and LNA bacteria), to salinity, as it decreased from 26‰ to 16‰. The results showed that a total of 27 ARG types and 13 VFG types in HNA and LNA bacteria were found. Salinity changes had significant effects on the ARGs’ and VFGs’ composition and their hosts’ composition. In the network topology relationship, the complexity of the network between the ARGs and their host as well as the VFGs and their host differed with the decrease in salinity. The abundance of most genera of HNA and LNA bacteria was significantly corrected with the abundance of ARGs and VFGs, respectively. Overall, this study demonstrates the effects of salinity on ARGs and VFGs hosted by HNA and LNA bacteria in the marine environment and suggests the importance of salinity in regulating HNA and LNA bacterial communities and functions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1710salinityHNA bacteriaLNA bacteriaARGsVFGs |
| spellingShingle | Wei Hu Xinzhu Zhou Yu Liu Yadi Zhang Yingying Wang Effects of Salinity Fluctuation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor Genes of Low and High Nucleic Acid-Content Bacteria in a Marine Environment Microorganisms salinity HNA bacteria LNA bacteria ARGs VFGs |
| title | Effects of Salinity Fluctuation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor Genes of Low and High Nucleic Acid-Content Bacteria in a Marine Environment |
| title_full | Effects of Salinity Fluctuation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor Genes of Low and High Nucleic Acid-Content Bacteria in a Marine Environment |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Salinity Fluctuation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor Genes of Low and High Nucleic Acid-Content Bacteria in a Marine Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Salinity Fluctuation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor Genes of Low and High Nucleic Acid-Content Bacteria in a Marine Environment |
| title_short | Effects of Salinity Fluctuation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor Genes of Low and High Nucleic Acid-Content Bacteria in a Marine Environment |
| title_sort | effects of salinity fluctuation on antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor genes of low and high nucleic acid content bacteria in a marine environment |
| topic | salinity HNA bacteria LNA bacteria ARGs VFGs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1710 |
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