{
  "abstract": "Phages and integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) drive bacterial evolution, but how their interplay shapes bacterial adaptation and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) dissemination remains unclear. Here, we characterize phage-ICE tandems formed by site-specific accretion of phages and ICEs into cotransferable units. In Streptococcus , phage-encoded integrases (IntIE Phage ) drive stress-inducible excision and circularization, after which ICE machinery mediates conduction of the tandem. When excision is impaired, phage and phage-ICE fragments disseminate by transformation and integrate via RecA-dependent homologous recombination (HR), providing a fail-safe route. This pathway enables cotransfer of flanking chromosomal DNA, generating length-variable integrations that remodel transcriptional programs and increase oxidative stress tolerance. A global screen identified 612 phage-ICE tandems across seven phyla and 135 species, including multidrug-resistant pathogens, with lineage-specific repertoires of AMR, virulence, and metabolic genes. Rather than a hybrid element, these structures represent functional interplay where prophages exploit ICE conjugation while facilitating mobilization of the composite region. By coupling excision, transfer, and recombination, phage-ICEs shape adaptation and accelerate AMR spread.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Sanya 572025, China.",
    "MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, Risk Assessment Center of Veterinary Drug Residue and Antimicrobial Resistance, Center for Veterinary Drug Research and Evaluation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.",
    "Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.",
    "WOAH Reference Lab for Swine Streptococcosis, Nanjing 210095, China.",
    "The Air Force Hospital of Eastern Theater of PLA, Nanjing 210002, China.",
    "National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Animal Science, Nanjing 210095, China."
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 13,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jinhu Huang",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8149-1486"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jiaqi Zhao",
      "orcid": "0009-0007-1868-4171"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Pengchao Zhan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xingyang Dai",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6873-9678"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Xinming Pan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Zhenmiao Li"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Wenbin Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoli Shi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoming Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Shengyong Mao",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0089-9314"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Jiale Ma",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2163-9247"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Liping Wang",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4648-8155"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jinxin Liu",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5302-866X"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/25j0x9r2g1qfn.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1126/sciadv.aed3416",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "25j0x9r2g1qfn",
  "issns": [
    "2375-2548"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aed3416",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2303|Bacteriophages and microbial interactions"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221070905",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-09",
  "publisher": "American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/25j0x9r2g1qfn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:41Z",
      "native_id": "10.1126/sciadv.aed3416",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aed3416"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2303|Bacteriophages and microbial interactions",
      "subfield": "ecology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Phage-ICE tandems facilitate bacterial adaptation and antimicrobial resistance spread",
  "title_text": "Phage-ICE tandems facilitate bacterial adaptation and antimicrobial resistance spread",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:41Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/25j0x9r2g1qfn",
  "venue": "Science Advances",
  "versions": []
}