Depth-resolved transcriptional activity of antibiotic resistance genes in deep permafrost of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
4 affiliations
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- 2Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- 3Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol
- 4Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Infectious Disease Prevention and Control & Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education of Guizhou & School of basic Medical Sciences & Institution of One health research, Guizhou Medical University
Abstract
The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau harbors permafrost ecosystems containing diverse antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), yet their transcriptional activity and depth-resolved patterns remain poorly understood. Here, we performed meta-transcriptomic profiling of two permafrost cores (40-m and 100-m) from the Tuotuo River Basin. Within each core, permafrost layers exhibited higher relative ARG transcript abundance and diversity than overlying active layers. β-Lactam, multidrug, and puromycin resistance transcripts were enriched in permafrost, whereas aminoglycoside resistance predominated in the active layer. Antibiotic inactivation mechanisms were more prevalent in permafrost, while target modification dominated in the active layer within the analyzed cores. Plasmid-associated ARGs were detected, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) showed stratified distributions, with integrative and conjugative elements more abundant in active layers and integrons enriched in permafrost strata. ARG transcript levels were associated with microbial community composition, MGEs, metal tolerance genes, and trace metal concentrations. Neutral community modeling suggested that ARG assemblages are largely consistent with stochastic processes, indicating long-term persistence under environmental filtering. As the analysis is limited to two cores, these observations reflect site-specific transcriptional patterns rather than generalizable regional trends. Overall, this study provides evidence of ARG transcripts in permafrost layers, offering a baseline for future investigations of resistome dynamics under thaw conditions.
Related
- Antibiotic resistance genes in aquaculture: Molecular detection, environmental dynamics, and biological control strategies
- Response to comment on “Using genomic data and machine learning to predict antibiotic resistance: A tutorial paper”
- Antibiotic transformation products exert selective pressure for antimicrobial resistance comparable to parent compounds
- Antimicrobial resistance profiles and antibiotic resistance gene detection in environmental isolates from urban streams in Ilorin, Nigeria: a One Health cross-sectional assessment
- Enrichment risk and drivers of manure-derived antibiotic resistance genes in black soldier fly larval gut
BibTeX
@article{sajjad2026depthresolved,
title = {{Depth-resolved transcriptional activity of antibiotic resistance genes in deep permafrost of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau}},
author = {Wasim Sajjad and Shichang Kang and Xiufeng Yin and Xiaodong Wu and Fei Deng and Christopher Williamson and Muhammad Rafiq},
journal = {Communications Biology},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1038/s42003-026-10593-2},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10593-2},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Depth-resolved transcriptional activity of antibiotic resistance genes in deep permafrost of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
AU - Wasim Sajjad
AU - Shichang Kang
AU - Xiufeng Yin
AU - Xiaodong Wu
AU - Fei Deng
AU - Christopher Williamson
AU - Muhammad Rafiq
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/01
JO - Communications Biology
DO - 10.1038/s42003-026-10593-2
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10593-2
AB - The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau harbors permafrost ecosystems containing diverse antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), yet their transcriptional activity and depth-resolved patterns remain poorly understood. Here, we performed meta-transcriptomic profiling of two permafrost cores (40-m and 100-m) from the Tuotuo River Basin. Within each core, permafrost layers exhibited higher relative ARG transcript abundance and diversity than overlying active layers. β-Lactam, multidrug, and puromycin resistance transcripts were enriched in permafrost, whereas aminoglycoside resistance predominated in the active layer. Antibiotic inactivation mechanisms were more prevalent in permafrost, while target modification dominated in the active layer within the analyzed cores. Plasmid-associated ARGs were detected, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) showed stratified distributions, with integrative and conjugative elements more abundant in active layers and integrons enriched in permafrost strata. ARG transcript levels were associated with microbial community composition, MGEs, metal tolerance genes, and trace metal concentrations. Neutral community modeling suggested that ARG assemblages are largely consistent with stochastic processes, indicating long-term persistence under environmental filtering. As the analysis is limited to two cores, these observations reflect site-specific transcriptional patterns rather than generalizable regional trends. Overall, this study provides evidence of ARG transcripts in permafrost layers, offering a baseline for future investigations of resistome dynamics under thaw conditions.
SN - 2399-3642
ER -