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<p>Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) occur even in remote cryospheric regions, yet their environmental selection mechanisms, distribution, and risks remain unclear. Here, 45% of 920 bacterial strains from Tibetan Plateau ice cores, cryoconites, snow, and lakes carry ARGs, with prevalence and diversity varying across habitats, reflecting distinct environmental pressures. Snow-derived ARGs reflect atmospheric deposition, whereas ice cores preserve resistance via genome recycling. Organic- and heavy metal-rich cryoconites promote ARG acquisition and persistence, while lakes reduce ARG abundance through natural attenuation. Strains of the same species exhibit consistent ARG profiles, and only 6.4% of ARGs are associated with mobile genetic elements, indicating that vertical inheritance predominates. Thirty-three high-risk ARG subtypes were identified, including several in potentially pathogenic genera. Tibetan strains carry fewer ARGs than those from human-impacted sites. This large-scale, culture-based resistome survey identifies the Tibetan Plateau as a natural baseline and highlights potential ARG mobilization risks under environmental change.</p>

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Environmental selection and vertical inheritance shape antibiotic resistance in cryospheric bacteria on the Tibetan Plateau

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月15日

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  • Guannan Mao,
  • Qingqing Ma,
  • Zhihao Zhang,
  • Yongqin Liu

摘要

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) occur even in remote cryospheric regions, yet their environmental selection mechanisms, distribution, and risks remain unclear. Here, 45% of 920 bacterial strains from Tibetan Plateau ice cores, cryoconites, snow, and lakes carry ARGs, with prevalence and diversity varying across habitats, reflecting distinct environmental pressures. Snow-derived ARGs reflect atmospheric deposition, whereas ice cores preserve resistance via genome recycling. Organic- and heavy metal-rich cryoconites promote ARG acquisition and persistence, while lakes reduce ARG abundance through natural attenuation. Strains of the same species exhibit consistent ARG profiles, and only 6.4% of ARGs are associated with mobile genetic elements, indicating that vertical inheritance predominates. Thirty-three high-risk ARG subtypes were identified, including several in potentially pathogenic genera. Tibetan strains carry fewer ARGs than those from human-impacted sites. This large-scale, culture-based resistome survey identifies the Tibetan Plateau as a natural baseline and highlights potential ARG mobilization risks under environmental change.