Metagenomics-Based Analysis of the Age-Related Cumulative Effect of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Gut Microbiota

• Main Authors: Lei Wu (Author), Xinqiang Xie (Author), Ying Li (Author), Tingting Liang (Author), Haojie Zhong (Author), Jun Ma (Author), Lingshuang Yang (Author), Juan Yang (Author), Longyan Li (Author), Yu Xi (Author), Haixin Li (Author), Jumei Zhang (Author), Xuefeng Chen (Author), Yu Ding (Author), Qingping Wu (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2021-08-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/antibiotics10081006; 2079-6382
• Keywords: metagenomics; gut microbiota; antibiotic resistance genes; longevity people; cumulative effect; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Antibiotics, Vol 10, Iss 8, p 1006 (2021)

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria has become a major global health problem. One of the main reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes is the human gut microbiota. To characterise these genes, a metagenomic approach was used. In this study, a comprehensive antibiotic resistome catalog was established using fecal samples from 246 healthy individuals from world's longevity township in Jiaoling, China. In total, 606 antibiotic resistance genes were detected. Our results indicated that antibiotic resistance genes in the human gut microbiota accumulate and become more complex with age as older groups harbour the highest abundance of these genes. Tetracycline resistance gene type <i>tetQ</i> was the most abundant group of antibiotic resistance genes in gut microbiota, and the main carrier of antibiotic resistance genes was <i>Bacteroides</i>. Antibiotic efflux, inactivation, and target alteration were found to be the dominant antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. This research may help to establish a comprehensive antibiotic resistance catalog that includes extremely long-lived healthy people such as centenarians, and may provide potential recommendations for controlling the use of antibiotics.