Climate warming fuels the global antibiotic resistome by altering soil bacterial traits
Lin, Da (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Urban Environment)
Du, Shuai (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Urban Environment)
Zhao, Zhe (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences)
Zhang, Tianlun (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Wang, Lu (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Urban Environment)
Zhang, Qi (Shaoxing University)
Zhou, Shuyidan (Chinese Academy of Sciences. South China Botanical Garden)
Graham, David W. (Durham University. Department of Biosciences)
Tissue, David T. (Western Sydney University. Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment)
Zhu, Dong (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Urban Environment)
Zhu, Yong-Guan (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences)
Peñuelas, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Reich, Peter (University of Minnesota. Department of Forest Resources)

Date:	2025
Abstract:	Understanding the implications of global warming on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) within soil ecosystems is crucial for safeguarding human well-being and sustaining ecosystem health. However, there is currently a lack of large-scale, systematic underpinning data needed to examine this issue. Here, using an integrative approach that combines field experiments, extensive global metagenomic data and microbial culturing, we show that warming enriches bacteria with ARGs and VFGs, increases metabolic complexity and adaptability in bacteria, and accelerates genetic alterations related to ARG and VFGs development. Our validation experiments confirm that the warming effect is more pronounced in colder regions. Machine learning predictions further suggest that warming will increase the soil ARG abundance, especially in some areas that rely heavily on fossil fuels. These results suggest another major negative consequence of global warming, highlighting the importance of developing and implementing sustainability policies that simultaneously combat climate change and antibiotic resistance.
Grants:	Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-1333
Rights:	Aquest material està protegit per drets d'autor i/o drets afins. Podeu utilitzar aquest material en funció del que permet la legislació de drets d'autor i drets afins d'aplicació al vostre cas. Per a d'altres usos heu d'obtenir permís del(s) titular(s) de drets.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió sotmesa a revisió
Published in:	Nature ecology & evolution, Vol. 9 (June 2025) , p. 1512-1526, ISSN 2397-334X

DOI: 10.1038/s41559-025-02740-5

Preprint 45 p, 514.5 KB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles