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Inland Antarctic plastispheres harbour unique and diverse antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements
Summary
Researchers analyzed plastic debris collected from Antarctic lakes, soils, and a protected area and found that plastisphere communities harbor significantly more antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements than surrounding environments, with antibiotic-resistant bacteria surviving prolonged freezing — raising concerns about plastic as a vector for resistance dissemination even in remote ecosystems.
Abstract Antarctica, considered pristine, is increasingly recognized to harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, the role of plastic debris as hotspots for ARBs and ARGs in this remote continent remains poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the resistome, mobilome and bacterial communities of the plastisphere present on in situ collected plastics from Antarctic lakes and soils, including an Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA), using high-throughput qPCR and 16S rRNA sequencing. Plastics exhibited a higher number and higher relative copy numbers of ARGs, including those conferring resistance to synthetic antibiotics, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) compared to surrounding water and soil. ARG–MGE correlations were more extensive on plastics, suggesting enhanced ARG mobilization potential. Isolation of ARBs from plastics after prolonged freezing confirmed the presence of clinically relevant ARGs and MGEs, indicating that plastics act as a hotspot for antibiotic resistance dissemination, with potential environmental and human health implications.