From flagellar assembly to DNA replication: CJSe's role in mitigating microbial antibiotic resistance genes

Area of Science:

• Environmental Microbiology
• Food Safety
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) in Campylobacter jejuni (CJ) pose significant food safety and human health risks.
• Understanding the impact of CJ and its variants on ARGs and microbial pathways is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of CJ and selenium-enriched CJ (CJSe) on ARGs, flagellar assembly, microbial communities, and DNA replication in chicken manure.
• To evaluate CJSe's potential for mitigating ARG prevalence and its dual functionality.

Main Methods:

• Integrated metagenomic sequencing and co-occurrence network analysis were employed.
• Chicken manure samples were analyzed from Control (CON), CJ, and CJSe groups.

Main Results:

• CJSe significantly increased selenium levels and reduced total ARG copy numbers compared to CJ and CON groups.
• CJSe suppressed flagellar assembly pathways and bacterial DNA replication associated with ARGs.
• CJSe decreased ARG-carrying bacteria under selenium-induced selective pressure, unlike CJ.

Conclusions:

• CJSe effectively mitigates the threat of CJ and reduces ARG prevalence in chicken manure.
• CJSe demonstrates dual functionality for potential use in biofortified crop production and soil remediation, supporting circular economy systems.