Divergent Microbial Community and Pathogenicity at a University-Urban Interface: A Comparative Analysis
Xinyu Liu1, Nan Xiao1, Jianghao Yu1
1State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
Microorganisms
|March 28, 2026
Summary
Urban environments harbor more diverse pathogens and high-risk antimicrobial resistance genes compared to university campuses. Campus microbial communities are dominated by antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus species, with resistance traits on mobile plasmids, indicating high transfer potential.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Genomics
Background:
- Population density influences microbial community structure and evolution of antimicrobial resistance.
- High-touch surfaces in public spaces can harbor diverse microbial communities and potential pathogens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare microbial community composition and pathogenic potential on high-touch surfaces in urban and university settings.
- To investigate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors in bacterial isolates.
Main Methods:
- Metagenomic analysis of high-touch surfaces.
- Isolation and characterization of 188 bacterial species.
- Antibiotic susceptibility testing, hemolytic assays, and whole-genome sequencing.
Main Results:
- Off-campus urban sites exhibited higher bacterial richness and more diverse potential pathogens, including carbapenemase genes.
- On-campus sites were dominated by antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus species, with enriched beta-lactam resistance determinants.
- 84.7% of isolates showed antimicrobial resistance, and 35.1% of Staphylococcus isolates were hemolytic.
- Resistance and virulence traits were frequently located on mobile plasmids, suggesting high horizontal gene transfer potential.
Conclusions:
- Population activities shape distinct microbial communities in adjacent environments.
- Urban environments pose a higher risk for diverse pathogens and resistance genes.
- Monitoring high-risk resistance determinants in densely populated university settings is crucial.
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