GWAS and comparative genomics reveal candidate antibiotic resistance genes in the avian pathogen Gallibacterium anatis for six widespread antibiotics

Abstract

Gallibacterium anatis is a Gram-negative bacterium found in the respiratory and genital tracts of various animals, primarily poultry. Its association with septicemia and high mortality in poultry, along with the rise in multidrug-resistant strains, has amplified concerns. Recent research uncovered significant variability in antibiotic resistance profiles among G. anatis isolates from different Austrian flocks, and even between different organs within the same bird. In response, in the present study 60 of these isolates were sequenced and a combination of comparative genomics and genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis was applied to understand the genetic variability of G. anatis across flocks and organs and to identify genes related to antibiotic resistance. The results showed that each flock harbored one or two strains of G. anatis with only a few strains shared between flocks, demonstrating a great variability among flocks. We identified genes associated with resistance to nalidixic acid, trimethoprim, cefoxitin, tetracycline, ampicillin and sulfamethoxazole. Our findings revealed that G. anatis may develop antibiotic resistance through two mechanisms: single-nucleotide mutations and the presence of specific genes that confer resistance. Unexpectedly, some tetracycline-resistant isolates lacked all known tetracycline-associated genes, suggesting the involvement of novel mechanisms of tetracycline resistance that require additional exploration. Furthermore, our functional annotation of resistance genes highlighted the citric acid cycle pathway as a potential key modulator of antibiotic resistance in G. anatis. In summary, this study describes the first application of GWAS analysis to G. anatis and provides new insights into the acquisition of multidrug resistance in this important avian pathogen.