Gut Microbiome of Endangered Tor Putitora (Ham.) As a Reservoir of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Pathogens Associated with Fish Health

Background: Tor putitora, the largest freshwater fish of the Indian subcontinent, is an endangered species. Several factors have been attributed towards its continuous population decrease, but very little is known about the gut microbiome of this fish. Also, the fish gut microbiome serves as a reservoir of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance determinants. Therefore, the shotgun metagenomic approach was employed to investigate the taxonomic composition and functional potential of microbial communities present in the gut of Tor putitora, as well as the detection of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes in the microbiome.

Results: The analysis of bacterial diversity showed that Proteobacteria was predominant phylum, followed by Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. Within Proteobacteria, Aeromonas and Caulobacter were chiefly present; also, Klebsiella, Escherichia, and plant symbionts were noticeably detected. Functional characterization of gut microbes endowed the virulence determinants, while surveillance of antibiotic resistance genes showed the dominance of β-lactamase variants. The antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli pathovars were also detected. Microbial genome reconstruction and comparative genomics confirmed the presence of Aeromonads, the predominant fish pathogens.

Conclusions: Gut microbiome of endangered Tor putitora consisted of both commensals and opportunistic pathogens, implying that factors adversely affecting the non-pathogenic population would allow colonization and proliferation of pathogens causing diseased state in asymptomatic Tor putitora. The presence of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes suggested the potential risk of dissemination to other bacteria due to horizontal gene transfer, thereby posing a threat to fish and human health. The preservation of healthy gut microflora and limited use of antibiotics are some of the prerequisites for the conservation of this imperilled species.