Case study on the relationship between transmission of antibiotic resistance genes and microbial community under freeze-thaw cycle on cold-region dairy farm

Freeze-thaw cycle (FTC) is a naturally occurring phenomenon in high-latitude terrestrial ecosystems, which may exert influence on distribution and evolution of microbial community in the soil. The relationship between transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microbial community was investigated upon the case study on the soil of cold-region dairy farm under seasonal FTC. The results demonstrated that 37 ARGs underwent decrease in the abundance of blaTEM from 80.4 % for frozen soil to 71.7 % for thawed soil, and that sul2 from 8.8 % for frozen soil to 6.5 % for thawed soil, respectively. Antibiotic deactivation was identified to be closely related to the highest relative abundance of blaTEM, and the spread of sulfonamide resistance genes (SRGs) occurred mainly via target modification. Firmicutes in frozen soil were responsible for dominating the abundance of ARGs by suppressing the native bacteria under starvation effect in cold regions, and then underwent horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among native bacteria through mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The TRB-C (32.6–49.1 %) and tnpA-06 (0.27–7.5 %) were significantly increased in frozen soil, while Int3 (0.67–10.6 %) and tnpA-04 (11.1–19.4 %) were up-regulated in thawed soil. Moreover, the ARGs in frozen soil primarily underwent HGT through MGEs, i.e. TRB-C and tnpA-06, with increased number of Firmicutes serving as carrier. The case study not only demonstrated relationship between transmission of ARGs and microbial community in the soil under practically relevant FTC condition, but also emphasized the importance for formulating better strategies for preventing FTC-induced ARGs in dairy farm in cold regions. [Display omitted] •Frozen soils harbor a higher abundance of ARGs and low diversity of microbial communities.•Thawed soils contain fewer ARGs with higher diversity of microbial community.•Firmicutes cause ARGs variation by suppressing native bacteria under the starvation effect under low temperature.•ARGs in frozen soil undergo HGT through TRB-C and tnpA-06 carried by Firmicutes.•ARGs in thawed soil undergo HGT among native bacteria through intI3 and tnpA-04.