Characteristics of genomes of opportunistic bacteria in zoogenic ecosystems of the Russian Western Arctic Islands

Introduction: Arctic ecosystems are the most important object of microbiological surveillance that helps monitor a rapidly changing natural environment affected by climate change and industrial development of the northern territories.

Objective: To assess the epidemic potential of opportunistic bacteria associated with animals from the Arctic islands of the Barents and Kara Seas.

Materials and methods: We have studied four strains of gram-negative opportunistic bacteria (Serratia fonticola, Aeromonas salmonicida, Yersinia kristensenii, and Yersinia rochesterensis) isolated in 2021–2022 during microbiological testing of 46 samples of zoogenic biologic materials from the natural ecosystems of Vaigach Island, Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land archipelagos. Genomes of the isolated microbial strains were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing system and, after de novo assembly using the SPAdes 13.0 genomic assembler, annotated with RAST (Rapid Annotation using Subsystem Technology).

Results: The strains were shown to possess a number of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes, which allows them to be considered as potential pathogens. Classes A, B, and C beta-lactamases were found in the genomes of all the bacteria under study, and operons for siderophores and type IV secretion systems were typical of virulence factors. In addition, the pertussis-like YtxA enterotoxin was identified in Yersinia genomes.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate the possibility of emergence of natural foci of notifiable infections on the islands in the high-latitude Arctic promising in terms of tourism development and economic growth.

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