Objective To investigate the distribution, sources, and gene cassette contents of integrative and conjugative elements in microorganisms contaminating cooked poultry meat products. Methods Cooked duck meat was purchased, and DNA extraction, sequencing, assembly, binning, and metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) acquisition were performed. These MAGs were then compared with an integron database. Results A total of 110 integrative and conjugative elements belonging to 65 distinct types were detected in the contaminating microbiota of cooked duck meat, primarily originating from 31 host microorganisms, including Mesorhizobium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Among these integrative and conjugative elements, there were 9 kinds of transposases, 1 kinds of virulence factor gene, and 19 resistance-related genes, including 10 tetracycline resistance genes. Additionally, 11 defense genes, all of which were phage-defense genes, were identified. Conclusion The discovery of various integrative and conjugative elements, virulence factors, resistance-related genes, and defense genes reveals the complex genetic diversity of microorganisms in food. This provides important clues for studying horizontal gene transfer and has significant implications for assessing food safety and preventing and controlling foodborne pathogens. The effective application of metagenomic technology in integron research also demonstrates its potential in the fields of food safety and public health.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |