Transmission of soil antibiotic resistance gene pools to vegetable endophytes: Pathways, influencing factors, and control methods

The extensive use of antibiotics has led to the rapid development and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil. ARGs can enter the human body through vegetables as vectors, significantly threatening human health. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more comprehensive research on the transmission pathways of ARGs from soil to vegetables, and ultimately to humans, and strategies to interrupt their spread. This paper explains the natural and anthropogenic sources of ARGs in soil and elucidates their potential hazards to the environment and human health based on the “One Health” concept. Importantly, it clarifies the mechanisms of ARG transfer along the soil-vegetable transmission chain. ARGs accumulate in the rhizosphere and phyllosphere endophytic bacteria of edible plants via microbial colonization and horizontal gene transfer. In addition, the various factors that influence the transfer process are analyzed. Finally, by examining the transmission mechanisms, effective strategies for mitigating the spread of ARGs are summarized and further research directions are proposed, which provide a reference for researchers to conduct related research.