# Effects of Age, Sex, and Social Network on Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Gut Microbiome of Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana)

## TL;DR

This study explores how age, sex, and social behavior influence antibiotic resistance genes in the gut microbiome of wild Tibetan macaques.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific antibiotic resistance genes influenced by age and social factors in a wild primate population.

## Key findings

- Multidrug, glycopeptide, and peptide resistance genes are most prevalent in Tibetan macaque gut microbiomes.
- Age significantly influences the abundance of specific antibiotic resistance genes like gryB, rpoB, and macB.
- Age is a key driver in the co-variation network between gut bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes.

## Abstract

The transmission and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have increasingly drawn global attention. However, our knowledge of the antibiotic resistance gene pool in wild primates' gut microbiomes and its influencing factors remains limited. In this study, we focus on a social group of Tibetan macaques (
Macaca thibetana
) in Huangshan, utilizing behavioral and metagenomic data to investigate the effects of host sex, age, and social network on the ARG profiles of the gut microbiome. Our results demonstrate a high diversity of ARGs in the gut microbiota of Tibetan macaques, with multidrug, glycopeptide, and peptide resistance genes being the most prevalent. Although host age, sex, and social networks did not significantly affect the overall diversity of ARGs, these factors were significantly correlated with the relative abundance of several highly abundant ARG types, including gryB, rpoB, macB, novA, efrA, patB,
Staphylococcus aureus mupA conferring mupirocin resistance, RanA, and cdeA. Further analysis revealed extensive interactions between gut bacteria and ARGs, with age emerging as a potentially key factor in this covariation process. These findings provide new insights into the formation and transmission mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in the gut microbiome of wildlife, particularly in social primates.

Based on metagenomic and behavioral data from wild Tibetan macaques, this study reveals a unique gut resistome profile dominated by multidrug resistance genes. While individual factors like age, sex, and social centrality did not affect overall ARG diversity, they significantly influenced the abundance of specific, high‐prevalence ARGs. Furthermore, age emerged as a key driver of the co‐variation network between core gut bacteria and ARGs, providing new ecological insights into antibiotic resistance dynamics in wild social primates.