A genomic catalog of migratory microbiomes from wild birds across China’s habitats

The emergence and migration of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent threat to public health. Migratory birds play an important role in the spread of AMR; however, gaps in surveillance data from vital regions along migratory flyways across China limit the detection of emergent novel threats in migratory microbiomes. To assess the ability of migratory birds as global AMR sentinels, we assembled 340 metagenomes from 50 bird species covering 11 provincial administrative districts in China. We presented a specialized migratory microbial genome and gene catalog to archive the genomic and functional diversity of gut microbiomes in wild birds. This comprehensive migratory bird microbial genome and gene (MBGG) catalog includes 5,823 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), 13,072 plasmid sequences, and 44,974 viral genomes, which represent 1,709 candidate species spanning 36 phyla. The catalog also contains over 20 million non-redundant protein-encoding genes, the use of which is confirmed by the mining of 15,678 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters, 1,814 known antibiotic resistance genes, and 7,219 virulence factors. The number of clinically critical ARGs identified in Grus japonensis was the highest, followed by Cygnus cygnus and Sibirionetta formosa, which indicated that these species are hotspot species of clinically critical AMR dissemination. Moreover, we mapped the profile of bacterial zoonotic/opportunistic pathogens carried by wild birds and evaluated their associations with publicly available genomes. Finally, the precise migratory movements for 10 bird species using a global positioning system tracking system help to assess the movement of microorganisms and AMR risk. Collectively, this valuable resource provides the basis for the integration and unification of global wild bird microbiomes, timely sharing, and assessing the uncertainty of migratory microbiomes in the future. Any remaining information can be obtained by contacting the corresponding author upon reasonable request.