Long-read sequencing reveals putatively mobilizable resistance genes and multi-drug resistance plasmids underestimated by short-read metagenomics
Dabin Jeon, Tatsuya Unno · 2026
Read Long-read sequencing reveals putatively mobilizable resistance genes and multi-drug resistance plasmids underestimated by short-read metagenomics by Dabin Jeon, Tatsuya Unno (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13688123.txt.
Description
Dabin Jeon and Tatsuya Unno compared DNA sequencing platforms in two thousand twenty-six. Gut samples came from cattle, pigs, and humans. Antibiotic resistance genes travel on mobile plasmids. Short reads may miss much of that traffic. Three platforms and seven assembly strategies competed. Long reads assembled far more plasmid sequence in livestock.
Human gut samples behaved differently, though. Dense coverage let short reads perform comparably there. Long reads found more resistance genes on plasmids overall. Hybrid assembly quality depended heavily on algorithm choice. Many unique multi-drug resistance plasmids emerged only from long reads. Method choice clearly shapes resistome conclusions. Surveillance programs should not treat platforms as interchangeable.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Dabin Jeon, Tatsuya Unno |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 38 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |