Copper is an intestinal habitat filter affecting the gut microbiota interactions with Salmonella Typhimurium

Kolenda, Rafał, Hassan, Marwa m., Arrieta-Gisasola, Ainhoa, Kamara, Abioseh, Ansorge, Rebecca, Sidorczuk, Katarzyna, Acton, Luke, Thilliez, Gaëtan, Baker, Dave j., Burdukiewicz, Michał, Stares, Mark d., Browne, Hilary p., Le gall, Gwenaelle, Torres, Ricardo c., Chavez-Arroyo, Alfredo, Garrett, John, Stevens, Mark p., Lawley, Trevor d., Bäumler, Andreas j., La ragione, Roberto, Hildebrand, Falk and Kingsley, Robert a. (2026) Copper is an intestinal habitat filter affecting the gut microbiota interactions with Salmonella Typhimurium. Microbiome. ISSN 2049-2618

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Abstract

Background: Foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), pose a significant threat to both human health and livestock productivity. The pandemic S. Typhimurium ST34 clone acquired a genomic island (SGI-4) conferring high copper resistance, an adaptation relevant in the context of the widespread use of copper sulphate at therapeutic levels in pig farming. We investigated how high dietary copper influences the piglet gut microbiota and Salmonella-microbiota interactions that may explain the global spread of S. Typhimurium ST34. Results: An on-farm study combined with faecal shotgun metagenomics revealed that several potential Salmonella competitor species, including Bifidobacterium, Escherichia, and Lactobacillus, were less abundant in piglets on high-copper diets. Anaerobic and aerobic culturing alongside whole genome sequencing of 131 species and copper sulphate susceptibility testing identified copper resistance gene acquisition in selected microbes, particularly within Escherichia. Niche competition assays demonstrated that copper resistance is critical for inter-species competition under high-copper conditions, with Salmonella’s Type VI Secretion System providing a distinct advantage over Escherichia in the copper-modified niche. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that copper supplementation alters the piglet gut environment, impacting competitive dynamics between pathogenic and commensal bacteria, likely to influence the zoonotic transmission of pathogens.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Metabolic Health Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Nutrition and Preventive Medicine
Related URLs:	https://link.springer.com/10.1186/s40168...
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	01 Apr 2026 10:30
Last Modified:	06 Apr 2026 00:20
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/102695
DOI:	10.1186/s40168-025-02322-4

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