Kiyohiko Seki

1 Introduction The rapid emergence and propagation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a critical global health concern, driven largely by the extensive use of conventional antibiotics [1-3]. These agents generally act on a limited set of intracellular targets, such as DNA replication or protein synthesis, which can lead to the development of resistance.

Disclosure During the preparation of this work, the authors used DeepL Write in order to improve English expression. After using this tool/service, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and took full responsibility for the content of the publication. Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Supporting Information Filename Description psc70046-sup-0001-His BKBA Supporting Infomation_rev2.docxWord 2007 document , 611.8 KB Table S1.

Abstract Bacillus subtilis is central to the production of many fermented soybean foods across Asia, yet the relationship between its phylogeny and niche adaptation remains unclear. To address this, we performed a pangenome analysis on 55 B. subtilis strains, including isolates from Japanese natto and Indian bekang. Our analysis revealed a striking evolutionary paradox: a bekang-producing strain, while phylogenetically distant from the homogeneous B. subtilis var.