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Imaging Minimal Bacteria at the Nanoscale: a Reliable and Versatile Process to Perform Single-Molecule Localization Microscopy in Mycoplasmas. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0064522. [PMID: 35638916 PMCID: PMC9241803 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00645-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasmas are the smallest free-living organisms. These bacteria are important models for both fundamental and synthetic biology, owing to their highly reduced genomes. They are also relevant in the medical and veterinary fields, as they are pathogenic to both humans and most livestock species. Mycoplasma cells have minute sizes, often in the 300- to 800-nm range. As these dimensions are close to the diffraction limit of visible light, fluorescence imaging in mycoplasmas is often poorly informative. Recently developed superresolution imaging techniques can break this diffraction limit, improving the imaging resolution by an order of magnitude and offering a new nanoscale vision of the organization of these bacteria. These techniques have, however, not been applied to mycoplasmas before. Here, we describe an efficient and reliable protocol to perform single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) imaging in mycoplasmas. We provide a polyvalent transposon-based system to express the photoconvertible fluorescent protein mEos3.2, enabling photo-activated localization microscopy (PALM) in most Mycoplasma species. We also describe the application of direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). We showcase the potential of these techniques by studying the subcellular localization of two proteins of interest. Our work highlights the benefits of state-of-the-art microscopy techniques for mycoplasmology and provides an incentive to further the development of SMLM strategies to study these organisms in the future. IMPORTANCE Mycoplasmas are important models in biology, as well as highly problematic pathogens in the medical and veterinary fields. The very small sizes of these bacteria, well below a micron, limits the usefulness of traditional fluorescence imaging methods, as their resolution limit is similar to the dimensions of the cells. Here, to bypass this issue, we established a set of state-of-the-art superresolution microscopy techniques in a wide range of Mycoplasma species. We describe two strategies: PALM, based on the expression of a specific photoconvertible fluorescent protein, and dSTORM, based on fluorophore-coupled antibody labeling. With these methods, we successfully performed single-molecule imaging of proteins of interest at the surface of the cells and in the cytoplasm, at lateral resolutions well below 50 nm. Our work paves the way toward a better understanding of mycoplasma biology through imaging of subcellular structures at the nanometer scale.
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Talenton V, Baby V, Gourgues G, Mouden C, Claverol S, Vashee S, Blanchard A, Labroussaa F, Jores J, Arfi Y, Sirand-Pugnet P, Lartigue C. Genome Engineering of the Fast-Growing Mycoplasma feriruminatoris toward a Live Vaccine Chassis. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:1919-1930. [PMID: 35511588 PMCID: PMC9128628 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Development of a new generation of vaccines is a key challenge for the control of infectious diseases affecting both humans and animals. Synthetic biology methods offer new ways to engineer bacterial chassis that can be used as vectors to present heterologous antigens and train the immune system against pathogens. Here, we describe the construction of a bacterial chassis based on the fast-growing Mycoplasma feriruminatoris, and the first steps toward its application as a live vaccine against contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP). To do so, the M. feriruminatoris genome was cloned in yeast, modified by iterative cycles of Cas9-mediated deletion of loci encoding virulence factors, and transplanted back in Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum recipient cells to produce the designed M. feriruminatoris chassis. Deleted genes encoded the glycerol transport and metabolism systems GtsABCD and GlpOKF and the Mycoplasma Ig binding protein-Mycoplasma Ig protease (MIB-MIP) immunoglobulin cleavage system. Phenotypic assays of the M. feriruminatoris chassis confirmed the corresponding loss of H2O2 production and IgG cleavage activities, while growth remained unaltered. The resulting mycoplasma chassis was further evaluated as a platform for the expression of heterologous surface proteins. A genome locus encoding an inactivated MIB-MIP system from the CCPP-causative agent Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae was grafted in replacement of its homolog at the original locus in the chassis genome. Both heterologous proteins were detected in the resulting strain using proteomics, confirming their expression. This study demonstrates that advanced genome engineering methods are henceforth available for the fast-growing M. feriruminatoris, facilitating the development of novel vaccines, in particular against major mycoplasma diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Talenton
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BFP, F-33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France
| | - Vincent Baby
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BFP, F-33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, J1K 2R1 Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Geraldine Gourgues
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BFP, F-33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France
| | | | - Stephane Claverol
- Plateforme Proteome, University of Bordeaux, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Sanjay Vashee
- J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Alain Blanchard
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BFP, F-33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France
| | - Fabien Labroussaa
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern CH-3001, Switzerland
| | - Joerg Jores
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern CH-3001, Switzerland
| | - Yonathan Arfi
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BFP, F-33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France
| | | | - Carole Lartigue
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BFP, F-33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France
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3
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Kurokawa M, Ying BW. Experimental Challenges for Reduced Genomes: The Cell Model Escherichia coli. Microorganisms 2019; 8:E3. [PMID: 31861355 PMCID: PMC7022904 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome reduction, as a top-down approach to obtain the minimal genetic information essential for a living organism, has been conducted with bacterial cells for decades. The most popular and well-studied cell models for genome reduction are Escherichia coli strains. As the previous literature intensively introduced the genetic construction and application of the genome-reduced Escherichia coli strains, the present review focuses the design principles and compares the reduced genome collections from the specific viewpoint of growth, which represents a fundamental property of living cells and is an important feature for their biotechnological application. For the extended simplification of the genomic sequences, the approach of experimental evolution and concern for medium optimization are newly proposed. The combination of the current techniques of genomic construction and the newly proposed methodologies could allow us to acquire growing Escherichia coli cells carrying the extensively reduced genome and to address the question of what the minimal genome essential for life is.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bei-Wen Ying
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 305-8572 Ibaraki, Japan;
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Landon S, Rees-Garbutt J, Marucci L, Grierson C. Genome-driven cell engineering review: in vivo and in silico metabolic and genome engineering. Essays Biochem 2019; 63:267-284. [PMID: 31243142 PMCID: PMC6610458 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20180045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Producing 'designer cells' with specific functions is potentially feasible in the near future. Recent developments, including whole-cell models, genome design algorithms and gene editing tools, have advanced the possibility of combining biological research and mathematical modelling to further understand and better design cellular processes. In this review, we will explore computational and experimental approaches used for metabolic and genome design. We will highlight the relevance of modelling in this process, and challenges associated with the generation of quantitative predictions about cell behaviour as a whole: although many cellular processes are well understood at the subsystem level, it has proved a hugely complex task to integrate separate components together to model and study an entire cell. We explore these developments, highlighting where computational design algorithms compensate for missing cellular information and underlining where computational models can complement and reduce lab experimentation. We will examine issues and illuminate the next steps for genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Landon
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
| | - Joshua Rees-Garbutt
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Lucia Marucci
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K.
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
| | - Claire Grierson
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
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5
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Ye YN, Ma BG, Dong C, Zhang H, Chen LL, Guo FB. A novel proposal of a simplified bacterial gene set and the neo-construction of a general minimized metabolic network. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35082. [PMID: 27713529 PMCID: PMC5054358 DOI: 10.1038/srep35082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A minimal gene set (MGS) is critical for the assembly of a minimal artificial cell. We have developed a proposal of simplifying bacterial gene set to approximate a bacterial MGS by the following procedure. First, we base our simplified bacterial gene set (SBGS) on experimentally determined essential genes to ensure that the genes included in the SBGS are critical. Second, we introduced a half-retaining strategy to extract persistent essential genes to ensure stability. Third, we constructed a viable metabolic network to supplement SBGS. The proposed SBGS includes 327 genes and required 431 reactions. This report describes an SBGS that preserves both self-replication and self-maintenance systems. In the minimized metabolic network, we identified five novel hub metabolites and confirmed 20 known hubs. Highly essential genes were found to distribute the connecting metabolites into more reactions. Based on our SBGS, we expanded the pool of targets for designing broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs to reduce pathogen resistance. We also suggested a rough semi-de novo strategy to synthesize an artificial cell, with potential applications in industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Nong Ye
- Center of Bioinformatics, Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of the Ministry of Education, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China.,School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Bin-Guang Ma
- College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Chuan Dong
- Center of Bioinformatics, Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of the Ministry of Education, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China.,Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ling-Ling Chen
- College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Feng-Biao Guo
- Center of Bioinformatics, Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of the Ministry of Education, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China.,Center for Information in BioMedicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
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6
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Lin Q, Qi H, Wu Y, Yuan Y. Robust orthogonal recombination system for versatile genomic elements rearrangement in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15249. [PMID: 26477943 PMCID: PMC4609996 DOI: 10.1038/srep15249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rearrangement of genomic DNA elements in a dynamic controlled fashion is a fundamental challenge. Site-specific DNA recombinases have been tamed as a powerful tool in genome editing. Here, we reported a DNA element rearrangement on the basis of a pairwise orthogonal recombination system which is comprised of two site-specific recombinases of Vika/vox and Cre/loxp in yeast Saccharomyces Creevisiae. Taking the advantage of the robust pairwise orthogonality, we showed that multi gene elements could be organized in a programmed way, in which rationally designed pattern of loxP and vox determined the final genotype after expressing corresponding recombinases. Finally, it was demonstrated that the pairwise orthogonal recombination system could be utilized to refine synthetic chromosome rearrangement and modification by loxP-mediated evolution, SCRaMbLE, in yeast cell carrying a completely synthesized chromosome III.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuhui Lin
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China
| | - Hao Qi
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China
| | - Yi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China
| | - Yingjin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China
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7
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Abstract
The concept of the minimal cell has fascinated scientists for a long time, from both fundamental and applied points of view. This broad concept encompasses extreme reductions of genomes, the last universal common ancestor (LUCA), the creation of semiartificial cells, and the design of protocells and chassis cells. Here we review these different areas of research and identify common and complementary aspects of each one. We focus on systems biology, a discipline that is greatly facilitating the classical top-down and bottom-up approaches toward minimal cells. In addition, we also review the so-called middle-out approach and its contributions to the field with mathematical and computational models. Owing to the advances in genomics technologies, much of the work in this area has been centered on minimal genomes, or rather minimal gene sets, required to sustain life. Nevertheless, a fundamental expansion has been taking place in the last few years wherein the minimal gene set is viewed as a backbone of a more complex system. Complementing genomics, progress is being made in understanding the system-wide properties at the levels of the transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome. Network modeling approaches are enabling the integration of these different omics data sets toward an understanding of the complex molecular pathways connecting genotype to phenotype. We review key concepts central to the mapping and modeling of this complexity, which is at the heart of research on minimal cells. Finally, we discuss the distinction between minimizing the number of cellular components and minimizing cellular complexity, toward an improved understanding and utilization of minimal and simpler cells.
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8
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Yang L, Srinivasan S, Mahadevan R, Cluett WR. Characterizing metabolic pathway diversification in the context of perturbation size. Metab Eng 2014; 28:114-122. [PMID: 25542850 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2014.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Revised: 11/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cell metabolism is an important platform for sustainable biofuel, chemical and pharmaceutical production but its complexity presents a major challenge for scientists and engineers. Although in silico strains have been designed in the past with predicted performances near the theoretical maximum, real-world performance is often sub-optimal. Here, we simulate how strain performance is impacted when subjected to many randomly varying perturbations, including discrepancies between gene expression and in vivo flux, osmotic stress, and substrate uptake perturbations due to concentration gradients in bioreactors. This computational study asks whether robust performance can be achieved by adopting robustness-enhancing mechanisms from naturally evolved organisms-in particular, redundancy. Our study shows that redundancy, typically perceived as a ubiquitous robustness-enhancing strategy in nature, can either improve or undermine robustness depending on the magnitude of the perturbations. We also show that the optimal number of redundant pathways used can be predicted for a given perturbation size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3E5
| | - Shyamsundhar Srinivasan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3E5
| | - Radhakrishnan Mahadevan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3E5; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3G9.
| | - William R Cluett
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3E5
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9
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Divided we stand: splitting synthetic cells for their proliferation. SYSTEMS AND SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY 2014; 8:249-69. [PMID: 25136387 DOI: 10.1007/s11693-014-9145-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Revised: 03/29/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
With the recent dawn of synthetic biology, the old idea of man-made artificial life has gained renewed interest. In the context of a bottom-up approach, this entails the de novo construction of synthetic cells that can autonomously sustain themselves and proliferate. Reproduction of a synthetic cell involves the synthesis of its inner content, replication of its information module, and growth and division of its shell. Theoretical and experimental analysis of natural cells shows that, whereas the core synthesis machinery of the information module is highly conserved, a wide range of solutions have been realized in order to accomplish division. It is therefore to be expected that there are multiple ways to engineer division of synthetic cells. Here we survey the field and review potential routes that can be explored to accomplish the division of bottom-up designed synthetic cells. We cover a range of complexities from simple abiotic mechanisms involving splitting of lipid-membrane-encapsulated vesicles due to physical or chemical principles, to potential division mechanisms of synthetic cells that are based on prokaryotic division machineries.
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10
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Commichau FM, Pietack N, Stülke J. Essential genes in Bacillus subtilis: a re-evaluation after ten years. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2013; 9:1068-75. [PMID: 23420519 DOI: 10.1039/c3mb25595f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In 2003, an initial study on essential genes in the Gram-positive model bacterium described 271 genes as essential. In the past decade, the functions of many unknown genes and their encoded proteins have been elucidated. Moreover, detailed analyses have revealed that 31 genes that were thought to be essential are in fact non-essential whereas 20 novel essential genes have been described. Thus, 261 genes coding for 259 proteins and two functional RNAs are regarded essential as of January 2013. Among the essential proteins, the largest group is involved in protein synthesis, secretion and protein quality control. Other large sets of essential proteins are involved in lipid biosynthesis, cell wall metabolism and cell division, and DNA replication. Another interesting group of essential proteins protects the cell against endogenous toxic proteins, metabolites, or other intermediates. There are only six essential proteins in B. subtilis, for which no function is known. The functional analysis of these important proteins is predicted to be a key issue in the research on this model organism in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian M Commichau
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 8, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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11
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Tanaka K, Henry CS, Zinner JF, Jolivet E, Cohoon MP, Xia F, Bidnenko V, Ehrlich SD, Stevens RL, Noirot P. Building the repertoire of dispensable chromosome regions in Bacillus subtilis entails major refinement of cognate large-scale metabolic model. Nucleic Acids Res 2012; 41:687-99. [PMID: 23109554 PMCID: PMC3592452 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gks963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The nonessential regions in bacterial chromosomes are ill-defined due to incomplete functional information. Here, we establish a comprehensive repertoire of the genome regions that are dispensable for growth of Bacillus subtilis in a variety of media conditions. In complex medium, we attempted deletion of 157 individual regions ranging in size from 2 to 159 kb. A total of 146 deletions were successful in complex medium, whereas the remaining regions were subdivided to identify new essential genes (4) and coessential gene sets (7). Overall, our repertoire covers ∼76% of the genome. We screened for viability of mutant strains in rich defined medium and glucose minimal media. Experimental observations were compared with predictions by the iBsu1103 model, revealing discrepancies that led to numerous model changes, including the large-scale application of model reconciliation techniques. We ultimately produced the iBsu1103V2 model and generated predictions of metabolites that could restore the growth of unviable strains. These predictions were experimentally tested and demonstrated to be correct for 27 strains, validating the refinements made to the model. The iBsu1103V2 model has improved considerably at predicting loss of viability, and many insights gained from the model revisions have been integrated into the Model SEED to improve reconstruction of other microbial models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosei Tanaka
- INRA, UMR 1319 Micalis, AgroParisTech, UMR Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas F-78350, France
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13
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Trevors J, Pollack G. Origin of microbial life hypothesis: A gel cytoplasm lacking a bilayer membrane, with infrared radiation producing exclusion zone (EZ) water, hydrogen as an energy source and thermosynthesis for bioenergetics. Biochimie 2012; 94:258-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2011.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2011] [Accepted: 10/05/2011] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Abstract
Is life physicochemically unique? No. Is life unique? Yes. Life manifests innumerable formalisms that cannot be generated or explained by physicodynamics alone. Life pursues thousands of biofunctional goals, not the least of which is staying alive. Neither physicodynamics, nor evolution, pursue goals. Life is largely directed by linear digital programming and by the Prescriptive Information (PI) instantiated particularly into physicodynamically indeterminate nucleotide sequencing. Epigenomic controls only compound the sophistication of these formalisms. Life employs representationalism through the use of symbol systems. Life manifests autonomy, homeostasis far from equilibrium in the harshest of environments, positive and negative feedback mechanisms, prevention and correction of its own errors, and organization of its components into Sustained Functional Systems (SFS). Chance and necessity-heat agitation and the cause-and-effect determinism of nature's orderliness-cannot spawn formalisms such as mathematics, language, symbol systems, coding, decoding, logic, organization (not to be confused with mere self-ordering), integration of circuits, computational success, and the pursuit of functionality. All of these characteristics of life are formal, not physical.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Abel
- Department of ProtoBioCybernetics and ProtoBioSemiotics, Origin of Life Science Foundation, Inc., 113-120 Hedgewood Drive, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA.
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15
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Hankeln W, Wendel NJ, Gerken J, Waldmann J, Buttigieg PL, Kostadinov I, Kottmann R, Yilmaz P, Glöckner FO. CDinFusion--submission-ready, on-line integration of sequence and contextual data. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24797. [PMID: 21935468 PMCID: PMC3172294 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 08/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
State of the art (DNA) sequencing methods applied in "Omics" studies grant insight into the 'blueprints' of organisms from all domains of life. Sequencing is carried out around the globe and the data is submitted to the public repositories of the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration. However, the context in which these studies are conducted often gets lost, because experimental data, as well as information about the environment are rarely submitted along with the sequence data. If these contextual or metadata are missing, key opportunities of comparison and analysis across studies and habitats are hampered or even impossible. To address this problem, the Genomic Standards Consortium (GSC) promotes checklists and standards to better describe our sequence data collection and to promote the capturing, exchange and integration of sequence data with contextual data. In a recent community effort the GSC has developed a series of recommendations for contextual data that should be submitted along with sequence data. To support the scientific community to significantly enhance the quality and quantity of contextual data in the public sequence data repositories, specialized software tools are needed. In this work we present CDinFusion, a web-based tool to integrate contextual and sequence data in (Multi)FASTA format prior to submission. The tool is open source and available under the Lesser GNU Public License 3. A public installation is hosted and maintained at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology at http://www.megx.net/cdinfusion. The tool may also be installed locally using the open source code available at http://code.google.com/p/cdinfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Hankeln
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- Jacobs University gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
| | - Norma Johanna Wendel
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- Fachhochschule Bingen, Bingen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Jan Gerken
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- Jacobs University gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
| | - Jost Waldmann
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Pier Luigi Buttigieg
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- Jacobs University gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ivaylo Kostadinov
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- Jacobs University gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
| | - Renzo Kottmann
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Pelin Yilmaz
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- Jacobs University gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
| | - Frank Oliver Glöckner
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- Jacobs University gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
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16
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Stano P. Minimal cells: Relevance and interplay of physical and biochemical factors. Biotechnol J 2011; 6:850-9. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201100079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2011] [Revised: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 05/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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17
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Stano P, Carrara P, Kuruma Y, Pereira de Souza T, Luisi PL. Compartmentalized reactions as a case of soft-matter biotechnology: synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids inside lipid vesicles. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1039/c1jm12298c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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