1
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Van Duyne GD, Landy A. Bacteriophage lambda site-specific recombination. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:895-911. [PMID: 38372210 PMCID: PMC11096046 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The site-specific recombination pathway of bacteriophage λ encompasses isoenergetic but highly directional and tightly regulated integrative and excisive reactions that integrate and excise the vial chromosome into and out of the bacterial chromosome. The reactions require 240 bp of phage DNA and 21 bp of bacterial DNA comprising 16 protein binding sites that are differentially used in each pathway by the phage-encoded Int and Xis proteins and the host-encoded integration host factor and factor for inversion stimulation proteins. Structures of higher-order protein-DNA complexes of the four-way Holliday junction recombination intermediates provided clarifying insights into the mechanisms, directionality, and regulation of these two pathways, which are tightly linked to the physiology of the bacterial host cell. Here we review our current understanding of the mechanisms responsible for regulating and executing λ site-specific recombination, with an emphasis on key studies completed over the last decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D Van Duyne
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Arthur Landy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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2
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Harman-McKenna VK, De Buck J. Effective Isolation and Characterization of Mycobacteriophages with the Ability to Lyse Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Viruses 2023; 16:20. [PMID: 38257721 PMCID: PMC10819923 DOI: 10.3390/v16010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Johne's disease (JD), a chronic infectious enteritis of ruminants, causes major economic losses in the dairy industry globally. This enteritis is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis (MAP). Currently there is no cure for JD and test-based culling has proved ineffective at preventing the spread. To isolate new mycobacteriophages (mbps) that can potentially be used to control JD transmission and infection on dairy farms, we optimized an isolation protocol by fecal spiking and the testing of different isolation solution compositions. Using this protocol, we successfully enhanced the yield of mbps from spiked fecal samples, elevating it from less than 1% to 59%. With this method, we isolated 14 mbps from 475 environmental samples collected from MAP-positive dairy farms, after in-sample enrichment with MAP and the fast-growing M. smegmatis. The sample sources included soil, manure pits, lactation barns, feces, milk, and drain water. After fingerprinting these mbps by restriction enzyme profiling, we concluded that 12 were distinct and novel. Further characterization of their host range revealed that eight were capable of lysing multiple MAP strains. We also studied the cross-resistance, lysogeny, the effect of pH and their antimycobacterial properties in milk replacer. Each novel mbp showed limited cross-resistance and prophage immunity and showed no reduction in the titer in a range of pHs after 4 h. The novel phages were also able to reduce the mycobacterial counts to zero after 8 h in milk replacer. In conclusion, these novel mbps could be considered to be used in the control strategies of JD on farms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeroen De Buck
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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3
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Wang M, Jiang L, Wei J, Zhu H, Zhang J, Liu Z, Zhang W, He X, Liu Y, Li R, Xiao X, Sun Y, Zeng Z, Wang Z. Similarities of P1-Like Phage Plasmids and Their Role in the Dissemination of blaCTX-M-55. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0141022. [PMID: 36069562 PMCID: PMC9603915 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01410-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The P1-like phage plasmid (PP) has been widely used as a molecular biology tool, but its role as an active accessory cargo element is not fully understood. In this study, we provide insights into the structural features and gene content similarities of 77 P1-like PPs in the RefSeq database. We also describe a P1-like PP carrying a blaCTX-M-55 gene, JL22, which was isolated from a clinical strain of Escherichia coli from a duck farm. P1-like PPs were very similar and conserved based on gene content similarities, with only eight highly variable regions. Importantly, two kinds of replicon types, namely, IncY and p0111, were identified and can be used to specifically identify the P1-like phage. JL22 is similar to P1, acquiring an important foreign DNA fragment with two obvious features, namely, the plasmid replication gene repA' (p0111) replacing the gene repA (IncY) and a 4,200-bp fragment mobilized by IS1380 and IS5 and containing a blaCTX-M-55 gene and a trpB gene encoding tryptophan synthase (indole salvaging). The JL22 phage could be induced but had no lytic capacities. However, a lysogenic recipient and intact structure of JL22 virions were observed, showing that the extended-spectrum β-lactamase blaCTX-M-55 gene was successfully transferred. Overall, conserved genes can be a good complement to improve the identification efficiency and accuracy in future screening for P1-like PPs. Moreover, the highly conserved structures may be important for their prevalence and dissemination. IMPORTANCE As a PP, P1 DNA exists as a low-copy-number plasmid and replicates autonomously with a lysogenization style. This unique mode of P1-like elements probably indicates a stable contribution to antibiotic resistance. After analyzing these elements, we show that P1-like PPs are very similar and conserved, with only eight highly variable regions. Moreover, we observed the occurrence of replicon IncY and p0111 only in the P1-like PP community, implying that these conserved regions, coupled with IncY and p0111, can be an important complement in future screening of P1-like PPs. Identification and characterization of JL22 confirmed our findings that major changes were located in variable regions, including the first detection of blaCTX-M-55 in such a mobile genetic element. This suggests that these variable regions may facilitate foreign DNA mobilization. This study features a comprehensive genetic analysis of P1-like PPs, providing new insights into the dissemination mechanisms of antibiotic resistance through P1 PPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mianzhi Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Li Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jingyi Wei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Heng Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Junxuan Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziyi Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Wenhui Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolu He
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ruichao Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xia Xiao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yongxue Sun
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenling Zeng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Laboratory of Safety Evaluation (Environmental Assessment) of Veterinary Drugs, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou, China
- International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou, China
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Gonzales MF, Piya DK, Koehler B, Zhang K, Yu Z, Zeng L, Gill JJ. New Insights into the Structure and Assembly of Bacteriophage P1. Viruses 2022; 14:v14040678. [PMID: 35458408 PMCID: PMC9024508 DOI: 10.3390/v14040678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage P1 is the premier transducing phage of E. coli. Despite its prominence in advancing E. coli genetics, modern molecular techniques have not been applied to thoroughly understand P1 structure. Here, we report the proteome of the P1 virion as determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry. Additionally, a library of single-gene knockouts identified the following five previously unknown essential genes: pmgA, pmgB, pmgC, pmgG, and pmgR. In addition, proteolytic processing of the major capsid protein is a known feature of P1 morphogenesis, and we identified the processing site by N-terminal sequencing to be between E120 and S121, producing a 448-residue, 49.3 kDa mature peptide. Furthermore, the P1 defense against restriction (Dar) system consists of six known proteins that are incorporated into the virion during morphogenesis. The largest of these, DarB, is a 250 kDa protein that is believed to translocate into the cell during infection. DarB deletions indicated the presence of an N-terminal packaging signal, and the N-terminal 30 residues of DarB are shown to be sufficient for directing a heterologous reporter protein to the capsid. Taken together, the data expand on essential structural P1 proteins as well as introduces P1 as a nanomachine for cellular delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel F. Gonzales
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.G.); (D.K.P.); (K.Z.); (Z.Y.); (L.Z.)
- Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Denish K. Piya
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.G.); (D.K.P.); (K.Z.); (Z.Y.); (L.Z.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Brian Koehler
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Kailun Zhang
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.G.); (D.K.P.); (K.Z.); (Z.Y.); (L.Z.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Zihao Yu
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.G.); (D.K.P.); (K.Z.); (Z.Y.); (L.Z.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Lanying Zeng
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.G.); (D.K.P.); (K.Z.); (Z.Y.); (L.Z.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Jason J. Gill
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.G.); (D.K.P.); (K.Z.); (Z.Y.); (L.Z.)
- Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2471 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-979-458-6368
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5
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Sun R, Yu P, Zuo P, Alvarez PJ. Bacterial Concentrations and Water Turbulence Influence the Importance of Conjugation Versus Phage-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance Gene Transfer in Suspended Growth Systems. ACS ENVIRONMENTAL AU 2022; 2:156-165. [PMID: 37101581 PMCID: PMC10114721 DOI: 10.1021/acsenvironau.1c00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite the abundance of phage-borne antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment, the frequency of ARG propagation via phage-mediated transduction (relative to via conjugation) is poorly understood. We investigated the influence of bacterial concentration and water turbulence level [quantified as Reynold's number (Re)] in suspended growth systems on the frequency of ARG transfer by two mechanisms: delivery by a lysogenic phage (phage λ carrying gentamycin-resistance gene, genR) and conjugation mediated by the self-transmissible plasmid RP4. Using Escherichia coli (E. coli) as the recipient, phage delivery had a comparable frequency (1.2 ± 0.9 × 10-6) to that of conjugation (1.1 ± 0.9 × 10-6) in suspensions with low cell concentration (104 CFU/mL) and moderate turbulence (Re = 5 × 104). Turbulence affected cell (or phage)-to-cell contact rates and detachment (due to shear force), and thus, it affected the relative importance of conjugation versus phage delivery. At 107 CFU/mL, no significant difference was observed between the frequencies of ARG transfer by the two mechanisms under quiescent water conditions (2.8 ± 0.3 × 10-5 for conjugation vs 2.2 ± 0.5 × 10-5 for phage delivery, p = 0.19) or when Re reached 5 × 105 (3.4 ± 1.5 × 10-5 for conjugation vs 2.9 ± 1.0 × 10-5 for phage delivery, p = 0.52). Transcriptomic analysis of genes related to conjugation and phage delivery and simulation of cell (or phage)-to-cell collisions at different Re values corroborate that the importance of phage delivery relative to conjugation increases under either quiescent or turbulent conditions. This finding challenges the prevailing view that conjugation is the dominant ARG transfer mechanism and underscores the need to consider and mitigate potential ARG dissemination via transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruonan Sun
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Pingfeng Yu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Pengxiao Zuo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Pedro J.J. Alvarez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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6
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Genetic engineering of marine cyanophages reveals integration but not lysogeny in T7-like cyanophages. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:488-499. [PMID: 34429521 PMCID: PMC8776855 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01085-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Marine cyanobacteria of the genera Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus are the most abundant photosynthetic organisms on earth, spanning vast regions of the oceans and contributing significantly to global primary production. Their viruses (cyanophages) greatly influence cyanobacterial ecology and evolution. Although many cyanophage genomes have been sequenced, insight into the functional role of cyanophage genes is limited by the lack of a cyanophage genetic engineering system. Here, we describe a simple, generalizable method for genetic engineering of cyanophages from multiple families, that we named REEP for REcombination, Enrichment and PCR screening. This method enables direct investigation of key cyanophage genes, and its simplicity makes it adaptable to other ecologically relevant host-virus systems. T7-like cyanophages often carry integrase genes and attachment sites, yet exhibit lytic infection dynamics. Here, using REEP, we investigated their ability to integrate and maintain a lysogenic life cycle. We found that these cyanophages integrate into the host genome and that the integrase and attachment site are required for integration. However, stable lysogens did not form. The frequency of integration was found to be low in both lab cultures and the oceans. These findings suggest that T7-like cyanophage integration is transient and is not part of a classical lysogenic cycle.
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7
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Interactions between Viral Regulatory Proteins Ensure an MOI-Independent Probability of Lysogeny during Infection by Bacteriophage P1. mBio 2021; 12:e0101321. [PMID: 34517752 PMCID: PMC8546580 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01013-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Phage P1 is a temperate phage which makes the lytic or lysogenic decision upon infecting bacteria. During the lytic cycle, progeny phages are produced and the cell lyses, and in the lysogenic cycle, P1 DNA exists as a low-copy-number plasmid and replicates autonomously. Previous studies at the bulk level showed that P1 lysogenization was independent of multiplicity of infection (MOI; the number of phages infecting a cell), whereas lysogenization probability of the paradigmatic phage λ increases with MOI. However, the mechanism underlying the P1 behavior is unclear. In this work, using a fluorescent reporter system, we demonstrated this P1 MOI-independent lysogenic response at the single-cell level. We further observed that the activity of the major repressor of lytic functions (C1) is a determining factor for the final cell fate. Specifically, the repression activity of P1, which arises from a combination of C1, the anti-repressor Coi, and the corepressor Lxc, remains constant for different MOI, which results in the MOI-independent lysogenic response. Additionally, by increasing the distance between phages that infect a single cell, we were able to engineer a λ-like, MOI-dependent lysogenization upon P1 infection. This suggests that the large separation of coinfecting phages attenuates the effective communication between them, allowing them to make decisions independently of each other. Our work establishes a highly quantitative framework to describe P1 lysogeny establishment. This system plays an important role in disseminating antibiotic resistance by P1-like plasmids and provides an alternative to the lifestyle of phage λ.
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Cortes MG, Lin Y, Zeng L, Balázsi G. From Bench to Keyboard and Back Again: A Brief History of Lambda Phage Modeling. Annu Rev Biophys 2021; 50:117-134. [PMID: 33957052 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-082020-063558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cellular decision making is the process whereby cells choose one developmental pathway from multiple possible ones, either spontaneously or due to environmental stimuli. Examples in various cell types suggest an almost inexhaustible plethora of underlying molecular mechanisms. In general, cellular decisions rely on the gene regulatory network, which integrates external signals to drive cell fate choice. The search for general principles of such a process benefits from appropriate biological model systems that reveal how and why certain gene regulatory mechanisms drive specific cellular decisions according to ecological context and evolutionary outcomes. In this article, we review the historical and ongoing development of the phage lambda lysis-lysogeny decision as a model system to investigate all aspects of cellular decision making. The unique generality, simplicity, and richness of phage lambda decision making render it a constant source ofmathematical modeling-aided inspiration across all of biology. We discuss the origins and progress of quantitative phage lambda modeling from the 1950s until today, as well as its possible future directions. We provide examples of how modeling enabled methods and theory development, leading to new biological insights by revealing gaps in the theory and pinpointing areas requiring further experimental investigation. Overall, we highlight the utility of theoretical approaches both as predictive tools, to forecast the outcome of novel experiments, and as explanatory tools, to elucidate the natural processes underlying experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Cortes
- The Louis and Beatrice Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA; .,Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
| | - Yiruo Lin
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Lanying Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA; .,Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Gábor Balázsi
- The Louis and Beatrice Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA; .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
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9
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Grabowski Ł, Łepek K, Stasiłojć M, Kosznik-Kwaśnicka K, Zdrojewska K, Maciąg-Dorszyńska M, Węgrzyn G, Węgrzyn A. Bacteriophage-encoded enzymes destroying bacterial cell membranes and walls, and their potential use as antimicrobial agents. Microbiol Res 2021; 248:126746. [PMID: 33773329 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Appearance of pathogenic bacteria resistant to most, if not all, known antibiotics is currently one of the most significant medical problems. Therefore, development of novel antibacterial therapies is crucial for efficient treatment of bacterial infections in the near future. One possible option is to employ enzymes, encoded by bacteriophages, which cause destruction of bacterial cell membranes and walls. Bacteriophages use such enzymes to destroy bacterial host cells at the final stage of their lytic development, in order to ensure effective liberation of progeny virions. Nevertheless, to use such bacteriophage-encoded proteins in medicine and/or biotechnology, it is crucial to understand details of their biological functions and biochemical properties. Therefore, in this review article, we will present and discuss our current knowledge on the processes of bacteriophage-mediated bacterial cell lysis, with special emphasis on enzymes involved in them. Regulation of timing of the lysis is also discussed. Finally, possibilities of the practical use of these enzymes as antibacterial agents will be underlined and perspectives of this aspect will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Grabowski
- Laboratory of Phage Therapy, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kładki 24, 80-822, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Łepek
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Małgorzata Stasiłojć
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Katarzyna Kosznik-Kwaśnicka
- Laboratory of Phage Therapy, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kładki 24, 80-822, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Karolina Zdrojewska
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Monika Maciąg-Dorszyńska
- Laboratory of Phage Therapy, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kładki 24, 80-822, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Grzegorz Węgrzyn
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Alicja Węgrzyn
- Laboratory of Phage Therapy, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kładki 24, 80-822, Gdansk, Poland.
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Cambré A, Aertsen A. Bacterial Vivisection: How Fluorescence-Based Imaging Techniques Shed a Light on the Inner Workings of Bacteria. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2020; 84:e00008-20. [PMID: 33115939 PMCID: PMC7599038 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00008-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise in fluorescence-based imaging techniques over the past 3 decades has improved the ability of researchers to scrutinize live cell biology at increased spatial and temporal resolution. In microbiology, these real-time vivisections structurally changed the view on the bacterial cell away from the "watery bag of enzymes" paradigm toward the perspective that these organisms are as complex as their eukaryotic counterparts. Capitalizing on the enormous potential of (time-lapse) fluorescence microscopy and the ever-extending pallet of corresponding probes, initial breakthroughs were made in unraveling the localization of proteins and monitoring real-time gene expression. However, later it became clear that the potential of this technique extends much further, paving the way for a focus-shift from observing single events within bacterial cells or populations to obtaining a more global picture at the intra- and intercellular level. In this review, we outline the current state of the art in fluorescence-based vivisection of bacteria and provide an overview of important case studies to exemplify how to use or combine different strategies to gain detailed information on the cell's physiology. The manuscript therefore consists of two separate (but interconnected) parts that can be read and consulted individually. The first part focuses on the fluorescent probe pallet and provides a perspective on modern methodologies for microscopy using these tools. The second section of the review takes the reader on a tour through the bacterial cell from cytoplasm to outer shell, describing strategies and methods to highlight architectural features and overall dynamics within cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Cambré
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Abram Aertsen
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Leuven, Belgium
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11
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Palmer M, Hedlund BP, Roux S, Tsourkas PK, Doss RK, Stamereilers C, Mehta A, Dodsworth JA, Lodes M, Monsma S, Glavina del Rio T, Schoenfeld TW, Eloe-Fadrosh EA, Mead DA. Diversity and Distribution of a Novel Genus of Hyperthermophilic Aquificae Viruses Encoding a Proof-Reading Family-A DNA Polymerase. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:583361. [PMID: 33281778 PMCID: PMC7689252 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.583361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the high abundance of Aquificae in many geothermal systems, these bacteria are difficult to culture and no viruses infecting members of this phylum have been isolated. Here, we describe the complete, circular dsDNA Uncultivated Virus Genome (UViG) of Thermocrinis Octopus Spring virus (TOSV), derived from metagenomic data, along with eight related UViGs representing three additional viral species. Despite low overall similarity among viruses from different hot springs, the genomes shared a high degree of synteny, and encoded numerous genes for nucleotide metabolism, including a PolA-type DNA polymerase polyprotein with likely accessory functions, a DNA Pol III sliding clamp, a thymidylate kinase, a DNA gyrase, a helicase, and a DNA methylase. Also present were conserved genes predicted to code for phage capsid, large and small subunits of terminase, portal protein, holin, and lytic transglycosylase, all consistent with a distant relatedness to cultivated Caudovirales. These viruses are predicted to infect Aquificae, as multiple CRISPR spacers matching the viral genomes were identified within the genomes and metagenomic contigs from these bacteria. Based on the predicted atypical bi-directional replication strategy, low sequence similarity to known viral genomes, and unique position in gene-sharing networks, we propose a new putative genus, "Pyrovirus," in the order Caudovirales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marike Palmer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Brian P. Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Simon Roux
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Philippos K. Tsourkas
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Ryan K. Doss
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Casey Stamereilers
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Astha Mehta
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Jeremy A. Dodsworth
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | | | - Scott Monsma
- Lucigen Corporation, Middleton, WI, United States
| | | | | | | | - David A. Mead
- Varigen Biosciences Corporation, Madison, WI, United States
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12
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Trinh JT, Shao Q, Guan J, Zeng L. Emerging heterogeneous compartments by viruses in single bacterial cells. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3813. [PMID: 32732913 PMCID: PMC7393140 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17515-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial organization of biological processes allows for variability in molecular outcomes and coordinated development. Here, we investigate how organization underpins phage lambda development and decision-making by characterizing viral components and processes in subcellular space. We use live-cell and in situ fluorescence imaging at the single-molecule level to examine lambda DNA replication, transcription, virion assembly, and resource recruitment in single-cell infections, uniting key processes of the infection cycle into a coherent model of phage development encompassing space and time. We find that different viral DNAs establish separate subcellular compartments within cells, which sustains heterogeneous viral development in single cells. These individual phage compartments are physically separated by the E. coli nucleoid. Our results provide mechanistic details describing how separate viruses develop heterogeneously to resemble single-cell phenotypes. Here, the authors apply live-cell and in situ fluorescence imaging at the single-molecule level to examine lambda DNA replication in single cells, finding that individual phage DNAs sequester host factors to their own vicinity and confine their replicated DNAs into separate compartments, suggesting that phage decision-making transcripts are spatially organized in separate compartments to allow distinct subcellular decisions to develop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy T Trinh
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Qiuyan Shao
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jingwen Guan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Molecular and Environmental Plant Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Lanying Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. .,Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. .,Molecular and Environmental Plant Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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13
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Structure Regulates Phage Lysis–Lysogeny Decisions. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:3-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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14
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Zhao Y, Qin F, Zhang R, Giovannoni SJ, Zhang Z, Sun J, Du S, Rensing C. Pelagiphages in thePodoviridaefamily integrate into host genomes. Environ Microbiol 2018; 21:1989-2001. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Zhao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life SciencesFujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou Fujian China
| | - Fang Qin
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life SciencesFujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou Fujian China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental ScienceCollege of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute of Marine Microbes and Ecospheres, Xiamen University Xiamen Fujian China
| | | | - Zefeng Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life SciencesFujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou Fujian China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of MicrobiologyOregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Sen Du
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life SciencesFujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou Fujian China
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and EnvironmentFujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou Fujian China
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15
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Shao Q, Trinh JT, Zeng L. High-resolution studies of lysis-lysogeny decision-making in bacteriophage lambda. J Biol Chem 2018; 294:3343-3349. [PMID: 30242122 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.tm118.003209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular decision-making guides complex development such as cell differentiation and disease progression. Much of our knowledge about decision-making is derived from simple models, such as bacteriophage lambda infection, in which lambda chooses between the vegetative lytic fate and the dormant lysogenic fate. This paradigmatic system is broadly understood but lacking mechanistic details, partly due to limited resolution of past studies. Here, we discuss how modern technologies have enabled high-resolution examination of lambda decision-making to provide new insights and exciting possibilities in studying this classical system. The advent of techniques for labeling specific DNA, RNA, and proteins in cells allows for molecular-level characterization of events in lambda development. These capabilities yield both new answers and new questions regarding how the isolated lambda genetic circuit acts, what biological events transpire among phages in their natural context, and how the synergy of simple phage macromolecules brings about complex behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyan Shao
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and.,the Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Jimmy T Trinh
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and.,the Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Lanying Zeng
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and .,the Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
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16
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van Zyl LJ, Abrahams Y, Stander EA, Kirby-McCollough B, Jourdain R, Clavaud C, Breton L, Trindade M. Novel phages of healthy skin metaviromes from South Africa. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12265. [PMID: 30115980 PMCID: PMC6095929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30705-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent skin metagenomic studies have investigated the harbored viral diversity and its possible influence on healthy skin microbial populations, and tried to establish global patterns of skin-phage evolution. However, the detail associated with the phages that potentially play a role in skin health has not been investigated. While skin metagenome and -metavirome studies have indicated that the skin virome is highly site specific and shows marked interpersonal variation, they have not assessed the presence/absence of individual phages. Here, we took a semi-culture independent approach (metaviromic) to better understand the composition of phage communities on skin from South African study participants. Our data set adds over 130 new phage species of the skin to existing databases. We demonstrated that identical phages were present on different individuals and in different body sites, and we conducted a detailed analysis of the structural organization of these phages. We further found that a bacteriophage related to the Staphylococcus capitis phage Stb20 may be a common skin commensal virus potentially regulating its host and its activities on the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Joaquim van Zyl
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM), University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Yoonus Abrahams
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM), University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Emily Amor Stander
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM), University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Bronwyn Kirby-McCollough
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM), University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Roland Jourdain
- L'Oréal Research and Innovation, 1 Avenue Eugène Schueller, 93600, Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Cécile Clavaud
- L'Oréal Research and Innovation, 1 Avenue Eugène Schueller, 93600, Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Lionel Breton
- L'Oréal Research and Innovation, 1 Avenue Eugène Schueller, 93600, Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Marla Trindade
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM), University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa
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17
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Golding I. Infection by bacteriophage lambda: an evolving paradigm for cellular individuality. Curr Opin Microbiol 2018; 43:9-13. [PMID: 29107897 PMCID: PMC5934347 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Since the earliest days of molecular biology, bacteriophage lambda has served to illuminate cellular function. Among its many roles, lambda infection is a paradigm for phenotypic heterogeneity among genetically identical cells. Early studies attributed this cellular individuality to random biochemical fluctuations, or 'noise'. More recently, however, attention has turned to the role played by deterministic hidden variables in driving single-cell behavior. Here, I briefly describe how studies in lambda are driving the shift in our understanding of cellular heterogeneity, allowing us to better appreciate the precision at which cells function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ido Golding
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
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18
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Braga LPP, Soucy SM, Amgarten DE, da Silva AM, Setubal JC. Bacterial Diversification in the Light of the Interactions with Phages: The Genetic Symbionts and Their Role in Ecological Speciation. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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19
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Late-Arriving Signals Contribute Less to Cell-Fate Decisions. Biophys J 2017; 113:2110-2120. [PMID: 29117533 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks are largely responsible for cellular decision-making. These networks sense diverse external signals and respond by adjusting gene expression, enabling cells to reach environment-dependent decisions crucial for their survival or reproduction. However, information-carrying signals may arrive at variable times. Besides the intrinsic strength of these signals, their arrival time (timing) may also carry information about the environment and can influence cellular decision-making in ways that are poorly understood. For example, it is unclear how the timing of individual phage infections affects the lysis-lysogeny decision of bacteriophage λ despite variable infection times being likely in the wild and even in laboratory conditions. In this work, we combine mathematical modeling with experimentation to address this question. We develop an experimentally testable theory, which reveals that late-infecting phages contribute less to cellular decision-making. This implies that infection delays lower the probability of lysogeny compared to simultaneous infections. Furthermore, we show that infection delays reduce lysogenization by providing insufficient CII for threshold crossing during the critical decision-making period. We find evidence for a cutoff time after which subsequent infections cannot influence the cellular decision. We derive an intuitive formula that approximates the probability of lysogeny for variable infection times by a time-weighted average of probabilities for simultaneous infections. We validate these theoretical predictions experimentally. Similar concepts and simplifying modeling approaches may help elucidate the mechanisms underlying other cellular decisions.
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20
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Visualization of phage DNA degradation by a type I CRISPR-Cas system at the single-cell level. QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2017; 5:67-75. [PMID: 29119038 DOI: 10.1007/s40484-017-0099-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Background The CRISPR-Cas system is a widespread prokaryotic defense system which targets and cleaves invasive nucleic acids, such as plasmids or viruses. So far, a great number of studies have focused on the components and mechanisms of this system, however, a direct visualization of CRISPR-Cas degrading invading DNA in real-time has not yet been studied at the single-cell level. Methods In this study, we fluorescently label phage lambda DNA in vivo, and track the labeled DNA over time to characterize DNA degradation at the single-cell level. Results At the bulk level, the lysogenization frequency of cells harboring CRISPR plasmids decreases significantly compared to cells with a non-CRISPR control. At the single-cell level, host cells with CRISPR activity are unperturbed by phage infection, maintaining normal growth like uninfected cells, where the efficiency of our anti-lambda CRISPR system is around 26%. During the course of time-lapse movies, the average fluorescence of invasive phage DNA in cells with CRISPR activity, decays more rapidly compared to cells without, and phage DNA is fully degraded by around 44 minutes on average. Moreover, the degradation appears to be independent of cell size or the phage DNA ejection site suggesting that Cas proteins are dispersed in sufficient quantities throughout the cell. Conclusions With the CRISPR-Cas visualization system we developed, we are able to examine and characterize how a CRISPR system degrades invading phage DNA at the single-cell level. This work provides direct evidence and improves the current understanding on how CRISPR breaks down invading DNA.
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21
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Trinh JT, Székely T, Shao Q, Balázsi G, Zeng L. Cell fate decisions emerge as phages cooperate or compete inside their host. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14341. [PMID: 28165024 PMCID: PMC5303824 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The system of the bacterium Escherichia coli and its virus, bacteriophage lambda, is paradigmatic for gene regulation in cell-fate development, yet insight about its mechanisms and complexities are limited due to insufficient resolution of study. Here we develop a 4-colour fluorescence reporter system at the single-virus level, combined with computational models to unravel both the interactions between phages and how individual phages determine cellular fates. We find that phages cooperate during lysogenization, compete among each other during lysis, and that confusion between the two pathways occasionally occurs. Additionally, we observe that phage DNAs have fluctuating cellular arrival times and vie for resources to replicate, enabling the interplay during different developmental paths, where each phage genome may make an individual decision. These varied strategies could separate the selection for replication-optimizing beneficial mutations during lysis from sequence diversification during lysogeny, allowing rapid adaptation of phage populations for various environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy T. Trinh
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Tamás Székely
- The Louis and Beatrice Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
| | - Qiuyan Shao
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Gábor Balázsi
- The Louis and Beatrice Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
| | - Lanying Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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22
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Shao Q, Trinh JT, McIntosh CS, Christenson B, Balázsi G, Zeng L. Lysis-lysogeny coexistence: prophage integration during lytic development. Microbiologyopen 2016; 6. [PMID: 27530202 PMCID: PMC5300877 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The infection of Escherichia coli cells by bacteriophage lambda results in bifurcated means of propagation, where the phage decides between the lytic and lysogenic pathways. Although traditionally thought to be mutually exclusive, increasing evidence suggests that this lysis-lysogeny decision is more complex than once believed, but exploring its intricacies requires an improved resolution of study. Here, with a newly developed fluorescent reporter system labeling single phage and E. coli DNAs, these two distinct pathways can be visualized by following the DNA movements in vivo. Surprisingly, we frequently observed an interesting "lyso-lysis" phenomenon in lytic cells, where phage integrates its DNA into the host, a characteristic event of the lysogenic pathway, followed by cell lysis. Furthermore, the frequency of lyso-lysis increases with the number of infecting phages, and specifically, with CII activity. Moreover, in lytic cells, the integration site attB on the E. coli genome migrates toward the polar region over time, leading to more spatial overlap with the phage DNA and frequent colocalization/collision of attB and phage DNA, possibly contributing to a higher chance for DNA integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyan Shao
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.,Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Jimmy T Trinh
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.,Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Colby S McIntosh
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Brita Christenson
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Northwestern - St. Paul, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Gábor Balázsi
- Laufer Center for Physical & Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Lanying Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.,Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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