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Beltrán L, Torsilieri H, Patkowski JB, Yang JE, Casanova J, Costa TRD, Wright ER, Egelman EH. The mating pilus of E. coli pED208 acts as a conduit for ssDNA during horizontal gene transfer. mBio 2024; 15:e0285723. [PMID: 38051116 PMCID: PMC10790687 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02857-23] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Bacteria are constantly exchanging DNA, which constitutes horizontal gene transfer. While some of these occurs by a non-specific process called natural transformation, some occurs by a specific mating between a donor and a recipient cell. In specific conjugation, the mating pilus is extended from the donor cell to make contact with the recipient cell, but whether DNA is actually transferred through this pilus or by another mechanism involving the type IV secretion system complex without the pilus has been an open question. Using Escherichia coli, we show that DNA can be transferred through this pilus between a donor and a recipient cell that has not established a tight mating junction, providing a new picture for the role of this pilus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Beltrán
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Holly Torsilieri
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jonasz B. Patkowski
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jie E. Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - James Casanova
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Tiago R. D. Costa
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth R. Wright
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Edward H. Egelman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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Goldlust K, Ducret A, Halte M, Dedieu-Berne A, Erhardt M, Lesterlin C. The F pilus serves as a conduit for the DNA during conjugation between physically distant bacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2310842120. [PMID: 37963249 PMCID: PMC10666033 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310842120] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontal transfer of F-like plasmids by bacterial conjugation is responsible for disseminating antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants among pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae species, a growing health concern worldwide. Central to this process is the conjugative F pilus, a long extracellular filamentous polymer that extends from the surface of plasmid donor cells, allowing it to probe the environment and make contact with the recipient cell. It is well established that the F pilus can retract to bring mating pair cells in tight contact before DNA transfer. However, whether DNA transfer can occur through the extended pilus has been a subject of active debate. In this study, we use live-cell microscopy to show that while most transfer events occur between cells in direct contact, the F pilus can indeed serve as a conduit for the DNA during transfer between physically distant cells. Our findings enable us to propose a unique model for conjugation that revises our understanding of the DNA transfer mechanism and the dissemination of drug resistance and virulence genes within complex bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Goldlust
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, Lyon69007, France
| | - Adrien Ducret
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, Lyon69007, France
| | - Manuel Halte
- Institute for Biology/Molecular Microbiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin10115, Germany
| | - Annick Dedieu-Berne
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, Lyon69007, France
| | - Marc Erhardt
- Institute for Biology/Molecular Microbiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin10115, Germany
- Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, Berlin10117, Germany
| | - Christian Lesterlin
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, Lyon69007, France
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Couturier A, Virolle C, Goldlust K, Berne-Dedieu A, Reuter A, Nolivos S, Yamaichi Y, Bigot S, Lesterlin C. Real-time visualisation of the intracellular dynamics of conjugative plasmid transfer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:294. [PMID: 36653393 PMCID: PMC9849209 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35978-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugation is a contact-dependent mechanism for the transfer of plasmid DNA between bacterial cells, which contributes to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Here, we use live-cell microscopy to visualise the intracellular dynamics of conjugative transfer of F-plasmid in E. coli, in real time. We show that the transfer of plasmid in single-stranded form (ssDNA) and its subsequent conversion into double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) are fast and efficient processes that occur with specific timing and subcellular localisation. Notably, the ssDNA-to-dsDNA conversion determines the timing of plasmid-encoded protein production. The leading region that first enters the recipient cell carries single-stranded promoters that allow the early and transient synthesis of leading proteins immediately upon entry of the ssDNA plasmid. The subsequent conversion into dsDNA turns off leading gene expression, and activates the expression of other plasmid genes under the control of conventional double-stranded promoters. This molecular strategy allows for the timely production of factors sequentially involved in establishing, maintaining and disseminating the plasmid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Couturier
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Chloé Virolle
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Kelly Goldlust
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Annick Berne-Dedieu
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Reuter
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Sophie Nolivos
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Yoshiharu Yamaichi
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sarah Bigot
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France.
| | - Christian Lesterlin
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France.
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