1
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Cecil RE, Yoder-Himes DR. Examining the influence of environmental factors on Acanthamoeba castellanii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in co-culture. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305973. [PMID: 38913685 PMCID: PMC11195979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Exploration of interspecies interactions between microorganisms can have taxonomic, ecological, evolutionary, or medical applications. To better explore interactions between microorganisms it is important to establish the ideal conditions that ensure survival of all species involved. In this study, we sought to identify the ideal biotic and abiotic factors that would result in high co-culture viability of two interkingdom species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acanthamoeba castellanii, two soil dwelling microbes. There have been limited studies showing long-term interactions between these two organisms as co-culture can result in high mortality for one or both organisms suggesting a predator-predator interaction may exist between them. In this study, we identified biotic and abiotic conditions that resulted in a high viability for both organisms in long-term co-culture, including optimizing temperature, nutrient concentration, choice of bacterial strains, and the initial ratio of interacting partners. These two species represent ideal partners for studying microbial interactions because amoebae act similarly to mammalian immune cells in many respects, and this can allow researchers to study host-pathogen interactions in vitro. Therefore, long-term interaction studies between these microbes might reveal the evolutionary steps that occur in bacteria when subjected to intense predation, like what occurs when pathogens enter the human body. The culture conditions characterized here resulted in high viability for both organisms for at least 14-days in co-culture suggesting that long-term experimental studies between these species can be achieved using these culture conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhiannon E. Cecil
- Biology Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Deborah R. Yoder-Himes
- Biology Department, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
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2
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Flores-Vargas G, Bergsveinson J, Korber DR. Environmentally Relevant Antibiotic Concentrations Exert Stronger Selection Pressure on River Biofilm Resistomes than AMR-Reservoir Effluents. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:539. [PMID: 38927205 PMCID: PMC11200958 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13060539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Freshwater environments are primary receiving systems of wastewater and effluents, which carry low concentrations of antibiotics and antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria and genes. Aquatic microbial communities are thus exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of antibiotics (ERCA) that presumably influence the acquisition and spread of environmental AMR. Here, we analyzed ERCA exposure with and without the additional presence of municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent (W) and swine manure run-off (M) on aquatic biofilm resistomes. Microscopic analyses revealed decreased taxonomic diversity and biofilm structural integrity, while metagenomic analysis revealed an increased abundance of resistance, virulence, and mobile element-related genes at the highest ERCA exposure levels, with less notable impacts observed when solely exposed to W or M effluents. Microbial function predictions indicated increased gene abundance associated with energy and cell membrane metabolism and heavy metal resistance under ERCA conditions. In silico predictions of increased resistance mechanisms did not correlate with observed phenotypic resistance patterns when whole communities were exposed to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. This reveals important insight into the complexity of whole-community coordination of physical and genetic responses to selective pressures. Lastly, the environmental AMR risk assessment of metagenomic data revealed a higher risk score for biofilms grown at sub-MIC antibiotic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Flores-Vargas
- Food and Bioproduct Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada;
| | - Jordyn Bergsveinson
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada;
| | - Darren R. Korber
- Food and Bioproduct Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada;
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3
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Boucher MJ, Madhani HD. Convergent evolution of innate immune-modulating effectors in invasive fungal pathogens. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:435-447. [PMID: 37985333 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.10.011] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections pose a major threat to human health. Bacterial and protozoan pathogens secrete protein effectors that overcome innate immune barriers to promote microbial colonization, yet few such molecules have been identified in human fungal pathogens. Recent studies have begun to reveal these long-sought effectors and have illuminated how they subvert key cellular pathways, including apoptosis, myeloid cell polarization, Toll-like receptor signaling, and phagosome action. Thus, despite lacking the specialized secretion systems of bacteria and parasites, it is increasingly clear that fungi independently evolved effectors targeting pathways often subverted by other classes of pathogens. These findings demonstrate the remarkable power of convergent evolution to enable diverse microbes to infect humans while also setting the stage for detailed dissection of fungal disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Boucher
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Hiten D Madhani
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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4
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Yu Y, Li YP, Ren K, Hao X, Fru EC, Rønn R, Rivera WL, Becker K, Feng R, Yang J, Rensing C. A brief history of metal recruitment in protozoan predation. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:465-476. [PMID: 38103995 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Metals and metalloids are used as weapons for predatory feeding by unicellular eukaryotes on prokaryotes. This review emphasizes the role of metal(loid) bioavailability over the course of Earth's history, coupled with eukaryogenesis and the evolution of the mitochondrion to trace the emergence and use of the metal(loid) prey-killing phagosome as a feeding strategy. Members of the genera Acanthamoeba and Dictyostelium use metals such as zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu), and possibly metalloids, to kill their bacterial prey after phagocytosis. We provide a potential timeline on when these capacities first evolved and how they correlate with perceived changes in metal(loid) bioavailability through Earth's history. The origin of phagotrophic eukaryotes must have postdated the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) in agreement with redox-dependent modification of metal(loid) bioavailability for phagotrophic poisoning. However, this predatory mechanism is predicted to have evolved much later - closer to the origin of the multicellular metazoans and the evolutionary development of the immune systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanshuang Yu
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Yuan-Ping Li
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Kexin Ren
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Xiuli Hao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ernest Chi Fru
- Centre for Geobiology and Geochemistry, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, CF10 3AT Cardiff, UK
| | - Regin Rønn
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Windell L Rivera
- Pathogen-Host-Environment Interactions Research Laboratory, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
| | - Karsten Becker
- Friedrich Loeffler-Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Renwei Feng
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
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5
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Hossain MI, Akash SR, Faruk MO, Mimi SI, Chowdhury IH, Islam MS, Alam MM, Ali MS. Evaluating Gut Microbiota Modification as a Next-Generation Therapy for Obesity and Diabetes. Curr Diabetes Rev 2024; 20:e150523216913. [PMID: 37190800 DOI: 10.2174/1573399820666230515115307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The human body is a complex ecosystem that thrives on symbiosis. It is estimated that around 10^14 commensal microorganisms inhabit the human body, with the gut microbiota being one of the most diverse and complex populations of bacteria. This community is thought to comprise over a thousand different species that play a crucial role in the development of critical human diseases such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, mental depression, hypertension, and others. The gut microbiota has been identified as one of the most recent contributors to these metabolic disorders. With the emergence of inexpensive and high-performance sequence technology, our understanding of the function of the intestinal microbiome in host metabolism regulation and the development of (cardio) metabolic diseases has increased significantly. The symbiotic relationship between the gut microbiota and the host is essential for properly developing the human metabolic system. However, if this balance is disrupted by various factors such as infection, diet, exercise, sleep patterns, or exposure to antibiotics, it can lead to the development of various diseases in the body, including obesity and diabetes type 1 and 2. While many approaches and medications have been developed globally to treat these diseases, none have proven to be entirely effective, and many show side effects. Therefore, scientists believe that treating the gut microbiota using tried-and-true methods is the best option for combating obesity and diabetes. In this study, we aim to identify several feasible ways and prospects for gut microbiota therapy that can shape a new format for the treatment of obesity and diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Imran Hossain
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Omor Faruk
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh
| | - Sanjida Islam Mimi
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Shariful Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh
| | - Md Mahbubol Alam
- Department of Pharmacy, Bangladesh University, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Md Sarafat Ali
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh
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6
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Ekdahl LI, Salcedo JA, Dungan MM, Mason DV, Myagmarsuren D, Murphy HA. Selection on plastic adherence leads to hyper-multicellular strains and incidental virulence in the budding yeast. eLife 2023; 12:e81056. [PMID: 37916911 PMCID: PMC10764007 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Many disease-causing microbes are not obligate pathogens; rather, they are environmental microbes taking advantage of an ecological opportunity. The existence of microbes whose life cycle does not require a host and are not normally pathogenic, yet are well-suited to host exploitation, is an evolutionary puzzle. One hypothesis posits that selection in the environment may favor traits that incidentally lead to pathogenicity and virulence, or serve as pre-adaptations for survival in a host. An example of such a trait is surface adherence. To experimentally test the idea of 'accidental virulence', replicate populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were evolved to attach to a plastic bead for hundreds of generations. Along with plastic adherence, two multicellular phenotypes- biofilm formation and flor formation- increased; another phenotype, pseudohyphal growth, responded to the nutrient limitation. Thus, experimental selection led to the evolution of highly-adherent, hyper-multicellular strains. Wax moth larvae injected with evolved hyper-multicellular strains were significantly more likely to die than those injected with evolved non-multicellular strains. Hence, selection on plastic adherence incidentally led to the evolution of enhanced multicellularity and increased virulence. Our results support the idea that selection for a trait beneficial in the open environment can inadvertently generate opportunistic, 'accidental' pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke I Ekdahl
- Department of Biology, College of William and MaryWilliamsburgUnited States
| | - Juliana A Salcedo
- Department of Biology, College of William and MaryWilliamsburgUnited States
| | - Matthew M Dungan
- Department of Biology, College of William and MaryWilliamsburgUnited States
| | - Despina V Mason
- Department of Biology, College of William and MaryWilliamsburgUnited States
| | | | - Helen A Murphy
- Department of Biology, College of William and MaryWilliamsburgUnited States
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7
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Bunma C, Noinarin P, Phetcharaburanin J, Chareonsudjai S. Burkholderia pseudomallei biofilm resists Acanthamoeba sp. grazing and produces 8-O-4'-diferulic acid, a superoxide scavenging metabolite after passage through the amoeba. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16578. [PMID: 37789212 PMCID: PMC10547685 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43824-1] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia pseudomallei, an etiological agent of melioidosis is an environmental bacterium that can survive as an intracellular pathogen. The biofilm produced by B. pseudomallei is crucial for cellular pathogenesis of melioidosis. The purpose of this investigation is to explore the role of biofilm in survival of B. pseudomallei during encounters with Acanthamoeba sp. using B. pseudomallei H777 (a biofilm wild type), M10 (a biofilm defect mutant) and C17 (a biofilm-complemented strain). The results demonstrated similar adhesion to amoebae by both the biofilm wild type and biofilm mutant strains. There was higher initial internalisation, but the difference diminished after longer encounter with the amoeba. Interestingly, confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that pre-formed biofilm of B. pseudomallei H777 and C17 were markedly more persistent in the face of Acanthamoeba sp. grazing than that of M10. Metabolomic analysis revealed a significant increased level of 8-O-4'-diferulic acid, a superoxide scavenger metabolite, in B. pseudomallei H777 serially passaged in Acanthamoeba sp. The interaction between B. pseudomallei with a free-living amoeba may indicate the evolutionary pathway that enables the bacterium to withstand superoxide radicals in intracellular environments. This study supports the hypothesis that B. pseudomallei biofilm persists under grazing by amoebae and suggests a strategy of metabolite production that turns this bacterium from saprophyte to intracellular pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chainarong Bunma
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Parumon Noinarin
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Jutarop Phetcharaburanin
- Department of Systems Biosciences and Computational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Khon Kaen University Phenome Center, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Sorujsiri Chareonsudjai
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
- Research and Diagnostic Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (RCEID), Khon Kaen, Thailand.
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8
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Lin C, Li LJ, Ren K, Zhou SYD, Isabwe A, Yang LY, Neilson R, Yang XR, Cytryn E, Zhu YG. Phagotrophic protists preserve antibiotic-resistant opportunistic human pathogens in the vegetable phyllosphere. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:94. [PMID: 37660098 PMCID: PMC10475086 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00302-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Food safety of leafy greens is an emerging public health issue as they can harbor opportunistic human pathogens (OHPs) and expose OHPs to consumers. Protists are an integral part of phyllosphere microbial ecosystems. However, our understanding of protist-pathogen associations in the phyllosphere and their consequences on public health remains poor. Here, we examined phyllosphere protists, human pathogen marker genes (HPMGs), and protist endosymbionts from four species of leafy greens from major supermarkets in Xiamen, China. Our results showed that Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the dominant human pathogens in the vegetable phyllosphere. The distribution of HPMGs and protistan communities differed between vegetable species, of which Chinese chive possessed the most diverse protists and highest abundance of HPMGs. HPMGs abundance positively correlated with the diversity and relative abundance of phagotrophic protists. Whole genome sequencing further uncovered that most isolated phyllosphere protists harbored multiple OHPs which carried antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors, and metal resistance genes and had the potential to HGT. Colpoda were identified as key phagotrophic protists which positively linked to OHPs and carried diverse resistance and virulence potential endosymbiont OHPs including Pseudomonas nitroreducens, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. We highlight that phyllosphere protists contribute to the transmission of resistant OHPs through internalization and thus pose risks to the food safety of leafy greens and human health. Our study provides insights into the protist-OHP interactions in the phyllosphere, which will help in food safety surveillance and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenshuo Lin
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Juan Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Kexin Ren
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Shu-Yi-Dan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xingke Road 723, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Alain Isabwe
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Le-Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Roy Neilson
- Ecological Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Dundee, DD2 5DA, Scotland, UK
| | - Xiao-Ru Yang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Eddie Cytryn
- Department of Soil Chemistry, Plant Nutrition and Microbiology, Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, The Volcani Institute, Agriculture Research Organization, 7528809, Rishon Lezion, Israel
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100085, Beijing, China.
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9
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Hoque MM, Espinoza-Vergara G, McDougald D. Protozoan predation as a driver of diversity and virulence in bacterial biofilms. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad040. [PMID: 37458768 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Protozoa are eukaryotic organisms that play a crucial role in nutrient cycling and maintaining balance in the food web. Predation, symbiosis and parasitism are three types of interactions between protozoa and bacteria. However, not all bacterial species are equally susceptible to protozoan predation as many are capable of defending against predation in numerous ways and may even establish either a symbiotic or parasitic life-style. Biofilm formation is one such mechanism by which bacteria can survive predation. Structural and chemical components of biofilms enhance resistance to predation compared to their planktonic counterparts. Predation on biofilms gives rise to phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity in prey that leads to trade-offs in virulence in other eukaryotes. Recent advances, using molecular and genomics techniques, allow us to generate new information about the interactions of protozoa and biofilms of prey bacteria. This review presents the current state of the field on impacts of protozoan predation on biofilms. We provide an overview of newly gathered insights into (i) molecular mechanisms of predation resistance in biofilms, (ii) phenotypic and genetic diversification of prey bacteria, and (iii) evolution of virulence as a consequence of protozoan predation on biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Mozammel Hoque
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Gustavo Espinoza-Vergara
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Diane McDougald
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
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10
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Kaplan M, Chang YW, Oikonomou CM, Nicolas WJ, Jewett AI, Kreida S, Dutka P, Rettberg LA, Maggi S, Jensen GJ. Bdellovibrio predation cycle characterized at nanometre-scale resolution with cryo-electron tomography. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1267-1279. [PMID: 37349588 PMCID: PMC11061892 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01401-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a microbial predator that offers promise as a living antibiotic for its ability to kill Gram-negative bacteria, including human pathogens. Even after six decades of study, fundamental details of its predation cycle remain mysterious. Here we used cryo-electron tomography to comprehensively image the lifecycle of B. bacteriovorus at nanometre-scale resolution. With high-resolution images of predation in a native (hydrated, unstained) state, we discover several surprising features of the process, including macromolecular complexes involved in prey attachment/invasion and a flexible portal structure lining a hole in the prey peptidoglycan that tightly seals the prey outer membrane around the predator during entry. Unexpectedly, we find that B. bacteriovorus does not shed its flagellum during invasion, but rather resorbs it into its periplasm for degradation. Finally, following growth and division in the bdelloplast, we observe a transient and extensive ribosomal lattice on the condensed B. bacteriovorus nucleoid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Kaplan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Yi-Wei Chang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Catherine M Oikonomou
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - William J Nicolas
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Andrew I Jewett
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Stefan Kreida
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Przemysław Dutka
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Stefano Maggi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Grant J Jensen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
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11
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Lv Z, Xu M, Liu Y, Rønn R, Rensing C, Liu S, Gao S, Liao H, Liu YR, Chen W, Zhu YG, Huang Q, Hao X. Phagotrophic Protists Modulate Copper Resistance of the Bacterial Community in Soil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:3590-3601. [PMID: 36811608 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Protist predation is a crucial biotic driver modulating bacterial populations and functional traits. Previous studies using pure cultures have demonstrated that bacteria with copper (Cu) resistance exhibited fitness advantages over Cu-sensitive bacteria under the pressure of protist predation. However, the impact of diverse natural communities of protist grazers on bacterial Cu resistance in natural environments remains unknown. Here, we characterized the communities of phagotrophic protists in long-term Cu-contaminated soils and deciphered their potential ecological impacts on bacterial Cu resistance. Long-term field Cu pollution increased the relative abundances of most of the phagotrophic lineages in Cercozoa and Amoebozoa but reduced the relative abundance of Ciliophora. After accounting for soil properties and Cu pollution, phagotrophs were consistently identified as the most important predictor of the Cu-resistant (CuR) bacterial community. Phagotrophs positively contributed to the abundance of a Cu resistance gene (copA) through influencing the cumulative relative abundance of Cu-resistant and -sensitive ecological clusters. Microcosm experiments further confirmed the promotion effect of protist predation on bacterial Cu resistance. Our results indicate that the selection by protist predation can have a strong impact on the CuR bacterial community, which broadens our understanding of the ecological function of soil phagotrophic protists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenguang Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Min Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Regin Rønn
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Song Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shenghan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hao Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yu-Rong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wenli Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Qiaoyun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiuli Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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12
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Associational Resistance to Predation by Protists in a Mixed Species Biofilm. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0174122. [PMID: 36656007 PMCID: PMC9972941 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01741-22] [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] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mixed species biofilms exhibit increased tolerance to numerous stresses compared to single species biofilms. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of grazing by the heterotrophic protist, Tetrahymena pyriformis, on a mixed species biofilm consisting of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas protegens, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Protozoan grazing significantly reduced the single species K. pneumoniae biofilm, and the single species P. protegens biofilm was also sensitive to grazing. In contrast, P. aeruginosa biofilms were resistant to predation. This resistance protected the otherwise sensitive members of the mixed species biofilm consortium. Rhamnolipids produced by P. aeruginosa were shown to be the primary toxic factor for T. pyriformis. However, a rhamnolipid-deficient mutant of P. aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa ΔrhlAB) maintained grazing resistance in the biofilm, suggesting the presence of at least one additional protective mechanism. P. aeruginosa with a deleted gene encoding the type III secretion system also resisted grazing. A transposon library was generated in the ΔrhlAB mutant to identify the additional factor involved in community biofilm protection. Results indicated that the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS), a quorum sensing signaling molecule, was likely responsible for this effect. We confirmed this observation by showing that double mutants of ΔrhlAB and genes in the PQS biosynthetic operon lost grazing protection. We also showed that PQS was directly toxic to T. pyriformis. This study demonstrates that residing in a mixed species biofilm can be an advantageous strategy for grazing sensitive bacterial species, as P. aeruginosa confers community protection from protozoan grazing through multiple mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Biofilms have been shown to protect bacterial cells from predation by protists. Biofilm studies have traditionally used single species systems, which have provided information on the mechanisms and regulation of biofilm formation and dispersal, and the effects of predation on these biofilms. However, biofilms in nature are comprised of multiple species. To better understand how multispecies biofilms are impacted by predation, a model mixed-species biofilm was here exposed to protozoan predation. We show that the grazing sensitive strains K. pneumonia and P. protogens gained associational resistance from the grazing resistant P. aeruginosa. Resistance was due to the secretion of rhamnolipids and quorum sensing molecule PQS. This work highlights the importance of using mixed species systems.
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13
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Perera IU, Fujiyoshi S, Nishiuchi Y, Nakai T, Maruyama F. Zooplankton act as cruise ships promoting the survival and pathogenicity of pathogenic bacteria. Microbiol Immunol 2022; 66:564-578. [PMID: 36128640 PMCID: PMC10091822 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.13029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria in general interact with zooplankton in aquatic ecosystems. These zooplankton-bacterial interactions help to shape the bacterial community by regulating bacterial abundances. Such interactions are even more significant and crucially in need of investigation in the case of pathogenic bacteria, which cause severe diseases in humans and animals. Among the many associations between a host metazoan and pathogenic bacteria, zooplankton provide nutrition and protection from stressful conditions, promote the horizontal transfer of virulence genes, and act as a mode of pathogen transport. These interactions allow the pathogen to survive and proliferate in aquatic environments and to endure water treatment processes, thereby creating a potential risk to human health. This review highlights current knowledge on the contributions of zooplankton to the survival and pathogenicity of pathogenic bacteria. We also discuss the need to consider these interactions as a risk factor in water treatment processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishara U Perera
- Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan.,Center for Holobiome and Built Environment (CHOBE), Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - So Fujiyoshi
- Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan.,Center for Holobiome and Built Environment (CHOBE), Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yukiko Nishiuchi
- Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Nakai
- Takehara Marine Science Station, Graduate School of Integrated Science for Life, Hiroshima University, Takehara City, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Fumito Maruyama
- Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan.,Center for Holobiome and Built Environment (CHOBE), Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan
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14
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Dong Y, Liu J, Nie M, Zhao D, Huang H, Geng J, Wan X, Lu C, Liu Y. Comparative transcriptome combined with morphophysiological analyses revealed the molecular mechanism underlying Tetrahymena thermophila predation-induced antiphage defense in Aeromonas hydrophila. Virulence 2022; 13:1650-1665. [PMID: 36152028 PMCID: PMC9518995 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2127186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protozoan predation has been demonstrated to be a strong driving force for bacterial defence strategies in the environment. Our previous study demonstrated that Aeromonas hydrophila NJ-35, which evolved small-colony variants (SCVs), displayed various adaptive traits in response to Tetrahymena thermophila predation, such as enhanced phage resistance. However, the evolutionary mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we performed a genome- and transcriptome-wide analysis of the SCV1, representing one strain of the SCVs, for identification of the genes of mutation and altered expression underlying this phage resistance phenotype. Our study demonstrated that phage resistance caused by T. thermophila predation was due to the downregulation of a flagellar biosynthesis regulator, flhF, in SCV1. Interestingly, we confirmed that phage resistance in SCV1 was not straightforwardly attributable to the absence of flagella but to FlhF-mediated secretion of extracellular protein that hinders phage adsorption. This finding improves our understanding of the mechanisms by which A. hydrophila lowers the susceptibility to phage infection under predation pressure, and highlights an important contribution of bacterium–protozoan interactions in driving the adaptive evolution of pathogens in complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Dong
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Nie
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dan Zhao
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Huang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinzhu Geng
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xihe Wan
- Institute of Oceanology and Marine Fisheries, Nantong, China
| | - Chengping Lu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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15
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Soto W. Emerging Research Topics in the Vibrionaceae and the Squid- Vibrio Symbiosis. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10101946. [PMID: 36296224 PMCID: PMC9607633 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10101946] [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] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The Vibrionaceae encompasses a cosmopolitan group that is mostly aquatic and possesses tremendous metabolic and genetic diversity. Given the importance of this taxon, it deserves continued and deeper research in a multitude of areas. This review outlines emerging topics of interest within the Vibrionaceae. Moreover, previously understudied research areas are highlighted that merit further exploration, including affiliations with marine plants (seagrasses), microbial predators, intracellular niches, and resistance to heavy metal toxicity. Agarases, phototrophy, phage shock protein response, and microbial experimental evolution are also fields discussed. The squid-Vibrio symbiosis is a stellar model system, which can be a useful guiding light on deeper expeditions and voyages traversing these "seas of interest". Where appropriate, the squid-Vibrio mutualism is mentioned in how it has or could facilitate the illumination of these various subjects. Additional research is warranted on the topics specified herein, since they have critical relevance for biomedical science, pharmaceuticals, and health care. There are also practical applications in agriculture, zymology, food science, and culinary use. The tractability of microbial experimental evolution is explained. Examples are given of how microbial selection studies can be used to examine the roles of chance, contingency, and determinism (natural selection) in shaping Earth's natural history.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Soto
- Integrated Science Center Rm 3035, Department of Biology, College of William & Mary, 540 Landrum Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA
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16
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Davis MT, Canning AD, Midwinter AC, Death RG. Nitrate enrichment does not affect enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in aquatic microcosms but may affect other strains present in aquatic habitats. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13914. [PMID: 36187747 PMCID: PMC9524367 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13914] [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] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Eutrophication of the planet's aquatic systems is increasing at an unprecedented rate. In freshwater systems, nitrate-one of the nutrients responsible for eutrophication-is linked to biodiversity losses and ecosystem degradation. One of the main sources of freshwater nitrate pollution in New Zealand is agriculture. New Zealand's pastoral farming system relies heavily on the application of chemical fertilisers. These fertilisers in combination with animal urine, also high in nitrogen, result in high rates of nitrogen leaching into adjacent aquatic systems. In addition to nitrogen, livestock waste commonly carries human and animal enteropathogenic bacteria, many of which can survive in freshwater environments. Two strains of enteropathogenic bacteria found in New Zealand cattle, are K99 and Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). To better understand the effects of ambient nitrate concentrations in the water column on environmental enteropathogenic bacteria survival, a microcosm experiment with three nitrate-nitrogen concentrations (0, 1, and 3 mg NO3-N /L), two enteropathogenic bacterial strains (STEC O26-human, and K99-animal), and two water types (sterile and containing natural microbiota) was run. Both STEC O26 and K99 reached 500 CFU/10 ml in both water types at all three nitrate concentrations within 24 hours and remained at those levels for the full 91 days of the experiment. Although enteropathogenic strains showed no response to water column nitrate concentrations, the survival of background Escherichia coli, imported as part of the in-stream microbiota did, surviving longer in 1 and 3 mg NO3-N/Lconcentrations (P < 0.001). While further work is needed to fully understand how nitrate enrichment and in-stream microbiota may affect the viability of human and animal pathogens in freshwater systems, it is clear that these two New Zealand strains of STEC O26 and K99 can persist in river water for extended periods alongside some natural microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith T. Davis
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand,Molecular Epidemiology and Veterinary Public Health Laboratory—Hopkirk Research Institute, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand
| | - Adam D. Canning
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anne C. Midwinter
- Molecular Epidemiology and Veterinary Public Health Laboratory—Hopkirk Research Institute, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand
| | - Russell G. Death
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand
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17
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Mechanisms Generating Dichotomies in the Life Strategies of Heterotrophic Marine Prokaryotes. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14030217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that generate and maintain diversity in marine prokaryotic communities is one of the main challenges for contemporary marine microbiology. We here review how observational, experimental, and theoretical evidence converge on the conclusion that the marine pelagic community of heterotrophic prokaryotes consists of organisms with two main types of life strategies. We illustrate this dichotomy by SAR11 and Vibrio spp. as typical representatives of the two strategies. A theory for life strategy dichotomy exists in classical r/K-selection. We here discuss an additional dichotomy introduced by what we term S/L-selection (for Small and Large, respectively). While r/K-selection focuses on the role of environmental disturbances, steady-state models suggest that high abundance at species level should be closely related to a low trade-off between competition and defense. We summarize literature indicating that the high availability of organic C is an essential environmental factor favoring Vibrio spp. and suggest that the essence of the generalized L-strategy is to reduce the competition-predator defense trade-off by using non-limiting organic C to increase size. The “streamlining” theory that has been suggested for the S-strategist SAR11 proposes the opposite: that low trade-off is achieved by a reduction in size. We show how this apparent contradiction disappears when the basic assumptions of diffusion-limited uptake are considered. We propose a classification scheme that combines S/L and r/K-selection using the two dimensions of organic C availability and environmental disturbance. As organic C in terrestrial runoff and size of the oligotrophic oceanic gyres are both changing, habitat size for both S- and L-strategists are affected by global change. A theory capturing the main aspects of prokaryote life strategies is therefore crucial for predicting responses of the marine microbial food web to climate change and other anthropogenic influences.
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18
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Hoque MM, Noorian P, Espinoza-Vergara G, Manuneedhi Cholan P, Kim M, Rahman MH, Labbate M, Rice SA, Pernice M, Oehlers SH, McDougald D. Adaptation to an amoeba host drives selection of virulence-associated traits in Vibrio cholerae. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:856-867. [PMID: 34654895 PMCID: PMC8857207 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01134-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Predation by heterotrophic protists drives the emergence of adaptive traits in bacteria, and often these traits lead to altered interactions with hosts and persistence in the environment. Here we studied adaptation of the cholera pathogen, Vibrio cholerae during long-term co-incubation with the protist host, Acanthamoeba castellanii. We determined phenotypic and genotypic changes associated with long-term intra-amoebal host adaptation and how this impacts pathogen survival and fitness. We showed that adaptation to the amoeba host leads to temporal changes in multiple phenotypic traits in V. cholerae that facilitate increased survival and competitive fitness in amoeba. Genome sequencing and mutational analysis revealed that these altered lifestyles were linked to non-synonymous mutations in conserved regions of the flagellar transcriptional regulator, flrA. Additionally, the mutations resulted in enhanced colonisation in zebrafish, establishing a link between adaptation of V. cholerae to amoeba predation and enhanced environmental persistence. Our results show that pressure imposed by amoeba on V. cholerae selects for flrA mutations that serves as a key driver for adaptation. Importantly, this study provides evidence that adaptive traits that evolve in pathogens in response to environmental predatory pressure impact the colonisation of eukaryotic organisms by these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Mozammel Hoque
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611The iThree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Parisa Noorian
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611The iThree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Gustavo Espinoza-Vergara
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611The iThree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Pradeep Manuneedhi Cholan
- grid.1013.30000 0004 1936 834XTuberculosis Research Program at the Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW Australia ,grid.1013.30000 0004 1936 834XFaculty of Medicine and Health & Marie Bashir Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW Australia
| | - Mikael Kim
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Md Hafizur Rahman
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Maurizio Labbate
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Scott A. Rice
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611The iThree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia ,grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Stefan H. Oehlers
- grid.1013.30000 0004 1936 834XTuberculosis Research Program at the Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW Australia ,grid.1013.30000 0004 1936 834XFaculty of Medicine and Health & Marie Bashir Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW Australia
| | - Diane McDougald
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611The iThree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia ,grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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19
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Balasubramanian D, López-Pérez M, Grant TA, Ogbunugafor CB, Almagro-Moreno S. Molecular mechanisms and drivers of pathogen emergence. Trends Microbiol 2022; 30:898-911. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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20
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Suhadolnik MLS, Costa PS, Paiva MC, Salim ACDM, Barbosa FAR, Lobo FP, Nascimento AMA. Spatiotemporal dynamics of the resistome and virulome of riverine microbiomes disturbed by a mining mud tsunami. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150936. [PMID: 34678365 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic activities. However, it remains unclear how the microbiome responds to press disturbance events in these ecosystems. We examined the impact of the world's largest mining disaster (Brazil, 2015) on sediment microbiomes in two disturbed rivers compared to an undisturbed river during 390 days post-disturbance. The diversity and structure of the virulome and microbiome, and of antibiotic and metal resistomes, consistently differed between the disturbed and undisturbed rivers, particularly at day 7 post-disturbance. 684 different ARGs were predicted, 38% were exclusive to the disturbed rivers. Critical antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), e.g., mcr and ereA2, were significantly more common in the disturbed microbiomes. 401 different ARGs were associated with mobile genetic elements (MGEs), 95% occurred in the disturbed rivers. While plasmids were the most common MGEs with a broad spectrum of ARGs, spanning 16 antibiotic classes, integrative conjugative elements (ICEs) and integrons disseminated ARGs associated with aminoglycoside and tetracycline, and aminoglycoside and beta-lactam, respectively. A significant increase in the relative abundance of class 1 integrons, ICEs, and pathogens was identified at day 7 in the disturbed microbiomes, 72-, 14- and 3- fold higher, respectively, compared with the undisturbed river. Mobile ARGs associated with ESKAPEE group pathogens, while metal resistance genes and virulence factor genes in nonpathogenic hosts predominated in all microbiomes. Network analysis showed highly interconnected ARGs in the disturbed communities, including genes targeting antibiotics of last resort. Interactions between copper and beta-lactam/aminoglycoside/macrolide resistance genes, mostly mobile and critical, were also uncovered. We conclude that the mud tsunami resulted in resistome expansion, enrichment of pathogens, and increases in promiscuous and mobile ARGs. From a One Health perspective, mining companies need to move toward more environmentally friendly and socially responsible mining practices to reduce risks associated with pathogens and critical and mobile ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luíza Soares Suhadolnik
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Silva Costa
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Francisco Pereira Lobo
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Andréa Maria Amaral Nascimento
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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21
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Zboralski A, Biessy A, Filion M. Bridging the Gap: Type III Secretion Systems in Plant-Beneficial Bacteria. Microorganisms 2022; 10:187. [PMID: 35056636 PMCID: PMC8780523 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10010187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are bacterial membrane-embedded nanomachines translocating effector proteins into the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. They have been intensively studied for their important roles in animal and plant bacterial diseases. Over the past two decades, genome sequencing has unveiled their ubiquitous distribution in many taxa of Gram-negative bacteria, including plant-beneficial ones. Here, we discuss the distribution and functions of the T3SS in two agronomically important bacterial groups: the symbiotic nodule-forming nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and the free-living plant-beneficial Pseudomonas spp. In legume-rhizobia symbiosis, T3SSs and their cognate effectors play important roles, including the modulation of the plant immune response and the initiation of the nodulation process in some cases. In plant-beneficial Pseudomonas spp., the roles of T3SSs are not fully understood, but pertain to plant immunity suppression, biocontrol against eukaryotic plant pathogens, mycorrhization facilitation, and possibly resistance against protist predation. The diversity of T3SSs in plant-beneficial bacteria points to their important roles in multifarious interkingdom interactions in the rhizosphere. We argue that the gap in research on T3SSs in plant-beneficial bacteria must be bridged to better understand bacteria/eukaryotes rhizosphere interactions and to support the development of efficient plant-growth promoting microbial inoculants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Martin Filion
- Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 430 Gouin Boulevard, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC J3B 3E6, Canada; (A.Z.); (A.B.)
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22
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Adaptation to an amoeba host leads to Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates with attenuated virulence. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0232221. [PMID: 35020451 PMCID: PMC8904051 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02322-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is ubiquitous in the environment, and in humans, it is capable of causing acute or chronic infections. In the natural environment, predation by bacterivorous protozoa represents a primary threat to bacteria. Here, we determined the impact of long-term exposure of P. aeruginosa to predation pressure. P. aeruginosa persisted when coincubated with the bacterivorous Acanthamoeba castellanii for extended periods and produced genetic and phenotypic variants. Sequencing of late-stage amoeba-adapted P. aeruginosa isolates demonstrated single nucleotide polymorphisms within genes that encode known virulence factors, and this correlated with a reduction in expression of virulence traits. Virulence for the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was attenuated in late-stage amoeba-adapted P. aeruginosa compared to early-stage amoeba-adapted and nonadapted counterparts. Further, late-stage amoeba-adapted P. aeruginosa showed increased competitive fitness and enhanced survival in amoebae as well as in macrophage and neutrophils. Interestingly, our findings indicate that the selection imposed by amoebae resulted in P. aeruginosa isolates with reduced virulence and enhanced fitness, similar to those recovered from chronic cystic fibrosis infections. Thus, predation by protozoa and long-term colonization of the human host may represent similar environments that select for similar losses of gene function. IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes both acute infections in plants and animals, including humans, and chronic infections in immunocompromised and cystic fibrosis patients. This bacterium is commonly found in soils and water, where bacteria are constantly under threat of being consumed by bacterial predators, e.g., protozoa. To escape being killed, bacteria have evolved a suite of mechanisms that protect them from being consumed or digested. Here, we examined the effect of long-term predation on the genotypes and phenotypes expressed by P. aeruginosa. We show that long-term coincubation with protozoa gave rise to mutations that resulted in P. aeruginosa becoming less pathogenic. This is particularly interesting as similar mutations arise in bacteria associated with chronic infections. Importantly, the genetic and phenotypic traits possessed by late-stage amoeba-adapted P. aeruginosa are similar to those observed in isolates obtained from chronic cystic fibrosis infections. This notable overlap in adaptation to different host types suggests similar selection pressures among host cell types as well as similar adaptation strategies.
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23
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Haselkorn TS, Jimenez D, Bashir U, Sallinger E, Queller DC, Strassmann JE, DiSalvo S. Novel Chlamydiae and Amoebophilus endosymbionts are prevalent in wild isolates of the model social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2021; 13:708-719. [PMID: 34159734 PMCID: PMC8518690 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Amoebae interact with bacteria in multifaceted ways. Amoeba predation can serve as a selective pressure for the development of bacterial virulence traits. Bacteria may also adapt to life inside amoebae, resulting in symbiotic relationships. Indeed, particular lineages of obligate bacterial endosymbionts have been found in different amoebae. Here, we screened an extensive collection of Dictyostelium discoideum wild isolates for the presence of these bacterial symbionts using endosymbiont specific PCR primers. We find that these symbionts are surprisingly common, identified in 42% of screened isolates (N = 730). Members of the Chlamydiae phylum are particularly prevalent, occurring in 27% of the amoeba isolated. They are novel and phylogenetically distinct from other Chlamydiae. We also found Amoebophilus symbionts in 8% of screened isolates (N = 730). Antibiotic-cured amoebae behave similarly to their Chlamydiae or Amoebophilus-infected counterparts, suggesting that these endosymbionts do not significantly impact host fitness, at least in the laboratory. We found several natural isolates were co-infected with multiple endosymbionts, with no obvious fitness effect of co-infection under laboratory conditions. The high prevalence and novelty of amoeba endosymbiont clades in the model organism D. discoideum opens the door to future research on the significance and mechanisms of amoeba-symbiont interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara S. Haselkorn
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Central Arkansas201 Donaghey Avenue, ConwayAR72035USA
| | - Daniela Jimenez
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisOne Brookings Drive St. LouisMO63130USA
| | - Usman Bashir
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisOne Brookings Drive St. LouisMO63130USA
| | - Eleni Sallinger
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Central Arkansas201 Donaghey Avenue, ConwayAR72035USA
| | - David C. Queller
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisOne Brookings Drive St. LouisMO63130USA
| | - Joan E. Strassmann
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisOne Brookings Drive St. LouisMO63130USA
| | - Susanne DiSalvo
- Department of Biological SciencesSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville44 Circle Drive, EdwardsvilleIL62026USA
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Lasa A, Auguste M, Lema A, Oliveri C, Borello A, Taviani E, Bonello G, Doni L, Millard AD, Bruto M, Romalde JL, Yakimov M, Balbi T, Pruzzo C, Canesi L, Vezzulli L. A deep-sea bacterium related to coastal marine pathogens. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:5349-5363. [PMID: 34097814 PMCID: PMC8519021 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Evolution of virulence traits from adaptation to environmental niches other than the host is probably a common feature of marine microbial pathogens, whose knowledge might be crucial to understand their emergence and pathogenetic potential. Here, we report genome sequence analysis of a novel marine bacterial species, Vibrio bathopelagicus sp. nov., isolated from warm bathypelagic waters (3309 m depth) of the Mediterranean Sea. Interestingly, V. bathopelagicus sp. nov. is closely related to coastal Vibrio strains pathogenic to marine bivalves. V. bathopelagicus sp. nov. genome encodes genes involved in environmental adaptation to the deep-sea but also in virulence, such as the R5.7 element, MARTX toxin cluster, Type VI secretion system and zinc-metalloprotease, previously associated with Vibrio infections in farmed oysters. The results of functional in vitro assays on immunocytes (haemocytes) of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, and of the early larval development assay in Mytilus support strong toxicity of V. bathopelagicus sp. nov. towards bivalves. V. bathopelagicus sp. nov., isolated from a remote Mediterranean bathypelagic site, is an example of a planktonic marine bacterium with genotypic and phenotypic traits associated with animal pathogenicity, which might have played an evolutionary role in the origin of coastal marine pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aide Lasa
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
- Department of Microbiology and ParasitologyCIBUS‐Facultade de Bioloxía & Institute CRETUS, Universidade de Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela15782Spain
| | - Manon Auguste
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Alberto Lema
- Department of Microbiology and ParasitologyCIBUS‐Facultade de Bioloxía & Institute CRETUS, Universidade de Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela15782Spain
| | - Caterina Oliveri
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Alessio Borello
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Elisa Taviani
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Guido Bonello
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Lapo Doni
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Andrew D. Millard
- Department of Genetics and Genome BiologyUniversity of LeicesterUniversity Road, LeicesterUK
| | - Maxime Bruto
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff CS 90074Roscoff CedexF‐29688France
| | - Jesus L. Romalde
- Department of Microbiology and ParasitologyCIBUS‐Facultade de Bioloxía & Institute CRETUS, Universidade de Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela15782Spain
| | - Michail Yakimov
- Institute of Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology, National Research Council (IRBIM‐CNR)Messina98122Italy
| | - Teresa Balbi
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Carla Pruzzo
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Laura Canesi
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
| | - Luigi Vezzulli
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV)University of GenoaGenoaCorso Europa 26, 16132Italy
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25
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Akbar S, Stevens DC. Functional genomics study of Pseudomonas putida to determine traits associated with avoidance of a myxobacterial predator. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16445. [PMID: 34385565 PMCID: PMC8360965 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96046-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Predation contributes to the structure and diversity of microbial communities. Predatory myxobacteria are ubiquitous to a variety of microbial habitats and capably consume a broad diversity of microbial prey. Predator-prey experiments utilizing myxobacteria have provided details into predatory mechanisms and features that facilitate consumption of prey. However, prey resistance to myxobacterial predation remains underexplored, and prey resistances have been observed exclusively from predator-prey experiments that included the model myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus. Utilizing a predator-prey pairing that instead included the myxobacterium, Cystobacter ferrugineus, with Pseudomonas putida as prey, we observed surviving phenotypes capable of eluding predation. Comparative transcriptomics between P. putida unexposed to C. ferrugineus and the survivor phenotype suggested that increased expression of efflux pumps, genes associated with mucoid conversion, and various membrane features contribute to predator avoidance. Unique features observed from the survivor phenotype when compared to the parent P. putida include small colony variation, efflux-mediated antibiotic resistance, phenazine-1-carboxylic acid production, and increased mucoid conversion. These results demonstrate the utility of myxobacterial predator-prey models and provide insight into prey resistances in response to predatory stress that might contribute to the phenotypic diversity and structure of bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shukria Akbar
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA
| | - D Cole Stevens
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA.
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26
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Amaro F, Martín-González A. Microbial warfare in the wild-the impact of protists on the evolution and virulence of bacterial pathogens. Int Microbiol 2021; 24:559-571. [PMID: 34365574 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-021-00192-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
During the long history of co-evolution with protists, bacteria have evolved defense strategies to avoid grazing and survive phagocytosis. These mechanisms allow bacteria to exploit phagocytic cells as a protective niche in which to escape from environmental stress and even replicate. Importantly, these anti-grazing mechanisms can function as virulence factors when bacteria infect humans. Here, we discuss how protozoan predation exerts a selective pressure driving bacterial virulence and shaping their genomes, and how bacteria-protist interactions might contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance as well. We provide examples to demonstrate that besides being voracious bacterial predators, protozoa can serve as melting pots where intracellular organisms exchange genetic information, or even "training grounds" where some pathogens become hypervirulent after passing through. In this special issue, we would like to emphasize the tremendous impact of bacteria-protist interactions on human health and the potential of amoebae as model systems to study biology and evolution of a variety of pathogens. Besides, a better understanding of bacteria-protist relationships will help us expand our current understanding of bacterial virulence and, likely, how pathogens emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Amaro
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, School of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ana Martín-González
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, School of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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27
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McCutcheon JP. The Genomics and Cell Biology of Host-Beneficial Intracellular Infections. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2021; 37:115-142. [PMID: 34242059 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-120219-024122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Microbes gain access to eukaryotic cells as food for bacteria-grazing protists, for host protection by microbe-killing immune cells, or for microbial benefit when pathogens enter host cells to replicate. But microbes can also gain access to a host cell and become an important-often required-beneficial partner. The oldest beneficial microbial infections are the ancient eukaryotic organelles now called the mitochondrion and plastid. But numerous other host-beneficial intracellular infections occur throughout eukaryotes. Here I review the genomics and cell biology of these interactions with a focus on intracellular bacteria. The genomes of host-beneficial intracellular bacteria have features that span a previously unfilled gap between pathogens and organelles. Host cell adaptations to allow the intracellular persistence of beneficial bacteria are found along with evidence for the microbial manipulation of host cells, but the cellular mechanisms of beneficial bacterial infections are not well understood. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology, Volume 37 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P McCutcheon
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA;
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28
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Behavioral Interactions between Bacterivorous Nematodes and Predatory Bacteria in a Synthetic Community. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9071362. [PMID: 34201688 PMCID: PMC8307948 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory and empirical studies in metazoans predict that apex predators should shape the behavior and ecology of mesopredators and prey at lower trophic levels. Despite the ecological importance of microbial communities, few studies of predatory microbes examine such behavioral res-ponses and the multiplicity of trophic interactions. Here, we sought to assemble a three-level microbial food chain and to test for behavioral interactions between the predatory nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the predatory social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus when cultured together with two basal prey bacteria that both predators can eat—Escherichia coli and Flavobacterium johnsoniae. We found that >90% of C. elegans worms failed to interact with M. xanthus even when it was the only potential prey species available, whereas most worms were attracted to pure patches of E. coli and F. johnsoniae. In addition, M. xanthus altered nematode predatory behavior on basal prey, repelling C. elegans from two-species patches that would be attractive without M. xanthus, an effect similar to that of C. elegans pathogens. The nematode also influenced the behavior of the bacterial predator: M. xanthus increased its predatory swarming rate in response to C. elegans in a manner dependent both on basal-prey identity and on worm density. Our results suggest that M. xanthus is an unattractive prey for some soil nematodes and is actively avoided when other prey are available. Most broadly, we found that nematode and bacterial predators mutually influence one another’s predatory behavior, with likely consequences for coevolution within complex microbial food webs.
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29
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Tekle YI, Lyttle JM, Blasingame MG, Wang F. Comprehensive comparative genomics reveals over 50 phyla of free-living and pathogenic bacteria are associated with diverse members of the amoebozoa. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8043. [PMID: 33850182 PMCID: PMC8044228 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87192-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Amoebozoa, a group containing predominantly amoeboid unicellular protists has been shown to play an important ecological role in controlling environmental bacteria. Amoebozoans not only graze bacteria but also serve as a safe niche for bacterial replication and harbor endosymbiotic bacteria including dangerous human pathogens. Despite their importance, only a few lineages of Amoebozoa have been studied in this regard. In this research, we conducted a comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic study with expansive taxon sampling by including representatives from the three known clades of the Amoebozoa. We used culture independent whole culture and single cell genomics/transcriptomics to investigate the association of bacteria with diverse amoebozoans. Relative to current published evidence, we recovered the largest number of bacterial phyla (64) and human pathogen genera (51) associated with the Amoebozoa. Using single cell genomics/transcriptomics we were able to determine up to 24 potential endosymbiotic bacterial phyla, some potentially endosymbionts. This includes the majority of multi-drug resistant pathogens designated as major public health threats. Our study demonstrates amoebozoans are associated with many more phylogenetically diverse bacterial phyla than previously recognized. It also shows that all amoebozoans are capable of harboring far more dangerous human pathogens than presently documented, making them of primal public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonas I Tekle
- Department of Biology, Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane Southwest, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA.
| | - Janae M Lyttle
- Department of Biology, Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane Southwest, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Maya G Blasingame
- Department of Biology, Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane Southwest, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Biology, Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane Southwest, Atlanta, GA, 30314, USA
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30
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Rocha MC, Fabri JHTM, Silva LP, Angolini CFF, Bertolini MC, da Cunha AF, Valiante V, Goldman GH, Fill TP, Malavazi I. Transcriptional Control of the Production of Aspergillus fumigatus Conidia-Borne Secondary Metabolite Fumiquinazoline C Important for Phagocytosis Protection. Genetics 2021; 218:6168429. [PMID: 33705521 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus produces diverse secondary metabolites whose biological functions and regulation remain to be understood. Despite the importance of the conidia for this fungus, the role of the conidia-born metabolite fumiquinazoline C (FqC) is unclear. Here, we describe a dual function of the cell-wall integrity pathway in regulating FqC biosynthesis dictated by the MAPK kinase MpkA, which phosphorylates one of the nonribosomal peptide synthetases enzymes of the cluster (FmqC), and the transcription factor RlmA, which directly regulates the expression of fmq genes. Another level of crosstalk between the FqC regulation and the cell physiology is described since the deletion of the stress-responsive transcription factor sebA provokes derepression of the fmq cluster and overproduction of FqC. Thus, we describe a mechanism by which A. fumigatus controls FqC biosynthesis orchestrated by MpkA-RlmA and SebA and hence enabling survival and adaptation to the environmental niche, given that FqC is a deterrent of ameba predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Campos Rocha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João Henrique Tadini Marilhano Fabri
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lilian Pereira Silva
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Célia Bertolini
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Tecnologia, Instituto de Química de Araraquara, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anderson Ferreira da Cunha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vito Valiante
- Leibniz Research Group Biobricks of Microbial Natural Product Syntheses, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Taicia Pacheco Fill
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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Pires DP, Costa AR, Pinto G, Meneses L, Azeredo J. Current challenges and future opportunities of phage therapy. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 44:684-700. [PMID: 32472938 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a major public health challenge worldwide, whose implications for global health might be devastating if novel antibacterial strategies are not quickly developed. As natural predators of bacteria, (bacterio)phages may play an essential role in escaping such a dreadful future. The rising problem of antibiotic resistance has revived the interest in phage therapy and important developments have been achieved over the last years. But where do we stand today and what can we expect from phage therapy in the future? This is the question we set to answer in this review. Here, we scour the outcomes of human phage therapy clinical trials and case reports, and address the major barriers that stand in the way of using phages in clinical settings. We particularly address the potential of phage resistance to hinder phage therapy and discuss future avenues to explore the full capacity of phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana P Pires
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Costa
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Graça Pinto
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Luciana Meneses
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Azeredo
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
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Aguirre-Sanchez JR, Ibarra-Rodriguez JR, Vega-Lopez IF, Martínez-Urtaza J, Chaidez-Quiroz C. Genomic signatures of adaptation to natural settings in non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica Serovars Saintpaul, Thompson and Weltevreden. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 90:104771. [PMID: 33592318 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Salmonella enterica is a pathogenic bacterium responsible for intestinal illness and systemic diseases such as typhoid and paratyphoid fevers. Among clinical manifestation classification, non-typhoidal Salmonella is mainly known as foodborne pathogen associated with the consumption of fecal contaminated food and water. Even though Salmonella hosts include humans and warm-blooded animals, it has been found in non-host environments as river water where the bacteria use different strategies to fitness the environment persisting and establishment. Now with the availability of WGS and bioinformatics tools, we can explore bacterial genomes with higher resolution to increase our understanding of specific genetic signatures among environmental and clinical isolates, being the goal of this work. Pangenome construction allowed the detection of specific environmental and clinical gene clusters related to metabolism and secretion systems as the main signature respectively. Specifically, D-galactonate degradation pathway was observed mainly in environmental genomes while T3SS and flagellum genes were detected for all clinical but not for all environmental isolates. Gene duplication and pseudogenes accumulation were detected as the main adaptation strategy for environmental isolates; thus, isolation source may play an important role in genome plasticity, conferring a selective advantage to survive and persist for environmental Salmonella isolates. Intact prophage sequences with cargo genes were observable for both isolation sources playing an important role in virulence contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - I F Vega-Lopez
- Parque de Innovación Tecnológica de la Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Culiacán, Mexico
| | - J Martínez-Urtaza
- Departement of Genetics and Microbiology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Chaidez-Quiroz
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Culiacán, Mexico.
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33
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Bonfiglio G, Neroni B, Radocchia G, Marazzato M, Pantanella F, Schippa S. Insight into the Possible Use of the Predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus as a Probiotic. Nutrients 2020; 12:E2252. [PMID: 32731403 PMCID: PMC7468853 DOI: 10.3390/nu12082252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota is a complex microbial ecosystem that coexists with the human organism in the intestinal tract. The members of this ecosystem live together in a balance between them and the host, contributing to its healthy state. Stress, aging, and antibiotic therapies are the principal factors affecting the gut microbiota composition, breaking the mutualistic relationship among microbes and resulting in the overgrowth of potential pathogens. This condition, called dysbiosis, has been linked to several chronic pathologies. In this review, we propose the use of the predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus as a possible probiotic to prevent or counteract dysbiotic outcomes and look at the findings of previous research.
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34
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Destoumieux-Garzón D, Canesi L, Oyanedel D, Travers MA, Charrière GM, Pruzzo C, Vezzulli L. Vibrio-bivalve interactions in health and disease. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:4323-4341. [PMID: 32363732 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the marine environment, bivalve mollusks constitute habitats for bacteria of the Vibrionaceae family. Vibrios belong to the microbiota of healthy oysters and mussels, which have the ability to concentrate bacteria in their tissues and body fluids, including the hemolymph. Remarkably, these important aquaculture species respond differently to infectious diseases. While oysters are the subject of recurrent mass mortalities at different life stages, mussels appear rather resistant to infections. Thus, Vibrio species are associated with the main diseases affecting the worldwide oyster production. Here, we review the current knowledge on Vibrio-bivalve interaction in oysters (Crassostrea sp.) and mussels (Mytilus sp.). We discuss the transient versus stable associations of vibrios with their bivalve hosts as well as technical issues limiting the monitoring of these bacteria in bivalve health and disease. Based on the current knowledge of oyster/mussel immunity and their interactions with Vibrio species pathogenic for oyster, we discuss how differences in immune effectors could contribute to the higher resistance of mussels to infections. Finally, we review the multiple strategies evolved by pathogenic vibrios to circumvent the potent immune defences of bivalves and how key virulence mechanisms could have been positively or negatively selected in the marine environment through interactions with predators.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Canesi
- DISTAV, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Daniel Oyanedel
- IHPE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
| | - Marie-Agnès Travers
- IHPE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
| | - Guillaume M Charrière
- IHPE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
| | - Carla Pruzzo
- DISTAV, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Luigi Vezzulli
- DISTAV, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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35
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36
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Ezzedine JA, Jacas L, Desdevises Y, Jacquet S. Bdellovibrio and Like Organisms in Lake Geneva: An Unseen Elephant in the Room? Front Microbiol 2020; 11:98. [PMID: 32117128 PMCID: PMC7034301 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
When considering microbial biotic interactions, viruses as well as eukaryotic grazers are known to be important components of aquatic microbial food webs. It might be the same for bacterivorous bacteria but these groups have been comparatively less studied. This is typically the case of the Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs), which are obligate bacterial predators of other bacteria. Recently, the abundance and distribution of three families of this functional group were investigated in perialpine lakes, revealing their presence and quantitative importance. Here, a more in-depth analysis is provided for Lake Geneva regarding the diversity of these bacterial predators at different seasons, sites and depths. We reveal a seasonal and spatial (vertical) pattern for BALOs. They were also found to be relatively diverse (especially Bdellovibrionaceae) and assigned to both known and unknown phylogenetic clusters. At last we found that most BALOs were positively correlated to other bacterial groups, mainly Gram-negative, in particular Myxococcales (among which many are predators of other microbes). This study is the first shedding light on this potentially important bacterial killing group in a large and deep lake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade A Ezzedine
- Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, INRAE, CARRTEL, Thonon-les-Bains, France
| | - Louis Jacas
- Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, INRAE, CARRTEL, Thonon-les-Bains, France
| | - Yves Desdevises
- CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins, Observatoire Océanologique, Sorbonne Université, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Stéphan Jacquet
- Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, INRAE, CARRTEL, Thonon-les-Bains, France
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37
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French CT, Bulterys PL, Woodward CL, Tatters AO, Ng KR, Miller JF. Virulence from the rhizosphere: ecology and evolution of Burkholderia pseudomallei-complex species. Curr Opin Microbiol 2020; 54:18-32. [PMID: 32028234 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T French
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, 570 Westwood Plaza Bldg. 114, 4538 West, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, 609 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Northern Arizona University, Department of Biological Sciences, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute 1395 S Knoles Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, United States.
| | - Philip L Bulterys
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Lane Building, L235, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
| | - Cora L Woodward
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, 570 Westwood Plaza Bldg. 114, 4538 West, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Avery O Tatters
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, 570 Westwood Plaza Bldg. 114, 4538 West, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Ken R Ng
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, 570 Westwood Plaza Bldg. 114, 4538 West, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Jeff F Miller
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, 570 Westwood Plaza Bldg. 114, 4538 West, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, 609 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
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38
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Powell R, O'Malley MA. Metabolic and microbial perspectives on the "evolution of evolution". JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2019; 332:321-330. [PMID: 31532063 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Identifying and theorizing major turning points in the history of life generates insights into not only world-changing evolutionary events but also the processes that bring these events about. In his treatment of these issues, Bonner identifies the evolution of sex, multicellularity, and nervous systems as enabling the "evolution of evolution," which involves fundamental transformations in how evolution occurs. By contextualizing his framework within two decades of theorizing about major transitions in evolution, we identify some basic problems that Bonner's theory shares with much of the prevailing literature. These problems include implicit progressivism, theoretical disunity, and a limited ability to explain major evolutionary transformations. We go on to identify events and processes that are neglected by existing views. In contrast with the "vertical" focus on replication, hierarchy, and morphology that preoccupies most of the literature on major transitions, we propose a "horizontal" dimension in which metabolism and microbial innovations play a central explanatory role in understanding the broad-scale organization of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell Powell
- Department of Philosophy, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maureen A O'Malley
- School of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Bordeaux/University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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39
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Liu J, Dong Y, Wang N, Ma S, Lu C, Liu Y. Diverse effects of nitric oxide reductase NorV on Aeromonas hydrophila virulence-associated traits under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Vet Res 2019; 50:67. [PMID: 31547881 PMCID: PMC6755692 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-019-0683-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
NorV has been known to be an anaerobic nitric oxide reductase associated with nitric oxide (NO) detoxification. Recently, we showed that the norV gene of Aeromonas hydrophila was highly upregulated after co-culturing with Tetrahymena thermophila. Here, we demonstrated that the transcription and expression levels of norV were upregulated in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to NO under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. To investigate the roles of norV in resisting predatory protists and virulence of A. hydrophila, we constructed the norV gene-deletion mutant (ΔnorV). Compared to the wild type, the ΔnorV mutant showed no significant difference in growth at various NO concentrations under aerobic conditions but significantly stronger NO-mediated growth inhibition under anaerobic conditions. The deletion of norV exhibited markedly decreased cytotoxicity, hemolytic and protease activities under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Also, the hemolysin co-regulated protein (Hcp) in the ΔnorV mutant showed increased secretion under aerobic conditions but decreased secretion under anaerobic conditions as compared to the wild-type. Moreover, the inactivation of norV led to reduced resistance to predation by T. thermophila, decreased survival within macrophages and highly attenuated virulence in zebrafish. Our data indicate a diverse role for norV in the expression of A. hydrophila virulence-associated traits that is not completely dependent on its function as a nitric oxide reductase. This study provides insights into an unexplored area of NorV, which will contribute to our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis and the development of new control strategies for A. hydrophila infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yuhao Dong
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Nannan Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jinling Institute of Technology, Nanjing, 211169, China
| | - Shuiyan Ma
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Chengping Lu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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40
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Arimizu Y, Kirino Y, Sato MP, Uno K, Sato T, Gotoh Y, Auvray F, Brugere H, Oswald E, Mainil JG, Anklam KS, Döpfer D, Yoshino S, Ooka T, Tanizawa Y, Nakamura Y, Iguchi A, Morita-Ishihara T, Ohnishi M, Akashi K, Hayashi T, Ogura Y. Large-scale genome analysis of bovine commensal Escherichia coli reveals that bovine-adapted E. coli lineages are serving as evolutionary sources of the emergence of human intestinal pathogenic strains. Genome Res 2019; 29:1495-1505. [PMID: 31439690 PMCID: PMC6724679 DOI: 10.1101/gr.249268.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
How pathogens evolve their virulence to humans in nature is a scientific issue of great medical and biological importance. Shiga toxin (Stx)–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) are the major foodborne pathogens that can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome and infantile diarrhea, respectively. The locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE)–encoded type 3 secretion system (T3SS) is the major virulence determinant of EPEC and is also possessed by major STEC lineages. Cattle are thought to be the primary reservoir of STEC and EPEC. However, genome sequences of bovine commensal E. coli are limited, and the emerging process of STEC and EPEC is largely unknown. Here, we performed a large-scale genomic comparison of bovine commensal E. coli with human commensal and clinical strains, including EPEC and STEC, at a global level. The analyses identified two distinct lineages, in which bovine and human commensal strains are enriched, respectively, and revealed that STEC and EPEC strains have emerged in multiple sublineages of the bovine-associated lineage. In addition to the bovine-associated lineage-specific genes, including fimbriae, capsule, and nutrition utilization genes, specific virulence gene communities have been accumulated in stx- and LEE-positive strains, respectively, with notable overlaps of community members. Functional associations of these genes probably confer benefits to these E. coli strains in inhabiting and/or adapting to the bovine intestinal environment and drive their evolution to highly virulent human pathogens under the bovine-adapted genetic background. Our data highlight the importance of large-scale genome sequencing of animal strains in the studies of zoonotic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Arimizu
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.,Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yumi Kirino
- Laboratory of Veterinary Radiology, Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiko P Sato
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Koichi Uno
- Japan Microbiological Laboratory, Sendai, Miyagi 983-0034, Japan
| | - Toshio Sato
- Japan Microbiological Laboratory, Sendai, Miyagi 983-0034, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Gotoh
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Frédéric Auvray
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, ENVT, UPS, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Hubert Brugere
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, ENVT, UPS, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Eric Oswald
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, ENVT, UPS, 31300 Toulouse, France.,CHU de Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Jacques G Mainil
- Bacteriology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute for Fundamental and Applied Research in Animal Health (FARAH), University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Kelly S Anklam
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA
| | - Dörte Döpfer
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA
| | - Shuji Yoshino
- Department of Microbiology, Miyazaki Prefectural Institute for Public Health and Environment, Miyazaki 889-2155, Japan
| | - Tadasuke Ooka
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8520, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Tanizawa
- Center for Information Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Yasukazu Nakamura
- Center for Information Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Atsushi Iguchi
- Department of Animal and Grassland Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
| | - Tomoko Morita-Ishihara
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Makoto Ohnishi
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Koichi Akashi
- Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yoshitoshi Ogura
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
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41
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Plotnikov AO, Balkin AS, Gogoleva NE, Lanzoni O, Khlopko YA, Cherkasov SV, Potekhin AA. High-Throughput Sequencing of the 16S rRNA Gene as a Survey to Analyze the Microbiomes of Free-Living Ciliates Paramecium. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 78:286-298. [PMID: 30661111 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01321-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Ciliates are the largest group of ubiquitous aquatic bacterivorous protists, and many species are easily cultivated. However, only few studies reported prokaryotic communities naturally associated with ciliate cells. Herein, we analyzed the microbiome composition of several strains of Paramecium (Ciliophora) originating from different locations and belonging to two morpho-species by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of the 16S rRNA gene. Possible reasons of HTS results bias were addressed comparing DNA libraries obtained using different primers and different number of ciliate cells. Microbiomes associated with ciliates and their environments were always significantly different by prokaryotic taxonomic composition and bacterial richness. There were also pronounced differences between Paramecium strains. Interestingly, potentially pathogenic bacteria were revealed in Paramecium microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey O Plotnikov
- "Persistence of microorganisms" Center of Shared Scientific Equipment, Institute for Cellular and Intracellular Symbiosis UrB RAS, Orenburg, Russia.
| | - Alexander S Balkin
- "Persistence of microorganisms" Center of Shared Scientific Equipment, Institute for Cellular and Intracellular Symbiosis UrB RAS, Orenburg, Russia
| | - Natalia E Gogoleva
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Kazan Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan, Russia
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | | | - Yuri A Khlopko
- "Persistence of microorganisms" Center of Shared Scientific Equipment, Institute for Cellular and Intracellular Symbiosis UrB RAS, Orenburg, Russia
| | - Sergey V Cherkasov
- Laboratory of biomedical technologies, Institute for Cellular and Intracellular Symbiosis UrB RAS, Orenburg, Russia
| | - Alexey A Potekhin
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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42
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Soldati T, Cardenal-Muñoz E. A brief historical and evolutionary perspective on the origin of cellular microbiology research. Cell Microbiol 2019; 21:e13083. [PMID: 31290267 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Integrated with both a historical perspective and an evolutionary angle, this opinion article presents a brief and personal view of the emergence of cellular microbiology research. From the very first observations of phagocytosis by Goeze in 1777 to the exhaustive analysis of the cellular defence mechanisms performed in modern laboratories, the studies by cell biologists and microbiologists have converged into an integrative research field distinct from, but fully coupled to immunity: cellular microbiology. In addition, this brief article is thought as a humble patchwork of the motivations that have guided the research in my group over a quarter century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Soldati
- Faculty of Science, Sciences II, Department of Biochemistry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Elena Cardenal-Muñoz
- Faculty of Science, Sciences II, Department of Biochemistry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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43
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Radosa S, Ferling I, Sprague JL, Westermann M, Hillmann F. The different morphologies of yeast and filamentous fungi trigger distinct killing and feeding mechanisms in a fungivorous amoeba. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:1809-1820. [PMID: 30868709 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Size and diverse morphologies pose a primary challenge for phagocytes such as innate immune cells and predatory amoebae when encountering fungal prey. Although filamentous fungi can escape phagocytic killing by pure physical constraints, unicellular spores and yeasts can mask molecular surface patterns or arrest phagocytic processing. Here, we show that the fungivorous amoeba Protostelium aurantium was able to adjust its killing and feeding mechanisms to these different cell shapes. Yeast-like fungi from the major fungal groups of basidiomycetes and ascomycetes were readily internalized by phagocytosis, except for the human pathogen Candida albicans whose mannoprotein coat was essential to escape recognition by the amoeba. Dormant spores of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus also remained unrecognized, but swelling and the onset of germination induced internalization and intracellular killing by the amoeba. Mature hyphae of A. fumigatus were mostly attacked from the hyphal tip and killed by an actin-mediated invasion of fungal filaments. Our results demonstrate that predatory pressure imposed by amoebae in natural environments selects for distinct survival strategies in yeast and filamentous fungi but commonly targets the fungal cell wall as a crucial molecular pattern associated to prey and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Radosa
- Junior Research Group Evolution of Microbial Interactions, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Iuliia Ferling
- Junior Research Group Evolution of Microbial Interactions, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Jakob L Sprague
- Junior Research Group Evolution of Microbial Interactions, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Falk Hillmann
- Junior Research Group Evolution of Microbial Interactions, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
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44
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Gao Z, Karlsson I, Geisen S, Kowalchuk G, Jousset A. Protists: Puppet Masters of the Rhizosphere Microbiome. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 24:165-176. [PMID: 30446306 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2018.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The rhizosphere microbiome is a central determinant of plant performance. Microbiome assembly has traditionally been investigated from a bottom-up perspective, assessing how resources such as root exudates drive microbiome assembly. However, the importance of predation as a driver of microbiome structure has to date largely remained overlooked. Here we review the importance of protists, a paraphyletic group of unicellular eukaryotes, as a key regulator of microbiome assembly. Protists can promote plant-beneficial functions within the microbiome, accelerate nutrient cycling, and remove pathogens. We conclude that protists form an essential component of the rhizosphere microbiome and that accounting for predator-prey interactions would greatly improve our ability to predict and manage microbiome function at the service of plant growth and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilei Gao
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Ecology & Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; These authors contributed equally
| | - Ida Karlsson
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Ecology & Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; Dept. of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7026, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden; These authors contributed equally
| | - Stefan Geisen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - George Kowalchuk
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Ecology & Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandre Jousset
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Ecology & Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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45
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Zhang LX, Simpson DJ, McMullen LM, Gänzle MG. Comparative Genomics and Characterization of the Late Promoter pR' from Shiga Toxin Prophages in Escherichia coli. Viruses 2018; 10:v10110595. [PMID: 30384416 PMCID: PMC6266700 DOI: 10.3390/v10110595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) causes human illness ranging from mild diarrhea to death. The bacteriophage encoded stx genes are located in the late transcription region, downstream of the antiterminator Q. The transcription of the stx genes is directly under the control of the late promoter pR’, thus the sequence diversity of the region between Q and stx, here termed the pR’ region, may affect Stx toxin production. Here, we compared the gene structure of the pR’ region and the stx subtypes of nineteen STECs. The sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis suggested that the pR’ region tends to be more heterogeneous than the promoter itself, even if the prophages harbor the same stx subtype. Furthermore, we established and validated transcriptional fusions of the pR’ region to the DsRed reporter gene using mitomycin C (MMC) induction. Finally, these constructs were transformed into native and non-native strains and examined with flow cytometry. The results showed that induction levels changed when pR’ regions were placed under different regulatory systems. Moreover, not every stx gene could be induced in its native host bacteria. In addition to the functional genes, the diversity of the pR’ region plays an important role in determining the level of toxin induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Xiao Zhang
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada.
| | - David J Simpson
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada.
| | - Lynn M McMullen
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada.
| | - Michael G Gänzle
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada.
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46
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Evolution of STEC virulence: Insights from the antipredator activities of Shiga toxin producing E. coli. Int J Med Microbiol 2018; 308:956-961. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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47
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Rebuilding the Gut Microbiota Ecosystem. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15081679. [PMID: 30087270 PMCID: PMC6121872 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15081679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A microbial ecosystem in which bacteria no longer live in a mutualistic association is called dysbiotic. Gut microbiota dysbiosis is a condition related with the pathogenesis of intestinal illnesses (irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease) and extra-intestinal illnesses (obesity, metabolic disorder, cardiovascular syndrome, allergy, and asthma). Dysbiosis status has been related to various important pathologies, and many therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring the balance of the intestinal ecosystem have been implemented. These strategies include the administration of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics; phage therapy; fecal transplantation; bacterial consortium transplantation; and a still poorly investigated approach based on predatory bacteria. This review discusses the various aspects of these strategies to counteract intestinal dysbiosis.
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48
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Predators and nutrient availability favor protozoa-resisting bacteria in aquatic systems. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8415. [PMID: 29849061 PMCID: PMC5976761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26422-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The long co-existence of bacteria and protozoa has led to the development of bacterial protozoa resistance strategies, which are suggested to serve as drivers for the evolution of pathogenic bacteria. However, the ecological mechanisms underpinning selection for protozoa-resistance in aquatic bacteria are poorly known. To assess the role of nutrient availability and predation-pressure on selection for protozoa-resisting bacteria (PRB), an enrichment-dilution experiment was designed using laboratory microcosms containing natural lake water. PRB was monitored by screening 16S rRNA amplicon sequence data for reads assigned to bacteria that previously has been shown to resist degradation by amoebae. To estimate the effects of the microbial food web dynamics (microscopy of; heterotrophic bacteria, phytoplankton, protozoa and rotifers) and physicochemical variables on the PRB abundance in the study system, a joint species distribution modelling approach was used. The predation-pressure (ratio between predator and bacterial biomass) had a positive effect on the abundance of the PRB genus Mycobacterium, while perturbation (enrichment and dilution) favored the PRB genus Pseudomonas that dominated the bacterial community in the disturbed systems. Our results show that PRB with different ecological strategies can be expected in water of high and intermediate nutrient levels and after major disturbances of an aquatic system.
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49
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Sun S, Noorian P, McDougald D. Dual Role of Mechanisms Involved in Resistance to Predation by Protozoa and Virulence to Humans. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1017. [PMID: 29867902 PMCID: PMC5967200 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Most opportunistic pathogens transit in the environment between hosts and the environment plays a significant role in the evolution of protective traits. The coincidental evolution hypothesis suggests that virulence factors arose as a response to other selective pressures rather for virulence per se. This idea is strongly supported by the elucidation of bacterial-protozoal interactions. In response to protozoan predation, bacteria have evolved various defensive mechanisms which may also function as virulence factors. In this review, we summarize the dual role of factors involved in both grazing resistance and human pathogenesis, and compare the traits using model intracellular and extracellular pathogens. Intracellular pathogens rely on active invasion, blocking of the phagosome and lysosome fusion and resistance to phagocytic digestion to successfully invade host cells. In contrast, extracellular pathogens utilize toxin secretion and biofilm formation to avoid internalization by phagocytes. The complexity and diversity of bacterial virulence factors whose evolution is driven by protozoan predation, highlights the importance of protozoa in evolution of opportunistic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyang Sun
- ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Parisa Noorian
- ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Diane McDougald
- ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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Zhang C, Parrello D, Brown PJB, Wall JD, Hu Z. A novel whole-cell biosensor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to monitor the expression of quorum sensing genes. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:6023-6038. [PMID: 29730766 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9044-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
A novel whole-cell biosensor was developed to noninvasively and simultaneously monitor the in situ genetic activities of the four quorum sensing (QS) networks in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, including the las, rhl, pqs, and iqs systems. P. aeruginosa PAO1 is a model bacterium for studies of biofilm and pathogenesis while both processes are closely controlled by the QS systems. This biosensor worked well by selectively monitoring the expression of one representative gene from each network. In the biosensor, the promoter regions of lasI, rhlI, pqsA, and ambB (QS genes) controlled the fluorescent reporter genes of Turbo YFP, mTag BFP2, mNEON Green, and E2-Orange, respectively. The biosensor was successful in monitoring the impact of an important environmental factor, salt stress, on the genetic regulation of QS networks. High salt concentrations (≥ 20 g·L-1) significantly downregulated rhlI, pqsA, and ambB after the biosensor was incubated for 17 h to 18 h at 37 °C, resulting in slow bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiqian Zhang
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Damien Parrello
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Pamela J B Brown
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Judy D Wall
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Zhiqiang Hu
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
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