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Ardissone S, Greub G. The Chlamydia-related Waddlia chondrophila encodes functional type II toxin-antitoxin systems. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0068123. [PMID: 38214519 PMCID: PMC10880633 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00681-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are widespread in chromosomes and plasmids of free-living microorganisms, but only a few have been identified in obligate intracellular species. We found seven putative type II TA modules in Waddlia chondrophila, a Chlamydia-related species that is able to infect a very broad series of eukaryotic hosts, ranging from protists to mammalian cells. The RNA levels of Waddlia TA systems are significantly upregulated by iron starvation and novobiocin, but they are not affected by antibiotics such as β-lactams and glycopeptides, which suggests different mechanisms underlying stress responses. Five of the identified TA modules, including HigBA1 and MazEF1, encoded on the Waddlia cryptic plasmid, proved to be functional when expressed in a heterologous host. TA systems have been associated with the maintenance of mobile genetic elements, bacterial defense against bacteriophages, and persistence upon exposure to adverse conditions. As their RNA levels are upregulated upon exposure to adverse conditions, Waddlia TA modules may be involved in survival to stress. Moreover, as Waddlia can infect a wide range of hosts including free-living amoebae, TA modules could also represent an innate immunity system to fight against bacteriophages and other microorganisms with which Waddlia has to share its replicative niche.IMPORTANCEThe response to adverse conditions, such as exposure to antibiotics, nutrient starvation and competition with other microorganisms, is essential for the survival of a bacterial population. TA systems are modules composed of two elements, a toxic protein and an antitoxin (protein or RNA) that counteracts the toxin. Although many aspects of TA biological functions still await to be elucidated, TAs have often been implicated in bacterial response to stress, including the response to nutrient starvation, antibiotic treatment and bacteriophage infection. TAs are ubiquitous in free-living bacteria but rare in obligate intracellular species such as chlamydiae. We identified functional TA systems in Waddlia chondrophila, a chlamydial species with a strikingly broad host range compared to other chlamydiae. Our work contributes to understand how obligate intracellular bacteria react to adverse conditions that might arise from competition with other viruses/bacteria for the same replicative niche and would threaten their ability to replicate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ardissone
- Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gilbert Greub
- Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Arai H, Anbutsu H, Nishikawa Y, Kogawa M, Ishii K, Hosokawa M, Lin SR, Ueda M, Nakai M, Kunimi Y, Harumoto T, Kageyama D, Takeyama H, Inoue MN. Combined actions of bacteriophage-encoded genes in Wolbachia-induced male lethality. iScience 2023; 26:106842. [PMID: 37250803 PMCID: PMC10209535 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Some Wolbachia endosymbionts induce male killing, whereby male offspring of infected females are killed during development; however, the origin and diversity of the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we identified a 76 kbp prophage region specific to male-killing Wolbachia hosted by the moth Homona magnanima. The prophage encoded a homolog of the male-killing gene oscar in Ostrinia moths and the wmk gene that induces various toxicities in Drosophila melanogaster. Upon overexpressing these genes in D. melanogaster, wmk-1 and wmk-3 killed all males and most females, whereas Hm-oscar, wmk-2, and wmk-4 had no impact on insect survival. Strikingly, co-expression of tandemly arrayed wmk-3 and wmk-4 killed 90% of males and restored 70% of females, suggesting their conjugated functions for male-specific lethality. While the male-killing gene in the native host remains unknown, our findings highlight the role of bacteriophages in male-killing evolution and differences in male-killing mechanisms among insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Arai
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0851, Japan
| | - Hisashi Anbutsu
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
- Bioproduction Research Institute, AIST, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
| | - Yohei Nishikawa
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
| | - Masato Kogawa
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
| | - Kazuo Ishii
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Masahito Hosokawa
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Research of Biosystem Dynamics, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Shiou-Ruei Lin
- Tea Research and Extension Station, 326011 Chung-Hsing RD, Yangmei, Taoyuan, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Masatoshi Ueda
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Madoka Nakai
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Yasuhisa Kunimi
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Harumoto
- Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University. Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kageyama
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0851, Japan
| | - Haruko Takeyama
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Research of Biosystem Dynamics, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Maki N. Inoue
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
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3
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Fallon AM, Carroll EM. Virus-like Particles from Wolbachia-Infected Cells May Include a Gene Transfer Agent. INSECTS 2023; 14:516. [PMID: 37367332 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Wolbachia are obligate intracellular bacteria that occur in insects and filarial worms. Strains that infect insects have genomes that encode mobile genetic elements, including diverse lambda-like prophages called Phage WO. Phage WO packages an approximately 65 kb viral genome that includes a unique eukaryotic association module, or EAM, that encodes unusually large proteins thought to mediate interactions between the bacterium, its virus, and the eukaryotic host cell. The Wolbachia supergroup B strain, wStri from the planthopper Laodelphax striatellus, produces phage-like particles that can be recovered from persistently infected mosquito cells by ultracentrifugation. Illumina sequencing, assembly, and manual curation of DNA from two independent preparations converged on an identical 15,638 bp sequence that encoded packaging, assembly, and structural proteins. The absence of an EAM and regulatory genes defined for Phage WO from the wasp, Nasonia vitripennis, was consistent with the possibility that the 15,638 bp sequence represents an element related to a gene transfer agent (GTA), characterized by a signature head-tail region encoding structural proteins that package host chromosomal DNA. Future investigation of GTA function will be supported by the improved recovery of physical particles, electron microscopic examination of potential diversity among particles, and rigorous examination of DNA content by methods independent of sequence assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Fallon
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Elissa M Carroll
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Rodrigues J, Lefoulon E, Gavotte L, Perillat-Sanguinet M, Makepeace B, Martin C, D'Haese CA. Wolbachia springs eternal: symbiosis in Collembola is associated with host ecology. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230288. [PMID: 37266040 PMCID: PMC10230187 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Wolbachia are endosymbiotic alpha-proteobacteria infecting a wide range of arthropods and nematode hosts with diverse interactions, from reproductive parasites to obligate mutualists. Their taxonomy is defined by lineages called supergroups (labelled by letters of the alphabet), while their evolutionary history is complex, with multiple horizontal transfers and secondary losses. One of the least recently derived, supergroup E, infects springtails (Collembola), widely distributed hexapods, with sexual and/or parthenogenetic populations depending on species. To better characterize the diversity of Wolbachia infecting springtails, the presence of Wolbachia was screened in 58 species. Eleven (20%) species were found to be positive, with three Wolbachia genotypes identified for the first time in supergroup A. The novel genotypes infect springtails ecologically and biologically different from those infected by supergroup E. To root the Wolbachia phylogeny, rather than distant other Rickettsiales, supergroup L infecting plant-parasitic nematodes was used here. We hypothesize that the ancestor of Wolbachia was consumed by soil-dwelling nematodes, and was transferred horizontally via plants into aphids, which then infected edaphic arthropods (e.g. springtails and oribatid mites) before expanding into most clades of terrestrial arthropods and filarial nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules Rodrigues
- UMR7245, MCAM, Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Emilie Lefoulon
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | | | - Benjamin Makepeace
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Coralie Martin
- UMR7245, MCAM, Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France
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5
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Martinez J, Ant TH, Murdochy SM, Tong L, da Silva Filipe A, Sinkins SP. Genome sequencing and comparative analysis of Wolbachia strain wAlbA reveals Wolbachia-associated plasmids are common. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010406. [PMID: 36121852 PMCID: PMC9560607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia are widespread maternally-transmitted bacteria of arthropods that often spread by manipulating their host's reproduction through cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). Their invasive potential is currently being harnessed in field trials aiming to control mosquito-borne diseases. Wolbachia genomes commonly harbour prophage regions encoding the cif genes which confer their ability to induce CI. Recently, a plasmid-like element was discovered in wPip, a Wolbachia strain infecting Culex mosquitoes; however, it is unclear how common such extra-chromosomal elements are in Wolbachia. Here we sequenced the complete genome of wAlbA, a strain of the symbiont found in Aedes albopictus, after eliminating the co-infecting and higher density wAlbB strain that previously made sequencing of wAlbA challenging. We show that wAlbA is associated with two new plasmids and identified additional Wolbachia plasmids and related chromosomal islands in over 20% of publicly available Wolbachia genome datasets. These plasmids encode a variety of accessory genes, including several phage-like DNA packaging genes as well as genes potentially contributing to host-symbiont interactions. In particular, we recovered divergent homologues of the cif genes in both Wolbachia- and Rickettsia-associated plasmids. Our results indicate that plasmids are common in Wolbachia and raise fundamental questions around their role in symbiosis. In addition, our comparative analysis provides useful information for the future development of genetic tools to manipulate and study Wolbachia symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Martinez
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas H. Ant
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Shivan M. Murdochy
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Lily Tong
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ana da Silva Filipe
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Steven P. Sinkins
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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6
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Fallon AM. Muramidase, nuclease, or hypothetical protein genes intervene between paired genes encoding DNA packaging terminase and portal proteins in Wolbachia phages and prophages. Virus Genes 2022; 58:327-349. [PMID: 35538383 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-022-01907-7] [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: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Genomes of the obligate intracellular alpha proteobacterium Wolbachia pipientis often encode prophage-like regions, and in a few cases, purified particles have been recovered. Because the structure of a conserved WO phage genome has been difficult to establish, we examined paired terminase and portal genes in Wolbachia phages and prophages, relative to those encoded by the gene transfer agent RcGTA from the free-living alpha proteobacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus. Terminase and portal proteins from Wolbachia have higher similarity to orthologs encoded by RcGTA than to orthologs encoded by bacteriophage lambda. In lambdoid phages, these proteins play key roles in assembly of mature phage particles, while in less well-studied gene transfer agents, terminase and portal proteins package random fragments of bacterial DNA, which could confound elucidation of WO phage genomes. In WO phages and prophages, terminase genes followed by a short gpW gene may be separated from the downstream portal gene by open-reading frames encoding a GH_25 hydrolase/muramidase, a PD-(D/E)XK nuclease, a hypothetical protein and/or a RelE/ParE toxin-antitoxin module. These aspects of gene organization, coupled with evidence for a low, non-inducible yield of WO phages, and the small size of WO phage particles described in the literature raise the possibility that Wolbachia prophage regions participate in processes that extend beyond conventional bacteriophage lysogeny and lytic replication. These intervening genes, and their possible relation to functions associated with GTAs, may contribute to variability among WO phage genomes recovered from physical particles and impact the ability of WO phages to act as transducing agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Fallon
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
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7
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Neupane S, Bonilla SI, Manalo AM, Pelz-Stelinski KS. Complete de novo assembly of Wolbachia endosymbiont of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) using long-read genome sequencing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:125. [PMID: 34996906 PMCID: PMC8741817 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03184-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia, a gram-negative \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathrm{\alpha }$$\end{document}α-proteobacterium, is an endosymbiont found in some arthropods and nematodes. Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, the vector of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas), are naturally infected with a strain of Wolbachia (wDi), which has been shown to colocalize with the bacteria pathogens CLas, the pathogen associated with huanglongbing (HLB) disease of citrus. The relationship between wDi and CLas is poorly understood in part because the complete genome of wDi has not been available. Using high-quality long-read PacBio circular consensus sequences, we present the largest complete circular wDi genome among supergroup-B members. The assembled circular chromosome is 1.52 megabases with 95.7% genome completeness with contamination of 1.45%, as assessed by checkM. We identified Insertion Sequences (ISs) and prophage genes scattered throughout the genomes. The proteins were annotated using Pfam, eggNOG, and COG that assigned unique domains and functions. The wDi genome was compared with previously sequenced Wolbachia genomes using pangenome and phylogenetic analyses. The availability of a complete circular chromosome of wDi will facilitate understanding of its role within the insect vector, which may assist in developing tools for disease management. This information also provides a baseline for understanding phylogenetic relationships among Wolbachia of other insect vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Neupane
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center/IFAS, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850, USA
| | - Sylvia I Bonilla
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center/IFAS, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850, USA
| | - Andrew M Manalo
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center/IFAS, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850, USA
| | - Kirsten S Pelz-Stelinski
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center/IFAS, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850, USA.
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Jiang R, Xiang M, Chen W, Zhang P, Wu X, Zhu G, Tu T, Jiang D, Yao X, Luo Y, Yang Z, Chen D, Wang Y. Biofilm characteristics and transcriptomic analysis of Haemophilus parasuis. Vet Microbiol 2021; 258:109073. [PMID: 33984794 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2021.109073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Haemophilus parasuis (H. parasuis) is a conditional pathogen with the ability to form biofilms which can lead to ineffective drug treatment and severe chronic infections resulting in significant economic losses to the pig industry. Currently, knowledge of biofilm formation by H. parasuis is not well developed. The objective of this study was to investigate the three-dimensional morphology of biofilms and perform transcriptomic analysis on H. parasuis cells in biofilm versus planktonic forms. The results showed that proteins and DNA accounted for a large proportion of the H. parasuis biofilm extracellular matrix. Here, we have traced the entire biofilm formation process of H. parasuis from beginning to end for the first time. These biofilms grew rapidly in the first 48 h and became stable at 60 h. According to GO and KEGG analysis, the differentially expressed genes (DEG) artM, artQ, ssrS, pflA and HutX were implicated as being involved in bacterial colonisation and adhesion; these are the most likely genes to affect biofilm formation. Most functional gene enrichments were of those involved in metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Thus, in the present pilot study, the composition and characteristics of these biofilms were explored, and the genes related to biofilm formation were screened for. This research lays the foundation for further studies on mechanisms regulating biofilm formation, in order to find new drug targets and develop new therapeutic drugs against H. parasuis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijiao Jiang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingyuan Xiang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Wanting Chen
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Xulong Wu
- Branch of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Chengdu Agricultural College, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Guangheng Zhu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Teng Tu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Dike Jiang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Xueping Yao
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yan Luo
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Zexiao Yang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Dishi Chen
- Sichuan Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chengdu 610047, China.
| | - Yin Wang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
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9
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Fallon AM. DNA recombination and repair in Wolbachia: RecA and related proteins. Mol Genet Genomics 2021; 296:437-456. [PMID: 33507381 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-020-01760-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Wolbachia is an obligate intracellular bacterium that has undergone extensive genomic streamlining in its arthropod and nematode hosts. Because the gene encoding the bacterial DNA recombination/repair protein RecA is not essential in Escherichia coli, abundant expression of this protein in a mosquito cell line persistently infected with Wolbachia strain wStri was unexpected. However, RecA's role in the lytic cycle of bacteriophage lambda provides an explanation for retention of recA in strains known to encode lambda-like WO prophages. To examine DNA recombination/repair capacities in Wolbachia, a systematic examination of RecA and related proteins in complete or nearly complete Wolbachia genomes from supergroups A, B, C, D, E, F, J and S was undertaken. Genes encoding proteins including RecA, RecF, RecO, RecR, RecG and Holliday junction resolvases RuvA, RuvB and RuvC are uniformly absent from Wolbachia in supergroup C and have reduced representation in supergroups D and J, suggesting that recombination and repair activities are compromised in nematode-associated Wolbachia, relative to strains that infect arthropods. An exception is filarial Wolbachia strain wMhie, assigned to supergroup F, which occurs in a nematode host from a poikilothermic lizard. Genes encoding LexA and error-prone polymerases are absent from all Wolbachia genomes, suggesting that the SOS functions induced by RecA-mediated activation of LexA do not occur, despite retention of genes encoding a few proteins that respond to LexA induction in E. coli. Three independent E. coli accessions converge on a single Wolbachia UvrD helicase, which interacts with mismatch repair proteins MutS and MutL, encoded in nearly all Wolbachia genomes. With the exception of MutL, which has been mapped to a eukaryotic association module in Phage WO, proteins involved in recombination/repair are uniformly represented by single protein annotations. Putative phage-encoded MutL proteins are restricted to Wolbachia supergroups A and B and show higher amino acid identity than chromosomally encoded MutL orthologs. This analysis underscores differences between nematode and arthropod-associated Wolbachia and describes aspects of DNA metabolism that potentially impact development of procedures for transformation and genetic manipulation of Wolbachia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Fallon
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
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10
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Bishop C, Asgari S. Altered gene expression profile of Wolbachia pipientis wAlbB strain following transinfection from its native host Aedes albopictus to Aedes aegypti cells. Mol Microbiol 2021; 115:1229-1243. [PMID: 33325576 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Wolbachia is an obligate intracellular bacterial symbiont prevalent among arthropods and nematodes. To survive and reproduce, Wolbachia interacts with and modifies host subcellular structures, while sensing and responding to changes within the cellular environment. In mutualistic associations, Wolbachia may provision the host with metabolites, or help to maintain the chemical homeostasis of the host cell. Some strains can rapidly invade insect populations by manipulating host reproductive biology, while also preventing viral replication, allowing their use in vector control of arthropod-borne viruses. The Aedes albopictus-derived strain wAlbB is promising in this regard. When transinfected into the Yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, wAlbB reaches high frequencies within wild populations, and strongly inhibits viral transmission. Despite its obvious potential, much is still unknown about the molecular interactions between Wolbachia and host that enable its use in vector control. Furthermore, most Wolbachia transinfection research to date has focused on host effects. In the current study, we used a cell line model to explore the effect of transinfection of wAlbB from Ae. albopictus to Ae. aegypti. Using RNA sequencing, we show that several genes associated with host-symbiont interactions were downregulated by transinfection, with the greatest downregulation exhibited by prophage-associated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Bishop
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Gunderson EL, Vogel I, Chappell L, Bulman CA, Lim KC, Luo M, Whitman JD, Franklin C, Choi YJ, Lefoulon E, Clark T, Beerntsen B, Slatko B, Mitreva M, Sullivan W, Sakanari JA. The endosymbiont Wolbachia rebounds following antibiotic treatment. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008623. [PMID: 32639986 PMCID: PMC7371230 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic treatment has emerged as a promising strategy to sterilize and kill filarial nematodes due to their dependence on their endosymbiotic bacteria, Wolbachia. Several studies have shown that novel and FDA-approved antibiotics are efficacious at depleting the filarial nematodes of their endosymbiont, thus reducing female fecundity. However, it remains unclear if antibiotics can permanently deplete Wolbachia and cause sterility for the lifespan of the adult worms. Concerns about resistance arising from mass drug administration necessitate a careful exploration of potential Wolbachia recrudescence. In the present study, we investigated the long-term effects of the FDA-approved antibiotic, rifampicin, in the Brugia pahangi jird model of infection. Initially, rifampicin treatment depleted Wolbachia in adult worms and simultaneously impaired female worm fecundity. However, during an 8-month washout period, Wolbachia titers rebounded and embryogenesis returned to normal. Genome sequence analyses of Wolbachia revealed that despite the population bottleneck and recovery, no genetic changes occurred that could account for the rebound. Clusters of densely packed Wolbachia within the worm's ovarian tissues were observed by confocal microscopy and remained in worms treated with rifampicin, suggesting that they may serve as privileged sites that allow Wolbachia to persist in worms while treated with antibiotic. To our knowledge, these clusters have not been previously described and may be the source of the Wolbachia rebound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. Gunderson
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Ian Vogel
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Laura Chappell
- Dept. of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology; University of California, Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Christina A. Bulman
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - K. C. Lim
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Mona Luo
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey D. Whitman
- Dept. of Laboratory Medicine; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Chris Franklin
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Young-Jun Choi
- Division of Infectious Diseases; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Emilie Lefoulon
- Molecular Parasitology Division; New England BioLabs; Ipswich, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Travis Clark
- Veterinary Pathobiology; University of Missouri-Columbia; Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Brenda Beerntsen
- Veterinary Pathobiology; University of Missouri-Columbia; Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Barton Slatko
- Molecular Parasitology Division; New England BioLabs; Ipswich, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- Division of Infectious Diseases; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - William Sullivan
- Dept. of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology; University of California, Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Judy A. Sakanari
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California, United States of America
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