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Skutel M, Andriianov A, Zavialova M, Kirsanova M, Shodunke O, Zorin E, Golovshchinskii A, Severinov K, Isaev A. T5-like phage BF23 evades host-mediated DNA restriction and methylation. MICROLIFE 2023; 4:uqad044. [PMID: 38025991 PMCID: PMC10644984 DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqad044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophage BF23 is a close relative of phage T5, a prototypical Tequintavirus that infects Escherichia coli. BF23 was isolated in the middle of the XXth century and was extensively studied as a model object. Like T5, BF23 carries long ∼9.7 kb terminal repeats, injects its genome into infected cell in a two-stage process, and carries multiple specific nicks in its double-stranded genomic DNA. The two phages rely on different host secondary receptors-FhuA (T5) and BtuB (BF23). Only short fragments of the BF23 genome, including the region encoding receptor interacting proteins, have been determined. Here, we report the full genomic sequence of BF23 and describe the protein content of its virion. T5-like phages represent a unique group that resist restriction by most nuclease-based host immunity systems. We show that BF23, like other Tequintavirus phages, resist Types I/II/III restriction-modification host immunity systems if their recognition sites are located outside the terminal repeats. We also demonstrate that the BF23 avoids host-mediated methylation. We propose that inhibition of methylation is a common feature of Tequintavirus and Epseptimavirus genera phages, that is not, however, associated with their antirestriction activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Skutel
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30/1, 143028, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksandr Andriianov
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30/1, 143028, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Zavialova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30/1, 143028, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry (IBMC), Pogodinskaya 10/8, 119435, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Kirsanova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30/1, 143028, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oluwasefunmi Shodunke
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30/1, 143028, Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutskiy Pereulok 9, 141701, Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Evgenii Zorin
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30/1, 143028, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Konstantin Severinov
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, 190 Frelinghuysen Rd, NJ 08854, Piscataway, United States
| | - Artem Isaev
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30/1, 143028, Moscow, Russia
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2
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Tisza MJ, Smith DDN, Clark AE, Youn JH, Khil PP, Dekker JP. Roving methyltransferases generate a mosaic epigenetic landscape and influence evolution in Bacteroides fragilis group. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4082. [PMID: 37429841 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39892-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Three types of DNA methyl modifications have been detected in bacterial genomes, and mechanistic studies have demonstrated roles for DNA methylation in physiological functions ranging from phage defense to transcriptional control of virulence and host-pathogen interactions. Despite the ubiquity of methyltransferases and the immense variety of possible methylation patterns, epigenomic diversity remains unexplored for most bacterial species. Members of the Bacteroides fragilis group (BFG) reside in the human gastrointestinal tract as key players in symbiotic communities but also can establish anaerobic infections that are increasingly multi-drug resistant. In this work, we utilize long-read sequencing technologies to perform pangenomic (n = 383) and panepigenomic (n = 268) analysis of clinical BFG isolates cultured from infections seen at the NIH Clinical Center over four decades. Our analysis reveals that single BFG species harbor hundreds of DNA methylation motifs, with most individual motif combinations occurring uniquely in single isolates, implying immense unsampled methylation diversity within BFG epigenomes. Mining of BFG genomes identified more than 6000 methyltransferase genes, approximately 1000 of which were associated with intact prophages. Network analysis revealed substantial gene flow among disparate phage genomes, implying a role for genetic exchange between BFG phages as one of the ultimate sources driving BFG epigenome diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Tisza
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, LCIM, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- The Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiol, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Derek D N Smith
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, LCIM, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Wildlife Toxicology Research Section, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew E Clark
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jung-Ho Youn
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pavel P Khil
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, LCIM, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John P Dekker
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, LCIM, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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3
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Beygmoradi A, Homaei A, Hemmati R, Fernandes P. Recombinant protein expression: Challenges in production and folding related matters. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 233:123407. [PMID: 36708896 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Protein folding is a biophysical process by which proteins reach a specific three-dimensional structure. The amino acid sequence of a polypeptide chain contains all the information needed to determine the final three-dimensional structure of a protein. When producing a recombinant protein, several problems can occur, including proteolysis, incorrect folding, formation of inclusion bodies, or protein aggregation, whereby the protein loses its natural structure. To overcome such limitations, several strategies have been developed to address each specific issue. Identification of proper protein refolding conditions can be challenging, and to tackle this high throughput screening for different recombinant protein folding conditions can prove a sound solution. Different approaches have emerged to tackle refolding issues. One particular approach to address folding issues involves molecular chaperones, highly conserved proteins that contribute to proper folding by shielding folding proteins from other proteins that could hinder the process. Proper protein folding is one of the main prerequisites for post-translational modifications. Incorrect folding, if not dealt with, can lead to a buildup of protein misfoldings that damage cells and cause widespread abnormalities. Said post-translational modifications, widespread in eukaryotes, are critical for protein structure, function and biological activity. Incorrect post-translational protein modifications may lead to individual consequences or aggregation of therapeutic proteins. In this review article, we have tried to examine some key aspects of recombinant protein expression. Accordingly, the relevance of these proteins is highlighted, major problems related to the production of recombinant protein and to refolding issues are pinpointed and suggested solutions are presented. An overview of post-translational modification, their biological significance and methods of identification are also provided. Overall, the work is expected to illustrate challenges in recombinant protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Beygmoradi
- Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Ahmad Homaei
- Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
| | - Roohullah Hemmati
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Pedro Fernandes
- DREAMS and Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Av. Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal; iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences and Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
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4
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Enam SU, Cherry JL, Leonard SR, Zheludev IN, Lipman DJ, Fire AZ. Restriction Endonuclease-Based Modification-Dependent Enrichment (REMoDE) of DNA for Metagenomic Sequencing. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0167022. [PMID: 36519847 PMCID: PMC9888230 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01670-22] [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: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Metagenomic sequencing is a swift and powerful tool to ascertain the presence of an organism of interest in a sample. However, sequencing coverage of the organism of interest can be insufficient due to an inundation of reads from irrelevant organisms in the sample. Here, we report a nuclease-based approach to rapidly enrich for DNA from certain organisms, including enterobacteria, based on their differential endogenous modification patterns. We exploit the ability of taxon-specific methylated motifs to resist the action of cognate methylation-sensitive restriction endonucleases that thereby digest unwanted, unmethylated DNA. Subsequently, we use a distributive exonuclease or electrophoretic separation to deplete or exclude the digested fragments, thus enriching for undigested DNA from the organism of interest. As a proof of concept, we apply this method to enrich for the enterobacteria Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica by 11- to 142-fold from mock metagenomic samples and validate this approach as a versatile means to enrich for genomes of interest in metagenomic samples. IMPORTANCE Pathogens that contaminate the food supply or spread through other means can cause outbreaks that bring devastating repercussions to the health of a populace. Investigations to trace the source of these outbreaks are initiated rapidly but can be drawn out due to the labored methods of pathogen isolation. Metagenomic sequencing can alleviate this hurdle but is often insufficiently sensitive. The approach and implementations detailed here provide a rapid means to enrich for many pathogens involved in foodborne outbreaks, thereby improving the utility of metagenomic sequencing as a tool in outbreak investigations. Additionally, this approach provides a means to broadly enrich for otherwise minute levels of modified DNA, which may escape unnoticed in metagenomic samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Usman Enam
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Joshua L. Cherry
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Division of International Epidemiology and Population Studies, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Susan R. Leonard
- Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Ivan N. Zheludev
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - David J. Lipman
- Office of the Center Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Z. Fire
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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5
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Paintsil EA, Morrison EA. Preparation of Recombinant Histones and Widom 601 DNA for Reconstitution of Nucleosome Core Particles. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2599:163-175. [PMID: 36427149 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2847-8_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Expression and purification of individual histone proteins and amplification and purification of DNA are the initial steps toward reconstituting nucleosome core particles. Histone proteins are expressed in E. coli, extracted from inclusion bodies, and purified using ion-exchange chromatography. DNA containing the 147 base pair Widom 601 sequence is amplified in bacteria using a plasmid containing multiple copies of this strong nucleosome positioning sequence. Following alkaline lysis of bacteria, DNA is extracted using phenol and chloroform, released from the vector via restriction enzyme digestion, and purified in subsequent precipitation and ion-exchange chromatography steps. Here, we describe a combination of two protocols: one to express and purify recombinant human histones and the other to amplify and purify Widom 601 DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emeleeta A Paintsil
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Emma A Morrison
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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6
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Papaleo S, Alvaro A, Nodari R, Panelli S, Bitar I, Comandatore F. The red thread between methylation and mutation in bacterial antibiotic resistance: How third-generation sequencing can help to unravel this relationship. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:957901. [PMID: 36188005 PMCID: PMC9520237 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.957901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important mechanism involved in bacteria limiting foreign DNA acquisition, maintenance of mobile genetic elements, DNA mismatch repair, and gene expression. Changes in DNA methylation pattern are observed in bacteria under stress conditions, including exposure to antimicrobial compounds. These changes can result in transient and fast-appearing adaptive antibiotic resistance (AdR) phenotypes, e.g., strain overexpressing efflux pumps. DNA methylation can be related to DNA mutation rate, because it is involved in DNA mismatch repair systems and because methylated bases are well-known mutational hotspots. The AdR process can be the first important step in the selection of antibiotic-resistant strains, allowing the survival of the bacterial population until more efficient resistant mutants emerge. Epigenetic modifications can be investigated by third-generation sequencing platforms that allow us to simultaneously detect all the methylated bases along with the DNA sequencing. In this scenario, this sequencing technology enables the study of epigenetic modifications in link with antibiotic resistance and will help to investigate the relationship between methylation and mutation in the development of stable mechanisms of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Papaleo
- Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Pediatric Research Center, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Alvaro
- Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Pediatric Research Center, Department of Bioscience, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Nodari
- Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Pediatric Research Center, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Panelli
- Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Pediatric Research Center, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Ibrahim Bitar
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czechia
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Pilsen, Czechia
| | - Francesco Comandatore
- Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Pediatric Research Center, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Francesco Comandatore
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7
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A sensing strategy combining T7 promoter-contained DNA probe with CRISPR/Cas13a for detection of bacteria and human methyltransferase. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1227:340266. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2022.340266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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8
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Lukas P, Melikian G, Hildebrandt JP, Müller C. Make it double: identification and characterization of a Tandem-Hirudin from the Asian medicinal leech Hirudinaria manillensis. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2995-3006. [PMID: 36006484 PMCID: PMC9464118 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07634-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Haematophagous leeches express a broad variety of secretory proteins in their salivary glands, among them are hirudins and hirudin-like factors. Here, we describe the identification, molecular and initial functional characterization of Tandem-Hirudin (TH), a novel salivary gland derived factor identified in the Asian medicinal leech, Hirudinaria manillensis. In contrast to the typical structure of hirudins, TH comprises two globular domains arranged in a tandem-like orientation and lacks the elongated C-terminal tail. Similar structures of thrombin inhibitors have so far been identified only in kissing bugs and ticks. Expression of TH was performed in both cell-based and cell-free bacterial systems. A subsequent functional characterization revealed no evidence for a thrombin-inhibitory potency of TH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phil Lukas
- Animal Physiology, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 1, D-17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Georgij Melikian
- Animal Physiology, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 1, D-17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jan-Peter Hildebrandt
- Animal Physiology, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 1, D-17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Christian Müller
- Animal Physiology, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 1, D-17489, Greifswald, Germany.
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9
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Heyerhoff B, Engelen B, Bunse C. Auxiliary Metabolic Gene Functions in Pelagic and Benthic Viruses of the Baltic Sea. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:863620. [PMID: 35875520 PMCID: PMC9301287 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.863620] [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] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine microbial communities are facing various ecosystem fluctuations (e.g., temperature, organic matter concentration, salinity, or redox regimes) and thus have to be highly adaptive. This might be supported by the acquisition of auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) originating from virus infections. Marine bacteriophages frequently contain AMGs, which allow them to augment their host’s metabolism or enhance virus fitness. These genes encode proteins for the same metabolic functions as their highly similar host homologs. In the present study, we analyzed the diversity, distribution, and composition of marine viruses, focusing on AMGs to identify their putative ecologic role. We analyzed viruses and assemblies of 212 publicly available metagenomes obtained from sediment and water samples across the Baltic Sea. In general, the virus composition in both compartments differed compositionally. While the predominant viral lifestyle was found to be lytic, lysogeny was more prevalent in sediments than in the pelagic samples. The highest proportion of AMGs was identified in the genomes of Myoviridae. Overall, the most abundantly occurring AMGs are encoded for functions that protect viruses from degradation by their hosts, such as methylases. Additionally, some detected AMGs are known to be involved in photosynthesis, 7-cyano-7-deazaguanine synthesis, and cobalamin biosynthesis among other functions. Several AMGs that were identified in this study were previously detected in a large-scale analysis including metagenomes from various origins, i.e., different marine sites, wastewater, and the human gut. This supports the theory of globally conserved core AMGs that are spread over virus genomes, regardless of host or environment.
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10
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Jost A, Knitsch R, Völkner K, Pfeifer F. Effect of Mutations in GvpJ and GvpM on Gas Vesicle Formation of Halobacterium salinarum. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:794240. [PMID: 34975818 PMCID: PMC8716928 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.794240] [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] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The two haloarchaeal proteins, GvpM and GvpJ, are homologous to GvpA, the major gas vesicle structural protein. All three are hydrophobic and essential for gas vesicle formation. The effect of mutations in GvpJ and GvpM was studied in Haloferax volcanii transformants by complementing the respective mutated gene with the remaining gvp genes and inspecting the cells for the presence of gas vesicles (Vac+). In case of GvpJ, 56 of 66 substitutions analyzed yielded Vac– ΔJ + Jmut transformants, indicating that GvpJ is very sensitive to alterations, whereas ten of the 38 GvpM variants resulted in Vac– ΔM + Mmut transformants. The variants were also tested by split-GFP for their ability to interact with their partner protein GvpL. Some of the alterations leading to a Vac– phenotype affected the J/L or M/L interaction. Also, the interactions J/A and J/M were studied using fragments to exclude an unspecific aggregation of these hydrophobic proteins. Both fragments of GvpJ interacted with the M1–25 and M60–84 fragments of GvpM, and fragment J1–56 of GvpJ interacted with the N-terminal fragment A1–22 of GvpA. A comparison of the results on the three homologous proteins indicates that despite their relatedness, GvpA, GvpJ, and GvpM have unique features and cannot substitute each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Jost
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technical University Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Regine Knitsch
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technical University Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Kerstin Völkner
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technical University Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Felicitas Pfeifer
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technical University Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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11
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Alagoz Y, Mi J, Balakrishna A, Almarwaey L, Al-Babili S. Characterizing cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in plant apocarotenoid metabolism by using an engineered yeast system. Methods Enzymol 2022; 671:527-552. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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12
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Characterization of the Type I Restriction Modification System Broadly Conserved among Group A Streptococci. mSphere 2021; 6:e0079921. [PMID: 34787444 PMCID: PMC8597746 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00799-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although prokaryotic DNA methylation investigations have long focused on immunity against exogenous DNA, it has been recently recognized that DNA methylation impacts gene expression and phase variation in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus suis. A comprehensive analysis of DNA methylation is lacking for beta-hemolytic streptococci, and thus we sought to examine DNA methylation in the major human pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS). Using a database of 224 GAS genomes encompassing 80 emm types, we found that nearly all GAS strains encode a type I restriction modification (RM) system that lacks the hsdS′ alleles responsible for impacting gene expression in S. pneumoniae and S. suis. The GAS type I system is located on the core chromosome, while sporadically present type II orphan methyltransferases were identified on prophages. By combining single-molecule real-time (SMRT) analyses of 10 distinct emm types along with phylogenomics of 224 strains, we were able to assign 13 methylation patterns to the GAS population. Inactivation of the type I RM system, occurring either naturally through phage insertion or through laboratory-induced gene deletion, abrogated DNA methylation detectable via either SMRT or MinION sequencing. Contrary to a previous report, inactivation of the type I system did not impact transcript levels of the gene (mga) encoding the key multigene activator protein (Mga) or Mga-regulated genes. Inactivation of the type I system significantly increased plasmid transformation rates. These data delineate the breadth of the core chromosomal type I RM system in the GAS population and clarify its role in immunity rather than impacting Mga regulon expression. IMPORTANCE The advent of whole-genome approaches capable of detecting DNA methylation has markedly expanded appreciation of the diverse roles of epigenetic modification in prokaryotic physiology. For example, recent studies have suggested that DNA methylation impacts gene expression in some streptococci. The data described herein are from the first systematic analysis of DNA methylation in a beta-hemolytic streptococcus and one of the few analyses to comprehensively characterize DNA methylation across hundreds of strains of the same bacterial species. We clarify that DNA methylation in group A Streptococcus (GAS) is primarily due to a type I restriction modification (RM) system present in the core genome and does not impact mga-regulated virulence gene expression, but does impact immunity against exogenous DNA. The identification of the DNA motifs recognized by each type I RM system may assist with optimizing methods for GAS genetic manipulation and help us understand how bacterial pathogens acquire exogenous DNA elements.
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13
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Bactericidal Activity of Multilayered Hybrid Structures Comprising Titania Nanoparticles and CdSe Quantum Dots under Visible Light. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11123331. [PMID: 34947680 PMCID: PMC8708662 DOI: 10.3390/nano11123331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Titania nanoparticle/CdSe quantum dot hybrid structures are a promising bactericidal coating that exhibits a pronounced effect against light-sensitive bacteria. Here, we report the results of a comprehensive study of the photophysical properties and bactericidal functionality of these hybrid structures on various bacterial strains. We found that our structures provide the efficient generation of superoxide anions under the action of visible light due to electron transfer from QDs to titania nanoparticles with ~60% efficiency. We also tested the antibacterial activity of hybrid structures on five strains of bacteria. The formed structures combined with visible light irradiation effectively inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Mycobacterium smegmatis bacteria, the last of which is a photosensitive causative agent model of tuberculosis.
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14
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Bird LJ, Kundu BB, Tschirhart T, Corts AD, Su L, Gralnick JA, Ajo-Franklin CM, Glaven SM. Engineering Wired Life: Synthetic Biology for Electroactive Bacteria. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:2808-2823. [PMID: 34637280 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Electroactive bacteria produce or consume electrical current by moving electrons to and from extracellular acceptors and donors. This specialized process, known as extracellular electron transfer, relies on pathways composed of redox active proteins and biomolecules and has enabled technologies ranging from harvesting energy on the sea floor, to chemical sensing, to carbon capture. Harnessing and controlling extracellular electron transfer pathways using bioengineering and synthetic biology promises to heighten the limits of established technologies and open doors to new possibilities. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advancements in genetic tools for manipulating native electroactive bacteria to control extracellular electron transfer. After reviewing electron transfer pathways in natively electroactive organisms, we examine lessons learned from the introduction of extracellular electron transfer pathways into Escherichia coli. We conclude by presenting challenges to future efforts and give examples of opportunities to bioengineer microbes for electrochemical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina J. Bird
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
| | - Biki B. Kundu
- PhD Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Tanya Tschirhart
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
| | - Anna D. Corts
- Joyn Bio, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Lin Su
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210018, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Jeffrey A. Gralnick
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | | | - Sarah M. Glaven
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
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15
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Baum C, Lin YC, Fomenkov A, Anton BP, Chen L, Yan B, Evans TC, Roberts RJ, Tolonen AC, Ettwiller L. Rapid identification of methylase specificity (RIMS-seq) jointly identifies methylated motifs and generates shotgun sequencing of bacterial genomes. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:e113. [PMID: 34417598 PMCID: PMC8565308 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is widespread amongst eukaryotes and prokaryotes to modulate gene expression and confer viral resistance. 5-Methylcytosine (m5C) methylation has been described in genomes of a large fraction of bacterial species as part of restriction-modification systems, each composed of a methyltransferase and cognate restriction enzyme. Methylases are site-specific and target sequences vary across organisms. High-throughput methods, such as bisulfite-sequencing can identify m5C at base resolution but require specialized library preparations and single molecule, real-time (SMRT) sequencing usually misses m5C. Here, we present a new method called RIMS-seq (rapid identification of methylase specificity) to simultaneously sequence bacterial genomes and determine m5C methylase specificities using a simple experimental protocol that closely resembles the DNA-seq protocol for Illumina. Importantly, the resulting sequencing quality is identical to DNA-seq, enabling RIMS-seq to substitute standard sequencing of bacterial genomes. Applied to bacteria and synthetic mixed communities, RIMS-seq reveals new methylase specificities, supporting routine study of m5C methylation while sequencing new genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Baum
- New England Biolabs, Inc. 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938, USA.,Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91000 Évry, France
| | - Yu-Cheng Lin
- New England Biolabs, Inc. 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Alexey Fomenkov
- New England Biolabs, Inc. 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Brian P Anton
- New England Biolabs, Inc. 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Lixin Chen
- New England Biolabs, Inc. 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Bo Yan
- New England Biolabs, Inc. 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Thomas C Evans
- New England Biolabs, Inc. 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | | | - Andrew C Tolonen
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91000 Évry, France
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16
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Picton DM, Luyten YA, Morgan RD, Nelson A, Smith DL, Dryden DTF, Hinton JCD, Blower TR. The phage defence island of a multidrug resistant plasmid uses both BREX and type IV restriction for complementary protection from viruses. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:11257-11273. [PMID: 34657954 PMCID: PMC8565348 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved a multitude of systems to prevent invasion by bacteriophages and other mobile genetic elements. Comparative genomics suggests that genes encoding bacterial defence mechanisms are often clustered in 'defence islands', providing a concerted level of protection against a wider range of attackers. However, there is a comparative paucity of information on functional interplay between multiple defence systems. Here, we have functionally characterised a defence island from a multidrug resistant plasmid of the emerging pathogen Escherichia fergusonii. Using a suite of thirty environmentally-isolated coliphages, we demonstrate multi-layered and robust phage protection provided by a plasmid-encoded defence island that expresses both a type I BREX system and the novel GmrSD-family type IV DNA modification-dependent restriction enzyme, BrxU. We present the structure of BrxU to 2.12 Å, the first structure of the GmrSD family of enzymes, and show that BrxU can utilise all common nucleotides and a wide selection of metals to cleave a range of modified DNAs. Additionally, BrxU undergoes a multi-step reaction cycle instigated by an unexpected ATP-dependent shift from an intertwined dimer to monomers. This direct evidence that bacterial defence islands can mediate complementary layers of phage protection enhances our understanding of the ever-expanding nature of phage-bacterial interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Picton
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Yvette A Luyten
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | | | - Andrew Nelson
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of Northumbria, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Darren L Smith
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of Northumbria, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - David T F Dryden
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Jay C D Hinton
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Tim R Blower
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
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17
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Carranza G, Menguiano T, Valenzuela-Gómez F, García-Cazorla Y, Cabezón E, Arechaga I. Monitoring Bacterial Conjugation by Optical Microscopy. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:750200. [PMID: 34671336 PMCID: PMC8521088 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.750200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial conjugation is the main mechanism for horizontal gene transfer, conferring plasticity to the genome repertoire. This process is also the major instrument for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes. Hence, gathering primary information of the mechanism underlying this genetic transaction is of a capital interest. By using fluorescent protein fusions to the ATPases that power conjugation, we have been able to track the localization of these proteins in the presence and absence of recipient cells. Moreover, we have found that more than one copy of the conjugative plasmid is transferred during mating. Altogether, these findings provide new insights into the mechanism of such an important gene transfer device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Carranza
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Tamara Menguiano
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Fernando Valenzuela-Gómez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Yolanda García-Cazorla
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Elena Cabezón
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Ignacio Arechaga
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
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18
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Worst EG, Finkler M, Schenkelberger M, Kurt Ö, Helms V, Noireaux V, Ott A. A Methylation-Directed, Synthetic Pap Switch Based on Self-Complementary Regulatory DNA Reconstituted in an All E. coli Cell-Free Expression System. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:2725-2739. [PMID: 34550672 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Pyelonephritis-associated pili (pap) enable migration of the uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain (UPEC) through the urinary tract. UPEC can switch between a stable 'ON phase' where the corresponding pap genes are expressed and a stable 'OFF phase' where their transcription is repressed. Hereditary DNA methylation of either one of two GATC motives within the regulatory region stabilizes the respective phase over many generations. The underlying molecular mechanism is only partly understood. Previous investigations suggest that in vivo phase-variation stability results from cooperative action of the transcriptional regulators Lrp and PapI. Here, we use an E. coli cell-free expression system to study molecular functions of the pap regulatory region based on a specially designed, synthetic construct flanked by two reporter genes encoding fluorescent proteins for simple readout. On the basis of our observations we suggest that besides Lrp, the conformation of the self-complementary regulatory DNA plays a strong role in the regulation of phase-variation. Our work not only contributes to better understand the phase variation mechanism, but it represents a successful start for mimicking stable, hereditary, and strong expression control based on methylation. The conformation of the regulatory DNA corresponds to a Holliday junction. Gene expression must be expected to respond if opposite arms of the junction are drawn outward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel G. Worst
- Universität des Saarlandes, Center for Biophysics, Saarbrücken, 66123, Germany
| | - Marc Finkler
- Universität des Saarlandes, Center for Biophysics, Saarbrücken, 66123, Germany
| | - Marc Schenkelberger
- Universität des Saarlandes, Center for Biophysics, Saarbrücken, 66123, Germany
| | - Ömer Kurt
- Universität des Saarlandes, Center for Biophysics, Saarbrücken, 66123, Germany
| | - Volkhard Helms
- Universität des Saarlandes, Center for Bioinformatics, Saarbrücken, 66041, Germany
| | - Vincent Noireaux
- University of Minnesota, School of Physics and Astronomy, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Albrecht Ott
- Universität des Saarlandes, Center for Biophysics, Saarbrücken, 66123, Germany
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19
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Wu K, Cheng ZH, Williams E, Turner NT, Ran D, Li H, Zhou X, Guo H, Sung W, Liu DF, Lynch M, Long H. Unexpected Discovery of Hypermutator Phenotype Sounds the Alarm for Quality Control Strains. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evab148. [PMID: 34180992 PMCID: PMC8350357 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial strains with high genomic stability are particularly sought after for testing the quality of commercial microbiological products, such as biological media and antibiotics. Yet, using mutation-accumulation experiments and de novo assembled complete genomes based on Nanopore long-read sequencing, we find that the widely used quality-control strain Shewanella putrefaciens ATCC-8071, also a facultative pathogen, is a hypermutator, with a base-pair substitution mutation rate of 2.42 × 10-8 per nucleotide site per cell division, ∼146-fold greater than that of the wild-type strain CGMCC-1.6515. Using complementation experiments, we confirm that mutL dysfunction, which was a recent evolutionary event, is the cause for the high mutation rate of ATCC-8071. Further analyses also give insight into possible relationships between mutation and genome evolution in this important bacterium. This discovery of a well-known strain being a hypermutator necessitates screening the mutation rate of bacterial strains before any quality control or experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wu
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, KLMME, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhou-Hua Cheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Emily Williams
- Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Nathan T Turner
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dapeng Ran
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, KLMME, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Haichao Li
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, KLMME, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Xia Zhou
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, KLMME, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Huilin Guo
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, KLMME, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Way Sung
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dong-Feng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Michael Lynch
- Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Hongan Long
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, KLMME, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
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20
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The Rhizobacterium Pseudomonas alcaligenes AVO110 Induces the Expression of Biofilm-Related Genes in Response to Rosellinia necatrix Exudates. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9071388. [PMID: 34202389 PMCID: PMC8304167 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071388] [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: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The rhizobacterium Pseudomonas alcaligenes AVO110 exhibits antagonism toward the phytopathogenic fungus Rosellinia necatrix. This strain efficiently colonizes R. necatrix hyphae and is able to feed on their exudates. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of P. alcaligenes AVO110. The phylogeny of all available P. alcaligenes genomes separates environmental isolates, including AVO110, from those obtained from infected human blood and oyster tissues, which cluster together with Pseudomonas otitidis. Core and pan-genome analyses showed that P. alcaligenes strains encode highly heterogenic gene pools, with the AVO110 genome encoding the largest and most exclusive variable region (~1.6 Mb, 1795 genes). The AVO110 singletons include a wide repertoire of genes related to biofilm formation, several of which are transcriptionally modulated by R. necatrix exudates. One of these genes (cmpA) encodes a GGDEF/EAL domain protein specific to Pseudomonas spp. strains isolated primarily from the rhizosphere of diverse plants, but also from soil and water samples. We also show that CmpA has a role in biofilm formation and that the integrity of its EAL domain is involved in this function. This study contributes to a better understanding of the niche-specific adaptations and lifestyles of P. alcaligenes, including the mycophagous behavior of strain AVO110.
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21
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Inactivation of the Pta-AckA pathway impairs fitness of Bacillus anthracis during overflow metabolism. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:JB.00660-20. [PMID: 33593944 PMCID: PMC8092162 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00660-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Under conditions of glucose excess, aerobically growing bacteria predominantly direct carbon flux towards acetate fermentation, a phenomenon known as overflow metabolism or the bacterial 'Crabtree effect'. Numerous studies of the major acetate-generating pathway, the Pta-AckA, revealed its important role in bacterial fitness through the control of central metabolism to sustain balanced growth and cellular homeostasis. In this work, we highlight the contribution of the Pta-AckA pathway to fitness of the spore-forming bacterium, Bacillus anthracis We demonstrate that disruption of the Pta-AckA pathway causes a drastic growth reduction in the mutants and alters the metabolic and energy status of the cells. Our results revealed that inactivation of the Pta-AckA pathway increases the glucose consumption rate, affects intracellular ATP, NAD+ and NADH levels and leads to a metabolic block at the pyruvate and acetyl-CoA nodes. Consequently, accumulation of intracellular acetyl-CoA and pyruvate forces bacteria to direct carbon into the TCA and/or glyoxylate cycles as well as fatty acid and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) biosynthesis pathways. Notably, the presence of phosphate butyryltransferase in B. anthracis partially compensates for the loss of phosphotransacetylase activity. Furthermore, overexpression of the ptb gene not only eliminates the negative impact of the pta mutation on B. anthracis fitness, but also restores normal growth in the pta mutant of the non-butyrate-producing bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate the importance of the Pta-AckA pathway for B. anthracis fitness by revealing its critical contribution to the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis during aerobic growth under conditions of carbon overflow.IMPORTANCE B. anthracis, the etiologic agent of anthrax, is a highly pathogenic, spore-forming bacterium that causes acute, life-threatening disease in both humans and livestock. A greater understanding of the metabolic determinants governing fitness of B. anthracis is essential for the development of successful therapeutic and vaccination strategies aimed at lessening the potential impact of this important biodefense pathogen. This study is the first to demonstrate the vital role of the Pta-AckA pathway in preserving energy and metabolic homeostasis in B. anthracis under conditions of carbon overflow, therefore, highlighting this pathway as a potential therapeutic target for drug discovery. Overall, the results of this study provide important insight into understanding the metabolic processes and requirements driving rapid B. anthracis proliferation during vegetative growth.
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22
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Völkner K, Jost A, Pfeifer F. Accessory Gvp Proteins Form a Complex During Gas Vesicle Formation of Haloarchaea. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:610179. [PMID: 33281806 PMCID: PMC7688916 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.610179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Halobacterium salinarum forms gas vesicles consisting of a protein wall surrounding a gas-filled space. The hydrophobic 8-kDa protein GvpA is the major constituent of the ribbed wall, stabilized by GvpC at the exterior surface. In addition, eight accessory Gvp proteins are involved, encoded by gvpFGHIJKLM that are co-transcribed in early stages of growth. Most of these proteins are essential, but their functions are not yet clear. Here we investigate whether GvpF through GvpM interact. Pull-down experiments performed in Haloferax volcanii with the cellulose-binding-domain as tag suggested many interactions, and most of these were supported by the split-GFP analyses. The latter study indicated that GvpL attracted all other accessory Gvp, and the related GvpF bound besides GvpL also GvpG, GvpH and GvpI. A strong interaction was found between GvpH and GvpI. GvpG showed affinity to GvpF and GvpL, whereas GvpJ, GvpK and GvpM bound GvpL only. Using GvpA for similar analyses yielded GvpF as the only interaction partner. The contact site of GvpF was confined to the N-terminal half of GvpA and subsequently mapped to certain amino acids. Taken together, our results support the idea that the accessory Gvp form a complex early in gas-vesicle assembly attracting GvpA via GvpF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Völkner
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Alisa Jost
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Felicitas Pfeifer
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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23
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Wang HC, Lin SJ, Mohapatra A, Kumar R, Wang HC. A Review of the Functional Annotations of Important Genes in the AHPND-Causing pVA1 Plasmid. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E996. [PMID: 32635298 PMCID: PMC7409025 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8070996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) is a lethal shrimp disease. The pathogenic agent of this disease is a special Vibrio parahaemolyticus strain that contains a pVA1 plasmid. The protein products of two toxin genes in pVA1, pirAvp and pirBvp, targeted the shrimp's hepatopancreatic cells and were identified as the major virulence factors. However, in addition to pirAvp and pirBvp, pVA1 also contains about ~90 other open-reading frames (ORFs), which may encode functional proteins. NCBI BLASTp annotations of the functional roles of 40 pVA1 genes reveal transposases, conjugation factors, and antirestriction proteins that are involved in horizontal gene transfer, plasmid transmission, and maintenance, as well as components of type II and III secretion systems that may facilitate the toxic effects of pVA1-containing Vibrio spp. There is also evidence of a post-segregational killing (PSK) system that would ensure that only pVA1 plasmid-containing bacteria could survive after segregation. Here, in this review, we assess the functional importance of these pVA1 genes and consider those which might be worthy of further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Ching Wang
- The Ph.D. Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- International Center for the Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (R.K.)
| | - Shin-Jen Lin
- International Center for the Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (R.K.)
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Arpita Mohapatra
- Graduate Institute of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Mits School of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751004, India
| | - Ramya Kumar
- International Center for the Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (R.K.)
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Han-Ching Wang
- International Center for the Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (R.K.)
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
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24
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Xing Y, Gong R, Xu Y, Liu K, Zhou M. Codon usage bias affects α-amylase mRNA level by altering RNA stability and cytosine methylation patterns in Escherichia coli. Can J Microbiol 2020; 66:521-528. [PMID: 32259457 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2019-0624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Codon usage bias exists in almost every organism and is reported to regulate protein translation efficiency and folding. Besides translation, the preliminary role of codon usage bias on gene transcription has also been revealed in some eukaryotes such as Neurospora crassa. In this study, we took as an example the α-amylase-coding gene (amyA) and examined the role of codon usage bias in regulating gene expression in the typical prokaryote Escherichia coli. We confirmed the higher translation efficiency on codon-optimized amyA RNAs and found that the RNA level itself was also affected by codon optimization. The decreased RNA level was caused at least in part by altered mRNA stability at the post-transcriptional level. Codon optimization also altered the number of cytosine methylation sites. Examination on dcm knockouts suggested that cytosine methylation may be a minor mechanism adopted by codon bias to regulate gene RNA levels. More studies are required to verify the global effect of codon usage and to reveal its detailed mechanism on transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzi Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China
| | - Ruiqing Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China
| | - Yichun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China
| | - Kunshan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China
| | - Mian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China
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25
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Ortiz-Torres MI, Fernández-Niño M, Cruz JC, Capasso A, Matteocci F, Patiño EJ, Hernández Y, González Barrios AF. Rational Design of Photo-Electrochemical Hybrid Devices Based on Graphene and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Light-Harvesting Proteins. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3376. [PMID: 32099058 PMCID: PMC7042359 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60408-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been highlighted as the promising alternative to generate clean energy based on low pay-back time materials. These devices have been designed to mimic solar energy conversion processes from photosynthetic organisms (the most efficient energy transduction phenomenon observed in nature) with the aid of low-cost materials. Recently, light-harvesting complexes (LHC) have been proposed as potential dyes in DSSCs based on their higher light-absorption efficiencies as compared to synthetic dyes. In this work, photo-electrochemical hybrid devices were rationally designed by adding for the first time Leu and Lys tags to heterologously expressed light-harvesting proteins from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, thus allowing their proper orientation and immobilization on graphene electrodes. The light-harvesting complex 4 from C. reinhardtii (LHC4) was initially expressed in Escherichia coli, purified via affinity chromatography and subsequently immobilized on plasma-treated thin-film graphene electrodes. A photocurrent density of 40.30 ± 9.26 μA/cm2 was measured on devices using liquid electrolytes supplemented with a phosphonated viologen to facilitate charge transfer. Our results suggest that a new family of graphene-based thin-film photovoltaic devices can be manufactured from rationally tagged LHC proteins and opens the possibility to further explore fundamental processes of energy transfer for biological components interfaced with synthetic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha I Ortiz-Torres
- Grupo de Diseño de Productos y Procesos (GDPP), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
- Nanomaterials Laboratory, Physics Department, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Miguel Fernández-Niño
- Grupo de Diseño de Productos y Procesos (GDPP), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Juan C Cruz
- GINIB Research Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Andrea Capasso
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, 4715-330, Braga, Portugal
| | - Fabio Matteocci
- C.H.O.S.E - Centre for Hybrid and Organic Solar Energy, Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via del politecnico 1, Rome, 00133, Italy
| | - Edgar J Patiño
- Superconductivity and Nanodevices Laboratory, Physics Department, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Yenny Hernández
- Nanomaterials Laboratory, Physics Department, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia.
| | - Andrés Fernando González Barrios
- Grupo de Diseño de Productos y Procesos (GDPP), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia.
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26
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Yang J, Zhang X, Blumenthal RM, Cheng X. Detection of DNA Modifications by Sequence-Specific Transcription Factors. J Mol Biol 2019:S0022-2836(19)30568-6. [PMID: 31626807 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The establishment, detection, and alteration or elimination of epigenetic DNA modifications are essential to controlling gene expression ranging from bacteria to mammals. The DNA methylations occurring at cytosine and adenine are carried out by SAM-dependent methyltransferases. Successive oxidations of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) by Tet dioxygenases generate 5-hydroxymethyl (5hmC), 5-formyl (5fC), and 5-carboxyl (5caC) derivatives; thus, DNA elements with multiple methylation sites can have a wide range of modification states. In contrast, oxidation of N6-methyladenine by homologs of Escherichia coli AlkB removes the methyl group directly. Both Tet and AlkB enzymes are 2-oxoglutarate- and Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenases. DNA-binding proteins decode the modification status of specific genomic regions. This article centers on two families of sequence-specific transcription factors: bZIP (basic leucine-zipper) proteins, exemplified by the AP-1 and CEBPβ recognition of 5mC; and bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) proteins, exemplified by MAX and TCF4 recognition of 5caC. We discuss the impact of template strand DNA modification on the activities of DNA and RNA polymerases, and the varied tendencies of modifications to alter base pairing and their interactions with DNA repair enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Robert M Blumenthal
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and Program in Bioinformatics, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH 43614, USA.
| | - Xiaodong Cheng
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Chen S, Sun S, Korfanty GA, Liu J, Xiang H. A Halocin Promotes DNA Uptake in Haloferax mediterranei. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1960. [PMID: 31620096 PMCID: PMC6759562 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Halocins are antimicrobial peptides or proteins that are produced by halophilic archaea. Although their function in inhibiting the growth of closely related haloarchaeal strains is well known, other physiological functions of halocins have also been proposed in recent years. To unveil the possible function and mechanism of halocins in DNA uptake, the halocin H4 producing strain Haloferax mediterranei DF50-ΔEPS (incapable of EPS production) was used in this study. We found that deletion of the halH4 resulted in the strain DF50-ΔEPSΔhalH4 which exhibited loss of natural DNA uptake ability. Moreover, supernatants of the halocin producing strain were capable of inducing the ability to uptake DNA. Obviously, halocin is likely responsible for inducing DNA uptake. Cell surface ultrastructures of these strains are varied from strains DF50-ΔEPS to DF50-ΔEPSΔhalH4. The cell surface of strain DF50-ΔEPS is rough due to numerous pinholes, while that of the strain DF50-ΔEPSΔhalH4 is smooth without visible pinholes. The morphology of the halH4 complemented strain, DF50-ΔEPSΔhalH4::H4, shows an intermediate phenotype between strains DF50-ΔEPS and DF50-ΔEPSΔhalH4. We speculate that halocin H4 may accelerate DNA uptake by perforating the cell surface ultrastructure. The halocin H4 may represent a novel inducer or activator of DNA uptake in Hfx. mediterranei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoxing Chen
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Siqi Sun
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
| | | | - Jingwen Liu
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
| | - Hua Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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28
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Berezhnaya AV, Evdokimova OV, Valentovich LN, Sverchkova NV, Titok MA, Kolomiyets EI. Molecular Genetic and Functional Analysis of the Genome of Bacteria Bacillus velezensis BIM B-439D. APPL BIOCHEM MICRO+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0003683819040033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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29
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Chen Y, Meng XZ, Gu HW, Yi HC, Sun WY. A dual-response biosensor for electrochemical and glucometer detection of DNA methyltransferase activity based on functionalized metal-organic framework amplification. Biosens Bioelectron 2019; 134:117-122. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2019.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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30
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Zuo ZQ, Xue Q, Zhou J, Zhao DH, Han J, Xiang H. Engineering Haloferax mediterranei as an Efficient Platform for High Level Production of Lycopene. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2893. [PMID: 30555438 PMCID: PMC6282799 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Lycopene attracts increasing interests in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries due to its anti-oxidative and anti-cancer properties. Compared with other lycopene production methods, such as chemical synthesis or direct extraction from plants, the biosynthesis approach using microbes is more economical and sustainable. In this work, we engineered Haloferax mediterranei, a halophilic archaeon, as a new lycopene producer. H. mediterranei has the de novo synthetic pathway for lycopene but cannot accumulate this compound. To address this issue, we reinforced the lycopene synthesis pathway, blocked its flux to other carotenoids and disrupted its competitive pathways. The reaction from geranylgeranyl-PP to phytoene catalyzed by phytoene synthase (CrtB) was identified as the rate-limiting step in H. mediterranei. Insertion of a strong promoter PphaR immediately upstream of the crtB gene, or overexpression of the heterologous CrtB and phytoene desaturase (CrtI) led to a higher yield of lycopene. In addition, blocking bacterioruberin biosynthesis increased the purity and yield of lycopene. Knock-out of the key genes, responsible for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) biosynthesis, diverted more carbon flux into lycopene synthesis, and thus further enhanced lycopene production. The metabolic engineered H. mediterranei strain produced lycopene at 119.25 ± 0.55 mg per gram of dry cell weight in shake flask fermentation. The obtained yield was superior compared to the lycopene production observed in most of the engineered Escherichia coli or yeast even when they were cultivated in pilot scale bioreactors. Collectively, this work offers insights into the mechanism involved in carotenoid biosynthesis in haloarchaea and demonstrates the potential of using haloarchaea for the production of lycopene or other carotenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Qiang Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiong Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Da-He Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Han
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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31
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Winter K, Born J, Pfeifer F. Interaction of Haloarchaeal Gas Vesicle Proteins Determined by Split-GFP. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1897. [PMID: 30174663 PMCID: PMC6107691 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Several extremely halophilic archaea produce proteinaceous gas vesicles consisting of a gas-permeable protein wall constituted mainly by the gas vesicle proteins GvpA and GvpC. Eight additional accessory Gvp are involved in gas vesicle formation and might assist the assembly of this structure. Investigating interactions of halophilic proteins in vivo requires a method functioning at 2.5–5 M salt, and the split-GFP method was tested for this application. The two fragments NGFP and CGFP do not assemble a fluorescent GFP protein when produced in trans, but they assemble a fluorescent GFP when fused to interacting proteins. To adapt the method to high salt, we used the genes encoding two fragments of the salt-stable mGFP2 to construct four vector plasmids that allow an N- or C-terminal fusion to the two proteins of interest. To avoid a hindrance in the assembly of mGFP2, the fusion included a linker of 15 or 19 amino acids. The small gas vesicle accessory protein GvpM and its interaction partners GvpH, GvpJ, and GvpL were investigated by split-GFP. Eight different combinations were studied in each case, and fluorescent transformants indicative of an interaction were observed. We also determined that GvpF interacts with GvpM and uncovered the location of the interaction site of each of these proteins in GvpM. GvpL mainly interacted with the N-terminal 25-amino acid fragment of GvpM, whereas the other three proteins bound predominately to the C-terminal portion. Overall, the split-GFP method is suitable to investigate the interaction of two proteins in haloarchaeal cells. In future experiments, we will study the interactions of the remaining Gvps and determine whether some or all of these accessory Gvp proteins form (a) protein complex(es) during early stages of the assembly of the gas vesicle wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Winter
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Johannes Born
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Felicitas Pfeifer
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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32
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Hu L, Xiao P, Jiang Y, Dong M, Chen Z, Li H, Hu Z, Lei A, Wang J. Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance Under Environmental Stress by Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Profiling in Cyanobacterium. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1479. [PMID: 30022974 PMCID: PMC6039552 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation are well known as connected with many important biological processes. Rapid accumulating evidence shows environmental stress can generate particular defense epigenetic changes across generations in eukaryotes. This transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in animals and plants has gained interest over the last years. Cyanobacteria play very crucial role in the earth, and as the primary producer they can adapt to nearly all diverse environments. However, few knowledge about the genome wide epigenetic information such as methylome information in cyanobacteria, especially under any environment stress, was reported so far. In this study we profiled the genome-wide cytosine methylation from a model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and explored the possibility of transgenerational epigenetic process in this ancient single-celled prokaryote by comparing the DNA methylomes among normal nitrogen medium cultivation, nitrogen starvation for 72 h and nitrogen recovery for about 12 generations. Our results shows that DNA methylation patterns in nitrogen starvation and nitrogen recovery are much more similar with each other, significantly different from that of the normal nitrogen. This study reveals the difference in global DNA methylation pattern of cyanobacteria between normal and nutrient stress conditions and reports the evidence of transgenerational epigenetic process in cyanobacteria. The results of this study may contribute to a better understanding of epigenetic regulation in prokaryotic adaptation to and survive in the ever changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang Hu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Nanshan District Key Lab for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peng Xiao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongguang Jiang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingjie Dong
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zixi Chen
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hui Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhangli Hu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Anping Lei
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiangxin Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Nanshan District Key Lab for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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33
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Freed E, Fenster J, Smolinski SL, Walker J, Henard CA, Gill R, Eckert CA. Building a genome engineering toolbox in nonmodel prokaryotic microbes. Biotechnol Bioeng 2018; 115:2120-2138. [PMID: 29750332 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The realization of a sustainable bioeconomy requires our ability to understand and engineer complex design principles for the development of platform organisms capable of efficient conversion of cheap and sustainable feedstocks (e.g., sunlight, CO2 , and nonfood biomass) into biofuels and bioproducts at sufficient titers and costs. For model microbes, such as Escherichia coli, advances in DNA reading and writing technologies are driving the adoption of new paradigms for engineering biological systems. Unfortunately, microbes with properties of interest for the utilization of cheap and renewable feedstocks, such as photosynthesis, autotrophic growth, and cellulose degradation, have very few, if any, genetic tools for metabolic engineering. Therefore, it is important to develop "design rules" for building a genetic toolbox for novel microbes. Here, we present an overview of our current understanding of these rules for the genetic manipulation of prokaryotic microbes and the available genetic tools to expand our ability to genetically engineer nonmodel systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Freed
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Biosciences Center, Golden, CO.,Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
| | - Jacob Fenster
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.,Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
| | | | - Julie Walker
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
| | - Calvin A Henard
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Bioenergy Center, Golden, CO
| | - Ryan Gill
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Biosciences Center, Golden, CO.,Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.,Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
| | - Carrie A Eckert
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Biosciences Center, Golden, CO.,Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
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34
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Abstract
AbstractAntibiotic resistance (AR) is ancient. Use of antibiotics is a selective driving force that enriches AR genes and promotes the emergence of resistant pathogens. It also has been widely accepted that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) occurs everywhere and plays a critical role in the transmission of AR genes among bacteria. However, our understanding of HGT processes primarily build on extensivein vitrostudies; to date, there is still a significant knowledge gap regardingin situHGT events as well as the factors that influence HGT in different ecological niches. This review is focused on the HGT process in the intestinal tract, a ‘melting pot’ for gene exchange. Several factors that potentially influencein vivoHGT efficiency in the intestine are identified and summarized, which include SOS-inducing agents, stress hormones, microbiota and microbiota-derived factors. We highlight recent discoveries demonstrating that certain antibiotics, which are widely used in animal industry, can enhance HGT in the intestine by serving as DNA-damaging, SOS-inducing agents. Despite recent progress, research onin vivoHGT events is still in its infancy. A better understanding of the factors influencing HGT in the intestine is highly warranted for developing effective strategies to mitigate AR in animal production as well as in future agricultural ecosystems.
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35
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Tsuji S, Futaki S, Imanishi M. Sequence-specific recognition of methylated DNA by an engineered transcription activator-like effector protein. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 52:14238-14241. [PMID: 27872906 DOI: 10.1039/c6cc06824c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
A 5mC-selective TALE-repeat was created by screening a TALE repeat library containing randomized amino acids at repeat variable diresidues and their neighboring residues. The new repeat showed high 5mC discrimination ability. An artificial TALE containing the new repeat activated an endogenous gene in a genomic methylation status-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shogo Tsuji
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.
| | - Shiroh Futaki
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.
| | - Miki Imanishi
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.
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36
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Hasegawa S, Jojima T, Inui M. Efficient construction of xenogeneic genomic libraries by circumventing restriction-modification systems that restrict methylated DNA. J Microbiol Methods 2018; 146:13-15. [PMID: 29355574 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2018.01.005] [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: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
An efficient method to construct xenogeneic genomic libraries with low errors and bias by circumventing restriction-modification systems that restrict methylated DNA was developed. Un-methylated genomic DNA of Escherichia coli prepared by ϕ29 DNA polymerase was introduced to Corynebacterium glutamicum R after ligation with un-methylated vector plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Hasegawa
- Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, 9-2, Kizugawadai, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0292, Japan
| | - Toru Jojima
- Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, 9-2, Kizugawadai, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0292, Japan
| | - Masayuki Inui
- Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, 9-2, Kizugawadai, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0292, Japan; Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0101, Japan.
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37
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Danjuma L, Ling MP, Hamat RA, Higuchi A, Alarfaj AA, Marlina, Benelli G, Arulselvan P, Rajan M, Kumar Subbiah S. Genomic plasticity between human and mycobacterial DNA: A review. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2017; 107:38-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2017.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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38
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Walworth NG, Hutchins DA, Dolzhenko E, Lee MD, Fu F, Smith AD, Webb EA. Biogeographic conservation of the cytosine epigenome in the globally important marine, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:4700-4713. [PMID: 28925547 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Cytosine methylation has been shown to regulate essential cellular processes and impact biological adaptation. Despite its evolutionary importance, only a handful of bacterial, genome-wide cytosine studies have been conducted, with none for marine bacteria. Here, we examine the genome-wide, C5 -Methyl-cytosine (m5C) methylome and its correlation to global transcription in the marine nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium. We characterize genome-wide methylation and highlight conserved motifs across three Trichodesmium isolates and two Trichodesmium metagenomes, thereby identifying highly conserved, novel genomic signatures of potential gene regulation in Trichodesmium. Certain gene bodies with the highest methylation levels correlate with lower expression levels. Several methylated motifs were highly conserved across spatiotemporally separated Trichodesmium isolates, thereby elucidating biogeographically conserved methylation potential. These motifs were also highly conserved in Trichodesmium metagenomic samples from natural populations suggesting them to be potential in situ markers of m5C methylation. Using these data, we highlight predicted roles of cytosine methylation in global cellular metabolism providing evidence for a 'core' m5C methylome spanning different ocean regions. These results provide important insights into the m5C methylation landscape and its biogeochemical implications in an important marine N2 -fixer, as well as advancing evolutionary theory examining methylation influences on adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan G Walworth
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - David A Hutchins
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Egor Dolzhenko
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Michael D Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Feixue Fu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Andrew D Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Eric A Webb
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
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39
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Thapa SP, Pattathil S, Hahn MG, Jacques MA, Gilbertson RL, Coaker G. Genomic Analysis of Clavibacter michiganensis Reveals Insight Into Virulence Strategies and Genetic Diversity of a Gram-Positive Bacterial Pathogen. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2017; 30:786-802. [PMID: 28677494 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-06-17-0146-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is a gram-positive bacterial pathogen that proliferates in the xylem vessels of tomato, causing bacterial canker disease. In this study, we sequenced and assembled genomes of 11 C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains isolated from infected tomato fields in California as well as five Clavibacter strains that colonize tomato endophytically but are not pathogenic in this host. The analysis of the C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis genomes supported the monophyletic nature of this pathogen but revealed genetic diversity among strains, consistent with multiple introduction events. Two tomato endophytes that clustered phylogenetically with C. michiganensis strains capable of infecting wheat and pepper and were also able to cause disease in these plants. Plasmid profiles of the California strains were variable and supported the essential role of the pCM1-like plasmid and the CelA cellulase in virulence, whereas the absence of the pCM2-like plasmid in some pathogenic C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains revealed it is not essential. A large number of secreted C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis proteins were carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). Glycome profiling revealed that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis but not endophytic Clavibacter strains is able to extensively alter tomato cell-wall composition. Two secreted CAZymes found in all C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains, CelA and PelA1, enhanced pathogenicity on tomato. Collectively, these results provide a deeper understanding of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis diversity and virulence strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shree P Thapa
- 1 Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, California, U.S.A
| | - Sivakumar Pattathil
- 2 Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, U.S.A.; and
| | - Michael G Hahn
- 2 Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, U.S.A.; and
| | | | - Robert L Gilbertson
- 1 Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, California, U.S.A
| | - Gitta Coaker
- 1 Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, California, U.S.A
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40
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Knitsch R, Schneefeld M, Weitzel K, Pfeifer F. Mutations in the major gas vesicle protein GvpA and impacts on gas vesicle formation in Haloferax volcanii. Mol Microbiol 2017; 106:530-542. [PMID: 28898511 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Gas vesicles are proteinaceous, gas-filled nanostructures produced by some bacteria and archaea. The hydrophobic major structural protein GvpA forms the ribbed gas vesicle wall. An in-silico 3D-model of GvpA of the predicted coil-α1-β1-β2-α2-coil structure is available and implies that the two β-chains constitute the hydrophobic interior surface of the gas vesicle wall. To test the importance of individual amino acids in GvpA we performed 85 single substitutions and analyzed these variants in Haloferax volcanii ΔA + Amut transformants for their ability to form gas vesicles (Vac+ phenotype). In most cases, an alanine substitution of a non-polar residue did not abolish gas vesicle formation, but the replacement of single non-polar by charged residues in β1 or β2 resulted in Vac- transformants. A replacement of residues near the β-turn altered the spindle-shape to a cylindrical morphology of the gas vesicles. Vac- transformants were also obtained with alanine substitutions of charged residues of helix α1 suggesting that these amino acids form salt-bridges with another GvpA monomer. In helix α2, only the alanine substitution of His53 or Tyr54, led to Vac- transformants, whereas most other substitutions had no effect. We discuss our results in respect to the GvpA structure and data available from solid-state NMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regine Knitsch
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Marie Schneefeld
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Kerstin Weitzel
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Felicitas Pfeifer
- Microbiology and Archaea, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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Bypassing the Restriction System To Improve Transformation of Staphylococcus epidermidis. J Bacteriol 2017; 199:JB.00271-17. [PMID: 28559294 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00271-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is the leading cause of infections on indwelling medical devices worldwide. Intrinsic antibiotic resistance and vigorous biofilm production have rendered these infections difficult to treat and, in some cases, require the removal of the offending medical prosthesis. With the exception of two widely passaged isolates, RP62A and 1457, the pathogenesis of infections caused by clinical S. epidermidis strains is poorly understood due to the strong genetic barrier that precludes the efficient transformation of foreign DNA into clinical isolates. The difficulty in transforming clinical S. epidermidis isolates is primarily due to the type I and IV restriction-modification systems, which act as genetic barriers. Here, we show that efficient plasmid transformation of clinical S. epidermidis isolates from clonal complexes 2, 10, and 89 can be realized by employing a plasmid artificial modification (PAM) in Escherichia coli DC10B containing a Δdcm mutation. This transformative technique should facilitate our ability to genetically modify clinical isolates of S. epidermidis and hence improve our understanding of their pathogenesis in human infections.IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus epidermidis is a source of considerable morbidity worldwide. The underlying mechanisms contributing to the commensal and pathogenic lifestyles of S. epidermidis are poorly understood. Genetic manipulations of clinically relevant strains of S. epidermidis are largely prohibited due to the presence of a strong restriction barrier. With the introductions of the tools presented here, genetic manipulation of clinically relevant S. epidermidis isolates has now become possible, thus improving our understanding of S. epidermidis as a pathogen.
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Xu Y, Niu Y, Sun F, Yang Y, Luo W, Wang Z. The novel Pseudomonas putida plasmid p12969-2 harbors an In127-carrying multidrug-resistant region. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:573-584. [PMID: 28660784 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: This study aims to characterize a multidrug-resistant (MDR) plasmid p12969-2 coexistent with the previously reported one p12969-DIM in clinical Pseudomonas putida. Materials & methods: The complete sequence of p12969-2 was determined using next-generation sequencing technology. Results: p12969-2 contains a 29.2 kb MDR region, which carries In127 harboring three resistance genes aadA2, qacED1 and sul1. The MDR region is derived from the connection of Tn5041D and Tn5045, which is facilitated by two copies of miniature inverted-repeat transposable element. Conclusion & future perspective: p12969-2 represents a novel lineage with the highest but limited nucleotide sequence similarity with the plasmid pGRT1 that does not carry any of the resistance genes. This is the first report of coexistence of two MDR plasmids in P. putida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Xu
- Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Yong Niu
- Criminal Investigation Bureau, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing 100741, China
| | - Fengjun Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Southwest Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Wenbo Luo
- Department of Pharmacy, Southwest Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Oncology & Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
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Sadykov MR, Ahn JS, Widhelm TJ, Eckrich VM, Endres JL, Driks A, Rutkowski GE, Wingerd KL, Bayles KW. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) fuels the tricarboxylic acid cycle andde novolipid biosynthesis duringBacillus anthracissporulation. Mol Microbiol 2017; 104:793-803. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marat R. Sadykov
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha NE 68198 USA
| | - Jong-Sam Ahn
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha NE 68198 USA
| | - Todd J. Widhelm
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha NE 68198 USA
| | - Valerie M. Eckrich
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha NE 68198 USA
| | - Jennifer L. Endres
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha NE 68198 USA
| | - Adam Driks
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine; Maywood IL 60153 USA
| | | | | | - Kenneth W. Bayles
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha NE 68198 USA
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Identification of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 DNA Methyltransferase, Its Targets, and Physiological Roles. mBio 2017; 8:mBio.02312-16. [PMID: 28223461 PMCID: PMC5358918 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02312-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is widespread among prokaryotes, and most DNA methylation reactions are catalyzed by adenine DNA methyltransferases, which are part of restriction-modification (R-M) systems. R-M systems are known for their role in the defense against foreign DNA; however, DNA methyltransferases also play functional roles in gene regulation. In this study, we used single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing to uncover the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. We identified a conserved sequence motif targeted by an adenine methyltransferase of a type I R-M system and quantified the presence of N6-methyladenine using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Changes in the PAO1 methylation status were dependent on growth conditions and affected P. aeruginosa pathogenicity in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Furthermore, we found that methylated motifs in promoter regions led to shifts in sense and antisense gene expression, emphasizing the role of enzymatic DNA methylation as an epigenetic control of phenotypic traits in P. aeruginosa. Since the DNA methylation enzymes are not encoded in the core genome, our findings illustrate how the acquisition of accessory genes can shape the global P. aeruginosa transcriptome and thus may facilitate adaptation to new and challenging habitats. With the introduction of advanced technologies, epigenetic regulation by DNA methyltransferases in bacteria has become a subject of intense studies. Here we identified an adenosine DNA methyltransferase in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, which is responsible for DNA methylation of a conserved sequence motif. The methylation level of all target sequences throughout the PAO1 genome was approximated to be in the range of 65 to 85% and was dependent on growth conditions. Inactivation of the methyltransferase revealed an attenuated-virulence phenotype in the Galleria mellonella infection model. Furthermore, differential expression of more than 90 genes was detected, including the small regulatory RNA prrF1, which contributes to a global iron-sparing response via the repression of a set of gene targets. Our finding of a methylation-dependent repression of the antisense transcript of the prrF1 small regulatory RNA significantly expands our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying active DNA methylation in bacteria.
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Patil NA, Basu B, Deobagkar DD, Apte SK, Deobagkar DN. Putative DNA modification methylase DR_C0020 of Deinococcus radiodurans is an atypical SAM dependent C-5 cytosine DNA methylase. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2016; 1861:593-602. [PMID: 28038990 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Control of cellular processes by epigenetic modification of cytosine in DNA is widespread among living organisms, but, is hitherto unknown in the extremely radioresistant microbe D. radiodurans. METHODS C-5 methyl cytosines (m5C) were detected by immuno-blotting with m5C-specific antibody. Site of cytosine methylation by DR_C0020 encoded protein was investigated by bisulfite sequencing. The DR_C0020 knockout mutant (Δdcm), constructed by site directed mutagenesis, was assessed for effect on growth, radiation resistance and proteome. Proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. RESULTS Methylated cytosines were detected in the D. radiodurans genome. The DR_C0020 encoded protein (Dcm, NCBI accession: WP_034351354.1), whose amino acid sequence resembles m4C methylases, was shown to be the lone SAM-dependent C-5 cytosine methyltransferase. Purified Dcm protein was found to methylate CpN sequence with a preference for methylation of two consecutive cytosines. The Δdcm strain completely lost m5C modification from its genome, had no effect on growth but became radiation sensitive. The Δdcm cells exhibited minor alterations in the abundance of several proteins involved primarily in protein homeostasis, oxidative stress defense, metabolism, etc. CONCLUSION DR_C0020 encoded SAM-dependent methyltransferase Dcm is solely responsible for C-5cytosine methylation at CpN sites in the genome of D. radiodurans and regulates protein homeostasis under normal growth conditions. The protein is an unusual case of an amino methyltransferase that has evolved to producing m5C. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Although, dispensable under optimal growth conditions, the presence of m5C may be important for recognition of parent strand and, thus, could contribute to the extraordinary DNA repair in D. radiodurans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayana A Patil
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India; Department of Zoology, Centre for Advanced Studies, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, India
| | - Bhakti Basu
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
| | - Deepti D Deobagkar
- Department of Zoology, Centre for Advanced Studies, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, India
| | - Shree K Apte
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India.
| | - Dileep N Deobagkar
- Department of Zoology, Centre for Advanced Studies, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, India.
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Stephenson SAM, Brown PD. Epigenetic Influence of Dam Methylation on Gene Expression and Attachment in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Front Public Health 2016; 4:131. [PMID: 27446897 PMCID: PMC4921776 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most frequently encountered infections in clinical practice globally. Predominantly a burden among female adults and infants, UTIs primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) results in high morbidity and fiscal health strains. During pathogenesis, colonization of the urinary tract via fimbrial adhesion to mucosal cells is the most critical point in infection and has been linked to DNA methylation. Furthermore, with continuous exposure to antibiotics as the standard therapeutic strategy, UPEC has evolved to become highly adaptable in circumventing the effect of antimicrobial agents and host defenses. Hence, the need for alternative treatment strategies arises. Since differential DNA methylation is observed as a critical precursor to virulence in various pathogenic bacteria, this body of work sought to assess the influence of the DNA adenine methylase (dam) gene on gene expression and cellular adhesion in UPEC and its potential as a therapeutic target. To monitor the influence of dam on attachment and FQ resistance, selected UPEC dam mutants created via one-step allelic exchange were transformed with cloned qnrA and dam complement plasmid for comparative analysis of growth rate, antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm formation, gene expression, and mammalian cell attachment. The absence of DNA methylation among dam mutants was apparent. Varying deficiencies in cell growth, antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation, alongside low-level increases in gene expression (recA and papI), and adherence to HEK-293 and HTB-9 mammalian cells were also detected as a factor of SOS induction to result in increased mutability. Phenotypic characteristics of parental strains were restored in dam complement strains. Dam's vital role in DNA methylation and gene expression in local UPEC isolates was confirmed. Similarly to dam-deficient Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), these findings suggest unsuccessful therapeutic use of Dam inhibitors against UPEC or dam-deficient UPEC strains as attenuated live vaccines. However, further investigations are necessary to determine the post-transcriptional influence of dam on the regulatory network of virulence genes central to pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul D Brown
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of West Indies , Jamaica
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Enoyl-CoA hydratase mediates polyhydroxyalkanoate mobilization in Haloferax mediterranei. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24015. [PMID: 27052994 PMCID: PMC4823750 DOI: 10.1038/srep24015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Although polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation and mobilization are one of the most general mechanisms for haloarchaea to adapt to the hypersaline environments with changeable carbon sources, the PHA mobilization pathways are still not clear for any haloarchaea. In this study, the functions of five putative (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratases (R-ECHs) in Haloferax mediterranei, named PhaJ1 to PhaJ5, respectively, were thoroughly investigated. Through gene deletion and complementation, we demonstrated that only certain of these ECHs had a slight contribution to poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) biosynthesis. But significantly, PhaJ1, the only R-ECH that is associated with PHA granules, was shown to be involved in PHA mobilization in this haloarchaeon. PhaJ1 catalyzes the dehydration of (R)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA, the common product of PHA degradation, to enoyl-CoA, the intermediate of the β-oxidation cycle, thus could link PHA mobilization to β-oxidation pathway in H. mediterranei. This linkage was further indicated from the up-regulation of the key genes of β-oxidation under the PHA mobilization condition, as well as the obvious inhibition of PHA degradation upon inhibition of the β-oxidation pathway. Interestingly, 96% of phaJ-containing haloarchaeal species possess both phaC (encoding PHA synthase) and the full set genes of β-oxidation, implying that the mobilization of carbon storage in PHA through the β-oxidation cycle would be general in haloarchaea.
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Abstract
The DNA of Escherichia coli contains 19,120 6-methyladenines and 12,045 5-methylcytosines in addition to the four regular bases, and these are formed by the postreplicative action of three DNA methyltransferases. The majority of the methylated bases are formed by the Dam and Dcm methyltransferases encoded by the dam (DNA adenine methyltransferase) and dcm (DNA cytosine methyltransferase) genes. Although not essential, Dam methylation is important for strand discrimination during the repair of replication errors, controlling the frequency of initiation of chromosome replication at oriC, and the regulation of transcription initiation at promoters containing GATC sequences. In contrast, there is no known function for Dcm methylation, although Dcm recognition sites constitute sequence motifs for Very Short Patch repair of T/G base mismatches. In certain bacteria (e.g., Vibrio cholerae, Caulobacter crescentus) adenine methylation is essential, and, in C. crescentus, it is important for temporal gene expression, which, in turn, is required for coordinating chromosome initiation, replication, and division. In practical terms, Dam and Dcm methylation can inhibit restriction enzyme cleavage, decrease transformation frequency in certain bacteria, and decrease the stability of short direct repeats and are necessary for site-directed mutagenesis and to probe eukaryotic structure and function.
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Nucleic acid tool enzymes-aided signal amplification strategy for biochemical analysis: status and challenges. Anal Bioanal Chem 2015; 408:2793-811. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-015-9240-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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50
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Aragon IM, Pérez-Mendoza D, Moscoso JA, Faure E, Guery B, Gallegos MT, Filloux A, Ramos C. Diguanylate cyclase DgcP is involved in plant and human Pseudomonas spp. infections. Environ Microbiol 2015; 17:4332-51. [PMID: 25809128 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The second messenger cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) controls the transition between different lifestyles in bacterial pathogens. Here, we report the identification of DgcP (diguanylate cyclase conserved in Pseudomonads), whose activity in the olive tree pathogen Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi is dependent on the integrity of its GGDEF domain. Furthermore, deletion of the dgcP gene revealed that DgcP negatively regulates motility and positively controls biofilm formation in both the olive tree pathogen P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi and the human opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Overexpression of the dgcP gene in P. aeruginosa PAK led to increased exopolysaccharide production and upregulation of the type VI secretion system; in turn, it repressed the type III secretion system, which is a hallmark of chronic infections and persistence for P. aeruginosa. Deletion of the dgcP gene in P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi NCPPB 3335 and P. aeruginosa PAK reduced their virulence in olive plants and in a mouse acute lung injury model respectively. Our results show that diguanylate cyclase DgcP is a conserved Pseudomonas protein with a role in virulence, and confirm the existence of common c-di-GMP signalling pathways that are capable of regulating plant and human Pseudomonas spp. infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel M Aragon
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga-CSIC (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Área de Genética, Campus de Teatinos, Málaga, E-29010, Spain
- Dpto. Microbiología del Suelo y Sistemas Simbióticos, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain
- Department of Life Sciences, MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Flowers Building, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Daniel Pérez-Mendoza
- Dpto. Microbiología del Suelo y Sistemas Simbióticos, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain
| | - Joana A Moscoso
- Department of Life Sciences, MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Flowers Building, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Emmanuel Faure
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa host-pathogen translational research group, Lille School of Medicine, UDSL, Lille North of France University, Lille, France
| | - Benoit Guery
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa host-pathogen translational research group, Lille School of Medicine, UDSL, Lille North of France University, Lille, France
| | - María-Trinidad Gallegos
- Dpto. Microbiología del Suelo y Sistemas Simbióticos, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain
| | - Alain Filloux
- Department of Life Sciences, MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Flowers Building, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Cayo Ramos
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga-CSIC (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Área de Genética, Campus de Teatinos, Málaga, E-29010, Spain
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