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Khan MM, Sidorczuk K, Becker J, Aleksandrowicz A, Baraniewicz K, Ludwig C, Ali A, Kingsley RA, Schierack P, Kolenda R. Characterization of clumpy adhesion of Escherichia coli to human cells and associated factors influencing antibiotic sensitivity. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0260623. [PMID: 38530058 PMCID: PMC11064533 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02606-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli intestinal infection pathotypes are characterized by distinct adhesion patterns, including the recently described clumpy adhesion phenotype. Here, we identify and characterize the genetic factors contributing to the clumpy adhesion of E. coli strain 4972. In this strain, the transcriptome and proteome of adhered bacteria were found to be distinct from planktonic bacteria in the supernatant. A total of 622 genes in the transcriptome were differentially expressed in bacteria present in clumps relative to the planktonic bacteria. Seven genes targeted for disruption had variable distribution in different pathotypes and nonpathogenic E. coli, with the pilV and spnT genes being the least frequent or absent from most groups. Deletion (Δ) of five differentially expressed genes, flgH, ffp, pilV, spnT, and yggT, affected motility, adhesion, or antibiotic stress. ΔflgH exhibited 80% decrease and ΔyggT depicted 184% increase in adhesion, and upon complementation, adhesion was significantly reduced to 13%. ΔflgH lost motility and was regenerated when complemented, whereas Δffp had significantly increased motility, and reintroduction of the same gene reduced it to the wild-type level. The clumps produced by Δffp and ΔspnT were more resistant and protected the bacteria, with ΔspnT showing the best clump formation in terms of ampicillin stress protection. ΔyggT had the lowest tolerance to gentamicin, where the antibiotic stress completely eliminated the bacteria. Overall, we were able to investigate the influence of clump formation on cell surface adhesion and antimicrobial tolerance, with the contribution of several factors crucial to clump formation on susceptibility to the selected antibiotics. IMPORTANCE The study explores a biofilm-like clumpy adhesion phenotype in Escherichia coli, along with various factors and implications for antibiotic susceptibility. The phenotype permitted the bacteria to survive the onslaught of high antibiotic concentrations. Profiles of the transcriptome and proteome allowed the differentiation between adhered bacteria in clumps and planktonic bacteria in the supernatant. The deletion mutants of genes differentially expressed between adhered and planktonic bacteria, i.e., flgH, ffp, pilV, spnT, and yggT, and respective complementations in trans cemented their roles in multiple capacities. ffp, an uncharacterized gene, is involved in motility and resistance to ampicillin in a clumpy state. The work also affirms for the first time the role of the yggT gene in adhesion and its involvement in susceptibility against another aminoglycoside antibiotic, i.e., gentamicin. Overall, the study contributes to the mechanisms of biofilm-like adhesion phenotype and understanding of the antimicrobial therapy failures and infections of E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Moman Khan
- Institute for Biotechnology, Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Katarzyna Sidorczuk
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Juliane Becker
- Institute for Biotechnology, Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Adrianna Aleksandrowicz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Karolina Baraniewicz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Christina Ludwig
- Bavarian Center for Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry (BayBioMS), School of Life Sciences, Technical University Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Aamir Ali
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (NIBGE-C, PIEAS), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Robert A. Kingsley
- Quadram Institute Biosciences, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Schierack
- Institute for Biotechnology, Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Rafał Kolenda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
- Quadram Institute Biosciences, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
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Manzano-Marín A, Latorre A. Settling down: the genome of Serratia symbiotica from the aphid Cinara tujafilina zooms in on the process of accommodation to a cooperative intracellular life. Genome Biol Evol 2014; 6:1683-98. [PMID: 24951564 PMCID: PMC4122931 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evu133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Particularly interesting cases of mutualistic endosymbioses come from the establishment of co-obligate associations of more than one species of endosymbiotic bacteria. Throughout symbiotic accommodation from a free-living bacterium, passing through a facultative stage and ending as an obligate intracellular one, the symbiont experiences massive genomic losses and phenotypic adjustments. Here, we scrutinized the changes in the coevolution of Serratia symbiotica and Buchnera aphidicola endosymbionts in aphids, paying particular attention to the transformations undergone by S. symbiotica to become an obligate endosymbiont. Although it is already known that S. symbiotica is facultative in Acyrthosiphon pisum, in Cinara cedri it has established a co-obligate endosymbiotic consortium along with B. aphidicola to fulfill the aphid’s nutritional requirements. The state of this association in C. tujafilina, an aphid belonging to the same subfamily (Lachninae) that C. cedri, remained unknown. Here, we report the genome of S. symbiotica strain SCt-VLC from the aphid C. tujafilina. While being phylogenetically and genomically very closely related to the facultative endosymbiont S. symbiotica from the aphid A. pisum, it shows a variety of metabolic, genetic, and architectural features, which point toward this endosymbiont being one step closer to an obligate intracellular one. We also describe in depth the process of genome rearrangements suffered by S. symbiotica and the role mobile elements play in gene inactivations. Finally, we postulate the supply to the host of the essential riboflavin (vitamin B2) as key to the establishment of S. symbiotica as a co-obligate endosymbiont in the aphids belonging to the subfamily Lachninane.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amparo Latorre
- Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, SpainUnidad Mixta de Investigación en Genómica y Salud, Centro Superior de Investigación en Salud Pública, Valencia, Spain
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Satpute SK, Bhuyan SS, Pardesi KR, Mujumdar SS, Dhakephalkar PK, Shete AM, Chopade BA. Molecular Genetics of Biosurfactant Synthesis in Microorganisms. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2010; 672:14-41. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-5979-9_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Abstract
Many bacteria use cell-cell communication to monitor their population density, synchronize their behaviour and socially interact. This communication results in a coordinated gene regulation and is generally called quorum sensing. In gram-negative bacteria, the most common quorum signal molecules are acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs), although other low-molecular-mass signalling molecules have been described such as Autoinducer-2 (AI-2). The phenotypes that are regulated in Serratia species by means of AHLs are remarkably diverse and of profound biological and ecological significance, and often interconnected with other global regulators. Furthermore, AHL- and AI-2-mediated systems (less profoundly studied) are continuously being discovered and explored in Serratia spp., many having interesting twists on the basic theme. Therefore, this review will highlight the current known quorum sensing systems in Serratia spp., including the important nosocomial pathogen Serratia marcescens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob Van Houdt
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute for Health, Environment and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK x CEN, Mol, Belgium.
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