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Yarlagadda S, Giorgio TD. A guide to single-cell RNA sequencing analysis using web-based tools for non-bioinformatician. FEBS J 2024; 291:2545-2561. [PMID: 38148322 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a technique that has proven to be a powerful tool for a wide range of fields and research studies. However, scRNA-seq data analysis has been dominated by scientists highly trained in bioinformatics or those with extensive computational experience and understanding. Recently, this trend has begun to shift as more user-friendly web-based scRNA-seq analysis tools have been developed that require little computational experience to use. However, barriers persist for nonbioinformaticians in using this technique. Complex, unfamiliar language and scarce comprehensive literature guidance to provide a framework for understanding scRNA-seq analysis outputs are among the obstacles. This work introduces many popular web-based tools for scRNA-seq and provides a general overview of their user interfaces and features. Then, a comprehensive start-to-finish introductory scRNA-seq analysis pipeline is described in detail, which aims to enable researchers to carry out scRNA-seq analysis, regardless of computational experience. Companion video tutorials can be found at "EasyScRNAseqTutorials" on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@scrnaseqtutorials). However, as scRNA-seq continues to penetrate new fields and expand in importance, there remains a need for more literature to help overcome barriers to its use by explaining further the highly complex and advanced analyses that are introduced within this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Todd D Giorgio
- Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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2
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Ross RL, Santiago-Tirado FH. Advanced genetic techniques in fungal pathogen research. mSphere 2024; 9:e0064323. [PMID: 38470131 PMCID: PMC11036804 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00643-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Although fungi have been important model organisms for solving genetic, molecular, and ecological problems, recently, they are also becoming an important source of infectious disease. Despite their high medical burden, fungal pathogens are understudied, and relative to other pathogenic microbes, less is known about how their gene functions contribute to disease. This is due, in part, to a lack of powerful genetic tools to study these organisms. In turn, this has resulted in inappropriate treatments and diagnostics and poor disease management. There are a variety of reasons genetic studies were challenging in pathogenic fungi, but in recent years, most of them have been overcome or advances have been made to circumvent these barriers. In this minireview, we highlight how recent advances in genetic studies in fungal pathogens have resulted in the discovery of important biology and potential new antifungals and have created the tools to comprehensively study these important pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robbi L. Ross
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Felipe H. Santiago-Tirado
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
- Warren Center for Drug Discovery, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
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3
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Lin H, Wei Y, Li S, Mao X, Qin J, Su S, He T. Changes in transcriptome regulations of a marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis under methylmercury stress. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2024; 49:101177. [PMID: 38104474 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), a heavy metal pollutant worldwide, can be transformed into methylmercury (MeHg) by various aquatic microorganisms in water, thus accumulating along the aquatic food chain and posing a particular challenge to human health. Zooplankton plays a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems and serves as a major component of the food chain. To evaluate the effects of MeHg on the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and reveal the underlying mechanism of these effects, we exposed B. plicatilis to MeHg by either direct immersion or by feeding with MeHg-poisoned Chlorella pyrenoidesa, respectively, and conducted a transcriptomic analysis. The results showed that B. plicatilis directly exposed to MeHg by immersion showed significant enrichment of the glutathione metabolism pathway for detoxification of MeHg. In addition, the exposure to MeHg by feeding induced a significant enrichment of lysosome and notch signaling pathways of rotifers, supporting the hypothesis that MeHg can induce autophagy dysfunction in cells and disturb the nervous system of rotifers. In two different routes of MeHg exposure, the pathway of cytochrome P450 in rotifers showed significant enrichment for resisting MeHg toxicity. Our results suggest further studies on the potential mechanism and biological responses of MeHg toxicity in other links of the aquatic food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangyu Lin
- College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yanlin Wei
- College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Songzhang Li
- College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaodong Mao
- College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jianguang Qin
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, South Australia 5001, Australia
| | - Shengqi Su
- College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Tao He
- College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, 400715, China.
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4
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Ciolli Mattioli C, Avraham R. Single-Molecule Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (smFISH) for RNA Detection in Bacteria. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2784:3-23. [PMID: 38502475 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3766-1_1] [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] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
In this chapter, we describe in detail how to perform a successful smFISH experiment and how to quantify mRNA transcripts in bacterial cells. The flexibility of the method allows for straightforward adaptation to different bacterial species and experimental conditions. Thanks to the feasibility of the approach, the method can easily be adapted by other laboratories. Finally, we believe that this method has a great potential to generate insights into the complicated life of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Ciolli Mattioli
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Roi Avraham
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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5
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Moon JH, Roh DH, Kwack KH, Lee JH. Bacterial single-cell transcriptomics: Recent technical advances and future applications in dentistry. JAPANESE DENTAL SCIENCE REVIEW 2023; 59:253-262. [PMID: 37674900 PMCID: PMC10477369 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdsr.2023.08.001] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics have enhanced our understanding of the oral microbiome and its impact on oral health. However, these approaches have inherent limitations in exploring individual cells and the heterogeneity within mixed microbial communities, which restricts our current understanding to bulk cells and species-level information. Fortunately, recent technical advances have enabled the application of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) for studying bacteria, shedding light on cell-to-cell diversity and interactions between host-bacterial cells at the single-cell level. Here, we address the technical barriers in capturing RNA from single bacterial cells and highlight pioneering studies from the past decade. We also discuss recent achievements in host-bacterial dual transcriptional profiling at the single-cell level. Bacterial scRNA-seq provides advantages in various research fields, including the investigation of phenotypic heterogeneity within genetically identical bacteria, identification of rare cell types, detection of antibiotic-resistant or persistent cells, analysis of individual gene expression patterns and metabolic activities, and characterization of specific microbe-host interactions. Integrating single-cell techniques with bulk approaches is essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of oral diseases and develop targeted and personalized treatment in dentistry. The reviewed pioneering studies are expected to inspire future research on the oral microbiome at the single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hoi Moon
- Department of Oral Microbiology, College of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Hyun Roh
- Department of Oral Physiology, College of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu Hwan Kwack
- Department of Oral Microbiology, College of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hyung Lee
- Department of Oral Microbiology, College of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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6
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Münch JM, Sobol MS, Brors B, Kaster AK. Single-cell transcriptomics and data analyses for prokaryotes-Past, present and future concepts. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2023; 123:1-39. [PMID: 37400172 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptomics, or more specifically mRNA sequencing, is a powerful tool to study gene expression at the single-cell level (scRNA-seq) which enables new insights into a plethora of biological processes. While methods for single-cell RNA-seq in eukaryotes are well established, application to prokaryotes is still challenging. Reasons for that are rigid and diverse cell wall structures hampering lysis, the lack of polyadenylated transcripts impeding mRNA enrichment, and minute amounts of RNA requiring amplification steps before sequencing. Despite those obstacles, several promising scRNA-seq approaches for bacteria have been published recently, albeit difficulties in the experimental workflow and data processing and analysis remain. In particular, bias is often introduced by amplification which makes it difficult to distinguish between technical noise and biological variation. Future optimization of experimental procedures and data analysis algorithms are needed for the improvement of scRNA-seq but also to aid in the emergence of prokaryotic single-cell multi-omics. to help address 21st century challenges in the biotechnology and health sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Münch
- Institute for Biological Interfaces 5, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany; Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; HIDSS4Health - Helmholtz Information and Data Science School for Health, Karlsruhe/Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Morgan S Sobol
- Institute for Biological Interfaces 5, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Benedikt Brors
- Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; HIDSS4Health - Helmholtz Information and Data Science School for Health, Karlsruhe/Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anne-Kristin Kaster
- Institute for Biological Interfaces 5, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany; HIDSS4Health - Helmholtz Information and Data Science School for Health, Karlsruhe/Heidelberg, Germany.
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Wang J, Sang Y, Jin S, Wang X, Azad GK, McCormick MA, Kennedy BK, Li Q, Wang J, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Huang Y. Single-cell RNA-seq reveals early heterogeneity during aging in yeast. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13712. [PMID: 36181361 PMCID: PMC9649600 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) has relatively short lifespan and is genetically tractable, making it a widely used model organism in aging research. Here, we carried out a systematic and quantitative investigation of yeast aging with single-cell resolution through transcriptomic sequencing. We optimized a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) protocol to quantitatively study the whole transcriptome profiles of single yeast cells at different ages, finding increased cell-to-cell transcriptional variability during aging. The single-cell transcriptome analysis also highlighted key biological processes or cellular components, including oxidation-reduction process, oxidative stress response (OSR), translation, ribosome biogenesis and mitochondrion that underlie aging in yeast. We uncovered a molecular marker of FIT3, indicating the early heterogeneity during aging in yeast. We also analyzed the regulation of transcription factors and further characterized the distinctive temporal regulation of the OSR by YAP1 and proteasome activity by RPN4 during aging in yeast. Overall, our data profoundly reveal early heterogeneity during aging in yeast and shed light on the aging dynamics at the single cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Wang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking‐Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), School of Life SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yuchen Sang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking‐Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), School of Life SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Shengxian Jin
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking‐Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), School of Life SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xuezheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences and Peking‐Tsinghua Center for Life SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina,Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Gajendra Kumar Azad
- Departments of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore,Department of ZoologyPatna UniversityPatnaIndia
| | - Mark A. McCormick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of MedicineUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences CenterAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA,Autophagy Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research ExcellenceAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | - Brian K. Kennedy
- Departments of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore,Healthy Longevity Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore,Centre for Healthy LongevityNational University Health SystemSingaporeSingapore
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences and Peking‐Tsinghua Center for Life SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jianbin Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiannian Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain ProtectionCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking‐Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), School of Life SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yanyi Huang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking‐Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), School of Life SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina,Analytical Chemistry, College of ChemistryPeking UniversityBeijingChina,Institute for Cell AnalysisShenzhen Bay LaboratoryShenzhenChina
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8
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The Effect of E. coli Uridine-Cytidine Kinase Gene Deletion on Cytidine Synthesis and Transcriptome Analysis. FERMENTATION-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/fermentation8110586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cytidine is an antiviral and anticancer drug intermediate, its primary method of manufacture being fermentation. Uridine-cytidine kinase (UCK) catalyzes the reverse process of phosphorylation of cytidine to produce cytidylic acid, which influences cytidine accumulation in the Escherichia coli cytidine biosynthesis pathway. The cytidine-producing strain E. coli NXBG-11 was used as the starting strain in this work; the udk gene coding UCK was knocked out of the chromosomal genome using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology. The mutant strain E. coli NXBG-12 was obtained; its transcriptomics were studied to see how udk gene deletion affected cytidine synthesis and cell-wide transcription. The mutant strain E. coli NXBG-12 generated 1.28 times more cytidine than the original strain E. coli NXBG-11 after 40 h of shake-flask fermentation at 37 °C. The udk gene was knocked out, and transcriptome analysis showed that there were 1168 differentially expressed genes between the mutant and original strains, 559 upregulated genes and 609 downregulated genes. It was primarily shown that udk gene knockout has a positive impact on the cytidine synthesis network because genes involved in cytidine synthesis were significantly upregulated (p < 0.05) and genes related to the cytidine precursor PRPP and cofactor NADPH were upregulated in the PPP and TCA pathways. These results principally demonstrate that udk gene deletion has a favorable impact on the cytidine synthesis network. The continual improvement of cytidine synthesis and metasynthesis is made possible by this information, which is also useful for further converting microorganisms that produce cytidine.
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9
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Smith SE, Huang W, Tiamani K, Unterer M, Khan Mirzaei M, Deng L. Emerging technologies in the study of the virome. Curr Opin Virol 2022; 54:101231. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2022.101231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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10
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Dohn R, Xie B, Back R, Selewa A, Eckart H, Rao RP, Basu A. mDrop-Seq: Massively Parallel Single-Cell RNA-Seq of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 10:vaccines10010030. [PMID: 35062691 PMCID: PMC8779198 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10010030] [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] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) have been limited by technical challenges such as tough cell walls and low RNA quantity that prevent transcriptomic profiling of microbial species at throughput. We present microbial Drop-seq or mDrop-seq, a high-throughput scRNA-seq technique that is demonstrated on two yeast species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a popular model organism, and Candida albicans, a common opportunistic pathogen. We benchmarked mDrop-seq for sensitivity and specificity and used it to profile 35,109 S. cerevisiae cells to detect variation in mRNA levels between them. As a proof of concept, we quantified expression differences in heat shock S. cerevisiae using mDrop-seq. We detected differential activation of stress response genes within a seemingly homogenous population of S. cerevisiae under heat shock. We also applied mDrop-seq to C. albicans cells, a polymorphic and clinically relevant species of yeast with a thicker cell wall compared to S. cerevisiae. Single-cell transcriptomes in 39,705 C. albicans cells were characterized using mDrop-seq under different conditions, including exposure to fluconazole, a common anti-fungal drug. We noted differential regulation in stress response and drug target pathways between C. albicans cells, changes in cell cycle patterns and marked increases in histone activity when treated with fluconazole. We demonstrate mDrop-seq to be an affordable and scalable technique that can quantify the variability in gene expression in different yeast species. We hope that mDrop-seq will lead to a better understanding of genetic variation in pathogens in response to stimuli and find immediate applications in investigating drug resistance, infection outcome and developing new drugs and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Dohn
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (B.X.); (R.B.); (A.S.); (H.E.); (A.B.)
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Bingqing Xie
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (B.X.); (R.B.); (A.S.); (H.E.); (A.B.)
| | - Rebecca Back
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (B.X.); (R.B.); (A.S.); (H.E.); (A.B.)
| | - Alan Selewa
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (B.X.); (R.B.); (A.S.); (H.E.); (A.B.)
- Biophysical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Heather Eckart
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (B.X.); (R.B.); (A.S.); (H.E.); (A.B.)
| | - Reeta Prusty Rao
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA;
| | - Anindita Basu
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (B.X.); (R.B.); (A.S.); (H.E.); (A.B.)
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Biophysical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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11
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Ou Y, Cao S, Zhang J, Dong W, Yang Z, Yu Z. Droplet microfluidics on analysis of pathogenic microbes for wastewater-based epidemiology. Trends Analyt Chem 2021; 143:116333. [PMID: 34720276 PMCID: PMC8547957 DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2021.116333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microbes have posed a major health issue for the public, such as the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic. In recent years, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is emerging as an effective and unbiased method for monitoring public health. Despite its increasing importance, the advancement of WBE requires more competent and streamlined analytical platforms. Herein we discuss the interactions between WBE and droplet microfluidics, focusing on the analysis of pathogens in droplets, which is hard to be tackled by traditional analytical tools. We highlight research works from three aspects, namely, quantitation of pathogen biomarkers in droplets, single-cell analysis in droplets, and living cell biosensors in droplets, as well as providing future perspectives on the synergy between WBE and droplet microfluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangteng Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing, 211816, PR China.,Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Shixiang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing, 211816, PR China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing, 211816, PR China
| | - Weiliang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing, 211816, PR China
| | - Zhugen Yang
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Ziyi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing, 211816, PR China
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12
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Hare PJ, LaGree TJ, Byrd BA, DeMarco AM, Mok WWK. Single-Cell Technologies to Study Phenotypic Heterogeneity and Bacterial Persisters. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2277. [PMID: 34835403 PMCID: PMC8620850 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic persistence is a phenomenon in which rare cells of a clonal bacterial population can survive antibiotic doses that kill their kin, even though the entire population is genetically susceptible. With antibiotic treatment failure on the rise, there is growing interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial phenotypic heterogeneity and antibiotic persistence. However, elucidating these rare cell states can be technically challenging. The advent of single-cell techniques has enabled us to observe and quantitatively investigate individual cells in complex, phenotypically heterogeneous populations. In this review, we will discuss current technologies for studying persister phenotypes, including fluorescent tags and biosensors used to elucidate cellular processes; advances in flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and microfluidics that contribute high-throughput and high-content information; and next-generation sequencing for powerful insights into genetic and transcriptomic programs. We will further discuss existing knowledge gaps, cutting-edge technologies that can address them, and how advances in single-cell microbiology can potentially improve infectious disease treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia J. Hare
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
- School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Travis J. LaGree
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Brandon A. Byrd
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
- School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Angela M. DeMarco
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Wendy W. K. Mok
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
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13
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Cahn JKB, Piel J. Anwendungen von Einzelzellmethoden in der mikrobiellen Naturstoffforschung. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201900532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jackson K. B. Cahn
- Institut für Mikrobiologie Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH) 8093 Zürich Schweiz
| | - Jörn Piel
- Institut für Mikrobiologie Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH) 8093 Zürich Schweiz
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14
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Sun G, Li Z, Rong D, Zhang H, Shi X, Yang W, Zheng W, Sun G, Wu F, Cao H, Tang W, Sun Y. Single-cell RNA sequencing in cancer: Applications, advances, and emerging challenges. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2021; 21:183-206. [PMID: 34027052 PMCID: PMC8131398 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer has become one of the greatest threats to human health, and new technologies are urgently needed to further clarify the mechanisms of cancer so that better detection and treatment strategies can be developed. At present, extensive genomic analysis and testing of clinical specimens shape the insights into carcinoma. Nevertheless, carcinoma of humans is a complex ecosystem of cells, including carcinoma cells and immunity-related and stroma-related subsets, with accurate characteristics obscured by extensive genome-related approaches. A growing body of research shows that sequencing of single-cell RNA (scRNA-seq) is emerging to be an effective way for dissecting human tumor tissue at single-cell resolution, presenting one prominent way for explaining carcinoma biology. This review summarizes the research progress of scRNA-seq in the field of tumors, focusing on the application of scRNA-seq in tumor circulating cells, tumor stem cells, tumor drug resistance, the tumor microenvironment, and so on, which provides a new perspective for tumor research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangshun Sun
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhouxiao Li
- Department of Hand Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Surgery, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Dawei Rong
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuesong Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weijun Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wubin Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guoqiang Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongyong Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weiwei Tang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yangbai Sun
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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15
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Cahn JKB, Piel J. Opening up the Single-Cell Toolbox for Microbial Natural Products Research. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:18412-18428. [PMID: 30748086 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201900532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The diverse microbes that produce natural products represent an important source of novel therapeutics, drug leads, and scientific tools. However, the vast majority have not been grown in axenic culture and are members of complex communities. While meta-'omic methods such as metagenomics, -transcriptomics, and -proteomics reveal collective molecular features of this "microbial dark matter", the study of individual microbiome members can be challenging. To address these limits, a number of techniques with single-bacterial resolution have been developed in the last decade and a half. While several of these are embraced by microbial ecologists, there has been less use by researchers interested in mining microbes for natural products. In this review, we discuss the available and emerging techniques for targeted single-cell analysis with a particular focus on applications to the discovery and study of natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson K B Cahn
- Instit. of Microbiol., Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH), 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jörn Piel
- Instit. of Microbiol., Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH), 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
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16
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Allué-Guardia A, García JI, Torrelles JB. Evolution of Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains and Their Adaptation to the Human Lung Environment. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:612675. [PMID: 33613483 PMCID: PMC7889510 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.612675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last two decades, multi (MDR), extensively (XDR), extremely (XXDR) and total (TDR) drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) strains have emerged as a threat to public health worldwide, stressing the need to develop new tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment strategies. It is estimated that in the next 35 years, drug-resistant TB will kill around 75 million people and cost the global economy $16.7 trillion. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic alone may contribute with the development of 6.3 million new TB cases due to lack of resources and enforced confinement in TB endemic areas. Evolution of drug-resistant M.tb depends on numerous factors, such as bacterial fitness, strain's genetic background and its capacity to adapt to the surrounding environment, as well as host-specific and environmental factors. Whole-genome transcriptomics and genome-wide association studies in recent years have shed some insights into the complexity of M.tb drug resistance and have provided a better understanding of its underlying molecular mechanisms. In this review, we will discuss M.tb phenotypic and genotypic changes driving resistance, including changes in cell envelope components, as well as recently described intrinsic and extrinsic factors promoting resistance emergence and transmission. We will further explore how drug-resistant M.tb adapts differently than drug-susceptible strains to the lung environment at the cellular level, modulating M.tb-host interactions and disease outcome, and novel next generation sequencing (NGS) strategies to study drug-resistant TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Allué-Guardia
- Population Health Program, Tuberculosis Group, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | | | - Jordi B. Torrelles
- Population Health Program, Tuberculosis Group, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
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17
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Singh R. Single-Cell Sequencing in Human Genital Infections. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1255:203-220. [PMID: 32949402 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-4494-1_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Human genital infections are one of the most concerning issues worldwide and can be categorized into sexually transmitted, urinary tract and vaginal infections. These infections, if left untreated, can disseminate to the other parts of the body and cause more complicated illnesses such as pelvic inflammatory disease, urethritis, and anogenital cancers. The effective treatment against these infections is further complicated by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in the genital infection causing pathogens. Furthermore, the development and applications of single-cell sequencing technologies have open new possibilities to study the drug resistant clones, cell to cell variations, the discovery of acquired drug resistance mutations, transcriptional diversity of a pathogen across different infection stages, to identify rare cell types and investigate different cellular states of genital infection causing pathogens, and to develop novel therapeutical strategies. In this chapter, I will provide a complete review of the applications of single-cell sequencing in human genital infections before discussing their limitations and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reema Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. .,Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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18
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Kimkes TEP, Heinemann M. How bacteria recognise and respond to surface contact. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2020; 44:106-122. [PMID: 31769807 PMCID: PMC7053574 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuz029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms can cause medical problems and issues in technical systems. While a large body of knowledge exists on the phenotypes of planktonic and of sessile cells in mature biofilms, our understanding of what happens when bacteria change from the planktonic to the sessile state is still very incomplete. Fundamental questions are unanswered: for instance, how do bacteria sense that they are in contact with a surface, and what are the very initial cellular responses to surface contact. Here, we review the current knowledge on the signals that bacteria could perceive once they attach to a surface, the signal transduction systems that could be involved in sensing the surface contact and the cellular responses that are triggered as a consequence to surface contact ultimately leading to biofilm formation. Finally, as the main obstacle in investigating the initial responses to surface contact has been the difficulty to experimentally study the dynamic response of single cells upon surface attachment, we also review recent experimental approaches that could be employed to study bacterial surface sensing, which ultimately could lead to an improved understanding of how biofilm formation could be prevented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom E P Kimkes
- Molecular Systems Biology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Matthias Heinemann
- Molecular Systems Biology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
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19
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Microbial single-cell omics: the crux of the matter. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:8209-8220. [PMID: 32845367 PMCID: PMC7471194 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10844-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Abstract Single-cell genomics and transcriptomics can provide reliable context for assembled genome fragments and gene expression activity on the level of individual prokaryotic genomes. These methods are rapidly emerging as an essential complement to cultivation-based, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and microbial community-focused research approaches by allowing direct access to information from individual microorganisms, even from deep-branching phylogenetic groups that currently lack cultured representatives. Their integration and binning with environmental ‘omics data already provides unprecedented insights into microbial diversity and metabolic potential, enabling us to provide information on individual organisms and the structure and dynamics of natural microbial populations in complex environments. This review highlights the pitfalls and recent advances in the field of single-cell omics and its importance in microbiological and biotechnological studies. Key points • Single-cell omics expands the tree of life through the discovery of novel organisms, genes, and metabolic pathways. • Disadvantages of metagenome-assembled genomes are overcome by single-cell omics. • Functional analysis of single cells explores the heterogeneity of gene expression. • Technical challenges still limit this field, thus prompting new method developments.
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20
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian Wollny
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
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21
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Ma Q, Bücking H, Gonzalez Hernandez JL, Subramanian S. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Plant-Associated Bacterial Communities. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2452. [PMID: 31736899 PMCID: PMC6828647 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants in soil are not solitary, hence continually interact with and obtain benefits from a community of microbes ("microbiome"). The meta-functional output from the microbiome results from complex interactions among the different community members with distinct taxonomic identities and metabolic capacities. Particularly, the bacterial communities of the root surface are spatially organized structures composed of root-attached biofilms and planktonic cells arranged in complex layers. With the distinct but coordinated roles among the different member cells, bacterial communities resemble properties of a multicellular organism. High throughput sequencing technologies have allowed rapid and large-scale analysis of taxonomic composition and metabolic capacities of bacterial communities. However, these methods are generally unable to reconstruct the assembly of these communities, or how the gene expression patterns in individual cells/species are coordinated within these communities. Single-cell transcriptomes of community members can identify how gene expression patterns vary among members of the community, including differences among different cells of the same species. This information can be used to classify cells based on functional gene expression patterns, and predict the spatial organization of the community. Here we discuss strategies for the isolation of single bacterial cells, mRNA enrichment, library construction, and analysis and interpretation of the resulting single-cell RNA-Seq datasets. Unraveling regulatory and metabolic processes at the single cell level is expected to yield an unprecedented discovery of mechanisms involved in bacterial recruitment, attachment, assembly, organization of the community, or in the specific interactions among the different members of these communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Ma
- Department of Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
| | - Heike Bücking
- Biology and Microbiology Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
| | - Jose L. Gonzalez Hernandez
- Department of Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
- Biology and Microbiology Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
| | - Senthil Subramanian
- Department of Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
- Biology and Microbiology Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
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22
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Lillington SP, Leggieri PA, Heom KA, O'Malley MA. Nature's recyclers: anaerobic microbial communities drive crude biomass deconstruction. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 62:38-47. [PMID: 31593910 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Microbial communities within anaerobic ecosystems have evolved to degrade and recycle carbon throughout the earth. A number of strains have been isolated from anaerobic microbial communities, which are rich in carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) to liberate fermentable sugars from crude plant biomass (lignocellulose). However, natural anaerobic communities host a wealth of microbial diversity that has yet to be harnessed for biotechnological applications to hydrolyze crude biomass into sugars and value-added products. This review highlights recent advances in 'omics' techniques to sequence anaerobic microbial genomes, decipher microbial membership, and characterize CAZyme diversity in anaerobic microbiomes. With a focus on the herbivore rumen, we further discuss methods to discover new CAZymes, including those found within multi-enzyme fungal cellulosomes. Emerging techniques to characterize the interwoven metabolism and spatial interactions between anaerobes are also reviewed, which will prove critical to developing a predictive understanding of anaerobic communities to guide in microbiome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P Lillington
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, United States
| | - Patrick A Leggieri
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, United States
| | - Kellie A Heom
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, United States
| | - Michelle A O'Malley
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, United States.
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23
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Ma Z, Chu PM, Su Y, Yu Y, Wen H, Fu X, Huang S. Applications of single-cell technology on bacterial analysis. QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40484-019-0177-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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24
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Doll K, Yang I, Fadeeva E, Kommerein N, Szafrański SP, Bei der Wieden G, Greuling A, Winkel A, Chichkov BN, Stumpp NS, Stiesch M. Liquid-Infused Structured Titanium Surfaces: Antiadhesive Mechanism to Repel Streptococcus oralis Biofilms. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:23026-23038. [PMID: 31173692 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b06817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To combat implant-associated infections, there is a need for novel materials which effectively inhibit bacterial biofilm formation. In the present study, the antiadhesive properties of titanium surface functionalization based on the "slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces" (SLIPS) principle were demonstrated and the underlying mechanism was analyzed. The immobilized liquid layer was stable over 13 days of continuous flow in an oral flow chamber system. With increasing flow rates, the surface exhibited a significant reduction in attached biofilm of both the oral initial colonizer Streptococcus oralis and an oral multispecies biofilm composed of S. oralis, Actinomyces naeslundii, Veillonella dispar, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Using single cell force spectroscopy, reduced S. oralis adhesion forces on the lubricant layer could be measured. Gene expression patterns in biofilms on SLIPS, on control surfaces, and expression patterns of planktonic cultures were also compared. For this purpose, the genome of S. oralis strain ATCC 9811 was sequenced using PacBio Sequel technology. Even though biofilm cells showed clear changes in gene expression compared to planktonic cells, no differences could be detected between bacteria on SLIPS and on control surfaces. Therefore, it can be concluded that the ability of liquid-infused titanium to repel S. oralis biofilms is mainly due to weakened bacterial adhesion to the underlying liquid interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Doll
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
| | - Ines Yang
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
| | - Elena Fadeeva
- Institute of Quantum Optics , Leibniz University of Hannover , Welfengarten 1 , 30167 Hannover , Germany
| | - Nadine Kommerein
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
| | - Szymon P Szafrański
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
| | - Gesa Bei der Wieden
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
| | - Andreas Greuling
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
| | - Andreas Winkel
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
| | - Boris N Chichkov
- Institute of Quantum Optics , Leibniz University of Hannover , Welfengarten 1 , 30167 Hannover , Germany
| | - Nico S Stumpp
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
| | - Meike Stiesch
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials Science , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1 , 30625 Hannover , Germany
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25
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Bailey M, Thomas A, Francis O, Stokes C, Smidt H. The dark side of technological advances in analysis of microbial ecosystems. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2019; 10:49. [PMID: 31236270 PMCID: PMC6572749 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-019-0357-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent technological advances mean that samples from animal experiments may be analysed more cheaply, more easily and with a much greater return of data than previously. Research groups are frequently faced with a choice of continuing to use established technology in which they may have made a significant investment of time and resources, and have significant amounts of reference data, or switching to new technology where reference data may be limited. Apart from cost, the choice needs to be based on a comparison between the increase in data available from future experiments by switching and the value of comparison with reference data from historical experiments analysed with earlier technology. One approach to this problem is to ensure that sufficient quantity and variety of samples are taken from each experiment and appropriately stored to allow re-establishment of a sufficiently large reference set and to avoid the need to repeat animal experiments. The establishment of ‘biobanks’ of experimental material will require funding for infrastructure, consistent storage of metadata and, importantly, horizon-scanning to ensure that samples are taken appropriately for techniques which will become accessible in future. Such biobanks are a recognised resource in human medicine, where the value of samples increases as more analysis is carried out and added to the metadata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mick Bailey
- 1Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU UK
| | - Amy Thomas
- 1Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU UK
| | - Ore Francis
- 1Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU UK
| | - Christopher Stokes
- 1Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU UK
| | - Hauke Smidt
- 2Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, NL-6708 Wageningen, WE Netherlands
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Abstract
In vitro growth conditions for bacteria do not fully recapitulate the host environment. RNA sequencing transcriptome analysis allows for the characterization of the infection gene expression profiles of pathogens in complex environments. Isolation of the pathogen from infected tissues is critical because of the large amounts of host RNA present in crude lysates of infected organs. A filtration method was developed that enabled enrichment of the pathogen RNA for RNA-seq analysis. The resulting data describe the “infection transcriptome” of B. pertussis in the murine lung. This strategy can be utilized for pathogens in other hosts and, thus, expand our knowledge of what bacteria express during infection. Bordetella pertussis causes the disease whooping cough through coordinated control of virulence factors by the Bordetella virulence gene system. Microarrays and, more recently, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) have been used to describe in vitro gene expression profiles of B. pertussis and other pathogens. In previous studies, we have analyzed the in vitro gene expression profiles of B. pertussis, and we hypothesize that the infection transcriptome profile in vivo is significantly different from that under laboratory growth conditions. To study the infection transcriptome of B. pertussis, we developed a simple filtration technique for isolation of bacteria from infected lungs. The work flow involves filtering the bacteria out of the lung homogenate using a 5-μm-pore-size syringe filter. The captured bacteria are then lysed to isolate RNA for Illumina library preparation and RNA-seq analysis. Upon comparing the in vitro and in vivo gene expression profiles, we identified 351 and 255 genes as activated and repressed, respectively, during murine lung infection. As expected, numerous genes associated with virulent-phase growth were activated in the murine host, including pertussis toxin (PT), the PT secretion apparatus, and the type III secretion system. A significant number of genes encoding iron acquisition and heme uptake proteins were highly expressed during infection, supporting iron acquisition as critical for B. pertussis survival in vivo. Numerous metabolic genes were repressed during infection. Overall, these data shed light on the gene expression profile of B. pertussis during infection, and this method will facilitate efforts to understand how this pathogen causes infection. IMPORTANCEIn vitro growth conditions for bacteria do not fully recapitulate the host environment. RNA sequencing transcriptome analysis allows for the characterization of the infection gene expression profiles of pathogens in complex environments. Isolation of the pathogen from infected tissues is critical because of the large amounts of host RNA present in crude lysates of infected organs. A filtration method was developed that enabled enrichment of the pathogen RNA for RNA-seq analysis. The resulting data describe the “infection transcriptome” of B. pertussis in the murine lung. This strategy can be utilized for pathogens in other hosts and, thus, expand our knowledge of what bacteria express during infection.
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Lejars M, Kobayashi A, Hajnsdorf E. Physiological roles of antisense RNAs in prokaryotes. Biochimie 2019; 164:3-16. [PMID: 30995539 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2019.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Prokaryotes encounter constant and often brutal modifications to their environment. In order to survive, they need to maintain fitness, which includes adapting their protein expression patterns. Many factors control gene expression but this review focuses on just one, namely antisense RNAs (asRNAs), a class of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) characterized by their location in cis and their perfect complementarity with their targets. asRNAs were considered for a long time to be trivial and only to be found on mobile genetic elements. However, recent advances in methodology have revealed that their abundance and potential activities have been underestimated. This review aims to illustrate the role of asRNA in various physiologically crucial functions in both archaea and bacteria, which can be regrouped in three categories: cell maintenance, horizontal gene transfer and virulence. A literature survey of asRNAs demonstrates the difficulties to characterize and assign a role to asRNAs. With the aim of facilitating this task, we describe recent technological advances that could be of interest to identify new asRNAs and to discover their function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxence Lejars
- CNRS UMR8261, IBPC, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Asaki Kobayashi
- SABNP, INSERM U1204, Université d'Evry Val-d'Essonne, Bâtiment Maupertuis, Rue du Père Jarlan, 91000, Évry Cedex, France.
| | - Eliane Hajnsdorf
- CNRS UMR8261, IBPC, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005, Paris, France.
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28
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Knittel V, Vollmer I, Volk M, Dersch P. Discovering RNA-Based Regulatory Systems for Yersinia Virulence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:378. [PMID: 30460205 PMCID: PMC6232918 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Yersinia includes three human pathogenic species, Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of the bubonic and pneumonic plague, and enteric pathogens Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis that cause a number of gut-associated diseases. Over the past years a large repertoire of RNA-based regulatory systems has been discovered in these pathogens using different RNA-seq based approaches. Among them are several conserved or species-specific RNA-binding proteins, regulatory and sensory RNAs as well as various RNA-degrading enzymes. Many of them were shown to control the expression of important virulence-relevant factors and have a very strong impact on Yersinia virulence. The precise targets, the molecular mechanism and their role for Yersinia pathogenicity is only known for a small subset of identified genus- or species-specific RNA-based control elements. However, the ongoing development of new RNA-seq based methods and data analysis methods to investigate the synthesis, composition, translation, decay, and modification of RNAs in the bacterial cell will help us to generate a more comprehensive view of Yersinia RNA biology in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Knittel
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ines Vollmer
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marcel Volk
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Petra Dersch
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
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