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Sheykholeslami N, Mirzaei H, Nami Y, Khandaghi J, Javadi A. Ecological and evolutionary dynamics of CRISPR-Cas systems in Clostridium botulinum: Insights from genome mining and comparative analysis. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2024; 123:105638. [PMID: 39002873 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2024.105638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the prevalence and distribution of CRISPR-Cas systems across different strains can illuminate the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of Clostridium botulinum populations. In this study, we conducted genome mining to characterize the CRISPR-Cas systems of C. botulinum strains. Our analysis involved retrieving complete genome sequences of these strains and assessing the diversity, prevalence, and evolution of their CRISPR-Cas systems. Subsequently, we performed an analysis of homology in spacer sequences from identified CRISPR arrays to investigate and characterize the range of targeted phages and plasmids. Additionally, we investigated the evolutionary trajectory of C. botulinum strains under selective pressures from foreign invasive DNA. Our findings revealed that 306 strains possessed complete CRISPR-Cas structures, comprising 58% of the studied C. botulinum strains. Secondary structure prediction of consensus repeats indicated that subtype II-C, with longer stems compared to subtypes ID and IB, tended to form more stable RNA secondary structures. Moreover, protospacer motif analysis demonstrated that strains with subtype IB CRISPR-Cas systems exhibited 5'-CGG-3', 5'-CC-3', and 5'-CAT-3' motifs in the 3' flanking regions of protospacers. The diversity observed in CRISPR-Cas systems indicated their classification into subtypes IB, ID, II-C, III-B, and III-D. Furthermore, our results showed that systems with subtype ID and III-D frequently harbored similar spacer patterns. Moreover, analysis of spacer sequences homology with phage and prophage genomes highlighted the specific activities exhibited by subtype IB and III-B against phages and plasmids, providing valuable insights into the functional specialization within these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiymeh Sheykholeslami
- Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hamid Mirzaei
- Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran; Department of food Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
| | - Yousef Nami
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Branch for Northwest & West Region, Agricultural Biotechnology Research, Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tabriz, Iran.
| | - Jalil Khandaghi
- Department of food Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Food Science and Technology, Sarab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sarab, Iran
| | - Afshin Javadi
- Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran; Department of food Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
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Kadkhoda H, Gholizadeh P, Samadi Kafil H, Ghotaslou R, Pirzadeh T, Ahangarzadeh Rezaee M, Nabizadeh E, Feizi H, Aghazadeh M. Role of CRISPR-Cas systems and anti-CRISPR proteins in bacterial antibiotic resistance. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34692. [PMID: 39149034 PMCID: PMC11325803 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence and development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a serious threat to global public health. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are often located on mobile genetic elements (MGEs). They can be transferred among bacteria by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), leading to the spread of drug-resistant strains and antibiotic treatment failure. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas (CRISPR-associated genes) is one of the many strategies bacteria have developed under long-term selection pressure to restrict the HGT. CRISPR-Cas systems exist in about half of bacterial genomes and play a significant role in limiting the spread of antibiotic resistance. On the other hand, bacteriophages and other MGEs encode a wide range of anti-CRISPR proteins (Acrs) to counteract the immunity of the CRISPR-Cas system. The Acrs could decrease the CRISPR-Cas system's activity against phages and facilitate the acquisition of ARGs and virulence traits for bacteria. This review aimed to assess the relationship between the CRISPR-Cas systems and Acrs with bacterial antibiotic resistance. We also highlighted the CRISPR technology and Acrs to control and prevent antibacterial resistance. The CRISPR-Cas system can target nucleic acid sequences with high accuracy and reliability; therefore, it has become a novel gene editing and gene therapy tool to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance. CRISPR-based approaches may pave the way for developing smart antibiotics, which could eliminate multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and distinguish between pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms. Additionally, the engineered anti-CRISPR gene-containing phages in combination with antibiotics could be used as a cutting-edge treatment approach to reduce antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiva Kadkhoda
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Pourya Gholizadeh
- Digestive Disease Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
- Zoonoses Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Hossein Samadi Kafil
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Reza Ghotaslou
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tahereh Pirzadeh
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ahangarzadeh Rezaee
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Edris Nabizadeh
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hadi Feizi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Aalinasab Hospital, Social Security Organization, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Aghazadeh
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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Cao R, Su H, Wei Z, He Z, Pan T, Li Y, Sun B. An induced mutation of ABC-transporter component VraF(K84E) contributes to vancomycin resistance and virulence in Staphylococcus aureus strain MW2. Int J Med Microbiol 2024; 315:151624. [PMID: 38838390 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a notorious pathogen responsible for various severe diseases. Due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, the prevention and treatment of S. aureus infections have become increasingly challenging. Vancomycin is considered to be one of the last-resort drugs for treating most methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), so it is of great significance to further reveal the mechanism of vancomycin resistance. VraFG is one of the few important ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters in S. aureus that can form TCS (two-component systems)/ABC transporter modules. ABC transporters can couple the energy released from ATP hydrolysis to translocate solutes across the cell membrane. In this study, we obtained a strain with decreased vancomycin susceptibility after serial passaging and selection. Subsequently, whole-genome sequencing was performed on this laboratory-derived strain MWA2 and a novel single point mutation was discovered in vraF gene, leading to decreased sensitivity to vancomycin and daptomycin. Furthermore, the mutation reduces autolysis of S. aureus and downregulates the expression of lytM, isaA, and atlA. Additionally, we observed that the mutant has a less net negative surface charge than wild-type strain. We also noted an increase in the expression of the dlt operon and mprF gene, which are associated with cell surface charge and serve to hinder the binding of cationic peptides by promoting electrostatic repulsion. Moreover, this mutation has been shown to enhance hemolytic activity, expand subcutaneous abscesses, reflecting an increased virulence. This study confirms the impact of a point mutation of VraF on S. aureus antibiotic resistance and virulence, contributing to a broader understanding of ABC transporter function and providing new targets for treating S. aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruobing Cao
- Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Huimin Su
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Zichun Wei
- Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhien He
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Ting Pan
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China.
| | - Baolin Sun
- Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China; Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China.
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Ganguly C, Rostami S, Long K, Aribam SD, Rajan R. Unity among the diverse RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas interference mechanisms. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107295. [PMID: 38641067 PMCID: PMC11127173 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107295] [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] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated) systems are adaptive immune systems that protect bacteria and archaea from invading mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The Cas protein-CRISPR RNA (crRNA) complex uses complementarity of the crRNA "guide" region to specifically recognize the invader genome. CRISPR effectors that perform targeted destruction of the foreign genome have emerged independently as multi-subunit protein complexes (Class 1 systems) and as single multi-domain proteins (Class 2). These different CRISPR-Cas systems can cleave RNA, DNA, and protein in an RNA-guided manner to eliminate the invader, and in some cases, they initiate programmed cell death/dormancy. The versatile mechanisms of the different CRISPR-Cas systems to target and destroy nucleic acids have been adapted to develop various programmable-RNA-guided tools and have revolutionized the development of fast, accurate, and accessible genomic applications. In this review, we present the structure and interference mechanisms of different CRISPR-Cas systems and an analysis of their unified features. The three types of Class 1 systems (I, III, and IV) have a conserved right-handed helical filamentous structure that provides a backbone for sequence-specific targeting while using unique proteins with distinct mechanisms to destroy the invader. Similarly, all three Class 2 types (II, V, and VI) have a bilobed architecture that binds the RNA-DNA/RNA hybrid and uses different nuclease domains to cleave invading MGEs. Additionally, we highlight the mechanistic similarities of CRISPR-Cas enzymes with other RNA-cleaving enzymes and briefly present the evolutionary routes of the different CRISPR-Cas systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhandosee Ganguly
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Saadi Rostami
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Kole Long
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Swarmistha Devi Aribam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Rakhi Rajan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Price Family Foundation Institute of Structural Biology, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA.
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Aviram N, Shilton AK, Lyn NG, Reis BS, Brivanlou A, Marraffini LA. The Cas10 nuclease activity relieves host dormancy to facilitate spacer acquisition and retention during type III-A CRISPR immunity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.11.579731. [PMID: 38405743 PMCID: PMC10888962 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.11.579731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
A hallmark of CRISPR immunity is the acquisition of short viral DNA sequences, known as spacers, that are transcribed into guide RNAs to recognize complementary sequences. The staphylococcal type III-A CRISPR-Cas system uses guide RNAs to locate viral transcripts and start a response that displays two mechanisms of immunity. When immunity is triggered by an early-expressed phage RNA, degradation of viral ssDNA can cure the host from infection. In contrast, when the RNA guide targets a late-expressed transcript, defense requires the activity of Csm6, a non-specific RNase. Here we show that Csm6 triggers a growth arrest of the host that provides immunity at the population level which hinders viral propagation to allow the replication of non-infected cells. We demonstrate that this mechanism leads to defense against not only the target phage but also other viruses present in the population that fail to replicate in the arrested cells. On the other hand, dormancy limits the acquisition and retention of spacers that trigger it. We found that the ssDNase activity of type III-A systems is required for the re-growth of a subset of the arrested cells, presumably through the degradation of the phage DNA, ending target transcription and inactivating the immune response. Altogether, our work reveals a built-in mechanism within type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems that allows the exit from dormancy needed for the subsistence of spacers that provide broad-spectrum immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naama Aviram
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, the Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Amanda K Shilton
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, the Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nia G Lyn
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, the Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Bernardo S Reis
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, the Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Amir Brivanlou
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, the Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Luciano A Marraffini
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, the Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
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6
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Shabbir MAB, Ul-Rahman A, Iftikhar MR, Rasheed M, Maan MK, Sattar A, Ahmad M, Khan FA, Ahmad W, Riaz MI, Aslam HB. Exploring the Interplay of the CRISPR-CAS System with Antibiotic Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus: A Poultry Meat Study from Lahore, Pakistan. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:130. [PMID: 38256391 PMCID: PMC10818619 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60010130] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major pathogens responsible for causing food poisoning worldwide. The emergence of antibiotic resistance in this bacterium is influenced by various factors. Among them, bacterial acquired defense systems described as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-cas system might be involved in antibiotic resistance development in bacteria. The current study was designed to assess the prevalence of S. aureus and its antibiotic resistance profile and identify the relationship of the CRISPR-cas system with antimicrobial resistance, followed by phylogenetic analysis. Total samples (n = 188) of poultry meat were collected from the poultry bird market of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. We used both phenotypic (antibiotic disc diffusion) and genotypic methods (PCR) to identify multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains of S. aureus. Additionally, the role of the CRISPR-Cas system in the isolated MDR S. aureus was also assessed. In addition, real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to evaluate the association of the CRISPR-cas system with antimicrobial resistance. All of the S. aureus isolates showed 100% resistance against erythromycin, 97.5% were resistant to tetracycline, and 75% were resistant to methicillin. Eleven isolates were MDR in the current study. The CRISPR system was found in all MDR isolates, and fifteen spacers were identified within the CRISPR locus. Furthermore, MDR S. aureus isolates and the standard strain showed higher expression levels of CRISPR-associated genes. The correlation of said system with MDR isolates points to foreign gene acquisition by horizontal transfer. Current knowledge could be utilized to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacteria, mainly S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Abu Bakr Shabbir
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan (F.A.K.)
| | - Aziz Ul-Rahman
- Department of Pathobiology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef (MNS) University of Agriculture, Multan 66000, Pakistan;
| | - Muhammad Rizwan Iftikhar
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan (F.A.K.)
| | - Majeeda Rasheed
- Department of life Sciences, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan 64200, Pakistan;
| | - Muhammad Kashif Maan
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Adeel Sattar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Biosciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Mehmood Ahmad
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan;
| | - Farid Ahmed Khan
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan (F.A.K.)
| | - Waqas Ahmad
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan;
| | - Muhammad Ilyas Riaz
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan (F.A.K.)
| | - Hassaan Bin Aslam
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan (F.A.K.)
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Felgate H, Sethi D, Faust K, Kiy C, Härtel C, Rupp J, Clifford R, Dean R, Tremlett C, Wain J, Langridge G, Clarke P, Page AJ, Webber MA. Characterisation of neonatal Staphylococcus capitis NRCS-A isolates compared with non NRCS-A Staphylococcus capitis from neonates and adults. Microb Genom 2023; 9:001106. [PMID: 37791541 PMCID: PMC10634448 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001106] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus capitis is a frequent cause of late-onset sepsis in neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). One clone of S. capitis, NRCS-A has been isolated from NICUs globally although the reasons for the global success of this clone are not well understood.We analysed a collection of S. capitis colonising babies admitted to two NICUs, one in the UK and one in Germany as well as corresponding pathological clinical isolates. Genome analysis identified a population structure of three groups; non-NRCS-A isolates, NRCS-A isolates, and a group of 'proto NRCS-A' - isolates closely related to NRCS-A but not associated with neonatal infection. All bloodstream isolates belonged to the NRCS-A group and were indistinguishable from strains carried on the skin or in the gut. NRCS-A isolates showed increased tolerance to chlorhexidine and antibiotics relative to the other S. capitis as well as enhanced ability to grow at higher pH values. Analysis of the pangenome of 138 isolates identified characteristic nsr and tarJ genes in both the NRCS-A and proto groups. A CRISPR-cas system was only seen in NRCS-A isolates which also showed enrichment of genes for metal acquisition and transport.We found evidence for transmission of S. capitis NRCS-A within NICU, with related isolates shared between babies and multiple acquisitions by some babies. Our data show NRCS-A strains commonly colonise uninfected babies in NICU representing a potential reservoir for potential infection. This work provides more evidence that adaptation to survive in the gut and on skin facilitates spread of NRCS-A, and that metal acquisition and tolerance may be important to the biology of NRCS-A. Understanding how NRCS-A survives in NICUs can help develop infection control procedures against this clone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Felgate
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UQ, Norwich, UK
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, UK
| | - Dheeraj Sethi
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UQ, Norwich, UK
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), NR4 7UY, Norwich, UK
| | - Kirsten Faust
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Cemsid Kiy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christoph Härtel
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jan Rupp
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Rebecca Clifford
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, UK
| | - Rachael Dean
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UQ, Norwich, UK
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), NR4 7UY, Norwich, UK
| | | | - John Wain
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UQ, Norwich, UK
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, UK
| | - Gemma Langridge
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UQ, Norwich, UK
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, UK
| | - Paul Clarke
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, UK
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), NR4 7UY, Norwich, UK
| | - Andrew J. Page
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UQ, Norwich, UK
| | - Mark A. Webber
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UQ, Norwich, UK
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, UK
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Mikkelsen K, Bowring JZ, Ng YK, Svanberg Frisinger F, Maglegaard JK, Li Q, Sieber RN, Petersen A, Andersen PS, Rostøl JT, Høyland-Kroghsbo NM, Ingmer H. An Endogenous Staphylococcus aureus CRISPR-Cas System Limits Phage Proliferation and Is Efficiently Excised from the Genome as Part of the SCC mec Cassette. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0127723. [PMID: 37404143 PMCID: PMC10434264 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01277-23] [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: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas is an adaptive immune system that allows bacteria to inactivate mobile genetic elements. Approximately 50% of bacteria harbor CRISPR-Cas; however, in the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, CRISPR-Cas loci are less common and often studied in heterologous systems. We analyzed the prevalence of CRISPR-Cas in genomes of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated in Denmark. Only 2.9% of the strains carried CRISPR-Cas systems, but for strains of sequence type ST630, over half were positive. All CRISPR-Cas loci were type III-A and located within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type V(5C2&5), conferring β-lactam resistance. Curiously, only 23 different CRISPR spacers were identified in 69 CRISPR-Cas positive strains, and almost identical SCCmec cassettes, CRISPR arrays, and cas genes are present in staphylococcal species other than S. aureus, suggesting that these were transferred horizontally. For the ST630 strain 110900, we demonstrate that the SCCmec cassette containing CRISPR-Cas is excised from the chromosome at high frequency. However, the cassette was not transferable under the conditions investigated. One of the CRISPR spacers targets a late gene in the lytic bacteriophage phiIPLA-RODI, and we show that the system protects against phage infection by reducing phage burst size. However, CRISPR-Cas can be overloaded or circumvented by CRISPR escape mutants. Our results imply that the endogenous type III-A CRISPR-Cas system in S. aureus is active against targeted phages, albeit with low efficacy. This suggests that native S. aureus CRISPR-Cas offers only partial immunity and in nature may work in tandem with other defense systems. IMPORTANCE CRISPR-Cas is an adaptive immune system protecting bacteria and archaea against mobile genetic elements such as phages. In strains of Staphylococcus aureus, CRISPR-Cas is rare, but when present, it is located within the SCCmec element, which encodes resistance to methicillin and other β-lactam antibiotics. We show that the element is excisable, suggesting that the CRISPR-Cas locus is transferable. In support of this, we found almost identical CRISPR-Cas-carrying SCCmec elements in different species of non-S. aureus staphylococci, indicating that the system is mobile but only rarely acquires new spacers in S. aureus. Additionally, we show that in its endogenous form, the S. aureus CRISPR-Cas is active but inefficient against lytic phages that can overload the system or form escape mutants. Thus, we propose that CRISPR-Cas in S. aureus offers only partial immunity in native systems and so may work with other defense systems to prevent phage-mediated killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasper Mikkelsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Janine Zara Bowring
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yong Kai Ng
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Qiuchun Li
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Raphael N. Sieber
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas Petersen
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Paal Skytt Andersen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jakob T. Rostøl
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nina Molin Høyland-Kroghsbo
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Hanne Ingmer
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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9
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Qian Y, Zhou D, Li M, Zhao Y, Liu H, Yang L, Ying Z, Huang G. Application of CRISPR-Cas system in the diagnosis and therapy of ESKAPE infections. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1223696. [PMID: 37662004 PMCID: PMC10470840 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1223696] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial-resistant ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) pathogens represent a global threat to human health. ESKAPE pathogens are the most common opportunistic pathogens in nosocomial infections, and a considerable number of their clinical isolates are not susceptible to conventional antimicrobial therapy. Therefore, innovative therapeutic strategies that can effectively deal with ESKAPE pathogens will bring huge social and economic benefits and ease the suffering of tens of thousands of patients. Among these strategies, CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) system has received extra attention due to its high specificity. Regrettably, there is currently no direct CRISPR-system-based anti-infective treatment. This paper reviews the applications of CRISPR-Cas system in the study of ESKAPE pathogens, aiming to provide directions for the research of ideal new drugs and provide a reference for solving a series of problems caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) in the post-antibiotic era. However, most research is still far from clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizheng Qian
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Dapeng Zhou
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- Department of Burn Plastic and Wound Repair Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Yongxiang Zhao
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Huanhuan Liu
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Zhiqin Ying
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Guangtao Huang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Department of Wound Repair, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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10
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Shu X, Shi Y, Huang Y, Yu D, Sun B. Transcription tuned by S-nitrosylation underlies a mechanism for Staphylococcus aureus to circumvent vancomycin killing. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2318. [PMID: 37085493 PMCID: PMC10120478 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37949-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections is a constant challenge due to emerging resistance to vancomycin, a last-resort drug. S-nitrosylation, the covalent attachment of a nitric oxide (NO) group to a cysteine thiol, mediates redox-based signaling for eukaryotic cellular functions. However, its role in bacteria is largely unknown. Here, proteomic analysis revealed that S-nitrosylation is a prominent growth feature of vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus. Deletion of NO synthase (NOS) or removal of S-nitrosylation from the redox-sensitive regulator MgrA or WalR resulted in thinner cell walls and increased vancomycin susceptibility, which was due to attenuated promoter binding and released repression of genes involved in cell wall metabolism. These genes failed to respond to H2O2-induced oxidation, suggesting distinct transcriptional responses to alternative modifications of the cysteine residue. Furthermore, treatment with a NOS inhibitor significantly decreased vancomycin resistance in S. aureus. This study reveals that transcriptional regulation via S-nitrosylation underlies a mechanism for NO-mediated bacterial antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqin Shu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yingying Shi
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Dan Yu
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China.
| | - Baolin Sun
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
- CAS Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Hefei, China.
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11
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Woodside WT, Vantsev N, Catchpole RJ, Garrett SC, Olson S, Graveley BR, Terns MP. Type III-A CRISPR systems as a versatile gene knockdown technology. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 28:1074-1088. [PMID: 35618430 PMCID: PMC9297841 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079206.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems are functionally diverse prokaryotic antiviral defense systems, which encompass six distinct types (I-VI) that each encode different effector Cas nucleases with distinct nucleic acid cleavage specificities. By harnessing the unique attributes of the various CRISPR-Cas systems, a range of innovative CRISPR-based DNA and RNA targeting tools and technologies have been developed. Here, we exploit the ability of type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems to carry out RNA-guided and sequence-specific target RNA cleavage for establishment of research tools for post-transcriptional control of gene expression. Type III-A systems from three bacterial species (L. lactis, S. epidermidis, and S. thermophilus) were each expressed on a single plasmid in E. coli, and the efficiency and specificity of gene knockdown was assessed by northern blot and transcriptomic analysis. We show that engineered type III-A modules can be programmed using tailored CRISPR RNAs to efficiently knock down gene expression of both coding and noncoding RNAs in vivo. Moreover, simultaneous degradation of multiple cellular mRNA transcripts can be directed by utilizing a CRISPR array expressing corresponding gene-targeting crRNAs. Our results demonstrate the utility of distinct type III-A modules to serve as specific and effective gene knockdown platforms in heterologous cells. This transcriptome engineering technology has the potential to be further refined and exploited for key applications including gene discovery and gene pathway analyses in additional prokaryotic and perhaps eukaryotic cells and organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter T Woodside
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Nikita Vantsev
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Ryan J Catchpole
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Sandra C Garrett
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA
| | - Sara Olson
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA
| | - Brenton R Graveley
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA
| | - Michael P Terns
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
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12
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Understanding the Mechanisms That Drive Phage Resistance in Staphylococci to Prevent Phage Therapy Failure. Viruses 2022; 14:v14051061. [PMID: 35632803 PMCID: PMC9146914 DOI: 10.3390/v14051061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite occurring at the microscopic scale, the armed race between phages and their bacterial hosts involves multiple mechanisms, some of which are just starting to be understood. On the one hand, bacteria have evolved strategies that can stop the viral infection at different stages (adsorption, DNA injection and replication, biosynthesis and assembly of the viral progeny and/or release of the newly formed virions); on the other, phages have gradually evolved counterattack strategies that allow them to continue infecting their prey. This co-evolutionary process has played a major role in the development of microbial populations in both natural and man-made environments. Notably, understanding the parameters of this microscopic war will be paramount to fully benefit from the application of phage therapy against dangerous, antibiotic-resistant human pathogens. This review gathers the current knowledge regarding the mechanisms of phage resistance in the Staphylococcus genus, which includes Staphylococcus aureus, one of the most concerning microorganisms in terms of antibiotic resistance acquisition. Some of these strategies involve permanent changes to the bacterial cell via mutations, while others are transient, adaptive changes whose expression depends on certain environmental cues or the growth phase. Finally, we discuss the most plausible strategies to limit the impact of phage resistance on therapy, with a special emphasis on the importance of a rational design of phage cocktails in order to thwart therapeutic failure.
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13
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Species-Scale Genomic Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus Genes Influencing Phage Host Range and Their Relationships to Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes. mSystems 2022; 7:e0108321. [PMID: 35040700 PMCID: PMC8765062 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01083-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy has been proposed as a possible alternative treatment for infections caused by the ubiquitous bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. However, successful therapy requires understanding the genetic basis of host range—the subset of strains in a species that could be killed by a particular phage. We searched diverse sets of S. aureus public genome sequences against a database of genes suggested from prior studies to influence host range to look for patterns of variation across the species. We found that genes encoding biosynthesis of molecules that were targets of S. aureus phage adsorption to the outer surface of the cell were the most conserved in the pangenome. Putative phage resistance genes that were core components of the pangenome genes had similar nucleotide diversity, ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions, and functionality (measured by delta-bitscore) to other core genes. However, phage resistance genes that were not part of the core genome were significantly less consistent with the core genome phylogeny than all noncore genes in this set, suggesting more frequent movement between strains by horizontal gene transfer. Only superinfection immunity genes encoded by temperate phages inserted in the genome correlated with experimentally determined temperate phage resistance. Taken together, these results suggested that, while phage adsorption genes are heavily conserved in the S. aureus species, HGT may play a significant role in strain-specific evolution of host range patterns. IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureus is a widespread, hospital- and community-acquired pathogen that is commonly antibiotic resistant. It causes diverse diseases affecting both the skin and internal organs. Its ubiquity, antibiotic resistance, and disease burden make new therapies urgent, such as phage therapy, in which viruses specific to infecting bacteria clear infection. S. aureus phage host range not only determines whether phage therapy will be successful by killing bacteria but also horizontal gene transfer through transduction of host genetic material by phages. In this work, we comprehensively reviewed existing literature to build a list of S. aureus phage resistance genes and searched our database of almost 43,000 S. aureus genomes for these genes to understand their patterns of evolution, finding that prophages’ superinfection immunity correlates best with phage resistance and HGT. These findings improved our understanding of the relationship between known phage resistance genes and phage host range in the species.
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14
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Goswami C, Fox S, Holden M, Leanord A, Evans TJ. Genomic Analysis of Global Staphylococcus argenteus Strains Reveals Distinct Lineages With Differing Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Gene Content. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:795173. [PMID: 34925305 PMCID: PMC8677677 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.795173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections due to Staphylococcus argenteus have been increasingly reported worldwide and the microbe cannot be distinguished from Staphylococcus aureus by standard methods. Its complement of virulence determinants and antibiotic resistance genes remain unclear, and how far these are distinct from those produced by S. aureus remains undetermined. In order to address these uncertainties, we have collected 132 publicly available sequences from fourteen different countries, including the United Kingdom, between 2005 and 2018 to study the global genetic structure of the population. We have compared the genomes for antibiotic resistance genes, virulence determinants and mobile genetic elements such as phages, pathogenicity islands and presence of plasmid groups between different clades. 20% (n = 26) isolates were methicillin resistant harboring a mecA gene and 88% were penicillin resistant, harboring the blaZ gene. ST2250 was identified as the most frequent strain, but ST1223, which was the second largest group, contained a marginally larger number of virulence genes compared to the other STs. Novel S. argenteus pathogenicity islands were identified in our isolates harboring tsst-1, seb, sec3, ear, selk, selq toxin genes, as well as chromosomal clusters of enterotoxin and superantigen-like genes. Strain-specific type I modification systems were widespread which would limit interstrain transfer of genetic material. In addition, ST2250 possessed a CRISPR/Cas system, lacking in most other STs. S. argenteus possesses important genetic differences from S. aureus, as well as between different STs, with the potential to produce distinct clinical manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosmika Goswami
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Fox
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Holden
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Alistair Leanord
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Scottish Microbiology Reference Laboratories, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas J. Evans
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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15
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Wang Y, Mao T, Li Y, Xiao W, Liang X, Duan G, Yang H. Characterization of 67 Confirmed Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats Loci in 52 Strains of Staphylococci. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:736565. [PMID: 34751223 PMCID: PMC8571024 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.736565] [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: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which is one of the most important species of Staphylococci, poses a great threat to public health. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and their CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) are an adaptive immune platform to combat foreign mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as plasmids and phages. The aim of this study is to describe the distribution and structure of CRISPR-Cas system in S. aureus, and to explore the relationship between CRISPR and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Here, we analyzed 67 confirmed CRISPR loci and 15 companion Cas proteins in 52 strains of Staphylococci with bioinformatics methods. Comparing with the orphan CRISPR loci in Staphylococci, the strains harboring complete CRISPR-Cas systems contained multiple CRISPR loci, direct repeat sequences (DR) forming stable RNA secondary structures with lower minimum free energy (MFE), and variable spacers with detectable protospacers. In S. aureus, unlike the orphan CRISPRs away from Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), the complete CRISPR-Cas systems were in J1 region of SCCmec. In addition, we found a conserved motif 5'-TTCTCGT-3' that may protect their downstream sequences from DNA interference. In general, orphan CRISPR locus in S. aureus differed greatly from the structural characteristics of the CRISPR-Cas system. Collectively, our results provided new insight into the diversity and characterization of the CRISPR-Cas system in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tingting Mao
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yinxia Li
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenwei Xiao
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xuan Liang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guangcai Duan
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Yang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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16
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Correlation between type IIIA CRISPR-Cas system and SCCmec in Staphylococcus epidermidis. Arch Microbiol 2021; 203:6275-6286. [PMID: 34668031 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02595-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
A subculture of S.epidermidis strain ATCC35984 that is amenable to genetically manipulate was occasionally found in our laboratory. This mutant exhibited susceptibility to methicillin in contrast to its parent strain. To unveil the underlying mechanism, whole-genome sequencing of the mutant was performed. A comparative analysis revealed that a large DNA fragment encompassing the CRISPR-Cas system, type I R-M system and the SCCmec element was deleted from the mutant. The large chromosomal deletion associated with CRISPR-Cas system was also observed to occur spontaneously in S. epidermidis in another independent laboratory, or artificially induced by introducing engineering crRNAs in other bacterial species. These findings imply the CRISPR-Cas systems can affect bacterial genome remodeling through deletion of the integrated MGEs (mobile genetic elements). Further bioinformatics analysis identified a higher carriage rate of SCCmec element in the S. epidermidis strains harboring the CRISPR-Cas system. MLST typing and phylogenetic analysis of those CRIPSR-Cas-positive S. epidermidis strains revealed multiple origins. In addition, distinct types of SCCmec carried in those strains suggested that acquisition of this MGE originated from multiple independent recombination events. Intriguingly, CRISPR-Cas systems are found to be always located in the vicinity of orfX gene among staphylococci. Allelic analysis of CRISPR loci flanking cas genes disclosed that the loci distal to the orfX gene are considerably stable and conserved, which probably serve as recombination hotspot between CRISPR-Cas system and phage or plasmid. Therefore, the findings generally support the notion that incomplete immune protection of CRISPR-Cas system can promote dissemination of its neighboring SCCmec element.
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17
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Vink JNA, Baijens JHL, Brouns SJJ. PAM-repeat associations and spacer selection preferences in single and co-occurring CRISPR-Cas systems. Genome Biol 2021; 22:281. [PMID: 34593010 PMCID: PMC8482600 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02495-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adaptive CRISPR-Cas immune system stores sequences from past invaders as spacers in CRISPR arrays and thereby provides direct evidence that links invaders to hosts. Mapping CRISPR spacers has revealed many aspects of CRISPR-Cas biology, including target requirements such as the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM). However, studies have so far been limited by a low number of mapped spacers in the database. RESULTS By using vast metagenomic sequence databases, we map approximately one-third of more than 200,000 unique CRISPR spacers from a variety of microbes and derive a catalog of more than two hundred unique PAM sequences associated with specific CRISPR-Cas subtypes. These PAMs are further used to correctly assign the orientation of CRISPR arrays, revealing conserved patterns between the last nucleotides of the CRISPR repeat and PAM. We could also deduce CRISPR-Cas subtype-specific preferences for targeting either template or coding strand of open reading frames. While some DNA-targeting systems (type I-E and type II systems) prefer the template strand and avoid mRNA, other DNA- and RNA-targeting systems (types I-A and I-B and type III systems) prefer the coding strand and mRNA. In addition, we find large-scale evidence that both CRISPR-Cas adaptation machinery and CRISPR arrays are shared between different CRISPR-Cas systems. This could lead to simultaneous DNA and RNA targeting of invaders, which may be effective at combating mobile genetic invaders. CONCLUSIONS This study has broad implications for our understanding of how CRISPR-Cas systems work in a wide range of organisms for which only the genome sequence is known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochem N A Vink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H L Baijens
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Stan J J Brouns
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands.
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18
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Li Y, Mikkelsen K, Lluch I Grané O, Wang Z, Tang Y, Jiao X, Ingmer H, Høyland-Kroghsbo NM, Li Q. Functional Characterization of Type III-A CRISPR-Cas in a Clinical Human Methicillin-R Staphylococcus aureus Strain. CRISPR J 2021; 4:686-698. [PMID: 34558981 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2021.0046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR with its cas genes is an adaptive immune system that protects prokaryotes against foreign genetic elements. The type III-A CRISPR-Cas system is rarely found in Staphylococcus aureus, and little is known about its function in S. aureus. Here, we describe the genome characteristics of the clinical methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain TZ0912, carrying a type III-A CRISPR-Cas system. Phylogenetic analysis of 35 reported CRISPR-Cas-positive S. aureus strains revealed that the CRISPR-Cas system is prevalent in CC8 clones (10/35) and is located in the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) V, which confers methicillin resistance. Plasmid transformation and phage infection assays reveal that the type III-A CRISPR-Cas system protects TZ0912 against foreign DNA with sequence homology to the spacers located in the CRISPR array. We observed that the CRISPR-Cas immune system could effectively protect MRSA against phage attacks in both liquid culture and solid medium. In accordance with previous reports, using RNA-seq analysis and plasmid transformation assays, we find that the crRNAs close to the leading sequence of the CRISPR array are more highly expressed and are more effective at directing plasmid elimination compared to the distant spacers. This study established a model for evaluating the efficiency of naive CRISPR-Cas system in MRSA against phage, which could contribute to future research on the function of CRISPR-Cas in clinical MRSA isolates and improve phage therapy against MRSA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agri-food Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kasper Mikkelsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Oleguer Lluch I Grané
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agri-food Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yuanyue Tang
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agri-food Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; and University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Xinan Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agri-food Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; and University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hanne Ingmer
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Qiuchun Li
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agri-food Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, Yangzhou University, P.R. China; and University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Steens JA, Zhu Y, Taylor DW, Bravo JPK, Prinsen SHP, Schoen CD, Keijser BJF, Ossendrijver M, Hofstra LM, Brouns SJJ, Shinkai A, van der Oost J, Staals RHJ. SCOPE enables type III CRISPR-Cas diagnostics using flexible targeting and stringent CARF ribonuclease activation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5033. [PMID: 34413302 PMCID: PMC8376896 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25337-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Characteristic properties of type III CRISPR-Cas systems include recognition of target RNA and the subsequent induction of a multifaceted immune response. This involves sequence-specific cleavage of the target RNA and production of cyclic oligoadenylate (cOA) molecules. Here we report that an exposed seed region at the 3' end of the crRNA is essential for target RNA binding and cleavage, whereas cOA production requires base pairing at the 5' end of the crRNA. Moreover, we uncover that the variation in the size and composition of type III complexes within a single host results in variable seed regions. This may prevent escape by invading genetic elements, while controlling cOA production tightly to prevent unnecessary damage to the host. Lastly, we use these findings to develop a new diagnostic tool, SCOPE, for the specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 from human nasal swab samples, revealing sensitivities in the atto-molar range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurre A Steens
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Scope Biosciences, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yifan Zhu
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - David W Taylor
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jack P K Bravo
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | - Cor D Schoen
- BioInteractions and Plant Health, Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - L Marije Hofstra
- Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stan J J Brouns
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Akeo Shinkai
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Sayo, Hyogo, Japan
- RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - John van der Oost
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Raymond H J Staals
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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20
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Cruz-López EA, Rivera G, Cruz-Hernández MA, Martínez-Vázquez AV, Castro-Escarpulli G, Flores-Magallón R, Vázquez K, Cruz-Pulido WL, Bocanegra-García V. Identification and Characterization of the CRISPR/Cas System in Staphylococcus aureus Strains From Diverse Sources. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:656996. [PMID: 34149645 PMCID: PMC8206494 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.656996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas [clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and the CRISPR-associated genes (Cas)] system provides defense mechanisms in bacteria and archaea vs. mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as plasmids and bacteriophages, which can either be harmful or add sequences that can provide virulence or antibiotic resistance. Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium that could be the etiological agent of important soft tissue infections that can lead to bacteremia and sepsis. The role of the CRISPR-Cas system in S. aureus is not completely understood since there is a lack of knowledge about it. We analyzed 716 genomes and 1 genomic island from GENOMES-NCBI and ENA-EMBL searching for the CRISPR-Cas systems and their spacer sequences (SSs). Our bioinformatic analysis shows that only 0.83% (6/716) of the analyzed genomes harbored the CRISPR-Cas system, all of them were subtype III-A, which is characterized by the presence of the cas10/csm1 gene. Analysis of SSs showed that 91% (40/44) had no match to annotated MGEs and 9% of SSs corresponded to plasmids and bacteriophages, indicating that those phages had infected those S. aureus strains. Some of those phages have been proposed as an alternative therapy in biofilm-forming or infection with S. aureus strains, but these findings indicate that such antibiotic phage strategy would be ineffective. More research about the CRISPR/Cas system is necessary for a bigger number of S. aureus strains from different sources, so additional features can be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Adrian Cruz-López
- Laboratorio Interacción Ambiente-Microorganismo, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Tamaulipas, Mexico
| | - Gildardo Rivera
- Laboratorio Interacción Ambiente-Microorganismo, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Tamaulipas, Mexico
| | - María Antonia Cruz-Hernández
- Laboratorio Interacción Ambiente-Microorganismo, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Tamaulipas, Mexico
| | - Ana Verónica Martínez-Vázquez
- Laboratorio Interacción Ambiente-Microorganismo, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Tamaulipas, Mexico
| | - Graciela Castro-Escarpulli
- Laboratorio de Investigación Clínica y Ambiental, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rebeca Flores-Magallón
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación Para el Desarrollo Integral Regional, Unidad Michoacán, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Jiquilpan, Mexico
| | - Karina Vázquez
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico
| | | | - Virgilio Bocanegra-García
- Laboratorio Interacción Ambiente-Microorganismo, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Tamaulipas, Mexico
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21
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Maguvu TE, Oladipo AO, Bezuidenhout CC. Analysis of Genome Sequences of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Isolates from South Africa and Nigeria Highlighted Environmentally Driven Heterogeneity. J Genomics 2021; 9:26-37. [PMID: 34025805 PMCID: PMC8133835 DOI: 10.7150/jgen.53019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we report high-quality annotated draft genomes of eight coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolates obtained from South Africa and Nigeria. We explored the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes, their association with mobile genetic elements. The pan-genomic analysis highlighted the environmentally driven heterogeneity of the isolates. Isolates from Nigeria had at least one gene for cadmium resistance/tolerance, these genes were not detected in isolates from South Africa. In contrast, isolates from South Africa had a tetM gene, which was not detected among the isolates from Nigeria. The observed genomic heterogeneity correlates with anthropogenic activities in the area where the isolates were collected. Moreover, the isolates used in this study possess an open pan-genome, which could easily explain the environmentally driven heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tawanda Elias Maguvu
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management: Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
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22
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Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems provide bacteria and archaea with adaptive, heritable immunity against their viruses (bacteriophages and phages) and other parasitic genetic elements. CRISPR-Cas systems are highly diverse, and we are only beginning to understand their relative importance in phage defense. In this review, we will discuss when and why CRISPR-Cas immunity against phages evolves, and how this, in turn, selects for the evolution of immune evasion by phages. Finally, we will discuss our current understanding of if, and when, we observe coevolution between CRISPR-Cas systems and phages, and how this may be influenced by the mechanism of CRISPR-Cas immunity.
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23
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Type III-A CRISPR immunity promotes mutagenesis of staphylococci. Nature 2021; 592:611-615. [PMID: 33828299 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03440-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer and mutation are the two major drivers of microbial evolution that enable bacteria to adapt to fluctuating environmental stressors1. Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) systems use RNA-guided nucleases to direct sequence-specific destruction of the genomes of mobile genetic elements that mediate horizontal gene transfer, such as conjugative plasmids2 and bacteriophages3, thus limiting the extent to which bacteria can evolve by this mechanism. A subset of CRISPR systems also exhibit non-specific degradation of DNA4,5; however, whether and how this feature affects the host has not yet been examined. Here we show that the non-specific DNase activity of the staphylococcal type III-A CRISPR-Cas system increases mutations in the host and accelerates the generation of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. These mutations require the induction of the SOS response to DNA damage and display a distinct pattern. Our results demonstrate that by differentially affecting both mechanisms that generate genetic diversity, type III-A CRISPR systems can modulate the evolution of the bacterial host.
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24
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Pereira HS, Tagliaferri TL, Mendes TADO. Enlarging the Toolbox Against Antimicrobial Resistance: Aptamers and CRISPR-Cas. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:606360. [PMID: 33679633 PMCID: PMC7932999 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.606360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the post-genomic era, molecular treatments and diagnostics have been envisioned as powerful techniques to tackle the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. Among the molecular approaches, aptamers and CRISPR-Cas have gained support due to their practicality, sensibility, and flexibility to interact with a variety of extra- and intracellular targets. Those characteristics enabled the development of quick and onsite diagnostic tools as well as alternative treatments for pan-resistant bacterial infections. Even with such potential, more studies are necessary to pave the way for their successful use against AMR. In this review, we highlight those two robust techniques and encourage researchers to refine them toward AMR. Also, we describe how aptamers and CRISPR-Cas can work together with the current diagnostic and treatment toolbox.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tiago Antônio de Oliveira Mendes
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology and Modelling of Biological Systems, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
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25
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Zhu J, Liu B, Shu X, Sun B. A novel mutation of walK confers vancomycin-intermediate resistance in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. Int J Med Microbiol 2021; 311:151473. [PMID: 33445057 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2021.151473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
With the treatment failure by vancomycin and poor clinical outcomes, the emergence and spread of vancomycin intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) has raised more concerns in recent years. While most VISA strains are isolated from methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the mechanism underlying the generation of VISA from methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) is still largely unknown. Here, we identified a total of 10 mutations in 9 genes through comparative genome analysis from laboratory-derived VISA strain. We verified the role of a novel mutation of WalK (I237T) and our results further indicated that the introduction of WalK (I237T) by allelic replacement can confer vancomycin resistance in MSSA with common VISA characteristics, including thickened cell walls, reduced autolysis, and attenuated virulence. Consistent with these phenotypes, real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR revealed the altered expression of several genes associated with cell wall metabolism and virulence control. In addition, electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that WalR can directly bind to the promoter regions of oatA, sle1, and mgt, fluorescence-based promoter activity and β-galactosidase assays revealed WalK (I237T) can alter promoter activities of oatA, mgt, and sle1, thus regulating genes expression. These findings broaden our understanding of the regulatory network by WalKR system and decipher the molecular mechanisms of developmental VISA resistance in MSSA with point mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiade Zhu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Banghui Liu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Xueqin Shu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Baolin Sun
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, 230027, China.
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26
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Moller AG, Winston K, Ji S, Wang J, Hargita Davis MN, Solís-Lemus CR, Read TD. Genes Influencing Phage Host Range in Staphylococcus aureus on a Species-Wide Scale. mSphere 2021; 6:e01263-20. [PMID: 33441407 PMCID: PMC7845607 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.01263-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen that causes serious diseases, ranging from skin infections to septic shock. Bacteriophages (phages) are both natural killers of S. aureus, offering therapeutic possibilities, and important vectors of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the species. Here, we used high-throughput approaches to understand the genetic basis of strain-to-strain variation in sensitivity to phages, which defines the host range. We screened 259 diverse S. aureus strains covering more than 40 sequence types for sensitivity to eight phages, which were representatives of the three phage classes that infect the species. The phages were variable in host range, each infecting between 73 and 257 strains. Using genome-wide association approaches, we identified putative loci that affect host range and validated their function using USA300 transposon knockouts. In addition to rediscovering known host range determinants, we found several previously unreported genes affecting bacterial growth during phage infection, including trpA, phoR, isdB, sodM, fmtC, and relA We used the data from our host range matrix to develop predictive models that achieved between 40% and 95% accuracy. This work illustrates the complexity of the genetic basis for phage susceptibility in S. aureus but also shows that with more data, we may be able to understand much of the variation. With a knowledge of host range determination, we can rationally design phage therapy cocktails that target the broadest host range of S. aureus strains and address basic questions regarding phage-host interactions, such as the impact of phage on S. aureus evolution.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureus is a widespread, hospital- and community-acquired pathogen, many strains of which are antibiotic resistant. It causes diverse diseases, ranging from local to systemic infection, and affects both the skin and many internal organs, including the heart, lungs, bones, and brain. Its ubiquity, antibiotic resistance, and disease burden make new therapies urgent. One alternative therapy to antibiotics is phage therapy, in which viruses specific to infecting bacteria clear infection. In this work, we identified and validated S. aureus genes that influence phage host range-the number of strains a phage can infect and kill-by testing strains representative of the diversity of the S. aureus species for phage host range and associating the genome sequences of strains with host range. These findings together improved our understanding of how phage therapy works in the bacterium and improve prediction of phage therapy efficacy based on the predicted host range of the infecting strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham G Moller
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG) Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (GDBBS), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kyle Winston
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Shiyu Ji
- Eugene Gangarosa Laboratory Research Fellowship, Emory College Online & Summer Programs, Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Junting Wang
- Department of Statistics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Michelle N Hargita Davis
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Claudia R Solís-Lemus
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Timothy D Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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27
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Zhang W, Wu Q. Applications of phage-derived RNA-based technologies in synthetic biology. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2020; 5:343-360. [PMID: 33083579 PMCID: PMC7564126 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2020.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As the most abundant biological entities with incredible diversity, bacteriophages (also known as phages) have been recognized as an important source of molecular machines for the development of genetic-engineering tools. At the same time, phages are crucial for establishing and improving basic theories of molecular biology. Studies on phages provide rich sources of essential elements for synthetic circuit design as well as powerful support for the improvement of directed evolution platforms. Therefore, phages play a vital role in the development of new technologies and central scientific concepts. After the RNA world hypothesis was proposed and developed, novel biological functions of RNA continue to be discovered. RNA and its related elements are widely used in many fields such as metabolic engineering and medical diagnosis, and their versatility led to a major role of RNA in synthetic biology. Further development of RNA-based technologies will advance synthetic biological tools as well as provide verification of the RNA world hypothesis. Most synthetic biology efforts are based on reconstructing existing biological systems, understanding fundamental biological processes, and developing new technologies. RNA-based technologies derived from phages will offer abundant sources for synthetic biological components. Moreover, phages as well as RNA have high impact on biological evolution, which is pivotal for understanding the origin of life, building artificial life-forms, and precisely reprogramming biological systems. This review discusses phage-derived RNA-based technologies terms of phage components, the phage lifecycle, and interactions between phages and bacteria. The significance of RNA-based technology derived from phages for synthetic biology and for understanding the earliest stages of biological evolution will be highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Zhang
- MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Corresponding author. MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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28
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Complete Genome Sequences of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains 110900 and 128254, Two Representatives of the CRISPR-Cas-Carrying Sequence Type 630/ spa Type t4549 Lineage. Microbiol Resour Announc 2020; 9:9/41/e00891-20. [PMID: 33033131 PMCID: PMC7545285 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00891-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sequence type 630 (ST630) and spa type t4549 is an emerging lineage in Nordic countries, and some representatives carry the CRISPR-Cas system. Here, the complete genome sequences of two isolates from this lineage are presented, comprising chromosomes of 2,918,239 and 2,877,083 nucleotides, respectively, and a 2,473-nucleotide plasmid carrying erm(C).
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29
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Heterogeneity of Molecular Characteristics among Staphylococcus argenteus Clinical Isolates (ST2250, ST2793, ST1223, and ST2198) in Northern Taiwan. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8081157. [PMID: 32751608 PMCID: PMC7464136 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8081157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus argenteus is an emerging pathogen that is recognized as non-pigmented Staphylococcus aureus. However, the molecular characteristics of S. argenteus and its virulence factors have not been well studied. The present study analyzed 96 isolates of S. argenteus recovered from blood. Identification of S. argenteus was based on results of MALDI-TOF MS and lacking crtM gene. All 96 isolates were methicillin-susceptible. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) revealed four sequence types: ST2250 (n = 72), ST2793 (n = 12), ST1223 (n = 10), and ST2198 (n = 2). All 72 ST2250 isolates harbored CRISPR loci with polymorphism of direct repeats and spacers, but no other STs carried CRISPR loci. To date, ST2793 isolates have rarely been reported in other countries. Collagen-binding adhesin gene (cna) and staphylococcal enterotoxin type C (sec) were detected in 12 (100%) and 8 (67%) ST2793 isolates, respectively. ST1223 has been reported as food poisoning pathogens, and enterotoxin gene clusters (egc) were detected in all 10 isolates, while seb gene was detected in three isolates. Two ST2198 isolates carried bone sialoprotein-binding protein gene (bbp), belonging to agr type IV. Our focus on the heterogeneity of molecular characterization in four ST types of S. argenteus revealed that S. argenteus had been isolated as early as 2000. Each ST type of S. argenteus harbors particular genetic markers that may contribute to their virulence.
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30
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Foster K, Grüschow S, Bailey S, White MF, Terns MP. Regulation of the RNA and DNA nuclease activities required for Pyrococcus furiosus Type III-B CRISPR-Cas immunity. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:4418-4434. [PMID: 32198888 PMCID: PMC7192623 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Type III CRISPR-Cas prokaryotic immune systems provide anti-viral and anti-plasmid immunity via a dual mechanism of RNA and DNA destruction. Upon target RNA interaction, Type III crRNP effector complexes become activated to cleave both target RNA (via Cas7) and target DNA (via Cas10). Moreover, trans-acting endoribonucleases, Csx1 or Csm6, can promote the Type III immune response by destroying both invader and host RNAs. Here, we characterize how the RNase and DNase activities associated with Type III-B immunity in Pyrococcus furiosus (Pfu) are regulated by target RNA features and second messenger signaling events. In vivo mutational analyses reveal that either the DNase activity of Cas10 or the RNase activity of Csx1 can effectively direct successful anti-plasmid immunity. Biochemical analyses confirmed that the Cas10 Palm domains convert ATP into cyclic oligoadenylate (cOA) compounds that activate the ribonuclease activity of Pfu Csx1. Furthermore, we show that the HEPN domain of the adenosine-specific endoribonuclease, Pfu Csx1, degrades cOA signaling molecules to provide an auto-inhibitory off-switch of Csx1 activation. Activation of both the DNase and cOA generation activities require target RNA binding and recognition of distinct target RNA 3' protospacer flanking sequences. Our results highlight the complex regulatory mechanisms controlling Type III CRISPR immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kawanda Foster
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Sabine Grüschow
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Scott Bailey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Malcolm F White
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Michael P Terns
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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31
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Rossi CC, Pereira MF, Giambiagi-deMarval M. Underrated Staphylococcus species and their role in antimicrobial resistance spreading. Genet Mol Biol 2020; 43:e20190065. [PMID: 32052827 PMCID: PMC7198029 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2019-0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance has shed light on the interconnection between humans, animals, the environment, and their roles in the exchange and spreading of resistance genes. In this review, we present evidences that show that Staphylococcus species, usually referred to as harmless or opportunistic pathogens, represent a threat to human and animal health for acting as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes. The capacity of genetic exchange between isolates of different sources and species of the Staphylococcus genus is discussed with emphasis on mobile genetic elements, the contribution of biofilm formation, and evidences obtained either experimentally or through genome analyses. We also discuss the involvement of CRISPR-Cas systems in the limitation of horizontal gene transfer and its suitability as a molecular clock to describe the history of genetic exchange between staphylococci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro César Rossi
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Marcia Giambiagi-deMarval
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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32
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Głowacka-Rutkowska A, Gozdek A, Empel J, Gawor J, Żuchniewicz K, Kozińska A, Dębski J, Gromadka R, Łobocka M. The Ability of Lytic Staphylococcal Podovirus vB_SauP_phiAGO1.3 to Coexist in Equilibrium With Its Host Facilitates the Selection of Host Mutants of Attenuated Virulence but Does Not Preclude the Phage Antistaphylococcal Activity in a Nematode Infection Model. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3227. [PMID: 30713528 PMCID: PMC6346686 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Phage vB_SauP_phiAGO1.3 (phiAGO1.3) is a polyvalent Staphylococcus lytic podovirus with a 17.6-kb genome (Gozdek et al., 2018). It can infect most of the Staphylococcus aureus human isolates of dominant clonal complexes. We show that a major factor contributing to the wide host range of phiAGO1.3 is a lack or sparcity of target sites for certain restriction-modification systems of types I and II in its genome. Phage phiAGO1.3 requires for adsorption β-O-GlcNAcylated cell wall teichoic acid, which is also essential for the expression of methicillin resistance. Under certain conditions an exposure of S. aureus to phiAGO1.3 can lead to the establishment of a mixed population in which the bacteria and phages remain in equilibrium over multiple generations. This is reminiscent of the so called phage carrier state enabling the co-existence of phage-resistant and phage-sensitive cells supporting a continuous growth of the bacterial and phage populations. The stable co-existence of bacteria and phage favors the emergence of phage-resistant variants of the bacterium. All phiAGO1.3-resistant cells isolated from the phage-carrier-state cultures contained a mutation inactivating the two-component regulatory system ArlRS, essential for efficient expression of numerous S. aureus virulence-associated traits. Moreover, the mutants were unaffected in their susceptibility to infection with an unrelated, polyvalent S. aureus phage of the genus Kayvirus. The ability of phiAGO1.3 to establish phage-carrier-state cultures did not preclude its antistaphylococcal activity in vivo in an S. aureus nematode infection model. Taken together our results suggest that phiAGO1.3 could be suitable for the therapeutic application in humans and animals, alone or in cocktails with Kayvirus phages. It might be especially useful in the treatment of infections with the majority of methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Głowacka-Rutkowska
- Department of Microbial Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Gozdek
- Department of Microbial Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Empel
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jan Gawor
- Laboratory of DNA Sequencing and Oligonucleotide Synthesis, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Żuchniewicz
- Laboratory of DNA Sequencing and Oligonucleotide Synthesis, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Kozińska
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Janusz Dębski
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert Gromadka
- Laboratory of DNA Sequencing and Oligonucleotide Synthesis, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Łobocka
- Department of Microbial Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Autonomous Department of Microbial Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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33
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Terns MP. CRISPR-Based Technologies: Impact of RNA-Targeting Systems. Mol Cell 2018; 72:404-412. [PMID: 30388409 PMCID: PMC6239212 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
DNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas systems, such as those employing the RNA-guided Cas9 or Cas12 endonucleases, have revolutionized our ability to predictably edit genomes and control gene expression. Here, I summarize information on RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas systems and describe recent advances in converting them into powerful and programmable RNA-binding and cleavage tools with a wide range of novel and important biotechnological and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Terns
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Argemi X, Matelska D, Ginalski K, Riegel P, Hansmann Y, Bloom J, Pestel-Caron M, Dahyot S, Lebeurre J, Prévost G. Comparative genomic analysis of Staphylococcus lugdunensis shows a closed pan-genome and multiple barriers to horizontal gene transfer. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:621. [PMID: 30126366 PMCID: PMC6102843 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4978-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) are commensal bacteria on human skin. Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a unique CoNS which produces various virulence factors and may, like S. aureus, cause severe infections, particularly in hospital settings. Unlike other staphylococci, it remains highly susceptible to antimicrobials, and genome-based phylogenetic studies have evidenced a highly conserved genome that distinguishes it from all other staphylococci. Results We demonstrate that S. lugdunensis possesses a closed pan-genome with a very limited number of new genes, in contrast to other staphylococci that have an open pan-genome. Whole-genome nucleotide and amino acid identity levels are also higher than in other staphylococci. We identified numerous genetic barriers to horizontal gene transfer that might explain this result. The S. lugdunensis genome has multiple operons encoding for restriction-modification, CRISPR/Cas and toxin/antitoxin systems. We also identified a new PIN-like domain-associated protein that might belong to a larger operon, comprising a metalloprotease, that could function as a new toxin/antitoxin or detoxification system. Conclusion We show that S. lugdunensis has a unique genome profile within staphylococci, with a closed pan-genome and several systems to prevent horizontal gene transfer. Its virulence in clinical settings does not rely on its ability to acquire and exchange antibiotic resistance genes or other virulence factors as shown for other staphylococci. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4978-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Argemi
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hôpitaux Universitaires, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, 67000, Strasbourg, France. .,Université de Strasbourg, CHRU Strasbourg, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, EA 7290, Virulence Bactérienne Précoce, F-67000, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Dorota Matelska
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Ginalski
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Philippe Riegel
- Université de Strasbourg, CHRU Strasbourg, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, EA 7290, Virulence Bactérienne Précoce, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Yves Hansmann
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hôpitaux Universitaires, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, 67000, Strasbourg, France.,Université de Strasbourg, CHRU Strasbourg, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, EA 7290, Virulence Bactérienne Précoce, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jochen Bloom
- Bioinformatics & Systems Biology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, 35392, Gießen, Germany
| | - Martine Pestel-Caron
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, GRAM EA2656, Rouen University Hospital, F-76000, Rouen, France
| | - Sandrine Dahyot
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, GRAM EA2656, Rouen University Hospital, F-76000, Rouen, France
| | - Jérémie Lebeurre
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, GRAM EA2656, Rouen University Hospital, F-76000, Rouen, France
| | - Gilles Prévost
- Université de Strasbourg, CHRU Strasbourg, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, EA 7290, Virulence Bactérienne Précoce, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
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35
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Foster K, Kalter J, Woodside W, Terns RM, Terns MP. The ribonuclease activity of Csm6 is required for anti-plasmid immunity by Type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems. RNA Biol 2018; 16:449-460. [PMID: 29995577 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2018.1493334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems provide prokaryotes with RNA-based adaptive immunity against viruses and plasmids. A unique feature of Type III CRISPR-Cas systems is that they selectively target transcriptionally-active invader DNA, and can cleave both the expressed RNA transcripts and source DNA. The Type III-A effector crRNP (CRISPR RNA-Cas protein complex), which contains Cas proteins Csm1-5, recognizes and degrades invader RNA and DNA in a crRNA-guided, manner. Interestingly, Type III-A systems also employ Csm6, an HEPN family ribonuclease that does not stably associate with the Type III-A effector crRNP, but nevertheless contributes to defense via mechanistic details that are still being determined. Here, we investigated the mechanism of action of Csm6 in Type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems from Lactococcus lactis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus thermophilus expressed in Escherichia coli. We found that L. lactis and S. epidermidis Csm6 cleave RNA specifically after purines in vitro, similar to the activity reported for S. thermophilus Csm6. Moreover, L. lactis Csm6 functions as a divalent metal-independent, single strand-specific endoribonuclease that depends on the conserved HEPN domain. In vivo, we show that deletion of csm6 or expression of an RNase-defective form of Csm6 disrupts crRNA-dependent loss of plasmid DNA in all three systems expressed in E. coli. Mutations in the Csm1 palm domain, which are known to deactivate Csm6 ribonuclease activity, also prevent plasmid loss in the three systems. The results indicate that Csm6 ribonuclease activity rather than Csm1-mediated DNase activity effects anti-plasmid immunity by the three Type III-A systems investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kawanda Foster
- a Department of Microbiology , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA
| | - Joshua Kalter
- b Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA
| | - Walter Woodside
- a Department of Microbiology , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA
| | - Rebecca M Terns
- b Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA
| | - Michael P Terns
- a Department of Microbiology , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA.,b Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA.,c Department of Genetics , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA
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36
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Ajuebor J, Buttimer C, Arroyo-Moreno S, Chanishvili N, Gabriel EM, O'Mahony J, McAuliffe O, Neve H, Franz C, Coffey A. Comparison of Staphylococcus Phage K with Close Phage Relatives Commonly Employed in Phage Therapeutics. Antibiotics (Basel) 2018; 7:E37. [PMID: 29693603 PMCID: PMC6022877 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics7020037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The increase in antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a public health danger requiring alternative treatment options, and this has led to renewed interest in phage therapy. In this respect, we describe the distinct host ranges of Staphylococcus phage K, and two other K-like phages against 23 isolates, including 21 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) representative sequence types representing the Irish National MRSA Reference Laboratory collection. The two K-like phages were isolated from the Fersisi therapeutic phage mix from the Tbilisi Eliava Institute, and were designated B1 (vB_SauM_B1) and JA1 (vB_SauM_JA1). The sequence relatedness of B1 and JA1 to phage K was observed to be 95% and 94% respectively. In terms of host range on the 23 Staphylococcus isolates, B1 and JA1 infected 73.9% and 78.2% respectively, whereas K infected only 43.5%. Eleven open reading frames (ORFs) present in both phages B1 and JA1 but absent in phage K were identified by comparative genomic analysis. These ORFs were also found to be present in the genomes of phages (Team 1, vB_SauM-fRuSau02, Sb_1 and ISP) that are components of several commercial phage mixtures with reported wide host ranges. This is the first comparative study of therapeutic staphylococcal phages within the recently described genus Kayvirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude Ajuebor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork T12 P928, UK.
| | - Colin Buttimer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork T12 P928, UK.
| | - Sara Arroyo-Moreno
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork T12 P928, UK.
| | - Nina Chanishvili
- Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology, Tbilisi 0160, Georgia.
| | - Emma M Gabriel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork T12 P928, UK.
| | - Jim O'Mahony
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork T12 P928, UK.
| | - Olivia McAuliffe
- Teagasc, Moorepark Food Research Centre, Fermoy, Cork P61 C996, UK.
| | - Horst Neve
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, DE-24103 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Charles Franz
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, DE-24103 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Aidan Coffey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork T12 P928, UK.
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College, Cork T12 YT20, UK.
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37
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Zhang DF, Yang XY, Zhang J, Qin X, Huang X, Cui Y, Zhou M, Shi C, French NP, Shi X. Identification and characterization of two novel superantigens among Staphylococcus aureus complex. Int J Med Microbiol 2018; 308:438-446. [PMID: 29574061 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), also known as superantigens, play a very important role in infections and food poisoning caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Recently, S. argenteus and S. schweitzeri were recognized as novel species closely related to S. aureus. In this study of these three species, it was found that two putative SE genes were located upstream of some vSaβ pathogenicity islands and the deduced amino acid sequences showed < 65.3% identity with those of known SEs. The related proteins, designated staphylococcal enterotoxin-like toxin 26 (SEl26) and 27 (SEl27), were identified and characterized among the three species. The mRNAs encoding SEl26 and SEl27 were expressed during all the growth phases. Recombinant SEl26 and SEl27 exhibited superantigenic activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and mouse splenocytes by examining cell proliferation and cytokine production. Interestingly, these two genes were present universally in S. argenteus sequence type 2250 with clinical importance. Meanwhile, SEl27 variants from different species showed differential sensitivity to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which corresponded to the primary bacterial species hosts. It was demonstrated from these results that SEl26 and SEl27 were characterized to be two novel SE toxins and some SEs evolved along with the bacteria when the organisms adapted the hosts' immune systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dao-Feng Zhang
- MOST-USDA Joint Research Center for Food Safety, School of Agriculture and Biology & State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xin-Yi Yang
- Zhuhai Biori Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Zhuhai, 519015, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- MOST-USDA Joint Research Center for Food Safety, School of Agriculture and Biology & State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xiaojie Qin
- MOST-USDA Joint Research Center for Food Safety, School of Agriculture and Biology & State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xiaozhen Huang
- MOST-USDA Joint Research Center for Food Safety, School of Agriculture and Biology & State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yan Cui
- MOST-USDA Joint Research Center for Food Safety, School of Agriculture and Biology & State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Min Zhou
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, Hubei, China
| | - Chunlei Shi
- MOST-USDA Joint Research Center for Food Safety, School of Agriculture and Biology & State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Nigel P French
- Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Xianming Shi
- MOST-USDA Joint Research Center for Food Safety, School of Agriculture and Biology & State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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38
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Incomplete prophage tolerance by type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems reduces the fitness of lysogenic hosts. Nat Commun 2018; 9:61. [PMID: 29302058 PMCID: PMC5754349 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02557-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR–Cas systems offer an immune mechanism through which prokaryotic hosts can acquire heritable resistance to genetic parasites, including temperate phages. Co-transcriptional DNA and RNA targeting by type III-A CRISPR–Cas systems restricts temperate phage lytic infections while allowing lysogenic infections to be tolerated under conditions where the prophage targets are transcriptionally repressed. However, long-term consequences of this phenomenon have not been explored. Here we show that maintenance of conditionally tolerant type III-A systems can produce fitness costs within populations of Staphylococcus aureus lysogens. The fitness costs depend on the activity of prophage-internal promoters and type III-A Cas nucleases implicated in targeting, can be more severe in double lysogens, and are alleviated by spacer-target mismatches which do not abrogate immunity during the lytic cycle. These findings suggest that persistence of type III-A systems that target endogenous prophages could be enhanced by spacer-target mismatches, particularly among populations that are prone to polylysogenization. CRISPR-Cas systems, such as type III-A CRISPR-Cas, provide an immune mechanism for prokaryotic hosts to resist parasites, including phages. Here, the authors show that maintenance of conditionally tolerant type III-A systems can affect the fitness of Staphylococcus aureus lysogens.
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39
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Chromosomal Targeting by the Type III-A CRISPR-Cas System Can Reshape Genomes in Staphylococcus aureus. mSphere 2017; 2:mSphere00403-17. [PMID: 29152580 PMCID: PMC5687920 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00403-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that can cause a wide range of infections in humans. Studies have suggested that CRISPR-Cas systems can drive the loss of integrated mobile genetic elements (MGEs) by chromosomal targeting. Here we demonstrate that CRISPR-mediated cleavage contributes to the partial deletion of integrated SCCmec in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which provides a strategy for the treatment of MRSA infections. The spacer within artificial CRISPR arrays should contain more than 25 nucleotides for immunity, and consecutive trinucleotide pairings between a selected target and the 5′ tag of crRNA can block targeting. These findings add to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the type III-A CRISPR-Cas system and provide a novel strategy for the exploitation of engineered CRISPR immunity against integrated MGEs in bacteria for clinical and industrial applications. CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat [CRISPR]-CRISPR-associated protein [Cas]) systems can provide protection against invading genetic elements by using CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) as a guide to locate and degrade the target DNA. CRISPR-Cas systems have been classified into two classes and five types according to the content of cas genes. Previous studies have indicated that CRISPR-Cas systems can avoid viral infection and block plasmid transfer. Here we show that chromosomal targeting by the Staphylococcus aureus type III-A CRISPR-Cas system can drive large-scale genome deletion and alteration within integrated staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). The targeting activity of the CRISPR-Cas system is associated with the complementarity between crRNAs and protospacers, and 10- to 13-nucleotide truncations of spacers partially block CRISPR attack and more than 13-nucleotide truncation can fully abolish targeting, suggesting that a minimal length is required to license cleavage. Avoiding base pairings in the upstream region of protospacers is also necessary for CRISPR targeting. Successive trinucleotide complementarity between the 5′ tag of crRNAs and protospacers can disrupt targeting. Our findings reveal that type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems can modulate bacterial genome stability and may serve as a high-efficiency tool for deleting resistance or virulence genes in bacteria. IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that can cause a wide range of infections in humans. Studies have suggested that CRISPR-Cas systems can drive the loss of integrated mobile genetic elements (MGEs) by chromosomal targeting. Here we demonstrate that CRISPR-mediated cleavage contributes to the partial deletion of integrated SCCmec in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which provides a strategy for the treatment of MRSA infections. The spacer within artificial CRISPR arrays should contain more than 25 nucleotides for immunity, and consecutive trinucleotide pairings between a selected target and the 5′ tag of crRNA can block targeting. These findings add to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the type III-A CRISPR-Cas system and provide a novel strategy for the exploitation of engineered CRISPR immunity against integrated MGEs in bacteria for clinical and industrial applications.
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40
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Rossi CC, Souza-Silva T, Araújo-Alves AV, Giambiagi-deMarval M. CRISPR-Cas Systems Features and the Gene-Reservoir Role of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1545. [PMID: 28861060 PMCID: PMC5559504 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The claimed role of gene reservoir of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) could be contradicted by estimates that CRISPR/Cas systems are found in the genomes of 40–50% of bacteria, as these systems interfere with plasmid uptake in staphylococci. To further correlate this role with presence of CRISPR, we analyzed, by computational methods, 122 genomes from 15 species of CoNS. Only 15% of them harbored CRISPR/Cas systems, and this proportion was much lower for S. epidermidis and S. haemolyticus, the CoNS most frequently associated with opportunistic infections in humans. These systems are of type II or III, and at least two of them are located within SCCmec, a mobile genetic element of Staphylococcus bacterial species. An analysis of the spacers of these CRISPRs, which come from exogenous origin, allowed us to track the transference of the SCCmec, which was exchanged between different strains, species and hosts. Some of the spacers are derived from plasmids described in Staphylococcus species that are different from those in which the CRISPR are found, evidencing the attempt (and failure) of plasmid transference between them. Based on the polymorphisms of the cas1 gene in CRISPRs of types II and III, we developed a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) suitable to screen and type CRISPR systems in CoNS. The PCR was tested in 59 S. haemolyticus strains, of which only two contained a type III cas1. This gene was shown to be expressed in the exponential growth, stationary phase and during biofilm formation. The low abundance of CRISPRs in CoNS is in accordance with their role as gene reservoirs, but when present, their spacers sequence evidence and give an insight on the dynamics of horizontal genetic transfer among staphylococci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro C Rossi
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thaysa Souza-Silva
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Amanda V Araújo-Alves
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcia Giambiagi-deMarval
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil
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41
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Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a serious human pathogen with remarkable adaptive powers. Antibiotic-resistant clones rapidly emerge mainly by acquisition of antibiotic-resistance genes from other S. aureus strains or even from other genera. Transfer is mediated by a diverse complement of mobile genetic elements and occurs primarily by conjugation or bacteriophage transduction, with the latter traditionally being perceived as the primary route. Recent work on conjugation and transduction suggests that transfer by these mechanisms may be more extensive than previously thought, in terms of the range of plasmids that can be transferred by conjugation and the efficiency with which transduction occurs. Here, we review the main routes of antibiotic resistance gene transfer in S. aureus in the context of its biology as a human commensal and a life-threatening pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Haaber
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - José R Penadés
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Hanne Ingmer
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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42
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Park KH, An Y, Jung TY, Baek IY, Noh H, Ahn WC, Hebert H, Song JJ, Kim JH, Oh BH, Woo EJ. RNA activation-independent DNA targeting of the Type III CRISPR-Cas system by a Csm complex. EMBO Rep 2017; 18:826-840. [PMID: 28364023 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201643700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Revised: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas system is an adaptive and heritable immune response that destroys invading foreign nucleic acids. The effector complex of the Type III CRISPR-Cas system targets RNA and DNA in a transcription-coupled manner, but the exact mechanism of DNA targeting by this complex remains elusive. In this study, an effector Csm holocomplex derived from Thermococcus onnurineus is reconstituted with a minimalistic combination of Csm1121334151, and shows RNA targeting and RNA-activated single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) targeting activities. Unexpectedly, in the absence of an RNA transcript, it cleaves ssDNA containing a sequence complementary to the bound crRNA guide region in a manner dependent on the HD domain of the Csm1 subunit. This nuclease activity is blocked by a repeat tag found in the host CRISPR loci. The specific cleavage of ssDNA without a target RNA suggests a novel ssDNA targeting mechanism of the Type III system, which could facilitate the efficient and complete degradation of foreign nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Hyun Park
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Yan An
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Tae-Yang Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Institute for the BioCentury, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.,School of Technology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - In-Young Baek
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Haemin Noh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Institute for the BioCentury, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Woo-Chan Ahn
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Institute for the BioCentury, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Hans Hebert
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.,School of Technology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Ji-Joon Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Institute for the BioCentury, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Hoon Kim
- Personalized Genomic Medicine Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Byung-Ha Oh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Institute for the BioCentury, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Eui-Jeon Woo
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, South Korea .,Department of Analytical Bioscience, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
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43
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Chou-Zheng L, Hatoum-Aslan A. Expression and Purification of the Cas10-Csm Complex from Staphylococci. Bio Protoc 2017; 7:e2353. [PMID: 28835904 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.2353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated proteins) is a class of prokaryotic immune systems that degrade foreign nucleic acids in a sequence-specific manner. These systems rely upon ribonucleoprotein complexes composed of Cas nucleases and small CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs). Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus are bacterial residents on human skin that are also leading causes of antibiotic resistant infections (Lowy, 1998; National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance, 2004; Otto, 2009). Many staphylococci possess Type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems (Marraffini and Sontheimer, 2008; Cao et al., 2016), which have been shown to prevent plasmid transfer and protect against viral predators (Goldberg et al., 2014; Hatoum-Aslan et al., 2014; Samai et al., 2015) in these organisms. Thus, gaining a mechanistic understanding of these systems in the native staphylococcal background can lead to important insights into the factors that impact the evolution and survival of these pathogens. Type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems encode a five-subunit effector complex called Cas10-Csm (Hatoum-Aslan et al., 2013). Here, we describe a protocol for the expression and purification of Cas10-Csm from its native S. epidermidis background or a heterologous S. aureus background. The method consists of a two-step purification protocol involving Ni2+-affinity chromatography and a DNA affinity biotin pull-down, which together yield a pure preparation of the Cas10-Csm complex. This approach has been used previously to analyze the effects of mutations on Cas10-Csm complex integrity (Hatoum-Aslan et al., 2014), crRNA formation (Hatoum-Aslan et al., 2013), and to detect binding partners that directly interact with the core Cas10-Csm complex (Walker et al., 2016). Importantly, this approach can be easily adapted for use in other Staphylococcus species to probe and understand their native Type III-A CRISPR-Cas systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Chou-Zheng
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Asma Hatoum-Aslan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
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Walker FC, Hatoum-Aslan A. Conjugation Assay for Testing CRISPR-Cas Anti-plasmid Immunity in Staphylococci. Bio Protoc 2017; 7:e2293. [PMID: 28752109 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.2293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas is a prokaryotic adaptive immune system that prevents uptake of mobile genetic elements such as bacteriophages and plasmids. Plasmid transfer between bacteria is of particular clinical concern due to increasing amounts of antibiotic resistant pathogens found in humans as a result of transfer of resistance plasmids within and between species. Testing the ability of CRISPR-Cas systems to block plasmid transfer in various conditions or with CRISPR-Cas mutants provides key insights into the functionality and mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas as well as how antibiotic resistance spreads within bacterial communities. Here, we describe a method for quantifying the impact of CRISPR-Cas on the efficiency of plasmid transfer by conjugation. While this method is presented in Staphylococcus species, it could be more broadly used for any conjugative prokaryote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forrest C Walker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA
| | - Asma Hatoum-Aslan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA
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45
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Type III CRISPR-Cas Immunity: Major Differences Brushed Aside. Trends Microbiol 2016; 25:49-61. [PMID: 27773522 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
For a long time the mechanism of immunity provided by the Type III CRISPR-Cas systems appeared to be inconsistent: the Type III-A Csm complex of Staphylococcus epidermidis was first reported to target DNA while Type III-B Cmr complexes were shown to target RNA. This long-standing conundrum has now been resolved by finding that the Type III CRISPR-Cas systems are both RNases and target RNA-activated DNA nucleases. The immunity is achieved by coupling binding and cleavage of RNA transcripts to the degradation of invading DNA. The base-pairing potential between the target RNA and the CRISPR RNA (crRNA) 5'-handle seems to play an important role in discriminating self and non-self nucleic acids; however, the detailed mechanism remains to be uncovered.
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