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Zhang Y, Li W, Wu Y, Tian X, Li G, Zhou Y, Sun J, Liao X, Liu Y, Wang Y, Yu Y. Chitosan oligosaccharide accelerates the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes through promoting conjugative plasmid transfer. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:133922. [PMID: 38442604 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133922] [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: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), especially via plasmid-mediated horizontal gene transfer, poses a pervasive threat to global health. Chitosan-oligosaccharide (COS) is extensively utilized in medicine, plant and animal husbandry. However, their impact on microflora implies the potential to exert selective pressure on plasmid transfer. To explore the role of COS in facilitating the dissemination of ARGs via plasmid conjugation, we established in vitro mating models. The addition of COS to conjugation mixtures significantly enhanced the transfer of RP4 plasmid and mcr-1 positive IncX4 plasmid in both intra- and inter-specific. Phenotypic and transcriptome analysis revealed that COS enhanced intercellular contact by neutralizing cell surface charge and increasing cell surface hydrophobicity. Additionally, COS increased membrane permeability by inhibiting the Tol-Pal system, thereby facilitating plasmid conjugative transfer. Furthermore, COS served as the carbon source and was metabolized by E. coli, providing energy for plasmid conjugation through regulating the expression of ATPase and global repressor factor-related genes in RP4 plasmid. Overall, these findings improve our awareness of the potential risks associated with the presence of COS and the spread of bacterial antibiotic resistance, emphasizing the need to establish guidelines for the prudent use of COS and its discharge into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjie Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yashuang Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaomin Tian
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gong Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yufeng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoping Liao
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yahong Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yang Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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2
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Element SJ, Moran RA, Beattie E, Hall RJ, van Schaik W, Buckner MM. Growth in a biofilm promotes conjugation of a bla NDM-1-bearing plasmid between Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. mSphere 2023; 8:e0017023. [PMID: 37417759 PMCID: PMC10449501 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00170-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing problem, especially in Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae such as Klebsiella pneumoniae. Horizontal transfer of conjugative plasmids contributes to AMR gene dissemination. Bacteria such as K. pneumoniae commonly exist in biofilms, yet most studies focus on planktonic cultures. Here we studied the transfer of a multi-drug resistance plasmid in planktonic and biofilm populations of K. pneumoniae. We determined plasmid transfer from a clinical isolate, CPE16, which carried four plasmids, including the 119-kbp blaNDM-1-bearing F-type plasmid pCPE16_3, in planktonic and biofilm conditions. We found that transfer frequency of pCPE16_3 in a biofilm was orders-of-magnitude higher than between planktonic cells. In 5/7 sequenced transconjugants (TCs) multiple plasmids had transferred. Plasmid acquisition had no detectable growth impact on TCs. Gene expression of the recipient and a transconjugant was investigated by RNA-sequencing in three lifestyles: planktonic exponential growth, planktonic stationary phase, and biofilm. We found that lifestyle had a substantial impact on chromosomal gene expression, and plasmid carriage affected chromosomal gene expression most in stationary planktonic and biofilm lifestyles. Furthermore, expression of plasmid genes was lifestyle-dependent, with distinct signatures across the three conditions. Our study shows that growth in biofilm greatly increased the risk of conjugative transfer of a carbapenem resistance plasmid in K. pneumoniae without fitness costs and minimal transcriptional rearrangements, thus highlighting the importance of biofilms in the spread of AMR in this opportunistic pathogen. IMPORTANCE Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae is particularly problematic in hospital settings. Carbapenem resistance genes can transfer between bacteria via plasmid conjugation. Alongside drug resistance, K. pneumoniae can form biofilms on hospital surfaces, at infection sites and on implanted devices. Biofilms are naturally protected and can be inherently more tolerant to antimicrobials than their free-floating counterparts. There have been indications that plasmid transfer may be more likely in biofilm populations, thus creating a conjugation "hotspot". However, there is no clear consensus on the effect of the biofilm lifestyle on plasmid transfer. Therefore, we aimed to explore the transfer of a plasmid in planktonic and biofilm conditions, and the impact of plasmid acquisition on a new bacterial host. Our data show transfer of a resistance plasmid is increased in a biofilm, which may be a significant contributing factor to the rapid dissemination of resistance plasmids in K. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Element
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A. Moran
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Emilie Beattie
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca J. Hall
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Willem van Schaik
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle M.C. Buckner
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
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3
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Li X, Chen G, Liu L, Wang G. Anaerobic sludge digestion elevates dissemination risks of bacterial antibiotic resistance in effluent supernatant. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 338:117854. [PMID: 37023605 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion following a variety of pretreatments is a promising technique for the reduction of excess sludge in municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTPs), and eliminations of possible pathogens, viruses, protozoa, and other disease-causing organisms. Notwithstanding a rapidly increasing health concern of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) in MWWTPs, dissemination risks of ARB in anaerobic digestion processes are still poorly understood, especially in the digested supernatant. Taking the representative ARB with respect to the common tetracycline-, sulfamethoxazole-, clindamycin- and ciprofloxacin resistance, we investigated the compositions of ARB in the sludge and supernatant, and quantified their variations along the entire anaerobic sludge digestion process following ultrasonication-, alkali-hydrolysis- and alkali-ultrasonication pretreatments, respectively. Results showed that the abundance of ARB was diminished by up to 90% from the sludge along anaerobic digestion coupling with the pretreatments. Surprisingly, pretreatments clearly boosted the abundance of specific ARB (e.g., 2.3 × 102 CFU/mL of tetracycline-resistant bacteria) in the supernatant that otherwise remained relatively low value of 0.6 × 102 CFU/mL from the direct digestion. Measurements of the soluble-, loosely-bound- and tightly-bound extracellular polymeric substances components revealed a gradually intensified destruction of the sludge aggregates along the entire anaerobic digestion processes, which could be likely responsible to the increase of the ARB abundance in the supernatant. Furthermore, analysis of the bacterial community components showed that the ARB populations were strongly correlated with the occurrence of Bacteroidetes, Patescibacteria, and Tenericutes. Interestingly, intensified conjugal transfer (0.015) of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) was observed upon returning of the digested supernatant to the biological treatment system. It implies the likelihood of ARGs spreading and subsequent ecological risks upon anaerobic digestion towards reducing excess sludge, and therefore requires further attentions for the excess sludge treatments especially of supernatant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Li
- Department of Municipal Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Guowei Chen
- Department of Municipal Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Municipal Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Soil and Water Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
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4
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Zhu S, Yang B, Jia Y, Yu F, Wang Z, Liu Y. Comprehensive analysis of disinfectants on the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 453:131428. [PMID: 37094448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The propagation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is constantly paralyzing our healthcare systems. In addition to the pressure of antibiotic selection, the roles of non-antibiotic compounds in disseminating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are a matter of great concerns. This study aimed to explore the impact of different disinfectants on the horizontal transfer of ARGs and their underlying mechanisms. First, the effects of different kinds of disinfectants on the conjugative transfer of RP4-7 plasmid were evaluated. Results showed that quaternary ammonium salt, organic halogen, alcohol and guanidine disinfectants significantly facilitated the conjugative transfer. Conversely, heavy-metals, peroxides and phenols otherwise displayed an inhibitory effect. Furthermore, we deciphered the mechanism by which guanidine disinfectants promoted conjugation, which includes increased cell membrane permeability, over-production of ROS, enhanced SOS response, and altered expression of conjugative transfer-related genes. More critically, we also revealed that guanidine disinfectants promoted bacterial energy metabolism by enhancing the activity of electron transport chain (ETC) and proton force motive (PMF), thus promoting ATP synthesis and flagellum motility. Overall, our findings reveal the promotive effects of disinfectants on the transmission of ARGs and highlight the potential risks caused by the massive use of guanidine disinfectants, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyao Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bingqing Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuqian Jia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feiyu Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China; Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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5
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Xiao Y, Zhang Y, Xie F, Olsen RH, Shi L, Li L. Inhibition of Plasmid Conjugation in Escherichia coli by Targeting rbsB Gene Using CRISPRi System. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10585. [PMID: 37445761 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial conjugation constitutes a major horizontal gene transfer mechanism for the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) among human pathogens. The spread of ARGs can be halted or diminished by interfering with the conjugation process. In this study, we explored the possibility of using an rbsB gene as a single target to inhibit plasmid-mediated horizontal gene transfer in Escherichia coli by CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system. Three single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) were designed to target the rbsB gene. The transcriptional levels of the rbsB gene, the conjugation-related genes, and the conjugation efficiency in the CRISPRi strain were tested. We further explored the effect of the repressed expression of the rbsB gene on the quorum sensing (QS) system and biofilm formation. The results showed that the constructed CRISPRi system was effective in repressing the transcriptional level of the rbsB gene at a rate of 66.4%. The repressed expression of the rbsB gene resulted in the reduced conjugation rate of RP4 plasmid by 88.7%, which significantly inhibited the expression of the conjugation-related genes (trbBp, trfAp, traF and traJ) and increased the global regulator genes (korA, korB and trbA). The repressed rbsB gene expression reduced the depletion of autoinducer 2 signals (AI-2) by 12.8% and biofilm formation by a rate of 68.2%. The results of this study indicated the rbsB gene could be used as a universal target for the inhibition of conjugation. The constructed conjugative CRISPRi system has the potential to be used in ARG high-risk areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawen Xiao
- Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Fengjun Xie
- Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Rikke Heidemann Olsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Lei Shi
- Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Lili Li
- Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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6
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Piscon B, Pia Esposito E, Fichtman B, Samburski G, Efremushkin L, Amselem S, Harel A, Rahav G, Zarrilli R, Gal-Mor O. The Effect of Outer Space and Other Environmental Cues on Bacterial Conjugation. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0368822. [PMID: 36995224 PMCID: PMC10269834 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03688-22] [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: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial conjugation is one of the most abundant horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mechanisms, playing a fundamental role in prokaryote evolution. A better understanding of bacterial conjugation and its cross talk with the environment is needed for a more complete understanding of HGT mechanisms and to fight the dissemination of malicious genes between bacteria. Here, we studied the effect of outer space, microgravity, and additional key environmental cues on transfer (tra) gene expression and conjugation efficiency, using the under studied broad-host range plasmid pN3, as a model. High resolution scanning electron microscopy revealed the morphology of the pN3 conjugative pili and mating pair formation during conjugation. Using a nanosatellite carrying a miniaturized lab, we studied pN3 conjugation in outer space, and used qRT-PCR, Western blotting and mating assays to determine the effect of ground physicochemical parameters on tra gene expression and conjugation. We showed for the first time that bacterial conjugation can occur in outer space and on the ground, under microgravity-simulated conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrated that microgravity, liquid media, elevated temperature, nutrient depletion, high osmolarity and low oxygen significantly reduce pN3 conjugation. Interestingly, under some of these conditions we observed an inverse correlation between tra gene transcription and conjugation frequency and found that induction of at least traK and traL can negatively affect pN3 conjugation frequency in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, these results uncover pN3 regulation by various environmental cues and highlight the diversity of conjugation systems and the different ways in which they may be regulated in response to abiotic signals. IMPORTANCE Bacterial conjugation is a highly ubiquitous and promiscuous process, by which a donor bacterium transfers a large portion of genetic material to a recipient cell. This mechanism of horizontal gene transfer plays an important role in bacterial evolution and in the ability of bacteria to acquire resistance to antimicrobial drugs and disinfectants. Bacterial conjugation is a complex and energy-consuming process, that is tightly regulated and largely affected by various environmental signals sensed by the bacterial cell. Comprehensive knowledge about bacterial conjugation and the ways it is affected by environmental cues is required to better understand bacterial ecology and evolution and to find new effective ways to counteract the threating dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes between bacterial populations. Moreover, characterizing this process under stress or suboptimal growth conditions such as elevated temperatures, high salinity or in the outer space, may provide insights relevant to future habitat environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bar Piscon
- The Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Eliana Pia Esposito
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Boris Fichtman
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Guy Samburski
- SpacePharma R&D Israel LTD., Herzliya Pituach, Israel & SpacePharma SA, Courgenay, Switzerland
| | - Lihi Efremushkin
- SpacePharma R&D Israel LTD., Herzliya Pituach, Israel & SpacePharma SA, Courgenay, Switzerland
| | - Shimon Amselem
- SpacePharma R&D Israel LTD., Herzliya Pituach, Israel & SpacePharma SA, Courgenay, Switzerland
| | - Amnon Harel
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Galia Rahav
- The Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Raffaele Zarrilli
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Ohad Gal-Mor
- The Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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7
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Zheng CW, Luo YH, Long X, Gu H, Cheng J, Zhang L, Lai YJS, Rittmann BE. The structure of biodegradable surfactants shaped the microbial community, antimicrobial resistance, and potential for horizontal gene transfer. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 236:119944. [PMID: 37087920 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119944] [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: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
While most household surfactants are biodegradable in aerobic conditions, their biodegradability may obscure their environmental risks. The presence of surfactants in a biological treatment process can lead to the proliferation of antimicrobial-resistance genes (ARG) in the biomass. Surfactants can be cationic, anionic, or zwitterionic, and these different classes may have different effects on the proliferation ARG. Cationic hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium (CTAB), anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and zwitterionic 3-(decyldimethylammonio)-propanesulfonate inner salt (DAPS) were used to represent the three classes of surfactants in domestic household clean-up products. This study focused on the removal of these surfactants by the O2-based Membrane Biofilm Reactor (O2-MBfR) for hotspot scenarios (∼1 mM) and how the three classes of surfactants affected the microbial community's structure and ARG. Given sufficient O2 delivery, the MBfR provided at least 98% surfactant removal. The presence and biodegradation for each surfactant uniquely shaped the biofilms' microbial communities and the presence of ARG. CTAB had by far the strongest impact and the higher ARG abundance. In particular, Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas, the two main genera in the biofilm treating CTAB, were highly correlated to the abundance of ARG for efflux pumps and antibiotic inactivation. CTAB also led to more functional genes relevant to the Type-IV secretion system and protection against oxidative stress, which also could encourage horizontal gene transfer. Our findings highlight that the biodegradation of quaternary ammonium surfactants, while beneficial, can pose public health concerns from its ability to promote the proliferation of ARG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Wei Zheng
- Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-5701, United States
| | - Yi-Hao Luo
- Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-5701, United States; Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Xiangxing Long
- Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-5701, United States; Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Haiwei Gu
- Arizona Metabolomics Laboratory, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States; Center for Translational Science, Florida International University, Port St. Lucie, FL 34987, United States
| | - Jie Cheng
- Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-5701, United States
| | - Lei Zhang
- DeepBiome. Co. Ltd., NO.38 Debao Road, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yen Jung Sean Lai
- Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-5701, United States.
| | - Bruce E Rittmann
- Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-5701, United States
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8
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Xu Q, Long S, Liu X, Duan A, Du M, Lu Q, Leng L, Leu SY, Wang D. Insights into the Occurrence, Fate, Impacts, and Control of Food Additives in Food Waste Anaerobic Digestion: A Review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:6761-6775. [PMID: 37070716 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The recovery of biomass energy from food waste through anaerobic digestion as an alternative to fossil energy is of great significance for the development of environmental sustainability and the circular economy. However, a substantial number of food additives (e.g., salt, allicin, capsaicin, allyl isothiocyanate, monosodium glutamate, and nonnutritive sweeteners) are present in food waste, and their interactions with anaerobic digestion might affect energy recovery, which is typically overlooked. This work describes the current understanding of the occurrence and fate of food additives in anaerobic digestion of food waste. The biotransformation pathways of food additives during anaerobic digestion are well discussed. In addition, important discoveries in the effects and underlying mechanisms of food additives on anaerobic digestion are reviewed. The results showed that most of the food additives had negative effects on anaerobic digestion by deactivating functional enzymes, thus inhibiting methane production. By reviewing the response of microbial communities to food additives, we can further improve our understanding of the impact of food additives on anaerobic digestion. Intriguingly, the possibility that food additives may promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, and thus threaten ecology and public health, is highlighted. Furthermore, strategies for mitigating the effects of food additives on anaerobic digestion are outlined in terms of optimal operation conditions, effectiveness, and reaction mechanisms, among which chemical methods have been widely used and are effective in promoting the degradation of food additives and increasing methane production. This review aims to advance our understanding of the fate and impact of food additives in anaerobic digestion and to spark novel research ideas for optimizing anaerobic digestion of organic solid waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Xu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Sha Long
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Xuran Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Abing Duan
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Mingting Du
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Qi Lu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Ling Leng
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Shao-Yuan Leu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Dongbo Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Ministry of Education), Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
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9
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Liu W, Huang Y, Zhang H, Liu Z, Huan Q, Xiao X, Wang Z. Factors and Mechanisms Influencing Conjugation In Vivo in the Gastrointestinal Tract Environment: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5919. [PMID: 36982992 PMCID: PMC10059276 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065919] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have imposed a serious threat on global public health. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via plasmids is mainly responsible for the spread of ARGs, and conjugation plays an important role in HGT. The conjugation process is very active in vivo and its effect on the spreading of ARGs may be underestimated. In this review, factors affecting conjugation in vivo, especially in the intestinal environment, are summarized. In addition, the potential mechanisms affecting conjugation in vivo are summarized from the perspectives of bacterial colonization and the conjugation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225012, China
| | - Yanhu Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225012, China
| | - Han Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225012, China
| | - Ziyi Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225012, China
| | - Quanmin Huan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225012, China
| | - Xia Xiao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225012, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225012, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225012, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225012, China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225012, China
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10
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Couturier A, Virolle C, Goldlust K, Berne-Dedieu A, Reuter A, Nolivos S, Yamaichi Y, Bigot S, Lesterlin C. Real-time visualisation of the intracellular dynamics of conjugative plasmid transfer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:294. [PMID: 36653393 PMCID: PMC9849209 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35978-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugation is a contact-dependent mechanism for the transfer of plasmid DNA between bacterial cells, which contributes to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Here, we use live-cell microscopy to visualise the intracellular dynamics of conjugative transfer of F-plasmid in E. coli, in real time. We show that the transfer of plasmid in single-stranded form (ssDNA) and its subsequent conversion into double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) are fast and efficient processes that occur with specific timing and subcellular localisation. Notably, the ssDNA-to-dsDNA conversion determines the timing of plasmid-encoded protein production. The leading region that first enters the recipient cell carries single-stranded promoters that allow the early and transient synthesis of leading proteins immediately upon entry of the ssDNA plasmid. The subsequent conversion into dsDNA turns off leading gene expression, and activates the expression of other plasmid genes under the control of conventional double-stranded promoters. This molecular strategy allows for the timely production of factors sequentially involved in establishing, maintaining and disseminating the plasmid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Couturier
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Chloé Virolle
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Kelly Goldlust
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Annick Berne-Dedieu
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Reuter
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Sophie Nolivos
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Yoshiharu Yamaichi
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sarah Bigot
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France.
| | - Christian Lesterlin
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France.
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11
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Gokulan K, Khare S, Foley SL. Structural analysis of VirD4 a type IV ATPase encoded by transmissible plasmids of Salmonella enterica isolated from poultry products. Front Artif Intell 2022; 5:952997. [PMID: 36177367 PMCID: PMC9513038 DOI: 10.3389/frai.2022.952997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial species have evolved with a wide variety of cellular devices, and they employ these devices for communication and transfer of genetic materials and toxins. They are classified into secretory system types I to VI based on their structure, composition, and functional activity. Specifically, the bacterial type IV secretory system (T4SS) is a more versatile system than the other secretory systems because it is involved in the transfer of genetic materials, proteins, and toxins to the host cells or other bacterial species. The T4SS machinery is made up of several proteins with distinct functions and forms a complex which spans the inner and outer membranes. This secretory machinery contains three ATPases that are the driving force for the functionality of this apparatus. At the initial stage of the secretion process, the selection of substrate molecules and processing occurs at the cytoplasmic region (also known as relaxosome), and then transfer mechanisms occur through the secretion complex. In this process, the VirD4 ATPase is the first molecule that initiates substrate selection, which is subsequently delivered to the secretory machinery. In the protein data bank (PDB), no structural information is available for the VirD4 ATPase to understand the functional property. In this manuscript, we have modeled VirD4 structure in the Gram-negative bacterium Salmonella enterica and described the predicted functional importance. The sequence alignment shows that VirD4 of S. enterica contains several insertion regions as compared with the template structure (pdb:1E9R) used for homology modeling. In this study, we hypothesized that the insertion regions could play a role in the flexible movement of the hexameric unit during the relaxosome processing or transfer of the substrate.
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12
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Lu J, Zhang H, Pan L, Guan W, Lou Y. Environmentally relevant concentrations of triclosan exposure promote the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes mediated by Edwardsiella piscicida. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:64622-64632. [PMID: 35474424 PMCID: PMC9041674 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20082-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Aquaculture pathogen and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) co-occur in the aquatic environment. Accumulated evidence suggests that aquaculture pathogens can facilitate the horizontal transfer of plasmid-mediated ARGs. However, the role of Edwardsiella piscicida (E. piscicida) in ARG dissemination is still not fully understood. In addition, the potential impact of triclosan (TCS) on the spread of ARGs mediated by E. piscicida is still unknown, so a mating model system was established to investigate the transfer process of ARGs. The results showed that E. piscicida disseminated ARGs on RP4 by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Furthermore, TCS exposure promoted this process. The conjugative transfer frequencies were enhanced approximately 1.2-1.4-fold by TCS at concentrations from 2 to 20 μg/L, when compared with the control. TCS promoted the HGT of ARGs by stimulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, increasing cell membrane permeability, and altering expressions of conjugative transfer-associated genes. Together, the results suggested that aquaculture pathogens spread ARGs and that the emerging contaminant TCS enhanced the transfer of ARGs between bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfang Lu
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Sanitary Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - He Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liangliang Pan
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Sanitary Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanchun Guan
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Sanitary Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongliang Lou
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Sanitary Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China.
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13
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Darphorn TS, Koenders-van Sintanneland BB, Grootemaat AE, van der Wel NN, Brul S, ter Kuile BH. Transfer dynamics of multi-resistance plasmids in Escherichia coli isolated from meat. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270205. [PMID: 35797379 PMCID: PMC9262221 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Resistance plasmids are crucial for the transfer of antimicrobial resistance and thus form a matter of concern for veterinary and human healthcare. To study plasmid transfer, foodborne Escherichia coli isolates harboring one to five known plasmids were co-incubated with a general recipient strain. Plasmid transfer rates under standardized conditions varied by a factor of almost 106, depending on the recipient/donor strain combination. After 1 hour transconjugants never accounted for more than 3% of the total number of cells. Transconjugants were formed from 14 donors within 1 hour of co-incubation, but in the case of 3 donors 24 hours were needed. Transfer rates were also measured during longer co-incubation, between different species and during repeated back and forth transfer. Longer co-incubation resulted in the transfer of more types of resistance. Maximum growth rates of donor strains varied by a factor of 3. Donor strains often had higher growth rates than the corresponding transconjugants, which grew at the same rate as or slightly faster than the recipient. Hence, possessing one or more plasmids does not seem to burden the harboring strain metabolically. Transfer was species specific and repeated transfer of one plasmid did not result in different transfer rates over time. Transmission Electron microcopy was used to analyze the morphology of the connection between co-incubated strains. Connection by more pili between the cells resulted in better aggregate formation and corresponded with higher transfer rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania S. Darphorn
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Belinda B. Koenders-van Sintanneland
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anita E. Grootemaat
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Electron Microscopy Centre Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole N. van der Wel
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Electron Microscopy Centre Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stanley Brul
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Benno H. ter Kuile
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Office for Risk Assessment, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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14
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Wu S, Ren P, Wu Y, Liu J, Huang Q, Cai P. Effects of hematite on the dissemination of antibiotic resistance in pathogens and underlying mechanisms. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 431:128537. [PMID: 35278942 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128537] [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: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in pathogens is becoming a pervasive global health threat, to which the importance of the environment attracts more and more attention. However, how natural minerals affect ARGs transfer in pathogens is still unclear. In this study, the concentration and size effects of hematite on the ARGs conjugative transfer to a common zoonotic pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 and underlying mechanisms were explored. Results revealed that bulk hematite reduced the conjugation of resistant plasmids by inhibiting cell growth at any concentration (1-100 mg/L), different from nano-hematite. Low concentrations of nano-hematite (≤ 25 mg/L) induced significant increases in conjugative transfer frequency of 1.83-4.49 folds, while its high concentrations (50 and 100 mg/L) showed no impact, compared with the control group. This low-concentration effect was likely attributed to the increased intracellular ROS level, the reduced intercellular repulsion by increasing the extracellular polymeric substances production and cell surface hydrophobicity, the formation of transfer channels and the increased membrane permeability evidenced by significant changes in gene expression level, and the increased proton motive force by increasing the transmembrane potential of recipients. These findings shed light on potential health risks caused by nano minerals-mediated ARGs dissemination in pathogens in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Pengfei Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yichao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qiaoyun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Peng Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
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15
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Biology and engineering of integrative and conjugative elements: Construction and analyses of hybrid ICEs reveal element functions that affect species-specific efficiencies. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009998. [PMID: 35584135 PMCID: PMC9154091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are mobile genetic elements that reside in a bacterial host chromosome and are prominent drivers of bacterial evolution. They are also powerful tools for genetic analyses and engineering. Transfer of an ICE to a new host involves many steps, including excision from the chromosome, DNA processing and replication, transfer across the envelope of the donor and recipient, processing of the DNA, and eventual integration into the chromosome of the new host (now a stable transconjugant). Interactions between an ICE and its host throughout the life cycle likely influence the efficiencies of acquisition by new hosts. Here, we investigated how different functional modules of two ICEs, Tn916 and ICEBs1, affect the transfer efficiencies into different host bacteria. We constructed hybrid elements that utilize the high-efficiency regulatory and excision modules of ICEBs1 and the conjugation genes of Tn916. These elements produced more transconjugants than Tn916, likely due to an increase in the number of cells expressing element genes and a corresponding increase in excision. We also found that several Tn916 and ICEBs1 components can substitute for one another. Using B. subtilis donors and three Enterococcus species as recipients, we found that different hybrid elements were more readily acquired by some species than others, demonstrating species-specific interactions in steps of the ICE life cycle. This work demonstrates that hybrid elements utilizing the efficient regulatory functions of ICEBs1 can be built to enable efficient transfer into and engineering of a variety of other species. Horizontal gene transfer helps drive microbial evolution, enabling bacteria to rapidly acquire new genes and traits. Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are mobile genetic elements that reside in a bacterial host chromosome and are prominent drivers of horizontal gene transfer. They are also powerful tools for genetic analyses and engineering. Some ICEs carry genes that confer obvious properties to host bacteria, including antibiotic resistances, symbiosis, and pathogenesis. When activated, an ICE-encoded machine is made that can transfer the element to other cells, where it then integrates into the chromosome of the new host. Specific ICEs transfer more effectively into some bacterial species compared to others, yet little is known about the determinants of the efficiencies and specificity of acquisition by different bacterial species. We made and utilized hybrid ICEs, composed of parts of two different elements, to investigate determinants of transfer efficiencies. Our findings demonstrate that there are species-specific interactions that help determine efficiencies of stable acquisition, and that this explains, in part, the efficiencies of different ICEs. These hybrid elements are also useful in genetic engineering and synthetic biology to move genes and pathways into different bacterial species with greater efficiencies than can be achieved with naturally occurring ICEs.
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16
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Plasmid Viability Depends on the Ecological Setting of Hosts within a Multiplasmid Community. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0013322. [PMID: 35416702 PMCID: PMC9045312 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00133-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements, some of which disperse horizontally between different strains and species of bacteria. They are a major factor in the dissemination of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance. Understanding the ecology of plasmids has a notable anthropocentric value, and therefore, the interactions between bacterial hosts and individual plasmids have been studied in detail. However, bacterial systems often carry multiple genetically distinct plasmids, but dynamics within these multiplasmid communities have remained unstudied. Here, we set to investigate the survival of 11 mobilizable or conjugative plasmids under five different conditions where the hosts had a differing ecological status in comparison to other bacteria in the system. The key incentive was to determine whether plasmid dynamics are reproducible and whether there are tradeoffs in plasmid fitness that stem from the ecological situation of their initial hosts. Growth rates and maximum population densities increased in all communities and treatments over the 42-day evolution experiment, although plasmid contents at the end varied notably. Large multiresistance-conferring plasmids were unfit when the community also contained smaller plasmids with fewer resistance genes. This suggests that restraining the use of a few antibiotics can make bacterial communities sensitive to others. In general, the presence or absence of antibiotic selection and plasmid-free hosts (of various fitnesses) has a notable influence on which plasmids survive. These tradeoffs in different settings can help explain, for example, why some resistance plasmids have an advantage during a rapid proliferation of antibiotic-sensitive pathogens whereas others dominate in alternative situations. IMPORTANCE Conjugative and mobilizable plasmids are ubiquitous in bacterial systems. Several different plasmids can compete within a single bacterial community. We here show that the ecological setting of the host bacteria has a notable effect on the survival of individual plasmids. Selection for opportunistic genes such as antibiotic resistance genes and the presence of plasmid-free hosts can determine which plasmids survive in the system. Host bacteria appear to adapt specifically to a situation where there are multiple plasmids present instead of alleviating the plasmid-associated fitness costs of individual plasmids. Plasmids providing antibiotic resistance survived under all conditions even if there was a constant migration of higher-fitness plasmid-free hosts and no selection via antibiotics. This study is one of the first to observe the behavior of multiple genetically different plasmids as a part of a single system.
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17
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Yang B, Wang Z, Jia Y, Fang D, Li R, Liu Y. Paclitaxel and its derivative facilitate the transmission of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance genes through conjugative transfer. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 810:152245. [PMID: 34896514 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The rapid dissemination of antibiotic resistance by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) renders the global resistance crisis more tense and urgent as few effective antimicrobials are available to combat multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens at present. Conjugation is one of the most dominant and representative pathways of HGT. Antibiotic residue in environment is recognized as an important accelerator for conjugal transfer, whereas the roles of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals in this process are not fully understood. Here we found that environmentally relevant concentrations of paclitaxel as well as its derivative docetaxel, two commonly used anticancer drugs, remarkably facilitated the conjugative transfer of resistance plasmids carrying multiple antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The underlying mechanisms accounting for the enhanced conjugation were investigated by detecting the activity of RpoS regulon, membrane permeability, SOS response and gene expression of conjugative transfer systems. Our results showed that paclitaxel induced a series of cellular responses, including up-regulation of rpoS expression, activated SOS response, increased cell membrane permeability, enhanced plasmid replication and mating pilus formation. Collectively, our data provide new insight on the roles of paclitaxel and its derivative in promoting the conjugal transfer of ARGs, highlighting the importance of good antimicrobial stewardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingqing Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuqian Jia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dan Fang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruichao Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China; Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China; Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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18
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Shen Z, Tang CM, Liu GY. Towards a better understanding of antimicrobial resistance dissemination: what can be learnt from studying model conjugative plasmids? Mil Med Res 2022; 9:3. [PMID: 35012680 PMCID: PMC8744291 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-021-00362-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria can evolve rapidly by acquiring new traits such as virulence, metabolic properties, and most importantly, antimicrobial resistance, through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Multidrug resistance in bacteria, especially in Gram-negative organisms, has become a global public health threat often through the spread of mobile genetic elements. Conjugation represents a major form of HGT and involves the transfer of DNA from a donor bacterium to a recipient by direct contact. Conjugative plasmids, a major vehicle for the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance, are selfish elements capable of mediating their own transmission through conjugation. To spread to and survive in a new bacterial host, conjugative plasmids have evolved mechanisms to circumvent both host defense systems and compete with co-resident plasmids. Such mechanisms have mostly been studied in model plasmids such as the F plasmid, rather than in conjugative plasmids that confer antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in important human pathogens. A better understanding of these mechanisms is crucial for predicting the flow of antimicrobial resistance-conferring conjugative plasmids among bacterial populations and guiding the rational design of strategies to halt the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Here, we review mechanisms employed by conjugative plasmids that promote their transmission and establishment in Gram-negative bacteria, by following the life cycle of conjugative plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Shen
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Christoph M Tang
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Guang-Yu Liu
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK.
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19
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Jia Y, Yang B, Shi J, Fang D, Wang Z, Liu Y. Melatonin prevents conjugative transfer of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance genes by disrupting proton motive force. Pharmacol Res 2022; 175:105978. [PMID: 34813930 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The widespread dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a serious problem and constitutes a threat for public health. Plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer of ARGs is recognized as one of the most important pathways accounting for this global crisis. Inhibiting the conjugative transfer of resistant gene-bearing plasmids provides a feasible strategy to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance. Here we found that melatonin, a neurohormone secreted from pineal gland, substantially inhibited the horizontal transfer of RP4-7 plasmid in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, melatonin could also suppress the conjugal frequency of different types of clinical plasmids that carrying colistin resistance gene mcr-1 rather than blaNDM or tet(X) genes. Next, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effect of melatonin on conjugation. As a result, we showed that the addition of melatonin markedly reduced bacterial membrane permeability and inhibited the oxidative stress. In line with these observations, the conjugative transfer-related genes were regulated accordingly. Most importantly, we uncovered that melatonin disrupted bacterial proton motive force (PMF), which is an essential bacterial energy metabolism substance and is important for conjugative process. Collectively, these results provide implications that some non-antibiotics such as melatonin are effective inhibitors of transmission of ARGs and raise a promising strategy to confront the increasing resistant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqian Jia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Bingqing Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Jingru Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Dan Fang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
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20
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Ruan C, Ramoneda J, Chen G, Johnson DR, Wang G. Evaporation-induced hydrodynamics promote conjugation-mediated plasmid transfer in microbial populations. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 1:54. [PMID: 37938621 PMCID: PMC9723580 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-021-00057-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids bestow important traits to microbial communities, such as virulence, antibiotic resistance, pollutant biotransformation, and biotechnology-relevant functions. While the biological mechanisms and determinants of plasmid conjugation are well established, the underlying physical and ecological driving forces remain unclear. Microbial communities often inhabit unsaturated environments, such as soils and host surfaces (e.g., skin, teeth, leaves, roots), where water evaporation and associated small-scale hydrodynamic processes frequently occur at numerous air-water and solid-water interfaces. Here, we hypothesized that evaporation can induce water flows with profound effects on the spatial distribution and surface deposition of cells, and consequently on the extent of plasmid conjugation. Using droplet experiments with an antibiotic resistance-encoding plasmid, we show that evaporation-induced water flows reduce cell-cell distances and significantly increase the extent of plasmid conjugation. Counterintuitively, we found that evaporation results in lower expression levels of conjugation-related genes. This negative relationship between the extent of plasmid conjugation and the expression of conjugation-related genes could be attributed to increased conjugation efficiency during evaporation. This study provides new insights into the physical and ecological determinants of plasmid conjugation, with important implications for understanding the spread and proliferation of plasmid-encoded traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chujin Ruan
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Josep Ramoneda
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Guowei Chen
- School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - David R Johnson
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Gang Wang
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China.
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Xiong R, Liu Y, Pu J, Liu J, Zheng D, Zeng J, Chen C, Lu Y, Huang B. Indole Inhibits IncP-1 Conjugation System Mainly Through Promoting korA and korB Expression. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:628133. [PMID: 33815310 PMCID: PMC8017341 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.628133] [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: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Indole works as an interspecies signal molecule to regulate multiple physiological activities, like antibiotic resistance, acid resistance, and virulence. However, the effect of indole on conjugation is unknown. Here, with Escherichia coli SM10λπ as a donor strain that carries a chromosomally integrated conjugative RP4 plasmid, we explored the effect of indole on conjugation of a mobilizable pUCP24T plasmid imparting gentamycin resistance. The results showed that exogenous indole treatment inhibited conjugative transfer of pUCP24T from SM10λπ to recipient strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and E. coli EC600. Furthermore, raising endogenous indole production through overexpression of TnaA, a tryptophanase, in SM10λπ significantly inhibited both SM10λπ-PAO1 and SM10λπ-EC600 conjugation, whereas deficiency of tnaA reversed the phenotype. Subsequent mechanistic studies revealed that exogenous indole significantly inhibited the expression of mating pair formation gene (trbB) and the DNA transfer and replication gene (trfA), mainly due to the promotion of regulatory genes (korA and korB), and the result was confirmed in tnaA knockout and overexpression strains. Additionally, we found that both extracellular indole production and tnaA expression of SM10λπ were downregulated by ciprofloxacin (CIP). Intriguingly, one-eighth minimum inhibitory concentration of CIP treatment clearly facilitated both SM10λπ-PAO1 and SM10λπ-EC600 conjugation, and indole inhibited CIP-induced conjugation frequency. These data suggest that indole may play a negative role in the process of CIP-induced conjugation. This is the first study to reveal the biological function of indole-inhibiting conjugation and its role in CIP-induced conjugation, which may be developed into a new way of controlling the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xiong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyang Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jieying Pu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianping Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dexiang Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianming Zeng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cha Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bin Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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22
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Computational prediction of secreted proteins in gram-negative bacteria. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:1806-1828. [PMID: 33897982 PMCID: PMC8047123 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria harness multiple protein secretion systems and secrete a large proportion of the proteome. Proteins can be exported to periplasmic space, integrated into membrane, transported into extracellular milieu, or translocated into cytoplasm of contacting cells. It is important for accurate, genome-wide annotation of the secreted proteins and their secretion pathways. In this review, we systematically classified the secreted proteins according to the types of secretion systems in Gram-negative bacteria, summarized the known features of these proteins, and reviewed the algorithms and tools for their prediction.
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Iqbal N, Mukhtar MU, Yang J, Niu Q, Li Z, Zhao S, Zhao Y, Guan G, Liu Z, Yin H. Identification and evaluation of midgut protein RL12 of Dermacentor silvarum interacting with Anaplasma ovis VirD4. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101677. [PMID: 33549977 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Anaplasma ovis, a tick-borne intra-erythrocytic Gram-negative bacterium, is a causative agent of ovine anaplasmosis. It is known that Dermacentor ticks act as biological vectors for A. ovis. VirD4 is the machine component of Type IV Secretion System of A. ovis. To better understand the pathogen-vector interaction, VirD4 was used as a bait protein for screening midgut proteins of Dermacentor silvarum via yeast two-hybrid mating assay. As a result, a ribosomal protein RL12 was identified from the midgut cDNA library of D. silvarum. For further validation, using in vitro Glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay, interaction between the proteins, GST-RL12 and HIS-VirD4, was observed in Western blot analysis. The study is first of its kind reporting a D. silvarum midgut protein interaction with VirD4 from A. ovis. Functional annotations showed some important cellular processes are attributed to the protein, particularly in the stringent response and biogenesis. The results of the study suggest the involvement of the VirD4-RL12 interaction in the regulation of signaling pathways, which is a tool for understanding the pathogen-vector interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveed Iqbal
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Muhammad Uzair Mukhtar
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Jifei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Qingli Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Shuaiyang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Yaru Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Zhijie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, PR China.
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24
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Darphorn TS, Bel K, Koenders-van Sint Anneland BB, Brul S, Ter Kuile BH. Antibiotic resistance plasmid composition and architecture in Escherichia coli isolates from meat. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2136. [PMID: 33483623 PMCID: PMC7822866 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81683-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance plasmids play a crucial role in the transfer of antimicrobial resistance from the veterinary sector to human healthcare. In this study plasmids from foodborne Escherichia coli isolates with a known (ES)BL or tetracycline resistance were sequenced entirely with short- and long-read technologies to obtain insight into their composition and to identify driving factors for spreading. Resistant foodborne E. coli isolates often contained several plasmids coding for resistance to various antimicrobials. Most plasmids were large and contained multiple resistance genes in addition to the selected resistance gene. The majority of plasmids belonged to the IncI, IncF and IncX incompatibility groups. Conserved and variable regions could be distinguished in each of the plasmid groups. Clusters containing resistance genes were located in the variable regions. Tetracycline and (extended spectrum) beta-lactamase resistance genes were each situated in separate clusters, but sulphonamide, macrolide and aminoglycoside formed one cluster and lincosamide and aminoglycoside another. In most plasmids, addiction systems were found to maintain presence in the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania S. Darphorn
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Keshia Bel
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Present Address: Wageningen Food Safety Research, Wageningen University and Research, Postbus 230, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Belinda B. Koenders-van Sint Anneland
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stanley Brul
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Benno H. Ter Kuile
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.435742.30000 0001 0726 7822Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Office for Risk Assessment, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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25
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Hauschild P, Hilgarth M, Vogel RF. Hydrostatic pressure- and halotolerance of Photobacterium phosphoreum and P. carnosum isolated from spoiled meat and salmon. Food Microbiol 2020; 99:103679. [PMID: 34119089 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2020.103679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Photobacterium spp. occur frequently in marine environments but have been recently also found as common spoilers on chilled meats. The environmental conditions in these ecological niches differ especially regarding salinity and ambient pressure. Linking the occurrence of photobacteria in different niches may elucidate its ecology and bring insights for the food industry. We investigated tolerance of Photobacterium (P.) phosphoreum and P. carnosum strains to high hydrostatic pressure and salinity and aligned our observations with presence of relevant genes. The strains were isolated from packaged meats and salmon (or the sea) to identify adaptations to marine and terrestrial habitats. Growth of all P. carnosum strains was reduced by 40 MPa hydrostatic pressure and >3% sodium chloride, suggesting loss of traits associated with marine habitats. In contrast, P. phosphoreum strains were only slightly affected, suggesting general adaptation to marine habitats. In accordance, these strains had gene clusters associated with marine niches, e.g. flagellar and lux-operons, being incomplete in P. carnosum. Occurrence of P. carnosum strains on packaged salmon and P. phosphoreum strains on meats therefore likely results from cross-contamination in meat and fish processing. Still, these strains showed intermediate traits regarding pressure- and halotolerance, suggesting developing adaptation to their respective environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippa Hauschild
- Lehrstuhl Technische Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität München, 85354, Freising, Germany.
| | - Maik Hilgarth
- Lehrstuhl Technische Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität München, 85354, Freising, Germany.
| | - Rudi F Vogel
- Lehrstuhl Technische Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität München, 85354, Freising, Germany.
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26
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Abstract
Tsetse flies are the insect vectors of T. brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness—a zoonotic disease that inflicts a substantial economic cost on a broad region of sub-Saharan Africa. Notably, tsetse flies can be infected with the bacterium S. glossinidius to establish an asymptomatic chronic infection. This infection can be inherited by future generations of tsetse flies, allowing S. glossinidius to spread and persist within populations. To this effect, S. glossinidius has been considered a potential expression platform to create flies which reduce T. brucei stasis and lower overall parasite transmission to humans and animals. However, the efficient genetic manipulation of S. glossinidius has remained a technical challenge due to its complex growth requirements and uncharacterized physiology. Here, we exploit a natural mechanism of DNA transfer among bacteria and develop an efficient technique to genetically manipulate S. glossinidius for future studies in reducing trypanosome transmission. Stable associations between insects and bacterial species are widespread in nature. This is the case for many economically important insects, such as tsetse flies. Tsetse flies are the vectors of Trypanosoma brucei, the etiological agent of African trypanosomiasis—a zoonotic disease that incurs a high socioeconomic cost in regions of endemicity. Populations of tsetse flies are often infected with the bacterium Sodalis glossinidius. Following infection, S. glossinidius establishes a chronic, stable association characterized by vertical (maternal) and horizontal (paternal) modes of transmission. Due to the stable nature of this association, S. glossinidius has been long sought as a means for the implementation of anti-Trypanosoma paratransgenesis in tsetse flies. However, the lack of tools for the genetic modification of S. glossinidius has hindered progress in this area. Here, we establish that S. glossinidius is amenable to DNA uptake by conjugation. We show that conjugation can be used as a DNA delivery method to conduct forward and reverse genetic experiments in this bacterium. This study serves as an important step in the development of genetic tools for S. glossinidius. The methods highlighted here should guide the implementation of genetics for the study of the tsetse-Sodalis association and the evaluation of S. glossinidius-based tsetse fly paratransgenesis strategies. IMPORTANCE Tsetse flies are the insect vectors of T. brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness—a zoonotic disease that inflicts a substantial economic cost on a broad region of sub-Saharan Africa. Notably, tsetse flies can be infected with the bacterium S. glossinidius to establish an asymptomatic chronic infection. This infection can be inherited by future generations of tsetse flies, allowing S. glossinidius to spread and persist within populations. To this effect, S. glossinidius has been considered a potential expression platform to create flies which reduce T. brucei stasis and lower overall parasite transmission to humans and animals. However, the efficient genetic manipulation of S. glossinidius has remained a technical challenge due to its complex growth requirements and uncharacterized physiology. Here, we exploit a natural mechanism of DNA transfer among bacteria and develop an efficient technique to genetically manipulate S. glossinidius for future studies in reducing trypanosome transmission.
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27
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Samarth DP, Kwon YM. Horizontal genetic exchange of chromosomally encoded markers between Campylobacter jejuni cells. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241058. [PMID: 33104745 PMCID: PMC7588059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many epidemiological studies provide us with the evidence of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) contributing to the bacterial genomic diversity that benefits the bacterial populations with increased ability to adapt to the dynamic environments. Campylobacter jejuni, a major cause of acute enteritis in the U.S., often linked with severe post-infection neuropathies, has been reported to exhibit a non-clonal population structure and comparatively higher strain-level genetic variation. In this study, we provide evidence of the HGT of chromosomally encoded genetic markers between C. jejuni cells in the biphasic MH medium. We used two C. jejuni NCTC-11168 mutants harbouring distinct antibiotic-resistance genes [chloramphenicol (Cm) and kanamycin (Km)] present at two different neutral genomic loci. Cultures of both marker strains were mixed together and incubated for 5 hrs, then plated on MH agar plates supplemented with both antibiotics. The recombinant cells with double antibiotic markers were generated at the frequency of 0.02811 ± 0.0035% of the parental strains. PCR assays using locus-specific primers confirmed that transfer of the antibiotic-resistance genes was through homologous recombination. Also, the addition of chicken cecal content increased the recombination efficiency approximately up to 10-fold as compared to the biphasic MH medium (control) at P < 0.05. Furthermore, treating the co-culture with DNase I decreased the available DNA, which in turn significantly reduced recombination efficiency by 99.92% (P < 0.05). We used the cell-free supernatant of 16 hrs-culture of Wild-type C. jejuni as a template for PCR and found DNA sequences from six different genomic regions were easily amplified, indicating the presence of released chromosomal DNA in the culture supernatant. Our findings suggest that HGT in C. jejuni is facilitated in the chicken gut environment contributing to in vivo genomic diversity. Additionally, C. jejuni might have an active mechanism to release its chromosomal DNA into the extracellular environment, further expediting HGT in C. jejuni populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepti Pranay Samarth
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Young Min Kwon
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States of America
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States of America
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28
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Protein Dynamics in F-like Bacterial Conjugation. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8090362. [PMID: 32961700 PMCID: PMC7555446 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8090362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficient in silico development of novel antibiotics requires high-resolution, dynamic models of drug targets. As conjugation is considered the prominent contributor to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, targeted drug design to disrupt vital components of conjugative systems has been proposed to lessen the proliferation of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Advancements in structural imaging techniques of large macromolecular complexes has accelerated the discovery of novel protein-protein interactions in bacterial type IV secretion systems (T4SS). The known structural information regarding the F-like T4SS components and complexes has been summarized in the following review, revealing a complex network of protein-protein interactions involving domains with varying degrees of disorder. Structural predictions were performed to provide insight on the dynamicity of proteins within the F plasmid conjugative system that lack structural information.
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29
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Álvarez-Rodríguez I, Arana L, Ugarte-Uribe B, Gómez-Rubio E, Martín-Santamaría S, Garbisu C, Alkorta I. Type IV Coupling Proteins as Potential Targets to Control the Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:201. [PMID: 32903459 PMCID: PMC7434980 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The increase of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, together with the loss of effectiveness of currently available antibiotics, represents one of the most serious threats to public health worldwide. The loss of human lives and the economic costs associated to the problem of the dissemination of antibiotic resistance require immediate action. Bacteria, known by their great genetic plasticity, are capable not only of mutating their genes to adapt to disturbances and environmental changes but also of acquiring new genes that allow them to survive in hostile environments, such as in the presence of antibiotics. One of the major mechanisms responsible for the horizontal acquisition of new genes (e.g., antibiotic resistance genes) is bacterial conjugation, a process mediated by mobile genetic elements such as conjugative plasmids and integrative conjugative elements. Conjugative plasmids harboring antibiotic resistance genes can be transferred from a donor to a recipient bacterium in a process that requires physical contact. After conjugation, the recipient bacterium not only harbors the antibiotic resistance genes but it can also transfer the acquired plasmid to other bacteria, thus contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance. Conjugative plasmids have genes that encode all the proteins necessary for the conjugation to take place, such as the type IV coupling proteins (T4CPs) present in all conjugative plasmids. Type VI coupling proteins constitute a heterogeneous family of hexameric ATPases that use energy from the ATP hydrolysis for plasmid transfer. Taking into account their essential role in bacterial conjugation, T4CPs are attractive targets for the inhibition of bacterial conjugation and, concomitantly, the limitation of antibiotic resistance dissemination. This review aims to compile present knowledge on T4CPs as a starting point for delving into their molecular structure and functioning in future studies. Likewise, the scientific literature on bacterial conjugation inhibitors has been reviewed here, in an attempt to elucidate the possibility of designing T4CP-inhibitors as a potential solution to the dissemination of multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itxaso Álvarez-Rodríguez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Lide Arana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Begoña Ugarte-Uribe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Elena Gómez-Rubio
- Department of Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CIB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonsoles Martín-Santamaría
- Department of Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CIB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Garbisu
- Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, Soil Microbial Ecology Group, NEIKER - Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Parque Cient fico y Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, Spain
| | - Itziar Alkorta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
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30
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Zheng Z, Ye L, Chan EWC, Chen S. Identification and characterization of a conjugative blaVIM-1-bearing plasmid in Vibrio alginolyticus of food origin. J Antimicrob Chemother 2020; 74:1842-1847. [PMID: 30993329 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkz140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the genetic features of the blaVIM-1 gene first detected in a cephalosporin-resistant Vibrio alginolyticus isolate, Vb1978. METHODS The MICs of V. alginolyticus strain Vb1978 were determined, and the β-lactamases produced were screened and analysed using conjugation, S1-PFGE and Southern blotting. The complete sequence of the blaVIM-1-encoding plasmid was also obtained using the Illumina and MinION sequencing platforms. RESULTS V. alginolyticus strain Vb1978, isolated from a retail shrimp sample, was resistant to cephalosporins and exhibited reduced susceptibility to carbapenems. A novel blaVIM-1-carrying conjugative plasmid, designated pVb1978, was identified in this strain. Plasmid pVb1978 had 50 001 bp and comprised 59 predicted coding sequences (CDSs). The plasmid backbone of pVb1978 was homologous to those of IncP-type plasmids, while its replication region was structurally similar to non-IncP plasmids. The blaVIM-1 gene was found to be carried by the class 1 integron In70 and associated with a defective Tn402-like transposon. CONCLUSIONS A novel blaVIM-1-carrying conjugative plasmid, pVb1978, was reported for the first time in V. alginolyticus, which warrants further investigation in view of its potential pathogenicity towards humans and widespread occurrence in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Zheng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Food Biological Safety Control, Food Safety and Technology Research Centre, The Hong Kong PolyU Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Lianwei Ye
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Food Biological Safety Control, Food Safety and Technology Research Centre, The Hong Kong PolyU Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Edward Wai-Chi Chan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Food Biological Safety Control, Food Safety and Technology Research Centre, The Hong Kong PolyU Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Sheng Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Food Biological Safety Control, Food Safety and Technology Research Centre, The Hong Kong PolyU Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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31
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Wang HC, Lin SJ, Mohapatra A, Kumar R, Wang HC. A Review of the Functional Annotations of Important Genes in the AHPND-Causing pVA1 Plasmid. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E996. [PMID: 32635298 PMCID: PMC7409025 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8070996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) is a lethal shrimp disease. The pathogenic agent of this disease is a special Vibrio parahaemolyticus strain that contains a pVA1 plasmid. The protein products of two toxin genes in pVA1, pirAvp and pirBvp, targeted the shrimp's hepatopancreatic cells and were identified as the major virulence factors. However, in addition to pirAvp and pirBvp, pVA1 also contains about ~90 other open-reading frames (ORFs), which may encode functional proteins. NCBI BLASTp annotations of the functional roles of 40 pVA1 genes reveal transposases, conjugation factors, and antirestriction proteins that are involved in horizontal gene transfer, plasmid transmission, and maintenance, as well as components of type II and III secretion systems that may facilitate the toxic effects of pVA1-containing Vibrio spp. There is also evidence of a post-segregational killing (PSK) system that would ensure that only pVA1 plasmid-containing bacteria could survive after segregation. Here, in this review, we assess the functional importance of these pVA1 genes and consider those which might be worthy of further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Ching Wang
- The Ph.D. Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- International Center for the Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (R.K.)
| | - Shin-Jen Lin
- International Center for the Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (R.K.)
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Arpita Mohapatra
- Graduate Institute of Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Mits School of Biotechnology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751004, India
| | - Ramya Kumar
- International Center for the Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (R.K.)
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Han-Ching Wang
- International Center for the Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (R.K.)
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
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Cen T, Zhang X, Xie S, Li D. Preservatives accelerate the horizontal transfer of plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance genes via differential mechanisms. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 138:105544. [PMID: 32172042 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Increasing concentrations of preservatives have been detected in environments due to the overuse and misuse of preservatives in food and personal care products. Recent studies have relied heavily on the toxicity, biodegradability, and fate of preservatives in the environment. However, the biological effects of preservatives on antimicrobial resistance, which poses great threats to public health worldwide, are largely unknown. This study investigated three preservatives for their ability and mechanisms of promoting horizontal transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). The results demonstrated that these preservatives (sodium nitrite, sodium benzoate, and triclocarbon), under daily-use concentrations, led to concentration-dependent increases in conjugative transfer by 1.24-2.63, 6.79-7.05, and 2.17-4.31 folds compared with the control group. Even these three preservatives had different patterns on generating intracellular reactive oxidative species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), all of them could stimulate radical-induced RpoS regulon and SOS response, increase cell membrane permeability, and regulate conjugative transfer-related genes, subsequently promoting horizontal transfer of ARGs. The present results expanded the understanding of biological effects induced by preservatives, and provided mechanistic insight into the preservatives-induced resistance. This study also opens an intriguing question on the roles of emerging contaminants including preservatives in the emerging and spread of ARGs in various environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Cen
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Biomanafacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States
| | - Shanshan Xie
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
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Mukhtar MU, Iqbal N, Yang J, Niu Q, Zhao S, Li Z, Zhao Y, Rashid M, Chen Z, Guan G, Liu Z, Yin H. Identification and evaluation of UL36 protein from Dermacentor silvarum salivary gland and its interaction with Anaplasma ovis VirB10. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:105. [PMID: 32103780 PMCID: PMC7045605 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3975-9] [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: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anaplasma ovis is a gram-negative, tick-borne obligate intraerythrocytic pathogen, which causes ovine anaplasmosis in small ruminants worldwide. VirB10 of A. ovis is an integral component of the Type IV Secretion System (T4SS). The T4SS is used by bacteria to transfer DNA and/or proteins undeviatingly into the host cell to increase their virulence. To more thoroughly understand the interaction between A. ovis and Dermacentor silvarum, a vector containing the virb10 gene of A. ovis was used as a bait plasmid to screen interacting proteins from the cDNA library of the D. silvarum salivary gland using the yeast two-hybrid system. METHODS The cDNA of the D. silvarum salivary gland was cloned into the pGADT7-SmaI vector (prey plasmid) to construct the yeast two-hybrid cDNA library. The virb10 gene was cloned into the pGBKT7 vector to generate a bait plasmid. Any gene auto-activation or toxicity effects in the yeast strain Y2HGold were excluded. The screening was performed by combining the bait and prey plasmids in yeast strains to identify positive preys. The positive preys were then sequenced, and the obtained sequences were subjected to further analyses using Gene Ontology, UniProt, SMART, and STRING. Additionally, the interaction between the bait and the prey was evaluated using the glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay. RESULTS A total of two clones were obtained from the cDNA library using the yeast two-hybrid system, and the sequence analysis showed that both clones encoded the same large tegument protein, UL36. Furthermore, the proteins GST-UL36 and His-VirB10 were successfully expressed in vitro and the interaction between the two proteins was successfully demonstrated by the GST pull-down assay. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this study is the first to screen for D. silvarum salivary gland proteins that interact with A. ovis VirB10. The resulting candidate, UL36, is a multi-functional protein. Further investigations into the functionality of UL36 should be carried out, which might help in identifying novel prevention and treatment strategies for A. ovis infection. The present study provides a base for exploring and further understanding the interactions between A. ovis and D. silvarum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Uzair Mukhtar
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Naveed Iqbal
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jifei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingli Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuaiyang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaru Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Rashid
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Ze Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
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Zhu L, Chen T, Xu L, Zhou Z, Feng W, Liu Y, Chen H. Effect and mechanism of quorum sensing on horizontal transfer of multidrug plasmid RP4 in BAC biofilm. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 698:134236. [PMID: 31493577 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The widespread emergence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in drinking water systems endangers human health, and may be exacerbated by their horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among microbiota. In our previous study, Quorum sensing (QS) molecules produced by bacteria from biological activated carbon (BAC) biofilms were demonstrated to influence the transfer efficiency of a model conjugative plasmid, here RP4. In this study, we further explored the effect and mechanism of QS on conjugation transfer. The results revealed that Acyl-homoserine lactones producing (AHL-producing) bacteria isolated from BAC biofilm play a role in the propagation of ARGs. We selected several quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) to study their effects on AHL-producing bacteria, including the formation of biofilm and the regulating effect on conjugation transfer. In addition, the possible molecular mechanisms for AHLs that promote conjugative transfer were attributable to enhancing the mRNA expression, which involved altered expressions of conjugation-related genes. We also found that QSIs could inhibit conjugative transfer by downregulating the conjugation-relevant genes. We believe that this is the first insightful exploration of the mechanism by which AHLs will facilitate and QSIs will inhibit the conjugative transfer of ARGs. These results provide creative insight into ARG pollution control that involves blocking QS during BAC treatment in drinking water systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lan Xu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhenchao Zhou
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wanqiu Feng
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Wang H, Qi H, Gong S, Huang Z, Meng C, Zhang Y, Chen X, Jiao X. Fe 3O 4 composited with MoS 2 blocks horizontal gene transfer. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2020; 185:110569. [PMID: 31629970 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.110569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we found that Fe3O4 promoted horizontal gene transfer (HGT), but when Fe3O4 was composited with MoS2, the Fe3O4@MoS2 nanocomposite interacting with bacteria significantly blocked the HGT in the conjugation system. qPCR was used to analyze the expression of genes belonging to the chromosome and plasmid in the conjugation system. Results demonstrated that Fe3O4@MoS2 inhibited conjugation by promoting the expression of the global regulatory gene (trbA) and inhibiting the expression of conjugative transfer genes involved in mating pair formation (traF, trbB), DNA replication (trfA), and porins (outer membrane protein (omp) A and ompC). All of these genes are related to the permeability of the cell membrane, except for trfA. The results showed that Fe3O4@MoS2 interacted with bacteria to decrease their permeability against exogenous DNA. MoS2 may play an essential role in the HGT-inhibiting activity of Fe3O4@MoS2. This study highlights the diverse biological properties of nano-materials and provides clues for nano-scientists to develop environmentally friendly materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honggui Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University (26116120), Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Huachen Qi
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Shujun Gong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Zhihai Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Chuang Meng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University (26116120), Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China
| | - Ya Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Xiang Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University (26116120), Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China
| | - Xin'an Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University (26116120), Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
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Wang H, Qi H, Zhu M, Gong S, Huang Z, Zhang Y, Chen X, Jiao X. MoS 2 decorated nanocomposite: Fe 2O 3@MoS 2 inhibits the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 186:109781. [PMID: 31622879 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Nanomaterials of Al2O3 and TiO2 have been proved to promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) by horizontal gene transfer. In this work, we found that Fe2O3@MoS2 nanocomposite inhibited the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) by inhibiting the conjugative transfer mediated by RP4-7 plasmid. To discover the mechanism of Fe2O3@MoS2 inhibiting HGT, the bacterial cells were collected under the optimal mating conditions. The collected bacterial cells were used for analyzing the expression levels of genes unique to the plasmid and the bacterial chromosome in the conjugation system by qPCR. The results of genes expression demonstrated that the mechanism of Fe2O3@MoS2 inhibited conjugation by promoting the expression of global regulatory gene (trbA) and inhibiting the expression of conjugative transfer genes involved in mating pair formation (traF, trbB) and DNA replication (trfA). The risk assessment of Fe2O3@MoS2 showed that it had very low toxicity to organisms. The findings of this paper showed that Fe2O3@MoS2, as an inhibitor of horizontal gene transfer, is an environment-friendly material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honggui Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University (26116120), Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Huachen Qi
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Ming Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Shujun Gong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Zhihai Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Ya Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, 225127, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Xiang Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University (26116120), Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China
| | - Xin'an Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Biological Hazard Factors (Animal Origin) for Agrifood Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Yangzhou University (26116120), Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
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Oyedemi BO, Kotsia EM, Stapleton PD, Gibbons S. Capsaicin and gingerol analogues inhibit the growth of efflux-multidrug resistant bacteria and R-plasmids conjugal transfer. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2019; 245:111871. [PMID: 31022566 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.111871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE Capsicum and ginger are used widely in human diets and in folklore medicines. Chemically, gingerol is a relative of capsaicin and both classes of compounds are notable for their spiciness and characteristic pungent aroma. Previous studies have demonstrated that these compounds contain antimicrobial compounds with robust pharmacological importance. AIM The present study evaluated the in vitro antibacterial activities of capsaicinoids and gingerols against a panel of clinical MRSA strains and their inhibitory effect on the conjugal transfer of R-plasmids harboured in E. coli. MATERIALS AND METHODS Crude methanol extract of C. annum was fractionated using solid phase extraction (SPE) and screened for R-plasmid transfer inhibition: TP114, PUB 307, PKM 101, R6K and R7K. The bio-guided assay led to the isolation of bioactive compounds with strong R-plasmid transfer inhibition. The compounds were identified using Nuclear Magnetic resonance (NMR) and Mass spectroscopy (MS). Capsaicin analogues nonivamide, 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin were screened for antimicrobial activity against a panel of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Gram-negative bacteria strains using microdilution method while the plasmid transfer inhibition assay of the compounds was determined by broth mating method. RESULTS The bioactive fraction Ca-11 showed good inhibition rates (8.57-25.52%) against three R-plasmids PUB307, PKM 101, TP114 followed by the crude extract of C. annum (8.59%) respectively leading to the bioassay-guided isolation of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin as the bioactive principles. The antiplasmid effect of pure capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin were broad and within active ranges (5.03-31.76%) against the various antibiotic resistance-conferring plasmids including R6K, R7K. Capsaicin, 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol had good broad antibacterial activity with MIC values ranging from 8 to 256 mg/L against effluxing MRSA strains SA1199B (NorA), XU212 (TetK) and RN4220 (MsrA). While they exhibited moderate antibacterial activity (128-512 mg/L) against the Gram-negative bacteria. The effect of 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol and nonivamide on the plasmids were very active on PKM 101 (6.24-22.16%), PUB 307 (1.22-45.63%) and TP114 (0.1-7.19%) comparative to the positive control plumbagin (5.70-31.76%). CONCLUSION These results are suggestive that the R-plasmids could possess substrate for capsaicinoids-like compounds and for their ability to inhibit the plasmid conjugation processes. Plant natural products possess the potential value of antibacterial and mechanistic antiplasmid activity as demonstrated by the compounds and should be evaluated in developing antimicrobial leads to novel mechanism against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blessing Om Oyedemi
- Research Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - E M Kotsia
- Research Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Paul D Stapleton
- Research Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Simon Gibbons
- Research Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, UK.
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ICEKp2: description of an integrative and conjugative element in Klebsiella pneumoniae, co-occurring and interacting with ICEKp1. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13892. [PMID: 31554924 PMCID: PMC6761156 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50456-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a human pathogen, prominent in antimicrobial-resistant and nosocomial infection. The integrative and conjugative element ICEKp1 is present in a third of clinical isolates and more prevalent in invasive disease; it provides genetic diversity and enables the spread of virulence-associated genes. We report a second integrative conjugative element that can co-occur with ICEKp1 in K. pneumoniae. This element, ICEKp2, is similar to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenicity island PAPI. We identified ICEKp2 in K. pneumoniae sequence types ST11, ST258 and ST512, which are associated with carbapenem-resistant outbreaks in China and the US, including isolates with and without ICEKp1. ICEKp2 was competent for excision, but self-mobilisation to recipient Escherichia coli was not detected. In an isolate with both elements, ICEKp2 positively influenced the efficiency of plasmid mobilisation driven by ICEKp1. We propose a putative mechanism, in which a Mob2 ATPase of ICEKp2 may contribute to the ICEKp1 conjugation machinery. Supporting this mechanism, mob2, but not a variant with mutations in the ATPase motif, restored transfer efficiency to an ICEKp2 knockout. This is the first demonstration of the interaction between integrative and conjugative genetic elements in a single Gram-negative bacterium with implications for understanding evolution by horizontal gene transfer.
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Iasakov TR, Anisimova LG, Zharikova NV, Zhurenko EI, Korobov VV, Markusheva TV. Evolution and Comparative Genomics of the pSM22 Plasmid of the IncF/MOBF12 Group. Mol Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893319040162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Wuyts S, Allonsius CN, Wittouck S, Thys S, Lievens B, Weckx S, De Vuyst L, Sarah L. Comparative genome analysis of Lactobacillus mudanjiangensis, an understudied member of the Lactobacillus plantarum group. Microb Genom 2019; 5. [PMID: 31368886 PMCID: PMC6807380 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Lactobacillus is known to be extremely diverse and consists of different phylogenetic groups that show a diversity that is roughly equal to the expected diversity of a typical bacterial genus. One of the most prominent phylogenetic groups within this genus is the Lactobacillus plantarum group, which contains the understudied Lactobacillus mudanjiangensis species. Before this study, only one L. mudanjiangensis strain, DSM 28402T, had been described, but without whole-genome analysis. In this study, three strains classified as L. mudanjiangensis were isolated from three different carrot juice fermentations and their whole-genome sequence was determined, together with the genome sequence of the type strain. The genomes of all four strains were compared with publicly available L. plantarum group genome sequences. This analysis showed that L. mudanjiangensis harboured the second largest genome size and gene count of the whole L. plantarum group. In addition, all members of this species showed the presence of a gene coding for a cellulose-degrading enzyme. Finally, three of the four L. mudanjiangensis strains studied showed the presence of pili on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, which were linked to conjugative gene regions, coded on a plasmid in at least two of the strains studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Wuyts
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology (ENdEMIC), Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Camille Nina Allonsius
- Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology (ENdEMIC), Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Stijn Wittouck
- Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology (ENdEMIC), Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sofie Thys
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Antwerp Centre for Advanced Microscopy (ACAM), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Bart Lievens
- Laboratory for Process Microbial Ecology and Bioinspirational Management (PME&BIM), Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Campus De Nayer, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
| | - Stefan Weckx
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luc De Vuyst
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lebeer Sarah
- Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology (ENdEMIC), Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Kumari R, Shariq M, Sharma S, Kumar A, Mukhopadhyay G. CagW, a VirB6 homologue interacts with Cag-type IV secretion system substrate CagA in Helicobacter pylori. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 515:712-718. [PMID: 31182283 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Protein translocating Cag type IV secretion system of Helicobacter pylori is a diverse multi-protein complex. Here, we have characterized one of its key subunit CagW to identify its interacting partners. Our results demonstrate for the first time that this VirB6 homologue interacts with the substrate of the secretion system CagA. CagW forms multimer and its absence affects cellular levels of pilus forming components, CagL, CagI and CagH. Our results support the notion that the protein is essential for the transport of CagA across the bacterial membrane barrier and would aid in improving our understanding of structural and functional aspects of the inner membrane part of Cag-T4SS channel complex for the passage of substrate CagA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumari
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Mohd Shariq
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Shivani Sharma
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Ajay Kumar
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Gauranga Mukhopadhyay
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India.
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Christie PJ, Gomez Valero L, Buchrieser C. Biological Diversity and Evolution of Type IV Secretion Systems. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2019; 413:1-30. [PMID: 29536353 PMCID: PMC5912172 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-75241-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The bacterial type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) are a highly functionally and structurally diverse superfamily of secretion systems found in many species of Gram-negative and -positive bacteria. Collectively, the T4SSs can translocate DNA and monomeric and multimeric protein substrates to a variety of bacterial and eukaryotic cell types. Detailed phylogenomics analyses have established that the T4SSs evolved from ancient conjugation machines whose original functions were to disseminate mobile DNA elements within and between bacterial species. How members of the T4SS superfamily evolved to recognize and translocate specific substrate repertoires to prokaryotic or eukaryotic target cells is a fascinating question from evolutionary, biological, and structural perspectives. In this chapter, we will summarize recent findings that have shaped our current view of the biological diversity of the T4SSs. We focus mainly on two subtypes, designated as the types IVA (T4ASS) and IVB (T4BSS) systems that respectively are represented by the paradigmatic Agrobacterium tumefaciens VirB/VirD4 and Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm T4SSs. We present current information about the composition and architectures of these representative systems. We also describe how these and a few related T4ASS and T4BSS members evolved as specialized nanomachines through acquisition of novel domains or subunits, a process that ultimately generated extensive genetic and structural mosaicism among this secretion superfamily. Finally, we present new phylogenomics information establishing that the T4BSSs are much more broadly distributed than initially envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Christie
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, 6431 Fannin St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Laura Gomez Valero
- Institut Pasteur, Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, 75724, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 3525, 75724, Paris, France
| | - Carmen Buchrieser
- Institut Pasteur, Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, 75724, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 3525, 75724, Paris, France
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Wang Y, Lu J, Mao L, Li J, Yuan Z, Bond PL, Guo J. Antiepileptic drug carbamazepine promotes horizontal transfer of plasmid-borne multi-antibiotic resistance genes within and across bacterial genera. THE ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:509-522. [PMID: 30291330 PMCID: PMC6331567 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0275-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a severe global threat for public health, causing around 700,000 deaths per year. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is one of the most significant pathways to disseminate antibiotic resistance. It is commonly acknowledged that sub-minimum inhibition concentrations of antibiotics are major contributors in promoting antibiotic resistance through HGT. Pharmaceuticals are occurring in our environments at increased levels, yet little is known whether non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals cause or accelerate the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Here, we report for the first time that the antiepileptic drug, carbamazepine, promotes conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. It was seen that environmentally relevant concentrations of carbamazepine (e.g., 0.05 mg/L) significantly enhanced the conjugative transfer of multiresistance genes carried by plasmid within and across bacterial genera. The underlying mechanisms of the enhanced HGT were revealed by detecting oxidative stress and cell membrane permeability, in combination with MinION DNA sequencing, genome-wide RNA sequencing, and proteomic analysis. Carbamazepine induced a series of acute responses, including increased levels of reactive oxygen species, the SOS response; increased cell membrane permeability, and pilus generation. Expressional levels of genes related to these processes were significantly upregulated during carbamazepine exposure. Given that HGT occurs widely among different species in various environments, these findings are an early warning for a wide assessment of the roles of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals in the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Ji Lu
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Likai Mao
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jie Li
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Philip L Bond
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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Waksman G. From conjugation to T4S systems in Gram-negative bacteria: a mechanistic biology perspective. EMBO Rep 2019; 20:embr.201847012. [PMID: 30602585 PMCID: PMC6362355 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201847012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugation is the process by which bacteria exchange genetic materials in a unidirectional manner from a donor cell to a recipient cell. The discovery of conjugation signalled the dawn of genetics and molecular biology. In Gram-negative bacteria, the process of conjugation is mediated by a large membrane-embedded machinery termed "conjugative type IV secretion (T4S) system", a large injection nanomachine, which together with a DNA-processing machinery termed "the relaxosome" and a large extracellular tube termed "pilus" orchestrates directional DNA transfer. Here, the focus is on past and latest research in the field of conjugation and T4S systems in Gram-negative bacteria, with an emphasis on the various questions and debates that permeate the field from a mechanistic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Waksman
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL and Birkbeck, London, UK
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Philipps G, de Vries S, Jennewein S. Development of a metabolic pathway transfer and genomic integration system for the syngas-fermenting bacterium Clostridium ljungdahlii. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:112. [PMID: 31086564 PMCID: PMC6507227 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1448-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridium spp. can synthesize valuable chemicals and fuels by utilizing diverse waste-stream substrates, including starchy biomass, lignocellulose, and industrial waste gases. However, metabolic engineering in Clostridium spp. is challenging due to the low efficiency of gene transfer and genomic integration of entire biosynthetic pathways. RESULTS We have developed a reliable gene transfer and genomic integration system for the syngas-fermenting bacterium Clostridium ljungdahlii based on the conjugal transfer of donor plasmids containing large transgene cassettes (> 5 kb) followed by the inducible activation of Himar1 transposase to promote integration. We established a conjugation protocol for the efficient generation of transconjugants using the Gram-positive origins of replication repL and repH. We also investigated the impact of DNA methylation on conjugation efficiency by testing donor constructs with all possible combinations of Dam and Dcm methylation patterns, and used bisulfite conversion and PacBio sequencing to determine the DNA methylation profile of the C. ljungdahlii genome, resulting in the detection of four sequence motifs with N6-methyladenosine. As proof of concept, we demonstrated the transfer and genomic integration of a heterologous acetone biosynthesis pathway using a Himar1 transposase system regulated by a xylose-inducible promoter. The functionality of the integrated pathway was confirmed by detecting enzyme proteotypic peptides and the formation of acetone and isopropanol by C. ljungdahlii cultures utilizing syngas as a carbon and energy source. CONCLUSIONS The developed multi-gene delivery system offers a versatile tool to integrate and stably express large biosynthetic pathways in the industrial promising syngas-fermenting microorganism C. ljungdahlii. The simple transfer and stable integration of large gene clusters (like entire biosynthetic pathways) is expanding the range of possible fermentation products of heterologously expressing recombinant strains. We also believe that the developed gene delivery system can be adapted to other clostridial strains as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Philipps
- Department for Industrial Biotechnology, Fraunhofer IME, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstr. 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Sebastian de Vries
- Department for Industrial Biotechnology, Fraunhofer IME, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstr. 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Present Address: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefan Jennewein
- Department for Industrial Biotechnology, Fraunhofer IME, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstr. 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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Ghaly TM, Gillings MR. Mobile DNAs as Ecologically and Evolutionarily Independent Units of Life. Trends Microbiol 2018; 26:904-912. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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Shala-Lawrence A, Bragagnolo N, Nowroozi-Dayeni R, Kheyson S, Audette GF. The interaction of TraW and TrbC is required to facilitate conjugation in F-like plasmids. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 503:2386-2392. [PMID: 29966652 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.06.166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial conjugation, such as that mediated by the E. coli F plasmid, is a main mechanism driving bacterial evolution. Two important proteins required for F-pilus assembly and DNA transfer proficiency are TraW and TrbC. As members of a larger complex, these proteins assemble into a type IV secretion system and are essential components of pore formation and mating pair stabilization between the donor and the recipient cells. In the current report, we demonstrate the physical interaction of TraW and TrbC, show that TraW preferentially interacts with the N-terminal domain of TrbC, and that this interaction is important in restoring conjugation in traW/trbC knockouts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnesa Shala-Lawrence
- Department of Chemistry & Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Nicholas Bragagnolo
- Department of Chemistry & Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Roksana Nowroozi-Dayeni
- Department of Chemistry & Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Sasha Kheyson
- Department of Chemistry & Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Gerald F Audette
- Department of Chemistry & Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.
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48
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Yuan XY, Wang Y, Wang MY. The type IV secretion system in Helicobacter pylori. Future Microbiol 2018; 13:1041-1054. [PMID: 29927340 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2018-0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has an essential role in the pathogenesis of gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and gastric cancer. The severity of the host inflammatory responses against the bacteria have been straightly associated with a special bacterial virulence factor, the cag pathogenicity island, which is a type IV secretion system (T4SS) to deliver CagA into the host cells. Besides cag-T4SS, the chromosomes of H. pylori can encode another three T4SSs, including comB, tfs3 and tfs4. In this review, we systematically reviewed the four T4SSs of H. pylori and explored their roles in the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal diseases. The information summarized in this review might provide valuable insights into the pathogenic mechanism for H. pylori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan Yuan
- Department of Central Lab, Weihai Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Dalian Medical University, Weihai, Shandong, 264200, PR China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Central Lab, Weihai Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Dalian Medical University, Weihai, Shandong, 264200, PR China
| | - Ming-Yi Wang
- Department of Central Lab, Weihai Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Dalian Medical University, Weihai, Shandong, 264200, PR China
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Tilquin A, Christie JR, Kokko H. Mitochondrial complementation: a possible neglected factor behind early eukaryotic sex. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1152-1164. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Tilquin
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
- Finnish Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions; Jyväskylä Finland
| | - Joshua R. Christie
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
- Finnish Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions; Jyväskylä Finland
| | - Hanna Kokko
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
- Finnish Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions; Jyväskylä Finland
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50
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Hu J, Zhan J, Chen H, He C, Cang H, Wang Q. The Small Regulatory Antisense RNA PilR Affects Pilus Formation and Cell Motility by Negatively Regulating pilA11 in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:786. [PMID: 29740417 PMCID: PMC5924778 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Pili are found on the surface of many bacteria and play important roles in cell motility, pathogenesis, biofilm formation, and sensing and reacting to environmental changes. Cell motility in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 relies on expression of the putative pilA9-pilA10-pilA11-slr2018 operon. In this study, we identified the antisense RNA PilR encoded in the noncoding strand of the prepilin-encoding gene pilA11. Analysis of overexpressor [PilR(+)] and suppressor [PilR(-)] mutant strains revealed that PilR is a direct negative regulator of PilA11 protein. Although overexpression of PilR did not affect cell growth, it greatly reduced levels of pilA11 mRNA and protein and decreased both the thickness and number of pili, resulting in limited cell motility and small, distinct colonies. Suppression of PilR had the opposite effect. A hypothetical model on the regulation of pilA9-pilA10-pilA11-slr2018 operon expression by PilR was proposed. These results add a layer of complexity to the mechanisms controlling pilA11 gene expression and cell motility, and provide novel insights into how sRNA and the intergenic region secondary structures can work together to discoordinatly regulate target gene in an operon in cyanobacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlu Hu
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiao Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Chenliu He
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Huaixing Cang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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