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Matilla MA, Krell T. Bacterial amino acid chemotaxis: a widespread strategy with multiple physiological and ecological roles. J Bacteriol 2024:e0030024. [PMID: 39330213 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00300-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemotaxis is the directed, flagellum-based movement of bacteria in chemoeffector gradients. Bacteria respond chemotactically to a wide range of chemoeffectors, including amino, organic, and fatty acids, sugars, polyamines, quaternary amines, purines, pyrimidines, aromatic hydrocarbons, oxygen, inorganic ions, or polysaccharides. Most frequent are chemotactic responses to amino acids (AAs), which were observed in numerous bacteria regardless of their phylogeny and lifestyle. Mostly chemoattraction responses are observed, although a number of bacteria are repelled from certain AAs. Chemoattraction is associated with the important metabolic value of AAs as growth substrates or building blocks of proteins. However, additional studies revealed that AAs are also sensed as environmental cues. Many chemoreceptors are specific for AAs, and signaling is typically initiated by direct ligand binding to their four-helix bundle or dCache ligand-binding domains. Frequently, bacteria possess multiple AA-responsive chemoreceptors that at times possess complementary AA ligand spectra. The identification of sequence motifs in the binding sites at dCache_1 domains has permitted to define an AA-specific family of dCache_1AA chemoreceptors. In addition, AAs are among the ligands recognized by broad ligand range chemoreceptors, and evidence was obtained for chemoreceptor activation by the binding of AA-loaded solute-binding proteins. The biological significance of AA chemotaxis is very ample including in biofilm formation, root and seed colonization by beneficial bacteria, plant entry of phytopathogens, colonization of the intestine, or different virulence-related features in human/animal pathogens. This review provides insights that may be helpful for the study of AA chemotaxis in other uncharacterized bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
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2
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Huang D, Xia R, Chen C, Liao J, Chen L, Wang D, Alvarez PJJ, Yu P. Adaptive strategies and ecological roles of phages in habitats under physicochemical stress. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:902-916. [PMID: 38433027 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) play a vital role in ecosystem functions by influencing the composition, genetic exchange, metabolism, and environmental adaptation of microbial communities. With recent advances in sequencing technologies and bioinformatics, our understanding of the ecology and evolution of phages in stressful environments has substantially expanded. Here, we review the impact of physicochemical environmental stress on the physiological state and community dynamics of phages, the adaptive strategies that phages employ to cope with environmental stress, and the ecological effects of phage-host interactions in stressful environments. Specifically, we highlight the contributions of phages to the adaptive evolution and functioning of microbiomes and suggest that phages and their hosts can maintain a mutualistic relationship in response to environmental stress. In addition, we discuss the ecological consequences caused by phages in stressful environments, encompassing biogeochemical cycling. Overall, this review advances an understanding of phage ecology in stressful environments, which could inform phage-based strategies to improve microbiome performance and ecosystem resilience and resistance in natural and engineering systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Huang
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Rong Xia
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chengyi Chen
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jingqiu Liao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Linxing Chen
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Pedro J J Alvarez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Pingfeng Yu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan, 314100, China.
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3
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Liu H, Li J, Singh BK. Harnessing co-evolutionary interactions between plants and Streptomyces to combat drought stress. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:1159-1171. [PMID: 39048724 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01749-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Streptomyces is a drought-tolerant bacterial genus in soils, which forms close associations with plants to provide host resilience to drought stress. Here we synthesize the emerging research that illuminates the multifaceted interactions of Streptomyces spp. in both plant and soil environments. It also explores the potential co-evolutionary relationship between plants and Streptomyces spp. to forge mutualistic relationships, providing drought tolerance to plants. We propose that further advancement in fundamental knowledge of eco-evolutionary interactions between plants and Streptomyces spp. is crucial and holds substantial promise for developing effective strategies to combat drought stress, ensuring sustainable agriculture and environmental sustainability in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Liu
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia.
| | - Jiayu Li
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
| | - Brajesh K Singh
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia.
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4
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Atkins H, Sabharwal B, Boger L, Stegman N, Kula A, Wolfe AJ, Banerjee S, Putonti C. Evidence of Lactobacillus strains shared between the female urinary and vaginal microbiota. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001267. [PMID: 38949867 PMCID: PMC11316553 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001267] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Lactobacillus species are common inhabitants of the 'healthy' female urinary and vaginal communities, often associated with a lack of symptoms in both anatomical sites. Given identification by prior studies of similar bacterial species in both communities, it has been hypothesized that the two microbiotas are in fact connected. Here, we carried out whole-genome sequencing of 49 Lactobacillus strains, including 16 paired urogenital samples from the same participant. These strains represent five different Lactobacillus species: L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. iners, L. jensenii, and L. paragasseri. Average nucleotide identity (ANI), alignment, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and CRISPR comparisons between strains from the same participant were performed. We conducted simulations of genome assemblies and ANI comparisons and present a statistical method to distinguish between unrelated, related, and identical strains. We found that 50 % of the paired samples have identical strains, evidence that the urinary and vaginal communities are connected. Additionally, we found evidence of strains sharing a common ancestor. These results establish that microbial sharing between the urinary tract and vagina is not limited to uropathogens. Knowledge that these two anatomical sites can share lactobacilli in females can inform future clinical approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley Atkins
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Baani Sabharwal
- Department of Molecular Environmental Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Leah Boger
- Data Science Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Natalie Stegman
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alexander Kula
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alan J. Wolfe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Swarnali Banerjee
- Data Science Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Catherine Putonti
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
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5
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Luo N, Lu J, Şimşek E, Silver A, Yao Y, Ouyang X, West SA, You L. The collapse of cooperation during range expansion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1220-1230. [PMID: 38443483 PMCID: PMC7615952 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01627-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Cooperation is commonly believed to be favourable in spatially structured environments, as these systems promote genetic relatedness that reduces the likelihood of exploitation by cheaters. Here we show that a Pseudomonas aeruginosa population that exhibited cooperative swarming was invaded by cheaters when subjected to experimental evolution through cycles of range expansion on solid media, but not in well-mixed liquid cultures. Our results suggest that cooperation is disfavoured in a more structured environment, which is the opposite of the prevailing view. We show that spatial expansion of the population prolongs cooperative swarming, which was vulnerable to cheating. Our findings reveal a mechanism by which spatial structures can suppress cooperation through modulation of the quantitative traits of cooperation, a process that leads to population divergence towards distinct colonization strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Luo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jia Lu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Emrah Şimşek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Anita Silver
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yi Yao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xiaoyi Ouyang
- School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Stuart A West
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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Liu Z, Xia Q, Cai J, Wang Z, Yang K, Chen D, Wei J, Chen C, Liu C, Chang W, Li Z, Li X, Yang Y, Yang L, Tan X. Nitrogen Fertilizers Affect Microbial Hitchhiking to the Plant Roots. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:4639-4648. [PMID: 38377485 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c07623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The phenomenon of microbial hitchhiking, where nonmotile microbes utilize transspecies motility to navigate within their environment, has been observed. However, the underlying factors driving microbial hitchhiking remain unclear. Our study explored how nitrogen fertilizers affect microbial hitchhiking in soil through an in situ planting experiment. We established twelve treatments encompassing the presence and absence of plants, the presence and absence of a filter membrane that is used to prevent hitchhiking, and three nitrogen levels. Results showed that nitrogen influenced bacterial diversity in all soils, an effect thwarted by filter membranes. In the presence of plants, nitrogen significantly affected the bacterial mobility, Bacillus abundance, and plant biomass, but these effects vanished when filters were used. The correlation between motile Bacillus and rhizosphere bacteria was strong without filters at the proper nitrogen levels but weakened with membrane treatments. Thus, plants and nitrogen together, not nitrogen alone, alter the soil microbiome via hitchhiking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
| | - Qini Xia
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
| | - Jing Cai
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Ziyuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
| | - Kexin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
| | - Dixu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
| | - Jiahong Wei
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
| | - Cun Chen
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Chengdu Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
- College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Wei Chang
- Vegetable Germplasm Innovation and Variety Improvement Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province/Horticulture Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Vegetable Germplasm Innovation and Variety Improvement Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province/Horticulture Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Xufeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
| | - Liang Yang
- Vegetable Germplasm Innovation and Variety Improvement Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province/Horticulture Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Xiao Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
- College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
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7
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Ganesan R, Janke RS, Kaltenpoth M, Flórez LV. Colonization dynamics of a defensive insect ectosymbiont. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230100. [PMID: 37161294 PMCID: PMC10170204 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0100] [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: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Beneficial symbionts are horizontally or vertically transmitted to offspring, relying on host- or microbe-mediated mechanisms for colonization. While multiple studies on symbionts transmitted internally or by feeding highlight host adaptations and dynamics of symbiont colonization, less is known for beneficial microbes colonizing host external surfaces, such as the insect cuticle. Here, we investigate the colonization dynamics of a bacterial symbiont that protects eggs and larvae of Lagria villosa beetles against pathogens. After maternal application to the egg surface, symbionts colonize specialized cuticular invaginations on the dorsal surface of larvae. We assessed the colonization time point and investigated the involvement of the host during this process. Symbionts remain on the egg surface before hatching, providing protection. Immediately after hatching, cells from the egg surface colonize the larvae and horizontal acquisition can occur, yet efficiency decreases with increasing larval age. Additionally, passive or host-aided translocation likely supports colonization of the larval symbiotic organs. This may be especially important for the dominant non-motile symbiont strain, while motility of additional strains in the symbiont community might also play a role. Our findings provide insights into the colonization dynamics of cuticle-associated defensive symbionts and suggest alternate or complementary strategies used by different strains for colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Ganesan
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Department of Insect Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Rebekka S. Janke
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Department of Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Martin Kaltenpoth
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Department of Insect Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Laura V. Flórez
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Section for Organismal Biology, University of Copenhagen, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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8
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Silverstein MR, Segrè D, Bhatnagar JM. Environmental microbiome engineering for the mitigation of climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:2050-2066. [PMID: 36661406 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Environmental microbiome engineering is emerging as a potential avenue for climate change mitigation. In this process, microbial inocula are introduced to natural microbial communities to tune activities that regulate the long-term stabilization of carbon in ecosystems. In this review, we outline the process of environmental engineering and synthesize key considerations about ecosystem functions to target, means of sourcing microorganisms, strategies for designing microbial inocula, methods to deliver inocula, and the factors that enable inocula to establish within a resident community and modify an ecosystem function target. Recent work, enabled by high-throughput technologies and modeling approaches, indicate that microbial inocula designed from the top-down, particularly through directed evolution, may generally have a higher chance of establishing within existing microbial communities than other historical approaches to microbiome engineering. We address outstanding questions about the determinants of inocula establishment and provide suggestions for further research about the possibilities and challenges of environmental microbiome engineering as a tool to combat climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Silverstein
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel Segrè
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer M Bhatnagar
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Hawxhurst CJ, Micciulla JL, Bridges CM, Shor M, Gage DJ, Shor LM. Soil Protists Can Actively Redistribute Beneficial Bacteria along Medicago truncatula Roots. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0181922. [PMID: 36877040 PMCID: PMC10057870 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01819-22] [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: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The rhizosphere is the region of soil directly influenced by plant roots. The microbial community in the rhizosphere includes fungi, protists, and bacteria: all play significant roles in plant health. The beneficial bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti infects growing root hairs on nitrogen-starved leguminous plants. Infection leads to the formation of a root nodule, where S. meliloti converts atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, a bioavailable form. In soil, S. meliloti is often found in biofilms and travels slowly along the roots, leaving developing root hairs at the growing root tips uninfected. Soil protists are an important component of the rhizosphere system, able to travel quickly along roots and water films, who prey on soil bacteria and have been known to egest undigested phagosomes. We show that a soil protist, Colpoda sp., can transport S. meliloti down Medicago truncatula roots. Using model soil microcosms, we directly observed fluorescently labeled S. meliloti along M. truncatula roots and tracked the displacement of the fluorescence signal over time. Two weeks after co-inoculation, this signal extended 52 mm farther down plant roots when Colpoda sp. was also present versus treatments that contained bacteria but not protists. Direct counts also showed protists are required for viable bacteria to reach the deeper sections of our microcosms. Facilitating bacterial transport may be an important mechanism whereby soil protists promote plant health. IMPORTANCE Soil protists are an important part of the microbial community in the rhizosphere. Plants grown with protists fare better than plants grown without protists. Mechanisms through which protists support plant health include nutrient cycling, alteration of the bacterial community through selective feeding, and consumption of plant pathogens. Here, we provide data in support of an additional mechanism: protists act as transport vehicles for bacteria in soil. We show that protist-facilitated transport can deliver plant-beneficial bacteria to the growing tips of roots that may otherwise be sparsely inhabited with bacteria originating from a seed-associated inoculum. By co-inoculating Medicago truncatula roots with both S. meliloti, a nitrogen-fixing legume symbiont, and Colpoda sp., a ciliated protist, we show substantial and statistically significant transport with depth and breadth of bacteria-associated fluorescence as well as transport of viable bacteria. Co-inoculation with shelf-stable encysted soil protists may be employed as a sustainable agriculture biotechnology to better distribute beneficial bacteria and enhance the performance of inoculants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Hawxhurst
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jamie L. Micciulla
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Charles M. Bridges
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mikhael Shor
- Department of Economics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Daniel J. Gage
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Leslie M. Shor
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Center for Environmental Sciences & Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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10
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Wisnoski NI, Lennon JT. Scaling up and down: movement ecology for microorganisms. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:242-253. [PMID: 36280521 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.09.016] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Movement is critical for the fitness of organisms, both large and small. It dictates how individuals acquire resources, evade predators, exchange genetic material, and respond to stressful environments. Movement also influences ecological and evolutionary dynamics at higher organizational levels, such as populations and communities. However, the links between individual motility and the processes that generate and maintain microbial diversity are poorly understood. Movement ecology is a framework linking the physiological and behavioral properties of individuals to movement patterns across scales of space, time, and biological organization. By synthesizing insights from cell biology, ecology, and evolution, we expand theory from movement ecology to predict the causes and consequences of microbial movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan I Wisnoski
- Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
| | - Jay T Lennon
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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11
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Kuhn T, Buffi M, Bindschedler S, Chain PS, Gonzalez D, Stanley CE, Wick LY, Junier P, Richter XYL. Design and construction of 3D printed devices to investigate active and passive bacterial dispersal on hydrated surfaces. BMC Biol 2022; 20:203. [PMID: 36104696 PMCID: PMC9476585 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01406-z] [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: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To disperse in water-unsaturated environments, such as the soil, bacteria rely on the availability and structure of water films forming on biotic and abiotic surfaces, and, especially, along fungal mycelia. Dispersal along such “fungal highways” may be driven both by mycelial physical properties and by interactions between bacteria and fungi. However, we still do not have a way to disentangle the biotic and abiotic elements. Results We designed and 3D printed two devices establishing stable liquid films that support bacteria dispersal in the absence of biotic interactions. The thickness of the liquid film determined the presence of hydraulic flow capable of transporting non-motile cells. In the absence of flow, only motile cells can disperse in the presence of an energy source. Non-motile cells could not disperse autonomously without flow but dispersed as “hitchhikers” when co-inoculated with motile cells. Conclusions The 3D printed devices can be used as an abiotic control to study bacterial dispersal on hydrated surfaces, such as plant roots and fungal hyphae networks in the soil. By teasing apart the abiotic and biotic dimensions, these 3D printed devices will stimulate further research on microbial dispersal in soil and other water-unsaturated environments. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01406-z.
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12
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Janke RS, Moog S, Weiss B, Kaltenpoth M, Flórez LV. Morphological adaptation for ectosymbiont maintenance and transmission during metamorphosis in Lagria beetles. Front Physiol 2022; 13:979200. [PMID: 36111144 PMCID: PMC9468232 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.979200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The diversity and success of holometabolous insects is partly driven by metamorphosis, which allows for the exploitation of different niches and decouples growth and tissue differentiation from reproduction. Despite its benefits, metamorphosis comes with the cost of temporal vulnerability during pupation and challenges associated with tissue reorganizations. These rearrangements can also affect the presence, abundance, and localization of beneficial microbes in the host. However, how symbionts are maintained or translocated during metamorphosis and which adaptations are necessary from each partner during this process remains unknown for the vast majority of symbiotic systems. Here, we show that Lagria beetles circumvent the constraints of metamorphosis by maintaining defensive symbionts on the surface in specialized cuticular structures. The symbionts are present in both sexes throughout larval development and during the pupal phase, in line with a protective role during the beetle’s immature stages. By comparing symbiont titer and morphology of the cuticular structures between sexes using qPCR, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and micro-computed tomography, we found that the organs likely play an important role as a symbiont reservoir for transmission to female adults, since symbiont titers and structures are reduced in male pupae. Using symbiont-sized fluorescent beads, we demonstrate transfer from the region of the dorsal symbiont-housing organs to the opening of the reproductive tract of adult females, suggesting that symbiont relocation on the outer surface is possible, even without specialized symbiont adaptations or motility. Our results illustrate a strategy for holometabolous insects to cope with the challenge of symbiont maintenance during metamorphosis via an external route, circumventing problems associated with internal tissue reorganization. Thereby, Lagria beetles keep a tight relationship with their beneficial partners during growth and metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekka S. Janke
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Safira Moog
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Benjamin Weiss
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Insect Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Kaltenpoth
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Insect Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Laura V. Flórez
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Section for Organismal Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Laura V. Flórez,
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13
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You X, Kallies R, Kühn I, Schmidt M, Harms H, Chatzinotas A, Wick LY. Phage co-transport with hyphal-riding bacteria fuels bacterial invasion in a water-unsaturated microbial model system. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:1275-1283. [PMID: 34903848 PMCID: PMC9039081 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01155-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Nonmotile microorganisms often enter new habitats by co-transport with motile microorganisms. Here, we report that also lytic phages can co-transport with hyphal-riding bacteria and facilitate bacterial colonization of a new habitat. This is comparable to the concept of biological invasions in macroecology. In analogy to invasion frameworks in plant and animal ecology, we tailored spatially organized, water-unsaturated model microcosms using hyphae of Pythium ultimum as invasion paths and flagellated soil-bacterium Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as carrier for co-transport of Escherichia virus T4. P. putida KT2440 efficiently dispersed along P. ultimum to new habitats and dispatched T4 phages across air gaps transporting ≈0.6 phages bacteria−1. No T4 displacement along hyphae was observed in the absence of carrier bacteria. If E. coli occupied the new habitat, T4 co-transport fueled the fitness of invading P. putida KT2440, while the absence of phage co-transport led to poor colonization followed by extinction. Our data emphasize the importance of hyphal transport of bacteria and associated phages in regulating fitness and composition of microbial populations in water-unsaturated systems. As such co-transport seems analogous to macroecological invasion processes, hyphosphere systems with motile bacteria and co-transported phages could be useful models for testing hypotheses in invasion ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin You
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - René Kallies
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ingolf Kühn
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Community Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120, Halle, Germany.,Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias Schmidt
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hauke Harms
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Antonis Chatzinotas
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Talstr. 33, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Lukas Y Wick
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
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14
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You X, Klose N, Kallies R, Harms H, Chatzinotas A, Wick LY. Mycelia-Assisted Isolation of Non-Host Bacteria Able to Co-Transport Phages. Viruses 2022; 14:195. [PMID: 35215789 PMCID: PMC8877629 DOI: 10.3390/v14020195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that phages can be co-transported with motile non-host bacteria, thereby enabling their invasion of biofilms and control of biofilm composition. Here, we developed a novel approach to isolate non-host bacteria able to co-transport phages from soil. It is based on the capability of phage-carrying non-host bacteria to move along mycelia out of soil and form colonies in plaques of their co-transported phages. The approach was tested using two model phages of differing surface hydrophobicity, i.e., hydrophobic Escherichia virus T4 (T4) and hydrophilic Pseudoalteromonas phage HS2 (HS2). The phages were mixed into soil and allowed to be transported by soil bacteria along the mycelia of Pythium ultimum. Five phage-carrying bacterial species were isolated (Viridibacillus sp., Enterobacter sp., Serratia sp., Bacillus sp., Janthinobacterium sp.). These bacteria exhibited phage adsorption efficiencies of ≈90-95% for hydrophobic T4 and 30-95% for hydrophilic HS2. The phage adsorption efficiency of Viridibacillus sp. was ≈95% for both phages and twofold higher than T4-or HS2-adsorption to their respective hosts, qualifying Viridibacillus sp. as a potential super carrier for phages. Our approach offers an effective and target-specific way to identify and isolate phage-carrying bacteria in natural and man-made environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin You
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; (X.Y.); (N.K.); (R.K.); (H.H.); (A.C.)
| | - Niclas Klose
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; (X.Y.); (N.K.); (R.K.); (H.H.); (A.C.)
| | - René Kallies
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; (X.Y.); (N.K.); (R.K.); (H.H.); (A.C.)
| | - Hauke Harms
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; (X.Y.); (N.K.); (R.K.); (H.H.); (A.C.)
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Antonis Chatzinotas
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; (X.Y.); (N.K.); (R.K.); (H.H.); (A.C.)
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Talstr.33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lukas Y. Wick
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; (X.Y.); (N.K.); (R.K.); (H.H.); (A.C.)
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15
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Muok AR, Claessen D, Briegel A. Microbial hitchhiking: how Streptomyces spores are transported by motile soil bacteria. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:2591-2600. [PMID: 33723381 PMCID: PMC8397704 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-00952-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Streptomycetes are sessile bacteria that produce metabolites that impact the behavior of microbial communities. Emerging studies have demonstrated that Streptomyces spores are distributed through various mechanisms, but it remains unclear how spores are transported to their preferred microenvironments, such as plant roots. Here, we show that Streptomyces spores are capable of utilizing the motility machinery of other soil bacteria. Motility assays and microscopy studies reveal that Streptomyces spores are transported to plant tissues by interacting directly with the flagella of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Genetics experiments demonstrate that this form of motility is facilitated by structural proteins on the spore coat. These results demonstrate that nonmotile bacteria are capable of utilizing the motility machinery of other microbes to complete necessary stages of their lifecycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alise R. Muok
- grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute for Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands ,grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis Claessen
- grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute for Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands ,grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ariane Briegel
- grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute for Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands ,grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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16
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King WL, Bell TH. Can dispersal be leveraged to improve microbial inoculant success? Trends Biotechnol 2021; 40:12-21. [PMID: 33972105 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms have long been isolated from soils to develop microbial inoculants, with the goal of spiking them into new soils to augment target functions. However, establishment can be sporadic, and we assume that inoculants simply arrive at their destination. Here, we posit a need for integrating dispersal into inoculant development and deployment. We argue that consideration for an inoculant's dispersal ability, whether via active (e.g., chemotaxis) or passive (e.g., attachment to other organisms) means, and including methods of deployment that allow multiple establishment attempts could help increase the predictability of inoculant success. Dispersal can influence many key aspects of in-field survival, including the ability to escape stressors, seek favorable colonization sites, facilitate multiple establishment attempts, and engage in multikingdom interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- William L King
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Terrence H Bell
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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