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de Melo AG, Morency C, Moineau S. Virulence-associated factors as targets for phage infection. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 79:102471. [PMID: 38569419 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens can infect a wide range of hosts and pose a threat to public and animal health as well as to agriculture. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has increased this risk by making the treatment of bacterial infections even more challenging. Pathogenic bacteria thrive in various ecological niches, but they can also be specifically targeted and killed by bacteriophages (phages). Lytic phages are now investigated and even used, in some cases, as alternatives or complements to antibiotics for preventing or treating bacterial infections (phage therapy). As such, it is key to identify factors responsible for phage specificity and efficiency. Here, we review recent advances in virulence-associated factors that are targeted by phages. We highlight components of the bacterial cell surface, effector systems, and motility structures exploited by phages and the effects of phages on cell aggregation and communication. We also look at the fitness trade-off of phage resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra G de Melo
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Carlee Morency
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Sylvain Moineau
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Félix d'Hérelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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Tasdurmazli S, Dokuz S, Erdogdu B, Var I, Chen JYS, Ozbek T. The evaluation of biotechnological potential of Gp144, the key molecule of natural predator bacteriophage K in Staphylococcus aureus hunting mechanism. Biotechnol J 2023; 18:e2300145. [PMID: 37300362 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages, which selectively infect bacteria, and phage-derived structures are considered promising agents for the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections due to the increasing antibiotic resistance. The binding of phages to their specific receptors on host bacteria is highly specific and irreversible, and therefore, the characterization of receptor-binding proteins(RBPs), which are key determinants of phage specificity, is crucial for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic products. This study highlights the biotechnological potential of Gp144, an RBP located in the tail baseplate of bacteriophage K and responsible for adsorption of phageK to S. aureus. Once it was established that recombinant Gp144 (rGp144)is biocompatible and does not exhibit lytic effects on bacteria, its interaction with the host, the binding efficiency and performance were assessed in vitro using microscopic and serological methods. Results showed that rGp144 has a capture efficiency (CE) of over 87% and the best CE score is %96 which captured 9 CFU mL-1 out of 10 CFU mL-1 bacteria, indicating that very low number of bacteria could be detected. Additionally, it was shown for the first time in the literature that rGp144 binds to both S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) cells in vitro, while its affinity to different Gram-positive bacteria (E. faecalis and B. cereus) was not observed. The findings suggest that rGp144 can be effectively used for the diagnosis of S. aureus and MRSA, and that the use of RBPs in host-phage interaction can be a novel and effective strategy for imaging and diagnosing the site of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semra Tasdurmazli
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Senanur Dokuz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Berna Erdogdu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Isil Var
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural, Cukurova University, Sarıcam-Adana, Turkey
| | - John Yu-Shen Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tulin Ozbek
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
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3
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Cambillau C, Goulet A. Exploring Host-Binding Machineries of Mycobacteriophages with AlphaFold2. J Virol 2023; 97:e0179322. [PMID: 36916948 PMCID: PMC10062164 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01793-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Although more than 12,000 bacteriophages infecting mycobacteria (mycobacteriophages) have been isolated so far, there is a knowledge gap on their structure-function relationships. Here, we have explored the architecture of host-binding machineries from seven representative mycobacteriophages of the Siphoviridae family infecting Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium abscessus, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, using AlphaFold2 (AF2). AF2 enables confident structural analyses of large and flexible biological assemblies resistant to experimental methods, thereby opening new avenues to shed light on phage structure and function. Our results highlight the modularity and structural diversity of siphophage host-binding machineries that recognize host-specific receptors at the onset of viral infection. Interestingly, the studied mycobacteriophages' host-binding machineries present unique features compared with those of phages infecting other Gram-positive actinobacteria. Although they all assemble the classical Dit (distal tail), Tal (tail-associated lysin), and receptor-binding proteins, five of them contain two potential additional adhesion proteins. Moreover, we have identified brush-like domains formed of multiple polyglycine helices which expose hydrophobic residues as potential receptor-binding domains. These polyglycine-rich domains, which have been observed in only five native proteins, may be a hallmark of mycobacteriophages' host-binding machineries, and they may be more common in nature than expected. Altogether, the unique composition of mycobacteriophages' host-binding machineries indicate they might have evolved to bind to the peculiar mycobacterial cell envelope, which is rich in polysaccharides and mycolic acids. This work provides a rational framework to efficiently produce recombinant proteins or protein domains and test their host-binding function and, hence, to shed light on molecular mechanisms used by mycobacteriophages to infect their host. IMPORTANCE Mycobacteria include both saprophytes, such as the model system Mycobacterium smegmatis, and pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium abscessus, that are poorly responsive to antibiotic treatments and pose a global public health problem. Mycobacteriophages have been collected at a very large scale over the last decade, and they have proven to be valuable tools for mycobacteria genetic manipulation, rapid diagnostics, and infection treatment. Yet, molecular mechanisms used by mycobacteriophages to infect their host remain poorly understood. Therefore, exploring the structural diversity of mycobacteriophages' host-binding machineries is important not only to better understand viral diversity and bacteriophage-host interactions, but also to rationally develop biotechnological tools. With the powerful protein structure prediction software AlphaFold2, which was publicly released a year ago, it is now possible to gain structural and functional insights on such challenging assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Cambillau
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- AlphaGraphix, Formiguères, France
| | - Adeline Goulet
- Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires, Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
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4
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Leprince A, Mahillon J. Phage Adsorption to Gram-Positive Bacteria. Viruses 2023; 15:196. [PMID: 36680236 PMCID: PMC9863714 DOI: 10.3390/v15010196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The phage life cycle is a multi-stage process initiated by the recognition and attachment of the virus to its bacterial host. This adsorption step depends on the specific interaction between bacterial structures acting as receptors and viral proteins called Receptor Binding Proteins (RBP). The adsorption process is essential as it is the first determinant of phage host range and a sine qua non condition for the subsequent conduct of the life cycle. In phages belonging to the Caudoviricetes class, the capsid is attached to a tail, which is the central player in the adsorption as it comprises the RBP and accessory proteins facilitating phage binding and cell wall penetration prior to genome injection. The nature of the viral proteins involved in host adhesion not only depends on the phage morphology (i.e., myovirus, siphovirus, or podovirus) but also the targeted host. Here, we give an overview of the adsorption process and compile the available information on the type of receptors that can be recognized and the viral proteins taking part in the process, with the primary focus on phages infecting Gram-positive bacteria.
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Costa SP, Nogueira CL, Cunha AP, Lisac A, Carvalho CM. Potential of bacteriophage proteins as recognition molecules for pathogen detection. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2022:1-18. [PMID: 35848817 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2071671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens are leading causes of infections with high mortality worldwide having a great impact on healthcare systems and the food industry. Gold standard methods for bacterial detection mainly rely on culture-based technologies and biochemical tests which are laborious and time-consuming. Regardless of several developments in existing methods, the goal of achieving high sensitivity and specificity, as well as a low detection limit, remains unaccomplished. In past years, various biorecognition elements, such as antibodies, enzymes, aptamers, or nucleic acids, have been widely used, being crucial for the pathogens detection in different complex matrices. However, these molecules are usually associated with high detection limits, demand laborious and costly production, and usually present cross-reactivity. (Bacterio)phage-encoded proteins, especially the receptor binding proteins (RBPs) and cell-wall binding domains (CBDs) of endolysins, are responsible for the phage binding to the bacterial surface receptors in different stages of the phage lytic cycle. Due to their remarkable properties, such as high specificity, sensitivity, stability, and ability to be easily engineered, they are appointed as excellent candidates to replace conventional recognition molecules, thereby contributing to the improvement of the detection methods. Moreover, they offer several possibilities of application in a variety of detection systems, such as magnetic, optical, and electrochemical. Herein we provide a review of phage-derived bacterial binding proteins, namely the RBPs and CBDs, with the prospect to be employed as recognition elements for bacteria. Moreover, we summarize and discuss the various existing methods based on these proteins for the detection of nosocomial and foodborne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana P Costa
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Braga, Portugal.,Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores-Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN), IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnolnology, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Catarina L Nogueira
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Braga, Portugal.,Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores-Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN), IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnolnology, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Alexandra P Cunha
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana Lisac
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Carla M Carvalho
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
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Trudelle D, Bryan DW, Ray S, Munafo JP, Denes TG. Analysis of Derivatized Wall Teichoic Acids Confirms that a Mutation in Phage-Resistant Listeria monocytogenes Impacts Rhamnose Decoration. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:17002-17013. [PMID: 35647425 PMCID: PMC9134232 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c07403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis, an illness that may result in serious health consequences or death. Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are external cell wall glycopolymers that play many biological roles. Here, the WTA composition was determined for several phage-resistant mutant strains of L. monocytogenes. The strains included wild-type (WT) L. monocytogenes 10403S, and three phage-resistant mutant strains derived from 10403S, consisting of two well-characterized strains and one with unknown impact on cell physiology. Several WTA monomers were prepared from WT 10403S, as analytical standards. The WTA monomer fraction was then isolated from the mutant strains and the corresponding per-trimethylsilylated derivatives were analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection. WTA monomer, GlcNAc-Rha-Rbo, was detected in 10403S, and not detected in the phage-resistant strains known to lack rhamnose and N-acetylglucosamine; although the expected monomers GlcNAc-Rbo and Rha-Rbo were detected, respectively. GlcNAc-Rha-Rbo was also detected in strain UTK P1-0001, which is known to impact phage adsorption through an undetermined mechanism, albeit at a lower intensity than the WT 10403S, which is consistent with partial loss of function through truncation in RmlC protein. WTA monomers were also detected in an unpurified cell pellet, demonstrating that the method employed in this study can be used to rapidly screen L. monocytogenes without laborious WTA purification. This study lays the groundwork for future studies on WTA compositional analysis to support genomic data, and serves as a foundation for the development of new rapid methods for WTA compositional analysis.
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Viral Proteins Involved in the Adsorption Process of Deep-Purple, a Siphovirus Infecting Members of the Bacillus cereus Group. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0247821. [PMID: 35499330 PMCID: PMC9128512 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02478-21] [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: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The infection of a bacterium by a tailed phage starts from the adsorption process, which consists of a specific and strong interaction between viral proteins called receptor binding proteins (RBPs) and receptors located on the bacterial surface. In addition to RBPs, other tail proteins, such as evolved distal tail (evoDit) proteins and tail lysins, harboring carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) have been shown to facilitate the phage adsorption by interacting with host polysaccharides. In this work, the proteins involved in the adsorption of Deep-Purple, a siphovirus targeting bacteria of the Bacillus cereus group, were studied. Bioinformatic analysis of Deep-Purple tail protein region revealed that it contains two proteins presenting CBM domains: Gp28, an evoDit protein, and Gp29, the potential RBP. The implication of both proteins in the adsorption of Deep-Purple particles was confirmed through cell wall decoration assays. Interestingly, whereas RBP-Gp29 exhibited the same host spectrum as Deep-Purple, evoDit-Gp28 was able to bind to many B. cereus group strains, including some that are not sensitive to the phage infection. Using immunogold microscopy, both proteins were shown to be located in the phage baseplate. Additionally, an in silico analysis of the tail regions encoded by several Siphoviridae infecting the B. cereus group was performed. It revealed that although the tail organization displayed by Deep-Purple is the most prevalent, different tail arrangements are observed, suggesting that distinct baseplate organization and adsorption mechanisms are encountered in siphoviruses targeting the B. cereus group. IMPORTANCE The B. cereus group is a complex cluster of closely related species, among which certain strains can be pathogenic (i.e., Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereussensu stricto, and Bacillus cytotoxicus). Nowadays, phages are receiving increasing attention for applications in controlling and detecting such pathogens. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms governing the phage adsorption to its bacterial host is paramount as this step is a key determinant of the phage host spectrum. Until now, the knowledge regarding the adsorption process of tailed phage targeting the B. cereus groups was mainly restricted to the phage gamma infecting B. anthracis. With this work, we provide novel insights into the adsorption of Deep-Purple, a siphovirus infecting the B. cereus group. We showed that this phage recognizes polysaccharides and relies on two different viral proteins for its successful adsorption.
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Abstract
The field of metagenomics has rapidly expanded to become the go-to method for complex microbial community analyses. However, there is currently no straightforward route from metagenomics to traditional culture-based methods of strain isolation, particularly in (bacterio)phage biology, leading to an investigative bottleneck. Here, we describe a method that exploits specific phage receptor binding protein (RBP)-host cell surface receptor interaction enabling isolation of phage-host combinations from an environmental sample. The method was successfully applied to two complex sample types-a dairy-derived whey sample and an infant fecal sample, enabling retrieval of specific and culturable phage hosts. IMPORTANCE PhRACS aims to bridge the current divide between in silico genetic analyses (i.e., phageomic studies) and traditional culture-based methodology. Through the labeling of specific bacterial hosts with fluorescently tagged recombinant phage receptor binding proteins and the isolation of tagged cells using flow cytometry, PhRACS allows the full potential of phageomic data to be realized in the wet laboratory.
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Sjahriani T, Wasito EB, Tyasningsih W. The Analysis of OmpA and Rz/Rz1 of Lytic Bacteriophage from Surabaya, Indonesia. SCIENTIFICA 2021; 2021:7494144. [PMID: 35096434 PMCID: PMC8794686 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7494144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A good strategy to conquer the Escherichia coli-cause food-borne disease could be bacteriophages. Porins are a type of β-barrel proteins with diffuse channels and OmpA, which has a role in hydrophilic transport, is the most frequent porin in E. coli; it was also chosen as the potential receptor of the phage. And the Rz/Rz1 was engaged in the breakup of the host bacterial external membrane. This study aimed to analyze the amino acid of OmpA and Rz/Rz1 of lytic bacteriophage from Surabaya, Indonesia. This study employed a sample of 8 bacteriophages from the previous study. The OmpA analysis method was mass spectrometry. Rz/Rz1 was analyzed using PCR, DNA sequencing, Expasy Translation, and Expasy ProtParam. The result obtained 10% to 29% sequence coverage of OmpA, carrying the ligand-binding site. The Rz/Rz1 gene shares a high percentage of 97.04% to 98.89% identities with the Siphoviridae isolate ctTwQ4, partial genome, and Myoviridae isolate cthRA4, partial genome. The Mann-Whitney statistical tests indicate the significant differences between Alanine, Aspartate, Glycine, Proline, Serine (p=0.011), Asparagine, Cysteine (p=0.009), Isoleucine (p=0.043), Lysine (p=0.034), Methionine (p=0.001), Threonine (p=0.018), and Tryptophan (p=0.007) of OmpA and Rz/Rz1. The conclusion obtained from this study is the fact that OmpA acts as Phage 1, Phage 2, Phage 3, Phage 5, and Phage 6 receptors for its peptide composition comprising the ligand binding site, and Rz/Rz1 participates in host bacteria lysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Sjahriani
- Doctoral Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Dr. Moestopo Road No. 47, Surabaya 60285, Indonesia
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Malahayati, Pramuka Road No. 27, Bandar Lampung 35158, Indonesia
| | - Eddy Bagus Wasito
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Dr. Moestopo Road No. 47, Surabaya 60285, Indonesia
| | - Wiwiek Tyasningsih
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, C Campus, Mulyorejo Road, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia
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Nguyen MM, Gil J, Hahn W, Dong T, Paulson J, Stevens D, Zahn H, Zimmer B, Erickson S. Validation of the PhageDx™ Listeria Assay for Detection of Listeria Spp. on Stainless Steel and Ceramic Environmental Surfaces AOAC Performance Tested MethodSM 102005. J AOAC Int 2021; 104:1609-1619. [PMID: 33734389 PMCID: PMC8665739 DOI: 10.1093/jaoacint/qsab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The PhageDx™ Listeria Assay is a simple, specific, and sensitive assay based on the infection of Listeria spp. by selected bacteriophages and the resultant expression of a luciferase reporter gene. Results are generated in as little as 24.5 h for stainless steel and ceramic environmental surfaces. OBJECTIVE An AOAC Performance Tested MethodsSM (PTM) study was conducted to validate the PhageDx Listeria Assay for the detection of Listeria on stainless steel and ceramic surfaces. METHOD The performance of the PhageDx method was compared to that of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacterial Analytical Manual (BAM) Ch. 10. Inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency and stability, and robustness testing also were conducted. RESULTS Inclusivity testing demonstrated that the reporter bacteriophages were specific for Listeria ssp. and detected 58/61 Listeria strains tested, including all 34 L. monocytogenes strains. The reporter bacteriophage also was shown to not detect 46/47 non-Listeria bacteria in exclusivity testing. Robustness testing showed that the method performed well with specific deviations from the standard protocol. Consistency and stability testing demonstrated that the recombinant phage gave consistent results across three production lots and was stable when stored under appropriate conditions for at least 6 months. Matrix studies on stainless steel and ceramic surfaces showed that there was no significant difference between the PhageDx Listeria Assay and the FDA/BAM Chapter 10 reference method. CONCLUSIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS The validation study demonstrates that the PhageDx Listeria Assay is an effective method for the detection of Listeria spp. on stainless steel and ceramic environmental surfaces and meets the qualifications for AOAC PTM status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh M Nguyen
- Laboratory Corporation of America®/MedTox, 402 County Road D West, St. Paul, MN 55112, USA
| | - Jose Gil
- Laboratory of America Corporation®/National Genetics Institute, 2440 Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 235, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA
| | - Wendy Hahn
- Laboratory Corporation of America®/MedTox, 402 County Road D West, St. Paul, MN 55112, USA
| | - Thai Dong
- Laboratory Corporation of America®/MedTox, 402 County Road D West, St. Paul, MN 55112, USA
| | - John Paulson
- Laboratory Corporation of America®/MedTox, 402 County Road D West, St. Paul, MN 55112, USA
| | - Dustin Stevens
- Laboratory Corporation of America®/MedTox, 402 County Road D West, St. Paul, MN 55112, USA
| | - Henriett Zahn
- Laboratory Corporation of America®/MedTox, 402 County Road D West, St. Paul, MN 55112, USA
| | - Brinna Zimmer
- Laboratory Corporation of America®/MedTox, 402 County Road D West, St. Paul, MN 55112, USA
| | - Stephen Erickson
- Laboratory Corporation of America®/MedTox, 402 County Road D West, St. Paul, MN 55112, USA
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Glucose Decoration on Wall Teichoic Acid Is Required for Phage Adsorption and InlB-Mediated Virulence in Listeria ivanovii. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:e0013621. [PMID: 34096780 PMCID: PMC8297528 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00136-21] [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] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Listeria ivanovii (Liv) is an intracellular Gram-positive pathogen that primarily infects ruminants but also occasionally causes enteric infections in humans. Albeit rare, this bacterium possesses the capacity to cross the intestinal epithelium of humans, similar to its more frequently pathogenic cousin, Listeria monocytogenes (Lmo). Recent studies in Lmo have shown that specific glycosyl modifications on the cell wall-associated glycopolymers (termed wall teichoic acid [WTA]) of Lmo are responsible for bacteriophage adsorption and retention of the major virulence factor internalin B (InlB). However, the relationship between InlB and WTA in Liv remains unclear. Here, we report the identification of the unique gene liv1070, which encodes a putative glucosyltransferase in the polycistronic WTA gene cluster of the Liv WSLC 3009 genome. We found that in-frame deletion of liv1070 led to loss of the glucose substitution on WTA, as revealed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) analysis. Interestingly, the glucose-deficient mutant became resistant to phage B025 infection due to an inability of the phage to adsorb to the bacterial surface, a binding process mediated by the receptor-binding protein B025_Gp17. As expected, deletion of liv1070 led to loss of InlB retention on the bacterial cell wall, which corresponded to a drastic decrease in cellular invasion. Genetic complementation of liv1070 restored the characteristic phenotypes, including glucose decoration, phage adsorption, and cellular invasion. Taken together, our data demonstrate that an interplay between phage, bacteria, and host cells also exists in Listeria ivanovii, suggesting that the trade-off between phage resistance and virulence attenuation may be a general feature in the genus Listeria. IMPORTANCE Listeria ivanovii is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen known to cause enteric infection in rodents and ruminants and occasionally in immunocompromised humans. Recent investigations revealed that in its better-known cousin Listeria monocytogenes, strains develop resistance to bacteriophage attack due to loss of glycosylated surface receptors, which subsequently results in disconnection of one of the bacterium's major virulence factors, InlB. However, the situation in L. ivanovii remains unclear. Here, we show that L. ivanovii acquires phage resistance following deletion of a unique glycosyltransferase. This deletion also leads to dysfunction of InlB, making the resulting strain unable to invade host cells. Overall, this study suggests that the interplay between phage, bacteria, and the host may be a feature common to the genus Listeria.
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Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Phage-Resistant Listeria monocytogenes Serotype 1/2a Strains from Turkey Processing Plants. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020199. [PMID: 33668492 PMCID: PMC7922946 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen and the causative agent of listeriosis, a severe foodborne infection. L. monocytogenes is notorious for its ability to persist in food processing environments (FPEs) via a variety of adaptive traits. Even though traits such as cold tolerance, biofilm formation and sanitizer resistance have been extensively investigated for their roles in persistence of L. monocytogenes in FPEs, much less is known about resistance to bacteriophages. Previous studies explored phage resistance mechanisms in laboratory-created mutants but it is imperative to investigate phage resistance that is naturally exhibited in FPE-derived strains. Here, we integrated the analysis of whole genome sequence data from a panel of serotype 1/2a strains of sequence types 321 and 391 from turkey processing plants, with the determination of cell surface substituents required for phage adsorption and phage infection assays with the four wide-host-range phages A511, P100, 20422-1 and 805405-1. Using a specific set of recombinant phage protein probes, we discovered that phage-resistant strains lacked one or both of the serogroup 1/2-specific wall teichoic acid carbohydrate decorations, N-acetylglucosamine and rhamnose. Furthermore, these phage-resistant strains harbored substitutions in lmo1080, lmo1081, and lmo2550, which mediate carbohydrate decoration of the wall teichoic acids.
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Complete Genome Sequences of Three Listeria monocytogenes Bacteriophage Propagation Strains. Microbiol Resour Announc 2021; 10:10/1/e01159-20. [PMID: 33414304 PMCID: PMC8407704 DOI: 10.1128/mra.01159-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages can be used as a biocontrol for the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Propagation of phages is a necessary step for their use in experimental studies and biocontrol applications. Here, we present the complete genomes of three Listeria monocytogenes strains commonly used as propagation hosts for Listeria phages. Bacteriophages can be used as a biocontrol for the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Propagation of phages is a necessary step for their use in experimental studies and biocontrol applications. Here, we present the complete genomes of three Listeria monocytogenes strains commonly used as propagation hosts for Listeria phages.
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14
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Lenneman BR, Fernbach J, Loessner MJ, Lu TK, Kilcher S. Enhancing phage therapy through synthetic biology and genome engineering. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 68:151-159. [PMID: 33310655 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The antimicrobial and therapeutic efficacy of bacteriophages is currently limited, mostly due to rapid emergence of phage-resistance and the inability of most phage isolates to bind and infect a broad range of clinical strains. Here, we discuss how phage therapy can be improved through recent advances in genetic engineering. First, we outline how receptor-binding proteins and their relevant structural domains are engineered to redirect phage specificity and to avoid resistance. Next, we summarize how phages are reprogrammed as prokaryotic gene therapy vectors that deliver antimicrobial 'payload' proteins, such as sequence-specific nucleases, to target defined cells within complex microbiomes. Finally, we delineate big data- and novel artificial intelligence-driven approaches that may guide the design of improved synthetic phage in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan R Lenneman
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jonas Fernbach
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Timothy K Lu
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Samuel Kilcher
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
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15
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Sumrall ET, Keller AP, Shen Y, Loessner MJ. Structure and function of Listeria teichoic acids and their implications. Mol Microbiol 2020; 113:627-637. [PMID: 31972870 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Teichoic acids (TAs) are the most abundant glycopolymers in the cell wall of Listeria, an opportunistic Gram-positive pathogen that causes severe foodborne infections. Two different structural classes of Listeria TA exist: the polyribitolphosphate-based wall teichoic acid (WTA) that is covalently anchored to the peptidoglycan, and the polyglycerolphosphate-based lipoteichoic acid (LTA) that is tethered to the cytoplasmic membrane. While TA polymers govern many important physiological processes, the diverse glycosylation patterns of WTA result in a high degree of surface variation across the species and serovars of Listeria, which in turn bestows varying effects on fitness, biofilm formation, bacteriophage susceptibility and virulence. We review the advances made over the past two decades, and our current understanding of the relationship between TA structure and function. We describe the various types of TA that have been structurally determined to date, and discuss the genetic determinants known to be involved in TA glycosylation. We elaborate on surface proteins functionally related to TA decoration, as well as the molecular and analytical tools used to probe TAs. We anticipate that the growing knowledge of the Listeria surface chemistry will also be exploited to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T Sumrall
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anja P Keller
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yang Shen
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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16
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Characterization of PlyB221 and PlyP32, Two Novel Endolysins Encoded by Phages Preying on the Bacillus cereus Group. Viruses 2020; 12:v12091052. [PMID: 32967292 PMCID: PMC7551664 DOI: 10.3390/v12091052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Endolysins are phage-encoded enzymes implicated in the breaching of the bacterial cell wall at the end of the viral cycle. This study focuses on the endolysins of Deep-Blue (PlyB221) and Deep-Purple (PlyP32), two phages preying on the Bacillus cereus group. Both enzymes exhibit a typical modular organization with an enzymatically active domain (EAD) located in the N-terminal and a cell wall binding domain (CBD) in the C-terminal part of the protein. In silico analysis indicated that the EAD domains of PlyB221 and PlyP32 are endowed with peptidase and muramidase activities, respectively, whereas in both proteins SH3 domains are involved in the CBD. To evaluate their antimicrobial properties and binding specificity, both endolysins were expressed and purified. PlyB221 and PlyP32 efficiently recognized and lysed all the tested strains from the B. cereus group. Biochemical characterization showed that PlyB221 activity was stable under a wide range of pHs (5–9), NaCl concentrations (up to 200 mM), and temperature treatments (up to 50 °C). Although PlyP32 activity was less stable than that of PlyB221, the endolysin displayed high activity at pH 6–7, NaCl concentration up to 100 mM and the temperature treatment up to 45 °C. Overall, PlyB221 and PlyP32 display suitable characteristics for the development of biocontrol and detection tools.
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Santos SB, Cunha AP, Macedo M, Nogueira CL, Brandão A, Costa SP, Melo LDR, Azeredo J, Carvalho CM. Bacteriophage‐receptor binding proteins for multiplex detection of
Staphylococcus
and
Enterococcus
in blood. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:3286-3298. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.27489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sílvio B. Santos
- Centre of Biological Engineering University of Minho Braga Portugal
| | | | - Mariana Macedo
- Centre of Biological Engineering University of Minho Braga Portugal
| | - Catarina L. Nogueira
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory Braga Portugal
- Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores – Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN) and IN – Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnolnology Lisbon Portugal
| | - Ana Brandão
- Centre of Biological Engineering University of Minho Braga Portugal
| | - Susana P. Costa
- Centre of Biological Engineering University of Minho Braga Portugal
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory Braga Portugal
- Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores – Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN) and IN – Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnolnology Lisbon Portugal
| | - Luís D. R. Melo
- Centre of Biological Engineering University of Minho Braga Portugal
| | - Joana Azeredo
- Centre of Biological Engineering University of Minho Braga Portugal
| | - Carla M. Carvalho
- Centre of Biological Engineering University of Minho Braga Portugal
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory Braga Portugal
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Glycotyping and Specific Separation of Listeria monocytogenes with a Novel Bacteriophage Protein Tool Kit. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.00612-20. [PMID: 32358009 PMCID: PMC7301860 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00612-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen that presents a major concern to the food industry due to its propensity to cause foodborne illness. The Listeria genus contains 15 different serovars, with most of the variance depending on the wall-associated teichoic acid glycopolymers, which confer somatic antigenicity. Strains belonging to serovars 1/2 and 4b cause the vast majority of listeriosis cases and outbreaks, meaning that regulators, as well as the food industry itself, have an interest in rapidly identifying isolates of these particular serovars in food processing environments. Current methods for phenotypic serovar differentiation are slow and lack accuracy, and the food industry could benefit from new technologies allowing serovar-specific isolation. Therefore, the novel method described here for rapid glycotype determination could present a valuable asset to detect and control this bacterium. The Gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes can be subdivided into at least 12 different serovars, based on the differential expression of a set of somatic and flagellar antigens. Of note, strains belonging to serovars 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b cause the vast majority of foodborne listeriosis cases and outbreaks. The standard protocol for serovar determination involves an agglutination method using a set of sera containing cell surface-recognizing antibodies. However, this procedure is imperfect in both precision and practicality, due to discrepancies resulting from subjective interpretation. Furthermore, the exact antigenic epitopes remain unclear, due to the preparation of the absorbed sera and the complex nature of polyvalent antibody binding. Here, we present a novel method for quantitative somatic antigen differentiation using a set of recombinant affinity proteins (cell wall-binding domains and receptor-binding proteins) derived from a collection of Listeria bacteriophages. These proteins enable rapid, objective, and precise identification of the different teichoic acid glycopolymer structures, which represent the O-antigens, and allow a near-complete differentiation. This glycotyping approach confirmed serovar designations of over 60 previously characterized Listeria strains. Using select phage receptor-binding proteins coupled to paramagnetic beads, we also demonstrate the ability to specifically isolate serovar 1/2 or 4b cells from a mixed culture. In addition, glycotyping led to the discovery that strains designated serovar 4e actually possess an intermediate 4b-4d teichoic acid glycosylation pattern, underpinning the high discerning power and precision of this novel technique. IMPORTANCEListeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen that presents a major concern to the food industry due to its propensity to cause foodborne illness. The Listeria genus contains 15 different serovars, with most of the variance depending on the wall-associated teichoic acid glycopolymers, which confer somatic antigenicity. Strains belonging to serovars 1/2 and 4b cause the vast majority of listeriosis cases and outbreaks, meaning that regulators, as well as the food industry itself, have an interest in rapidly identifying isolates of these particular serovars in food processing environments. Current methods for phenotypic serovar differentiation are slow and lack accuracy, and the food industry could benefit from new technologies allowing serovar-specific isolation. Therefore, the novel method described here for rapid glycotype determination could present a valuable asset to detect and control this bacterium.
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Meireles D, Pombinho R, Carvalho F, Sousa S, Cabanes D. Listeria monocytogenes Wall Teichoic Acid Glycosylation Promotes Surface Anchoring of Virulence Factors, Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides, and Decreased Susceptibility to Antibiotics. Pathogens 2020; 9:E290. [PMID: 32316182 PMCID: PMC7238011 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9040290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell wall of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), a major intracellular foodborne bacterial pathogen, comprises a thick peptidoglycan layer that serves as a scaffold for glycopolymers such as wall teichoic acids (WTAs). WTAs contain non-essential sugar substituents whose absence prevents bacteriophage binding and impacts antigenicity, sensitivity to antimicrobials, and virulence. Here, we demonstrated, for the first time, the triple function of Lm WTA glycosylations in the following: (1) supporting the correct anchoring of major Lm virulence factors at the bacterial surface, namely Ami and InlB; (2) promoting Lm resistance to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs); and (3) decreasing Lm sensitivity to some antibiotics. We showed that while the decoration of WTAs by rhamnose in Lm serovar 1/2a and by galactose in serovar 4b are important for the surface anchoring of Ami and InlB, N-acetylglucosamine in serovar 1/2a and glucose in serovar 4b are dispensable for the surface association of InlB or InlB/Ami. We found that the absence of a single glycosylation only had a slight impact on the sensibility of Lm to AMPs and antibiotics, however the concomitant deficiency of both glycosylations (rhamnose and N-acetylglucosamine in serovar 1/2a, and galactose and glucose in serovar 4b) significantly impaired the Lm capacity to overcome the action of antimicrobials. We propose WTA glycosylation as a broad mechanism used by Lm, not only to properly anchor surface virulence factors, but also to resist AMPs and antibiotics. WTA glycosyltransferases thus emerge as promising drug targets to attenuate the virulence of bacterial pathogens, while increasing their susceptibility to host immune defenses and potentiating the action of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Meireles
- i3S–Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.P.); (F.C.); (S.S.)
- Group of Molecular Microbiology, IBMC–Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita Pombinho
- i3S–Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.P.); (F.C.); (S.S.)
- Group of Molecular Microbiology, IBMC–Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipe Carvalho
- i3S–Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.P.); (F.C.); (S.S.)
- Group of Molecular Microbiology, IBMC–Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Sousa
- i3S–Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.P.); (F.C.); (S.S.)
- Cell Biology of Bacterial Infections Group, IBMC–Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Didier Cabanes
- i3S–Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (D.M.); (R.P.); (F.C.); (S.S.)
- Group of Molecular Microbiology, IBMC–Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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20
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Sumrall ET, Shen Y, Keller AP, Rismondo J, Pavlou M, Eugster MR, Boulos S, Disson O, Thouvenot P, Kilcher S, Wollscheid B, Cabanes D, Lecuit M, Gründling A, Loessner MJ. Phage resistance at the cost of virulence: Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b requires galactosylated teichoic acids for InlB-mediated invasion. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1008032. [PMID: 31589660 PMCID: PMC6779246 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is distinguished by its ability to invade and replicate within mammalian cells. Remarkably, of the 15 serovars within the genus, strains belonging to serovar 4b cause the majority of listeriosis clinical cases and outbreaks. The Listeria O-antigens are defined by subtle structural differences amongst the peptidoglycan-associated wall-teichoic acids (WTAs), and their specific glycosylation patterns. Here, we outline the genetic determinants required for WTA decoration in serovar 4b L. monocytogenes, and demonstrate the exact nature of the 4b-specific antigen. We show that challenge by bacteriophages selects for surviving clones that feature mutations in genes involved in teichoic acid glycosylation, leading to a loss of galactose from both wall teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid molecules, and a switch from serovar 4b to 4d. Surprisingly, loss of this galactose decoration not only prevents phage adsorption, but leads to a complete loss of surface-associated Internalin B (InlB),the inability to form actin tails, and a virulence attenuation in vivo. We show that InlB specifically recognizes and attaches to galactosylated teichoic acid polymers, and is secreted upon loss of this modification, leading to a drastically reduced cellular invasiveness. Consequently, these phage-insensitive bacteria are unable to interact with cMet and gC1q-R host cell receptors, which normally trigger cellular uptake upon interaction with InlB. Collectively, we provide detailed mechanistic insight into the dual role of a surface antigen crucial for both phage adsorption and cellular invasiveness, demonstrating a trade-off between phage resistance and virulence in this opportunistic pathogen. L. monocytogenes is a Gram-positive, food-borne, intracellular pathogen that causes severe infection in susceptible individuals. Interestingly, almost all infections are caused by a subset of strains belonging to certain serovars featuring a complex glycosylation pattern on their cell surface. Using an engineered bacteriophage that specifically recognizes these modifications we selected for mutants that lost these sugars. We found that the resulting strains are severely deficient in invading host cells as we observed that a major virulence factor mediating host cell entry requires galactose decoration of the cell surface for its function. Without this galactose decoration, the strain represents a serovar not associated with disease. Altogether, we show a complex interplay between bacteriophages, bacteria, and the host, demonstrating that cellular invasiveness is dependent upon a serovar-defining structure, which also serves as a phage receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T. Sumrall
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yang Shen
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (YS); (MJL)
| | - Anja P. Keller
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jeanine Rismondo
- Section of Microbiology and MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Pavlou
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marcel R. Eugster
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Samy Boulos
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Disson
- Biology of Infection Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Inserm U1117, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Thouvenot
- Biology of Infection Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Inserm U1117, Paris, France
| | - Samuel Kilcher
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Wollscheid
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Didier Cabanes
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marc Lecuit
- Biology of Infection Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Inserm U1117, Paris, France
- Paris Descartes University, Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Necker-Enfants Malades University Hospital, APHP, Institut Imagine, Paris, France
| | - Angelika Gründling
- Section of Microbiology and MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martin J. Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (YS); (MJL)
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21
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Ge H, Hu M, Zhao G, Du Y, Xu N, Chen X, Jiao X. The "fighting wisdom and bravery" of tailed phage and host in the process of adsorption. Microbiol Res 2019; 230:126344. [PMID: 31561173 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2019.126344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
In the process of bacteriophage and bacteria struggle, adsorption is the key factor to determine who is the winner. In this paper, the molecular mechanism of tailed bacteriophage recognition and adsorption to host and the strategy of "fighting wisdom and courage" between them are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojie Ge
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Maozhi Hu
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Ge Zhao
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi Du
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Nannan Xu
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin'an Jiao
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China
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22
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Understanding and Exploiting Phage-Host Interactions. Viruses 2019; 11:v11060567. [PMID: 31216787 PMCID: PMC6630733 DOI: 10.3390/v11060567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Initially described a century ago by William Twort and Felix d’Herelle, bacteriophages are bacterial viruses found ubiquitously in nature, located wherever their host cells are present. Translated literally, bacteriophage (phage) means ‘bacteria eater’. Phages interact and infect specific bacteria while not affecting other bacteria or cell lines of other organisms. Due to the specificity of these phage–host interactions, the relationship between phages and their host cells has been the topic of much research. The advances in phage biology research have led to the exploitation of these phage–host interactions and the application of phages in the agricultural and food industry. Phages may provide an alternative to the use of antibiotics, as it is well known that the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections has become an epidemic in clinical settings. In agriculture, pre-harvest and/or post-harvest application of phages to crops may prevent the colonisation of bacteria that are detrimental to plant or human health. In addition, the abundance of data generated from genome sequencing has allowed the development of phage-derived bacterial detection systems of foodborne pathogens. This review aims to outline the specific interactions between phages and their host and how these interactions may be exploited and applied in the food industry.
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23
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Thanki AM, Taylor-Joyce G, Dowah A, Nale JY, Malik D, Clokie MRJ. Unravelling the Links between Phage Adsorption and Successful Infection in Clostridium difficile. Viruses 2018; 10:E411. [PMID: 30082660 PMCID: PMC6116197 DOI: 10.3390/v10080411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is a promising alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial pathogens, including Clostridiumdifficile. However, as for many species, in C. difficile the physical interactions between phages and bacterial cells have not been studied in detail. The initial interaction, known as phage adsorption, is initiated by the reversible attachment of phage tail fibers to bacterial cell surface receptors followed by an irreversible binding step. Therefore binding can dictate which strains are infected by the phage. In this study, we investigated the adsorption rates and irreversible binding of three C. difficile myoviruses: CDHM1, CDHM3 and CDHM6 to ten strains that represent ten prevalent C. difficile ribotypes, regardless of their ability to infect. CDHM1 and CDHM3 phage particles adsorbed by ~75% to some strains that they infected. The infection dynamics for CDHM6 are less clear and ~30% of the phage particles bound to all strains, irrespective of whether a successful infection was established. The data highlighted adsorption is phage-host specific. However, it was consistently observed that irreversible binding had to be above 80% for successful infection, which was also noted for another two C. difficile myoviruses. Furthermore, to understand if there is a relationship between infection, adsorption and phage tail fibers, the putative tail fiber protein sequences of CDHM1, CDHM3 and CDHM6 were compared. The putative tail fiber protein sequence of CDHM1 shares 45% homology at the amino acid level to CDHM3 and CDHM6, which are identical to each other. However, CDHM3 and CDHM6 display differences in adsorption, which highlights that there is no obvious relationship between putative tail fiber sequence and adsorption. The importance of adsorption and binding to successful infection is often overlooked, and this study provides useful insights into host-pathogen interactions within this phage-pathogen system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisha Mahendra Thanki
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
| | | | - Ahmed Dowah
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
| | - Janet Yakubu Nale
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
| | - Danish Malik
- Chemical Engineering Department, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK.
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Dunne M, Hupfeld M, Klumpp J, Loessner MJ. Molecular Basis of Bacterial Host Interactions by Gram-Positive Targeting Bacteriophages. Viruses 2018; 10:v10080397. [PMID: 30060549 PMCID: PMC6115969 DOI: 10.3390/v10080397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The inherent ability of bacteriophages (phages) to infect specific bacterial hosts makes them ideal candidates to develop into antimicrobial agents for pathogen-specific remediation in food processing, biotechnology, and medicine (e.g., phage therapy). Conversely, phage contaminations of fermentation processes are a major concern to dairy and bioprocessing industries. The first stage of any successful phage infection is adsorption to a bacterial host cell, mediated by receptor-binding proteins (RBPs). As the first point of contact, the binding specificity of phage RBPs is the primary determinant of bacterial host range, and thus defines the remediative potential of a phage for a given bacterium. Co-evolution of RBPs and their bacterial receptors has forced endless adaptation cycles of phage-host interactions, which in turn has created a diverse array of phage adsorption mechanisms utilizing an assortment of RBPs. Over the last decade, these intricate mechanisms have been studied intensely using electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, providing atomic-level details of this fundamental stage in the phage infection cycle. This review summarizes current knowledge surrounding the molecular basis of host interaction for various socioeconomically important Gram-positive targeting phage RBPs to their protein- and saccharide-based receptors. Special attention is paid to the abundant and best-characterized Siphoviridae family of tailed phages. Unravelling these complex phage-host dynamics is essential to harness the full potential of phage-based technologies, or for generating novel strategies to combat industrial phage contaminations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Dunne
- Institute of Food Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Mario Hupfeld
- Institute of Food Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Jochen Klumpp
- Institute of Food Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Hupfeld M, Trasanidou D, Ramazzini L, Klumpp J, Loessner MJ, Kilcher S. A functional type II-A CRISPR-Cas system from Listeria enables efficient genome editing of large non-integrating bacteriophage. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:6920-6933. [PMID: 30053228 PMCID: PMC6061871 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems provide bacteria with adaptive immunity against invading DNA elements including bacteriophages and plasmids. While CRISPR technology has revolutionized eukaryotic genome engineering, its application to prokaryotes and their viruses remains less well established. Here we report the first functional CRISPR-Cas system from the genus Listeria and demonstrate its native role in phage defense. LivCRISPR-1 is a type II-A system from the genome of L. ivanovii subspecies londoniensis that uses a small, 1078 amino acid Cas9 variant and a unique NNACAC protospacer adjacent motif. We transferred LivCRISPR-1 cas9 and trans-activating crRNA into Listeria monocytogenes. Along with crRNA encoding plasmids, this programmable interference system enables efficient cleavage of bacterial DNA and incoming phage genomes. We used LivCRISPR-1 to develop an effective engineering platform for large, non-integrating Listeria phages based on allelic replacement and CRISPR-Cas-mediated counterselection. The broad host-range Listeria phage A511 was engineered to encode and express lysostaphin, a cell wall hydrolase that specifically targets Staphylococcus peptidoglycan. In bacterial co-culture, the armed phages not only killed Listeria hosts but also lysed Staphylococcus cells by enzymatic collateral damage. Simultaneous killing of unrelated bacteria by a single phage demonstrates the potential of CRISPR-Cas-assisted phage engineering, beyond single pathogen control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Hupfeld
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Despoina Trasanidou
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Livia Ramazzini
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jochen Klumpp
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Kilcher
- Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Review of the nature, diversity and structure of bacteriophage receptor binding proteins that target Gram-positive bacteria. Biophys Rev 2018; 10:535-542. [PMID: 29299830 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-017-0382-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As the importance of bacteriophages as novel antimicrobials and potential diagnostics comes increasingly into focus, there is a heightened interest in understanding the mechanisms of how they interact with their bacterial hosts. The first step of a bacteriophage (phage) infection is the recognition of specific moieties on the bacterial cell surface as determined by their phage receptor binding proteins (RBPs). Knowledge of RBPs and how they interact with bacteria has been driven by studies of model phages and of industrially important phages, such as those that impact the dairy industry. Therefore, data from these phage groups constitute the majority of this review. We start with a brief introduction to phages, their life cycles and known receptors. We then review the state-of-the-art knowledge of phage RBPs of Gram-positive bacteria in the context of the better understood Gram-negative bacterial RBPs. In general, more is known about the RBPs of siphoviruses than myoviruses, which is reflected here, but for both virus families, where possible, we show what RBPs are, how they are arranged within phage genomes and what is known about their structures. As RBPs are the key determinant of phage specificity, studying and characterising them is important, for downstream applications such as diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Letarov AV, Kulikov EE. Adsorption of bacteriophages on bacterial cells. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006297917130053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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28
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Shen Y, Boulos S, Sumrall E, Gerber B, Julian-Rodero A, Eugster MR, Fieseler L, Nyström L, Ebert MO, Loessner MJ. Structural and functional diversity in Listeria cell wall teichoic acids. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:17832-17844. [PMID: 28912268 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.813964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are the most abundant glycopolymers found on the cell wall of many Gram-positive bacteria, whose diverse surface structures play key roles in multiple biological processes. Despite recent technological advances in glycan analysis, structural elucidation of WTAs remains challenging due to their complex nature. Here, we employed a combination of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-coupled electrospray ionization tandem-MS/MS and NMR to determine the structural complexity of WTAs from Listeria species. We unveiled more than 10 different types of WTA polymers that vary in their linkage and repeating units. Disparity in GlcNAc to ribitol connectivity, as well as variable O-acetylation and glycosylation of GlcNAc contribute to the structural diversity of WTAs. Notably, SPR analysis indicated that constitution of WTA determines the recognition by bacteriophage endolysins. Collectively, these findings provide detailed insight into Listeria cell wall-associated carbohydrates, and will guide further studies on the structure-function relationship of WTAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Shen
- From the Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich,
| | - Samy Boulos
- the Laboratory of Food Biochemistry, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich
| | - Eric Sumrall
- From the Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich
| | - Benjamin Gerber
- From the Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich
| | - Alicia Julian-Rodero
- From the Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich
| | - Marcel R Eugster
- From the Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich
| | - Lars Fieseler
- the ZHAW School of Life Sciences and Facility Management, Einsiedlerstrasse 31, CH-8820 Wädenswil, and
| | - Laura Nyström
- the Laboratory of Food Biochemistry, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich
| | - Marc-Olivier Ebert
- the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, Vladmimir-Prelog-Weg 3, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- From the Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich
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Anany H, Chou Y, Cucic S, Derda R, Evoy S, Griffiths M. From Bits and Pieces to Whole Phage to Nanomachines: Pathogen Detection Using Bacteriophages. Annu Rev Food Sci Technol 2017; 8:305-329. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-food-041715-033235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H. Anany
- Canadian Institute for Food Safety, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1;, ,
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt 11566
| | - Y. Chou
- Department of Chemistry and Alberta Glycomics Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - S. Cucic
- Canadian Institute for Food Safety, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1;, ,
| | - R. Derda
- Department of Chemistry and Alberta Glycomics Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - S. Evoy
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - M.W. Griffiths
- Canadian Institute for Food Safety, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1;, ,
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F-Type Bacteriocins of Listeria monocytogenes: a New Class of Phage Tail-Like Structures Reveals Broad Parallel Coevolution between Tailed Bacteriophages and High-Molecular-Weight Bacteriocins. J Bacteriol 2016; 198:2784-93. [PMID: 27457717 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00489-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Listeria monocytogenes is a significant foodborne human pathogen that can cause severe disease in certain high-risk individuals. L. monocytogenes is known to produce high-molecular-weight, phage tail-like bacteriocins, or "monocins," upon induction of the SOS system. In this work, we purified and characterized monocins and found them to be a new class of F-type bacteriocins. The L. monocytogenes monocin genetic locus was cloned and expressed in Bacillus subtilis, producing specifically targeted bactericidal particles. The receptor binding protein, which determines target cell specificity, was identified and engineered to change the bactericidal spectrum. Unlike the F-type pyocins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are related to lambda-like phage tails, monocins are more closely related to TP901-1-like phage tails, structures not previously known to function as bacteriocins. Monocins therefore represent a new class of phage tail-like bacteriocins. It appears that multiple classes of phage tails and their related bacteriocins have coevolved separately in parallel. IMPORTANCE Phage tail-like bacteriocins (PTLBs) are structures widespread among the members of the bacterial kingdom that are evolutionarily related to the DNA delivery organelles of phages (tails). We identified and characterized "monocins" of Listeria monocytogenes and showed that they are related to the tail structures of TP901-1-like phages, structures not previously known to function as bacteriocins. Our results show that multiple types of envelope-penetrating machines have coevolved in parallel to function either for DNA delivery (phages) or as membrane-disrupting bacteriocins. While it has commonly been assumed that these structures were coopted from phages, we cannot rule out the opposite possibility, that ancient phages coopted complex bacteriocins from the cell, which then underwent adaptations to become efficient at translocating DNA.
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The Presence of Two Receptor-Binding Proteins Contributes to the Wide Host Range of Staphylococcal Twort-Like Phages. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:5763-74. [PMID: 27422842 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01385-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Thanks to their wide host range and virulence, staphylococcal bacteriophages (phages) belonging to the genus Twortlikevirus (staphylococcal Twort-like phages) are regarded as ideal candidates for clinical application for Staphylococcus aureus infections due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria of this species. To increase the usability of these phages, it is necessary to understand the mechanism underlying host recognition, especially the receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) that determine host range. In this study, we found that the staphylococcal Twort-like phage ΦSA012 possesses at least two RBPs. Genomic analysis of five mutant phages of ΦSA012 revealed point mutations in orf103, in a region unique to staphylococcal Twort-like phages. Phages harboring mutated ORF103 could not infect S. aureus strains in which wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are glycosylated with α-N-acetylglucosamine (α-GlcNAc). A polyclonal antibody against ORF103 also inhibited infection by ΦSA012 in the presence of α-GlcNAc, suggesting that ORF103 binds to α-GlcNAc. In contrast, a polyclonal antibody against ORF105, a short tail fiber component previously shown to be an RBP, inhibited phage infection irrespective of the presence of α-GlcNAc. Immunoelectron microscopy indicated that ORF103 is a tail fiber component localized at the bottom of the baseplate. From these results, we conclude that ORF103 binds α-GlcNAc in WTAs, whereas ORF105, the primary RBP, is likely to bind the WTA backbone. These findings provide insight into the infection mechanism of staphylococcal Twort-like phages. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus phages belonging to the genus Twortlikevirus (called staphylococcal Twort-like phages) are considered promising agents for control of Staphylococcus aureus due to their wide host range and highly lytic capabilities. Although staphylococcal Twort-like phages have been studied widely for therapeutic purposes, the host recognition process of staphylococcal Twort-like phages remains unclear. This work provides new findings about the mechanisms of host recognition of the staphylococcal Twort-like phage ΦSA012. The details of the host recognition mechanism of ΦSA012 will allow us to analyze the mechanisms of infection and expand the utility of staphylococcal Twort-like phages for the control of S. aureus.
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Tokman JI, Kent DJ, Wiedmann M, Denes T. Temperature Significantly Affects the Plaquing and Adsorption Efficiencies of Listeria Phages. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:631. [PMID: 27199957 PMCID: PMC4853374 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Listeria-infecting phages are currently being used to control and detect the important foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes; however, the influence of environmental conditions on the interactions between L. monocytogenes and its phages has not been explored in depth. Here, we examined the infective potential of four Listeria phages (two each from the P70-like and P100-like phages of Listeria) against five strains of L. monocytogenes (representing serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, 4a, and 4b) grown under a range of temperatures (7–37°C). We show that the plaquing efficiencies for all four phages were significantly affected by temperature. Interestingly, no plaques were observed for any of the four phages at 37°C. Adsorption assays performed with the P100-like phages, LP-048 and LP-125, showed that LP-048 had a severely reduced adsorption efficiency against susceptible strains at 37°C as compared to 30°C, suggesting that there is considerably less accessible rhamnose (LP-048’s putative phage receptor) on the host at 37°C than at 30°C. LP-125 adsorbed to host cells at 37°C, indicating that the inability for LP-125 to plaque at 37°C is not due to adsorption inhibition. LP-048 showed significantly higher adsorption efficiency against a mutant strain lacking N-acetylglucosamine in its wall teichoic acids (WTA) than the parental strain at both 30 and 37°C, suggesting that N-acetylglucosamine competes with rhamnose for glycosylation sites on the WTA. The data presented here clearly shows that L. monocytogenes can gain physiological refuge from phage infection, which should be carefully considered for both the design and implementation of phage-based control and detection applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David J Kent
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca NY, USA
| | - Martin Wiedmann
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca NY, USA
| | - Thomas Denes
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca NY, USA
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Liang J, Li X, Zha T, Chen Y, Hao H, Liu C, Duan R, Xiao Y, Su M, Wang X, Jing H. DTDP-rhamnosyl transferase RfbF, is a newfound receptor-related regulatory protein for phage phiYe-F10 specific for Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3. Sci Rep 2016; 6:22905. [PMID: 26965493 PMCID: PMC4786787 DOI: 10.1038/srep22905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages and their hosts are continuously engaged in evolutionary competition. Here we isolated a lytic phage phiYe-F10 specific for Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3. We firstly described the phage receptor was regulated by DTDP-rhamnosyl transferase RfbF, encoded within the rfb cluster that was responsible for the biosynthesis of the O antigens. The deletion of DTDP-rhamnosyl transferase RfbF of wild type O:3 strain caused failure in phiYe-F10 adsorption; however, the mutation strain retained agglutination with O:3 antiserum; and complementation of its mutant converted its sensitivity to phiYe-F10. Therefore, DTDP-rhamnosyl transferase RfbF was responsible for the phage infection but did not affect recognition of Y. enterocolitica O:3 antiserum. Further, the deletions in the putative O-antigen biosynthesis protein precursor and outer membrane protein had no effect on sensitivity to phiYe-F10 infection. However, adsorption of phages onto mutant HNF10-ΔO-antigen took longer time than onto the WT, suggesting that deletion of the putative O-antigen biosynthesis protein precursor reduced the infection efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junrong Liang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Xu Li
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Tao Zha
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China.,Wuhu Municipal Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 178, Jiuhua central Road, Wuhu, Anhui Province, 241000, China
| | - Yuhuang Chen
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Huijing Hao
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Chang Liu
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China.,Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Medical Science, Jiangsu University, Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Ran Duan
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Yuchun Xiao
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Mingming Su
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 15, Datun Road, Chaoyang, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xin Wang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Huaiqi Jing
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, No.155, Changbai Road, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China
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Brauge T, Sadovskaya I, Faille C, Benezech T, Maes E, Guerardel Y, Midelet-Bourdin G. Teichoic acid is the major polysaccharide present in theListeria monocytogenesbiofilm matrix. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2015; 363:fnv229. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnv229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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Casey A, Jordan K, Neve H, Coffey A, McAuliffe O. A tail of two phages: genomic and functional analysis of Listeria monocytogenes phages vB_LmoS_188 and vB_LmoS_293 reveal the receptor-binding proteins involved in host specificity. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1107. [PMID: 26500641 PMCID: PMC4598591 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The physical characteristics of bacteriophages establish them as viable candidates for downstream development of pathogen detection assays and biocontrol measures. To utilize phages for such purposes, a detailed knowledge of their host interaction mechanisms is a prerequisite. There is currently a wealth of knowledge available concerning Gram-negative phage-host interaction, but little by comparison for Gram-positive phages and Listeria phages in particular. In this research, the lytic spectrum of two recently isolated Listeria monocytogenes phages (vB_LmoS_188 and vB_LmoS_293) was determined, and the genomic basis for their observed serotype 4b/4e host-specificity was investigated using comparative genomics. The late tail genes of these phages were identified to be highly conserved when compared to other serovar 4-specific Listeria phages. Spontaneous mutants of each of these phages with broadened host specificities were generated. Their late tail gene sequences were compared with their wild-type counterparts resulting in the putative identification of the products of ORF 19 of vB_LmoS_188 and ORF 20 of vB_LmoS_293 as the receptor binding proteins of these phages. The research findings also indicate that conserved baseplate architectures and host interaction mechanisms exist for Listeria siphoviruses with differing host-specificities, and further contribute to the current knowledge of phage-host interactions with regard to Listeria phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Casey
- Teagasc Food Research Centre Fermoy, Ireland ; Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology Bishopstown, Ireland
| | | | - Horst Neve
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food Kiel, Germany
| | - Aidan Coffey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology Bishopstown, Ireland
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Simpson DJ, Sacher JC, Szymanski CM. Exploring the interactions between bacteriophage-encoded glycan binding proteins and carbohydrates. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2015; 34:69-77. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2015.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Cambillau C. Bacteriophage module reshuffling results in adaptive host range as exemplified by the baseplate model of listerial phage A118. Virology 2015; 484:86-92. [PMID: 26074066 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2015.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Each phage infects its specific bacterial host strain through highly specific interactions between the baseplate-associated receptor binding protein (RBP) at the tip of the phage tail and the receptor at the host surface. Baseplates incorporate structural core modules, Dit and Tal, largely conserved among phages, and peripheral modules anchoring the RBPs. Exploiting structural information from the HHpred program and EM data from the Bielmann et al. (2015) paper, a molecular model of the A118 phage baseplate was generated from different building blocks. This model implies the occurrence of baseplate module reshuffling and suggests that listerial phage A118 may have been derived from lactococcal phage TP901-1 through host species exchange. With the increase of available viral module structures, modelling phage baseplates will become easier and more reliant, and will provide insightful information on the nature of the phage host receptor and its mode of recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Cambillau
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257 CNRS, France; AFMB, Aix-Marseille University, Campus de Luminy, Case 932, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France.
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38
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Eugster MR, Morax LS, Hüls VJ, Huwiler SG, Leclercq A, Lecuit M, Loessner MJ. Bacteriophage predation promotes serovar diversification in Listeria monocytogenes. Mol Microbiol 2015; 97:33-46. [PMID: 25825127 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen classified into distinct serovars (SVs) based on somatic and flagellar antigens. To correlate phenotype with genetic variation, we analyzed the wall teichoic acid (WTA) glycosylation genes of SV 1/2, 3 and 7 strains, which differ in decoration of the ribitol-phosphate backbone with N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and/or rhamnose. Inactivation of lmo1080 or the dTDP-l-rhamnose biosynthesis genes rmlACBD (lmo1081-1084) resulted in loss of rhamnose, whereas disruption of lmo1079 led to GlcNAc deficiency. We found that all SV 3 and 7 strains actually originate from a SV 1/2 background, as a result of small mutations in WTA rhamnosylation and/or GlcNAcylation genes. Genetic complementation of different SV 3 and 7 isolates using intact alleles fully restored a characteristic SV 1/2 WTA carbohydrate pattern, including antisera reactions and phage adsorption. Intriguingly, phage-resistant L. monocytogenes EGDe (SV 1/2a) isolates featured the same glycosylation gene mutations and were serotyped as SV 3 or 7 respectively. Again, genetic complementation restored both carbohydrate antigens and phage susceptibility. Taken together, our data demonstrate that L. monocytogenes SV 3 and 7 originate from point mutations in glycosylation genes, and we show that phage predation represents a major driving force for serovar diversification and evolution of L. monocytogenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel R Eugster
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laurent S Morax
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa J Hüls
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simona G Huwiler
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Leclercq
- Institut Pasteur, French National Reference Center and WHO Collaborating Center for Listeria, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Marc Lecuit
- Institut Pasteur, French National Reference Center and WHO Collaborating Center for Listeria, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
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