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Hopkins HA, Lopezguerra C, Lau MJ, Raymann K. Making a Pathogen? Evaluating the Impact of Protist Predation on the Evolution of Virulence in Serratia marcescens. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae149. [PMID: 38961701 PMCID: PMC11332436 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Opportunistic pathogens are environmental microbes that are generally harmless and only occasionally cause disease. Unlike obligate pathogens, the growth and survival of opportunistic pathogens do not rely on host infection or transmission. Their versatile lifestyles make it challenging to decipher how and why virulence has evolved in opportunistic pathogens. The coincidental evolution hypothesis postulates that virulence results from exaptation or pleiotropy, i.e. traits evolved for adaptation to living in one environment that have a different function in another. In particular, adaptation to avoid or survive protist predation has been suggested to contribute to the evolution of bacterial virulence (the training ground hypothesis). Here, we used experimental evolution to determine how the selective pressure imposed by a protist predator impacts the virulence and fitness of a ubiquitous environmental opportunistic bacterial pathogen that has acquired multidrug resistance: Serratia marcescens. To this aim, we evolved S. marcescens in the presence or absence of generalist protist predator, Tetrahymena thermophila. After 60 d of evolution, we evaluated genotypic and phenotypic changes by comparing evolved S. marcescens with the ancestral strain. Whole-genome shotgun sequencing of the entire evolved populations and individual isolates revealed numerous cases of parallel evolution, many more than statistically expected by chance, in genes associated with virulence. Our phenotypic assays suggested that evolution in the presence of a predator maintained virulence, whereas evolution in the absence of a predator resulted in attenuated virulence. We also found a significant correlation between virulence, biofilm formation, growth, and grazing resistance. Overall, our results provide evidence that bacterial virulence and virulence-related traits are maintained by selective pressures imposed by protist predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather A Hopkins
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Christian Lopezguerra
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Meng-Jia Lau
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Kasie Raymann
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
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2
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Quevarec L, Brasseur G, Aragnol D, Robaglia C. Tracking the early events of photosymbiosis evolution. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 29:406-412. [PMID: 38016867 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Oxygenic photosynthesis evolved in cyanobacteria around 3.2 giga-annum (Ga) ago and was acquired by eukaryotes starting around 1.8 Ga ago by endosymbiosis. Photosymbiosis results either from integration of a photosynthetic bacteria by heterotrophic eukaryotes (primary photosymbiosis) or by successive integration of photosymbiotic eukaryotes by heterotrophic eukaryotes (secondary photosymbiosis). Primary endosymbiosis is thought to have been a rare event, whereas secondary and higher-order photosymbiosis evolved multiple times independently in different taxa. Despite its recurrent evolution, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying photosymbiosis are unknown. In this opinion, we discuss the primary events leading to the establishment of photosymbiosis, and we present recent research suggesting that, in some cases, domestication occurred instead of symbiosis, and how oxygen and host immunity can be involved in symbiont maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïc Quevarec
- Aix Marseille Université, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, Luminy Génétique et Biophysique des Plantes, 13009 Marseille, France; Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, IMM, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, 13402 Marseille, France
| | - Gaël Brasseur
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, IMM, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, 13402 Marseille, France
| | - Denise Aragnol
- Aix Marseille Université, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, Luminy Génétique et Biophysique des Plantes, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Robaglia
- Aix Marseille Université, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, Luminy Génétique et Biophysique des Plantes, 13009 Marseille, France.
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3
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Hoque MM, Espinoza-Vergara G, McDougald D. Protozoan predation as a driver of diversity and virulence in bacterial biofilms. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad040. [PMID: 37458768 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Protozoa are eukaryotic organisms that play a crucial role in nutrient cycling and maintaining balance in the food web. Predation, symbiosis and parasitism are three types of interactions between protozoa and bacteria. However, not all bacterial species are equally susceptible to protozoan predation as many are capable of defending against predation in numerous ways and may even establish either a symbiotic or parasitic life-style. Biofilm formation is one such mechanism by which bacteria can survive predation. Structural and chemical components of biofilms enhance resistance to predation compared to their planktonic counterparts. Predation on biofilms gives rise to phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity in prey that leads to trade-offs in virulence in other eukaryotes. Recent advances, using molecular and genomics techniques, allow us to generate new information about the interactions of protozoa and biofilms of prey bacteria. This review presents the current state of the field on impacts of protozoan predation on biofilms. We provide an overview of newly gathered insights into (i) molecular mechanisms of predation resistance in biofilms, (ii) phenotypic and genetic diversification of prey bacteria, and (iii) evolution of virulence as a consequence of protozoan predation on biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Mozammel Hoque
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Gustavo Espinoza-Vergara
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Diane McDougald
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
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4
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Dong Y, Liu J, Nie M, Zhao D, Huang H, Geng J, Wan X, Lu C, Liu Y. Comparative transcriptome combined with morphophysiological analyses revealed the molecular mechanism underlying Tetrahymena thermophila predation-induced antiphage defense in Aeromonas hydrophila. Virulence 2022; 13:1650-1665. [PMID: 36152028 PMCID: PMC9518995 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2127186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protozoan predation has been demonstrated to be a strong driving force for bacterial defence strategies in the environment. Our previous study demonstrated that Aeromonas hydrophila NJ-35, which evolved small-colony variants (SCVs), displayed various adaptive traits in response to Tetrahymena thermophila predation, such as enhanced phage resistance. However, the evolutionary mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we performed a genome- and transcriptome-wide analysis of the SCV1, representing one strain of the SCVs, for identification of the genes of mutation and altered expression underlying this phage resistance phenotype. Our study demonstrated that phage resistance caused by T. thermophila predation was due to the downregulation of a flagellar biosynthesis regulator, flhF, in SCV1. Interestingly, we confirmed that phage resistance in SCV1 was not straightforwardly attributable to the absence of flagella but to FlhF-mediated secretion of extracellular protein that hinders phage adsorption. This finding improves our understanding of the mechanisms by which A. hydrophila lowers the susceptibility to phage infection under predation pressure, and highlights an important contribution of bacterium–protozoan interactions in driving the adaptive evolution of pathogens in complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Dong
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Nie
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dan Zhao
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Huang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinzhu Geng
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xihe Wan
- Institute of Oceanology and Marine Fisheries, Nantong, China
| | - Chengping Lu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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5
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Cappable-Seq Reveals Specific Patterns of Metabolism and Virulence for Salmonella Typhimurium Intracellular Survival within Acanthamoeba castellanii. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22169077. [PMID: 34445780 PMCID: PMC8396566 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22169077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterial pathogen Salmonella enterica, which causes enteritis, has a broad host range and extensive environmental longevity. In water and soil, Salmonella interacts with protozoa and multiplies inside their phagosomes. Although this relationship resembles that between Salmonella and mammalian phagocytes, the interaction mechanisms and bacterial genes involved are unclear. Here, we characterized global gene expression patterns of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium within Acanthamoeba castellanii at the early stage of infection by Cappable-Seq. Gene expression features of S. Typhimurium within A. castellanii were presented with downregulation of glycolysis-related, and upregulation of glyoxylate cycle-related genes. Expression of Salmonella Pathogenicity Island-1 (SPI-1), chemotaxis system, and flagellar apparatus genes was upregulated. Furthermore, expression of genes mediating oxidative stress response and iron uptake was upregulated within A. castellanii as well as within mammalian phagocytes. Hence, global S. Typhimurium gene expression patterns within A. castellanii help better understand the molecular mechanisms of Salmonella adaptation to an amoeba cell and intracellular persistence in protozoa inhabiting water and soil ecosystems.
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Kawashiro A, Okubo T, Nakamura S, Thapa J, Miyake M, Yamaguchi H. Wild ciliates differ in susceptibility to Legionella pneumophila JR32. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2021; 167. [PMID: 34402779 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We investigated how Legionella pneumophila (Lp) JR32 interacts with Anteglaucoma CS11A and Colpoda E6, two ciliates that we isolated from sewage and sink trap sludge, respectively, using a handmade maze device containing a 96-well crafting plate. Our 18S rDNA-based phylogenetic analysis showed that Anteglaucoma CS11A and Colpoda E6 formed distinct clades. Scanning electron microscopy showed that Anteglaucoma CS11A had a bigger-sized body than Colpoda E6 and, unlike Tetrahymena IB (the reference strain), neither ciliate produced pellets, which are extracellular vacuoles. Fluorescence microscopic observations revealed that although the intake amounts differed, all three ciliates rapidly ingested LpJR32 regardless of the presence or absence of the icm/dot virulence genes, indicating that they all interacted with LpJR32. In co-cultures with Anteglaucoma CS11A, the LpJR32 levels were maintained but fell dramatically when the co-culture contained the LpJR32 icm/dot deletion mutant instead. Anteglaucoma CS11A died within 2 days of co-culture with LpJR32, but survived co-culture with the deletion mutant. In co-cultures with Colpoda E6, LpJR32 levels were maintained but temporarily decreased independently of the virulence gene. Concurrently, the Colpoda E6 ciliates survived by forming cysts, which may enable them to resist harsh environments, and by diminishing the sensitivity of trophozoites to Lp. In the Tetrahymena IB co-cultures with LpJR32 or Δicm/dot, the Lp levels were maintained, albeit with temporal decreases, and the Tetrahymena IB levels were also maintained. We conclude that unlike Tetrahymena IB with pellet production, Anteglaucoma CS11A can be killed by LpJR32 infection, and Colpoda E6 can resist LpJR32 infection through cyst formation and the low sensitivity of trophozoites to Lp. Thus, the two ciliates that we isolated had different susceptibilities to LpJR32 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airi Kawashiro
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Torahiko Okubo
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shinji Nakamura
- Division of Biomedical Imaging Research, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jeewan Thapa
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.,Division of Bioresources Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masaki Miyake
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Yamaguchi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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7
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Amaro F, Martín-González A. Microbial warfare in the wild-the impact of protists on the evolution and virulence of bacterial pathogens. Int Microbiol 2021; 24:559-571. [PMID: 34365574 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-021-00192-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
During the long history of co-evolution with protists, bacteria have evolved defense strategies to avoid grazing and survive phagocytosis. These mechanisms allow bacteria to exploit phagocytic cells as a protective niche in which to escape from environmental stress and even replicate. Importantly, these anti-grazing mechanisms can function as virulence factors when bacteria infect humans. Here, we discuss how protozoan predation exerts a selective pressure driving bacterial virulence and shaping their genomes, and how bacteria-protist interactions might contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance as well. We provide examples to demonstrate that besides being voracious bacterial predators, protozoa can serve as melting pots where intracellular organisms exchange genetic information, or even "training grounds" where some pathogens become hypervirulent after passing through. In this special issue, we would like to emphasize the tremendous impact of bacteria-protist interactions on human health and the potential of amoebae as model systems to study biology and evolution of a variety of pathogens. Besides, a better understanding of bacteria-protist relationships will help us expand our current understanding of bacterial virulence and, likely, how pathogens emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Amaro
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, School of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ana Martín-González
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, School of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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8
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George AS, Rehfuss MYM, Parker CT, Brandl MT. The transcriptome of Escherichia coli O157: H7 reveals a role for oxidative stress resistance in its survival from predation by Tetrahymena. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5721237. [PMID: 32009174 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic E. coli remains undigested upon phagocytosis by Tetrahymena and is egested from the ciliate as viable cells in its fecal pellets. Factors that are involved in the survival of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli serovar O157: H7 (EcO157) from digestion by Tetrahymena were identified by microarray analysis of its transcriptome in the protozoan phagosome. Numerous genes belonging to anaerobic metabolism and various stress responses were upregulated significantly ≥ 2-fold in EcO157 cells in the food vacuoles compared with in planktonic cells that remained uningested by the protist. Among these were the oxidative stress response genes, ahpF and katG. Fluorescence microscopy and staining with CellROX® Orange confirmed the presence of reactive oxygen species in food vacuoles containing EcO157 cells. Frequency distribution analysis of the percentage of EcO157 viable cells in Tetrahymena fecal pellets revealed that the ΔahpCF and ΔahpCFΔkatG mutants were less fit than the wild type strain and ΔkatG mutant after passage through the protist. Given the broad use of oxidants as sanitizers in the food industry, our observation of the oxidative stress response in EcO157 during its interaction with Tetrahymena emphasizes the importance of furthering our knowledge of the physiology of this human pathogen in environments relevant to its ecology and to food safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andree Sherlon George
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA, USA
| | - Marc Yi Ming Rehfuss
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA, USA
| | - Craig Thomas Parker
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA, USA
| | - Maria Theresa Brandl
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA, USA
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9
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Valenzuela C, Gil M, Urrutia ÍM, Sabag A, Enninga J, Santiviago CA. SopB- and SifA-dependent shaping of the Salmonella-containing vacuole proteome in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. Cell Microbiol 2020; 23:e13263. [PMID: 32945061 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability of Salmonella to survive and replicate within mammalian host cells involves the generation of a membranous compartment known as the Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). Salmonella employs a number of effector proteins that are injected into host cells for SCV formation using its type-3 secretion systems encoded in SPI-1 and SPI-2 (T3SS-1 and T3SS-2, respectively). Recently, we reported that S. Typhimurium requires T3SS-1 and T3SS-2 to survive in the model amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. Despite these findings, the involved effector proteins have not been identified yet. Therefore, we evaluated the role of two major S. Typhimurium effectors SopB and SifA during D. discoideum intracellular niche formation. First, we established that S. Typhimurium resides in a vacuolar compartment within D. discoideum. Next, we isolated SCVs from amoebae infected with wild type or the ΔsopB and ΔsifA mutant strains of S. Typhimurium, and we characterised the composition of this compartment by quantitative proteomics. This comparative analysis suggests that S. Typhimurium requires SopB and SifA to modify the SCV proteome in order to generate a suitable intracellular niche in D. discoideum. Accordingly, we observed that SopB and SifA are needed for intracellular survival of S. Typhimurium in this organism. Thus, our results provide insight into the mechanisms employed by Salmonella to survive intracellularly in phagocytic amoebae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Valenzuela
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3691, Paris, France
| | - Magdalena Gil
- Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3691, Paris, France
| | - Ítalo M Urrutia
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrea Sabag
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jost Enninga
- Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3691, Paris, France
| | - Carlos A Santiviago
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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10
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Gabriel AA, Panaligan DC. Heat and chlorine resistance of a soil Acanthamoeba sp. cysts in water. J Appl Microbiol 2020; 129:453-464. [PMID: 32012390 DOI: 10.1111/jam.14600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The study established the inactivation kinetic parameters of an Acanthamoeba cyst isolate subjected to heating and chlorination. METHODS AND RESULTS A strain of Acanthamoeba was isolated and purified from an area surrounding a pilot food plant. Mature cysts (14 days) were subjected to heat inactivation studies at 71, 76, 81, 86 and 91°C; and chlorination at 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm. The decimal reduction times (D-values) at 71, 76, 81, 86 and 91°C were 18·31, 9·26, 7·35, 4·52 and 1·81 min respectively. The calculated thermal resistance constant (z-value) was 21·32°C (R2 = 0·96-0·97). The D-value in 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm chlorine-treated water were 47·17, 25·06, 24·51, 23·70 and 18·55 min respectively. The chlorine resistance constant (z-value) was 1179 ppm chlorine (R2 = 0·65-0·74). CONCLUSIONS Results demonstrated high resistance of the isolated Acanthamoeba cysts towards the common methods applied in ensuring food and food processing environment sanitation. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The resistance parameters of the test organisms established in this study may be used in the establishment of Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), which are often based on inactivation of bacteria. These SSOPs could render better protection to food and food processing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Gabriel
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Home Economics, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - D C Panaligan
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Home Economics, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines
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11
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Kavagutti VS, Andrei AŞ, Mehrshad M, Salcher MM, Ghai R. Phage-centric ecological interactions in aquatic ecosystems revealed through ultra-deep metagenomics. MICROBIOME 2019; 7:135. [PMID: 31630686 DOI: 10.1101/670067v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The persistent inertia in the ability to culture environmentally abundant microbes from aquatic ecosystems represents an obstacle in disentangling the complex web of ecological interactions spun by a diverse assortment of participants (pro- and eukaryotes and their viruses). In aquatic microbial communities, the numerically most abundant actors, the viruses, remain the most elusive, and especially in freshwaters their identities and ecology remain unknown. Here, using ultra-deep metagenomic sequencing from pelagic freshwater habitats, we recovered complete genomes of > 2000 phages, including small "miniphages" and large "megaphages" infecting iconic freshwater prokaryotic lineages. For instance, abundant freshwater Actinobacteria support infection by a very broad size range of phages (13-200 Kb). We describe many phages encoding genes that likely afford protection to their host from reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the aquatic environment and in the oxidative burst in protist phagolysosomes (phage-mediated ROS defense). Spatiotemporal abundance analyses of phage genomes revealed evanescence as the primary dynamic in upper water layers, where they displayed short-lived existences. In contrast, persistence was characteristic for the deeper layers where many identical phage genomes were recovered repeatedly. Phage and host abundances corresponded closely, with distinct populations displaying preferential distributions in different seasons and depths, closely mimicking overall stratification and mixis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicius S Kavagutti
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Adrian-Ştefan Andrei
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Maliheh Mehrshad
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela M Salcher
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Limnological Station, Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Seestrasse 187, 8802, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Rohit Ghai
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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12
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Kavagutti VS, Andrei AŞ, Mehrshad M, Salcher MM, Ghai R. Phage-centric ecological interactions in aquatic ecosystems revealed through ultra-deep metagenomics. MICROBIOME 2019; 7:135. [PMID: 31630686 PMCID: PMC6802176 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-019-0752-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The persistent inertia in the ability to culture environmentally abundant microbes from aquatic ecosystems represents an obstacle in disentangling the complex web of ecological interactions spun by a diverse assortment of participants (pro- and eukaryotes and their viruses). In aquatic microbial communities, the numerically most abundant actors, the viruses, remain the most elusive, and especially in freshwaters their identities and ecology remain unknown. Here, using ultra-deep metagenomic sequencing from pelagic freshwater habitats, we recovered complete genomes of > 2000 phages, including small "miniphages" and large "megaphages" infecting iconic freshwater prokaryotic lineages. For instance, abundant freshwater Actinobacteria support infection by a very broad size range of phages (13-200 Kb). We describe many phages encoding genes that likely afford protection to their host from reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the aquatic environment and in the oxidative burst in protist phagolysosomes (phage-mediated ROS defense). Spatiotemporal abundance analyses of phage genomes revealed evanescence as the primary dynamic in upper water layers, where they displayed short-lived existences. In contrast, persistence was characteristic for the deeper layers where many identical phage genomes were recovered repeatedly. Phage and host abundances corresponded closely, with distinct populations displaying preferential distributions in different seasons and depths, closely mimicking overall stratification and mixis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicius S Kavagutti
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Adrian-Ştefan Andrei
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Maliheh Mehrshad
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela M Salcher
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Limnological Station, Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Seestrasse 187, 8802, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Rohit Ghai
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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13
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Vibrio cholerae residing in food vacuoles expelled by protozoa are more infectious in vivo. Nat Microbiol 2019; 4:2466-2474. [PMID: 31570868 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0563-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae interacts with many organisms in the environment, including heterotrophic protists (protozoa). Several species of protozoa have been reported to release undigested bacteria in expelled food vacuoles (EFVs) when feeding on some pathogens. While the production of EFVs has been reported, their biological role as a vector for the transmission of pathogens remains unknown. Here we report that ciliated protozoa release EFVs containing V. cholerae. The EFVs are stable, the cells inside them are protected from multiple stresses, and large numbers of cells escape when incubated at 37 °C or in the presence of nutrients. We show that OmpU, a major outer membrane protein positively regulated by ToxR, has a role in the production of EFVs. Notably, cells released from EFVs have growth and colonization advantages over planktonic cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that EFVs facilitate V. cholerae survival in the environment, enhancing their infectious potential and may contribute to the dissemination of epidemic V. cholerae strains. These results improve our understanding of the mechanisms of persistence and the modes of transmission of V. cholerae and may further apply to other opportunistic pathogens that have been shown to be released by protists in EFVs.
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Liu J, Dong Y, Wang N, Ma S, Lu C, Liu Y. Diverse effects of nitric oxide reductase NorV on Aeromonas hydrophila virulence-associated traits under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Vet Res 2019; 50:67. [PMID: 31547881 PMCID: PMC6755692 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-019-0683-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
NorV has been known to be an anaerobic nitric oxide reductase associated with nitric oxide (NO) detoxification. Recently, we showed that the norV gene of Aeromonas hydrophila was highly upregulated after co-culturing with Tetrahymena thermophila. Here, we demonstrated that the transcription and expression levels of norV were upregulated in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to NO under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. To investigate the roles of norV in resisting predatory protists and virulence of A. hydrophila, we constructed the norV gene-deletion mutant (ΔnorV). Compared to the wild type, the ΔnorV mutant showed no significant difference in growth at various NO concentrations under aerobic conditions but significantly stronger NO-mediated growth inhibition under anaerobic conditions. The deletion of norV exhibited markedly decreased cytotoxicity, hemolytic and protease activities under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Also, the hemolysin co-regulated protein (Hcp) in the ΔnorV mutant showed increased secretion under aerobic conditions but decreased secretion under anaerobic conditions as compared to the wild-type. Moreover, the inactivation of norV led to reduced resistance to predation by T. thermophila, decreased survival within macrophages and highly attenuated virulence in zebrafish. Our data indicate a diverse role for norV in the expression of A. hydrophila virulence-associated traits that is not completely dependent on its function as a nitric oxide reductase. This study provides insights into an unexplored area of NorV, which will contribute to our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis and the development of new control strategies for A. hydrophila infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yuhao Dong
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Nannan Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jinling Institute of Technology, Nanjing, 211169, China
| | - Shuiyan Ma
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Chengping Lu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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15
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Liu J, Dong Y, Wang N, Li S, Yang Y, Wang Y, Awan F, Lu C, Liu Y. Tetrahymena thermophila Predation Enhances Environmental Adaptation of the Carp Pathogenic Strain Aeromonas hydrophila NJ-35. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:76. [PMID: 29594069 PMCID: PMC5861188 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistence of Aeromonas hydrophila in aquatic environments is the principle cause of fish hemorrhagic septicemia. Protistan predation has been considered to be a strong driving force for the evolution of bacterial defense strategies. In this study, we investigated the adaptive traits of A. hydrophila NJ-35, a carp pathogenic strain, in response to Tetrahymena thermophila predation. After subculturing with Tetrahymena, over 70% of A. hydrophila colonies were small colony variants (SCVs). The SCVs displayed enhanced biofilm formation, adhesion, fitness, and resistance to bacteriophage infection and oxidative stress as compared to the non-Tetrahymena-exposed strains. In contrast, the SCVs exhibited decreased intracellular bacterial number in RAW264.7 macrophages and were highly attenuated for virulence in zebrafish. Considering the outer membrane proteins (OMPs) are directly involved in bacterial interaction with the external surroundings, we investigated the roles of OMPs in the antipredator fitness behaviors of A. hydrophila. A total of 38 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the SCVs by quantitative proteomics. Among them, three lipoproteins including SurA, Slp, and LpoB, and a serine/threonine protein kinase (Stpk) were evidenced to be associated with environmental adaptation of the SCVs. Also, the three lipoproteins were involved in attenuated virulence of SCVs through the proinflammatory immune response mediated by TLR2. This study provides an important contribution to the understanding of the defensive traits of A. hydrophila against protistan predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuhao Dong
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nannan Wang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shougang Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Yang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Furqan Awan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chengping Lu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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16
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Deng W, Gibson KE. Interaction of microorganisms within leafy green phyllospheres: Where do human noroviruses fit in? Int J Food Microbiol 2017; 258:28-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2017.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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17
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Pang M, Lin X, Liu J, Guo C, Gao S, Du H, Lu C, Liu Y. Identification of Aeromonas hydrophila Genes Preferentially Expressed after Phagocytosis by Tetrahymena and Involvement of Methionine Sulfoxide Reductases. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:199. [PMID: 28083518 PMCID: PMC5183988 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Free-living protozoa affect the survival and virulence evolution of pathogens in the environment. In this study, we explored the fate of Aeromonas hydrophila when co-cultured with the bacteriovorous ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila and investigated bacterial gene expression associated with the co-culture. Virulent A. hydrophila strains were found to have ability to evade digestion in the vacuoles of this protozoan. In A. hydrophila, a total of 116 genes were identified as up-regulated following co-culture with T. thermophila by selective capture of transcribed sequences (SCOTS) and comparative dot-blot analysis. A large proportion of these genes (42/116) play a role in metabolism, and some of the genes have previously been characterized as required for bacterial survival and replication within macrophages. Then, we inactivated the genes encoding methionine sulfoxide reductases, msrA, and msrB, in A. hydrophila. Compared to the wild-type, the mutants ΔmsrA and ΔmsrAB displayed significantly reduced resistance to predation by T. thermophila, and 50% lethal dose (LD50) determinations in zebrafish demonstrated that both mutants were highly attenuated. This study forms a solid foundation for the study of mechanisms and implications of bacterial defenses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maoda Pang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing, China; Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Food Safety, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural SciencesNanjing, China
| | - Xiaoqin Lin
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China
| | - Changming Guo
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China
| | - Shanshan Gao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China
| | - Hechao Du
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China
| | - Chengping Lu
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China
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18
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Riquelme S, Varas M, Valenzuela C, Velozo P, Chahin N, Aguilera P, Sabag A, Labra B, Álvarez SA, Chávez FP, Santiviago CA. Relevant Genes Linked to Virulence Are Required for Salmonella Typhimurium to Survive Intracellularly in the Social Amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1305. [PMID: 27602025 PMCID: PMC4993766 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum has proven to be a useful model for studying relevant aspects of the host-pathogen interaction. In this work, D. discoideum was used as a model to study the ability of Salmonella Typhimurium to survive in amoebae and to evaluate the contribution of selected genes in this process. To do this, we performed infection assays using axenic cultures of D. discoideum co-cultured with wild-type S. Typhimurium and/or defined mutant strains. Our results confirmed that wild-type S. Typhimurium is able to survive intracellularly in D. discoideum. In contrast, mutants ΔaroA and ΔwaaL are defective in intracellular survival in this amoeba. Next, we included in our study a group of mutants in genes directly linked to Salmonella virulence. Of note, mutants ΔinvA, ΔssaD, ΔclpV, and ΔphoPQ also showed an impaired ability to survive intracellularly in D. discoideum. This indicates that S. Typhimurium requires a functional biosynthetic pathway of aromatic compounds, a lipopolysaccharide containing a complete O-antigen, the type III secretion systems (T3SS) encoded in SPI-1 and SPI-2, the type VI secretion system (T6SS) encoded in SPI-6 and PhoP/PhoQ two-component system to survive in D. discoideum. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the requirement of O-antigen and T6SS in the survival of Salmonella within amoebae. In addition, mutants ΔinvA and ΔssaD were internalized in higher numbers than the wild-type strain during competitive infections, suggesting that S. Typhimurium requires the T3SS encoded in SPI-1 and SPI-2 to evade phagocytosis by D. discoideum. Altogether, these results indicate that S. Typhimurium exploits a common set of genes and molecular mechanisms to survive within amoeba and animal host cells. The use of D. discoideum as a model for host-pathogen interactions will allow us to discover the gene repertoire used by Salmonella to survive inside the amoeba and to study the cellular processes that are affected during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Riquelme
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Macarena Varas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología de Sistemas, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Camila Valenzuela
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Paula Velozo
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Nicolás Chahin
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Paulina Aguilera
- Laboratorio de Microbiología de Sistemas, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Andrea Sabag
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Bayron Labra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Sergio A. Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Francisco P. Chávez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología de Sistemas, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Carlos A. Santiviago
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
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19
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Frederiksen RF, Leisner JJ. Effects of Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e and Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium LT2 chitinases on intracellular survival in Dictyostelium discoideum and mammalian cell lines. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2015; 362:fnv067. [PMID: 25908871 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnv067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Some bacterial pathogens produce chitinases as virulence factors during host infection. The molecular target of such enzymes in non-chitinous hosts remains uncertain. We studied the importance of Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e and Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium LT2 chitinases for intracellular survival in Dictyostelium discoideum, and for Salmonella, also infection of mammalian cell lines, and a mouse model. The Salmonella chitinase did not contribute significantly to infection of D. discoideum, mammalian cell lines or mice. However, survival in D. discoideum was clearly reduced for Listeria mutants deficient of ChiB (8-fold) or deficient of both ChiA and ChiB (22-fold). Our findings suggest that chitinases from the two species play different roles in virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikki F Frederiksen
- Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Jørgen J Leisner
- Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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20
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Vaerewijck MJ, Baré J, Lambrecht E, Sabbe K, Houf K. Interactions of Foodborne Pathogens with Free-living Protozoa: Potential Consequences for Food Safety. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Julie Baré
- Dept. of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Ghent Univ; Belgium
| | - Ellen Lambrecht
- Dept. of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Ghent Univ; Belgium
| | - Koen Sabbe
- Laboratory of Protistology and Aquatic Ecology; Dept. of Biology, Ghent Univ; Belgium
| | - Kurt Houf
- Dept. of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Ghent Univ; Belgium
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21
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Denoncourt AM, Paquet VE, Charette SJ. Potential role of bacteria packaging by protozoa in the persistence and transmission of pathogenic bacteria. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:240. [PMID: 24904553 PMCID: PMC4033053 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many pathogenic bacteria live in close association with protozoa. These unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms are ubiquitous in various environments. A number of protozoa such as amoebae and ciliates ingest pathogenic bacteria, package them usually in membrane structures, and then release them into the environment. Packaged bacteria are more resistant to various stresses and are more apt to survive than free bacteria. New evidence indicates that protozoa and not bacteria control the packaging process. It is possible that packaging is more common than suspected and may play a major role in the persistence and transmission of pathogenic bacteria. To confirm the role of packaging in the propagation of infections, it is vital that the molecular mechanisms governing the packaging of bacteria by protozoa be identified as well as elements related to the ecology of this process in order to determine whether packaging acts as a Trojan Horse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alix M Denoncourt
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval Quebec City, QC, Canada ; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Valérie E Paquet
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval Quebec City, QC, Canada ; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Steve J Charette
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval Quebec City, QC, Canada ; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec Quebec City, QC, Canada ; Département de Biochimie, de Microbiologie et de Bio-Informatique, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval Quebec City, QC, Canada
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22
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Brandl MT, Cox CE, Teplitski M. Salmonella interactions with plants and their associated microbiota. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2013; 103:316-325. [PMID: 23506360 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-11-12-0295-rvw] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The increase in the incidence of gastroenteritis outbreaks linked to the consumption of foods of plant origin has ignited public concern and scientific interest in understanding interactions of human enteric pathogens with plants. Enteric disease caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella is a major public health burden, with the number of cases of illness linked to fresh produce, spices, and nuts surpassing those linked to foods of animal origin. Mounting evidence supports the hypothesis that colonization of plants is an important part of the life cycle of this human pathogen. Although plant responses to human pathogens are distinct from the more specific responses to phytopathogens, plants appear to recognize Salmonella, likely by detecting conserved microbial patterns, which subsequently activates basal defenses. Numerous Salmonella genes have been identified as playing a role in its colonization of plant surfaces and tissues, and in its various interactions with other members of the phyto-microbial community. Importantly, Salmonella utilizes diverse and overlapping strategies to interact with plants and their microflora, and to successfully colonize its vertebrate hosts. This review provides insight into the complex behavior of Salmonella on plants and the apparent remarkable adaptation of this human pathogen to a potentially secondary host.
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23
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Goudeau DM, Parker CT, Zhou Y, Sela S, Kroupitski Y, Brandl MT. The salmonella transcriptome in lettuce and cilantro soft rot reveals a niche overlap with the animal host intestine. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 79:250-62. [PMID: 23104408 PMCID: PMC3536078 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02290-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2012] [Accepted: 10/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fresh vegetables have been recurrently associated with salmonellosis outbreaks, and Salmonella contamination of retail produce has been correlated positively with the presence of soft rot disease. We observed that population sizes of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SL1344 increased 56-fold when inoculated alone onto cilantro leaves, versus 2,884-fold when coinoculated with Dickeya dadantii, a prevalent pathogen that macerates plant tissue. A similar trend in S. enterica populations was observed for soft-rotted lettuce leaves. Transcriptome analysis of S. enterica cells that colonized D. dadantii-infected lettuce and cilantro leaves revealed a clear shift toward anaerobic metabolism and catabolism of substrates that are available due to the degradation of plant cells by the pectinolytic pathogen. Twenty-nine percent of the genes that were upregulated in cilantro macerates were also previously observed to have increased expression levels in the chicken intestine. Furthermore, multiple genes induced in soft rot lesions are also involved in the colonization of mouse, pig, and bovine models of host infection. Among those genes, the operons for ethanolamine and propanediol utilization as well as for the synthesis of cobalamin, a cofactor in these pathways, were the most highly upregulated genes in lettuce and cilantro lesions. In S. Typhimurium strain LT2, population sizes of mutants deficient in propanediol utilization or cobalamin synthesis were 10- and 3-fold lower, respectively, than those of the wild-type strain in macerated cilantro (P < 0.0002); in strain SL1344, such mutants behaved similarly to the parental strain. Anaerobic conditions and the utilization of nutrients in macerated plant tissue that are also present in the animal intestine indicate a niche overlap that may explain the high level of adaptation of S. enterica to soft rot lesions, a common postharvest plant disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle M. Goudeau
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, California, USA
| | - Craig T. Parker
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, California, USA
| | - Yaguang Zhou
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, California, USA
| | - Shlomo Sela
- Microbial Food Safety Research Unit, Department of Food Quality and Safety, Institute for Postharvest and Food Sciences, ARO, The Volcani Center, Beth-Dagan, Israel
| | - Yulia Kroupitski
- Microbial Food Safety Research Unit, Department of Food Quality and Safety, Institute for Postharvest and Food Sciences, ARO, The Volcani Center, Beth-Dagan, Israel
| | - Maria T. Brandl
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, California, USA
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24
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Smith CD, Berk SG, Brandl MT, Riley LW. Survival characteristics of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes and Helicobacter pylori during passage through the free-living ciliate, Tetrahymena sp. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2012; 82:574-83. [PMID: 22680607 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2012.01428.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2011] [Revised: 04/09/2012] [Accepted: 05/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Free-living protozoa have been implicated in the survival and transport of pathogens in the environment, but the relationship between non-Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli or Helicobacter pylori and ciliates has not been characterized. Six diarrheagenic pathotypes of E. coli and an isolate of H. pylori were evaluated for their susceptibility to digestion by Tetrahymena, an aquatic ciliate. Tetrahymena strain MB125 was fed E. coli or H. pylori, and the ciliate's egested products examined for viable bacterial pathogens by the BacLight(™) LIVE/DEAD (™) assay, a cell elongation method, and by colony counts. All six diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes survived digestion, whereas H. pylori was digested. Growth of E. coli on agar plates indicated that the bacteria were able to replicate after passage through the ciliate. Transmission electron micrographs of E. coli cells as intact rods vs. degraded H. pylori cells corroborated these results. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a net-like matrix around intact E. coli cells in fecal pellets. These results suggest a possible role for Tetrahymena and its egested fecal pellets in the dissemination of diarrheagenic E. coli in the environment. This bacterial-protozoan interaction may increase opportunities for transmission of diarrheagenic E. coli to mammalian hosts including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte D Smith
- School of Public Health, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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25
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Lee EJ, Groisman EA. Control of a Salmonella virulence locus by an ATP-sensing leader messenger RNA. Nature 2012; 486:271-5. [PMID: 22699622 DOI: 10.1038/nature11090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2011] [Accepted: 03/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The facultative intracellular pathogen Salmonella enterica resides within a membrane-bound compartment inside macrophages. This compartment must be acidified for Salmonella to survive within macrophages, possibly because acidic pH promotes expression of Salmonella virulence proteins. We reasoned that Salmonella might sense its surroundings have turned acidic not only upon protonation of the extracytoplasmic domain of a protein sensor but also by an increase in cytosolic ATP levels, because conditions that enhance the proton gradient across the bacterial inner membrane stimulate ATP synthesis. Here we report that an increase in cytosolic ATP promotes transcription of the coding region for the virulence gene mgtC, which is the most highly induced horizontally acquired gene when Salmonella is inside macrophages. This transcript is induced both upon media acidification and by physiological conditions that increase ATP levels independently of acidification. ATP is sensed by the coupling/uncoupling of transcription of the unusually long mgtC leader messenger RNA and translation of a short open reading frame located in this region. A mutation in the mgtC leader messenger RNA that eliminates the response to ATP hinders mgtC expression inside macrophages and attenuates Salmonella virulence in mice. Our results define a singular example of an ATP-sensing leader messenger RNA. Moreover, they indicate that pathogens can interpret extracellular cues by the impact they have on cellular metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Jin Lee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale School of Medicine, Section of Microbial Pathogenesis, New Haven, Connecticut 06536-0812, USA
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Soldati T, Neyrolles O. Mycobacteria and the intraphagosomal environment: take it with a pinch of salt(s)! Traffic 2012; 13:1042-52. [PMID: 22462580 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0854.2012.01358.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Revised: 03/27/2012] [Accepted: 03/30/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Ancient protozoan phagocytes and modern professional phagocytes of metazoans, such as macrophages, employ evolutionarily conserved mechanisms to kill microbes. These mechanisms rely on microbial ingestion, followed by maturation of the phagocytic vacuole, or so-called phagosome. Phagosome maturation includes a series of fusion and fission events with the host cell endosomes and lysosomes, leading to a rapid increase of the degradative properties of the vacuole and to the destruction of the ingested microbe within a very hostile intracellular compartment, the phagolysosome. Historically, the mechanisms and weapons used by phagocytes to kill microbes have been separated into different classes. Phagosomal acidification, together with the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, the selective manipulation of various ions in the phagosomal lumen, and finally the engagement of a battery of acidic hydrolases, are well-recognized players in this process. However, it is relatively recently that interconnections among these mechanisms have become apparent. In this review, we will focus on some emerging concepts about these interconnected aspects of the warfare at the host-pathogen interface, using mostly Mycobacterium tuberculosis as an example of intracellular pathogen. In particular, recent discoveries on the role of phagosomal ions and other chemicals in the control of pathogens, as well as mechanisms evolved by intracellular pathogens to circumvent or even exploit the weapons of the host cell will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Soldati
- Départment de Biochimie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Genève, Sciences II, 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, CH-1211, Genève-4, Switzerland.
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Cassidy-Hanley DM. Tetrahymena in the laboratory: strain resources, methods for culture, maintenance, and storage. Methods Cell Biol 2012; 109:237-76. [PMID: 22444147 PMCID: PMC3608402 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385967-9.00008-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2022]
Abstract
The ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila has been an important model system for biological research for many years. During that time, a variety of useful strains, including highly inbred stocks, a collection of diverse mutant strains, and wild cultivars from a variety of geographical locations have been identified. In addition, thanks to the efforts of many different laboratories, optimal conditions for growth, maintenance, and storage of Tetrahymena have been worked out. To facilitate the efficient use of Tetrahymena, especially by those new to the system, this chapter presents a brief description of many available Tetrahymena strains and lists possible resources for obtaining viable cultures of T. thermophila and other Tetrahymena species. Descriptions of commonly used media, methods for cell culture and maintenance, and protocols for short- and long-term storage are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna M Cassidy-Hanley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Distinct transcriptional profiles and phenotypes exhibited by Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolates related to the 2006 spinach-associated outbreak. Appl Environ Microbiol 2011; 78:455-63. [PMID: 22081562 DOI: 10.1128/aem.06251-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2006, a large outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 was linked to the consumption of ready-to-eat bagged baby spinach in the United States. The likely sources of preharvest spinach contamination were soil and water that became contaminated via cattle or feral pigs in the proximity of the spinach fields. In this study, we compared the transcriptional profiles of 12 E. coli O157:H7 isolates that possess the same two-enzyme pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profile and are related temporally or geographically to the above outbreak. These E. coli O157:H7 isolates included three clinical isolates, five isolates from separate bags of spinach, and single isolates from pasture soil, river water, cow feces, and a feral pig. The three clinical isolates and two spinach bag isolates grown in cultures to stationary phase showed decreased expression of many σ(S)-regulated genes, including gadA, osmE, osmY, and katE, compared with the soil, water, cow, feral pig, and the other three spinach bag isolates. The decreased expression of these σ(S)-regulated genes was correlated with the decreased resistance of the isolates to acid stress, osmotic stress, and oxidative stress but increases in scavenging ability. We also observed that intraisolate variability was much more pronounced among the clinical and spinach isolates than among the environmental isolates. Together, the transcriptional and phenotypic differences of the spinach outbreak isolates of E. coli O157:H7 support the hypothesis that some variants within the spinach bag retained characteristics of the preharvest isolates, whereas other variants with altered gene expression and phenotypes infected the human host.
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Abstract
Bacterial communities are often heavily consumed by microfaunal predators, such as protozoa and nematodes. Predation is an important cause of mortality and determines the structure and activity of microbial communities in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and bacteria evolved various defence mechanisms helping them to resist predation. In this review, I summarize known antipredator defence strategies and their regulation, and explore their importance for bacterial fitness in various environmental conditions, and their implications for bacterial evolution and diversification under predation pressure. I discuss how defence mechanisms affect competition and cooperation within bacterial communities. Finally I present some implications of bacterial defence mechanisms for ecosystem services provided by microbial communities, such as nutrient cycling, virulence and the biological control of plant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Jousset
- Georg-August University Göttingen, JF Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, Berliner Str. 28, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
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