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Lu X, Ji L, Wang H, Zhang Q, Wang X, Liu Y, Shen Q, Yang S, Ma X, Zhang W, Shan T. Highly diverse RNA viruses and phage sequences concealed within birds. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0080224. [PMID: 38860816 PMCID: PMC11218532 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00802-24] [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: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The diversity of birds in most parts of the world is very high, and thus, they may carry different types of highly differentiated and unknown viruses. Thanks to advanced sequencing technologies, studies on the diversity of bird-associated viruses have increased over the past few years. In this study, a large-scale viral metagenomics survey was performed on cloacal swabs of 2,990 birds from nine provinces of the Chinese mainland. To detect undescribed RNA viruses in birds, more than 1,800 sequences sharing relatively low (<60%) amino acid sequence identity with the best match in the GenBank database were screened. Potentially novel viruses related to vertebrates have been identified, and several potential recombination signals were found. Additionally, hundreds of RNA viral sequences related to plants, fungi, and insects were detected, including previously unknown viruses. Furthermore, we investigated the novelty, functionality, and classification of the phages examined in this study. These viruses occupied topological positions on the evolutionary trees to a certain extent and might form novel putative families, genera, or species, thus providing information to fill the phylogenetic gaps of related viruses. These findings provided new insights into bird-associated viruses, but the interactions among these viruses remain unknown and require further investigation.IMPORTANCEStudying the diversity of RNA viruses in birds and mammals is crucial due to their potential impact on human health and the global ecosystem. Many RNA viruses, such as influenza and coronaviruses, have been shown to cross the species barrier and cause zoonotic diseases. In this metagenomics study involving 2,990 birds from at least 82 species, we identified over 1,800 RNA sequences with distant relationships to known viruses, some of which are rare in birds. The study highlights the scope and diversity of RNA viruses in birds, providing data to predict disease risks and monitor potential viral threats to wildlife, livestock, and human health. This information can aid in the development of strategies for disease prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Likai Ji
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haoning Wang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Harbin University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Qinghai Institute of Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Xiaochun Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuwei Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Quan Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shixing Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao Ma
- Qinghai Institute of Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tongling Shan
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
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2
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Yates CR, Nguyen A, Liao J, Cheng RA. What's on a prophage: analysis of Salmonella spp. prophages identifies a diverse range of cargo with multiple virulence- and metabolism-associated functions. mSphere 2024; 9:e0003124. [PMID: 38775467 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00031-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The gain of mobile elements, such as prophages, can introduce cargo to the recipient bacterium that could facilitate its persistence in or expansion to a new environment, such as a host. While previous studies have focused on identifying and characterizing the genetic diversity of prophages, analyses characterizing the cargo that prophages carry have not been extensively explored. We characterized prophage regions from 303 Salmonella spp. genomes (representing 254 unique serovars) to assess the distribution of prophages in diverse Salmonella. On average, prophages accounted for 3.7% (0.1%-8.8%) of the total genomic content of each isolate. Prophage regions annotated as Gifsy 1 and Salmon Fels 1 were the most commonly identified intact prophages, suggesting that they are common throughout the Salmonella genus. Among 21,687 total coding sequences (CDSs) from intact prophage regions in subsp. enterica genomes, 7.5% (median; range: 1.1%-47.6%) were categorized as having a function not related to prophage integration or phage structure, some of which could potentially provide a functional attribute to the host Salmonella cell. These predicted functions could be broadly categorized into CDSs involved in: (i) modification of cell surface structures (i.e., glycosyltransferases); (ii) modulation of host responses (e.g., SodC/SodA, SopE, ArtAB, and typhoid toxin); (iii) conferring resistance to heavy metals and antimicrobials; (iv) metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, and nucleotides; and (v) DNA replication, repair, and regulation. Overall, our systematic analysis of prophage cargo highlights a broader role for prophage cargo in influencing the metabolic, virulence, and resistance characteristics of Salmonella. IMPORTANCE Lysogenic bacteriophages (phages) can integrate their genome into a bacterial host's genome, potentially introducing genetic elements that can affect the fitness of the host bacterium. The functions of prophage-encoded genes are important to understand as these genes could be mobilized and transferred to a new host. Using a large genomic dataset representing >300 isolates from all known subspecies and species of Salmonella, our study contributes important new findings on the distribution of prophages and the types of cargo that diverse Salmonella prophages carry. We identified a number of coding sequences (CDSs) annotated as having cell surface-modifying attributes, suggesting that prophages may have played an important role in shaping Salmonella's diverse surface antigen repertoire. Furthermore, our characterization of prophages suggests that they play a broader role in facilitating the acquisition and transfer of CDSs associated with metabolism, DNA replication and repair, virulence factors, and to a lesser extent, antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline R Yates
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Anthony Nguyen
- Computational Modeling and Data Analytics Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jingqiu Liao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Rachel A Cheng
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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Sarkar S, Anyaso-Samuel S, Qiu P, Datta S. Multiblock partial least squares and rank aggregation: Applications to detection of bacteriophages associated with antimicrobial resistance in the presence of potential confounding factors. Stat Med 2024; 43:2527-2546. [PMID: 38618705 DOI: 10.1002/sim.10058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Urban environments, characterized by bustling mass transit systems and high population density, host a complex web of microorganisms that impact microbial interactions. These urban microbiomes, influenced by diverse demographics and constant human movement, are vital for understanding microbial dynamics. We explore urban metagenomics, utilizing an extensive dataset from the Metagenomics & Metadesign of Subways & Urban Biomes (MetaSUB) consortium, and investigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns. In this pioneering research, we delve into the role of bacteriophages, or "phages"-viruses that prey on bacteria and can facilitate the exchange of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through mechanisms like horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Despite their potential significance, existing literature lacks a consensus on their significance in ARG dissemination. We argue that they are an important consideration. We uncover that environmental variables, such as those on climate, demographics, and landscape, can obscure phage-resistome relationships. We adjust for these potential confounders and clarify these relationships across specific and overall antibiotic classes with precision, identifying several key phages. Leveraging machine learning tools and validating findings through clinical literature, we uncover novel associations, adding valuable insights to our comprehension of AMR development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoumi Sarkar
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | | | - Peihua Qiu
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Somnath Datta
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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Maestre‐Carballa L, Navarro‐López V, Martinez‐Garcia M. Metagenomic airborne resistome from urban hot spots through the One Health lens. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13306. [PMID: 38923122 PMCID: PMC11194455 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Human activities are a significant contributor to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which pose a serious threat to human health. These ARGs can be transmitted through various pathways, including air, within the context of One Health. This study used metagenomics to monitor the resistomes in urban air from two critical locations: a wastewater treatment plant and a hospital, both indoor and outdoor. The presence of cell-like structures was confirmed through fluorescence microscopy. The metagenomic analysis revealed a wide variety of ARGs and a high diversity of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the airborne particles collected. The wastewater treatment plant showed higher relative abundances with 32 ARG hits per Gb and m3, followed by the main entrance of the hospital (indoor) with ≈5 ARG hits per Gb and m3. The hospital entrance exhibited the highest ARG richness, with a total of 152 different ARGs classified into nine categories of antibiotic resistance. Common commensal and pathogenic bacteria carrying ARGs, such as Moraxella, Staphylococcus and Micrococcus, were detected in the indoor airborne particles of the hospital. Interestingly, no ARGs were shared among all the samples analysed, indicating a highly variable dynamic of airborne resistomes. Furthermore, the study found no ARGs in the airborne viral fractions analysed, suggesting that airborne viruses play a negligible role in the dissemination of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Maestre‐Carballa
- Department of Physiology, Genetics, and MicrobiologyUniversity of AlicanteAlicanteSpain
- Instituto Multidisciplinar Para el Estudio del Medio Ramon MargalefUniversity of AlicanteAlicanteSpain
| | - Vicente Navarro‐López
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease UnitHospital Universitario VinalopóElcheSpain
| | - Manuel Martinez‐Garcia
- Department of Physiology, Genetics, and MicrobiologyUniversity of AlicanteAlicanteSpain
- Instituto Multidisciplinar Para el Estudio del Medio Ramon MargalefUniversity of AlicanteAlicanteSpain
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Zhang J, Tang A, Jin T, Sun D, Guo F, Lei H, Lin L, Shu W, Yu P, Li X, Li B. A panoramic view of the virosphere in three wastewater treatment plants by integrating viral-like particle-concentrated and traditional non-concentrated metagenomic approaches. IMETA 2024; 3:e188. [PMID: 38898980 PMCID: PMC11183165 DOI: 10.1002/imt2.188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater biotreatment systems harbor a rich diversity of microorganisms, and the effectiveness of biotreatment systems largely depends on the activity of these microorganisms. Specifically, viruses play a crucial role in altering microbial behavior and metabolic processes throughout their infection phases, an aspect that has recently attracted considerable interest. Two metagenomic approaches, viral-like particle-concentrated (VPC, representing free viral-like particles) and non-concentrated (NC, representing the cellular fraction), were employed to assess their efficacy in revealing virome characteristics, including taxonomy, diversity, host interactions, lifestyle, dynamics, and functional genes across processing units of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Our findings indicate that each approach offers unique insights into the viral community and functional composition. Their combined use proved effective in elucidating WWTP viromes. We identified nearly 50,000 viral contigs, with Cressdnaviricota and Uroviricota being the predominant phyla in the VPC and NC fractions, respectively. Notably, two pathogenic viral families, Asfarviridae and Adenoviridae, were commonly found in these WWTPs. We also observed significant differences in the viromes of WWTPs processing different types of wastewater. Additionally, various phage-derived auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) were active at the RNA level, contributing to the metabolism of the microbial community, particularly in carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus cycling. Moreover, we identified 29 virus-carried antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) with potential for host transfer, highlighting the role of viruses in spreading ARGs in the environment. Overall, this study provides a detailed and integrated view of the virosphere in three WWTPs through the application of VPC and NC metagenomic approaches. Our findings enhance the understanding of viral communities, offering valuable insights for optimizing the operation and regulation of wastewater treatment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Zhang
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
- Research Center for Eco‐Environmental EngineeringDongguan University of TechnologyDongguanChina
| | - Aixi Tang
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Tao Jin
- Guangdong Magigene Biotechnology Co., Ltd.ShenzhenChina
| | - Deshou Sun
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Tongchen Biotechnology Co., LimitedShenzhenChina
| | - Fangliang Guo
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Huaxin Lei
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Lin Lin
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Wensheng Shu
- Guangdong Magigene Biotechnology Co., Ltd.ShenzhenChina
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life SciencesSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Pingfeng Yu
- College of Environmental and Resource SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Bing Li
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate SchoolTsinghua UniversityShenzhenChina
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Yan M, Yu Z. Viruses contribute to microbial diversification in the rumen ecosystem and are associated with certain animal production traits. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:82. [PMID: 38725064 PMCID: PMC11080232 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01791-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rumen microbiome enables ruminants to digest otherwise indigestible feedstuffs, thereby facilitating the production of high-quality protein, albeit with suboptimal efficiency and producing methane. Despite extensive research delineating associations between the rumen microbiome and ruminant production traits, the functional roles of the pervasive and diverse rumen virome remain to be determined. RESULTS Leveraging a recent comprehensive rumen virome database, this study analyzes virus-microbe linkages, at both species and strain levels, across 551 rumen metagenomes, elucidating patterns of microbial and viral diversity, co-occurrence, and virus-microbe interactions. Additionally, this study assesses the potential role of rumen viruses in microbial diversification by analyzing prophages found in rumen metagenome-assembled genomes. Employing CRISPR-Cas spacer-based matching and virus-microbe co-occurrence network analysis, this study suggests that the viruses in the rumen may regulate microbes at strain and community levels through both antagonistic and mutualistic interactions. Moreover, this study establishes that the rumen virome demonstrates responsiveness to dietary shifts and associations with key animal production traits, including feed efficiency, lactation performance, weight gain, and methane emissions. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide a substantive framework for further investigations to unravel the functional roles of the virome in the rumen in shaping the microbiome and influencing overall animal production performance. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yan
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center of Microbiome Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Zhongtang Yu
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- Center of Microbiome Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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7
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Wang Y, Zhang Z, Kang J, Chen B, Hong W, Lv B, Wang T, Qian H. Phages in different habitats and their ability to carry antibiotic resistance genes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:133941. [PMID: 38447371 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133941] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
As the most abundant organisms on Earth, phages play a key role in the evolution of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Although previous studies have demonstrated the molecular mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer mediated by mobile genetic elements, our understanding of the intertwined relationships between antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and phages is limited. In this study, we analysed 2781 metagenomic samples to reveal the composition and species interactions of phage communities in different habitats as well as their capacity to carry ARGs with health risks. The composition of phage communities varies in different habitats and mainly depends on environmental conditions. Terrestrial habitats display more complex and robust interactions between phages than aquatic and human-associated habitats, resulting in the highest biodiversity of phages. Several types of phages in certain taxa (4.95-7.67%, mainly belonging to Caudoviricetes) have the capacity to carry specific ARGs and display a high potential risk to human health, especially in human-associated habitats. Overall, our results provide insights into the assembly mechanisms of phage communities and their effects on the dissemination of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, PR China
| | - Zhenyan Zhang
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, PR China
| | - Jian Kang
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, PR China
| | - Bingfeng Chen
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, PR China
| | - Wenjie Hong
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310012, PR China
| | - Binghai Lv
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, PR China
| | - Tingzhang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310012, PR China.
| | - Haifeng Qian
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, PR China.
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Shepherd MJ, Fu T, Harrington NE, Kottara A, Cagney K, Chalmers JD, Paterson S, Fothergill JL, Brockhurst MA. Ecological and evolutionary mechanisms driving within-patient emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41579-024-01041-1. [PMID: 38689039 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01041-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The ecological and evolutionary mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence within patients and how these vary across bacterial infections are poorly understood. Increasingly widespread use of pathogen genome sequencing in the clinic enables a deeper understanding of these processes. In this Review, we explore the clinical evidence to support four major mechanisms of within-patient AMR emergence in bacteria: spontaneous resistance mutations; in situ horizontal gene transfer of resistance genes; selection of pre-existing resistance; and immigration of resistant lineages. Within-patient AMR emergence occurs across a wide range of host niches and bacterial species, but the importance of each mechanism varies between bacterial species and infection sites within the body. We identify potential drivers of such differences and discuss how ecological and evolutionary analysis could be embedded within clinical trials of antimicrobials, which are powerful but underused tools for understanding why these mechanisms vary between pathogens, infections and individuals. Ultimately, improving understanding of how host niche, bacterial species and antibiotic mode of action combine to govern the ecological and evolutionary mechanism of AMR emergence in patients will enable more predictive and personalized diagnosis and antimicrobial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Shepherd
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Taoran Fu
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Niamh E Harrington
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Anastasia Kottara
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Kendall Cagney
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - James D Chalmers
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Steve Paterson
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Joanne L Fothergill
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Michael A Brockhurst
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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Gomathinayagam S, Kodiveri Muthukaliannan G. Dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes in plasmids and bacteriophages. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38651513 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2339262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
This brief review explores the intricate interplay between bacteriophages and plasmids in the context of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) dissemination. Originating from studies in the late 1950s, the review traces the evolution of knowledge regarding extrachromosomal factors facilitating horizontal gene transfer and adaptation in bacteria. Analyzing the gene repertoires of plasmids and bacteriophages, the study highlights their contributions to bacterial evolution and adaptation. While plasmids encode essential and accessory genes influencing host characteristics, bacteriophages carry auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) that augment host metabolism. The debate on phages carrying ARGs is explored through a critical evaluation of various studies, revealing contrasting findings from researchers. Additionally, the review addresses the interplay between prophages and plasmids, underlining their similarities and divergences. Based on the available literature evidence, we conclude that plasmids generally encode ARGs while bacteriophages typically do not contain ARGs. But extra-chromosomaly present prophages with plasmid characteristics can encode and disseminate ARGs.
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Chen T, Mo C, Yuan Y, Li S, Wu Y, Liao X, Yang Y. Short-, long-read metagenome and virome reveal the profile of phage-mediated ARGs in anoxic-oxic processes for swine wastewater treatment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 468:133789. [PMID: 38394893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Phages are among the most widely spread viruses, but their profiles and the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) they carry in swine wastewater remain underexplored. The present study investigated the distribution characteristics of phages and their ARG risk in anoxic/oxic (A/O) wastewater treatment processes of swine farms using short- and long-read metagenome and virome. The results demonstrated that the virome could extract more phage sequences than the total metagenome; thus, it was more suited for studying phages in wastewater settings. Intriguingly, phages had significantly lower abundance of ARG than ARGs harbored by total microorganisms (P < 0.01). Eleven ARGs co-occurred with phages and bacteria (R > 0.6 and P < 0.05), with Siphoviridae being the phage co-occurring with the most ARGs (5). Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events were observed between Proteobacteria and the major phyla except for Bacteroidota. Furthermore, there were prophage sequences and ARGs on the same contig in bacterial MAGs. These data strongly demonstrate that phages promote horizontal transfer of ARG between bacterial hosts in A/O processes for swine wastewater treatment. Therefore, the risk of phage-mediated horizontal transfer of ARGs cannot be overlooked despite the low abundance of phage ARGs (pARG).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunhao Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yilin Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shengjie Li
- Department of Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Yinbao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xindi Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiwen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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Wang X, Tang Y, Yue X, Wang S, Yang K, Xu Y, Shen Q, Friman VP, Wei Z. The role of rhizosphere phages in soil health. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae052. [PMID: 38678007 PMCID: PMC11065364 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
While the One Health framework has emphasized the importance of soil microbiomes for plant and human health, one of the most diverse and abundant groups-bacterial viruses, i.e. phages-has been mostly neglected. This perspective reviews the significance of phages for plant health in rhizosphere and explores their ecological and evolutionary impacts on soil ecosystems. We first summarize our current understanding of the diversity and ecological roles of phages in soil microbiomes in terms of nutrient cycling, top-down density regulation, and pathogen suppression. We then consider how phages drive bacterial evolution in soils by promoting horizontal gene transfer, encoding auxiliary metabolic genes that increase host bacterial fitness, and selecting for phage-resistant mutants with altered ecology due to trade-offs with pathogen competitiveness and virulence. Finally, we consider challenges and avenues for phage research in soil ecosystems and how to elucidate the significance of phages for microbial ecology and evolution and soil ecosystem functioning in the future. We conclude that similar to bacteria, phages likely play important roles in connecting different One Health compartments, affecting microbiome diversity and functions in soils. From the applied perspective, phages could offer novel approaches to modulate and optimize microbial and microbe-plant interactions to enhance soil health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Wang
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yike Tang
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiufeng Yue
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Keming Yang
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yangchun Xu
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qirong Shen
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ville-Petri Friman
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zhong Wei
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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12
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Flores VS, Amgarten DE, Iha BKV, Ryon KA, Danko D, Tierney BT, Mason C, da Silva AM, Setubal JC. Discovery and description of novel phage genomes from urban microbiomes sampled by the MetaSUB consortium. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7913. [PMID: 38575625 PMCID: PMC10994904 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58226-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are recognized as the most abundant members of microbiomes and have therefore a profound impact on microbial communities through the interactions with their bacterial hosts. The International Metagenomics and Metadesign of Subways and Urban Biomes Consortium (MetaSUB) has sampled mass-transit systems in 60 cities over 3 years using metagenomics, throwing light into these hitherto largely unexplored urban environments. MetaSUB focused primarily on the bacterial community. In this work, we explored MetaSUB metagenomic data in order to recover and analyze bacteriophage genomes. We recovered and analyzed 1714 phage genomes with size at least 40 kbp, from the class Caudoviricetes, the vast majority of which (80%) are novel. The recovered genomes were predicted to belong to temperate (69%) and lytic (31%) phages. Thirty-three of these genomes have more than 200 kbp, and one of them reaches 572 kbp, placing it among the largest phage genomes ever found. In general, the phages tended to be site-specific or nearly so, but 194 genomes could be identified in every city from which phage genomes were retrieved. We predicted hosts for 48% of the phages and observed general agreement between phage abundance and the respective bacterial host abundance, which include the most common nosocomial multidrug-resistant pathogens. A small fraction of the phage genomes are carriers of antibiotic resistance genes, and such genomes tended to be particularly abundant in the sites where they were found. We also detected CRISPR-Cas systems in five phage genomes. This study expands the previously reported MetaSUB results and is a contribution to the knowledge about phage diversity, global distribution, and phage genome content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicius S Flores
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Deyvid E Amgarten
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruno Koshin Vázquez Iha
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | | | | | - Braden T Tierney
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Aline Maria da Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil.
| | - João Carlos Setubal
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil.
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13
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Chen K, Liang J, Wang Y, Tao Y, Lu Y, Wang A. A global perspective on microbial risk factors in effluents of wastewater treatment plants. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 138:227-235. [PMID: 38135391 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Effective monitoring and management of microbial risk factors in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluents require a comprehensive investigation of these risks. A global survey on microbial risk factors in WWTP effluents could reveal important insights into their risk features. This study aims to explore the abundance and types of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factor genes (VFGs), the vector of ARG/VFG, and dominant pathogens in global WWTP effluents. We collected 113 metagenomes of WWTP effluents from the Sequence Read Archive of the National Center for Biotechnology Information and characterized the microbial risk factors. Our results showed that multidrug resistance was the dominant ARG type, while offensive virulence factors were the most abundant type of VFGs. The most dominant types of ARGs in the vector of plasmid and phage were both aminoglycoside resistance, which is concerning as aminoglycosides are often a last resort for treating multi-resistant infections. Acinetobacter baumannii was the most dominant pathogen, rather than Escherichia coli, and a weak negative correlation between Escherichia coli and two other dominant pathogens (Acinetobacter baumannii and Bacteroides uniformis) suggests that using Escherichia coli as a biological indicator for all pathogens in WWTP effluents may not be appropriate. The Getah virus was the most dominant virus found in global WWTP effluents. Our study presents a comprehensive global-scale investigation of microbial risk factors in WWTP effluents, providing valuable insights into the potential risks associated with WWTP effluents and contributing to the monitoring and control of these risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejing Chen
- Shenzhen Guohuan Environmental Protection Technology Development Co., LTD., Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jinsong Liang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Yuhan Wang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yechen Tao
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yun Lu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Aijie Wang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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14
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Zhang H, Hu X, Ma Z, Zhen X, Tong P, Zhai G, Zhang S, Zhang W. Isolation and characterization of a relatively broad-spectrum phage against Escherichia coli. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:197. [PMID: 38555551 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03923-7] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Multiple pathogenic types or serotypes restrict treatment for colibacillosis. In addition, rising antibiotic resistance has heightened public awareness to prevent and control pathogenic Escherichia coli. The bacteriophage is a viable technique to treat colibacillosis as an alternative to antibiotics. In this study, PH444, a relatively broad-spectrum obligate lytic phage, was screened from 48 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) phages isolated from farm manure samples and sewage samples in order to conduct genome-wide analysis, biological characterization, and a bacterial challenge experiment in milk. The results demonstrated that PH444 was a T7-like phage with a double-stranded DNA of 115,111 bp that belongs to the Kuravirus and was stable at temperatures between 4 and 50 °C and a pH range of 3 to 11. After adding PH444, the bacterial load in milk could be reduced from 3 × 103 PFU/ mL to zero within 1 h. In consideration of the biological properties of phage PH444, it was, therefore, demonstrated that PH444 has the potential to be used in phage biocontrol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Zhang
- Department of Food and Biology Engineering, Wuhu Institute of Technology, Wuhu, 241003, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Detection of Food-Borne Pathogenic Microorganisms Engineering Research Center of Wuhu, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Xiapei Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhengxing Ma
- Department of Food and Biology Engineering, Wuhu Institute of Technology, Wuhu, 241003, China
- Detection of Food-Borne Pathogenic Microorganisms Engineering Research Center of Wuhu, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Xiangkuan Zhen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Panpan Tong
- College of Animal Medical, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Guangxi Zhai
- Wuhu Qingshui White Meat Wholesale Market Co., LTD, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Department of Food and Biology Engineering, Wuhu Institute of Technology, Wuhu, 241003, China.
- Detection of Food-Borne Pathogenic Microorganisms Engineering Research Center of Wuhu, Wuhu, 241000, China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- Detection of Food-Borne Pathogenic Microorganisms Engineering Research Center of Wuhu, Wuhu, 241000, China.
- The Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agriculture University, Sanya, 572024, China.
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15
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Dicks LMT, Vermeulen W. Bacteriophage-Host Interactions and the Therapeutic Potential of Bacteriophages. Viruses 2024; 16:478. [PMID: 38543843 PMCID: PMC10975011 DOI: 10.3390/v16030478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Healthcare faces a major problem with the increased emergence of antimicrobial resistance due to over-prescribing antibiotics. Bacteriophages may provide a solution to the treatment of bacterial infections given their specificity. Enzymes such as endolysins, exolysins, endopeptidases, endosialidases, and depolymerases produced by phages interact with bacterial surfaces, cell wall components, and exopolysaccharides, and may even destroy biofilms. Enzymatic cleavage of the host cell envelope components exposes specific receptors required for phage adhesion. Gram-positive bacteria are susceptible to phage infiltration through their peptidoglycan, cell wall teichoic acid (WTA), lipoteichoic acids (LTAs), and flagella. In Gram-negative bacteria, lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), pili, and capsules serve as targets. Defense mechanisms used by bacteria differ and include physical barriers (e.g., capsules) or endogenous mechanisms such as clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas) systems. Phage proteins stimulate immune responses against specific pathogens and improve antibiotic susceptibility. This review discusses the attachment of phages to bacterial cells, the penetration of bacterial cells, the use of phages in the treatment of bacterial infections, and the limitations of phage therapy. The therapeutic potential of phage-derived proteins and the impact that genomically engineered phages may have in the treatment of infections are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon M. T. Dicks
- Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa;
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16
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Maestre-Carballa L, Navarro-López V, Martinez-Garcia M. City-scale monitoring of antibiotic resistance genes by digital PCR and metagenomics. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:16. [PMID: 38491508 PMCID: PMC10943798 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00557-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anthropogenic activities significantly contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing a substantial threat to humankind. The development of methods that allow robust ARG surveillance is a long-standing challenge. Here, we use city-scale monitoring of ARGs by using two of the most promising cutting-edge technologies, digital PCR (dPCR) and metagenomics. METHODS ARG hot-spots were sampled from the urban water and wastewater distribution systems. Metagenomics was used to provide a broad view of ARG relative abundance and richness in the prokaryotic and viral fractions. From the city-core ARGs in all samples, the worldwide dispersed sul2 and tetW conferring resistance to sulfonamide and tetracycline, respectively, were monitored by dPCR and metagenomics. RESULTS The largest relative overall ARG abundance and richness were detected in the hospital wastewater and the WWTP inlet (up to ≈6,000 ARGs/Gb metagenome) with a large fraction of unclassified resistant bacteria. The abundance of ARGs in DNA and RNA contigs classified as viruses was notably lower, demonstrating a reduction of up to three orders of magnitude compared to contigs associated to prokaryotes. By metagenomics and dPCR, a similar abundance tendency of sul2 and tetW was obtained, with higher abundances in hospital wastewater and WWTP input (≈125-225 ARGs/Gb metagenome). dPCR absolute abundances were between 6,000 and 18,600 copies per ng of sewage DNA (≈105-7 copies/mL) and 6.8 copies/mL in seawater near the WWTP discharging point. CONCLUSIONS dPCR was more sensitive and accurate, while metagenomics provided broader coverage of ARG detection. While desirable, a reliable correlation of dPCR absolute abundance units into metagenomic relative abundance units was not obtained here (r2 < 0.4) suggesting methodological factors that introduce variability. Evolutionary pressure does not significantly select the targeted ARGs in natural aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Maestre-Carballa
- Department of Physiology, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, 03690, Spain
- Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio Ramon Margalef, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, 03690, Spain
| | - Vicente Navarro-López
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Unit, Hospital Universitario Vinalopó, Elche, Spain
| | - Manuel Martinez-Garcia
- Department of Physiology, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, 03690, Spain.
- Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio Ramon Margalef, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, 03690, Spain.
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17
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Pfeifer E, Rocha EPC. Phage-plasmids promote recombination and emergence of phages and plasmids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1545. [PMID: 38378896 PMCID: PMC10879196 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45757-3] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Phages and plasmids are regarded as distinct types of mobile genetic elements that drive bacterial evolution by horizontal gene transfer. However, the distinction between both types is blurred by the existence of elements known as prophage-plasmids or phage-plasmids, which transfer horizontally between cells as viruses and vertically within cellular lineages as plasmids. Here, we study gene flow between the three types of elements. We show that the gene repertoire of phage-plasmids overlaps with those of phages and plasmids. By tracking recent recombination events, we find that phage-plasmids exchange genes more frequently with plasmids than with phages, and that direct gene exchange between plasmids and phages is less frequent in comparison. The results suggest that phage-plasmids can mediate gene flow between plasmids and phages, including exchange of mobile element core functions, defense systems, and antibiotic resistance. Moreover, a combination of gene transfer and gene inactivation may result in the conversion of elements. For example, gene loss turns P1-like phage-plasmids into integrative prophages or into plasmids (that are no longer phages). Remarkably, some of the latter have acquired conjugation-related functions to became mobilisable by conjugation. Thus, our work indicates that phage-plasmids can play a key role in the transfer of genes across mobile elements within their hosts, and can act as intermediates in the conversion of one type of element into another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugen Pfeifer
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, 75015, Paris, France.
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, 75015, Paris, France.
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18
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Zhang J, Lu T, Song Y, Rocha UND, Liu J, Nikolausz M, Wei Y, Richnow HH. Viral Communities Contribute More to the Lysis of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria than the Transduction of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Anaerobic Digestion Revealed by Metagenomics. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:2346-2359. [PMID: 38267392 PMCID: PMC10851435 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Ecological role of the viral community on the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) (reduction vs proliferation) remains unclear in anaerobic digestion (AD). Metagenomics revealed a dominance of Siphoviridae and Podoviridae among 13,895 identified viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) within AD, and only 21 of the vOTUs carried ARGs, which only accounted for 0.57 ± 0.43% of AD antibiotic resistome. Conversely, ARGs locating on plasmids and integrative and conjugative elements accounted for above 61.0%, indicating a substantial potential for conjugation in driving horizontal gene transfer of ARGs within AD. Virus-host prediction based on CRISPR spacer, tRNA, and homology matches indicated that most viruses (80.2%) could not infect across genera. Among 480 high-quality metagenome assembly genomes, 95 carried ARGs and were considered as putative antibiotic-resistant bacteria (pARB). Furthermore, lytic phages of 66 pARBs were identified and devoid of ARGs, and virus/host abundance ratios with an average value of 71.7 indicated extensive viral activity and lysis. The infectivity of lytic phage was also elucidated through laboratory experiments concerning changes of the phage-to-host ratio, pH, and temperature. Although metagenomic evidence for dissemination of ARGs by phage transduction was found, the higher proportion of lytic phages infecting pARBs suggested that the viral community played a greater role in reducing ARB numbers than spreading ARGs in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Zhang
- State
Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control,
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Department
of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre
for Environmental Research–UFZ, Leipzig 04318, Germany
- University
of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tiedong Lu
- Agricultural
Resource and Environment Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Guangxi Key Laborarory of
Arable Lnad Conservation, Nanning 530007, Guangxi, China
| | - Yunpeng Song
- State
Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control,
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University
of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ulisses Nunes da Rocha
- Department
of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research–UFZ, Leipzig 04318, Germany
| | - Jibao Liu
- State
Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control,
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University
of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Marcell Nikolausz
- Department
of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research–UFZ, Leipzig 04318, Germany
| | - Yuansong Wei
- State
Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control,
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University
of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hans Hermann Richnow
- Department
of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre
for Environmental Research–UFZ, Leipzig 04318, Germany
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19
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Huang B, Lv X, Zheng H, Yu H, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Wang J. Microbial organic fertilizer prepared by co-composting of Trichoderma dregs mitigates dissemination of resistance, virulence genes, and bacterial pathogens in soil and rhizosphere. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 241:117718. [PMID: 37995998 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117718] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The use of manure, mycelium dregs and other waste as organic fertilizer is the main source of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and pathogens in farmland. Composting of waste may effectively remove ARGs and pathogens. However, the profiles and drivers of changes in metal resistance genes (MRGs), biocide resistance genes (BRGs), and virulence genes (VGs) in soil-crop rhizosphere systems after compost application remain largely unknown. Here, we prepared two kinds of microbial organic fertilizers (MOF) by using Trichoderma dregs (TDs) and organic fertilizer mixing method (MOF1) and TDs co-composting method (MOF2). The effects of different types and doses of MOF on resistance genes, VGs and pathogens in soil-rhizosphere system and their potential mechanisms were studied. The results showed that co-composting of TDs promoted the decomposition of organic carbon and decreased the absolute abundance of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) by 53.4-65.0%. MOF1 application significantly increased the abundance and diversity of soil ARGs, BRGs, and VGs, while low and medium doses of MOF2 significantly decreased their abundance and diversity in soil and rhizosphere. Patterns of positive co-occurrence between MGEs and VGs/MRGs/BRGs/ARGs were observed through statistical analysis and gene arrangements. ARGs/MRGs reductions in MOF2 soil were directly driven by weakened horizontal gene transfer triggered by MGEs. Furthermore, MOF2 reduced soil BRGs/VGs levels by shifting bacterial communities (e.g., reduced bacterial host) or improving soil property. Our study provided new insights into the rational use of waste to minimize the spread of resistomes and VGs in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Huang
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Xiaolin Lv
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Haitao Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Chengsheng Zhang
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China.
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20
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Wang RH, Yang S, Liu Z, Zhang Y, Wang X, Xu Z, Wang J, Li SC. PhageScope: a well-annotated bacteriophage database with automatic analyses and visualizations. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:D756-D761. [PMID: 37904614 PMCID: PMC10767790 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria or archaea. Understanding the diverse and intricate genomic architectures of phages is essential to study microbial ecosystems and develop phage therapy strategies. However, the existing phage databases are short of meticulous annotations. To this end, we propose PhageScope (https://phagescope.deepomics.org), an online phage database with comprehensive annotations. PhageScope harbors a collection of 873 718 phage sequences from various sources. Applying fifteen state-of-the-art tools to perform systematic annotations and analyses, PhageScope provides annotations on genome completeness, host range, lifestyle information, taxonomy classification, nine types of structural and functional genetic elements, and three types of comparative genomic studies for curated phages. Additionally, PhageScope incorporates automatic analyses and visualizations for curated and customized phages, serving as an efficient platform for phage study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo Han Wang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Shuo Yang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Zhixuan Liu
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yuanzheng Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xueying Wang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan), Dongguan, China
| | - Zixin Xu
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jianping Wang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Shuai Cheng Li
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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21
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Wang D, Shang J, Lin H, Liang J, Wang C, Sun Y, Bai Y, Qu J. Identifying ARG-carrying bacteriophages in a lake replenished by reclaimed water using deep learning techniques. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 248:120859. [PMID: 37976954 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
As important mobile genetic elements, phages support the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Previous analyses of metaviromes or metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) failed to assess the extent of ARGs transferred by phages, particularly in the generation of antibiotic pathogens. Therefore, we have developed a bioinformatic pipeline that utilizes deep learning techniques to identify ARG-carrying phages and predict their hosts, with a special focus on pathogens. Using this method, we discovered that the predominant types of ARGs carried by temperate phages in a typical landscape lake, which is fully replenished by reclaimed water, were related to multidrug resistance and β-lactam antibiotics. MAGs containing virulent factors (VFs) were predicted to serve as hosts for these ARG-carrying phages, which suggests that the phages may have the potential to transfer ARGs. In silico analysis showed a significant positive correlation between temperate phages and host pathogens (R = 0.503, p < 0.001), which was later confirmed by qPCR. Interestingly, these MAGs were found to be more abundant than those containing both ARGs and VFs, especially in December and March. Seasonal variations were observed in the abundance of phages harboring ARGs (from 5.62 % to 21.02 %) and chromosomes harboring ARGs (from 18.01 % to 30.94 %). In contrast, the abundance of plasmids harboring ARGs remained unchanged. In summary, this study leverages deep learning to analyze phage-transferred ARGs and demonstrates an alternative method to track the production of potential antibiotic-resistant pathogens by metagenomics that can be extended to microbiological risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donglin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jiayu Shang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hui Lin
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jinsong Liang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chenchen Wang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science and Technology, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Yanni Sun
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Yaohui Bai
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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22
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Zhelyazkova M, Yordanova R, Mihaylov I, Tsonev S, Vassilev D. In silico discovering relationship between bacteriophages and antimicrobial resistance. BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2022.2151378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maya Zhelyazkova
- Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Department of Probability, Operations Research and Statistics, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Roumyana Yordanova
- Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Informatics modeling, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Iliyan Mihaylov
- Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Department of Information Technologies, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Stefan Tsonev
- Department of Functional Genetics, Abiotic and Biotic Stress, AgroBioInstitute, Agricultural Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Dimitar Vassilev
- Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Department of Computational Informatics, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria
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23
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Zhang K, Potter RF, Marino J, Muenks CE, Lammers MG, Dien Bard J, Dingle TC, Humphries R, Westblade LF, Burnham CAD, Dantas G. Comparative genomics reveals the correlations of stress response genes and bacteriophages in developing antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus saprophyticus. mSystems 2023; 8:e0069723. [PMID: 38051037 PMCID: PMC10734486 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00697-23] [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: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus saprophyticus is the second most common bacteria associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women. The antimicrobial treatment regimen for uncomplicated UTI is normally nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), or a fluoroquinolone without routine susceptibility testing of S. saprophyticus recovered from urine specimens. However, TMP-SMX-resistant S. saprophyticus has been detected recently in UTI patients, as well as in our cohort. Herein, we investigated the understudied resistance patterns of this pathogenic species by linking genomic antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) content to susceptibility phenotypes. We describe ARG associations with known and novel SCCmec configurations as well as phage elements in S. saprophyticus, which may serve as intervention or diagnostic targets to limit resistance transmission. Our analyses yielded a comprehensive database of phenotypic data associated with the ARG sequence in clinical S. saprophyticus isolates, which will be crucial for resistance surveillance and prediction to enable precise diagnosis and effective treatment of S. saprophyticus UTIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailun Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Robert F. Potter
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jamie Marino
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Carol E. Muenks
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Matthew G. Lammers
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jennifer Dien Bard
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Tanis C. Dingle
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Romney Humphries
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lars F. Westblade
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Carey-Ann D. Burnham
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Gautam Dantas
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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24
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Hollensteiner J, Schneider D, Poehlein A, Brinkhoff T, Daniel R. Pan-genome analysis of six Paracoccus type strain genomes reveal lifestyle traits. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287947. [PMID: 38117845 PMCID: PMC10732464 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Paracoccus capable of inhabiting a variety of different ecological niches both, marine and terrestrial, is globally distributed. In addition, Paracoccus is taxonomically, metabolically and regarding lifestyle highly diverse. Until now, little is known on how Paracoccus can adapt to such a range of different ecological niches and lifestyles. In the present study, the genus Paracoccus was phylogenomically analyzed (n = 160) and revisited, allowing species level classification of 16 so far unclassified Paracoccus sp. strains and detection of five misclassifications. Moreover, we performed pan-genome analysis of Paracoccus-type strains, isolated from a variety of ecological niches, including different soils, tidal flat sediment, host association such as the bluespotted cornetfish, Bugula plumosa, and the reef-building coral Stylophora pistillata to elucidate either i) the importance of lifestyle and adaptation potential, and ii) the role of the genomic equipment and niche adaptation potential. Six complete genomes were de novo hybrid assembled using a combination of short and long-read technologies. These Paracoccus genomes increase the number of completely closed high-quality genomes of type strains from 15 to 21. Pan-genome analysis revealed an open pan-genome composed of 13,819 genes with a minimal chromosomal core (8.84%) highlighting the genomic adaptation potential and the huge impact of extra-chromosomal elements. All genomes are shaped by the acquisition of various mobile genetic elements including genomic islands, prophages, transposases, and insertion sequences emphasizing their genomic plasticity. In terms of lifestyle, each mobile genetic elements should be evaluated separately with respect to the ecological context. Free-living genomes, in contrast to host-associated, tend to comprise (1) larger genomes, or the highest number of extra-chromosomal elements, (2) higher number of genomic islands and insertion sequence elements, and (3) a lower number of intact prophage regions. Regarding lifestyle adaptations, free-living genomes share genes linked to genetic exchange via T4SS, especially relevant for Paracoccus, known for their numerous extrachromosomal elements, enabling adaptation to dynamic environments. Conversely, host-associated genomes feature diverse genes involved in molecule transport, cell wall modification, attachment, stress protection, DNA repair, carbon, and nitrogen metabolism. Due to the vast number of adaptive genes, Paracoccus can quickly adapt to changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Hollensteiner
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dominik Schneider
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anja Poehlein
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thorsten Brinkhoff
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Rolf Daniel
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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25
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Grigson SR, Giles SK, Edwards RA, Papudeshi B. Knowing and Naming: Phage Annotation and Nomenclature for Phage Therapy. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:S352-S359. [PMID: 37932119 PMCID: PMC10627814 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad539] [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] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect bacteria shaping microbial communities and ecosystems. They have gained attention as potential agents against antibiotic resistance. In phage therapy, lytic phages are preferred for their bacteria killing ability, while temperate phages, which can transfer antibiotic resistance or toxin genes, are avoided. Selection relies on plaque morphology and genome sequencing. This review outlines annotating genomes, identifying critical genomic features, and assigning functional labels to protein-coding sequences. These annotations prevent the transfer of unwanted genes, such as antimicrobial resistance or toxin genes, during phage therapy. Additionally, it covers International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV)-an established phage nomenclature system for simplified classification and communication. Accurate phage genome annotation and nomenclature provide insights into phage-host interactions, replication strategies, and evolution, accelerating our understanding of the diversity and evolution of phages and facilitating the development of phage-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna R Grigson
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Sarah K Giles
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Robert A Edwards
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Bhavya Papudeshi
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
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26
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Liu Y, Jiao N, Xu Zhong K, Zang L, Zhang R, Xiao X, Shi Y, Zhang Z, Tao Y, Bai L, Gao B, Yang Y, Huang X, Ji M, Liu J, Liu P, Yao T. Diversity and function of mountain and polar supraglacial DNA viruses. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2023; 68:2418-2433. [PMID: 37739838 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Mountain and polar glaciers cover 10% of the Earth's surface and are typically extreme environments that challenge life of all forms. Viruses are abundant and active in supraglacial ecosystems and play a crucial role in controlling the supraglacial microbial communities. However, our understanding of virus ecology on glacier surfaces and their potential impacts on downstream ecosystems remains limited. Here, we present the supraglacial virus genome (SgVG) catalog, a 15-fold expanded genomic inventory of 10,840 DNA-virus species from 38 mountain and polar glaciers, spanning habitats such as snow, ice, meltwater, and cryoconite. Supraglacial DNA-viruses were highly specific compared to viruses in other ecosystems yet exhibited low public health risks. Supraglacial viral communities were primarily constrained by habitat, with cryoconite displaying the highest viral activity levels. We observed a prevalence of lytic viruses in all habitats, especially in cryoconite, but a high level of lysogenic viruses in snow and ice. Additionally, we found that supraglacial viruses could be linked to ∼83% of obtained prokaryotic phyla/classes and possessed the genetic potential to promote metabolism and increase cold adaptation, cell mobility, and phenolic carbon use of hosts in hostile environmental conditions using diverse auxiliary metabolic genes. Our results provide the first systematic characterization of the diversity, function, and public health risks evaluation of mountain and polar supraglacial DNA viruses. This understanding of glacial viruses is crucial for function assessments and ecological modeling of glacier ecosystems, especially for the Tibetan Plateau's Mountain glaciers, which support ∼20% of the human populations on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqin Liu
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Nianzhi Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Kevin Xu Zhong
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Lin Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Xiang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yi Shi
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ye Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Liping Bai
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Bianli Gao
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yunlan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xingyu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Mukan Ji
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Junzhi Liu
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Pengfei Liu
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Tandong Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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27
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Chen T, Deng C, Wu Z, Liu T, Zhang Y, Xu X, Zhao X, Li J, Li S, Xu N, Yu K. Metagenomic analysis unveils the underexplored roles of prokaryotic viruses in a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 245:120611. [PMID: 37722141 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Enormous viral populations have been identified in activated sludge systems, but their ecological and biochemical roles in landfill leachate treatment plants remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted an in-depth analysis using 36 metagenomic datasets that we collected and sequenced during a half-year time-series sampling campaign at six sites in a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant (LLTP), elucidating viral distribution, virus‒host dynamics, virus-encoded auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), and viral contributions to the spread of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. Our findings demonstrated that viral and prokaryotic communities differed widely among different treatment units, with stability over time. LLTP viruses were linked to various prokaryotic hosts, spanning 35 bacterial phyla and one archaeal phylum, which included the core microbes involved in biological treatments, as well as some of the less well-characterized microbial dark matter phyla. By encoding 2364 auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), viruses harbored the potential to regulate microbial nucleotide metabolism, facilitate the biodegradation of complex organic matter, and enhance flocculation and settling in biological treatment plants. The abundance distribution of AMGs varied considerably across treatment units and showed a lifestyle-dependent pattern with temperate virus-associated AMGs exhibiting a higher average abundance in downstream biological treatment units and effluent water. Meanwhile, temperate viruses tended to carry a higher load of virulence factor genes (VFGs), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and biotic and metal resistance genes (BMRGs), and engaged in more frequent gene exchanges with prokaryotes than lytic viruses, thus acting as a pivotal contributor to the dissemination of pathogenicity and resistance genes in downstream LLTP units. This study provided a comprehensive profile of viral and prokaryotic communities in the LLTP and unveiled the varying roles of different-lifestyle viruses in biochemical processes and water quality safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Chen
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China; Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chunfang Deng
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China; Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Zongzhi Wu
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tang Liu
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yuanyan Zhang
- Jiangxi Academy of Eco-Environmental Sciences & Planning, Nanchang 330029, China
| | - Xuming Xu
- Department of Water Ecology and Environment, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhao
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jiarui Li
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shaoyang Li
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Nan Xu
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ke Yu
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
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28
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Zhang Y, Kitazumi A, Liao YT, de los Reyes BG, Wu VCH. Metagenomic investigation reveals bacteriophage-mediated horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in microbial communities of an organic agricultural ecosystem. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0022623. [PMID: 37754684 PMCID: PMC10581182 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00226-23] [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: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Agricultural microbiomes are major reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing continuous risks to human health. To understand the role of bacteriophages as vehicles for the horizontal transfer of ARGs in the agricultural microbiome, we investigated the diversity of bacterial and viral microbiota from fecal and environmental samples on an organic farm. The profiles of the microbiome indicated the highest abundance of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria phyla in animal feces, with varying Actinobacteria and Spirochaetes abundance across farm animals. The most predominant composition in environmental samples was the phylum Proteobacteria. Compared to the microbiome profiles, the trends in virome indicated much broader diversity with more specific signatures between the fecal and environmental samples. Overall, viruses belonging to the order Caudovirales were the most prevalent across the agricultural samples. Additionally, the similarities within and between fecal and environmental components of the agricultural environment based on ARG-associated bacteria alone were much lower than those of total microbiome composition. However, there were significant similarities in the profiles of ARG-associated viruses across the fecal and environmental components. Moreover, the predictive models of phage-bacterial interactions on bipartite ARG transfer networks indicated that phages belonging to the order Caudovirales, particularly in the Siphoviridae family, contained diverse ARG types in different samples. Their interaction with various bacterial hosts further implied the important role of bacteriophages in ARG transmission across bacterial populations. Our findings provided a novel insight into the potential mechanisms of phage-mediated ARG transmission and their correlation with resistome evolution in natural agricultural environments. IMPORTANCE Antibiotic resistance has become a serious health concern worldwide. The potential impact of viruses, bacteriophages in particular, on spreading antibiotic resistance genes is still controversial due to the complexity of bacteriophage-bacterial interactions within diverse environments. In this study, we determined the microbiome profiles and the potential antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) transfer between bacterial and viral populations in different agricultural samples using a high-resolution analysis of the metagenomes. The results of this study provide compelling genetic evidence for ARG transfer through bacteriophage-bacteria interactions, revealing the inherent risks associated with bacteriophage-mediated ARG transfer across the agricultural microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Zhang
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, California, USA
| | - Ai Kitazumi
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Yen-Te Liao
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, California, USA
| | | | - Vivian C. H. Wu
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, California, USA
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29
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Chung KM, Nang SC, Tang SS. The Safety of Bacteriophages in Treatment of Diseases Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1347. [PMID: 37895818 PMCID: PMC10610463 DOI: 10.3390/ph16101347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the urgency due to the rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, bacteriophages (phages), which are viruses that specifically target and kill bacteria, are rising as a potential alternative to antibiotics. In recent years, researchers have begun to elucidate the safety aspects of phage therapy with the aim of ensuring safe and effective clinical applications. While phage therapy has generally been demonstrated to be safe and tolerable among animals and humans, the current research on phage safety monitoring lacks sufficient and consistent data. This emphasizes the critical need for a standardized phage safety assessment to ensure a more reliable evaluation of its safety profile. Therefore, this review aims to bridge the knowledge gap concerning phage safety for treating MDR bacterial infections by covering various aspects involving phage applications, including phage preparation, administration, and the implications for human health and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Mun Chung
- Division of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Sue C Nang
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Swee Seong Tang
- Division of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
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30
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Sabatino R, Sbaffi T, Sivalingam P, Corno G, Fontaneto D, Di Cesare A. Bacteriophages limitedly contribute to the antimicrobial resistome of microbial communities in wastewater treatment plants. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0110123. [PMID: 37724865 PMCID: PMC10580818 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01101-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are known as players in the transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) by horizontal gene transfer. In this study, we characterized the bacteriophage community and the associated ARGs to estimate the potential for phages to spread ARGs in aquatic ecosystems analyzing the intra- and extracellular DNA isolated from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) by shotgun metagenomics. We compared the phage antimicrobial resistome with the bacterial resistome and investigated the effect of the final disinfection treatment on the phage community and its resistome. Phage community was mainly composed by Siphoviridae and other members of the order Caudovirales. The final disinfection only marginally affected the composition of the phage community, and it was not possible to measure its effect on the antimicrobial resistome. Indeed, only three phage metagenome-assembled genomes (pMAGs) annotated as Siphoviridae, Padoviridae, and Myoviridae were positive for putative ARGs. Among the detected ARGs, i.e., dfrB6, rpoB mutants, and EF-Tu mutants, the first one was not annotated in the bacterial MAGs. Overall, these results demonstrate that bacteriophages limitedly contribute to the whole antimicrobial resistome. However, in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the antimicrobial resistome within a microbial community, the role of bacteriophages needs to be investigated. IMPORTANCE WWTPs are considered hotspots for the spread of ARGs by horizontal gene transfer. In this study, we evaluated the phage composition and the associated antimicrobial resistome by shotgun metagenomics of samples collected before and after the final disinfection treatment. Only a few bacteriophages carried ARGs. However, since one of the detected genes was not found in the bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes, it is necessary to investigate the phage community in order to gain a comprehensive overview of the antimicrobial resistome. This investigation could help assess the potential threats to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Sabatino
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), National Research Council of Italy – Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania, Italy
| | - Tomasa Sbaffi
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), National Research Council of Italy – Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania, Italy
| | - Periyasamy Sivalingam
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), National Research Council of Italy – Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania, Italy
| | - Gianluca Corno
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), National Research Council of Italy – Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania, Italy
| | - Diego Fontaneto
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), National Research Council of Italy – Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania, Italy
| | - Andrea Di Cesare
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), National Research Council of Italy – Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania, Italy
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Nageeb WM, Hetta HF. Pangenome analysis of Corynebacterium striatum: insights into a neglected multidrug-resistant pathogen. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:252. [PMID: 37684624 PMCID: PMC10486106 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02996-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the past two decades, Corynebacterium striatum has been increasingly isolated from clinical cultures with most isolates showing increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to last resort agents. Advances in the field of pan genomics would facilitate the understanding of the clinical significance of such bacterial species previously thought to be among commensals paving the way for identifying new drug targets and control strategies. METHODS We constructed a pan-genome using 310 genome sequences of C. striatum. Pan-genome analysis was performed using three tools including Roary, PIRATE, and PEPPAN. AMR genes and virulence factors have been studied in relation to core genome phylogeny. Genomic Islands (GIs), Integrons, and Prophage regions have been explored in detail. RESULTS The pan-genome ranges between a total of 5253-5857 genes with 2070 - 1899 core gene clusters. Some antimicrobial resistance genes have been identified in the core genome portion, but most of them were located in the dispensable genome. In addition, some well-known virulence factors described in pathogenic Corynebacterium species were located in the dispensable genome. A total of 115 phage species have been identified with only 44 intact prophage regions. CONCLUSION This study presents a detailed comparative pangenome report of C. striatum. The species show a very slowly growing pangenome with relatively high number of genes in the core genome contributing to lower genomic variation. Prophage elements carrying AMR and virulence elements appear to be infrequent in the species. GIs appear to offer a prominent role in mobilizing antibiotic resistance genes in the species and integrons occur at a frequency of 50% in the species. Control strategies should be directed against virulence and resistance determinants carried on the core genome and those frequently occurring in the accessory genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wedad M Nageeb
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41111, Egypt.
| | - Helal F Hetta
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt.
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Huang J, Dai X, Wu Z, Hu X, Sun J, Tang Y, Zhang W, Han P, Zhao J, Liu G, Wang X, Mao S, Wang Y, Call DR, Liu J, Wang L. Conjugative transfer of streptococcal prophages harboring antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1467-1481. [PMID: 37369704 PMCID: PMC10432423 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01463-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Prophages play important roles in the transduction of various functional traits, including virulence factors, but remain debatable in harboring and transmitting antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Herein we characterize a prevalent family of prophages in Streptococcus, designated SMphages, which harbor twenty-five ARGs that collectively confer resistance to ten antimicrobial classes, including vanG-type vancomycin resistance locus and oxazolidinone resistance gene optrA. SMphages integrate into four chromosome attachment sites by utilizing three types of integration modules and undergo excision in response to phage induction. Moreover, we characterize four subtypes of Alp-related surface proteins within SMphages, the lethal effects of which are extensively validated in cell and animal models. SMphages transfer via high-frequency conjugation that is facilitated by integrative and conjugative elements from either donors or recipients. Our findings explain the widespread of SMphages and the rapid dissemination of ARGs observed in members of the Streptococcus genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhu Huang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xingyang Dai
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zuowei Wu
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Junjie Sun
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yijun Tang
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Wanqiu Zhang
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Peizhao Han
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhao
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Guangjin Liu
- Key Lab of Animal Bacteriology, Ministry of Agriculture, OIE Reference Lab for Swine Streptococcosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shengyong Mao
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Douglas R Call
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Jinxin Liu
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Liping Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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Bulssico J, PapukashvilI I, Espinosa L, Gandon S, Ansaldi M. Phage-antibiotic synergy: Cell filamentation is a key driver of successful phage predation. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011602. [PMID: 37703280 PMCID: PMC10519598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Phages are promising tools to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and as for now, phage therapy is essentially performed in combination with antibiotics. Interestingly, combined treatments including phages and a wide range of antibiotics lead to an increased bacterial killing, a phenomenon called phage-antibiotic synergy (PAS), suggesting that antibiotic-induced changes in bacterial physiology alter the dynamics of phage propagation. Using single-phage and single-cell techniques, each step of the lytic cycle of phage HK620 was studied in E. coli cultures treated with either ceftazidime, cephalexin or ciprofloxacin, three filamentation-inducing antibiotics. In the presence of sublethal doses of antibiotics, multiple stress tolerance and DNA repair pathways are triggered following activation of the SOS response. One of the most notable effects is the inhibition of bacterial division. As a result, a significant fraction of cells forms filaments that stop dividing but have higher rates of mutagenesis. Antibiotic-induced filaments become easy targets for phages due to their enlarged surface areas, as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry techniques. Adsorption, infection and lysis occur more often in filamentous cells compared to regular-sized bacteria. In addition, the reduction in bacterial numbers caused by impaired cell division may account for the faster elimination of bacteria during PAS. We developed a mathematical model to capture the interaction between sublethal doses of antibiotics and exposition to phages. This model shows that the induction of filamentation by sublethal doses of antibiotics can amplify the replication of phages and therefore yield PAS. We also use this model to study the consequences of PAS on the emergence of antibiotic resistance. A significant percentage of hyper-mutagenic filamentous bacteria are effectively killed by phages due to their increased susceptibility to infection. As a result, the addition of even a very low number of bacteriophages produced a strong reduction of the mutagenesis rate of the entire bacterial population. We confirm this prediction experimentally using reporters for bacterial DNA repair. Our work highlights the multiple benefits associated with the combination of sublethal doses of antibiotics with bacteriophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Bulssico
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR7283, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Irina PapukashvilI
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR7283, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
- Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Leon Espinosa
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR7283, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Sylvain Gandon
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Mireille Ansaldi
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR7283, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
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Yan M, Pratama AA, Somasundaram S, Li Z, Jiang Y, Sullivan MB, Yu Z. Interrogating the viral dark matter of the rumen ecosystem with a global virome database. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5254. [PMID: 37644066 PMCID: PMC10465536 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41075-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The diverse rumen virome can modulate the rumen microbiome, but it remains largely unexplored. Here, we mine 975 published rumen metagenomes for viral sequences, create a global rumen virome database (RVD), and analyze the rumen virome for diversity, virus-host linkages, and potential roles in affecting rumen functions. Containing 397,180 species-level viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs), RVD substantially increases the detection rate of rumen viruses from metagenomes compared with IMG/VR V3. Most of the classified vOTUs belong to Caudovirales, differing from those found in the human gut. The rumen virome is predicted to infect the core rumen microbiome, including fiber degraders and methanogens, carries diverse auxiliary metabolic genes, and thus likely impacts the rumen ecosystem in both a top-down and a bottom-up manner. RVD and the findings provide useful resources and a baseline framework for future research to investigate how viruses may impact the rumen ecosystem and digestive physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yan
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center of Microbiome Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Akbar Adjie Pratama
- Center of Microbiome Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sripoorna Somasundaram
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center of Microbiome Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Zongjun Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Matthew B Sullivan
- Center of Microbiome Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Zhongtang Yu
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Center of Microbiome Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Chopyk J, Cobián Güemes AG, Ramirez-Sanchez C, Attai H, Ly M, Jones MB, Liu R, Liu C, Yang K, Tu XM, Abeles SR, Nelson K, Pride DT. Common antibiotics, azithromycin and amoxicillin, affect gut metagenomics within a household. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:206. [PMID: 37528343 PMCID: PMC10394940 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02949-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The microbiome of the human gut serves a role in a number of physiological processes, but can be altered through effects of age, diet, and disturbances such as antibiotics. Several studies have demonstrated that commonly used antibiotics can have sustained impacts on the diversity and the composition of the gut microbiome. The impact of the two most overused antibiotics, azithromycin, and amoxicillin, in the human microbiome has not been thoroughly described. In this study, we recruited a group of individuals and unrelated controls to decipher the effects of the commonly used antibiotics amoxicillin and azithromycin on their gut microbiomes. RESULTS We characterized the gut microbiomes by metagenomic sequencing followed by characterization of the resulting microbial communities. We found that there were clear and sustained effects of the antibiotics on the gut microbial community with significant alterations in the representations of Bifidobacterium species in response to azithromycin (macrolide antibiotic). These results were supported by significant increases identified in putative antibiotic resistance genes associated with macrolide resistance. Importantly, we did not identify these trends in the unrelated control individuals. There were no significant changes observed in other members of the microbial community. CONCLUSIONS As we continue to focus on the role that the gut microbiome plays and how disturbances induced by antibiotics might affect our overall health, elucidating members of the community most affected by their use is of critical importance to understanding the impacts of common antibiotics on those who take them. Clinical Trial Registration Number NCT05169255. This trial was retrospectively registered on 23-12-2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Chopyk
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0612, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Ana Georgina Cobián Güemes
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0612, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | | | - Hedieh Attai
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0612, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Melissa Ly
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0612, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Marcus B Jones
- Genomic Medicine, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Roland Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0612, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Chenyu Liu
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Kun Yang
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Xin M Tu
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Shira R Abeles
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Karen Nelson
- Genomic Medicine, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - David T Pride
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0612, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
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Takeuchi N, Hamada-Zhu S, Suzuki H. Prophages and plasmids can display opposite trends in the types of accessory genes they carry. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231088. [PMID: 37339743 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as phages and plasmids, often possess accessory genes encoding bacterial functions, facilitating bacterial evolution. Are there rules governing the arsenal of accessory genes MGEs carry? If such rules exist, they might be reflected in the types of accessory genes different MGEs carry. To test this hypothesis, we compare prophages and plasmids with respect to the frequencies at which they carry antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) in the genomes of 21 pathogenic bacterial species using public databases. Our results indicate that prophages tend to carry VFGs more frequently than ARGs in three species, whereas plasmids tend to carry ARGs more frequently than VFGs in nine species, relative to genomic backgrounds. In Escherichia coli, where this prophage-plasmid disparity is detected, prophage-borne VFGs encode a much narrower range of functions than do plasmid-borne VFGs, typically involved in damaging host cells or modulating host immunity. In the species where the above disparity is not detected, ARGs and VFGs are barely found in prophages and plasmids. These results indicate that MGEs can differentiate in the types of accessory genes they carry depending on their infection strategies, suggesting a rule governing horizontal gene transfer mediated by MGEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuto Takeuchi
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
- Universal Biology Institute, the University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Sophia Hamada-Zhu
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Haruo Suzuki
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, Fujisawa, Japan
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37
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Zhang Q, Zhou L, Zhao Y, Gao S, Yang Y, Chen Q, Li W, Qi Q, Dong Q, Lei J, Guo X, Gao Q, Yang Y. Uncovering the virome and its interaction with antibiotic resistome during compost fertilization. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 457:131763. [PMID: 37311294 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a pressing global health issue, leading to increased illnesses and fatalities. The contribution of viruses to the acquisition, preservation, and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is not yet fully understood. By using a high-throughput functional gene-based microarray (GeoChip 5.0), this study examines the prevalence and relative abundance of bacteriophage and eukaryotic viral genes in swine manure, compost, compost-amended agricultural soil, and unamended soil from suburban regions of Beijing, China. Our findings reveal a significantly elevated presence of biomarker viral genes in compost-amended soils compared to unamended soils, suggesting potential health risks associated with compost fertilization. We also observed stronger ecological interactions between ARGs and viral genes in manure and compost than in soils. Network analysis identified arabinose efflux permeases and EmrB/QacA resistance genes, linked to CRISPR encoding sequences, as keystone nodes, indicating possible ARG acquisition via virus infections. Moreover, positive correlations were found between viral genes, antibiotic concentrations, and ARG diversity in manure, compost, and compost-amended soils, highlighting a likely pathway for virus-mediated ARG transfer. In summary, our results indicate that use of compost as a fertilizer in agricultural settings could facilitate the spread of ARGs through viral mechanisms, allowing for time-delayed genetic exchanges over broader temporal and spatial scales than ARGs within bacterial genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxia Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Center for professional training and service, China Association for Science and Technology, China
| | - Yilong Zhao
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shuhong Gao
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yanjun Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Qingyun Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wenhui Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Qi Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qiang Dong
- Institute of Chemical Defense, Beijing 102205, China
| | - Jiesi Lei
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xue Guo
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qun Gao
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Yunfeng Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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Pargin E, Roach MJ, Skye A, Papudeshi B, Inglis LK, Mallawaarachchi V, Grigson SR, Harker C, Edwards RA, Giles SK. The human gut virome: composition, colonization, interactions, and impacts on human health. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:963173. [PMID: 37293229 PMCID: PMC10244655 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.963173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut virome is an incredibly complex part of the gut ecosystem. Gut viruses play a role in many disease states, but it is unknown to what extent the gut virome impacts everyday human health. New experimental and bioinformatic approaches are required to address this knowledge gap. Gut virome colonization begins at birth and is considered unique and stable in adulthood. The stable virome is highly specific to each individual and is modulated by varying factors such as age, diet, disease state, and use of antibiotics. The gut virome primarily comprises bacteriophages, predominantly order Crassvirales, also referred to as crAss-like phages, in industrialized populations and other Caudoviricetes (formerly Caudovirales). The stability of the virome's regular constituents is disrupted by disease. Transferring the fecal microbiome, including its viruses, from a healthy individual can restore the functionality of the gut. It can alleviate symptoms of chronic illnesses such as colitis caused by Clostridiodes difficile. Investigation of the virome is a relatively novel field, with new genetic sequences being published at an increasing rate. A large percentage of unknown sequences, termed 'viral dark matter', is one of the significant challenges facing virologists and bioinformaticians. To address this challenge, strategies include mining publicly available viral datasets, untargeted metagenomic approaches, and utilizing cutting-edge bioinformatic tools to quantify and classify viral species. Here, we review the literature surrounding the gut virome, its establishment, its impact on human health, the methods used to investigate it, and the viral dark matter veiling our understanding of the gut virome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sarah K. Giles
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
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Raeisi H, Noori M, Azimirad M, Mohebbi SR, Asadzadeh Aghdaei H, Yadegar A, Zali MR. Emerging applications of phage therapy and fecal virome transplantation for treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection: challenges and perspectives. Gut Pathog 2023; 15:21. [PMID: 37161478 PMCID: PMC10169144 DOI: 10.1186/s13099-023-00550-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, which causes life-threatening diarrheal disease, is considered an urgent threat to healthcare setting worldwide. The current standards of care solely rely on conventional antibiotic treatment, however, there is a risk of promoting recurrent C. difficile infection (rCDI) because of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. Globally, the alarming spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of C. difficile has resulted in a quest for alternative therapeutics. The use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), which involves direct infusion of fecal suspension from a healthy donor into a diseased recipient, has been approved as a highly efficient therapeutic option for patients with rCDI. Bacteriophages or phages are a group of viruses that can infect and destroy bacterial hosts, and are recognized as the dominant viral component of the human gut microbiome. Accumulating data has demonstrated that phages play a vital role in microbial balance of the human gut microbiome. Recently, phage therapy and fecal virome transplantation (FVT) have been introduced as promising alternatives for the treatment of C. difficile -related infections, in particular drug-resistant CDI. Herein, we review the latest updates on C. difficile- specific phages, and phage-mediated treatments, and highlight the current and future prospects of phage therapy in the management of CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamideh Raeisi
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Noori
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Azimirad
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Mohebbi
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Asadzadeh Aghdaei
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Yadegar
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Reza Zali
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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40
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Du S, Tong X, Lai ACK, Chan CK, Mason CE, Lee PKH. Highly host-linked viromes in the built environment possess habitat-dependent diversity and functions for potential virus-host coevolution. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2676. [PMID: 37160974 PMCID: PMC10169181 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38400-0] [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: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses in built environments (BEs) raise public health concerns, yet they are generally less studied than bacteria. To better understand viral dynamics in BEs, this study assesses viromes from 11 habitats across four types of BEs with low to high occupancy. The diversity, composition, metabolic functions, and lifestyles of the viromes are found to be habitat dependent. Caudoviricetes species are ubiquitous on surface habitats in the BEs, and some of them are distinct from those present in other environments. Antimicrobial resistance genes are identified in viruses inhabiting surfaces frequently touched by occupants and in viruses inhabiting occupants' skin. Diverse CRISPR/Cas immunity systems and anti-CRISPR proteins are found in bacterial hosts and viruses, respectively, consistent with the strongly coupled virus-host links. Evidence of viruses potentially aiding host adaptation in a specific-habitat manner is identified through a unique gene insertion. This work illustrates that virus-host interactions occur frequently in BEs and that viruses are integral members of BE microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shicong Du
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xinzhao Tong
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, P. R. China
| | - Alvin C K Lai
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chak K Chan
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Patrick K H Lee
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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41
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Wang L, Yao H, Morgan DC, Lau KS, Leung SY, Ho JWK, Leung WK. Altered human gut virome in patients undergoing antibiotics therapy for Helicobacter pylori. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2196. [PMID: 37069161 PMCID: PMC10110541 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37975-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Transient gut microbiota alterations have been reported after antibiotic therapy for Helicobacter pylori. However, alteration in the gut virome after H. pylori eradication remains uncertain. Here, we apply metagenomic sequencing to fecal samples of 44 H. pylori-infected patients at baseline, 6-week (N = 44), and 6-month (N = 33) after treatment. Following H. pylori eradication, we discover contraction of the gut virome diversity, separation of virome community with increased community difference, and shifting towards a higher proportion of core virus. While the gut microbiota is altered at 6-week and restored at 6-month, the virome community shows contraction till 6-month after the treatment with enhanced phage-bacteria interactions at 6-week. Multiple courses of antibiotic treatments further lead to lower virus community diversity when compared with treatment naive patients. Our results demonstrate that H. pylori eradication therapies not only result in transient alteration in gut microbiota but also significantly alter the previously less known gut virome community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Wang
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Haobin Yao
- School of Biomedical Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Daniel C Morgan
- School of Biomedical Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kam Shing Lau
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Suet Yi Leung
- Centre for PanorOmic Sciences (CPOS), The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
- The Jockey Club Centre for Clinical Innovation and Discovery, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Joshua W K Ho
- School of Biomedical Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
- Centre for PanorOmic Sciences (CPOS), The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai K Leung
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Rasmussen JA, Chua PYS. Genome-resolving metagenomics reveals wild western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) as avian hosts for antibiotic-resistance bacteria and their interactions with the gut-virome community. Microbiol Res 2023; 271:127372. [PMID: 37018898 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiome is a critical component of avian health, influencing nutrient uptake and immune functions. While the gut microbiomes of agriculturally important birds have been studied, the microbiomes of wild birds still need to be explored. Filling this knowledge gap could have implications for the microbial rewilding of captive birds and managing avian hosts for antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Using genome-resolved metagenomics, we recovered 112 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from the faeces of wild and captive western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) (n = 8). Comparisons of bacterial diversity between the wild and captive capercaillies suggest that the reduced diversity in the captive individual could be due to differences in diet. This was further substantiated through the analyses of 517,657 clusters of orthologous groups (COGs), which revealed that gene functions related to amino acids and carbohydrate metabolisms were more abundant in wild capercaillies. Metagenomics mining of resistome identified 751 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), of which 40.7 % were specific to wild capercaillies suggesting that capercaillies could be potential reservoirs for hosting ARG-associated bacteria. Additionally, the core resistome shared between wild and captive capercaillies indicates that birds can acquire these ARG-associated bacteria naturally from the environment (43.1 % of ARGs). The association of 26 MAGs with 120 ARGs and 378 virus operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) also suggests a possible interplay between these elements, where putative phages could have roles in modulating the gut microbiota of avian hosts. These findings can have important implications for conservation and human health, such as avian gut microbiota rewilding, identifying the emerging threats or opportunities due to phage-microbe interactions, and monitoring the potential spread of ARG-associated bacteria from wild avian populations.
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43
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Brüssow H. The human microbiome project at ten years - some critical comments and reflections on "our third genome", the human virome. MICROBIOME RESEARCH REPORTS 2023; 2:7. [PMID: 38045612 PMCID: PMC10688805 DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2022.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) has raised great expectations claiming the far-reaching influence of the microbiome on human health and disease ranging from obesity and malnutrition to effects going well beyond the gut. So far, with the notable exception of fecal microbiota transplantation in Clostridioides difficile infection, practical application of microbiome intervention has only achieved modest clinical effects. It is argued here that we need criteria for the link between microbiome and disease modelled on the links between pathogens and infectious disease in Koch's postulates. The most important question is whether the microbiome change is a cause of the given disease or a consequence of a pathology leading to disease where the microbiome change is only a parallel event without a causal connection to the disease - in philosophical parlance, an epiphenomenon. Also discussed here is whether human virome research is a necessary complement to the microbiome project with a high potential for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Brüssow
- KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Gene Technology, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
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Graham EH, Tom WA, Neujahr AC, Adamowicz MS, Clarke JL, Herr JR, Fernando SC. The persistence and stabilization of auxiliary genes in the human skin virome. Virol J 2023; 20:49. [PMID: 36949545 PMCID: PMC10031188 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02012-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human skin contains a diverse microbiome that provides protective functions against environmental pathogens. Studies have demonstrated that bacteriophages modulate bacterial community composition and facilitate the transfer of host-specific genes, potentially influencing host cellular functions. However, little is known about the human skin virome and its role in human health. Especially, how viral-host relationships influence skin microbiome structure and function is poorly understood. RESULTS Population dynamics and genetic diversity of bacteriophage communities in viral metagenomic data collected from three anatomical skin locations from 60 subjects at five different time points revealed that cutaneous bacteriophage populations are mainly composed of tailed Caudovirales phages that carry auxiliary genes to help improve metabolic remodeling to increase bacterial host fitness through antimicrobial resistance. Sequence variation in the MRSA associated antimicrobial resistance gene, erm(C) was evaluated using targeted sequencing to further confirm the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes in the human virome and to demonstrate how functionality of such genes may influence persistence and in turn stabilization of bacterial host and their functions. CONCLUSIONS This large temporal study of human skin associated viruses indicates that the human skin virome is associated with auxiliary metabolic genes and antimicrobial resistance genes to help increase bacterial host fitness.
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Grants
- 2017-IJ-CX-0025, 2019-75-CX-0075, and 2019-R2-CX-0048 U.S. Department of Justice
- 2017-IJ-CX-0025, 2019-75-CX-0075, and 2019-R2-CX-0048 U.S. Department of Justice
- 2017-IJ-CX-0025, 2019-75-CX-0075, and 2019-R2-CX-0048 U.S. Department of Justice
- 2017-IJ-CX-0025, 2019-75-CX-0075, and 2019-R2-CX-0048 U.S. Department of Justice
- 2017-IJ-CX-0025, 2019-75-CX-0075, and 2019-R2-CX-0048 U.S. Department of Justice
- 2018-67015-27496 and 2018-68003-27545 National Institute of Food and Agriculture
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Affiliation(s)
- Ema H Graham
- PhD Program in Complex Biosystems, University of Nebraska, 3940 Fair St, C220K, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Wesley A Tom
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Alison C Neujahr
- PhD Program in Complex Biosystems, University of Nebraska, 3940 Fair St, C220K, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Michael S Adamowicz
- College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Jennifer L Clarke
- PhD Program in Complex Biosystems, University of Nebraska, 3940 Fair St, C220K, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
- Department of Statistics, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
- Food Science and Technology Department, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Joshua R Herr
- PhD Program in Complex Biosystems, University of Nebraska, 3940 Fair St, C220K, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68503, USA
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68503, USA
- Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Samodha C Fernando
- PhD Program in Complex Biosystems, University of Nebraska, 3940 Fair St, C220K, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA.
- College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.
- Food Science and Technology Department, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA.
- Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.
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Yang J, Shan G, Yu G, Wei J, Zhang Q, Su W, Lin Q, Zheng Z, Wu G, Li G, Chang Q, Yuan H, He Y, Chen Y, Zhang Y, Huang H, Hu W, Song R, Weng Y, Li X, Liu S. Whole genome sequencing of multidrug-resistant Proteus mirabilis strain PM1162 recovered from a urinary tract infection in China. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2023; 33:44-50. [PMID: 36870531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2023.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Proteus mirabilis is an important opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen. This study reports the whole genome sequence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) P. mirabilis PM1162 and explores its antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their genetic environments. METHODS P. mirabilis PM1162 was isolated from a urinary tract infection in China. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed. ARGs, insertion sequence (IS) elements, and prophages were identified using ResFinder, ISfinder, and PHASTER software, respectively. Sequence comparisons and map generation were performed using BLAST and Easyfig, respectively. RESULTS On its chromosome, P. mirabilis PM1162 harboured 15 ARGs, including cat, tet(J), blaCTX-M-14 (three copies), aph(3')-Ia, qnrB4, blaDHA-1, qacE, sul1, armA, msr(E), mph(E), aadA1, and dfrA1. We focused our analysis on the four related MDR regions: (1) genetic contexts associated with blaCTX-M-14; (2) the prophage containing blaDHA-1, qnrB4, and aph(3')-Ia; (3) genetic environments associated with mph(E), msr(E), armA, sul, and qacE; and (4) the class II integron harbouring dfrA1, sat2, and aadA1. CONCLUSION This study reported the whole genome sequence of MDR P. mirabilis PM1162 and the genetic context of its ARGs. This comprehensive genomic analysis of MDR P. mirabilis PM1162 provides a deeper understanding of its MDR mechanism and elucidates the horizontal spread of its ARGs, thus providing a basis for the containment and treatment of the bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China
| | - Ge Shan
- Department of Urology, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Guangchao Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Wei
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Qinghuan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Wen Su
- Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Qiuping Lin
- Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Zhixiong Zheng
- Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Guangliang Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Guangtian Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Qing Chang
- Medical Department, Hengqin Branch of Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai, China
| | - Hong Yuan
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China
| | - Yanju He
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China
| | - Yanling Chen
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China
| | - Haile Huang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China
| | - Wan Hu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China
| | - Rongqing Song
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China
| | - Yuqing Weng
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, China.
| | - Xiaobin Li
- Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China.
| | - Shengming Liu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
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Diversity and potential function of pig gut DNA viruses. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14020. [PMID: 36915549 PMCID: PMC10006684 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are ubiquitous in the gut of animals and play an important role in the ecology of the gut microbiome. The potential effects of these substances on the growth and development of the body are not fully known. Little is known about the effects of breeding environment on pig gut virome. Here, there are 3584 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) longer than 5 kb identified by virus-enriched metagenome sequencing from 25 pig fecal samples. Only a small minority of vOTUs (11.16%) can be classified at the family level, and ∼50% of the genes could be annotated, supporting the concept of pig gut as reservoirs of substantial undescribed viral genetic diversity. The composition of pig gut virome in the six regions may be related to geography. There are only 20 viral clusters (VCs) shared among pig gut virome in six regions of Shanxi Province. These viruses rarely carry antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). At the same time, they possess abundant auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) potentially involved in carbon, sulfur metabolism and cofactor biosynthesis, etc. This study has revealed the unique characteristics and potential function of pig gut DNA virome and established a foundation for the recognition of the viral roles in gut environment.
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The Role of Temperate Phages in Bacterial Pathogenicity. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030541. [PMID: 36985115 PMCID: PMC10052878 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and archaea and are classified as virulent or temperate phages based on their life cycles. A temperate phage, also known as a lysogenic phage, integrates its genomes into host bacterial chromosomes as a prophage. Previous studies have indicated that temperate phages are beneficial to their susceptible bacterial hosts by introducing additional genes to bacterial chromosomes, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. This article reviewed three primary ways temperate phages contribute to the bacterial pathogenicity of foodborne pathogens, including phage-mediated virulence gene transfer, antibiotic resistance gene mobilization, and biofilm formation. This study provides insights into mechanisms of phage–bacterium interactions in the context of foodborne pathogens and provokes new considerations for further research to avoid the potential of phage-mediated harmful gene transfer in agricultural environments.
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Santoro F, Pastore G, Fox V, Petit MA, Iannelli F, Pozzi G. Streptococcus pyogenes Φ1207.3 Is a Temperate Bacteriophage Carrying the Macrolide Resistance Gene Pair mef(A)- msr(D) and Capable of Lysogenizing Different Streptococci. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0421122. [PMID: 36625667 PMCID: PMC9927172 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04211-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes prophage Φ1207.3 (formerly Tn1207.3) carries the mef(A)-msr(D) resistance genes, responsible for type M macrolide resistance. To investigate if Φ1207.3 is a functional bacteriophage, we transferred the element from the original S. pyogenes host in a prophage-free and competence-deficient S. pneumoniae strain. Pneumococcal cultures of the Φ1207.3-carrying lysogen were treated with mitomycin C to assess if Φ1207.3 enters the lytic cycle. Mitomycin C induced a limited phage burst and a growth impairment, resulting in early entrance into the stationary phase. To determine if Φ1207.3 is able to produce mature phage particles, we prepared concentrated supernatants recovered from a mitomycin C-induced pneumococcal culture by sequential centrifugation and ultracentrifugation steps. Negative-staining transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of supernatants revealed the presence of phage particles with an icosahedral, electron-dense capsid and a long, noncontractile tail, typical of a siphovirus. Quantification of Φ1207.3 was performed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and semiquantitatively by TEM. PCR quantified 3.34 × 104 and 6.06 × 104 excised forms of phage genome per milliliter of supernatant obtained from the untreated and mitomycin C-treated cultures, respectively. By TEM, we estimated 3.02 × 103 and 7.68 × 103 phage particles per milliliter of supernatant. The phage preparations of Φ1207.3 infected and lysogenized pneumococcal recipient strains at a frequency of 7.5 × 10-6 lysogens/recipient but did not show sufficient lytic activity to form plaques. Phage lysogenization efficiently occurred after 30 min of contact of the phages with the recipient cells and required a minimum of 103 phage particles. IMPORTANCE Bacteriophages play an important role in bacterial physiology and genome evolution. The widespread use of genome sequencing revealed that bacterial genomes can contain several different integrated temperate bacteriophages, which can constitute up to 20% of the genome. Most of these bacteriophages are only predicted in silico and are never shown to be functional. In fact, it is often difficult to induce the lytic cycle of temperate bacteriophages. In this work, we show that Φ1207.3, a peculiar bacteriophage originally from Streptococcus pyogenes, which can lysogenize different streptococci and carries the macrolide resistance mef(A)-msr(D) gene pair, is capable of producing mature virions, but only at a low level, while not being able to produce plaques. This temperate phage is probably a partially functional phage, which seems to have lost lytic characteristics to specialize in lysogenization. While we are not used to conceiving phages separately from lysis, this behavior could actually be more frequent than expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Santoro
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Gabiria Pastore
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Valeria Fox
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Marie-Agnes Petit
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Francesco Iannelli
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Gianni Pozzi
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Ji Y, Xi H, Zhao Z, Jiang Q, Chen C, Wang X, Li F, Li N, Sun C, Feng X, Lei L, Han W, Gu J. Metagenomics analysis reveals potential pathways and drivers of piglet gut phage-mediated transfer of ARGs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160304. [PMID: 36427721 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has led to a better understanding of the underlying processes that lead to this expansion. Intensive pig farms are considered one of the hotspots for antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) transmission. Phages, as important mobile carriers of ARGs, are widespread in the animal intestine. However, our understanding of phage-associated ARGs in the pig intestine and their underlying drivers is limited. Here, metagenomic sequencing and analysis of viral DNA and total DNA of different intestinal (ileum, cecum and feces) contents in healthy piglets and piglets with diarrhea were separately conducted. We found that phages in piglet ceca are the main repository for ARGs and mobile genetic element (MGE) genes. Phage-associated MGEs are important factors affecting the maintenance and transfer of ARGs. Interestingly, the colocalization of ARGs and MGE genes in piglet gut phages does not appear to be randomly selected but rather related to a specific phage host (Streptococcus). In addition, in the feces of piglets with diarrhea, the abundance of phages carrying ARGs and MGE genes was significantly increased, as was the diversity of polyvalent phages (phages with broad host ranges), which would facilitate the transfection and wider distribution of ARGs in the bacterial community. Moreover, the predicted host spectrum of polyvalent phages in diarrheal feces tended to be potential enteropathogenic genera, which greatly increased the risk of enteropathogens acquiring ARGs. Notably, we also found ARG-homologous genes in the sequences of piglet intestinal mimiviruses, suggesting that the piglet intestinal mimiviruses are a potential repository of ARGs. In conclusion, this study greatly expands our knowledge of the piglet gut microbiome, revealing the underlying mechanisms of maintenance and dissemination of piglet gut ARGs and providing a reference for the prevention and control of ARG pollution in animal husbandry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalu Ji
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Hengyu Xi
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiujie Jiang
- Jilin Animal Disease Control Center, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Chong Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinwu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengyang Li
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Li
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Changjiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Liancheng Lei
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenyu Han
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jingmin Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, People's Republic of China.
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Michaelis C, Grohmann E. Horizontal Gene Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Biofilms. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020328. [PMID: 36830238 PMCID: PMC9952180 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Most bacteria attach to biotic or abiotic surfaces and are embedded in a complex matrix which is known as biofilm. Biofilm formation is especially worrisome in clinical settings as it hinders the treatment of infections with antibiotics due to the facilitated acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Environmental settings are now considered as pivotal for driving biofilm formation, biofilm-mediated antibiotic resistance development and dissemination. Several studies have demonstrated that environmental biofilms can be hotspots for the dissemination of ARGs. These genes can be encoded on mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as conjugative and mobilizable plasmids or integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs). ARGs can be rapidly transferred through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) which has been shown to occur more frequently in biofilms than in planktonic cultures. Biofilm models are promising tools to mimic natural biofilms to study the dissemination of ARGs via HGT. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art of biofilm studies and the techniques that visualize the three main HGT mechanisms in biofilms: transformation, transduction, and conjugation.
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