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Yu K, Hei S, Li P, Chen P, Yang J, He Y. Removal of intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factor genes using electricity-intensified constructed wetlands. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 475:134749. [PMID: 38876012 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134749] [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: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Constructed wetland (CW) is considered a promising technology for the removal of emerging contaminants. However, its removal performance for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is not efficient and influence of virulence factor genes (VFGs) have not been elucidated. Here, removal of intracellular and extracellular ARGs as well as VFGs by electricity-intensified CWs was comprehensively evaluated. The two electrolysis-intensified CWs can improve the removal of intracellular ARGs and MGEs to 0.96- and 0.85-logs, respectively. But cell-free extracellular ARGs (CF-eARGs) were significantly enriched with 1.8-logs in the electrolysis-intensified CW. Interestingly, adding Fe-C microelectrolysis to the electrolysis-intensified CW is conducive to the reduction of CF-eARGs. However, the detected number and relative abundances of intracellular and extracellular VFGs were increased in all of the three CWs. The biofilms attached onto the substrates and rhizosphere are also hotspots of both intracellular and particle-associated extracellular ARGs and VFGs. Structural equation models and correlation analysis indicated that ARGs and VFGs were significantly cooccurred, suggesting that VFGs may affect the dynamics of ARGs. The phenotypes of VFGs, such as biofilm, may act as protective matrix for ARGs, hindering the removal of resistance genes. Our results provide novel insights into the ecological remediation technologies to enhance the removal of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifeng Yu
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore; Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), National University of Singapore, 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore
| | - Shenglei Hei
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiao Tong University, 118 West Anning Road, Lanzhou City 730070, China
| | - Peng Li
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ping Chen
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jinghan Yang
- Shanghai Waterway Engineering Design and Consulting Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Yiliang He
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China; Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), National University of Singapore, 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore; China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
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2
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Yuan W, Yu J, Li Z. Rapid functional activation of horizontally transferred eukaryotic intron-containing genes in the bacterial recipient. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:8344-8355. [PMID: 39011898 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae628] [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: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer has occurred across all domains of life and contributed substantially to the evolution of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Previous studies suggest that many horizontally transferred eukaryotic genes conferred selective advantages to bacterial recipients, but how these eukaryotic genes evolved into functional bacterial genes remained unclear, particularly how bacteria overcome the expressional barrier posed by eukaryotic introns. Here, we first confirmed that the presence of intron would inactivate the horizontally transferred gene in Escherichia coli even if this gene could be efficiently transcribed. Subsequent large-scale genetic screens for activation of gene function revealed that activation events could rapidly occur within several days of selective cultivation. Molecular analysis of activation events uncovered two distinct mechanisms how bacteria overcome the intron barrier: (i) intron was partially deleted and the resulting stop codon-removed mutation led to one intact foreign protein or (ii) intron was intactly retained but it mediated the translation initiation and the interaction of two split small proteins (derived from coding sequences up- and downstream of intron, respectively) to restore gene function. Our findings underscore the likelihood that horizontally transferred eukaryotic intron-containing genes could rapidly acquire functionality if they confer a selective advantage to the prokaryotic recipient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Yuan
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Jing Yu
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
- Biodesign Center, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Zhichao Li
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
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3
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Zhou CS, Cao GL, Liu BF, Liu W, Ma WL, Ren NQ. Deciphering the reduction of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during medium-chain fatty acids production from waste activated sludge: Driven by inhibition of ARGs transmission and shift of microbial community. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 473:134676. [PMID: 38788579 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134676] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) production from waste activated sludge (WAS) by chain extension (CE) is a promising technology. However, the effects and mechanisms of CE process on the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) remain unclear. In this study, the results showed that the removal efficiency of ARGs was 81.15 % in CE process, suggesting its efficacy in reducing environmental risks. Further, the observed decrease in mobile genetic elements (MGEs) indicated that CE process restricted the horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Complementing this, the increase in soluble organic matters and extracellular 16 S rDNA confirmed that MCFAs production caused bacterial damage. Decreased intracellular ARGs and increased extracellular ARGs further revealed that MCFAs production impaired ARGs hosts, thereby limiting the vertical gene transfer (VGT) of ARGs. Shift of microbial community combined with co-occurrence network analysis demonstrated that functional bacteria without host potential for ARGs were enriched, but potential ARGs and MGEs hosts decreased, showing the role of functional bacterial phylogeny and selection pressure of MCFAs in reducing ARGs. Finally, partial least squares path model was used to systematic verify the mechanism of ARGs removal in CE process, which was attributed to the inhibition of ARGs transmission (HGT and VGT) and shift of microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Shuang Zhou
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Guang-Li Cao
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Heilongjiang Institute of Energy and Environment, Harbin 150007, China
| | - Wan-Li Ma
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
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4
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Ding J, Liu F, Zeng J, Gu H, Zhang D, Yang X, Wu B, Shu L, He Z, Wang C. Homologous recombination and gene-specific selection co-shape the vertical nucleotide diversity of mangrove sediment microbial populations. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70040. [PMID: 39021733 PMCID: PMC11254452 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Mangrove sediments host a diverse array of microbial populations and are characterized by high heterogeneity along their vertical depths. However, the genetic diversity within these populations is largely unknown, hindering our understanding of their adaptive evolution across the sediment depths. To elucidate their genetic diversity, we utilized metagenome sequencing to identify 16 high-frequency microbial populations comprised of two archaea and 14 bacteria from mangrove sediment cores (0-100 cm, with 10 depths) in Qi'ao Island, China. Our analysis of the genome-wide genetic variation revealed extensive nucleotide diversity in the microbial populations. The genes involved in the transport and the energy metabolism displayed a high nucleotide diversity (HND; 0.0045-0.0195; an indicator of shared minor alleles with the microbial populations). By tracking the processes of homologous recombination, we found that each microbial population was subjected to different purification selection levels at different depths (44.12% genes). This selection resulted in significant differences in synonymous/non-synonymous mutation ratio between 0-20 and 20-100 cm layers, indicating the adaptive evolutionary process of microbial populations. Furthermore, our assessment of differentiation in the allele frequencies between these two layers showed that the functional genes involved in the metabolic processes of amino acids or cofactors were highly differential in more than half of them. Together, we showed that the nucleotide diversity of microbial populations was shaped by homologous recombination and gene-specific selection, finally resulting in the stratified differentiation occurring between 0-20 and 20-100 cm. These results enhance our cognition of the microbial adaptation mechanisms to vertical environmental changes during the sedimentation process of coastal blue carbon ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jijuan Ding
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Fei Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jiaxiong Zeng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Hang Gu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Dandan Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xueqin Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Bo Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Longfei Shu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhili He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Cheng Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), State Key Laboratory for BiocontrolSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Earth Surface Processes and Ecological SecurityZhejiang Normal UniversityJinhuaChina
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5
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Medeiros P, Canato D, Braz ASK, Paulino LC. Phylogenetic analyses reveal insights into interdomain horizontal gene transfer of microbial lipases. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 195:108069. [PMID: 38565359 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108069] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Microbial lipases play a pivotal role in a wide range of biotechnological processes and in the human skin microbiome. However, their evolution remains poorly understood. Accessing the evolutionary process of lipases could contribute to future applications in health and biotechnology. We investigated genetic events associated with the evolutionary trajectory of the microbial family LIP lipases. Using phylogenetic analysis, we identified two distinct horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events from Bacteria to Fungi. Further analysis of human cutaneous mycobiome members such as the lipophilic Malassezia yeasts and CUG-Ser-1 clade (including Candida sp. and other microorganisms associated with cutaneous mycobiota) revealed recent evolutionary processes, with multiple gene duplication events. The Lid region of fungal lipases, crucial for substrate interaction, exhibits varying degrees of conservation among different groups. Our findings suggest the adaptability of the fungal LIP family in various genetic and metabolic contexts and its potential role in niche exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Medeiros
- Center for Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Danilo Canato
- Center for Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Luciana Campos Paulino
- Center for Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
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6
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Wang Y, Zhang S, Li L, Zhang Q, Yang L, Yang K, Liu Y, Zhu H, Lai B, Wu J, Hua L. Airborne ARGs/MGEs from two sewage types during the COVID-21: Population, microbe interactions, cytotoxicity, formation mechanism, and dispersion. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121368. [PMID: 38417267 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121368] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
During the COVID-2021 epidemic, a large number of antibiotics were used for clinical treatment in hospitals or daily prevention. Sewage from hospital sewage treatment centers (HSTC) and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) produced a lot of antibiotic-resistance genes/mobile genetic elements (ARGs/MGEs). In this study, the sewage and bioaerosol in the biochemical tank (BT) of an HSTC and a WWTP were sampled throughout the year. The results showed that the average absolute abundance of sewage in BT of WWTP (BTW-W) was higher than sewage in BT of HSTC (BTW-H). Sewage was an important source of microorganisms and ARGs/MGEs in the air of BT. Microorganisms and MGEs were the factors affecting the differences in ARGs/MGEs. Cytotoxicity experiment proved that the cytotoxicity changed from Grade III to Grade IV with the increase in drug-resistant Escherichia coli concentration. According to the formation mechanism formula, the average generation rate of ARGs/MGEs in BT of HSTC was lower than that in WWTP. The diffusion range of ARGs/MGEs of HSTC was larger than that of WWTP. According to the above results, this study found that when people were far away from BT, the health risk of HSTC caused by the diffusion of bioaerosol was higher than WWTP; When people were close to BT, the health risk of WWTP was higher than HSTC due to the aeration of BT. This study provided a basis for public protection of ARGs. In the future, the elimination of airborne ARGs and crowd protection can be further studied in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Wang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, United Kingdom; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China
| | - Song Zhang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China
| | - Qiao Zhang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Liying Yang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Kai Yang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Haoran Zhu
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Bisheng Lai
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China
| | - Jian Wu
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
| | - Linlin Hua
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Advanced Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450014, PR China.
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7
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Wang Y, Zhang S, Yang L, Yang K, Liu Y, Zhu H, Lai B, Li L, Hua L. Spatiotemporal distribution, interactions and toxic effect of microorganisms and ARGs/MGEs from the bioreaction tank in hospital sewage treatment facility. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 923:171481. [PMID: 38458442 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) can be emitted from wastewater to ambient air and impose unignorable inhalable hazards, which could be exacerbated in antibiotic-concentrated hospital sewage. However, whether the ARG-carrying pathogens are more likely to infect cells remains largely unknown. Here, this study investigated and analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution, interaction, and toxicity of airborne microorganisms and their hosting ARGs in a hospital sewage treatment facility. The average concentration of ARGs/MGEs in sewage of bioreaction tank (BRT-W) was 2.27 × 104 gene copies/L. In the air of bioreaction tank (BRT-A), the average concentration of ARGs/MGEs was 15.86 gene copies/m3. In the four seasons, the ARGs concentration of sewage gradually decreased over time; The concentration of ARGs in the air first decreased and then increased. In spring, the concentration of ARGs/MGEs (qacedelta1-01) in BRT-W was highest (1.05 × 105 gene copies/L); The concentration of ARGs/MGEs (strB) in BRT-A in winter was higher than other seasons (26.18 gene copies/m3). Different from the past, this study also paid attention to the pathogenic potential of ARGs/MGEs in the air. The results of cell experiments showed that the cytotoxicity of drug-resistant Escherichia coli could reach Grade V. This suggested that the longer the drug-resistant E. coli were exposed to cells, the greater the cytotoxicity. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of bacteria increased with the increase in exposure time. In spring, the toxic effect of ARGs/MGEs in sewage of BRT-W was highest. Traceability analysis proved that BRT-W was an essential source of microorganisms and ARGs/MGEs in BRT-A. Furthermore, the combined risk of people exposed to the air of BRT in spring was higher than that in other seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Lancaster Environment Center, Lancaster University, United Kingdom.
| | - Song Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China.
| | - Liying Yang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China.
| | - Kai Yang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China.
| | - Yang Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China.
| | - Haoran Zhu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China.
| | - Bisheng Lai
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China.
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China.
| | - Linlin Hua
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Advanced Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450014, PR China.
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8
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Daw Elbait G, Daou M, Abuoudah M, Elmekawy A, Hasan SW, Everett DB, Alsafar H, Henschel A, Yousef AF. Comparison of qPCR and metagenomic sequencing methods for quantifying antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298325. [PMID: 38578803 PMCID: PMC10997137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298325] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Surveillance methods of circulating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are of utmost importance in order to tackle what has been described as one of the greatest threats to humanity in the 21st century. In order to be effective, these methods have to be accurate, quickly deployable, and scalable. In this study, we compare metagenomic shotgun sequencing (TruSeq DNA sequencing) of wastewater samples with a state-of-the-art PCR-based method (Resistomap HT-qPCR) on four wastewater samples that were taken from hospital, industrial, urban and rural areas. ARGs that confer resistance to 11 antibiotic classes have been identified in these wastewater samples using both methods, with the most abundant observed classes of ARGs conferring resistance to aminoglycoside, multidrug-resistance (MDR), macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB), tetracycline and beta-lactams. In comparing the methods, we observed a strong correlation of relative abundance of ARGs obtained by the two tested methods for the majority of antibiotic classes. Finally, we investigated the source of discrepancies in the results obtained by the two methods. This analysis revealed that false negatives were more likely to occur in qPCR due to mutated primer target sites, whereas ARGs with incomplete or low coverage were not detected by the sequencing method due to the parameters set in the bioinformatics pipeline. Indeed, despite the good correlation between the methods, each has its advantages and disadvantages which are also discussed here. By using both methods together, a more robust ARG surveillance program can be established. Overall, the work described here can aid wastewater treatment plants that plan on implementing an ARG surveillance program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gihan Daw Elbait
- Department of Biological Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mariane Daou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Miral Abuoudah
- Department of Biological Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ahmed Elmekawy
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shadi W. Hasan
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Dean B. Everett
- Department of Pathology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Center for Biotechnology (BTC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Infection Research Unit, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Habiba Alsafar
- Center for Biotechnology (BTC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Emirates Bio-research Center, Ministry of Interior, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Andreas Henschel
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ahmed F. Yousef
- Department of Biological Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Center for Biotechnology (BTC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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9
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Nikolaidis M, Oliver SG, Amoutzias GD. pyPGCF: A Python Software for Phylogenomic Analysis, Species Demarcation, Identification of Core, and Fingerprint Proteins of Bacterial Genomes That Are Important for Plants. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2788:139-155. [PMID: 38656512 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3782-1_8] [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] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
This computational protocol describes how to use pyPGCF, a python software package that runs in the linux environment, in order to analyze bacterial genomes and perform: (i) phylogenomic analysis, (ii) species demarcation, (iii) identification of the core proteins of a bacterial genus and its individual species, (iv) identification of species-specific fingerprint proteins that are found in all strains of a species and, at the same time, are absent from all other species of the genus, (v) functional annotation of the core and fingerprint proteins with eggNOG, and (vi) identification of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs) with antiSMASH. This software has already been implemented to analyze bacterial genera and species that are important for plants (e.g., Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Streptomyces). In addition, we provide a test dataset and example commands showing how to analyze 165 genomes from 55 species of the genus Bacillus. The main advantages of pyPGCF are that: (i) it uses adjustable orthology cut-offs, (ii) it identifies species-specific fingerprints, and (iii) its computational cost scales linearly with the number of genomes being analyzed. Therefore, pyPGCF is able to deal with a very large number of bacterial genomes, in reasonable timescales, using widely available levels of computing power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marios Nikolaidis
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Greece
| | - Stephen G Oliver
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Grigorios D Amoutzias
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Greece.
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10
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Alonso-del Valle A, Toribio-Celestino L, Quirant A, Pi CT, DelaFuente J, Canton R, Rocha EPC, Ubeda C, Peña-Miller R, San Millan A. Antimicrobial resistance level and conjugation permissiveness shape plasmid distribution in clinical enterobacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2314135120. [PMID: 38096417 PMCID: PMC10741383 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314135120] [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: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids play a key role in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes across bacterial pathogens. AMR plasmids are widespread in clinical settings, but their distribution is not random, and certain associations between plasmids and bacterial clones are particularly successful. For example, the globally spread carbapenem resistance plasmid pOXA-48 can use a wide range of enterobacterial species as hosts, but it is usually associated with a small number of specific Klebsiella pneumoniae clones. These successful associations represent an important threat for hospitalized patients. However, knowledge remains limited about the factors determining AMR plasmid distribution in clinically relevant bacteria. Here, we combined in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches to analyze pOXA-48-associated AMR levels and conjugation dynamics in a collection of wild-type enterobacterial strains isolated from hospitalized patients. Our results revealed significant variability in these traits across different bacterial hosts, with Klebsiella spp. strains showing higher pOXA-48-mediated AMR and conjugation frequencies than Escherichia coli strains. Using experimentally determined parameters, we developed a simple mathematical model to interrogate the contribution of AMR levels and conjugation permissiveness to plasmid distribution in bacterial communities. The simulations revealed that a small subset of clones, combining high AMR levels and conjugation permissiveness, play a critical role in stabilizing the plasmid in different polyclonal microbial communities. These results help to explain the preferential association of plasmid pOXA-48 with K. pneumoniae clones in clinical settings. More generally, our study reveals that species- and strain-specific variability in plasmid-associated phenotypes shape AMR evolution in clinically relevant bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Alonso-del Valle
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Laura Toribio-Celestino
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Anna Quirant
- Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia46020, Spain
| | - Carles Tardio Pi
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca62209, México
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Unidad Académica Yucatán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Yucatán04510, México
| | - Javier DelaFuente
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Rafael Canton
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal-Instituto Ramon y Cajal de Investigacion Sanitaria, Madrid28034, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
| | - Eduardo P. C. Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris75015, France
| | - Carles Ubeda
- Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia46020, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
| | - Rafael Peña-Miller
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca62209, México
| | - Alvaro San Millan
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
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11
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Konstantinidis KT. Sequence-discrete species for prokaryotes and other microbes: A historical perspective and pending issues. MLIFE 2023; 2:341-349. [PMID: 38818268 PMCID: PMC10989153 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12088] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Whether prokaryotes, and other microorganisms, form distinct clusters that can be recognized as species remains an issue of paramount theoretical as well as practical consequence in identifying, regulating, and communicating about these organisms. In the past decade, comparisons of thousands of genomes of isolates and hundreds of metagenomes have shown that prokaryotic diversity may be predominantly organized in such sequence-discrete clusters, albeit organisms of intermediate relatedness between the identified clusters are also frequently found. Accumulating evidence suggests, however, that the latter "intermediate" organisms show enough ecological and/or functional distinctiveness to be considered different species. Notably, the area of discontinuity between clusters often-but not always-appears to be around 85%-95% genome-average nucleotide identity, consistently among different taxa. More recent studies have revealed remarkably similar diversity patterns for viruses and microbial eukaryotes as well. This high consistency across taxa implies a specific mechanistic process that underlies the maintenance of the clusters. The underlying mechanism may be a substantial reduction in the efficiency of homologous recombination, which mediates (successful) horizontal gene transfer, around 95% nucleotide identity. Deviations from the 95% threshold (e.g., species showing lower intraspecies diversity) may be caused by ecological differentiation that imposes barriers to otherwise frequent gene transfer. While this hypothesis that clusters are driven by ecological differentiation coupled to recombination frequency (i.e., higher recombination within vs. between groups) is appealing, the supporting evidence remains anecdotal. The data needed to rigorously test the hypothesis toward advancing the species concept are also outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos T. Konstantinidis
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
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12
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Vázquez Rosas Landa M, De Anda V, Rohwer RR, Angelova A, Waldram G, Gutierrez T, Baker BJ. Exploring novel alkane-degradation pathways in uncultured bacteria from the North Atlantic Ocean. mSystems 2023; 8:e0061923. [PMID: 37702502 PMCID: PMC10654063 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00619-23] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Petroleum pollution in the ocean has increased because of rapid population growth and modernization, requiring urgent remediation. Our understanding of the metabolic response of native microbial communities to oil spills is not well understood. Here, we explored the baseline hydrocarbon-degrading communities of a subarctic Atlantic region to uncover the metabolic potential of the bacteria that inhabit the surface and subsurface water. We conducted enrichments with a 13C-labeled hydrocarbon to capture the fraction of the community actively using the hydrocarbon. We then combined this approach with metagenomics to identify the metabolic potential of this hydrocarbon-degrading community. This revealed previously undescribed uncultured bacteria with unique metabolic mechanisms involved in aerobic hydrocarbon degradation, indicating that temperature may be pivotal in structuring hydrocarbon-degrading baseline communities. Our findings highlight gaps in our understanding of the metabolic complexity of hydrocarbon degradation by native marine microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirna Vázquez Rosas Landa
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, Texas, USA
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Unidad Académica de Ecologia y Biodiversidad Acuática, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Valerie De Anda
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, Texas, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Robin R. Rohwer
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Angelina Angelova
- School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE), Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Georgia Waldram
- School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE), Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tony Gutierrez
- School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE), Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Brett J. Baker
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, Texas, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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13
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Carscadden KA, Batstone RT, Hauser FE. Origins and evolution of biological novelty. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1472-1491. [PMID: 37056155 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12963] [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: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the origins and impacts of novel traits has been a perennial interest in many realms of ecology and evolutionary biology. Here, we build on previous evolutionary and philosophical treatments of this subject to encompass novelties across biological scales and eco-evolutionary perspectives. By defining novelties as new features at one biological scale that have emergent effects at other biological scales, we incorporate many forms of novelty that have previously been treated in isolation (such as novelty from genetic mutations, new developmental pathways, new morphological features, and new species). Our perspective is based on the fundamental idea that the emergence of a novelty, at any biological scale, depends on its environmental and genetic context. Through this lens, we outline a broad array of generative mechanisms underlying novelty and highlight how genomic tools are transforming our understanding of the origins of novelty. Lastly, we present several case studies to illustrate how novelties across biological scales and systems can be understood based on common mechanisms of change and their environmental and genetic contexts. Specifically, we highlight how gene duplication contributes to the evolution of new complex structures in visual systems; how genetic exchange in symbiosis alters functions of both host and symbiont, resulting in a novel organism; and how hybridisation between species can generate new species with new niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Carscadden
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1900 Pleasant St, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Rebecca T Batstone
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Frances E Hauser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
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14
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Pompei S, Bella E, Weitz JS, Grilli J, Lagomarsino MC. Metacommunity structure preserves genome diversity in the presence of gene-specific selective sweeps under moderate rates of horizontal gene transfer. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011532. [PMID: 37792894 PMCID: PMC10578598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The horizontal transfer of genes is fundamental for the eco-evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities, such as oceanic plankton, soil, and the human microbiome. In the case of an acquired beneficial gene, classic population genetics would predict a genome-wide selective sweep, whereby the genome spreads clonally within the community and together with the beneficial gene, removing genome diversity. Instead, several sources of metagenomic data show the existence of "gene-specific sweeps", whereby a beneficial gene spreads across a bacterial community, maintaining genome diversity. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this process, including the decreasing gene flow between ecologically distant populations, frequency-dependent selection from linked deleterious allelles, and very high rates of horizontal gene transfer. Here, we propose an additional possible scenario grounded in eco-evolutionary principles. Specifically, we show by a mathematical model and simulations that a metacommunity where species can occupy multiple patches, acting together with a realistic (moderate) HGT rate, helps maintain genome diversity. Assuming a scenario of patches dominated by single species, our model predicts that diversity only decreases moderately upon the arrival of a new beneficial gene, and that losses in diversity can be quickly restored. We explore the generic behaviour of diversity as a function of three key parameters, frequency of insertion of new beneficial genes, migration rates and horizontal transfer rates.Our results provides a testable explanation for how diversity can be maintained by gene-specific sweeps even in the absence of high horizontal gene transfer rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Pompei
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Edoardo Bella
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 16 Milano, Italy
| | - Joshua S. Weitz
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
- Institut de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
| | - Jacopo Grilli
- Quantitative Life Sciences, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Cosentino Lagomarsino
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 16 Milano, Italy
- I.N.F.N, via Celoria 16 Milano, Italy
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15
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Abstract
AbstractEvolutionary biologists have thought about the role of genetic variation during adaptation for a very long time-before we understood the organization of the genetic code, the provenance of genetic variation, and how such variation influenced the phenotypes on which natural selection acts. Half a century after the discovery of the structure of DNA and the unraveling of the genetic code, we have a rich understanding of these problems and the means to both delve deeper and widen our perspective across organisms and natural populations. The 2022 Vice Presidential Symposium of the American Society of Naturalists highlighted examples of recent insights into the role of genetic variation in adaptive processes, which are compiled in this special section. The work was conducted in different parts of the world, included theoretical and empirical studies with diverse organisms, and addressed distinct aspects of how genetic variation influences adaptation. In our introductory article to the special section, we discuss some important recent insights about the generation and maintenance of genetic variation, its impacts on phenotype and fitness, its fate in natural populations, and its role in driving adaptation. By placing the special section articles in the broader context of recent developments, we hope that this overview will also serve as a useful introduction to the field.
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16
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Bucknell AH, McDonald MC. That's no moon, it's a Starship: Giant transposons driving fungal horizontal gene transfer. Mol Microbiol 2023; 120:555-563. [PMID: 37434470 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15118] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
To date, most reports of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in fungi rely on genome sequence data and are therefore an indirect measure of HGT after the event has occurred. However, a novel group of class II-like transposons known as Starships may soon alter this status quo. Starships are giant transposable elements that carry dozens of genes, some of which are host-beneficial, and are linked to many recent HGT events in the fungal kingdom. These transposons remain active and mobile in many fungal genomes and their transposition has recently been shown to be driven by a conserved tyrosine-recombinase called 'Captain'. This perspective explores some of the remaining unanswered questions about how these Starship transposons move, both within a genome and between different species. We seek to outline several experimental approaches that can be used to identify the genes essential for Starship-mediated HGT and draw links to other recently discovered giant transposons outside of the fungal kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus H Bucknell
- School of Biosciences, Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Megan C McDonald
- School of Biosciences, Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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17
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Han R, Hong Y, Xu R, Guo W, Zhang M, Lu Z, Han Q, Mo Z, Dan X, Li Y. Genomic evidence of genetic diversity and functional evolution in Flavobacterium columnare. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1240471. [PMID: 37840739 PMCID: PMC10568018 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1240471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Flavobacterium columnare is the causative agent of columnaris disease in freshwater fish. Columnaris disease can cause heavy economic losses in aquaculture. In this study, whole-genome sequencing was used to characterize this pathogen. F. columnare isolate AH-01 had a circular chromosome and plasmid that encoded a total of 3,022 genes. Isolate GX-01 only had a circular chromosome and encoded 2,965 genes. Genomic islands, prophage regions, and CRISPR/Cas systems were identified in both genomes. Both genomes presented evidence of gene variation and horizontal transfer, both of which are the essential components of genetic diversity, genome plasticity, and functional evolution. Single-gene phylogeny and comparative genome analyses were performed to investigate the variation and evolution of this pathogen. Genetic analysis of 16S rRNA and housekeeping gene sequences significantly clustered 55 F. columnare isolates into four clades. The intragroup identity of the 16S rRNA gene exceeded 99%, while the intergroup identity was below the species delineation threshold. We discovered significant translocation, inversion, and rearrangement events that influenced local synteny within each group. Notably, the observed alignments varied considerably among all the studied groups. The core genomes of all strains with available sequences comprised 747 genes, corresponding to approximately 25% of the genome. Core genome multilocus sequence typing, genome-wide orthology and phylogenetic analyses, and average nucleotide identity suggested that the currently existing F. columnare was an assemblage of several distinct species, with levels of divergence at least equivalent to those between recognized bacterial species. The present investigation provided genomic evidence of gene variation and horizontal transfer, which were the basis of genetic diversity, genome plasticity, and functional evolution. The findings supported a proposed new taxonomic perspective on F. columnare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Han
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Nansha-South China Agricultural University Fishery Research Institute, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhao Hong
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruilong Xu
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjie Guo
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingshu Zhang
- School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zijun Lu
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Han
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zequan Mo
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Nansha-South China Agricultural University Fishery Research Institute, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xueming Dan
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Nansha-South China Agricultural University Fishery Research Institute, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanwei Li
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Nansha-South China Agricultural University Fishery Research Institute, Guangzhou, China
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18
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Audrey B, Cellier N, White F, Jacques PÉ, Burrus V. A systematic approach to classify and characterize genomic islands driven by conjugative mobility using protein signatures. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8402-8412. [PMID: 37526274 PMCID: PMC10484663 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad644] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic islands (GIs) play a crucial role in the spread of antibiotic resistance, virulence factors and antiviral defense systems in a broad range of bacterial species. However, the characterization and classification of GIs are challenging due to their relatively small size and considerable genetic diversity. Predicting their intercellular mobility is of utmost importance in the context of the emerging crisis of multidrug resistance. Here, we propose a large-scale classification method to categorize GIs according to their mobility profile and, subsequently, analyze their gene cargo. We based our classification decision scheme on a collection of mobility protein motif definitions available in publicly accessible databases. Our results show that the size distribution of GI classes correlates with their respective structure and complexity. Self-transmissible GIs are usually the largest, except in Bacillota and Actinomycetota, accumulate antibiotic and phage resistance genes, and favour the use of a tyrosine recombinase to insert into a host's replicon. Non-mobilizable GIs tend to use a DDE transposase instead. Finally, although tRNA genes are more frequently targeted as insertion sites by GIs encoding a tyrosine recombinase, most GIs insert in a protein-encoding gene. This study is a stepping stone toward a better characterization of mobile GIs in bacterial genomes and their mechanism of mobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bioteau Audrey
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Frédérique White
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Vincent Burrus
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
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19
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Farrell AA, Nesbø CL, Zhaxybayeva O. Early Divergence and Gene Exchange Highways in the Evolutionary History of Mesoaciditogales. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad156. [PMID: 37616556 PMCID: PMC10476701 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad156] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The placement of a nonhyperthermophilic order Mesoaciditogales as the earliest branching clade within the Thermotogota phylum challenges the prevailing hypothesis that the last common ancestor of Thermotogota was a hyperthermophile. Yet, given the long branch leading to the only two Mesoaciditogales described to date, the phylogenetic position of the order may be due to the long branch attraction artifact. By testing various models and applying data recoding in phylogenetic reconstructions, we observed that early branching of Mesoaciditogales within Thermotogota is strongly supported by the conserved marker genes assumed to be vertically inherited. However, based on the taxonomic content of 1,181 gene families and a phylogenetic analysis of 721 gene family trees, we also found that a substantial number of Mesoaciditogales genes are more closely related to species from the order Petrotogales. These genes contribute to coenzyme transport and metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, genes known to respond to heat and cold stressors, and include many genes of unknown functions. The Petrotogales comprise moderately thermophilic and mesophilic species with similar temperature tolerances to that of Mesoaciditogales. Our findings hint at extensive horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between, or parallel independent gene gains by, the two ecologically similar lineages and suggest that the exchanged genes may be important for adaptation to comparable temperature niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne A Farrell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Camilla L Nesbø
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Olga Zhaxybayeva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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20
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Lee IPA, Eldakar OT, Gogarten JP, Andam CP. Recombination as an enforcement mechanism of prosocial behavior in cooperating bacteria. iScience 2023; 26:107344. [PMID: 37554437 PMCID: PMC10405257 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Prosocial behavior is ubiquitous in nature despite the relative fitness costs carried by cooperative individuals. However, the stability of cooperation in populations is fragile and often maintained through enforcement. We propose that homologous recombination provides such a mechanism in bacteria. Using an agent-based model of recombination in bacteria playing a public goods game, we demonstrate how changes in recombination rates affect the proportion of cooperating cells. In our model, recombination converts cells to a different strategy, either freeloading (cheaters) or cooperation, based on the strategies of neighboring cells and recombination rate. Increasing the recombination rate expands the parameter space in which cooperators outcompete freeloaders. However, increasing the recombination rate alone is neither sufficient nor necessary. Intermediate benefits of cooperation, lower population viscosity, and greater population size can promote the evolution of cooperation from within populations of cheaters. Our findings demonstrate how recombination influences the persistence of cooperative behavior in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaiah Paolo A. Lee
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
- National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Philippines–Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
| | - Omar Tonsi Eldakar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA
| | - J. Peter Gogarten
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Cheryl P. Andam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
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21
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Fernández-Calvet A, Toribio-Celestino L, Alonso-del Valle A, Sastre-Dominguez J, Valdes-Chiara P, San Millan A, DelaFuente J. The distribution of fitness effects of plasmid pOXA-48 in clinical enterobacteria. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001369. [PMID: 37505800 PMCID: PMC10433420 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001369] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria is a major public health problem. The main route for AMR acquisition in clinically important bacteria is the horizontal transfer of plasmids carrying resistance genes. AMR plasmids allow bacteria to survive antibiotics, but they also entail physiological alterations in the host cell. Multiple studies over the last few years have indicated that these alterations can translate into a fitness cost when antibiotics are absent. However, due to technical limitations, most of these studies are based on analysing new associations between plasmids and bacteria generated in vitro, and we know very little about the effects of plasmids in their native bacterial hosts. In this study, we used a CRISPR-Cas9-tool to selectively cure plasmids from clinical enterobacteria to overcome this limitation. Using this approach, we were able to study the fitness effects of the carbapenem resistance plasmid pOXA-48 in 35 pOXA-48-carrying isolates recovered from hospitalized patients. Our results revealed that pOXA-48 produces variable effects across the collection of wild-type enterobacterial strains naturally carrying the plasmid, ranging from fitness costs to fitness benefits. Importantly, the plasmid was only associated with a significant fitness reduction in four out of 35 clones, and produced no significant changes in fitness in the great majority of isolates. Our results suggest that plasmids produce neutral fitness effects in most native bacterial hosts, helping to explain the great prevalence of plasmids in natural microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Alvaro San Millan
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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22
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Murthy AC, Aleksanyan N, Morton GM, Toyoda HC, Kalashyan M, Chen S, Ragucci AE, Broulidakis MP, Swerdlow KJ, Bui MNN, Muccioli M, Berkmen MB. Characterization of ConE, the VirB4 Homolog of the Integrative and Conjugative Element ICE Bs1 of Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0003323. [PMID: 37219457 PMCID: PMC10294652 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00033-23] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugation is a major form of horizontal gene transfer, contributing to bacterial evolution and the acquisition of new traits. During conjugation, a donor cell transfers DNA to a recipient through a specialized DNA translocation channel classified as a type IV secretion system (T4SS). Here, we focused on the T4SS of ICEBs1, an integrative and conjugative element in Bacillus subtilis. ConE, encoded by ICEBs1, is a member of the VirB4 family of ATPases, the most conserved component of T4SSs. ConE is required for conjugation and localizes to the cell membrane, predominantly at the cell poles. In addition to Walker A and B boxes, VirB4 homologs have conserved ATPase motifs C, D, and E. Here, we created alanine substitutions in five conserved residues within or near ATPase motifs in ConE. Mutations in all five residues drastically decreased conjugation frequency but did not affect ConE protein levels or localization, indicating that an intact ATPase domain is critical for DNA transfer. Purified ConE is largely monomeric with some oligomers and lacks enzymatic activity, suggesting that ATP hydrolysis may be regulated or require special solution conditions. Finally, we investigated which ICEBs1 T4SS components interact with ConE using a bacterial two-hybrid assay. ConE interacts with itself, ConB, and ConQ, but these interactions are not required to stabilize ConE protein levels and largely do not depend on conserved residues within the ATPase motifs of ConE. The structure-function characterization of ConE provides more insight into this conserved component shared by all T4SSs. IMPORTANCE Conjugation is a major form of horizontal gene transfer and involves the transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another through the conjugation machinery. Conjugation contributes to bacterial evolution by disseminating genes involved in antibiotic resistance, metabolism, and virulence. Here, we characterized ConE, a protein component of the conjugation machinery of the conjugative element ICEBs1 of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. We found that mutations in the conserved ATPase motifs of ConE disrupt mating but do not alter ConE localization, self-interaction, or levels. We also explored which conjugation proteins ConE interacts with and whether these interactions contribute to stabilizing ConE. Our work contributes to the understanding of the conjugative machinery of Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia C. Murthy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Naira Aleksanyan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Georgeanna M. Morton
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hunter C. Toyoda
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Meri Kalashyan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sirui Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adelyn E. Ragucci
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cancer Immunology and Virology Department, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew P. Broulidakis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kyle J. Swerdlow
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Minh N. N. Bui
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maria Muccioli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Melanie B. Berkmen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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23
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Mayo-Muñoz D, Pinilla-Redondo R, Birkholz N, Fineran PC. A host of armor: Prokaryotic immune strategies against mobile genetic elements. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112672. [PMID: 37347666 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotic adaptation is strongly influenced by the horizontal acquisition of beneficial traits via mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as viruses/bacteriophages and plasmids. However, MGEs can also impose a fitness cost due to their often parasitic nature and differing evolutionary trajectories. In response, prokaryotes have evolved diverse immune mechanisms against MGEs. Recently, our understanding of the abundance and diversity of prokaryotic immune systems has greatly expanded. These defense systems can degrade the invading genetic material, inhibit genome replication, or trigger abortive infection, leading to population protection. In this review, we highlight these strategies, focusing on the most recent discoveries. The study of prokaryotic defenses not only sheds light on microbial evolution but also uncovers novel enzymatic activities with promising biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mayo-Muñoz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Genetics Otago, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Rafael Pinilla-Redondo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nils Birkholz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Genetics Otago, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Peter C Fineran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Genetics Otago, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
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24
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Wang X, Yu D, Chen L. Antimicrobial resistance and mechanisms of epigenetic regulation. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1199646. [PMID: 37389209 PMCID: PMC10306973 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1199646] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The rampant use of antibiotics in animal husbandry, farming and clinical disease treatment has led to a significant issue with pathogen resistance worldwide over the past decades. The classical mechanisms of resistance typically investigate antimicrobial resistance resulting from natural resistance, mutation, gene transfer and other processes. However, the emergence and development of bacterial resistance cannot be fully explained from a genetic and biochemical standpoint. Evolution necessitates phenotypic variation, selection, and inheritance. There are indications that epigenetic modifications also play a role in antimicrobial resistance. This review will specifically focus on the effects of DNA modification, histone modification, rRNA methylation and the regulation of non-coding RNAs expression on antimicrobial resistance. In particular, we highlight critical work that how DNA methyltransferases and non-coding RNAs act as transcriptional regulators that allow bacteria to rapidly adapt to environmental changes and control their gene expressions to resist antibiotic stress. Additionally, it will delve into how Nucleolar-associated proteins in bacteria perform histone functions akin to eukaryotes. Epigenetics, a non-classical regulatory mechanism of bacterial resistance, may offer new avenues for antibiotic target selection and the development of novel antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinrui Wang
- Medical Research Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Technical Evaluation of Fertility Regulation for Non-Human Primate, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Donghong Yu
- Medical Research Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Technical Evaluation of Fertility Regulation for Non-Human Primate, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Medical Research Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Technical Evaluation of Fertility Regulation for Non-Human Primate, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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25
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Kashnikov AY, Epifanova NV, Novikova NA. On the nature of picobirnaviruses. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2023; 27:264-275. [PMID: 37293447 PMCID: PMC10244588 DOI: 10.18699/vjgb-23-32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The picobirnaviruses (Picobirnaviridae, Picobirnavirus, PBVs) are currently thought to be animal viruses, as they are usually found in animal stool samples. However, no animal model or cell culture for their propagation has yet been found. In 2018, a hypothetical assumption about PBVs belonging to prokaryotic viruses was put forward and experimentally substantiated. This hypothesis is based on the presence of Shine-Dalgarno sequences in the genome of all PBVs before three reading frames (ORF) at the ribosomal binding site, with which the prokaryotic genome is saturated, while in the eukaryotic genome such regions occur with low frequency. The genome saturation with the Shine-Dalgarno sequences, as well as the preservation of this saturation in the progeny, according to scientists, allows us to attribute PBVs to prokaryotic viruses. On the other hand, there is a possibility that PBVs belong to viruses of eukaryotic hosts - fungi or invertebrates, since PBV-like sequences similar to the genome of fungal viruses from the families of mitoviruses and partitiviruses have been identified. In this regard, the idea arose that, in terms of reproduction mode, PBVs resemble fungal viruses. The divergence of views on the true PBV host(s) has sparked discussions among scientists and required further research to elucidate their nature. The review highlights the results of the search for a PBV host. The reasons for the occurrence of atypical sequences among the PBV genome sequences that use an alternative mitochondrial code of lower eukaryotes (fungi and invertebrates) for the translation of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) instead of the standard genetic code are analyzed. The purpose of the review was to collect arguments in support of the hypothesis about the phage nature of PBVs and to find the most realistic explanation of the reasons for identifying non-standard genomic sequences for PBVs. Based on the hypothesis about the genealogical relationship of PBVs with RNA viruses from other families with similar segmented genomes, such as Reoviridae, Cystoviridae, Totiviridae and Partitiviridae, virologists support the assumption of a decisive role in the origin of atypical PBV-like reassortment strains between PBVs and viruses of the listed families. The collected arguments given in this review indicate a high probability of a phage nature of PBVs. The data presented in the review show that the belonging of PBV-like progeny to prokaryotic or eukaryotic viruses is determined not only by its genome saturation level with a prokaryotic motif, standard or mitochondrial genetic code. The primary structure of the gene encoding the viral capsid protein responsible for the presence or absence of specific proteolytic properties of the virus that determine its ability for independent horizontal transmission into new cells may also be a decisive factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Yu Kashnikov
- I.N. Blokhina Nizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - N V Epifanova
- I.N. Blokhina Nizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - N A Novikova
- I.N. Blokhina Nizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
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26
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Meyer M, Slot J. The evolution and ecology of psilocybin in nature. Fungal Genet Biol 2023; 167:103812. [PMID: 37210028 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2023.103812] [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: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Fungi produce diverse metabolites that can have antimicrobial, antifungal, antifeedant, or psychoactive properties. Among these metabolites are the tryptamine-derived compounds psilocybin, its precursors, and natural derivatives (collectively referred to as psiloids), which have played significant roles in human society and culture. The high allocation of nitrogen to psiloids in mushrooms, along with evidence of convergent evolution and horizontal transfer of psilocybin genes, suggest they provide a selective benefit to some fungi. However, no precise ecological roles of psilocybin have been experimentally determined. The structural and functional similarities of psiloids to serotonin, an essential neurotransmitter in animals, suggest that they may enhance the fitness of fungi through interference with serotonergic processes. However, other ecological mechanisms of psiloids have been proposed. Here, we review the literature pertinent to psilocybin ecology and propose potential adaptive advantages psiloids may confer to fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Meyer
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Environmental Science Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Jason Slot
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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27
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Zhang MS, Liang SZ, Zhang WG, Chang YJ, Lei Z, Li W, Zhang GL, Gao Y. Field ponding water exacerbates the dissemination of manure-derived antibiotic resistance genes from paddy soil to surrounding waterbodies. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1135278. [PMID: 37007487 PMCID: PMC10065064 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1135278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Farmlands fertilized with livestock manure-derived amendments have become a hot topic in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Field ponding water connects rice paddies with surrounding water bodies, such as reservoirs, rivers, and lakes. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding whether and how manure-borne ARGs can be transferred from paddy soil into field ponding water. Our studies suggest that the manure-derived ARGs aadA1, bla1, catA1, cmlA1-01, cmx(A), ermB, mepA and tetPB-01 can easily be transferred into field ponding water from paddy soil. The bacterial phyla Crenarchaeota, Verrucomicrobia, Cyanobacteria, Choloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria are potential hosts of ARGs. Opportunistic pathogens detected in both paddy soil and field ponding water showed robust correlations with ARGs. Network co-occurrence analysis showed that mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were strongly correlated with ARGs. Our findings highlight that manure-borne ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in paddy fields can conveniently disseminate to the surrounding waterbodies through field ponding water, posing a threat to public health. This study provides a new perspective for comprehensively assessing the risk posed by ARGs in paddy ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Sha Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Si-Zhou Liang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Memorial Sun Yat-Sen), Nanjing, China
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wei-Guo Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Wei-Guo Zhang, ; Ya-Jun Chang,
| | - Ya-Jun Chang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Memorial Sun Yat-Sen), Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Wei-Guo Zhang, ; Ya-Jun Chang,
| | - Zhongfang Lei
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Wen Li
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Yan Gao
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
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28
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Blanco-Picazo P, Morales-Cortes S, Ramos-Barbero MD, García-Aljaro C, Rodríguez-Rubio L, Muniesa M. Dominance of phage particles carrying antibiotic resistance genes in the viromes of retail food sources. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:195-203. [PMID: 36289309 PMCID: PMC9860054 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01338-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The growth of antibiotic resistance has stimulated interest in understanding the mechanisms by which antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) are mobilized. Among them, studies analyzing the presence of ARGs in the viral fraction of environmental, food and human samples, and reporting bacteriophages as vehicles of ARG transmission, have been the focus of increasing research. However, it has been argued that in these studies the abundance of phages carrying ARGs has been overestimated due to experimental contamination with non-packaged bacterial DNA or other elements such as outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). This study aims to shed light on the extent to which phages, OMVs or contaminating non-packaged DNA contribute as carriers of ARGs in the viromes. The viral fractions of three types of food (chicken, fish, and mussels) were selected as sources of ARG-carrying phage particles, whose ability to infect and propagate in an Escherichia coli host was confirmed after isolation. The ARG-containing fraction was further purified by CsCl density gradient centrifugation and, after removal of DNA outside the capsids, ARGs inside the particles were confirmed. The purified fraction was stained with SYBR Gold, which allowed the visualization of phage capsids attached to and infecting E. coli cells. Phages with Myoviridae and Siphoviridae morphology were observed by electron microscopy. The proteins in the purified fraction belonged predominantly to phages (71.8% in fish, 52.9% in mussels, 78.7% in chicken sample 1, and 64.1% in chicken sample 2), mainly corresponding to tail, capsid, and other structural proteins, whereas membrane proteins, expected to be abundant if OMVs were present, accounted for only 3.8-21.4% of the protein content. The predominance of phage particles in the viromes supports the reliability of the protocols used in this study and in recent findings on the abundance of ARG-carrying phage particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Blanco-Picazo
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Edificio Prevosti. Planta 0, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Morales-Cortes
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Edificio Prevosti. Planta 0, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Dolores Ramos-Barbero
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Edificio Prevosti. Planta 0, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain ,grid.5268.90000 0001 2168 1800Departmento de Fisiologia, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante (UA), 03080 Alicante, Spain
| | - Cristina García-Aljaro
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Edificio Prevosti. Planta 0, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Edificio Prevosti. Planta 0, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maite Muniesa
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Edificio Prevosti. Planta 0, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
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29
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Hao C, Dewar AE, West SA, Ghoul M. Gene transferability and sociality do not correlate with gene connectivity. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221819. [PMID: 36448285 PMCID: PMC9709509 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The connectivity of a gene, defined as the number of interactions a gene's product has with other genes' products, is a key characteristic of a gene. In prokaryotes, the complexity hypothesis predicts that genes which undergo more frequent horizontal transfer will be less connected than genes which are only very rarely transferred. We tested the role of horizontal gene transfer, and other potentially important factors, by examining the connectivity of chromosomal and plasmid genes, across 134 diverse prokaryotic species. We found that (i) genes on plasmids were less connected than genes on chromosomes; (ii) connectivity of plasmid genes was not correlated with plasmid mobility; and (iii) the sociality of genes (cooperative or private) was not correlated with gene connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhui Hao
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Anna E. Dewar
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Stuart A. West
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Melanie Ghoul
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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30
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Sengupta S, Azad RK. Reconstructing horizontal gene flow network to understand prokaryotic evolution. Open Biol 2022; 12:220169. [PMID: 36446404 PMCID: PMC9708380 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major source of phenotypic innovation and a mechanism of niche adaptation in prokaryotes. Quantification of HGT is critical to decipher its myriad roles in microbial evolution and adaptation. Advances in genome sequencing and bioinformatics have augmented our ability to understand the microbial world, particularly the direct or indirect influence of HGT on diverse life forms. Methods for detecting HGT can be classified into phylogenetic-based and parametric or composition-based approaches. Here, we exploited the complementary strengths of both the approaches to construct a high confidence horizontal gene flow network. Our network is unique in its ability to detect the transfer of native genes of a genome to genomes from other taxa, thus establishing donor and recipient organisms (taxa), rather than through a post hoc analysis as is the practice with several other approaches. The scale-free horizontal gene flow network presented here provides new insights into modes of transfer for the exchange of genetic information and also illuminates differential gene flow across phyla.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soham Sengupta
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Rajeev K. Azad
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA,Department of Mathematics, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
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31
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Bragagnolo N, Audette GF. Solution characterization of the dynamic conjugative entry exclusion protein TraG. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2022; 9:064702. [PMID: 36590369 PMCID: PMC9797247 DOI: 10.1063/4.0000171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The R100 plasmid and the secretion system it encodes are representative of F-like conjugative type IV secretion systems for the transmission of mobile DNA elements in gram-negative bacteria, serving as a major contributor to the spread of antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens. The TraG protein of F-like systems consists of a membrane-bound N-terminal domain and a periplasmic C-terminal domain, denoted TraG*. TraG* is essential in preventing redundant DNA transfer through a process termed entry exclusion. In the donor cell, it interacts with TraN to facilitate mating pair stabilization; however, if a mating pore forms between bacteria with identical plasmids, TraG* interacts with its cognate TraS in the inner membrane of the recipient bacterium to prevent redundant donor-donor conjugation. Structural studies of TraG* from the R100 plasmid have revealed the presence of a dynamic region between the N- and C-terminal domains of TraG. Thermofluor, circular dichroism, collision-induced unfolding-mass spectrometry, and size exclusion chromatography linked to multiangle light scattering and small angle x-ray scattering experiments indicated an N-terminal truncation mutant displayed higher stability and less disordered content relative to full-length TraG*. The 45 N-terminal residues of TraG* are hypothesized to serve as part of a flexible linker between the two independently functioning domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Bragagnolo
- Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, Department of Chemistry, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Gerald F. Audette
- Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, Department of Chemistry, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
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32
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Sengupta S, Azad RK. Reconstructing horizontal gene flow network to understand prokaryotic evolution. Open Biol 2022. [PMID: 36446404 DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6307519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major source of phenotypic innovation and a mechanism of niche adaptation in prokaryotes. Quantification of HGT is critical to decipher its myriad roles in microbial evolution and adaptation. Advances in genome sequencing and bioinformatics have augmented our ability to understand the microbial world, particularly the direct or indirect influence of HGT on diverse life forms. Methods for detecting HGT can be classified into phylogenetic-based and parametric or composition-based approaches. Here, we exploited the complementary strengths of both the approaches to construct a high confidence horizontal gene flow network. Our network is unique in its ability to detect the transfer of native genes of a genome to genomes from other taxa, thus establishing donor and recipient organisms (taxa), rather than through a post hoc analysis as is the practice with several other approaches. The scale-free horizontal gene flow network presented here provides new insights into modes of transfer for the exchange of genetic information and also illuminates differential gene flow across phyla.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soham Sengupta
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Rajeev K Azad
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA.,Department of Mathematics, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
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33
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Li M, Chen Q, Wu C, Li Y, Wang S, Chen X, Qiu B, Li Y, Mao D, Lin H, Yu D, Cao Y, Huang Z, Cui C, Zhong Z. A Novel Module Promotes Horizontal Gene Transfer in Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13101895. [PMID: 36292780 PMCID: PMC9601964 DOI: 10.3390/genes13101895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 contains an 87.6 kb integrative and conjugative element (ICEAc) that conjugatively transfers symbiosis genes to other rhizobia. Many hypothetical redundant gene fragments (rgfs) are abundant in ICEAc, but their potential function in horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is unknown. Molecular biological methods were employed to delete hypothetical rgfs, expecting to acquire a minimal ICEAc and consider non-functional rgfs as editable regions for inserting genes related to new symbiotic functions. We determined the significance of rgf4 in HGT and identified the physiological function of genes designated rihF1a (AZC_3879), rihF1b (AZC_RS26200), and rihR (AZC_3881). In-frame deletion and complementation assays revealed that rihF1a and rihF1b work as a unit (rihF1) that positively affects HGT frequency. The EMSA assay and lacZ-based reporter system showed that the XRE-family protein RihR is not a regulator of rihF1 but promotes the expression of the integrase (intC) that has been reported to be upregulated by the LysR-family protein, AhaR, through sensing host’s flavonoid. Overall, a conservative module containing rihF1 and rihR was characterized, eliminating the size of ICEAc by 18.5%. We propose the feasibility of constructing a minimal ICEAc element to facilitate the exchange of new genetic components essential for symbiosis or other metabolic functions between soil bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxu Li
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qianqian Chen
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Chuanhui Wu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yiyang Li
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Sanle Wang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xuelian Chen
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Bowen Qiu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yuxin Li
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dongmei Mao
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Hong Lin
- Animal, Plant and Food Inspection Center, Nanjing Customs, No. 39, Chuangzhi Road, Nanjing 210019, China
| | - Daogeng Yu
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science, Danzhou 571737, China
| | - Yajun Cao
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhi Huang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Correspondence: (Z.H.); (C.C.); Tel.: +86-25-84396645 (Z.H.)
| | - Chunhong Cui
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Correspondence: (Z.H.); (C.C.); Tel.: +86-25-84396645 (Z.H.)
| | - Zengtao Zhong
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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Neethu CS, Saravanakumar C, Purvaja R, Robin RS, Ramesh R. Arsenic resistance and horizontal gene transfer are associated with carbon and nitrogen enrichment in bacteria. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 311:119937. [PMID: 35977641 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119937] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coastal waters are confluences receiving large amounts of point and non-point sources of pollution. An attempt was made to explore microbial community interactions in response to carbon, nitrogen and metal pollution. Additionally, experiments were designed to analyze the influence of these factors on horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Shift in bacterial diversity dynamics by arsenic stress and nutrient addition in coastal waters was explored by metagenomics of microcosm setups. Phylogenetic analysis revealed equal distribution of Gammaproteobacteria (29%) and Betaproteobacteria (28%) in control microcosm. This proportional diversity from control switched to unique distribution of Gammaproteobacteria (44.5%)> Flavobacteria (17.7%)> Bacteriodia (11.92%)> Betaproteobacteria (11.52%) in microcosm supplemented with carbon, nitrogen and metal (C + N + M). Among metal-stressed systems, alpha diversity analysis indicated highest diversity of genera in C + N + M followed by N + M > C+M> metal alone. Arsenic and ampicillin sensitive E. coli XL1 blue and environmental strains (Vibrio tubiashii W85 and E. coli W101) were tested for efficiency of uptake of plasmid (P) pUCminusMCS (arsBRampR) under varying stress conditions. Transformation experiments revealed that combined effect of carbon, nitrogen and metal on horizontal gene transfer (HGT) was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than individual factors. The effect of carbon on HGT was proved to be superior to nitrogen under metal stressed conditions. Presence of arsenic in experimental setups (P + M, P + N + M and P + C + M) enhanced the HGT compared to non-metal counterparts supplemented with carbon or nitrogen. Arsenic resistant bacterial isolates (n = 200) were tested for the ability to utilize various carbon and nitrogen substrates and distinct positive correlation (p < 0.001) was found between arsenic resistance and utilization of urea and nitrate. However, evident positive correlation was not found between carbon sources and arsenic resistance. Our findings suggest that carbon and nitrogen pollution in aquatic habitats under arsenic stress determine the microbial community dynamics and critically influence uptake of genetic material from the surrounding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S Neethu
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Chennai 600025, India
| | - C Saravanakumar
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Chennai 600025, India
| | - R Purvaja
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Chennai 600025, India
| | - R S Robin
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Chennai 600025, India
| | - R Ramesh
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Chennai 600025, India.
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35
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Shamsi W, Kondo H, Ulrich S, Rigling D, Prospero S. Novel RNA viruses from the native range of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, the causal fungal agent of ash dieback. Virus Res 2022; 320:198901. [PMID: 36058013 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198901] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The native Japanese population of the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, the causal agent of ash dieback in Europe, was screened for viruses using a high-throughput sequencing method. Five RNA viruses were detected in 116 fungal isolates sequenced via Illumina RNA-seq platform, with an overall virus prevalence of 11.2%. The viruses were completely sequenced by RNA ligase mediated rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-RACE) followed by Sanger sequencing. The sequences appear to represent new species from three established families (Mito-, Endorna- and Partitiviridae), one recognized genus (Botybirnavirus) and a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus in the order Bunyavirales from the proposed family "Mybuviridae". The highest prevalence was found for the mitovirus (7.8%), that had two genomic forms (linear and circular), while the other viruses were detected each in one isolate. Co-infection of a mitovirus and an endornavirus was also observed in one of the infected isolates. Here we describe the molecular characterization of the identified viruses. This study expands the diversity of viruses in H. fraxineus and provides the basis for investigating the virus-mediated control of ash dieback in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wajeeha Shamsi
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland.
| | - Hideki Kondo
- Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Kurashiki 710-0046, Japan
| | - Sven Ulrich
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Rigling
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
| | - Simone Prospero
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland
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36
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Repeat sequences limit the effectiveness of lateral gene transfer and favored the evolution of meiotic sex in early eukaryotes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2205041119. [PMID: 35994648 PMCID: PMC9436333 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2205041119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The transition from prokaryotic lateral gene transfer to eukaryotic meiotic sex is poorly understood. Phylogenetic evidence suggests that it was tightly linked to eukaryogenesis, which involved an unprecedented rise in both genome size and the density of genetic repeats. Expansion of genome size raised the severity of Muller's ratchet, while limiting the effectiveness of lateral gene transfer (LGT) at purging deleterious mutations. In principle, an increase in recombination length combined with higher rates of LGT could solve this problem. Here, we show using a computational model that this solution fails in the presence of genetic repeats prevalent in early eukaryotes. The model demonstrates that dispersed repeat sequences allow ectopic recombination, which leads to the loss of genetic information and curtails the capacity of LGT to prevent mutation accumulation. Increasing recombination length in the presence of repeat sequences exacerbates the problem. Mutational decay can only be resisted with homology along extended sequences of DNA. We conclude that the transition to homologous pairing along linear chromosomes was a key innovation in meiotic sex, which was instrumental in the expansion of eukaryotic genomes and morphological complexity.
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37
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A Comparative Analysis of the Core Proteomes within and among the Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus Evolutionary Groups Reveals the Patterns of Lineage- and Species-Specific Adaptations. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10091720. [PMID: 36144322 PMCID: PMC9505155 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10091720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
By integrating phylogenomic and comparative analyses of 1104 high-quality genome sequences, we identify the core proteins and the lineage-specific fingerprint proteins of the various evolutionary clusters (clades/groups/species) of the Bacillus genus. As fingerprints, we denote those core proteins of a certain lineage that are present only in that particular lineage and absent in any other Bacillus lineage. Thus, these lineage-specific fingerprints are expected to be involved in particular adaptations of that lineage. Intriguingly, with a few notable exceptions, the majority of the Bacillus species demonstrate a rather low number of species-specific fingerprints, with the majority of them being of unknown function. Therefore, species-specific adaptations are mostly attributed to highly unstable (in evolutionary terms) accessory proteomes and possibly to changes at the gene regulation level. A series of comparative analyses consistently demonstrated that the progenitor of the Cereus Clade underwent an extensive genomic expansion of chromosomal protein-coding genes. In addition, the majority (76–82%) of the B. subtilis proteins that are essential or play a significant role in sporulation have close homologs in most species of both the Subtilis and the Cereus Clades. Finally, the identification of lineage-specific fingerprints by this study may allow for the future development of highly specific vaccines, therapeutic molecules, or rapid and low-cost molecular tests for species identification.
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38
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Yang Y, Li T, Liu P, Li H, Hu F. The formation of specific bacterial communities contributes to the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes in the soil plastisphere. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 436:129247. [PMID: 35739766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Soil serves as a major reservoir of both antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microplastics. However, the characteristics of the antibiotic resistome in the soil plastisphere remain largely unknown. In this study, we used metagenomic approaches to reveal the changing patterns of ARGs and the bacterial community and their associations in response to three types of microplastics (light density polyethylene, LDPE; polypropylene, PP; polystyrene, PS) using particles 550 µm or 75 µm in diameter. The total ARG abundances significantly increased in the plastisphere and varied across plastic types. The LDPE plastisphere had the highest ARG total abundance and lowest Shannon diversity index, indicating that this plastic had the most severe negative impact on soil bacterial diversity. The PP plastisphere contained higher relative abundances of the pathogenic bacteria Acinetobacter johnsonii and Escherichia coli, demonstrating the higher pathogenic risk of the microbial communities enriched in the plastisphere. Specifically, multidrug resistance genes (ceoB and MuxB) co-existed with more than four microbial taxa, increasing the potential risk of ARG spread in pathogenic bacteria. These findings implied that the plastisphere acts as a hotspot for acquiring and spreading antibiotic resistance and may have long-term negative effects on the soil ecosystem and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Teng Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Peng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Huixin Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Feng Hu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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39
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Kim H, Jeon S, Kim J, Seol D, Jo J, Cho S, Kim H. Investigation of memory-enhancing effects of Streptococcus thermophilus EG007 in mice and elucidating molecular and metagenomic characteristics using nanopore sequencing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13274. [PMID: 35918353 PMCID: PMC9346115 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14837-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, accumulating evidences have highlighted the gut microbiota as a key player in the brain functioning via microbiota–gut–brain axis, and accordingly, the beneficial role of several probiotic strains in cognitive ability also have been actively investigated. However, the majority of the research have demonstrated the effects against age-related cognitive decline or neurological disease. To this end, we aimed to investigate lactic acid bacteria strains having beneficial effects on the cognitive function of healthy young mice and elucidate underlying characteristics by carrying out nanopore sequencing-based genomics and metagenomics analysis. 8-week consumption of Streptococcus thermophilus EG007 demonstrated marked enhancements in behavior tests assessing short-term spatial and non-spatial learning and memory. It was revealed that EG007 possessed genes encoding various metabolites beneficial for a health condition in many aspects, including gamma-aminobutyric acid producing system, a neurotransmitter associated with mood and stress response. Also, by utilizing 16S–23S rRNA operon as a taxonomic marker, we identified more accurate species-level compositional changes in gut microbiota, which was increase of certain species, previously reported to have associations with mental health or down-regulation of inflammation or infection-related species. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that the EG007-mediated altered microbiota had a significant correlation with the memory traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyaekang Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Soomin Jeon
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jina Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghyeok Seol
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.,eGnome, Inc, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - JinChul Jo
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seoae Cho
- eGnome, Inc, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heebal Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. .,eGnome, Inc, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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40
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Saravanan A, Kumar PS, Ramesh B, Srinivasan S. Removal of toxic heavy metals using genetically engineered microbes: Molecular tools, risk assessment and management strategies. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 298:134341. [PMID: 35307383 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The direct release of industrial effluent into the water and other anthropogenic activities causes water pollution. Heavy metal ions are the primary contaminant in the industrial effluents which are exceptionally toxic at low concentrations, terribly disturb the endurance equilibrium of activities in the eco-system and be remarkably hazardous to human health. Different conventional treatment methodologies were utilized for the removal of toxic pollutants from the contaminated water which has several drawbacks such as cost-ineffective and lower efficiency. Recently, genetically modified micro-organisms (GMMs) stand-out for the removal of toxic heavy metals are viewed as an economically plausible and environmentally safe technique. GMMs are microorganisms whose genetic material has been changed utilizing genetic engineering techniques that exhibit enhanced removal efficiency in comparison with the other treatment methodologies. The present review comments the GMMs such as bacteria, algae and fungi and their potential for the removal of toxic heavy metals. This review provides current aspects of different advanced molecular tools which have been used to manipulate micro-organisms through genetic expression for the breakdown of metal compounds in polluted areas. The strategies, major limitations and challenges for genetic engineering of micro-organisms have been reviewed. The current review investigates the approaches working on utilizing genetically modified micro-organisms and effective removal techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Saravanan
- Department of Sustainable Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - P Senthil Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India; Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR), Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India.
| | - B Ramesh
- Department of Sustainable Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - S Srinivasan
- Department of Sustainable Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India
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41
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Sulser S, Vucicevic A, Bellini V, Moritz R, Delavat F, Sentchilo V, Carraro N, van der Meer JR. A bistable prokaryotic differentiation system underlying development of conjugative transfer competence. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010286. [PMID: 35763548 PMCID: PMC9286271 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms and impact of horizontal gene transfer processes to distribute gene functions with potential adaptive benefit among prokaryotes have been well documented. In contrast, little is known about the life-style of mobile elements mediating horizontal gene transfer, whereas this is the ultimate determinant for their transfer fitness. Here, we investigate the life-style of an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) within the genus Pseudomonas that is a model for a widespread family transmitting genes for xenobiotic compound metabolism and antibiotic resistances. Previous work showed bimodal ICE activation, but by using single cell time-lapse microscopy coupled to combinations of chromosomally integrated single copy ICE promoter-driven fluorescence reporters, RNA sequencing and mutant analysis, we now describe the complete regulon leading to the arisal of differentiated dedicated transfer competent cells. The regulon encompasses at least three regulatory nodes and five (possibly six) further conserved gene clusters on the ICE that all become expressed under stationary phase conditions. Time-lapse microscopy indicated expression of two regulatory nodes (i.e., bisR and alpA-bisDC) to precede that of the other clusters. Notably, expression of all clusters except of bisR was confined to the same cell subpopulation, and was dependent on the same key ICE regulatory factors. The ICE thus only transfers from a small fraction of cells in a population, with an estimated proportion of between 1.7–4%, which express various components of a dedicated transfer competence program imposed by the ICE, and form the centerpiece of ICE conjugation. The components mediating transfer competence are widely conserved, underscoring their selected fitness for efficient transfer of this class of mobile elements. Horizontal gene transfer processes among prokaryotes have raised wide interest, which is attested by broad public health concern of rapid spread of antibiotic resistances. However, we typically take for granted that horizontal transfer is the result of some underlying spontaneous low frequency event, but this is not necessarily the case. As we show here, mobile genetic elements from the class of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) impose a coordinated program on the host cell in order to transfer, leading to an exclusive differentiated set of transfer competent cells. We base our conclusions on single cell microscopy studies to compare the rare activation of ICE promoters in individual cells in bacterial populations, and on mutant and RNA-seq analysis to show their dependency on ICE factors. This is an important finding because it implies that conjugation itself is subject to natural selection, which would lead to selection of fitter elements that transfer better or become more widespread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Sulser
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Vucicevic
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Veronica Bellini
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Roxane Moritz
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - François Delavat
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vladimir Sentchilo
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Carraro
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jan Roelof van der Meer
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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42
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Cote-L’Heureux A, Maurer-Alcalá XX, Katz LA. Old genes in new places: A taxon-rich analysis of interdomain lateral gene transfer events. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010239. [PMID: 35731825 PMCID: PMC9255765 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertical inheritance is foundational to Darwinian evolution, but fails to explain major innovations such as the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance among bacteria and the origin of photosynthesis in eukaryotes. While lateral gene transfer (LGT) is recognized as an evolutionary force in prokaryotes, the role of LGT in eukaryotic evolution is less clear. With the exception of the transfer of genes from organelles to the nucleus, a process termed endosymbiotic gene transfer (EGT), the extent of interdomain transfer from prokaryotes to eukaryotes is highly debated. A common critique of studies of interdomain LGT is the reliance on the topology of single-gene trees that attempt to estimate more than one billion years of evolution. We take a more conservative approach by identifying cases in which a single clade of eukaryotes is found in an otherwise prokaryotic gene tree (i.e. exclusive presence). Starting with a taxon-rich dataset of over 13,600 gene families and passing data through several rounds of curation, we identify and categorize the function of 306 interdomain LGT events into diverse eukaryotes, including 189 putative EGTs, 52 LGTs into Opisthokonta (i.e. animals, fungi and their microbial relatives), and 42 LGTs nearly exclusive to anaerobic eukaryotes. To assess differential gene loss as an explanation for exclusive presence, we compare branch lengths within each LGT tree to a set of vertically-inherited genes subsampled to mimic gene loss (i.e. with the same taxonomic sampling) and consistently find shorter relative distance between eukaryotes and prokaryotes in LGT trees, a pattern inconsistent with gene loss. Our methods provide a framework for future studies of interdomain LGT and move the field closer to an understanding of how best to model the evolutionary history of eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Auden Cote-L’Heureux
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Laura A. Katz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Organismic Biology and Evolution, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
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43
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Richard D, Roumagnac P, Pruvost O, Lefeuvre P. A network approach to decipher the dynamics of Lysobacteraceae plasmid gene sharing. Mol Ecol 2022; 32:2660-2673. [PMID: 35593155 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Plasmids provide an efficient vehicle for gene sharing among bacterial populations, playing a key role in bacterial evolution. Network approaches are particularly suitable to represent multipartite relationships and are useful tools to characterize plasmid-mediated gene sharing events. The Lysobacteraceae bacterial family gathers plant commensal, plant pathogenic and opportunistic human pathogens for which plasmid mediated adaptation was reported. We searched for homologues of plasmid gene sequences from this family in all the diversity of available bacterial genome sequences and built a network of plasmid gene sharing from the results. While plasmid genes are openly shared between the bacteria of the Lysobacteraceae family, taxonomy strongly defined the boundaries of these exchanges, that only barely reached other families. Most inferred plasmid gene sharing events involved a few genes only, and evidence of full plasmid transfers were restricted to taxonomically close taxon. We detected multiple plasmid-chromosome gene transfers, among which the otherwise known sharing of a heavy metal resistance transposon. In the network, bacterial lifestyles shaped sub-structures of isolates colonizing specific ecological niches and harboring specific types of resistance genes. Genes associated to pathogenicity or antibiotic and metal resistance were among those that most importantly structured the network, highlighting the imprints of human-mediated selective pressure on pathogenic populations. A massive sequencing effort on environmental Lysobacteraceae is therefore required to refine our understanding on how this reservoir fuels the emergence and the spread of genes amongst this family and its potential impact on plant, animal and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Richard
- Cirad, UMR PVBMT, F-97410 St Pierre, Réunion, France.,ANSES, Plant Health Laboratory, F-97410 St Pierre, Réunion, France.,Université de La Réunion, La Réunion, France
| | - P Roumagnac
- Montpellier, France.,PHIM Plant Health Institute, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - O Pruvost
- Cirad, UMR PVBMT, F-97410 St Pierre, Réunion, France
| | - P Lefeuvre
- Cirad, UMR PVBMT, F-97410 St Pierre, Réunion, France
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44
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The Notable Achievements and the Prospects of Bacterial Pathogen Genomics. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10051040. [PMID: 35630482 PMCID: PMC9148168 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the entirety of human history, bacterial pathogens have played an important role and even shaped the fate of civilizations. The application of genomics within the last 27 years has radically changed the way we understand the biology and evolution of these pathogens. In this review, we discuss how the short- (Illumina) and long-read (PacBio, Oxford Nanopore) sequencing technologies have shaped the discipline of bacterial pathogen genomics, in terms of fundamental research (i.e., evolution of pathogenicity), forensics, food safety, and routine clinical microbiology. We have mined and discuss some of the most prominent data/bioinformatics resources such as NCBI pathogens, PATRIC, and Pathogenwatch. Based on this mining, we present some of the most popular sequencing technologies, hybrid approaches, assemblers, and annotation pipelines. A small number of bacterial pathogens are of very high importance, and we also present the wealth of the genomic data for these species (i.e., which ones they are, the number of antimicrobial resistance genes per genome, the number of virulence factors). Finally, we discuss how this discipline will probably be transformed in the near future, especially by transitioning into metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), thanks to long-read sequencing.
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45
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Rokas A. Evolution of the human pathogenic lifestyle in fungi. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:607-619. [PMID: 35508719 PMCID: PMC9097544 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01112-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens cause more than a billion human infections every year, resulting in more than 1.6 million deaths annually. Understanding the natural history and evolutionary ecology of fungi is helping us understand how disease-relevant traits have repeatedly evolved. Different types and mechanisms of genetic variation have contributed to the evolution of fungal pathogenicity and specific genetic differences distinguish pathogens from non-pathogens. Insights into the traits, genetic elements, and genetic and ecological mechanisms that contribute to the evolution of fungal pathogenicity are crucial for developing strategies to both predict emergence of fungal pathogens and develop drugs to combat them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Wang Q, Smith SM, Huang J. Origins of strigolactone and karrikin signaling in plants. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 27:450-459. [PMID: 34876337 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2021.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Strigolactones (SLs) and karrikins (KARs) are butenolides that influence multiple aspects of plant growth and development. D14 and KAI2 are members of the α/β-fold hydrolase superfamily and act as receptors of SLs and KARs, as well as of unidentified endogenous KAI2-ligands (KLs). Phylogenetic analyses suggest that plant KAI2 was derived from bacterial RsbQ via horizontal gene transfer (HGT) before the emergence of streptophytes. The D14/KAI2 and RsbQ proteins share conserved tertiary structures and functional features. In this opinion article, we suggest that the acquisition of RsbQ by plant cells was fundamental to the formation of butenolide sensing systems. Recruitment of additional signal transduction components and gene duplication subsequently led to versatile butenolide signaling systems throughout land plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qia Wang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Steven M Smith
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia.
| | - Jinling Huang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China; Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.
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Conrad RE, Viver T, Gago JF, Hatt JK, Venter SN, Rossello-Mora R, Konstantinidis KT. Toward quantifying the adaptive role of bacterial pangenomes during environmental perturbations. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:1222-1234. [PMID: 34887548 PMCID: PMC9039077 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01149-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Metagenomic surveys have revealed that natural microbial communities are predominantly composed of sequence-discrete, species-like populations but the genetic and/or ecological processes that maintain such populations remain speculative, limiting our understanding of population speciation and adaptation to perturbations. To address this knowledge gap, we sequenced 112 Salinibacter ruber isolates and 12 companion metagenomes from four adjacent saltern ponds in Mallorca, Spain that were experimentally manipulated to dramatically alter salinity and light intensity, the two major drivers of this ecosystem. Our analyses showed that the pangenome of the local Sal. ruber population is open and similar in size (~15,000 genes) to that of randomly sampled Escherichia coli genomes. While most of the accessory (noncore) genes were isolate-specific and showed low in situ abundances based on the metagenomes compared to the core genes, indicating that they were functionally unimportant and/or transient, 3.5% of them became abundant when salinity (but not light) conditions changed and encoded for functions related to osmoregulation. Nonetheless, the ecological advantage of these genes, while significant, was apparently not strong enough to purge diversity within the population. Collectively, our results provide an explanation for how this immense intrapopulation gene diversity is maintained, which has implications for the prokaryotic species concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roth E Conrad
- Ocean Science & Engineering, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tomeu Viver
- Marine Microbiology Group, Department of Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Juan F Gago
- Marine Microbiology Group, Department of Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Janet K Hatt
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stephanus N Venter
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, and Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ramon Rossello-Mora
- Marine Microbiology Group, Department of Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain.
| | - Konstantinos T Konstantinidis
- Ocean Science & Engineering, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Genomic Insights into Achromobacter mucicolens IA Antibiotic Resistance. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0191621. [PMID: 35377213 PMCID: PMC9045304 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01916-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Achromobacter denitrificans is an environmental opportunistic pathogen that is infecting a large number of immunocompromised patients. A more recently identified strain from the historical collection of strains of Achromobacter denitrificans is Achromobacter mucicolens. In hosts with a variety of underlying diseases, Achromobacter spp. can induce a wide spectrum of disorders. Because of the bacterium’s intrinsic genetic constitution and resistance gained over time, antibiotics are challenged to handle A. mucicolens. Due to the fact that A. mucicolens is rare and its taxonomy is not completely understood, it is difficult to define clinical symptoms, acquisition risk factors, and thus the best therapeutic course of action. To help comprehend this intrinsic and acquired resistance, we analyzed the entire genome of the A. mucicolens IA strain and utilized bioinformatics methods to estimate the strain's probable drug resistance profile. In our study, we have isolated and cultured a clinically important A. mucicolens strain and subjected it to antimicrobial susceptibility tests against antibiotics in the Vitek 2 testing system. The strain’s genome sequence as well as an investigation of 27 of its phenotypic traits provides important information regarding this pathogen. The genome of this A. mucicolens IA strain possesses a number of antibiotic resistance genes that code for efflux pump systems and other antibiotic-regulating as well as -modifying enzymes. Our research analysis predicted genes involved in drug resistance, including genes for efflux pump systems, antibiotic efflux, antibiotic inactivation, and antibiotic target alteration. In vitro studies validated the genomic evidence for its ability to exhibit resistance against a wide range of antibiotics. Our investigation paves the way for more research on understanding the functioning of the key discovered genes that contribute toward the pathogenicity of A. mucicolens and hence gives new information and treatment options for this emerging pathogen. IMPORTANCEAchromobacter species are well-known opportunistic human pathogens that can be found in water and soil and most commonly in hospital settings. They thrive in immunocompromised individuals, producing sporadic cases of pneumonia, septicemia, peritonitis, urinary tract infections, and other illnesses. Achromobacter strains are inherently resistant to a wide spectrum of antibiotics, making them difficult to treat promptly. The strain under study, A. mucicolens, was notably resistant to various antibiotics, and the infection could be controlled only after several rounds of prescription medications at different doses. This consumed a lot of time and put the already immunosuppressed leukemic patient through a great ordeal. The study aimed to raise awareness about the importance of the Achromobacter bacterium’s lethality, and doctors should evaluate the bacterium’s potential for resistance before prescribing antibiotics. Sanitation and other precautions should also be implemented in hospitals and other public places.
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Yao D, Chang Y, Wang W, Sun L, Liu J, Zhao H, Zhang W. The Safety of Consuming Water Dropwort Used to Purify Livestock Wastewater Considering Accumulated Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance Genes. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11040428. [PMID: 35453180 PMCID: PMC9031747 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11040428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Research is lacking on the health risks of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in water dropwort grown in livestock wastewater. Our results showed that antibiotics from livestock wastewater were absorbed and bioaccumulated by water dropwort. The concentration of antibiotics was higher in the roots than in the stems and leaves. The health-risk coefficients of antibiotics in water dropwort were below the threshold (<0.1), indicating that in this case study, the consumption of water dropwort used to purify livestock wastewater was safe for humans considering accumulated antibiotics. ARGs were closely correlated between livestock wastewater and water dropwort, with the results showing that all 13 ARGs detected in the livestock wastewater were also found in the water dropwort. Tetracycline resistance genes were more abundant than the other ARGs in both the livestock wastewater and water dropwort. The estimated daily intake of ARGs in water dropwort for humans ranged from 2.06 × 106 to 7.75 × 1012 copies g−1, suggesting the potential risk of intaking ARGs in water dropwort cannot be ignored. Although the safety of consuming water dropwort used to purify livestock wastewater, considering accumulated antibiotics and ARGs, was assessed in this study, more studies should be conducted to ensure we fully understand the health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongrui Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Memorial Sun Yat-Sen), Nanjing 210014, China; (D.Y.); (Y.C.); (W.W.); (L.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Yajun Chang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Memorial Sun Yat-Sen), Nanjing 210014, China; (D.Y.); (Y.C.); (W.W.); (L.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Wei Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Memorial Sun Yat-Sen), Nanjing 210014, China; (D.Y.); (Y.C.); (W.W.); (L.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Linhe Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Memorial Sun Yat-Sen), Nanjing 210014, China; (D.Y.); (Y.C.); (W.W.); (L.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Jixiang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Memorial Sun Yat-Sen), Nanjing 210014, China; (D.Y.); (Y.C.); (W.W.); (L.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Huijun Zhao
- College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
| | - Weiguo Zhang
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-25-2584390581
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Li Y, Gu J, Wang X, Song Z, Hu T, Xie J, Guo H, Ding Q, Xu L, Wei Y, Jiang H. The fate of antibiotic resistance genes and their influential factors in swine manure composting with sepiolite as additive. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 347:126727. [PMID: 35063626 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.126727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Manures are storages for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) entering the environment. This study investigated the effects of adding sepiolite at 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% (CK, T1, T2, and T3, respectively) on the fates of ARGs during composting. The relative abundances (RAs) of the total ARGs in CK and T3 decreased by 0.23 and 0.46 logs, respectively, after composting. The RAs of 10/11 ARGs decreased in CK, whereas they all decreased in T3. The reduction in the RA of the total mobile genetic elements (MGEs) was 1.26 times higher in T3 compared with CK after composting. The bacterial community accounted for 47.93% of the variation in the abundances of ARGs. Network analysis indicated that ARGs and MGEs shared potential host bacteria (PHB), and T3 controlled the transmission of ARGs by reducing the abundances of PHB. Composting with 7.5% sepiolite is an effective strategy for reducing the risk of ARGs proliferating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuexuan Li
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Jie Gu
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Utilization of Agricultural Waste Resources, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
| | - Xiaojuan Wang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Zilin Song
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Ting Hu
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Jun Xie
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Honghong Guo
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Qingling Ding
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Liang Xu
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Yuan Wei
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Haihong Jiang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
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