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Xu Q, Xie M, Yang X, Liu X, Ye L, Chen K, Chan EWC, Chen S. Conjugative transmission of virulence plasmid in Klebsiella pneumoniae mediated by a novel IncN-like plasmid. Microbiol Res 2024; 289:127896. [PMID: 39260133 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is increasingly recognized as a reservoir for a range of antibiotic resistance genes and a pathogen that frequently causes severe infections in both hospital and community settings. In this study, we have identified a novel mechanism of conjugative transfer of a non-conjugative virulence plasmid through the formation of a fusion plasmid between the virulence plasmid and a novel 59,162 bp IncN- plasmid. This plasmid was found to be a multidrug-resistance (MDR) plasmid and carried a T4SS cluster, which greatly facilitated the efficient horizontal transfer of the fusion plasmid between Kp strains. The fused virulence plasmid conferred the resistance of serum killing and macrophage phagocytosis to the transconjugants. Importantly, this plasmid was shown to be essential for Kp virulence in a mouse model. Mechanistic analysis revealed that the virulence factors encoded by this virulence plasmid contributed to resistance to in vivo clearance and induced a high level of proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, which acts as an inducer for more neutrophil recruitment. The transmission of the fusion plasmid in Kp has the potential to convert it into both MDR and hypervirulent Kp, accelerating its evolution, and posing a serious threat to human health. The findings of this study provide new insights into the rapid evolution of MDR and hypervirulent Kp in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Miaomiao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Xuemei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Lianwei Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Kaichao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Edward Wai-Chi Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Sheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Food Biological Safety Control, Food Safety and Technology Research Centre, The Hong Kong PolyU Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, PR China.
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Zhang J, Sun D, Shen H, Pu X, Liu P, Lin B, Yang Q. Dickeya fangzhongdai was prevalent and caused taro soft rot when coexisting with the Pectobacterium complex, with a preference for Araceae plants. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1431047. [PMID: 38983626 PMCID: PMC11231085 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1431047] [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: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial soft rot caused by coinfection with Dickeya spp. and Pectobacterium spp. in hosts can cause successive changes in fields, and it is difficult to prevent the spread of and control the infection. Pectobacterium spp. are prevalent in the growing areas of tuberous crops, including taro and potato. Recently, Dickeya fangzhongdai has emerged as a virulent pathogen in taro. To determine the prevalence status of the causal agents and evaluate the potential spreading risks of D. fangzhongdai, screening and taxonomic classification were performed on phytopathogenic bacteria collected from different taro-growing areas in Guangdong Province, China, and biological and genomic characteristics were further compared among typical strains from all defined species. The causative agents were verified to be phytobacterial strains of D. fangzhongdai, Pectobacterium aroidearum and Pectobacterium colocasium. P. aroidearum and P. colocasium were found to form a complex preferring Araceae plants and show intensive genomic differentiation, indicating their ancestor had adapted to taro a long time prior. Compared with Pectobacterium spp., D. fangzhongdai was more virulent to taro corms under conditions of exogenous infection and more adaptable at elevated temperatures. D. fangzhongdai strains isolated from taro possessed genomic components of additional T4SSs, which were accompanied by additional copies of the hcp-vgrG genes of the T6SS, and these contributed to the expansion of their genomes. More gene clusters encoding secondary metabolites were found within the D. fangzhongdai strains than within the Pectobacterium complex; interestingly, distinct gene clusters encoding zeamine and arylpolyene were both most similar to those in D. solani that caused potato soft rot. These comparisons provided genomic evidences for that the newly emerging pathogen was potentially equipped to compete with other pathogens. Diagnostic qPCR verified that D. fangzhongdai was prevalent in most of the taro-growing areas and coexisted with the Pectobacterium complex, while the plants enriching D. fangzhongdai were frequently symptomatic at developing corms and adjacent pseudostems and caused severe symptoms. Thus, the emerging need for intensive monitoring on D. fangzhongdai to prevent it from spreading to other taro-growing areas and to other tuberous crops like potato; the adjustment of control strategies based on different pathopoiesis characteristics is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxin Zhang
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dayuan Sun
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huifang Shen
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoming Pu
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pingping Liu
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Birun Lin
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiyun Yang
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
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3
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Wangthaisong P, Piromyou P, Songwattana P, Phimphong T, Songsaeng A, Pruksametanan N, Boonchuen P, Wongdee J, Teamtaisong K, Boonkerd N, Sato S, Tittabutr P, Teaumroong N. CopG 1, a Novel Transcriptional Regulator Affecting Symbiosis in Bradyrhizobium sp. SUTN9-2. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:415. [PMID: 38927295 PMCID: PMC11201211 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The symbiotic interaction between leguminous and Bradyrhizobium sp. SUTN9-2 mainly relies on the nodulation process through Nod factors (NFs), while the type IV secretion system (T4SS) acts as an alternative pathway in this symbiosis. Two copies of T4SS (T4SS1 and T4SS2) are located on the chromosome of SUTN9-2. ΔT4SS1 reduces both nodule number and nitrogenase activity in all SUTN9-2 nodulating legumes. The functions of three selected genes (copG1, traG1, and virD21) within the region of T4SS1 were examined. We generated deleted mutants and tested them in Vigna radiata cv. SUT4. ΔtraG1 and ΔvirD21 exhibited lower invasion efficiency at the early stages of root infection but could be recently restored. In contrast, ΔcopG1 completely hindered nodule organogenesis and nitrogenase activity in all tested legumes. ΔcopG1 showed low expression of the nodulation gene and ttsI but exhibited high expression levels of the T4SS genes, traG1 and trbE1. The secreted proteins from ΔT4SS1 were down-regulated compared to the wild-type. Although ΔcopG1 secreted several proteins after flavonoid induction, T3SS (nopP and nopX) and the C4-dicarboxylate transporter (dct) were not detected. These results confirm the crucial role of the copG1 gene as a novel key regulator in the symbiotic relationship between SUTN9-2 and legumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praneet Wangthaisong
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Pongdet Piromyou
- Institute of Research and Development, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Pongpan Songwattana
- Institute of Research and Development, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Tarnee Phimphong
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Apisit Songsaeng
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Natcha Pruksametanan
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Pakpoom Boonchuen
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Jenjira Wongdee
- Institute of Research and Development, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Kamonluck Teamtaisong
- The Center for Scientific and Technological Equipment, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Nantakorn Boonkerd
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Shusei Sato
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Panlada Tittabutr
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Neung Teaumroong
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
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4
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Haudiquet M, Le Bris J, Nucci A, Bonnin RA, Domingo-Calap P, Rocha EPC, Rendueles O. Capsules and their traits shape phage susceptibility and plasmid conjugation efficiency. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2032. [PMID: 38448399 PMCID: PMC10918111 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46147-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial evolution is affected by mobile genetic elements like phages and conjugative plasmids, offering new adaptive traits while incurring fitness costs. Their infection is affected by the bacterial capsule. Yet, its importance has been difficult to quantify because of the high diversity of confounding mechanisms in bacterial genomes such as anti-viral systems and surface receptor modifications. Swapping capsule loci between Klebsiella pneumoniae strains allowed us to quantify their impact on plasmid and phage infection independently of genetic background. Capsule swaps systematically invert phage susceptibility, revealing serotypes as key determinants of phage infection. Capsule types also influence conjugation efficiency in both donor and recipient cells, a mechanism shaped by capsule volume and conjugative pilus structure. Comparative genomics confirmed that more permissive serotypes in the lab correspond to the strains acquiring more conjugative plasmids in nature. The least capsule-sensitive pili (F-like) are the most frequent in the species' plasmids, and are the only ones associated with both antibiotic resistance and virulence factors, driving the convergence between virulence and antibiotics resistance in the population. These results show how traits of cellular envelopes define slow and fast lanes of infection by mobile genetic elements, with implications for population dynamics and horizontal gene transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Haudiquet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France.
- Ecole Doctoral FIRE-Programme Bettencourt, CRI, Paris, France.
| | - Julie Le Bris
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, Ecole Doctorale Complexité du Vivant, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Amandine Nucci
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Rémy A Bonnin
- Team Resist UMR1184 Université Paris Saclay, CEA, Inserm, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
- Service de bactériologie, Hôpital Bicêtre, Université Paris Saclay, AP-HP, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
- Centre National de Référence Associé de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas, Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980, Paterna, Spain
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France.
| | - Olaya Rendueles
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France.
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5
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Oka GU, Souza DP, Sgro GG, Guzzo CR, Dunger G, Farah CS. Xanthomonas immunity proteins protect against the cis-toxic effects of their cognate T4SS effectors. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:1436-1452. [PMID: 38332152 PMCID: PMC10933484 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00060-6] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Many bacteria kill rival species by translocating toxic effectors into target cells. Effectors are often encoded along with cognate immunity proteins that could (i) protect against "friendly-fire" (trans-intoxication) from neighboring sister cells and/or (ii) protect against internal cis-intoxication (suicide). Here, we distinguish between these two mechanisms in the case of the bactericidal Xanthomonas citri Type IV Secretion System (X-T4SS). We use a set of X. citri mutants lacking multiple effector/immunity protein (X-Tfe/X-Tfi) pairs to show that X-Tfis are not absolutely required to protect against trans-intoxication by wild-type cells. Our investigation then focused on the in vivo function of the lysozyme-like effector X-TfeXAC2609 and its cognate immunity protein X-TfiXAC2610. In the absence of X-TfiXAC2610, we observe X-TfeXAC2609-dependent and X-T4SS-independent accumulation of damage in the X. citri cell envelope, cell death, and inhibition of biofilm formation. While immunity proteins in other systems have been shown to protect against attacks by sister cells (trans-intoxication), this is an example of an antibacterial secretion system in which the immunity proteins are dedicated to protecting cells against cis-intoxication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel U Oka
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Structure and Function of Bacterial Nanomachines, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie-CNRS, UMR 5234 Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité University of Bordeaux, Pessac, France
| | - Diorge P Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Division of Cell Biology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Germán G Sgro
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências BioMoleculares, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Cristiane R Guzzo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - German Dunger
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral (ICiAgro Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Esperanza, Argentina
| | - Chuck S Farah
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Zehra M, Heo J, Chung JM, Durie CL. Comparative Analysis of T4SS Molecular Architectures. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 33:1543-1551. [PMID: 37528551 PMCID: PMC10772558 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2307.07006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
The recently published high-resolution R388 T4SS structure provides exciting new details about the complete complex of T4SS, including the components making up the stalk and arches, numerous symmetry mismatches between regions of the complex, and an intriguing interpretation of the closed stalk and radial symmetry of the inner membrane complex, which is related to pilus biogenesis assembly. However, there are a few unidentified densities in the electron microscopy map and portions of the identified component sequences for which the structure is not yet known. It is also unclear how well this minimized DNA-transporting T4SS predicts the structure of other T4SSs, such as expanded systems and those that transport proteins rather than DNA. In this review, we evaluate what can be inferred from the recent high-resolution structure of the R388 T4SS with respect to the Cag and Dot/Icm systems. These systems were selected because, given what is currently known about these systems, we expect them to present most structural differences compared to the R388 T4SS structure. Furthermore, we discuss bacterial physiology and diversity, the T4SS structures and their variations between different bacterial species. These insights may prove beneficial for researchers who elucidate the structure and functions of T4SS in different bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mishghan Zehra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Jiwon Heo
- Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon-si 14662, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Min Chung
- Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon-si 14662, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea
| | - Clarissa L Durie
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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7
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Luo Y, Payne M, Kaur S, Octavia S, Jiang J, Lan R. Emergence and genomic insights of non-pandemic O1 Vibrio cholerae in Zhejiang, China. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0261523. [PMID: 37819129 PMCID: PMC10871787 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02615-23] [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: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE It is well recognized that only Vibrio cholerae O1 causes cholera pandemics. However, not all O1 strains cause pandemic-level disease. In this study, we analyzed non-pandemic O1 V. cholerae isolates from the 1960s to the 1990s from China and found that they fell into three lineages, one of which shared the most recent common ancestor with pandemic O1 strains. Each of these non-pandemic O1 lineages has unique properties that contribute to their capacity to cause cholera. The findings of this study enhanced our understanding of the emergence and evolution of both pandemic and non-pandemic O1 V. cholerae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Luo
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Payne
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sandeep Kaur
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sophie Octavia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jianmin Jiang
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Lab of Vaccine, Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ruiting Lan
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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8
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Wang B, Finazzo M, Artsimovitch I. Machine Learning Suggests That Small Size Helps Broaden Plasmid Host Range. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2044. [PMID: 38002987 PMCID: PMC10670969 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmids mediate gene exchange across taxonomic barriers through conjugation, shaping bacterial evolution for billions of years. While plasmid mobility can be harnessed for genetic engineering and drug-delivery applications, rapid plasmid-mediated spread of resistance genes has rendered most clinical antibiotics useless. To solve this urgent and growing problem, we must understand how plasmids spread across bacterial communities. Here, we applied machine-learning models to identify features that are important for extending the plasmid host range. We assembled an up-to-date dataset of more than thirty thousand bacterial plasmids, separated them into 1125 clusters, and assigned each cluster a distribution possibility score, taking into account the host distribution of each taxonomic rank and the sampling bias of the existing sequencing data. Using this score and an optimized plasmid feature pool, we built a model stack consisting of DecisionTreeRegressor, EvoTreeRegressor, and LGBMRegressor as base models and LinearRegressor as a meta-learner. Our mathematical modeling revealed that sequence brevity is the most important determinant for plasmid spread, followed by P-loop NTPases, mobility factors, and β-lactamases. Ours and other recent results suggest that small plasmids may broaden their range by evading host defenses and using alternative modes of transfer instead of autonomous conjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | | | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology and Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
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9
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Din SRU, Saeed S, Khan SU, Arbi FM, Xuefang G, Zhong M. Bacteria-driven cancer therapy: Exploring advancements and challenges. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 191:104141. [PMID: 37742883 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer, a serious fatal disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of cells, is the biggest challenge flagging around medicine and health fields. Conventionally, various treatments-based strategies such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and alternative cancer therapies possess drugs that cannot reach the cancerous tissues and make them toxic to noncancerous cells. Cancer immunotherapy has made outstanding achievements in reducing the chances of cancer. Our considerable attention towards cancer-directed immune responses and the mechanisms behind which immune cells kill cancer cells have progressively been helpful in the advancement of new therapies. Among them, bacteria-based cancer immunotherapy has achieved much more attention due to smart and robust mechanisms in activating the host anti-tumor response. Moreover, bacterial-based therapy can be utilized as a single monotherapy or in combination with multiple anticancer immunotherapies to accelerate productive clinical results. Herein, we comprehensively reviewed recent advancements, challenges, and future perspectives in developing bacterial-based cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Riaz Ud Din
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Sumbul Saeed
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Shahid Ullah Khan
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Women Medical and Dental College, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, KPK 22020, Pakistan
| | - Fawad Mueen Arbi
- Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur, Punjab 63100, Pakistan
| | - Guo Xuefang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Mintao Zhong
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
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10
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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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11
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Shahbaz A, Mahmood T, Javed MU, Abbasi BH. Current advances in microbial-based cancer therapies. Med Oncol 2023; 40:207. [PMID: 37330997 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02074-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Microbes have an immense metabolic capability and can adapt to a wide variety of environments; as a result, they share complicated relationships with cancer. The goal of microbial-based cancer therapy is to treat patients with cancers that are not easily treatable, by using tumor-specific infectious microorganisms. Nevertheless, a number of difficulties have been encountered as a result of the harmful effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and alternative cancer therapies, such as the toxicity to non-cancerous cells, the inability of medicines to penetrate deep tumor tissue, and the ongoing problem of rising drug resistance in tumor cells. Due to these difficulties, there is now a larger need for designing alternative strategies that are more effective and selective when targeting tumor cells. The fight against cancer has advanced significantly owing to cancer immunotherapy. The researchers have greatly benefited from their understanding of tumor-invading immune cells as well as the immune responses that are specifically targeted against cancer. Application of bacterial and viral cancer therapeutics offers promising potential to be employed as cancer treatments among immunotherapies. As a novel therapeutic strategy, microbial targeting of tumors has been created to address the persisting hurdles of cancer treatment. This review outlines the mechanisms by which both bacteria and viruses target and inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. Their ongoing clinical trials and possible modifications that can be made in the future have also been addressed in the following sections. These microbial-based cancer medicines have the ability to suppress cancer that builds up and multiplies in the tumor microenvironment and triggers antitumor immune responses, in contrast to other cancer medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areej Shahbaz
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology and Endocrinology, University Medicine Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tehreem Mahmood
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Uzair Javed
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Bilal Haider Abbasi
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
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12
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Daveri A, Benigno V, van der Meer JR. Characterization of an atypical but widespread type IV secretion system for transfer of the integrative and conjugative element (ICEclc) in Pseudomonas putida. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:2345-2362. [PMID: 36727472 PMCID: PMC10018362 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugation of DNA relies on multicomponent protein complexes bridging two bacterial cytoplasmic compartments. Whereas plasmid conjugation systems have been well documented, those of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) have remained poorly studied. We characterize here the conjugation system of the ICEclc element in Pseudomonas putida UWC1 that is a model for a widely distributed family of ICEs. By in frame deletion and complementation, we show the importance on ICE transfer of 22 genes in a 20-kb conserved ICE region. Protein comparisons recognized seven homologs to plasmid type IV secretion system components, another six homologs to frequent accessory proteins, and the rest without detectable counterparts. Stationary phase imaging of P. putida ICEclc with in-frame fluorescent protein fusions to predicted type IV components showed transfer-competent cell subpopulations with multiple fluorescent foci, largely overlapping in dual-labeled subcomponents, which is suggestive for multiple conjugation complexes per cell. Cross-dependencies between subcomponents in ICE-type IV secretion system assembly were revealed by quantitative foci image analysis in a variety of ICEclc mutant backgrounds. In conclusion, the ICEclc family presents an evolutionary distinct type IV conjugative system with transfer competent cells specialized in efficient transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Daveri
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Valentina Benigno
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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13
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Traore DAK, Torres VVL, Akhtar N, Gummer AM, Flanigan SF, Coulibaly F, Adams V, Whisstock JC, Rood JI. TcpA from the Clostridiumperfringens plasmid pCW3 is more closely related to the DNA translocase FtsK than to coupling proteins. Structure 2023; 31:455-463.e4. [PMID: 36841236 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
Conjugative DNA transfer is a major factor in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. In the Gram-positive pathogen Clostridium perfringens, the majority of conjugative plasmids share the conserved tcp locus that governs the assembly of the transfer system. Here, we describe multiple structures of the coupling protein TcpA, an essential ATPase that is suggested to provide the mechanical force to propel the DNA through the transfer apparatus. The structures of TcpA in the presence and absence of nucleotides revealed conformational rearrangements and highlight a crucial role for the unstructured C terminus. Our findings reveal that TcpA shares most structural similarity with the FtsK DNA translocase, a central component of the bacterial cell division machinery. Our structural data suggest that conjugation in C. perfringens may have evolved from the bacterial chromosome segregation system and, accordingly, suggest the possibility that double-stranded DNA is transferred through the Tcp conjugation apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daouda A K Traore
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université des Sciences Techniques et Technologiques de Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali; Faculty of Natural Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK; Life Sciences Group, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, France.
| | - Von Vergel L Torres
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Naureen Akhtar
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Alexandra M Gummer
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Sarena F Flanigan
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Fasséli Coulibaly
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Vicki Adams
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - James C Whisstock
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
| | - Julian I Rood
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
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14
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Kamal R, Ching C, Zaman MH, Sultan F, Abbas S, Khan E, Mirza S, Nizamuddin S. Identification of Multiple Variant Extensively Drug-Resistant Typhoid Infections across Pakistan. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2023; 108:278-284. [PMID: 36623485 PMCID: PMC9896340 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi), is a life-threatening bacterial infection. Recently, an outbreak of a new sublineage of extensively drug resistant (XDR) S. Typhi emerged in Pakistan in the province of Sindh. This sublineage had both a composite multidrug resistance transposon integrated on the chromosome and an acquired IncY plasmid carrying the extended spectrum beta-lactamase, blaCTX-M-15, which conferred resistance to third-generation cephalosporins. We observed previously that XDR typhoid had spread beyond the originating southern Sindh Province. Thus, we sought to determine the genetic diversity of 58 ceftriaxone-resistant S. Typhi clinical isolates by whole genome sequencing collected across Pakistan from November 2018 to December 2020 to provide insights into the molecular epidemiology of the evolving outbreak. We identify multiple novel genomic integrations of the extended spectrum beta-lactamase gene into the chromosome in S. Typhi, revealing the existence of various XDR typhoid variants circulating in the country. Notably, the integration of the IncY plasmid bearing antibiotic resistance genes may allow for subsequent plasmid acquisition by these variants, potentially leading to further plasmid-borne multidrug resistance. Our results can inform containment initiatives, help track associated outcomes and international spread, and help determine how widespread the risk is.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashid Kamal
- Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Carly Ching
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Muhammad H. Zaman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Faisal Sultan
- Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Salma Abbas
- Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ezza Khan
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shaper Mirza
- Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Summiya Nizamuddin
- Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan
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15
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McMillan HM, Kuehn MJ. Proteomic Profiling Reveals Distinct Bacterial Extracellular Vesicle Subpopulations with Possibly Unique Functionality. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0168622. [PMID: 36533919 PMCID: PMC9888257 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01686-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are 20- to 200-nm secreted packages of lipids, small molecules, and proteins that contribute to diverse bacterial processes. In plant systems, OMVs from pathogenic and beneficial strains elicit plant immune responses that inhibit seedling growth and protect against future pathogen challenge. Previous studies of OMV-plant interactions suggest functionally important differences in the protein composition of Pseudomonas syringae and Pseudomonas fluorescens OMVs, and that their composition and activity differ as a result of medium culture conditions. Here, we show that plant apoplast-mimicking minimal medium conditions impact OMV protein content dramatically in P. syringae but not in P. fluorescens relative to complete medium conditions. Comparative, 2-way analysis of the four conditions reveals subsets of proteins that may contribute to OMV-mediated bacterial virulence and plant immune activation as well as those involved in bacterial stress tolerance or adaptation to a beneficial relationship with plants. Additional localization enrichment analysis of these subsets suggests the presence of outer-inner membrane vesicles (OIMVs). Collectively, these results reveal distinct differences in bacterial extracellular vesicle cargo and biogenesis routes from pathogenic and beneficial plant bacteria in different medium conditions and point to distinct populations of vesicles with diverse functional roles. IMPORTANCE Recent publications have shown that bacterial vesicles play important roles in interkingdom communication between bacteria and plants. Indeed, our recently published data reveal that bacterial vesicles from pathogenic and beneficial strains elicit immune responses in plants that protect against future pathogen challenge. However, the molecules underlying these striking phenomena remain unknown. Our recent work indicated that proteins packaged in vesicles are critically important for vesicle-mediated seedling growth inhibition, often considered an indirect measure of plant immune activation. In this study, we characterize the protein cargo of vesicles from Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato DC3000 and Pseudomonas fluorescens from two different medium conditions and show that distinct subpopulations of vesicles contribute to bacterial virulence and stress tolerance. Furthermore, we reveal differences in how beneficial and pathogenic bacterial species respond to harsh environmental conditions through vesicle packaging. Importantly, we find that protein cargo implicates outer-inner membrane vesicles in bacterial stress responses, while outer membrane vesicles are packaged for virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M. McMillan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Meta J. Kuehn
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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16
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Couturier A, Virolle C, Goldlust K, Berne-Dedieu A, Reuter A, Nolivos S, Yamaichi Y, Bigot S, Lesterlin C. Real-time visualisation of the intracellular dynamics of conjugative plasmid transfer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:294. [PMID: 36653393 PMCID: PMC9849209 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35978-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugation is a contact-dependent mechanism for the transfer of plasmid DNA between bacterial cells, which contributes to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Here, we use live-cell microscopy to visualise the intracellular dynamics of conjugative transfer of F-plasmid in E. coli, in real time. We show that the transfer of plasmid in single-stranded form (ssDNA) and its subsequent conversion into double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) are fast and efficient processes that occur with specific timing and subcellular localisation. Notably, the ssDNA-to-dsDNA conversion determines the timing of plasmid-encoded protein production. The leading region that first enters the recipient cell carries single-stranded promoters that allow the early and transient synthesis of leading proteins immediately upon entry of the ssDNA plasmid. The subsequent conversion into dsDNA turns off leading gene expression, and activates the expression of other plasmid genes under the control of conventional double-stranded promoters. This molecular strategy allows for the timely production of factors sequentially involved in establishing, maintaining and disseminating the plasmid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Couturier
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Chloé Virolle
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Kelly Goldlust
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Annick Berne-Dedieu
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Reuter
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Sophie Nolivos
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Yoshiharu Yamaichi
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sarah Bigot
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France.
| | - Christian Lesterlin
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007, Lyon, France.
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17
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Blasey N, Rehrmann D, Riebisch AK, Mühlen S. Targeting bacterial pathogenesis by inhibiting virulence-associated Type III and Type IV secretion systems. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 12:1065561. [PMID: 36704108 PMCID: PMC9872159 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1065561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens pose a major health burden. Both respiratory and gastrointestinal infections are commonly associated with these pathogens. With the increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) over the last decades, bacterial infections may soon become the threat they have been before the discovery of antibiotics. Many Gram-negative pathogens encode virulence-associated Type III and Type IV secretion systems, which they use to inject bacterial effector proteins across bacterial and host cell membranes into the host cell cytosol, where they subvert host cell functions in favor of bacterial replication and survival. These secretion systems are essential for the pathogens to cause disease, and secretion system mutants are commonly avirulent in infection models. Hence, these structures present attractive targets for anti-virulence therapies. Here, we review previously and recently identified inhibitors of virulence-associated bacterial secretions systems and discuss their potential as therapeutics.
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18
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Bista PK, Pillai D, Roy C, Scaria J, Narayanan SK. Comparative Genomic Analysis of Fusobacterium necrophorum Provides Insights into Conserved Virulence Genes. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0029722. [PMID: 36219094 PMCID: PMC9769765 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00297-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusobacterium necrophorum is a Gram-negative, filamentous anaerobe prevalent in the mucosal flora of animals and humans. It causes necrotic infections in cattle, resulting in a substantial economic impact on the cattle industry. Although infection severity and management differ within F. necrophorum species, little is known about F. necrophorum speciation and the genetic virulence determinants between strains. To characterize the clinical isolates, we performed whole-genome sequencing of four bovine isolates (8L1, 212, B17, and SM1216) and one human isolate (MK12). To determine the phylogenetic relationship and evolution pattern and investigate the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and potential virulence genes of F. necrophorum, we also performed comparative genomics with publicly available Fusobacterium genomes. Using up-to-date bacterial core gene (UBCG) set analysis, we uncovered distinct Fusobacterium species and F. necrophorum subspecies clades. Pangenome analyses revealed a high level of diversity among Fusobacterium strains down to species levels. The output also identified 14 and 26 genes specific to F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum and F. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme, respectively, which could be essential for bacterial survival under different environmental conditions. ClonalFrameML-based recombination analysis suggested that extensive recombination among accessory genes led to species divergence. Furthermore, the only strain of F. necrophorum with ARGs was F. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme B35, with acquired macrolide and tetracycline resistance genes. Our custom search revealed common virulence genes, including toxins, adhesion proteins, outer membrane proteins, cell envelope, type IV secretion system, ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters, and transporter proteins. A focused study on these genes could help identify major virulence genes and inform effective vaccination strategies against fusobacterial infections. IMPORTANCE Fusobacterium necrophorum is an anaerobic bacterium that causes liver abscesses in cattle with an annual incidence rate of 10% to 20%, resulting in a substantial economic impact on the cattle industry. The lack of definite biochemical tests makes it difficult to distinguish F. necrophorum subspecies phenotypically, where genomic characterization plays a significant role. However, due to the lack of a good reference genome for comparison, F. necrophorum subspecies-level identification represents a significant challenge. To overcome this challenge, we used comparative genomics to validate clinical test strains for subspecies-level identification. The findings of our study help predict specific clades of previously uncharacterized strains of F. necrophorum. Our study identifies both general and subspecies-specific virulence genes through a custom search-based analysis. The virulence genes identified in this study can be the focus of future studies aimed at evaluating their potential as vaccine targets to prevent fusobacterial infections in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabha K. Bista
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Deepti Pillai
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Indiana Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Chayan Roy
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, USA
- Environment Microbial Genomics, Plant and Environmental Microbiology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Joy Scaria
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, USA
| | - Sanjeev K. Narayanan
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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19
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Cryo-EM structure of the Agrobacteriumtumefaciens T-pilus reveals the importance of positive charges in the lumen. Structure 2022; 31:375-384.e4. [PMID: 36513067 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a natural genetic engineer that transfers DNA into plants, which is the most applied process for generation of genetically modified plants. DNA transfer is mediated by a type IV secretion system in the cell envelope and extracellular T-pili. We here report the cryo-electron microscopic structures of the T-pilus at 3.2-Å resolution and of the plasmid pKM101-determined N-pilus at 3-Å resolution. Both pili contain a main pilus protein (VirB2 in A. tumefaciens, TraM in pKM101) and phospholipids arranged in a five-start helical assembly. They contain positively charged amino acids in the lumen, and the lipids are positively charged in the T-pilus (phosphatidylcholine) conferring overall positive charge. Mutagenesis of the lumen-exposed Arg91 in VirB2 results in protein destabilization and loss of pilus formation. Our results reveal that different phospholipids can be incorporated into type IV secretion pili and that the charge of the lumen may be of functional importance.
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20
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McLellan LK, Anderson ME, Grossman AD. TnSmu1 is a functional integrative and conjugative element in Streptococcus mutans that when expressed causes growth arrest of host bacteria. Mol Microbiol 2022; 118:652-669. [PMID: 36268794 PMCID: PMC10098952 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14992] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are major drivers of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. They mediate their own transfer from host cells (donors) to recipients and allow bacteria to acquire new phenotypes, including pathogenic and metabolic capabilities and drug resistances. Streptococcus mutans, a major causative agent of dental caries, contains a putative ICE, TnSmu1, integrated at the 3' end of a leucyl tRNA gene. We found that TnSmu1 is a functional ICE, containing all the genes necessary for ICE function. It excised from the chromosome and excision was stimulated by DNA damage. We identified the DNA junctions generated by excision of TnSmu1, defined the ends of the element, and detected the extrachromosomal circle. We found that TnSmu1 can transfer from S. mutans donors to recipients when co-cultured on solid medium. The presence of TnSmu1 in recipients inhibited successful acquisition of another copy and this inhibition was mediated, at least in part, by the likely transcriptional repressor encoded by the element. Using microscopy to track individual cells, we found that activation of TnSmu1 caused an arrest of cell growth. Our results demonstrate that TnSmu1 is a functional ICE that affects the biology of its host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa K McLellan
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mary E Anderson
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alan D Grossman
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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21
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Ding M, Ye Z, Liu L, Wang W, Chen Q, Zhang F, Wang Y, Sjöling Å, Martín-Rodríguez AJ, Hu R, Chen W, Zhou Y. Subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations promote the horizontal transfer of plasmid-borne resistance genes from Klebsiellae pneumoniae to Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1017092. [PMID: 36419429 PMCID: PMC9678054 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1017092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer plays an important role in the spread of antibiotic resistance, in which plasmid-mediated conjugation transfer is the most important mechanism. While sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MIC) of antibiotics could promote conjugation frequency, the mechanism by which sub-MIC levels of antibiotics affect conjugation frequency is not clear. Here, we used Klebsiella pneumoniae SW1780 carrying the multi-drug resistance plasmid pSW1780-KPC as the donor strain, to investigate the effects of sub-MICs of meropenem (MEM), ciprofloxacin (CIP), cefotaxime (CTX), and amikacin (AK) on conjugational transfer of pSW1780-KPC from SW1780 to Escherichia coli J53. Our results showed that the transfer frequencies increased significantly by treating SW1780 strain with sub-MIC levels of MEM, CIP, CTX and AK. Transfer frequencies at sub-MIC conditions in a Galleria mellonella were significantly higher than in vitro. To investigate gene expression and metabolic effects, RT-qPCR and LC-MS-based metabolome sequencing were performed. Transcript levels of T4SS genes virB1, virB2, virB4, virB8, and conjugation-related genes traB, traK, traE, and traL were significantly upregulated by exposure to sub-MICs of MEM, CIP, CTX, and AK. Metabolome sequencing revealed nine differentially regulated metabolites. Our findings are an early warning for a wide assessment of the roles of sub-MIC levels of antibiotics in the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manlin Ding
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zi Ye
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qiao Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Feiyang Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Åsa Sjöling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Renjing Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Wenbi Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yingshun Zhou
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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22
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Jiang M, Wang P, Liu H, Dai X, Song S, Liu Y. The Effect of Operating Strategies on the Anaerobic Digestion of Gentamicin Mycelial Residues: Insights into the Enhancement of Methane Production and Attenuation of Gentamicin Resistance. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:15130-15140. [PMID: 35984723 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00481] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been widely employed for converting various biowastes into renewable energy. However, AD of gentamicin mycelial residues (GMRs, a byproduct of gentamicin production) is limited by ammonia inhibition and antimicrobial resistance risk. Compared to mesophilic AD (MMAD) of GMRs, this study looked into three semicontinuous AD processes, i.e., codigestion with wheat straw, thermophilic digestion (TAcoD), and AD at shortened retention time (RT). Results showed that a stable and safe AD could be achieved under suitable operating conditions. Co-digestion could effectively mitigate the adverse effect of ammonia inhibition. The methane production increased by 35.86% in TAcoD compared to that in MMAD and 43.99% of hazardous waste was reduced in TAcoD. Concerning the antimicrobial resistance of AD system, gentamicin was degraded efficiently and the degradation process was not involved in the expression of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) related to modifying enzyme. Effective removal of ARGs under three operating strategies was associated with a higher reduction in bacterial abundance of potential hosts. In addition, the changes in the relevant proteins for transformation and conjugation as predicted by PICRUSt suggested that thermophilic condition and shorter RT were conducive to the reduction of the dissemination risks of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingye Jiang
- School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Peng Wang
- School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Huiling Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaohu Dai
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Siqi Song
- School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141, Singapore
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
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23
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Comparative Pathogenomic Analysis of Two Banana Pathogenic Dickeya Strains Isolated from China and the Philippines. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232112758. [DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Dickeya is a major and typical member of soft rot Pectobacteriaceae (SRP) with a wide range of plant hosts worldwide. Previous studies have identified D. zeae as the causal agent of banana soft rot disease in China. In 2017, we obtained banana soft rot pathogen strain FZ06 from the Philippines. Genome sequencing and analysis indicated that FZ06 can be classified as D. dadantii and represents a novel subspecies of D. dadantii, which we propose to name as subsp. paradisiaca. Compared with Chinese banana soft rot pathogenic strain D. zeae MS2, strain FZ06 has a similar host range but different virulence; FZ06 is significantly less virulent to banana and potato but more virulent to Chinese cabbage and onion. Characterization of virulence factors revealed obviously less production of pectate lyases (Pels), polygalacturonases (Pehs), proteases (Prts), and extrapolysaccharides (EPSs), as well as lower swimming and swarming motility and biofilm formation in strain FZ06. Genomic comparison of the two strains revealed five extra gene clusters in FZ06, including one Stt-type T2SS, three T4SSs, and one T4P. Expression of cell wall degrading enzyme (CWDE)-encoding genes is significantly lower in FZ06 than in MS2.
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24
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Tarrahimofrad H, Zamani J, Hamblin MR, Darvish M, Mirzaei H. A designed peptide-based vaccine to combat Brucella melitensis, B. suis and B. abortus: Harnessing an epitope mapping and immunoinformatics approach. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 155:113557. [PMID: 36115112 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccines against Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis have been based on weakened or killed bacteria, however there is no recombinant vaccine for disease prevention or therapy. This study attempted to predict IFN-γ epitopes, T cell cytotoxicity, and T lymphocytes in order to produce a multiepitope vaccine based on BtpA, Omp16, Omp28, virB10, Omp25, and Omp31 antigens against B. melitensis, B. abortus, and B. suis. AAY, GPGPG, and EAAAK peptides were used as epitope linkers, while the PADRE sequence was used as a Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4 agonist. The final construct included 389 amino acids, and was a soluble protein with a molecular weight of 41.3 kDa, and nonallergenic and antigenic properties. Based on molecular docking studies, molecular dynamics simulations such as Gyration, RMSF, and RMSD, as well as tertiary structure validation methods, the modeled protein had a stable structure capable of interacting with TLR2/4. As a result, this novel vaccine may stimulate immune responses in B and T cells, and could prevent infection by B. suis, B. abortus, and B. melitensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Tarrahimofrad
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Zamani
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa
| | - Maryam Darvish
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
| | - Hamed Mirzaei
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
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25
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Gokulan K, Khare S, Foley SL. Structural analysis of VirD4 a type IV ATPase encoded by transmissible plasmids of Salmonella enterica isolated from poultry products. Front Artif Intell 2022; 5:952997. [PMID: 36177367 PMCID: PMC9513038 DOI: 10.3389/frai.2022.952997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial species have evolved with a wide variety of cellular devices, and they employ these devices for communication and transfer of genetic materials and toxins. They are classified into secretory system types I to VI based on their structure, composition, and functional activity. Specifically, the bacterial type IV secretory system (T4SS) is a more versatile system than the other secretory systems because it is involved in the transfer of genetic materials, proteins, and toxins to the host cells or other bacterial species. The T4SS machinery is made up of several proteins with distinct functions and forms a complex which spans the inner and outer membranes. This secretory machinery contains three ATPases that are the driving force for the functionality of this apparatus. At the initial stage of the secretion process, the selection of substrate molecules and processing occurs at the cytoplasmic region (also known as relaxosome), and then transfer mechanisms occur through the secretion complex. In this process, the VirD4 ATPase is the first molecule that initiates substrate selection, which is subsequently delivered to the secretory machinery. In the protein data bank (PDB), no structural information is available for the VirD4 ATPase to understand the functional property. In this manuscript, we have modeled VirD4 structure in the Gram-negative bacterium Salmonella enterica and described the predicted functional importance. The sequence alignment shows that VirD4 of S. enterica contains several insertion regions as compared with the template structure (pdb:1E9R) used for homology modeling. In this study, we hypothesized that the insertion regions could play a role in the flexible movement of the hexameric unit during the relaxosome processing or transfer of the substrate.
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26
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Abstract
Bacterial type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) are a versatile group of nanomachines that can horizontally transfer DNA through conjugation and deliver effector proteins into a wide range of target cells. The components of T4SSs in gram-negative bacteria are organized into several large subassemblies: an inner membrane complex, an outer membrane core complex, and, in some species, an extracellular pilus. Cryo-electron tomography has been used to define the structures of T4SSs in intact bacteria, and high-resolution structural models are now available for isolated core complexes from conjugation systems, the Xanthomonas citri T4SS, the Helicobacter pylori Cag T4SS, and the Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm T4SS. In this review, we compare the molecular architectures of these T4SSs, focusing especially on the structures of core complexes. We discuss structural features that are shared by multiple T4SSs as well as evolutionary strategies used for T4SS diversification. Finally, we discuss how structural variations among T4SSs may confer specialized functional properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Sheedlo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Melanie D. Ohi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - D. Borden Lacy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Timothy L. Cover
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
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27
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Damas MSF, Ferreira RL, Campanini EB, Soares GG, Campos LC, Laprega PM, Soares da Costa A, Freire CCDM, Pitondo-Silva A, Cerdeira LT, da Cunha AF, Pranchevicius MCDS. Whole genome sequencing of the multidrug-resistant Chryseobacterium indologenes isolated from a patient in Brazil. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:931379. [PMID: 35966843 PMCID: PMC9366087 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.931379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Chryseobacterium indologenes is a non-glucose-fermenting Gram-negative bacillus. This emerging multidrug resistant opportunistic nosocomial pathogen can cause severe infections in neonates and immunocompromised patients. This study aimed to present the first detailed draft genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant C. indologenes strain isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of an infant hospitalized at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Brazilian Tertiary Hospital. We first analyzed the susceptibility of C. indologenes strain to different antibiotics using the VITEK 2 system. The strain demonstrated an outstanding resistance to all the antibiotic classes tested, including β-lactams, aminoglycosides, glycylcycline, and polymyxin. Next, C. indologenes was whole-genome-sequenced, annotated using Prokka and Rapid Annotation using Subsystems Technology (RAST), and screened for orthologous groups (EggNOG), gene ontology (GO), resistance genes, virulence genes, and mobile genetic elements using different software tools. The draft genome contained one circular chromosome of 4,836,765 bp with 37.32% GC content. The genomic features of the chromosome present numerous genes related to cellular processes that are essential to bacteria. The MDR C. indologenes revealed the presence of genes that corresponded to the resistance phenotypes, including genes to β-lactamases (blaIND–13, blaCIA–3, blaTEM–116, blaOXA–209, blaVEB–15), quinolone (mcbG), tigecycline (tet(X6)), and genes encoding efflux pumps which confer resistance to aminoglycosides (RanA/RanB), and colistin (HlyD/TolC). Amino acid substitutions related to quinolone resistance were observed in GyrA (S83Y) and GyrB (L425I and K473R). A mutation that may play a role in the development of colistin resistance was detected in lpxA (G68D). Chryseobacterium indologenes isolate harbored 19 virulence factors, most of which were involved in infection pathways. We identified 13 Genomic Islands (GIs) and some elements associated with one integrative and conjugative element (ICEs). Other elements linked to mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as insertion sequence (ISEIsp1), transposon (Tn5393), and integron (In31), were also present in the C. indologenes genome. Although plasmids were not detected, a ColRNAI replicon type and the most resistance genes detected in singletons were identified in unaligned scaffolds. We provided a wide range of information toward the understanding of the genomic diversity of C. indologenes, which can contribute to controlling the evolution and dissemination of this pathogen in healthcare settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roumayne Lopes Ferreira
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Emeline Boni Campanini
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Pedro Mendes Laprega
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Andrea Soares da Costa
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | | | - André Pitondo-Silva
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Odontologia e Tecnologia Ambiental, Universidade de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Maria-Cristina da Silva Pranchevicius
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
- Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Biodiversidade Tropical - BIOTROP, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Maria-Cristina da Silva Pranchevicius,
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28
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Thapa G, Jayal A, Sikazwe E, Perry T, Mohammed Al Balushi A, Livingstone P. A genome-led study on the pathogenesis of Fusobacterium necrophorum infections. Gene 2022; 840:146770. [PMID: 35905848 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Fusobacterium necrophorum causes a range of mild to life threatening infections and there is uncertainty in terms of diagnosis and treatment due to the lack of knowledge on their pathogenic mechanisms. This study characterised genomes of F. necrophorum to compare their virulence factors and investigate potential infection markers. 27 isolates of F. necrophorum from patients with pharyngotonsillitis were subjected to whole genome sequencing and compared with 42 genomes published in the NCBI database. Phylogenomics, pangemome, pan-GWAS and virulome were analysed to study strain variations with reference to virulence factors. Core genome based phylogenomic tree exhibited three clades of which Clade A belonged to F. necrophorum subsp necrophorum, clades B and C were F. necrophorum subsp funduliforme. Pan-GWAS and Pan-Virulome suggest some marker genes associated with clinical sources of isolation that needs further validation. Our study highlights some interesting features of the pathogenesis of F. necrophorum infections. Although the animal isolate genomes had some marker genes, the genomes of human isolates did not exhibit clear correlation to their clinical sources of isolation. This prompts to think of other mechanisms such as co-infections or host factors that can be involved in the pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Thapa
- Public Health Wales Microbiology Aberystwyth, Bronglais General Hospital, Aberystwyth
| | - Ambikesh Jayal
- School of Information Systems and Technology, University of Canberra, Australia
| | - Elvis Sikazwe
- School of Sports and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Perry
- School of Sports and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Mohammed Al Balushi
- School of Sports and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Livingstone
- School of Sports and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
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29
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Wu Y, Xiang L, Wang H, Ma L, Qiu X, Liu D, Feng L, Lu X. Transcriptome analysis of an arsenite-/antimonite-oxidizer, Bosea sp. AS-1 reveals the importance of the type 4 secretion system in antimony resistance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:154168. [PMID: 35231521 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154168] [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: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bosea sp. AS-1 is an arsenite [As(III)] and antimonite [Sb(III)] oxidizer previously isolated by our group from the Xikuangshan Antimony (Sb) Mine area. Our previous study showed that Bosea sp. AS-1 had a preference for oxidizing As(III) or Sb(III) with different carbon sources, which suggested that different metabolic mechanisms may be utilized by the bacteria to survive in As(III)- or Sb(III)-contaminated environments. Here, we conducted whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing to reveal the molecular mechanisms utilized by Bosea sp. AS-1 to resist As(III) or Sb(III). We discovered that AS-1 acquired various As- and Sb-resistant genes in its genome and might resist As(III) or Sb(III) through the regulation of multiple pathways, such as As and Sb metabolism, the bacterial secretion system, oxidative phosphorylation, the TCA cycle and bacterial flagellar motility. Interestingly, we discovered that genes of the type IV secretion system (T4SS) were activated in response to Sb(III), and inhibiting T4SS activity in AS-1 dramatically reduced its oxidation efficiency and tolerance to Sb(III). To our knowledge, this is the first study showing the activation of T4SS genes by Sb and a direct involvement of T4SS in bacterial Sb resistance. Our findings establish the T4SS as an important Sb resistance factor in bacteria and may help us understand the spread of Sb resistance genes in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Wu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Li Xiang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Hongmei Wang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China; State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of China (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Liyuan Ma
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xuan Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of China (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Deng Liu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Liang Feng
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xiaolu Lu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China.
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30
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Montelongo Hernandez C, Putonti C, Wolfe AJ. Profiling the plasmid conjugation potential of urinary Escherichia coli. Microb Genom 2022; 8:mgen000814. [PMID: 35536743 PMCID: PMC9465074 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli is often associated with urinary tract infection (UTI). Antibiotic resistance in E. coli is an ongoing challenge in managing UTI. Extrachromosomal elements - plasmids - are vectors for clinically relevant traits, such as antibiotic resistance, with conjugation being one of the main methods for horizontal propagation of plasmids in bacterial populations. Targeting of conjugation components has been proposed as a strategy to curb the spread of plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance. Understanding the types of conjugative systems present in urinary E. coli isolates is fundamental to assessing the viability of this strategy. In this study, we profile two well-studied conjugation systems (F-type and P-type) in the draft genomes of 65 urinary isolates of E. coli obtained from the bladder urine of adult women with and without UTI-like symptoms. Most of these isolates contained plasmids and we found that conjugation genes were abundant/ubiquitous, diverse and often associated with IncF plasmids. To validate conjugation of these urinary plasmids, the plasmids from two urinary isolates, UMB1223 (predicted to have F-type genes) and UMB1284 (predicted to have P-type genes), were transferred by conjugation into the K-12 E. coli strain MG1655. Overall, the findings of this study support the notion that care should be taken in targeting any individual component of a urinary E. coli isolate's conjugation system, given the inherent mechanistic redundancy, gene diversity and different types of conjugation systems in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Montelongo Hernandez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Catherine Putonti
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Alan J. Wolfe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
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31
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Genomic and Functional Dissections of Dickeya zeae Shed Light on the Role of Type III Secretion System and Cell Wall-Degrading Enzymes to Host Range and Virulence. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0159021. [PMID: 35107329 PMCID: PMC8809351 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01590-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Dickeya zeae is a worldwide destructive pathogen that causes soft rot diseases on various hosts such as rice, maize, banana, and potato. The strain JZL7 we recently isolated from clivia represents the first monocot-specific D. zeae and also has reduced pathogenicity compared to that of other D. zeae strains (e.g., EC1 and MS2). To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying its more restricted host range and weakened pathogenicity, we sequenced the complete genome of JZL7 and performed comparative genomic and functional analyses of JZL7 and other D. zeae strains. We found that, while having the largest genome among D. zeae strains, JZL7 lost almost the entire type III secretion system (T3SS), which is a key component of the virulence suite of many bacterial pathogens. Importantly, the deletion of T3SS in MS2 substantially diminished the expression of most type III secreted effectors (T3SEs) and MS2's pathogenicity on both dicots and monocots. Moreover, although JZL7 and MS2 share almost the same repertoire of cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs), we found broad reduction in the production of CWDEs and expression levels of CWDE genes in JZL7. The lower expression of CWDEs, pectin lyases in particular, would probably make it difficult for JZL7 to break down the cell wall of dicots, which is rich in pectin. Together, our results suggest that the loss of T3SS and reduced CWDE activity together might have contributed to the host specificity and virulence of JZL7. Our findings also shed light on the pathogenic mechanism of Dickeya and other soft rot Pectobacteriaceae species in general. IMPORTANCE Dickeya zeae is an important, aggressive bacterial phytopathogen that can cause severe diseases in many crops and ornamental plants, thus leading to substantial economic losses. Strains from different sources showed significant diversity in their natural hosts, suggesting complicated evolution history and pathogenic mechanisms. However, molecular mechanisms that cause the differences in the host range of D. zeae strains remain poorly understood. This study carried out genomic and functional dissections of JZL7, a D. zeae strain with restricted host range, and revealed type III secretion system (T3SS) and cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs) as two major factors contributing to the host range and virulence of D. zeae, which will provide a valuable reference for the exploration of pathogenic mechanisms in other bacteria and present new insights for the control of bacterial soft rot diseases on crops.
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32
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Abstract
Naturally occurring plasmids come in different sizes. The smallest are less than a kilobase of DNA, while the largest can be over three orders of magnitude larger. Historically, research has tended to focus on smaller plasmids that are usually easier to isolate, manipulate and sequence, but with improved genome assemblies made possible by long-read sequencing, there is increased appreciation that very large plasmids—known as megaplasmids—are widespread, diverse, complex, and often encode key traits in the biology of their host microorganisms. Why are megaplasmids so big? What other features come with large plasmid size that could affect bacterial ecology and evolution? Are megaplasmids 'just' big plasmids, or do they have distinct characteristics? In this perspective, we reflect on the distribution, diversity, biology, and gene content of megaplasmids, providing an overview to these large, yet often overlooked, mobile genetic elements. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements’.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P J Hall
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - João Botelho
- Antibiotic Resistance Evolution Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, Zoological Institute, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Adrian Cazares
- EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK.,Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - David A Baltrus
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Xiong X, Li B, Zhou Z, Gu G, Li M, Liu J, Jiao H. The VirB System Plays a Crucial Role in Brucella Intracellular Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413637. [PMID: 34948430 PMCID: PMC8707931 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a highly prevalent zoonotic disease caused by Brucella. Brucella spp. are gram-negative facultative intracellular parasitic bacteria. Its intracellular survival and replication depend on a functional virB system, an operon encoded by VirB1–VirB12. Type IV secretion system (T4SS) encoded by the virB operon is an important virulence factor of Brucella. It can subvert cellular pathway and induce host immune response by secreting effectors, which promotes Brucella replication in host cells and induce persistent infection. Therefore, this paper summarizes the function and significance of the VirB system, focusing on the structure of the VirB system where VirB T4SS mediates biogenesis of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived replicative Brucella-containing vacuole (rBCV), the effectors of T4SS and the cellular pathways it subverts, which will help better understand the pathogenic mechanism of Brucella and provide new ideas for clinical vaccine research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Xiong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Bowen Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Zhixiong Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Guojing Gu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Mengjuan Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Jun Liu
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yujinxiang Street 573, Changchun 130122, China
- Correspondence: (J.L.); (H.J.)
| | - Hanwei Jiao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China
- Veterinary Scientific Engineering Research Center, Chongqing 402460, China
- Immunology Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China
- Correspondence: (J.L.); (H.J.)
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Gupta KH, Nowicki C, Giurini EF, Marzo AL, Zloza A. Bacterial-Based Cancer Therapy (BBCT): Recent Advances, Current Challenges, and Future Prospects for Cancer Immunotherapy. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9121497. [PMID: 34960243 PMCID: PMC8707929 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9121497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently approximately 10 million people die each year due to cancer, and cancer is the cause of every sixth death worldwide. Tremendous efforts and progress have been made towards finding a cure for cancer. However, numerous challenges have been faced due to adverse effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and alternative cancer therapies, including toxicity to non-cancerous cells, the inability of drugs to reach deep tumor tissue, and the persistent problem of increasing drug resistance in tumor cells. These challenges have increased the demand for the development of alternative approaches with greater selectivity and effectiveness against tumor cells. Cancer immunotherapy has made significant advancements towards eliminating cancer. Our understanding of cancer-directed immune responses and the mechanisms through which immune cells invade tumors have extensively helped us in the development of new therapies. Among immunotherapies, the application of bacteria and bacterial-based products has promising potential to be used as treatments that combat cancer. Bacterial targeting of tumors has been developed as a unique therapeutic option that meets the ongoing challenges of cancer treatment. In comparison with other cancer therapeutics, bacterial-based therapies have capabilities for suppressing cancer. Bacteria are known to accumulate and proliferate in the tumor microenvironment and initiate antitumor immune responses. We are currently well-informed regarding various methods by which bacteria can be manipulated by simple genetic engineering or synthetic bioengineering to induce the production of anti-cancer drugs. Further, bacterial-based cancer therapy (BBCT) can be either used as a monotherapy or in combination with other anticancer therapies for better clinical outcomes. Here, we review recent advances, current challenges, and prospects of bacteria and bacterial products in the development of BBCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kajal H. Gupta
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.H.G.); (C.N.); (E.F.G.); (A.L.M.)
- Division of Translational and Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Christina Nowicki
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.H.G.); (C.N.); (E.F.G.); (A.L.M.)
- Division of Translational and Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Eileena F. Giurini
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.H.G.); (C.N.); (E.F.G.); (A.L.M.)
- Division of Translational and Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Amanda L. Marzo
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.H.G.); (C.N.); (E.F.G.); (A.L.M.)
- Division of Translational and Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Andrew Zloza
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.H.G.); (C.N.); (E.F.G.); (A.L.M.)
- Division of Translational and Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Correspondence:
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Interactions of the Intracellular Bacterium Cardinium with Its Host, the House Dust Mite Dermatophagoides farinae, Based on Gene Expression Data. mSystems 2021; 6:e0091621. [PMID: 34726490 PMCID: PMC8562489 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00916-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dermatophagoides farinae is inhabited by an intracellular bacterium, Cardinium. Using correlations between host and symbiont gene expression profiles, we identified several important molecular pathways that potentially regulate/facilitate their interactions. The expression of Cardinium genes collectively explained 95% of the variation in the expression of mite genes assigned to pathways for phagocytosis, apoptosis, the MAPK signaling cascade, endocytosis, the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) pathway, the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) pathway, lysozyme, and the Toll/Imd pathway. In addition, expression of mite genes explained 76% of the variability in Cardinium gene expression. In particular, the expression of the Cardinium genes encoding the signaling molecules BamD, LepA, SymE, and VirD4 was either positively or negatively correlated with the expression levels of mite genes involved in endocytosis, phagocytosis, and apoptosis. We also found that Cardinium possesses a complete biosynthetic pathway for lipoic acid and may provide lipoate, but not biotin, to mites. Cardinium gene expression collectively explained 84% of the variation in expression related to several core mite metabolic pathways, and, most notably, a negative correlation was observed between bacterial gene expression and expression of mite genes assigned to the glycolysis and citric acid cycle pathways. Furthermore, we showed that Cardinium gene expression is correlated with expression levels of genes associated with terpenoid backbone biosynthesis. This pathway is important for the synthesis of pheromones, thus providing an opportunity for Cardinium to influence mite reproductive behavior to facilitate transmission of the bacterium. Overall, our study provided correlational gene expression data that can be useful for future research on mite-Cardinium interactions. IMPORTANCE The molecular mechanisms of mite-symbiont interactions and their impacts on human health are largely unknown. Astigmatid mites, such as house dust and stored-product mites, are among the most significant allergen sources worldwide. Although mites themselves are the main allergen sources, recent studies have indicated that mite-associated microbiomes may have implications for allergen production and human health. The major medically important house dust mite, D. farinae, is known to harbor a highly abundant intracellular bacterium belonging to the genus Cardinium. Expression analysis of the mite and symbiont genes can identify key mite molecular pathways that facilitate interactions with this endosymbiont and possibly shed light on how this bacterium affects mite allergen production and physiology in general.
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Saadat M, Gandomkar M, Bahreinipour A, Bandehpour M, Kazemi B, Mosaffa N. Evaluation of the designed multi-epitope protein of Brucella melitensis in guinea pigs. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES 2021; 24:833-841. [PMID: 34630961 PMCID: PMC8487608 DOI: 10.22038/ijbms.2021.54667.12267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Objectives One of the causes of human and animal zoonotic infections is Brucella melitensis, which is transmitted to humans through dairy products. It seems for prevention of human infection we might protect the livestock by an efficient protein as a vaccine candidate. For this purpose, the use of immunogenic proteins of bacteria is able to create immunity the same as the traditional vaccines. Materials and Methods In this study, by finding the immunogenic antigens of this bacterium by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF methods and also the proteins reported in other studies, we found the epitopes of the bacterial antigenic determinants in silico. Nineteen peptides of T and B epitopes were selected. They were ligated with linkers and after gene synthesis, the designed polypeptide was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. The purified recombinant MEL protein mixed with chitin was injected subcutaneously into three 300 g male guinea pigs three times. Also, PBS control and Rev.1 commercial vaccine groups were considered. Results The results show that MEL polypeptide is equal to the Rev.1 vaccine in stimulating secretion of IFNγ and IL2 and specific IgG. High levels of IL-2 emphasize the activation of the cellular immunity, and in particular comparison of PI in guinea pig's spleen cells treated with recombinant MEL protein on days 0 and 5 show that it has significant proliferation compared with PBS unstimulated cells. Conclusion This recombinant protein could be a subunit protein with sufficient efficiency in stimulating the humoral and cellular-mediated immune system against B. melitansis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Saadat
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Gandomkar
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mojgan Bandehpour
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahram Kazemi
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nariman Mosaffa
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Ozma MA, Khodadadi E, Rezaee MA, Asgharzadeh M, Aghazadeh M, Zeinalzadeh E, Ganbarov K, Kafil H. Bacterial proteomics and its application for pathogenesis studies. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2021; 23:1245-1256. [PMID: 34503411 DOI: 10.2174/1389201022666210908153234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria build their structures by implementing several macromolecules such as proteins, polysaccharides, phospholipids, and nucleic acids, which leads to preserve their lives and play an essential role in their pathogenesis. There are two genomic and proteomic methods to study various macromolecules of bacteria, which are complementary methods and provide comprehensive information. Proteomic approaches are used to identify proteins and their cell applications. Furthermore, to study bacterial proteins, macromolecules are involved in the bacteria's structures and functions. These protein-based methods provide comprehensive information about the cells, such as the external structures, internal compositions, post-translational modifications, and mechanisms of particular actions such as biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, and adaptation to the environment, which are helpful in promoting bacterial pathogenesis. These methods use various devices such as MALDI-TOF MS, LC-MS, and two-dimensional electrophoresis, which are valuable tools for studying different structural and functional proteins of the bacteria and their mechanisms of pathogenesis that causes rapid, easy, and accurate diagnosis of the infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Asghari Ozma
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz. Iran
| | - Ehsaneh Khodadadi
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz. Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Asgharzadeh
- Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz. Iran
| | - Mohammad Aghazadeh
- Microbiome and Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz. Iran
| | - Elham Zeinalzadeh
- Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz. Iran
| | | | - Hossein Kafil
- Drug Applied Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166614711. Iran
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Aharon E, Mookherjee A, Pérez-Montaño F, Mateus da Silva G, Sathyamoorthy R, Burdman S, Jurkevitch E. Secretion systems play a critical role in resistance to predation by Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus. Res Microbiol 2021; 172:103878. [PMID: 34492337 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2021.103878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, a Gram-negative predatory bacterium belonging to the Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs), predate on Gram-negative bacteria. BALO strains differ in prey range but so far, the genetic basis of resistance against BALO predation is hardly understood. We developed a loss-of-function approach to screen for sensitive mutants in a library of strain M6, a predation-resistant strain of the plant pathogen Acidovorax citrulli. The screen is based on tracking the growth of a B. bacteriovorus strain expressing the fluorescent reporter Tdtomato in mutant pools to reveal predation-sensitive variants. Two independent loci were identified in mutant strains exhibiting significant levels of susceptibility to the predator. Genes in the two loci were analysed using both protein sequence homology and protein structure modeling. Both were secretion-related proteins and thus associated to the bacterial cell wall. Successful complementation of gspK, a gene encoding for a minor pseudopilin protein confirmed the involvement of the type II secretion system in A. citrulli M6 resistance. This proof of concept study shows that our approach can identify key elements of the BALO-prey interaction, and it validates the hypothesis that mutational changes in a single gene can drastically impact prey resistance to BALO predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einav Aharon
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Abhirup Mookherjee
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Francisco Pérez-Montaño
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Microbiology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
| | - Gustavo Mateus da Silva
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Rajesh Sathyamoorthy
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Saul Burdman
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Edouard Jurkevitch
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
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Boluk G, Arizala D, Dobhal S, Zhang J, Hu J, Alvarez AM, Arif M. Genomic and Phenotypic Biology of Novel Strains of Dickeya zeae Isolated From Pineapple and Taro in Hawaii: Insights Into Genome Plasticity, Pathogenicity, and Virulence Determinants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:663851. [PMID: 34456933 PMCID: PMC8386352 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.663851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Dickeya zeae, a bacterial plant pathogen of the family Pectobacteriaceae, is responsible for a wide range of diseases on potato, maize, rice, banana, pineapple, taro, and ornamentals and significantly reduces crop production. D. zeae causes the soft rot of taro (Colocasia esculenta) and the heart rot of pineapple (Ananas comosus). In this study, we used Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing to sequence two high-quality complete genomes of novel strains of D. zeae: PL65 (size: 4.74997 MB; depth: 701x; GC: 53.6%) and A5410 (size: 4.7792 MB; depth: 558x; GC: 53.5%) isolated from economically important Hawaiian crops, taro, and pineapple, respectively. Additional complete genomes of D. zeae representing three additional hosts (philodendron, rice, and banana) and other species used for a taxonomic comparison were retrieved from the NCBI GenBank genome database. Genomic analyses indicated the truncated type III and IV secretion systems (T3SS and T4SS) in the taro strain, which only harbored one and two genes of T3SS and T4SS, respectively, and showed high heterogeneity in the type VI secretion system (T6SS). Unlike strain EC1, which was isolated from rice and recently reclassified as D. oryzae, neither the genome PL65 nor A5410 harbors the zeamine biosynthesis gene cluster, which plays a key role in virulence of other Dickeya species. The percentages of average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) between the two genomes were 94.47 and 57.00, respectively. In this study, we compared the major virulence factors [plant cell wall-degrading extracellular enzymes and protease (Prt)] produced by D. zeae strains and evaluated the virulence on taro corms and pineapple leaves. Both strains produced Prts, pectate lyases (Pels), and cellulases but no significant quantitative differences were observed (p > 0.05) between the strains. All the strains produced symptoms on taro corms and pineapple leaves, but the strain PL65 produced symptoms more rapidly than others. Our study highlights the genetic constituents of pathogenicity determinants and genomic heterogeneity that will help to understand the virulence mechanisms and aggressiveness of this plant pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gamze Boluk
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Dario Arizala
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Shefali Dobhal
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Jingxin Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - John Hu
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Anne M. Alvarez
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Mohammad Arif
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
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Kotov V, Lunelli M, Wald J, Kolbe M, Marlovits TC. Helical reconstruction of Salmonella and Shigella needle filaments attached to type 3 basal bodies. Biochem Biophys Rep 2021; 27:101039. [PMID: 34258394 PMCID: PMC8254080 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2021.101039] [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: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative pathogens evolved a syringe-like nanomachine, termed type 3 secretion system, to deliver protein effectors into the cytoplasm of host cells. An essential component of this system is a long helical needle filament that protrudes from the bacterial surface and connects the cytoplasms of the bacterium and the eukaryotic cell. Previous structural research was predominantly focused on reconstituted type 3 needle filaments, which lacked the biological context. In this work we introduce a facile procedure to obtain high-resolution cryo-EM structure of needle filaments attached to the basal body of type 3 secretion systems. We validate our approach by solving the structure of Salmonella PrgI filament and demonstrate its utility by obtaining the first high-resolution cryo-EM reconstruction of Shigella MxiH filament. Our work paves the way to systematic structural characterization of attached type 3 needle filaments in the context of mutagenesis studies, protein structural evolution and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim Kotov
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michele Lunelli
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Structural Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jiri Wald
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Kolbe
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Structural Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, University of Hamburg, Rothenbaumchaussee 19, 20148 Hamburg, Germany
- Corresponding author. Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Thomas C. Marlovits
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Corresponding author. Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
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Abstract
Infection with obligatory intracellular bacteria is difficult to treat, as intracellular targets and delivery methods of therapeutics are not well known. Ehrlichia translocated factor-1 (Etf-1), a type IV secretion system (T4SS) effector, is a primary virulence factor for an obligatory intracellular bacterium, Ehrlichia chaffeensis In this study, we developed Etf-1-specific nanobodies (Nbs) by immunizing a llama to determine if intracellular Nbs block Etf-1 functions and Ehrlichia infection. Of 24 distinct anti-Etf-1 Nbs, NbD7 blocked mitochondrial localization of Etf-1-GFP in cotransfected cells. NbD7 and control Nb (NbD3) bound to different regions of Etf-1. Size-exclusion chromatography showed that the NbD7 and Etf-1 complex was more stable than the NbD3 and Etf-1 complex. Intracellular expression of NbD7 inhibited three activities of Etf-1 and E. chaffeensis: up-regulation of mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase, reduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species, and inhibition of cellular apoptosis. Consequently, intracellular NbD7 inhibited Ehrlichia infection, whereas NbD3 did not. To safely and effectively deliver Nbs into the host cell cytoplasm, NbD7 was conjugated to cyclized cell-permeable peptide 12 (CPP12-NbD7). CPP12-NbD7 effectively entered mammalian cells and abrogated the blockade of cellular apoptosis caused by E. chaffeensis and inhibited infection by E. chaffeensis in cell culture and in a severe combined-immunodeficiency mouse model. Our results demonstrate the development of an Nb that interferes with T4SS effector functions and intracellular pathogen infection, along with an intracellular delivery method for this Nb. This strategy should overcome current barriers to advance mechanistic research and develop therapies complementary or alternative to the current broad-spectrum antibiotic.
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Patterson LL, Byerly CD, McBride JW. Anaplasmataceae: Dichotomous Autophagic Interplay for Infection. Front Immunol 2021; 12:642771. [PMID: 33912170 PMCID: PMC8075259 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.642771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a vital conserved degradative process that maintains cellular homeostasis by recycling or eliminating dysfunctional cellular organelles and proteins. More recently, autophagy has become a well-recognized host defense mechanism against intracellular pathogens through a process known as xenophagy. On the host-microbe battlefield many intracellular bacterial pathogens have developed the ability to subvert xenophagy to establish infection. Obligately intracellular bacterial pathogens of the Anaplasmataceae family, including Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Anaplasma phaogocytophilium and Orientia tsutsugamushi have developed a dichotomous strategy to exploit the host autophagic pathway to obtain nutrients while escaping lysosomal destruction for intracellular survival within the host cell. In this review, the recent findings regarding how these master manipulators engage and inhibit autophagy for infection are explored. Future investigation to understand mechanisms used by Anaplasmataceae to exploit autophagy may advance novel antimicrobial therapies and provide new insights into how intracellular microbes exploit autophagy to survive.
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Affiliation(s)
- LaNisha L Patterson
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Caitlan D Byerly
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Jere W McBride
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States.,Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States.,Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States.,Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
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Cappele J, Mohamad Ali A, Leblond-Bourget N, Mathiot S, Dhalleine T, Payot S, Savko M, Didierjean C, Favier F, Douzi B. Structural and Biochemical Analysis of OrfG: The VirB8-like Component of the Conjugative Type IV Secretion System of ICE St3 From Streptococcus thermophilus. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:642606. [PMID: 33816557 PMCID: PMC8012802 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.642606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugative transfer is a major threat to global health since it contributes to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors among commensal and pathogenic bacteria. To allow their transfer, mobile genetic elements including Integrative and Conjugative Elements (ICEs) use a specialized conjugative apparatus related to Type IV secretion systems (Conj-T4SS). Therefore, Conj-T4SSs are excellent targets for strategies that aim to limit the spread of antibiotic resistance. In this study, we combined structural, biochemical and biophysical approaches to study OrfG, a protein that belongs to Conj-T4SS of ICESt3 from Streptococcus thermophilus. Structural analysis of OrfG by X-ray crystallography revealed that OrfG central domain is similar to VirB8-like proteins but displays a different quaternary structure in the crystal. To understand, at a structural level, the common and the diverse features between VirB8-like proteins from both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria, we used an in silico structural alignment method that allowed us to identify different structural classes of VirB8-like proteins. Biochemical and biophysical characterizations of purified OrfG soluble domain and its central and C-terminal subdomains indicated that they are mainly monomeric in solution but able to form an unprecedented 6-mer oligomers. Our study provides new insights into the structural analysis of VirB8-like proteins and discusses the interplay between tertiary and quaternary structures of these proteins as an essential component of the conjugative transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Sophie Payot
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, Nancy, France
| | - Martin Savko
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers, Saint Aubin BP 48, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Grishin A, Voth K, Gagarinova A, Cygler M. Structural biology of the invasion arsenal of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. FEBS J 2021; 289:1385-1427. [PMID: 33650300 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the last several years, there has been a tremendous progress in the understanding of host-pathogen interactions and the mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens modulate behavior of the host cell. Pathogens use secretion systems to inject a set of proteins, called effectors, into the cytosol of the host cell. These effectors are secreted in a highly regulated, temporal manner and interact with host proteins to modify a multitude of cellular processes. The number of effectors varies between pathogens from ~ 30 to as many as ~ 350. The functional redundancy of effectors encoded by each pathogen makes it difficult to determine the cellular effects or function of individual effectors, since their individual knockouts frequently produce no easily detectable phenotypes. Structural biology of effector proteins and their interactions with host proteins, in conjunction with cell biology approaches, has provided invaluable information about the cellular function of effectors and underlying molecular mechanisms of their modes of action. Many bacterial effectors are functionally equivalent to host proteins while being structurally divergent from them. Other effector proteins display new, previously unobserved functionalities. Here, we summarize the contribution of the structural characterization of effectors and effector-host protein complexes to our understanding of host subversion mechanisms used by the most commonly investigated Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. We describe in some detail the enzymatic activities discovered among effector proteins and how they affect various cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Grishin
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, & Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Kevin Voth
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, & Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Alla Gagarinova
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, & Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Miroslaw Cygler
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, & Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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The Roseobacter-Group Bacterium Phaeobacter as a Safe Probiotic Solution for Aquaculture. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0258120. [PMID: 33310713 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02581-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Phaeobacter inhibens has been assessed as a probiotic bacterium for application in aquaculture. Studies addressing the efficacy and safety indicate that P. inhibens maintains its antagonistic activity against pathogenic vibrios in aquaculture live cultures (live feed and fish egg/larvae) while having no or a positive effect on the host organisms and a minor impact on the host microbiomes. While P. inhibens produces antibacterial and algicidal compounds, no study has so far found a virulent phenotype of P. inhibens cells against higher organisms. Additionally, an in silico search for antibiotic resistance genes using published genomes of representative strains did not raise concerns regarding the risk for antimicrobial resistance. P. inhibens occurs naturally in aquaculture systems, supporting its safe usage in this environment. In conclusion, at the current state of knowledge, P. inhibens is a "safe-to-use" organism.
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Iqbal N, Mukhtar MU, Yang J, Niu Q, Li Z, Zhao S, Zhao Y, Guan G, Liu Z, Yin H. Identification and evaluation of midgut protein RL12 of Dermacentor silvarum interacting with Anaplasma ovis VirD4. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101677. [PMID: 33549977 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Anaplasma ovis, a tick-borne intra-erythrocytic Gram-negative bacterium, is a causative agent of ovine anaplasmosis. It is known that Dermacentor ticks act as biological vectors for A. ovis. VirD4 is the machine component of Type IV Secretion System of A. ovis. To better understand the pathogen-vector interaction, VirD4 was used as a bait protein for screening midgut proteins of Dermacentor silvarum via yeast two-hybrid mating assay. As a result, a ribosomal protein RL12 was identified from the midgut cDNA library of D. silvarum. For further validation, using in vitro Glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay, interaction between the proteins, GST-RL12 and HIS-VirD4, was observed in Western blot analysis. The study is first of its kind reporting a D. silvarum midgut protein interaction with VirD4 from A. ovis. Functional annotations showed some important cellular processes are attributed to the protein, particularly in the stringent response and biogenesis. The results of the study suggest the involvement of the VirD4-RL12 interaction in the regulation of signaling pathways, which is a tool for understanding the pathogen-vector interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveed Iqbal
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Muhammad Uzair Mukhtar
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Jifei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Qingli Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Shuaiyang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Yaru Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Zhijie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, PR China.
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47
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Teo SP, Bhakta S, Stapleton P, Gibbons S. Bioactive Compounds from the Bornean Endemic Plant Goniothalamus longistipetes. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9120913. [PMID: 33339285 PMCID: PMC7767169 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9120913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to screen plants for bioactive compounds with potential antibacterial activities. In our efforts to evaluate plants from Borneo, we isolated and elucidated the structures of four natural products from the bioactive fraction of a chloroform extract of Goniothalamus longistipetes using various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The bioactive compounds were identified as a known styryllactone, (+)-altholactone ((2S,3R,3aS,7aS)-3-hydroxy-2-phenyl-2,3,3a,7a-tetrahydrobenzo-5(4H)-5-one) (1), a new styryllactone, (2S,3R,3aS,7aS)-3-hydroxy-2-phenyl-2,3,3a,7a-tetrahydrobenzo-5(4H)-5-one) (2) as well as a new alkaloid, 2,6-dimethoxyisonicotinaldehyde (3) and a new alkenyl-5-hydroxyl-phenyl benzoic acid (4). 1 and 4 showed broad-spectrum anti-bacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as acid-fast model selected for this study. Compound 2 only demonstrated activities against Gram-positive bacteria whilst 3 displayed selective inhibitory activities against Gram-positive bacterial strains. Additionally, their mechanisms of anti-bacterial action were also investigated. Using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a fast-growing model of tubercle bacilli, compounds 1, 2 and 4 demonstrated inhibitory activities against whole-cell drug efflux and biofilm formation; two key intrinsic mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. Interestingly, the amphiphilic compound 4 exhibited inhibitory activity against the conjugation of plasmid pKM101 in Escherichia coli using a plate conjugation assay. Plasmid conjugation is a mechanism by which Gram-positive and Gram-negative-bacteria acquire drug resistance and virulence. These results indicated that bioactive compounds isolated from Goniothalamus longistipetes can be potential candidates as ‘hits’ for further optimisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P. Teo
- Research Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (P.S.); (S.G.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK;
- Forest Department Sarawak, Wisma Sumber Alam, Petra Jaya, Kuching 93600, Malaysia
- Correspondence:
| | - Sanjib Bhakta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK;
| | - Paul Stapleton
- Research Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (P.S.); (S.G.)
| | - Simon Gibbons
- Research Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (P.S.); (S.G.)
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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48
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F-Box Gene D5RF Is Regulated by Agrobacterium Virulence Protein VirD5 and Essential for Agrobacterium-Mediated Plant Transformation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186731. [PMID: 32937889 PMCID: PMC7555846 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186731] [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: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that the Agrobacterium virulence protein VirD5 possesses transcriptional activation activity, binds to a specific DNA element D5RE, and is required for Agrobacterium-mediated stable transformation, but not for transient transformation. However, direct evidence for a role of VirD5 in plant transcriptional regulation has been lacking. In this study, we found that the Arabidopsis gene D5RF (coding for VirD5 response F-box protein, At3G49480) is regulated by VirD5. D5RF has two alternative transcripts of 930 bp and 1594 bp that encode F-box proteins of 309 and 449 amino acids, designated as D5RF.1 and D5RF.2, respectively. D5RF.2 has a N-terminal extension of 140 amino acids compared to D5RF.1, and both of them are located in the plant cell nucleus. The promoter of the D5RF.1 contains two D5RE elements and can be activated by VirD5. The expression of D5RF is downregulated when the host plant is infected with virD5 deleted Agrobacterium. Similar to VirD5, D5RF also affects the stable but not transient transformation efficiency of Agrobacterium. Some pathogen-responsive genes are downregulated in the d5rf mutant. In conclusion, this study further confirmed Agrobacterium VirD5 as the plant transcription activator and identified Arabidopsis thalianaD5RF.1 as the first target gene of VirD5 in regulation.
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49
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Durie CL, Sheedlo MJ, Chung JM, Byrne BG, Su M, Knight T, Swanson M, Lacy DB, Ohi MD. Structural analysis of the Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm type IV secretion system core complex. eLife 2020; 9:e59530. [PMID: 32876045 PMCID: PMC7511231 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Legionella pneumophila is an opportunistic pathogen that causes the potentially fatal pneumonia Legionnaires' Disease. This infection and subsequent pathology require the Dot/Icm Type IV Secretion System (T4SS) to deliver effector proteins into host cells. Compared to prototypical T4SSs, the Dot/Icm assembly is much larger, containing ~27 different components including a core complex reported to be composed of five proteins: DotC, DotD, DotF, DotG, and DotH. Using single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we report reconstructions of the core complex of the Dot/Icm T4SS that includes a symmetry mismatch between distinct structural features of the outer membrane cap (OMC) and periplasmic ring (PR). We present models of known core complex proteins, DotC, DotD, and DotH, and two structurally similar proteins within the core complex, DotK and Lpg0657. This analysis reveals the stoichiometry and contact interfaces between the key proteins of the Dot/Icm T4SS core complex and provides a framework for understanding a complex molecular machine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa L Durie
- Life Sciences Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Michael J Sheedlo
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Department of Pathology, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleUnited States
| | - Jeong Min Chung
- Life Sciences Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Brenda G Byrne
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Min Su
- Life Sciences Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Thomas Knight
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Michele Swanson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - D Borden Lacy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Department of Pathology, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleUnited States
- The Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare SystemNashvilleUnited States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Melanie D Ohi
- Life Sciences Institute, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
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50
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Takeuchi M, Kuwahara H, Murakami T, Takahashi K, Kajitani R, Toyoda A, Itoh T, Ohkuma M, Hongoh Y. Parallel reductive genome evolution in Desulfovibrio ectosymbionts independently acquired by Trichonympha protists in the termite gut. THE ISME JOURNAL 2020; 14:2288-2301. [PMID: 32483307 PMCID: PMC7608387 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0688-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Several Trichonympha protist species in the termite gut have independently acquired Desulfovibrio ectosymbionts in apparently different stages of symbiosis. Here, we obtained the near-complete genome sequence of Desulfovibrio phylotype ZnDsv-02, which attaches to the surface of Trichonympha collaris cells, and compared it with a previously obtained genome sequence of 'Candidatus Desulfovibrio trichonymphae' phylotype Rs-N31, which is almost completely embedded in the cytoplasm of Trichonympha agilis. Single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis indicated that although Rs-N31 is almost clonal, the ZnDsv-02 population on a single host cell is heterogeneous. Despite these differences, the genome of ZnDsv-02 has been reduced to 1.6 Mb, which is comparable to that of Rs-N31 (1.4 Mb), but unlike other known ectosymbionts of protists with a genome similar in size to their free-living relatives. Except for the presence of a lactate utilization pathway, cell-adhesion components and anti-phage defense systems in ZnDsv-02, the overall gene-loss pattern between the two genomes is very similar, including the loss of genes responsive to environmental changes. Our study suggests that genome reduction can occur in ectosymbionts, even when they can be transmitted horizontally and obtain genes via lateral transfer, and that the symbiont genome size depends heavily on their role in the symbiotic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Takeuchi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Kuwahara
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Takumi Murakami
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
- Department of Informatics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Kazuki Takahashi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Rei Kajitani
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Atsushi Toyoda
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Takehiko Itoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Moriya Ohkuma
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hongoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, 305-0074, Japan.
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