1
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Morales-Cortés S, Sala-Comorera L, Gómez-Gómez C, Muniesa M, García-Aljaro C. CrAss-like phages are suitable indicators of antibiotic resistance genes found in abundance in fecally polluted samples. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 359:124713. [PMID: 39134166 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been extensively observed in bacterial DNA, and more recently, in phage particles from various water sources and food items. The pivotal role played by ARG transmission in the proliferation of antibiotic resistance and emergence of new resistant strains calls for a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of the prototypical p-crAssphage, a proposed indicator of human fecal contamination, and the recently isolated crAssBcn phages, both belonging to the Crassvirales group, as potential indicators of ARGs. These crAss-like phages were evaluated alongside specific ARGs (blaTEM, blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-9, blaVIM, blaOXA-48, qnrA, qnrS, tetW and sul1) within the total DNA and phage DNA fractions in water and food samples containing different levels of fecal pollution. In samples with high fecal load (>103 CFU/g or ml of E. coli or somatic coliphages), such as wastewater and sludge, positive correlations were found between both types of crAss-like phages and ARGs in both DNA fractions. The strongest correlation was observed between sul1 and crAssBcn phages (rho = 0.90) in sludge samples, followed by blaCTX-M-9 and p-crAssphage (rho = 0.86) in sewage samples, both in the phage DNA fraction. The use of crAssphage and crAssBcn as indicators of ARGs, considered to be emerging environmental contaminants of anthropogenic origin, is supported by their close association with the human gut. Monitoring ARGs can help to mitigate their dissemination and prevent the emergence of new resistant bacterial strains, thus safeguarding public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Morales-Cortés
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, Prevosti Building Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Laura Sala-Comorera
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, Prevosti Building Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Clara Gómez-Gómez
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, Prevosti Building Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Maite Muniesa
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, Prevosti Building Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Cristina García-Aljaro
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, Prevosti Building Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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2
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Baquero DP, Medvedeva S, Martin-Gallausiaux C, Pende N, Sartori-Rupp A, Tachon S, Pedron T, Debarbieux L, Borrel G, Gribaldo S, Krupovic M. Stable coexistence between an archaeal virus and the dominant methanogen of the human gut. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7702. [PMID: 39231967 PMCID: PMC11375127 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51946-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The human gut virome, which is mainly composed of bacteriophages, also includes viruses infecting archaea, yet their role remains poorly understood due to lack of isolates. Here, we characterize a temperate archaeal virus (MSTV1) infecting Methanobrevibacter smithii, the dominant methanogenic archaeon of the human gut. The MSTV1 genome is integrated in the host chromosome as a provirus which is sporadically induced, resulting in virion release. Using cryo-electron tomography, we capture several intracellular virion assembly intermediates and confirm that only a small fraction of the host population actively produces virions in vitro. Similar low frequency of induction is observed in a mouse colonization model, using mice harboring a stable consortium of 12 bacterial species (OMM12). Transcriptomic analysis suggests a regulatory lysogeny-lysis switch involving an interplay between viral proteins to maintain virus-host equilibrium, ensuring host survival and viral persistence. Thus, our study sheds light on archaeal virus-host interactions and highlights similarities with bacteriophages in establishing stable coexistence with their hosts in the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana P Baquero
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France
| | - Sofia Medvedeva
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell, Paris, France
| | - Camille Martin-Gallausiaux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell, Paris, France
| | - Nika Pende
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell, Paris, France
- University of Vienna, Archaea Physiology and Biotechnology Group, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Sartori-Rupp
- Institut Pasteur, NanoImaging Core Facility, Centre de Ressources et Recherches Technologiques (C2RT), Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Tachon
- Institut Pasteur, NanoImaging Core Facility, Centre de Ressources et Recherches Technologiques (C2RT), Paris, France
| | - Thierry Pedron
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Bacteriophage Bacterium Host, Paris, France
| | - Laurent Debarbieux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Bacteriophage Bacterium Host, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Borrel
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell, Paris, France
| | - Simonetta Gribaldo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell, Paris, France.
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France.
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3
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Kim DW, Woo DU, Kim UI, Kang YJ, Koo OK. Development of a novel crAss-like phage detection method with a broad spectrum for microbial source tracking. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 266:122330. [PMID: 39216125 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
CrAssphage has been recognized as the most abundant and human-specific bacteriophage in the human gut. Consequently, crAssphage has been used as a microbial source tracking (MST) marker to monitor human fecal contamination. Many crAss-like phages (CLPs) have been recently discovered, expanding the classification into the new order Crassvirales. This study aims to assess CLP prevalence in South Korea and develop a detection system for MST applications. Thirteen CLPs were identified in six human fecal samples and categorized into seven genera via metagenomic analysis. The major head protein (MHP) displayed increased sequence similarity within each genus. Eight PCR primer candidates, designed from MHP sequences, were evaluated in animal and human feces. CLPs were absent in animal feces except for those from raccoons, which hosted genera VI, VIIa, and VIIb. CLPs were detected in 91.52% (54/59) of humans, with genus VI (38 out of 59) showing the highest prevalence, nearly double that of p-crAssphage in genus I (22 out of 59). This study highlights genus VI as a potent MST marker, broadening the detection range for CLPs. Human-specific and selectively targeted MST markers can significantly impact hygiene regulations, lowering public health costs through their application in screening liver, sewage, wastewater, and various environmental samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Woo Kim
- Department of Food Science & Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong U Woo
- Division of Bio & Medical Bigdata Department (BK4 Program), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ui In Kim
- Department of Food Science & Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yang Jae Kang
- Division of Bio & Medical Bigdata Department (BK4 Program), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea; Division of Life Science Department, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Molecular Alchemy, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ok Kyung Koo
- Department of Food Science & Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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4
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Howard A, Carroll-Portillo A, Alcock J, Lin HC. Dietary Effects on the Gut Phageome. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8690. [PMID: 39201374 PMCID: PMC11354428 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
As knowledge of the gut microbiome has expanded our understanding of the symbiotic and dysbiotic relationships between the human host and its microbial constituents, the influence of gastrointestinal (GI) microbes both locally and beyond the intestine has become evident. Shifts in bacterial populations have now been associated with several conditions including Crohn's disease (CD), Ulcerative Colitis (UC), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's Disease, liver diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome, anxiety, depression, and cancers. As the bacteria in our gut thrive on the food we eat, diet plays a critical role in the functional aspects of our gut microbiome, influencing not only health but also the development of disease. While the bacterial microbiome in the context of disease is well studied, the associated gut phageome-bacteriophages living amongst and within our bacterial microbiome-is less well understood. With growing evidence that fluctuations in the phageome also correlate with dysbiosis, how diet influences this population needs to be better understood. This review surveys the current understanding of the effects of diet on the gut phageome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Howard
- School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
| | - Amanda Carroll-Portillo
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Joe Alcock
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
| | - Henry C. Lin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Medicine Service, New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA
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5
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Remesh AT, Viswanathan R. CrAss-Like Phages: From Discovery in Human Fecal Metagenome to Application as a Microbial Source Tracking Marker. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2024; 16:121-135. [PMID: 38413544 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-024-09584-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
CrAss-like phages are a diverse group of bacteriophages genetically similar to the prototypical crAssphage (p-crAssphage), which was discovered in the human gut microbiome through a metagenomics approach. It was identified as a ubiquitous and highly abundant bacteriophage group in the gut microbiome. Initial co-occurrence analysis postulated Bacteroides spp. as the prospective bacterial host. Subsequent studies have confirmed multiple host species under Phylum Bacteroidetes and some Firmicutes. Detection of crAss-like phages in sewage-contaminated environmental water and robust correlation with enteric viruses and bacteria has culminated in their adoption as a microbial source tracking (MST) marker. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR assays have been developed utilizing the conserved genes in the p-crAssphage genome to detect human fecal contamination of different water sources, with high specificity. Numerous investigations have examined the implications of crAss-like phages in diverse disease conditions, including ulcerative colitis, obesity and metabolic syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, atopic eczema, and other autoimmune disorders. These studies have unveiled associations between certain diseases and diminished abundance and diversity of crAss-like phages. This review offers insights into the diverse aspects of research on crAss-like phages, including their discovery, genomic characteristics, structure, taxonomy, isolation, molecular detection, application as an MST marker, and role as a gut microbiome modulator with consequential health implications.
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6
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Wilde J, Boyes R, Robinson AV, Daisley BA, Botschner AJ, Brettingham DJL, Macpherson CV, Mallory E, Allen-Vercoe E. Assessing phage-host population dynamics by reintroducing virulent viruses to synthetic microbiomes. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:768-778.e9. [PMID: 38653241 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.04.001] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Microbiomes feature complex interactions between diverse bacteria and bacteriophages. Synthetic microbiomes offer a powerful way to study these interactions; however, a major challenge is obtaining a representative bacteriophage population during the bacterial isolation process. We demonstrate that colony isolation reliably excludes virulent viruses from sample sources with low virion-to-bacteria ratios such as feces, creating "virulent virus-free" controls. When the virulent dsDNA virome is reintroduced to a 73-strain synthetic gut microbiome in a bioreactor model of the human colon, virulent viruses target susceptible strains without significantly altering community structure or metabolism. In addition, we detected signals of prophage induction that associate with virulent predation. Overall, our findings indicate that dilution-based isolation methods generate synthetic gut microbiomes that are heavily depleted, if not devoid, of virulent viruses and that such viruses, if reintroduced, have a targeted effect on community assembly, metabolism, and prophage replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Wilde
- University of Guelph, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Randy Boyes
- Queen's University, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Avery V Robinson
- University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Brendan A Daisley
- University of Guelph, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Alexander J Botschner
- University of Guelph, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Dylan J L Brettingham
- University of Guelph, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Christine V Macpherson
- University of Guelph, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Mallory
- University of Guelph, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Emma Allen-Vercoe
- University of Guelph, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
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7
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Cook R, Crisci MA, Pye HV, Telatin A, Adriaenssens EM, Santini JM. Decoding huge phage diversity: a taxonomic classification of Lak megaphages. J Gen Virol 2024; 105. [PMID: 38814706 PMCID: PMC11165621 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001997] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
High-throughput sequencing for uncultivated viruses has accelerated the understanding of global viral diversity and uncovered viral genomes substantially larger than any that have so far been cultured. Notably, the Lak phages are an enigmatic group of viruses that present some of the largest known phage genomes identified in human and animal microbiomes, and are dissimilar to any cultivated viruses. Despite the wealth of viral diversity that exists within sequencing datasets, uncultivated viruses have rarely been used for taxonomic classification. We investigated the evolutionary relationships of 23 Lak phages and propose a taxonomy for their classification. Predicted protein analysis revealed the Lak phages formed a deeply branching monophyletic clade within the class Caudoviricetes which contained no other phage genomes. One of the interesting features of this clade is that all current members are characterised by an alternative genetic code. We propose the Lak phages belong to a new order, the 'Grandevirales'. Protein and nucleotide-based analyses support the creation of two families, three sub-families, and four genera within the order 'Grandevirales'. We anticipate that the proposed taxonomy of Lak megaphages will simplify the future classification of related viral genomes as they are uncovered. Continued efforts to classify divergent viruses are crucial to aid common analyses of viral genomes and metagenomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Cook
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Marco A Crisci
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, UCL, London, UK
| | - Hannah V Pye
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Andrea Telatin
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Joanne M Santini
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, UCL, London, UK
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8
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Zhang M, Zhou Y, Cui X, Zhu L. The Potential of Co-Evolution and Interactions of Gut Bacteria-Phages in Bamboo-Eating Pandas: Insights from Dietary Preference-Based Metagenomic Analysis. Microorganisms 2024; 12:713. [PMID: 38674657 PMCID: PMC11051890 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria and phages are two of the most abundant biological entities in the gut microbiome, and diet and host phylogeny are two of the most critical factors influencing the gut microbiome. A stable gut bacterial community plays a pivotal role in the host's physiological development and immune health. A phage is a virus that directly infects bacteria, and phages' close associations and interactions with bacteria are essential for maintaining the stability of the gut bacterial community and the entire microbial ecosystem. Here, we utilized 99 published metagenomic datasets from 38 mammalian species to investigate the relationship (diversity and composition) and potential interactions between gut bacterial and phage communities and the impact of diet and phylogeny on these communities. Our results highlight the co-evolutionary potential of bacterial-phage interactions within the mammalian gut. We observed a higher alpha diversity in gut bacteria than in phages and identified positive correlations between bacterial and phage compositions. Furthermore, our study revealed the significant influence of diet and phylogeny on mammalian gut bacterial and phage communities. We discovered that the impact of dietary factors on these communities was more pronounced than that of phylogenetic factors at the order level. In contrast, phylogenetic characteristics had a more substantial influence at the family level. The similar omnivorous dietary preference and closer phylogenetic relationship (family Ursidae) may contribute to the similarity of gut bacterial and phage communities between captive giant panda populations (GPCD and GPYA) and omnivorous animals (OC; including Sun bear, brown bear, and Asian black bear). This study employed co-occurrence microbial network analysis to reveal the potential interaction patterns between bacteria and phages. Compared to other mammalian groups (carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores), the gut bacterial and phage communities of bamboo-eating species (giant pandas and red pandas) exhibited a higher level of interaction. Additionally, keystone species and modular analysis showed the potential role of phages in driving and maintaining the interaction patterns between bacteria and phages in captive giant pandas. In sum, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between the gut microbiota and phages in mammals is of great significance, which is of great value in promoting healthy and sustainable mammals and may provide valuable insights into the conservation of wildlife populations, especially endangered animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lifeng Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210098, China; (M.Z.); (Y.Z.); (X.C.)
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9
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Babkin IV, Tikunov AY, Baykov IK, Morozova VV, Tikunova NV. Genome Analysis of Epsilon CrAss-like Phages. Viruses 2024; 16:513. [PMID: 38675856 PMCID: PMC11054128 DOI: 10.3390/v16040513] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
CrAss-like phages play an important role in maintaining ecological balance in the human intestinal microbiome. However, their genetic diversity and lifestyle are still insufficiently studied. In this study, a novel CrAssE-Sib phage genome belonging to the epsilon crAss-like phage genomes was found. Comparative analysis indicated that epsilon crAss-like phages are divided into two putative genera, which were proposed to be named Epsilonunovirus and Epsilonduovirus; CrAssE-Sib belongs to the former. The crAssE-Sib genome contains a diversity-generating retroelement (DGR) cassette with all essential elements, including the reverse transcriptase (RT) and receptor binding protein (RBP) genes. However, this RT contains the GxxxSP motif in its fourth domain instead of the usual GxxxSQ motif found in all known phage and bacterial DGRs. RBP encoded by CrAssE-Sib and other Epsilonunoviruses has an unusual structure, and no similar phage proteins were found. In addition, crAssE-Sib and other Epsilonunoviruses encode conserved prophage repressor and anti-repressors that could be involved in lysogenic-to-lytic cycle switches. Notably, DNA primase sequences of epsilon crAss-like phages are not included in the monophyletic group formed by the DNA primases of all other crAss-like phages. Therefore, epsilon crAss-like phage substantially differ from other crAss-like phages, indicating the need to classify these phages into a separate family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor V. Babkin
- Federal State Public Scientific Institution «Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine», Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (A.Y.T.); (I.K.B.); (V.V.M.)
| | - Artem Y. Tikunov
- Federal State Public Scientific Institution «Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine», Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (A.Y.T.); (I.K.B.); (V.V.M.)
| | - Ivan K. Baykov
- Federal State Public Scientific Institution «Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine», Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (A.Y.T.); (I.K.B.); (V.V.M.)
- Shared Research Facility “Siberian Circular Photon Source” (SRF “SKIF”) of Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Vera V. Morozova
- Federal State Public Scientific Institution «Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine», Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (A.Y.T.); (I.K.B.); (V.V.M.)
| | - Nina V. Tikunova
- Federal State Public Scientific Institution «Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine», Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (A.Y.T.); (I.K.B.); (V.V.M.)
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10
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Garvey M. Intestinal Dysbiosis: Microbial Imbalance Impacts on Colorectal Cancer Initiation, Progression and Disease Mitigation. Biomedicines 2024; 12:740. [PMID: 38672096 PMCID: PMC11048178 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040740] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal tract houses a diverse range of microbial species that play an integral part in many biological functions. Several preclinical studies using germ-free mice models have demonstrated that the gut microbiome profoundly influences carcinogenesis and progression. Colorectal cancer appears to be associated with microbial dysbiosis involving certain bacterial species, including F. nucleatum, pks+ E. coli, and B. fragilis, with virome commensals also disrupted in patients. A dysbiosis toward these pro-carcinogenic species increases significantly in CRC patients, with reduced numbers of the preventative species Clostridium butyicum, Roseburia, and Bifidobacterium evident. There is also a correlation between Clostridium infection and CRC. F. nucleatum, in particular, is strongly associated with CRC where it is associated with therapeutic resistance and poor outcomes in patients. The carcinogenic mode of action of pathogenic bacteria in CRC is a result of genotoxicity, epigenetic alterations, ROS generation, and pro-inflammatory activity. The aim of this review is to discuss the microbial species and their impact on colorectal cancer in terms of disease initiation, progression, and metastasis. The potential of anticancer peptides as anticancer agents or adjuvants is also discussed, as novel treatment options are required to combat the high levels of resistance to current pharmaceutical options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Garvey
- Department of Life Science, Atlantic Technological University, F91 YW50 Sligo, Ireland;
- Centre for Precision Engineering, Materials and Manufacturing Research (PEM), Atlantic Technological University, F91 YW50 Sligo, Ireland
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11
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Schmidtke DT, Hickey AS, Liachko I, Sherlock G, Bhatt AS. Analysis and culturing of the prototypic crAssphage reveals a phage-plasmid lifestyle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.20.585998. [PMID: 38562748 PMCID: PMC10983915 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.20.585998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The prototypic crAssphage (Carjivirus communis) is one of the most abundant, prevalent, and persistent gut bacteriophages, yet it remains uncultured and its lifestyle uncharacterized. For the last decade, crAssphage has escaped plaque-dependent culturing efforts, leading us to investigate alternative lifestyles that might explain its widespread success. Through genomic analyses and culturing, we find that crAssphage uses a phage-plasmid lifestyle to persist extrachromosomally. Plasmid-related genes are more highly expressed than those implicated in phage maintenance. Leveraging this finding, we use a plaque-free culturing approach to measure crAssphage replication in culture with Phocaeicola vulgatus, Phocaeicola dorei, and Bacteroides stercoris, revealing a broad host range. We demonstrate that crAssphage persists with its hosts in culture without causing major cell lysis events or integrating into host chromosomes. The ability to switch between phage and plasmid lifestyles within a wide range of hosts contributes to the prolific nature of crAssphage in the human gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danica T. Schmidtke
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Gavin Sherlock
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Senior author
| | - Ami S. Bhatt
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine (Division of Hematology), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Lead corresponding author
- Senior author
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12
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Li E, Saleem F, Edge TA, Schellhorn HE. Assessment of crAssphage as a human fecal source tracking marker in the lower Great Lakes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168840. [PMID: 38036144 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
CrAssphage or crAss-like phage ranks as the most abundant phage in the human gut and is present in human feces-contaminated environments. Due to its high human specificity and sensitivity, crAssphage is a potentially robust source tracking indicator that can distinguish human fecal contamination from agricultural or wildlife sources. Its suitability in the Great Lakes area, one of the world's most important water systems, has not been well tested. In this study, we tested a qPCR-based quantification method using two crAssphage marker genes (ORF18-mod and CPQ_064) at Toronto recreational beaches along with their adjacent river mouths. Our results showed a 71.4 % (CPQ_064) and 100 % (ORF18-mod) human sensitivity for CPQ_064 and ORF18-mod, and a 100 % human specificity for both marker genes. CrAssphage was present in 57.7 % or 71.2 % of environmental water samples, with concentrations ranging from 1.45 to 5.14 log10 gene copies per 100 mL water. Though concentrations of the two marker genes were strongly correlated, ORF18-mod features a higher human sensitivity and higher positive detection rates in environmental samples. Quantifiable crAssphage was mostly present in samples collected in June and July 2021 associated with higher rainfall. In addition, rivers had more frequent crAssphage presence and higher concentrations than their associated beaches, indicating more frequent and greater human fecal contamination in the rivers. However, crAssphage was more correlated with E. coli and Enterococcus at the beaches than in the rivers, suggesting human fecal sources may be more predominant in driving the increases in E. coli and Enterococcus at the beaches when impacted by river plumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enze Li
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Faizan Saleem
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Thomas A Edge
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Herb E Schellhorn
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada.
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13
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Čížková D, Payne P, Bryjová A, Ďureje Ľ, Piálek J, Kreisinger J. Convergence of gut phage communities but not bacterial communities following wild mouse bacteriophage transplantation into captive house mice. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae178. [PMID: 39276368 PMCID: PMC11440513 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are abundant components of vertebrate gut microbial communities, impacting bacteriome dynamics, evolution, and directly interacting with the superhost. However, knowledge about gut phageomes and their interaction with bacteriomes in vertebrates under natural conditions is limited to humans and non-human primates. Widely used specific-pathogen-free (SPF) mouse models of host-microbiota interactions have altered gut bacteriomes compared to wild mice, and data on phageomes from wild or other non-SPF mice are lacking. We demonstrate divergent gut phageomes and bacteriomes in wild and captive non-SPF mice, with wild mice phageomes exhibiting higher alpha-diversity and interindividual variability. In both groups, phageome and bacteriome structuring mirrored each other, correlating at the individual level. Re-analysis of previous data from phageomes of SPF mice revealed their enrichment in Suoliviridae crAss-like phages compared to our non-SPF mice. Disrupted bacteriomes in mouse models can be treated by transplanting healthy phageomes, but the effects of phageome transplants on healthy adult gut microbiota are still unknown. We show that experimental transplantation of phageomes from wild to captive mice did not cause major shifts in recipient phageomes. However, the convergence of recipient-to-donor phageomes confirmed that wild phages can integrate into recipient communities. The differences in the subset of integrated phages between the two recipient mouse strains illustrate the context-dependent effects of phage transplantation. The transplantation did not impact recipient gut bacteriomes. This resilience of healthy adult gut microbiomes to the intervention has implications for phage allotransplantation safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Čížková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Payne
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Bryjová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ľudovít Ďureje
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Piálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Kreisinger
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague, Czech Republic
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14
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Ramos-Barbero MD, Gómez-Gómez C, Vique G, Sala-Comorera L, Rodríguez-Rubio L, Muniesa M. Recruitment of complete crAss-like phage genomes reveals their presence in chicken viromes, few human-specific phages, and lack of universal detection. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae192. [PMID: 39361891 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 10/01/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
The order Crassvirales, which includes the prototypical crAssphage (p-crAssphage), is predominantly associated with humans, rendering it the most abundant and widely distributed group of DNA phages in the human gut. The reported human specificity and wide global distribution of p-crAssphage makes it a promising human fecal marker. However, the specificity for the human gut as well as the geographical distribution around the globe of other members of the order Crassvirales remains unknown. To determine this, a recruitment analysis using 91 complete, non-redundant genomes of crAss-like phages in human and animal viromes revealed that only 13 crAss-like phages among the 91 phages analyzed were highly specific to humans, and p-crAssphage was not in this group. Investigations to elucidate whether any characteristic of the phages was responsible for their prevalence in humans showed that the 13 human crAss-like phages do not share a core genome. Phylogenomic analysis placed them in three independent families, indicating that within the Crassvirales group, human specificity is likely not a feature of a common ancestor but rather was introduced on separate/independent occasions in their evolutionary history. The 13 human crAss-like phages showed variable geographical distribution across human metagenomes worldwide, with some being more prevalent in certain countries than in others, but none being universally identified. The varied geographical distribution and the absence of a phylogenetic relationship among the human crAss-like phages are attributed to the emergence and dissemination of their bacterial host, the symbiotic human strains of Bacteroides, across various human populations occupying diverse ecological niches worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Dolores Ramos-Barbero
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, Prevosti Building, Floor 0. Barcelona E-08028, Spain
| | - Clara Gómez-Gómez
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, Prevosti Building, Floor 0. Barcelona E-08028, Spain
| | - Gloria Vique
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, Prevosti Building, Floor 0. Barcelona E-08028, Spain
| | - Laura Sala-Comorera
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, Prevosti Building, Floor 0. Barcelona E-08028, Spain
| | - Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, Prevosti Building, Floor 0. Barcelona E-08028, Spain
| | - Maite Muniesa
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, Prevosti Building, Floor 0. Barcelona E-08028, Spain
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15
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Cortés-Martín A, Denise R, Guerin E, Stockdale SR, Draper LA, Ross RP, Shkoporov AN, Hill C. Isolation and characterization of a novel lytic Parabacteroides distasonis bacteriophage φPDS1 from the human gut. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2298254. [PMID: 38178369 PMCID: PMC10773633 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2298254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The human gut microbiome plays a significant role in health and disease. The viral component (virome) is predominantly composed of bacteriophages (phages) and has received significantly less attention in comparison to the bacteriome. This knowledge gap is largely due to challenges associated with the isolation and characterization of novel gut phages, and bioinformatic hurdles such as the lack of a universal phage marker gene and the absence of sufficient numbers of homologs in viral databases. Here, we describe the isolation from human feces of a novel lytic phage with siphovirus morphology, φPDS1, infecting Parabacteroides distasonis APCS2/PD, and classified within a newly proposed Sagittacolavirus genus. In silico and biological characterization of this phage is presented in this study. Key to the isolation of φPDS1 was the antibiotic-driven selective enrichment of the bacterial host in a fecal fermenter. Despite producing plaques and lacking genes associated with lysogeny, φPDS1 demonstrates the ability to coexist in liquid culture for multiple days without affecting the abundance of its host. Multiple studies have shown that changes in Parabacteroides distasonis abundance can be linked to various disease states, rendering this novel phage-host pair and their interactions of particular interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Cortés-Martín
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Rémi Denise
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Emma Guerin
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Stephen R. Stockdale
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Lorraine A. Draper
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - R. Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Andrey N. Shkoporov
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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16
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Hernández Villamizar S, Chica Cárdenas LA, Morales Mancera LT, Vives Florez MJ. Anaerobiosis, a neglected factor in phage-bacteria interactions. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0149123. [PMID: 37966212 PMCID: PMC10734468 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01491-23] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Many parameters affect phage-bacteria interaction. Some of these parameters depend on the environment in which the bacteria are present. Anaerobiosis effect on phage infection in facultative anaerobic bacteria has not yet been studied. The absence of oxygen triggers metabolic changes in facultative bacteria and this affects phage infection and viral life cycle. Understanding how an anaerobic environment can alter the behavior of phages during infection is relevant for the phage therapy success.
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17
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North D, Bibby K. Comparison of viral concentration techniques for native fecal indicators and pathogens from wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167190. [PMID: 37741389 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Viral pathogens are typically dilute in environmental waters, necessitating a concentration step prior to subsequent quantification or analysis. Historically, studies on viral concentration efficiency have been done by spiking known viruses into the sample; however, spike-in controls may not have the same behavior as "native" viruses exposed to environmental conditions. In this study, four concentration methods, including polyethylene glycol precipitation (PEG), skimmed milk flocculation (SMF), pH drop followed by filtration through a 0.45 μm filter (pH), and centrifugation using an Amicon filter (Amicon), were evaluated to concentrate native viral targets in wastewater. Viral targets included both indicators (crAssphage and pepper mild mottle virus) and pathogens (adenovirus, norovirus GII, human polyomavirus, and SARS-CoV-2) in addition to a bacterial marker (HF183). A non-native spike-in control was also added to compare native and spike-in recoveries. Recovery varied widely across targets and methods, ranging from 0.1 to 39.3 %. The Amicon method was the most broadly effective concentration for recovery efficiency. For the lowest-titer target, the PEG method resulted in the lowest number of non-detections, with 96.7 % positive detections for SARS-CoV-2, compared to 66.7 %, 80 %, and 76.7 % positive detections for SMF, pH, and Amicon, respectively. The non-native spike-ins chosen were only representative of a few native recovery trends, varying by both target and concentration method, and consistently under or over-estimated recovery. Overall, this study suggests the utility of including native targets in viral concentration evaluation and determining the efficiency of concentration methods for a specific target of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin North
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States.
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18
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Muscatt G, Cook R, Millard A, Bending GD, Jameson E. Viral metagenomics reveals diverse virus-host interactions throughout the soil depth profile. mBio 2023; 14:e0224623. [PMID: 38032184 PMCID: PMC10746233 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02246-23] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Soil viruses can moderate the roles that their host microbes play in global carbon cycling. However, given that most studies investigate the surface layer (i.e., top 20 cm) of soil, the extent to which this occurs in subsurface soil (i.e., below 20 cm) is unknown. Here, we leveraged public sequencing data to investigate the interactions between viruses and their hosts at soil depth intervals, down to 115 cm. While most viruses were detected throughout the soil depth profile, their adaptation to host microbes varied. Nonetheless, we uncovered evidence for the potential of soil viruses to encourage their hosts to recycle plant-derived carbon in both surface and subsurface soils. This work reasons that our understanding of soil viral functions requires us to continue to dig deeper and compare viruses existing throughout soil ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Muscatt
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan Cook
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Millard
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Leicester Centre for Phage Research, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Gary D. Bending
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Eleanor Jameson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, United Kingdom
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19
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Hsieh SY, Savva GM, Telatin A, Tiwari SK, Tariq MA, Newberry F, Seton KA, Booth C, Bansal AS, Wileman T, Adriaenssens EM, Carding SR. Investigating the Human Intestinal DNA Virome and Predicting Disease-Associated Virus-Host Interactions in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17267. [PMID: 38139096 PMCID: PMC10744171 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how the human virome, and which of its constituents, contributes to health or disease states is reliant on obtaining comprehensive virome profiles. By combining DNA viromes from isolated virus-like particles (VLPs) and whole metagenomes from the same faecal sample of a small cohort of healthy individuals and patients with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), we have obtained a more inclusive profile of the human intestinal DNA virome. Key features are the identification of a core virome comprising tailed phages of the class Caudoviricetes, and a greater diversity of DNA viruses including extracellular phages and integrated prophages. Using an in silico approach, we predicted interactions between members of the Anaerotruncus genus and unique viruses present in ME/CFS microbiomes. This study therefore provides a framework and rationale for studies of larger cohorts of patients to further investigate disease-associated interactions between the intestinal virome and the bacteriome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen-Yuan Hsieh
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
| | - George M. Savva
- Core Science Resources, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (G.M.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Andrea Telatin
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Sumeet K. Tiwari
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Mohammad A. Tariq
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Fiona Newberry
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Katharine A. Seton
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Catherine Booth
- Core Science Resources, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (G.M.S.); (C.B.)
| | | | - Thomas Wileman
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Evelien M. Adriaenssens
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
| | - Simon R. Carding
- Food, Microbiome, and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK; (S.-Y.H.); (A.T.); (S.K.T.); (M.A.T.); (F.N.); (K.A.S.); (T.W.)
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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20
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da Silva JD, Melo LDR, Santos SB, Kropinski AM, Xisto MF, Dias RS, da Silva Paes I, Vieira MS, Soares JJF, Porcellato D, da Silva Duarte V, de Paula SO. Genomic and proteomic characterization of vB_SauM-UFV_DC4, a novel Staphylococcus jumbo phage. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:7231-7250. [PMID: 37741937 PMCID: PMC10638138 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12743-6] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most relevant mastitis pathogens in dairy cattle, and the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes presents a significant health issue in both veterinary and human fields. Among the different strategies to tackle S. aureus infection in livestock, bacteriophages have been thoroughly investigated in the last decades; however, few specimens of the so-called jumbo phages capable of infecting S. aureus have been described. Herein, we report the biological, genomic, and structural proteomic features of the jumbo phage vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 (DC4). DC4 exhibited a remarkable killing activity against S. aureus isolated from the veterinary environment and stability at alkaline conditions (pH 4 to 12). The complete genome of DC4 is 263,185 bp (GC content: 25%), encodes 263 predicted CDSs (80% without an assigned function), 1 tRNA (Phe-tRNA), multisubunit RNA polymerase, and an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase. Moreover, comparative analysis revealed that DC4 can be considered a new viral species belonging to a new genus DC4 and showed a similar set of lytic proteins and depolymerase activity with closely related jumbo phages. The characterization of a new S. aureus jumbo phage increases our understanding of the diversity of this group and provides insights into the biotechnological potential of these viruses. KEY POINTS: • vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 is a new viral species belonging to a new genus within the class Caudoviricetes. • vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 carries a set of RNA polymerase subunits and an RNA-directed DNA polymerase. • vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 and closely related jumbo phages showed a similar set of lytic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Duarte da Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Luís D R Melo
- Centre of Biological Engineering - CEB, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Sílvio B Santos
- Centre of Biological Engineering - CEB, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Andrew M Kropinski
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Mariana Fonseca Xisto
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Roberto Sousa Dias
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Isabela da Silva Paes
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Marcella Silva Vieira
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - José Júnior Ferreira Soares
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Davide Porcellato
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | - Vinícius da Silva Duarte
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway.
| | - Sérgio Oliveira de Paula
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
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21
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Nolan TM, Sala-Comorera L, Reynolds LJ, Martin NA, Stephens JH, O'Hare GMP, O'Sullivan JJ, Meijer WG. Bacteriophages from faecal contamination are an important reservoir for AMR in aquatic environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165490. [PMID: 37487901 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages have been shown to play an important role in harbouring and propagating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Faecal matter contains high levels of phages, suggesting that faecal contamination of water bodies may lead to increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR) levels due to increased phage loading in aquatic environments. In this study, we assessed whether faecal pollution of three rivers (Rivers Liffey, Tolka, and Dodder) was responsible for increased levels of ARGs in phage particles using established phage-faecal markers, focusing on four ARGs (blaTEM, tet(O), qnrS, and sul1). We observed all four ARGs in phage fractions in all three rivers, with ARGs more frequently observed in agricultural and urban sampling sites compared to their source. These findings highlight the role of faecal pollution in environmental AMR and the impact of agricultural and urban activities on water quality. Furthermore, our results suggest the importance of including phages as indicators when assessing environmental AMR, as they serve as significant reservoirs of resistance genes in aquatic environments. This study provides important insights into the role of faecal pollution and phages in the prevalence of AMR in the environment and the need for their inclusion in future studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of environmental AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan M Nolan
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Earth Institute and UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Laura Sala-Comorera
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Earth Institute and UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Liam J Reynolds
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Earth Institute and UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Niamh A Martin
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Earth Institute and UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Jayne H Stephens
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Earth Institute and UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Gregory M P O'Hare
- School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - John J O'Sullivan
- UCD School of Civil Engineering, UCD Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Wim G Meijer
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Earth Institute and UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
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22
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Chi H, Hoikkala V, Grüschow S, Graham S, Shirran S, White MF. Antiviral type III CRISPR signalling via conjugation of ATP and SAM. Nature 2023; 622:826-833. [PMID: 37853119 PMCID: PMC10600005 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06620-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR systems are widespread in the prokaryotic world, providing adaptive immunity against mobile genetic elements1,2. Type III CRISPR systems, with the signature gene cas10, use CRISPR RNA to detect non-self RNA, activating the enzymatic Cas10 subunit to defend the cell against mobile genetic elements either directly, via the integral histidine-aspartate (HD) nuclease domain3-5 or indirectly, via synthesis of cyclic oligoadenylate second messengers to activate diverse ancillary effectors6-9. A subset of type III CRISPR systems encode an uncharacterized CorA-family membrane protein and an associated NrN family phosphodiesterase that are predicted to function in antiviral defence. Here we demonstrate that the CorA-associated type III-B (Cmr) CRISPR system from Bacteroides fragilis provides immunity against mobile genetic elements when expressed in Escherichia coli. However, B. fragilis Cmr does not synthesize cyclic oligoadenylate species on activation, instead generating S-adenosyl methionine (SAM)-AMP (SAM is also known as AdoMet) by conjugating ATP to SAM via a phosphodiester bond. Once synthesized, SAM-AMP binds to the CorA effector, presumably leading to cell dormancy or death by disruption of the membrane integrity. SAM-AMP is degraded by CRISPR-associated phosphodiesterases or a SAM-AMP lyase, potentially providing an 'off switch' analogous to cyclic oligoadenylate-specific ring nucleases10. SAM-AMP thus represents a new class of second messenger for antiviral signalling, which may function in different roles in diverse cellular contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Chi
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Ville Hoikkala
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- University of Jyväskylä, Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Nanoscience Center, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Sabine Grüschow
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Shirley Graham
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Sally Shirran
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Malcolm F White
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
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23
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Abstract
Two decades of metagenomic analyses have revealed that in many environments, small (∼5 kb), single-stranded DNA phages of the family Microviridae dominate the virome. Although the emblematic microvirus phiX174 is ubiquitous in the laboratory, most other microviruses, particularly those of the gokushovirus and amoyvirus lineages, have proven to be much more elusive. This puzzling lack of representative isolates has hindered insights into microviral biology. Furthermore, the idiosyncratic size and nature of their genomes have resulted in considerable misjudgments of their actual abundance in nature. Fortunately, recent successes in microvirus isolation and improved metagenomic methodologies can now provide us with more accurate appraisals of their abundance, their hosts, and their interactions. The emerging picture is that phiX174 and its relatives are rather rare and atypical microviruses, and that a tremendous diversity of other microviruses is ready for exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul C Kirchberger
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA;
| | - Howard Ochman
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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24
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Papudeshi B, Vega AA, Souza C, Giles SK, Mallawaarachchi V, Roach MJ, An M, Jacobson N, McNair K, Fernanda Mora M, Pastrana K, Boling L, Leigh C, Harker C, Plewa WS, Grigson SR, Bouras G, Decewicz P, Luque A, Droit L, Handley SA, Wang D, Segall AM, Dinsdale EA, Edwards RA. Host interactions of novel Crassvirales species belonging to multiple families infecting bacterial host, Bacteroides cellulosilyticus WH2. Microb Genom 2023; 9:001100. [PMID: 37665209 PMCID: PMC10569736 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteroides, the prominent bacteria in the human gut, play a crucial role in degrading complex polysaccharides. Their abundance is influenced by phages belonging to the Crassvirales order. Despite identifying over 600 Crassvirales genomes computationally, only few have been successfully isolated. Continued efforts in isolation of more Crassvirales genomes can provide insights into phage-host-evolution and infection mechanisms. We focused on wastewater samples, as potential sources of phages infecting various Bacteroides hosts. Sequencing, assembly, and characterization of isolated phages revealed 14 complete genomes belonging to three novel Crassvirales species infecting Bacteroides cellulosilyticus WH2. These species, Kehishuvirus sp. 'tikkala' strain Bc01, Kolpuevirus sp. 'frurule' strain Bc03, and 'Rudgehvirus jaberico' strain Bc11, spanned two families, and three genera, displaying a broad range of virion productions. Upon testing all successfully cultured Crassvirales species and their respective bacterial hosts, we discovered that they do not exhibit co-evolutionary patterns with their bacterial hosts. Furthermore, we observed variations in gene similarity, with greater shared similarity observed within genera. However, despite belonging to different genera, the three novel species shared a unique structural gene that encodes the tail spike protein. When investigating the relationship between this gene and host interaction, we discovered evidence of purifying selection, indicating its functional importance. Moreover, our analysis demonstrated that this tail spike protein binds to the TonB-dependent receptors present on the bacterial host surface. Combining these observations, our findings provide insights into phage-host interactions and present three Crassvirales species as an ideal system for controlled infectivity experiments on one of the most dominant members of the human enteric virome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavya Papudeshi
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Alejandro A. Vega
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cole Souza
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Sarah K. Giles
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Vijini Mallawaarachchi
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Michael J. Roach
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Michelle An
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Nicole Jacobson
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Katelyn McNair
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 992182, USA
| | - Maria Fernanda Mora
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Karina Pastrana
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Lance Boling
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Christopher Leigh
- Adelaide Microscopy, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Clarice Harker
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Will S. Plewa
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Susanna R. Grigson
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
| | - George Bouras
- Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Przemysław Decewicz
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw, 02-096, Poland
| | - Antoni Luque
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 992182, USA
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 992182, USA
- Present address: Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Lindsay Droit
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Scott A. Handley
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - David Wang
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Anca M. Segall
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Dinsdale
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Robert A. Edwards
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide SA, 5042, Australia
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25
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Papudeshi B, Vega AA, Souza C, Giles SK, Mallawaarachchi V, Roach MJ, An M, Jacobson N, McNair K, Mora MF, Pastrana K, Boling L, Leigh C, Harker C, Plewa WS, Grigson SR, Bouras G, Decewicz P, Luque A, Droit L, Handley SA, Wang D, Segall AM, Dinsdale EA, Edwards RA. Host interactions of novel Crassvirales species belonging to multiple families infecting bacterial host, Bacteroides cellulosilyticus WH2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.05.531146. [PMID: 36945541 PMCID: PMC10028833 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.05.531146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Bacteroides, the prominent bacteria in the human gut, play a crucial role in degrading complex polysaccharides. Their abundance is influenced by phages belonging to the Crassvirales order. Despite identifying over 600 Crassvirales genomes computationally, only few have been successfully isolated. Continued efforts in isolation of more Crassvirales genomes can provide insights into phage-host-evolution and infection mechanisms. We focused on wastewater samples, as potential sources of phages infecting various Bacteroides hosts. Sequencing, assembly, and characterization of isolated phages revealed 14 complete genomes belonging to three novel Crassvirales species infecting Bacteroides cellulosilyticus WH2. These species, Kehishuvirus sp. 'tikkala' strain Bc01, Kolpuevirus sp. 'frurule' strain Bc03, and 'Rudgehvirus jaberico' strain Bc11, spanned two families, and three genera, displaying a broad range of virion productions. Upon testing all successfully cultured Crassvirales species and their respective bacterial hosts, we discovered that they do not exhibit co-evolutionary patterns with their bacterial hosts. Furthermore, we observed variations in gene similarity, with greater shared similarity observed within genera. However, despite belonging to different genera, the three novel species shared a unique structural gene that encodes the tail spike protein. When investigating the relationship between this gene and host interaction, we discovered evidence of purifying selection, indicating its functional importance. Moreover, our analysis demonstrated that this tail spike protein binds to the TonB-dependent receptors present on the bacterial host surface. Combining these observations, our findings provide insights into phage-host interactions and present three Crassvirales species as an ideal system for controlled infectivity experiments on one of the most dominant members of the human enteric virome. Impact statement Bacteriophages play a crucial role in shaping microbial communities within the human gut. Among the most dominant bacteriophages in the human gut microbiome are Crassvirales phages, which infect Bacteroides. Despite being widely distributed, only a few Crassvirales genomes have been isolated, leading to a limited understanding of their biology, ecology, and evolution. This study isolated and characterized three novel Crassvirales genomes belonging to two different families, and three genera, but infecting one bacterial host, Bacteroides cellulosilyticus WH2. Notably, the observation confirmed the phages are not co-evolving with their bacterial hosts, rather have a shared ability to exploit similar features in their bacterial host. Additionally, the identification of a critical viral protein undergoing purifying selection and interacting with the bacterial receptors opens doors to targeted therapies against bacterial infections. Given Bacteroides role in polysaccharide degradation in the human gut, our findings advance our understanding of the phage-host interactions and could have important implications for the development of phage-based therapies. These discoveries may hold implications for improving gut health and metabolism to support overall well-being. Data summary The genomes used in this research are available on Sequence Read Archive (SRA) within the project, PRJNA737576. Bacteroides cellulosilyticus WH2, Kehishuvirus sp. 'tikkala' strain Bc01, Kolpuevirus sp. ' frurule' strain Bc03, and 'Rudgehvirus jaberico' strain Bc11 are all available on GenBank with accessions NZ_CP072251.1 ( B. cellulosilyticus WH2), QQ198717 (Bc01), QQ198718 (Bc03), and QQ198719 (Bc11), and we are working on making the strains available through ATCC. The 3D protein structures for the three Crassvirales genomes are available to download at doi.org/10.25451/flinders.21946034.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavya Papudeshi
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Alejandro A. Vega
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cole Souza
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Sarah K. Giles
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Vijini Mallawaarachchi
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Michael J. Roach
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Michelle An
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Nicole Jacobson
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Katelyn McNair
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 992182, USA
| | - Maria Fernanda Mora
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Karina Pastrana
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Lance Boling
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Christopher Leigh
- Adelaide Microscopy, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Clarice Harker
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Will S. Plewa
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Susanna R. Grigson
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - George Bouras
- Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Przemysław Decewicz
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw, 02-096, Poland
| | - Antoni Luque
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 992182, USA
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 992182, USA
| | - Lindsay Droit
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Scott A. Handley
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - David Wang
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Anca M. Segall
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Dinsdale
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Robert A. Edwards
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
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26
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Ramos-Barbero MD, Gómez-Gómez C, Sala-Comorera L, Rodríguez-Rubio L, Morales-Cortes S, Mendoza-Barberá E, Vique G, Toribio-Avedillo D, Blanch AR, Ballesté E, Garcia-Aljaro C, Muniesa M. Characterization of crAss-like phage isolates highlights Crassvirales genetic heterogeneity and worldwide distribution. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4295. [PMID: 37463935 PMCID: PMC10354031 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40098-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Crassvirales (crAss-like phages) are an abundant group of human gut-specific bacteriophages discovered in silico. The use of crAss-like phages as human fecal indicators is proposed but the isolation of only seven cultured strains of crAss-like phages to date has greatly hindered their study. Here, we report the isolation and genetic characterization of 25 new crAss-like phages (termed crAssBcn) infecting Bacteroides intestinalis, belonging to the order Crassvirales, genus Kehishuvirus and, based on their genomic variability, classified into six species. CrAssBcn phage genomes are similar to ΦCrAss001 but show genomic and aminoacidic differences when compared to other crAss-like phages of the same family. CrAssBcn phages are detected in fecal metagenomes around the world at a higher frequency than ΦCrAss001. This study increases the known crAss-like phage isolates and their abundance and heterogeneity open the question of what member of the Crassvirales group should be selected as human fecal marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Dolores Ramos-Barbero
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Gómez-Gómez
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Sala-Comorera
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Morales-Cortes
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Mendoza-Barberá
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gloria Vique
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Toribio-Avedillo
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anicet R Blanch
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisenda Ballesté
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Garcia-Aljaro
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maite Muniesa
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643. Annex. Floor 0, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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27
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Meuchi Y, Nakada M, Kuroda K, Hanamoto S, Hata A. Applicability of F-specific bacteriophage subgroups, PMMoV and crAssphage as indicators of source specific fecal contamination and viral inactivation in rivers in Japan. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288454. [PMID: 37450468 PMCID: PMC10348522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
To date, several microbes have been proposed as potential source-specific indicators of fecal pollution. 16S ribosomal RNA gene markers of the Bacteroidales species are the most widely applied due to their predominance in the water environment and source specificity. F-specific bacteriophage (FPH) subgroups, especially FRNA phage genogroups, are also known as potential source-specific viral indicators. Since they can be quantified by both culture-based and molecular assays, they may also be useful as indicators for estimating viral inactivation in the environment. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) and crAssphage, which are frequently present in human feces, are also potentially useful as human-specific indicators of viral pollution. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of FPH subgroups, PMMoV, and crAssphage as indicators of source-specific fecal contamination and viral inactivation using 108 surface water samples collected at five sites affected by municipal and pig farm wastewater. The host specificity of the FPH subgroups, PMMoV, and crAssphage was evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA) along with other microbial indicators, such as 16S ribosomal RNA gene markers of the Bacteroidales species. The viabilities (infectivity indices) of FRNA phage genogroups were estimated by comparing their numbers determined by infectivity-based and molecular assays. The PCA explained 58.2% of the total information and classified microbes into three groups: those considered to be associated with pig and human fecal contamination and others. Infective and gene of genogroup IV (GIV)-FRNA phage were assumed to be specific to pig fecal contamination, while the genes of GII-FRNA phage and crAssphage were identified to be specific to human fecal contamination. However, PMMoV, infective GI-FRNA phage, and FDNA phage were suggested to not be specific to human or pig fecal contamination. FRNA phage genogroups, especially the GIV-FRNA phage, were highly inactivated in the warm months in Japan (i.e., July to November). Comparing the infectivity index of several FRNA phage genogroups or other viruses may provide further insight into viral inactivation in the natural environment and by water treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuno Meuchi
- Graduate School of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Toyama, Japan
| | - Miu Nakada
- Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Toyama, Japan
| | - Keisuke Kuroda
- Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Toyama, Japan
| | - Seiya Hanamoto
- Environment Preservation Center, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Akihiko Hata
- Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Toyama, Japan
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28
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Jędrusiak A, Fortuna W, Majewska J, Górski A, Jończyk-Matysiak E. Phage Interactions with the Nervous System in Health and Disease. Cells 2023; 12:1720. [PMID: 37443756 PMCID: PMC10341288 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system manages all of our activities (e.g., direct thinking and decision-making processes). It receives information from the environment and responds to environmental stimuli. Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages, phages) are the most numerous structures occurring in the biosphere and are also found in the human organism. Therefore, understanding how phages may influence this system is of great importance and is the purpose of this review. We have focused on the effect of natural bacteriophages in the central nervous system, linking them to those present in the gut microbiota, creating the gut-brain axis network, as well as their interdependence. Importantly, based on the current knowledge in the field of phage application (e.g., intranasal) in the treatment of bacterial diseases associated with the brain and nervous system, bacteriophages may have significant therapeutic potential. Moreover, it was indicated that bacteriophages may influence cognitive processing. In addition, phages (via phage display technology) appear promising as a targeted therapeutic tool in the treatment of, among other things, brain cancers. The information collected and reviewed in this work indicates that phages and their impact on the nervous system is a fascinating and, so far, underexplored field. Therefore, the aim of this review is not only to summarize currently available information on the association of phages with the nervous system, but also to stimulate future studies that could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches potentially useful in treating bacterial and non-bacterial neural diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Jędrusiak
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.J.); (J.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Wojciech Fortuna
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 213, 54-427 Wroclaw, Poland;
- Phage Therapy Unit, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Majewska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.J.); (J.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.J.); (J.M.); (A.G.)
- Phage Therapy Unit, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
- Infant Jesus Hospital, The Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.J.); (J.M.); (A.G.)
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Zhao X, Sun C, Jin M, Chen J, Xing L, Yan J, Wang H, Liu Z, Chen WH. Enrichment Culture but Not Metagenomic Sequencing Identified a Highly Prevalent Phage Infecting Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in Human Feces. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0434022. [PMID: 36995238 PMCID: PMC10269749 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04340-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (previously known as Lactobacillus plantarum) is increasingly used as a probiotic to treat human diseases, but its phages in the human gut remain unexplored. Here, we report its first gut phage, Gut-P1, which we systematically screened using metagenomic sequencing, virus-like particle (VLP) sequencing, and enrichment culture from 35 fecal samples. Gut-P1 is virulent, belongs to the Douglaswolinvirus genus, and is highly prevalent in the gut (~11% prevalence); it has a genome of 79,928 bp consisting of 125 protein coding genes and displaying low sequence similarities to public L. plantarum phages. Physiochemical characterization shows that it has a short latent period and adapts to broad ranges of temperatures and pHs. Furthermore, Gut-P1 strongly inhibits the growth of L. plantarum strains at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1e-6. Together, these results indicate that Gut-P1 can greatly impede the application of L. plantarum in humans. Strikingly, Gut-P1 was identified only in the enrichment culture, not in our metagenomic or VLP sequencing data nor in any public human phage databases, indicating the inefficiency of bulk sequencing in recovering low-abundance but highly prevalent phages and pointing to the unexplored hidden diversity of the human gut virome despite recent large-scale sequencing and bioinformatics efforts. IMPORTANCE As Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (previously known as Lactobacillus plantarum) is increasingly used as a probiotic to treat human gut-related diseases, its bacteriophages may pose a certain threat to their further application and should be identified and characterized more often from the human intestine. Here, we isolated and identified the first gut L. plantarum phage that is prevalent in a Chinese population. This phage, Gut-P1, is virulent and can strongly inhibit the growth of multiple L. plantarum strains at low MOIs. Our results also show that bulk sequencing is inefficient at recovering low-abundance but highly prevalent phages such as Gut-P1, suggesting that the hidden diversity of human enteroviruses has not yet been explored. Our results call for innovative approaches to isolate and identify intestinal phages from the human gut and to rethink our current understanding of the enterovirus, particularly its underestimated diversity and overestimated individual specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Zhao
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chuqing Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Menglu Jin
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jingchao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lulu Xing
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jin Yan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hailei Wang
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Zhi Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei-Hua Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Institution of Medical Artificial Intelligence, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
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Andrianjakarivony FH, Bettarel Y, Desnues C. Searching for a Reliable Viral Indicator of Faecal Pollution in Aquatic Environments. J Microbiol 2023:10.1007/s12275-023-00052-6. [PMID: 37261715 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-023-00052-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The disposal of sewage in significant quantities poses a health hazard to aquatic ecosystems. These effluents can contain a wide range of pathogens, making faecal contamination a leading source of waterborne diseases around the world. Yet monitoring bacteria or viruses in aquatic environments is time consuming and expensive. The standard indicators of faecal pollution all have limitations, including difficulty in determining the source due to lack of host specificity, poor connection with the presence of non-bacterial pathogens, or low environmental persistence. Innovative monitoring techniques are sorely needed to provide more accurate and targeted solutions. Viruses are a promising alternative to faecal indicator bacteria for monitoring, as they are more persistent in ambient water, more abundant in faeces, and are extremely host-specific. Given the range of viruses found in diverse contexts, it is not easy to find one "ideal" viral indicator of faecal pollution; however, several are of interest. In parallel, the ongoing development of molecular techniques coupled with metagenomics and bioinformatics should enable improved ways to detect faecal contamination using viruses. This review examines the evolution of faecal contamination monitoring with the following aims (i) to identify the characteristics of the main viral indicators of faecal contamination, including human enteric viruses, bacteriophages, CRESS and plant viruses, (ii) to assess how these have been used to monitor water pollution in recent years, (iii) to evaluate the reliability of recent detection methods of such viruses, and (iv) to tentatively determine which viruses may be most effective as markers of faecal pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felana Harilanto Andrianjakarivony
- Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny, and Infection (MEФI), IHU - Méditerranée Infection, 13005, Marseille, France
- Microbiologie Environnementale Biotechnologie (MEB), Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Yvan Bettarel
- MARBEC, Marine Biodiversity, Exploitation and Conservation, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, 34090, Montpellier, France.
| | - Christelle Desnues
- Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny, and Infection (MEФI), IHU - Méditerranée Infection, 13005, Marseille, France
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31
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Johansen J, Atarashi K, Arai Y, Hirose N, Sørensen SJ, Vatanen T, Knip M, Honda K, Xavier RJ, Rasmussen S, Plichta DR. Centenarians have a diverse gut virome with the potential to modulate metabolism and promote healthy lifespan. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1064-1078. [PMID: 37188814 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01370-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Distinct gut microbiome ecology may be implicated in the prevention of aging-related diseases as it influences systemic immune function and resistance to infections. Yet, the viral component of the microbiome throughout different stages in life remains unexplored. Here we present a characterization of the centenarian gut virome using previously published metagenomes from 195 individuals from Japan and Sardinia. Compared with gut viromes of younger adults (>18 yr) and older individuals (>60 yr), centenarians had a more diverse virome including previously undescribed viral genera, such as viruses associated with Clostridia. A population shift towards higher lytic activity was also observed. Finally, we investigated phage-encoded auxiliary functions that influence bacterial physiology, which revealed an enrichment of genes supporting key steps in sulfate metabolic pathways. Phage and bacterial members of the centenarian microbiome displayed an increased potential for converting methionine to homocysteine, sulfate to sulfide and taurine to sulfide. A greater metabolic output of microbial hydrogen sulfide in centenarians may in turn support mucosal integrity and resistance to pathobionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Johansen
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Koji Atarashi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasumichi Arai
- Center for Supercentenarian Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuyoshi Hirose
- Center for Supercentenarian Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Søren J Sørensen
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tommi Vatanen
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mikael Knip
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- New Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Tampere Center for Child Health Research, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Kenya Honda
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ramnik J Xavier
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Simon Rasmussen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Damian R Plichta
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Arnau V, Díaz-Villanueva W, Mifsut Benet J, Villasante P, Beamud B, Mompó P, Sanjuan R, González-Candelas F, Domingo-Calap P, Džunková M. Inference of the Life Cycle of Environmental Phages from Genomic Signature Distances to Their Hosts. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051196. [PMID: 37243281 DOI: 10.3390/v15051196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The environmental impact of uncultured phages is shaped by their preferred life cycle (lytic or lysogenic). However, our ability to predict it is very limited. We aimed to discriminate between lytic and lysogenic phages by comparing the similarity of their genomic signatures to those of their hosts, reflecting their co-evolution. We tested two approaches: (1) similarities of tetramer relative frequencies, (2) alignment-free comparisons based on exact k = 14 oligonucleotide matches. First, we explored 5126 reference bacterial host strains and 284 associated phages and found an approximate threshold for distinguishing lysogenic and lytic phages using both oligonucleotide-based methods. The analysis of 6482 plasmids revealed the potential for horizontal gene transfer between different host genera and, in some cases, distant bacterial taxa. Subsequently, we experimentally analyzed combinations of 138 Klebsiella pneumoniae strains and their 41 phages and found that the phages with the largest number of interactions with these strains in the laboratory had the shortest genomic distances to K. pneumoniae. We then applied our methods to 24 single-cells from a hot spring biofilm containing 41 uncultured phage-host pairs, and the results were compatible with the lysogenic life cycle of phages detected in this environment. In conclusion, oligonucleotide-based genome analysis methods can be used for predictions of (1) life cycles of environmental phages, (2) phages with the broadest host range in culture collections, and (3) potential horizontal gene transfer by plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Arnau
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain
- Foundation for the Promotion of Sanitary and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO), 46020 Valencia, Spain
- CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBEResp), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Wladimiro Díaz-Villanueva
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain
- Foundation for the Promotion of Sanitary and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO), 46020 Valencia, Spain
- CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBEResp), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Mifsut Benet
- Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Beatriz Beamud
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain
- Foundation for the Promotion of Sanitary and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO), 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Paula Mompó
- Foundation for the Promotion of Sanitary and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO), 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Rafael Sanjuan
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando González-Candelas
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain
- Foundation for the Promotion of Sanitary and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO), 46020 Valencia, Spain
- CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBEResp), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain
| | - Mária Džunková
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980 Valencia, Spain
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Lee SY, Yang J, Lee JH. Improvement of crAssphage detection/quantification method and its extensive application for food safety. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1185788. [PMID: 37256047 PMCID: PMC10225732 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1185788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Water-borne diseases are usually caused by the fecal-oral transmission of human fecal pathogens. Traditionally, coliforms and enterococci are widely used as indicator bacteria, but they do not allow to differentiate between human and animal fecal contamination. Owing to its presence only in the human gut environment, crAssphage has been suggested as an alternative indicator of human fecal contamination to overcome the above challenges. In this study, 139 human and 89 animal fecal samples (e.g., chicken, cow, dog, pig, pigeon, and mouse) were collected. For the rapid detection of human crAssphage in fecal samples, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was performed using five different oligonucleotide primer/probe combinations. These included three previously reported oligonucleotide primer/probe combinations (RQ, CPQ056, and CrAssBP) and two newly developed combinations (ORF00018-targeting CrAssPFL1 and ORF00044-targeting CrAssPFL2). The detection rate (crAssphage-positive rate) in human fecal samples were 23.0, 30.2, 28.8, 20.1, and 30.9%, respectively, suggesting CrAssPFL2 showed the highest detection rate. Furthermore, the lowest copy numbers (436.16 copy numbers) could be detected using the CrAssPFL2 combination. Interestingly, no difference in crAssphage detection rates was found between healthy people and intestinal inflammatory patients. As expected, no crAssphage was detected in any animal fecal samples, indicating its human specificity. Furthermore, qPCR analysis of sewage samples collected from five different sewage treatment plants revealed that they were all contaminated with 105.71 copy numbers/mL of crAssphage on average. The simulation test of crAssphage-contaminated food samples also confirmed that the detection limit was from 107.55 copy numbers of crAssphage in foods. Therefore, the newly developed and optimized qPCR would be useful for the sensitive detection of crAssphage while identifying the source of human fecal contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Young Lee
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Resources, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihye Yang
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju-Hoon Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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34
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Jin Y, Li W, Zhang H, Ba X, Li Z, Zhou J. The Post-Antibiotic Era: A New Dawn for Bacteriophages. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050681. [PMID: 37237494 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Phages are the most biologically diverse entities in the biosphere, infecting specific bacteria. Lytic phages quickly kill bacteria, while lysogenic phages integrate their genomes into bacteria and reproduce within the bacteria, participating in the evolution of natural populations. Thus, lytic phages are used to treat bacterial infections. However, due to the huge virus invasion, bacteria have also evolved a special immune mechanism (CRISPR-Cas systems, discovered in 1987). Therefore, it is necessary to develop phage cocktails and synthetic biology methods to infect bacteria, especially against multidrug-resistant bacteria infections, which are a major global threat. This review outlines the discovery and classification of phages and the associated achievements in the past century. The main applications of phages, including synthetic biology and PT, are also discussed, in addition to the effects of PT on immunity, intestinal microbes, and potential safety concerns. In the future, combining bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and classic phage research will be the way to deepen our understanding of phages. Overall, whether phages are an important element of the ecosystem or a carrier that mediates synthetic biology, they will greatly promote the progress of human society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youshun Jin
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wei Li
- College of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Huaiyu Zhang
- Animal Pathology Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Xuli Ba
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhaocai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Jizhang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
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35
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Structure of the most abundant human gut virus. Nature 2023:10.1038/d41586-023-01336-y. [PMID: 37138058 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-01336-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
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36
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Bayfield OW, Shkoporov AN, Yutin N, Khokhlova EV, Smith JLR, Hawkins DEDP, Koonin EV, Hill C, Antson AA. Structural atlas of a human gut crassvirus. Nature 2023; 617:409-416. [PMID: 37138077 PMCID: PMC10172136 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06019-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
CrAssphage and related viruses of the order Crassvirales (hereafter referred to as crassviruses) were originally discovered by cross-assembly of metagenomic sequences. They are the most abundant viruses in the human gut, are found in the majority of individual gut viromes, and account for up to 95% of the viral sequences in some individuals1-4. Crassviruses are likely to have major roles in shaping the composition and functionality of the human microbiome, but the structures and roles of most of the virally encoded proteins are unknown, with only generic predictions resulting from bioinformatic analyses4,5. Here we present a cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of Bacteroides intestinalis virus ΦcrAss0016, providing the structural basis for the functional assignment of most of its virion proteins. The muzzle protein forms an assembly about 1 MDa in size at the end of the tail and exhibits a previously unknown fold that we designate the 'crass fold', that is likely to serve as a gatekeeper that controls the ejection of cargos. In addition to packing the approximately 103 kb of virus DNA, the ΦcrAss001 virion has extensive storage space for virally encoded cargo proteins in the capsid and, unusually, within the tail. One of the cargo proteins is present in both the capsid and the tail, suggesting a general mechanism for protein ejection, which involves partial unfolding of proteins during their extrusion through the tail. These findings provide a structural basis for understanding the mechanisms of assembly and infection of these highly abundant crassviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver W Bayfield
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK.
| | - Andrey N Shkoporov
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ekaterina V Khokhlova
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jake L R Smith
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK
| | - Dorothy E D P Hawkins
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Alfred A Antson
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK.
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37
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Newton DP, Ho PY, Huang KC. Modulation of antibiotic effects on microbial communities by resource competition. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2398. [PMID: 37100773 PMCID: PMC10133249 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37895-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic treatment significantly impacts the human gut microbiota, but quantitative understanding of how antibiotics affect community diversity is lacking. Here, we build on classical ecological models of resource competition to investigate community responses to species-specific death rates, as induced by antibiotic activity or other growth-inhibiting factors such as bacteriophages. Our analyses highlight the complex dependence of species coexistence that can arise from the interplay of resource competition and antibiotic activity, independent of other biological mechanisms. In particular, we identify resource competition structures that cause richness to depend on the order of sequential application of antibiotics (non-transitivity), and the emergence of synergistic and antagonistic effects under simultaneous application of multiple antibiotics (non-additivity). These complex behaviors can be prevalent, especially when generalist consumers are targeted. Communities can be prone to either synergism or antagonism, but typically not both, and antagonism is more common. Furthermore, we identify a striking overlap in competition structures that lead to non-transitivity during antibiotic sequences and those that lead to non-additivity during antibiotic combination. In sum, our results establish a broadly applicable framework for predicting microbial community dynamics under deleterious perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Newton
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Po-Yi Ho
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
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38
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Roux S, Camargo AP, Coutinho FH, Dabdoub SM, Dutilh BE, Nayfach S, Tritt A. iPHoP: An integrated machine learning framework to maximize host prediction for metagenome-derived viruses of archaea and bacteria. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002083. [PMID: 37083735 PMCID: PMC10155999 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The extraordinary diversity of viruses infecting bacteria and archaea is now primarily studied through metagenomics. While metagenomes enable high-throughput exploration of the viral sequence space, metagenome-derived sequences lack key information compared to isolated viruses, in particular host association. Different computational approaches are available to predict the host(s) of uncultivated viruses based on their genome sequences, but thus far individual approaches are limited either in precision or in recall, i.e., for a number of viruses they yield erroneous predictions or no prediction at all. Here, we describe iPHoP, a two-step framework that integrates multiple methods to reliably predict host taxonomy at the genus rank for a broad range of viruses infecting bacteria and archaea, while retaining a low false discovery rate. Based on a large dataset of metagenome-derived virus genomes from the IMG/VR database, we illustrate how iPHoP can provide extensive host prediction and guide further characterization of uncultivated viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Roux
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Antonio Pedro Camargo
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | | | - Shareef M Dabdoub
- Division of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Bas E Dutilh
- Institute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Science for Life, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Stephen Nayfach
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Andrew Tritt
- Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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Ho SFS, Wheeler NE, Millard AD, van Schaik W. Gauge your phage: benchmarking of bacteriophage identification tools in metagenomic sequencing data. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:84. [PMID: 37085924 PMCID: PMC10120246 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01533-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prediction of bacteriophage sequences in metagenomic datasets has become a topic of considerable interest, leading to the development of many novel bioinformatic tools. A comparative analysis of ten state-of-the-art phage identification tools was performed to inform their usage in microbiome research. METHODS Artificial contigs generated from complete RefSeq genomes representing phages, plasmids, and chromosomes, and a previously sequenced mock community containing four phage species, were used to evaluate the precision, recall, and F1 scores of the tools. We also generated a dataset of randomly shuffled sequences to quantify false-positive calls. In addition, a set of previously simulated viromes was used to assess diversity bias in each tool's output. RESULTS VIBRANT and VirSorter2 achieved the highest F1 scores (0.93) in the RefSeq artificial contigs dataset, with several other tools also performing well. Kraken2 had the highest F1 score (0.86) in the mock community benchmark by a large margin (0.3 higher than DeepVirFinder in second place), mainly due to its high precision (0.96). Generally, k-mer-based tools performed better than reference similarity tools and gene-based methods. Several tools, most notably PPR-Meta, called a high number of false positives in the randomly shuffled sequences. When analysing the diversity of the genomes that each tool predicted from a virome set, most tools produced a viral genome set that had similar alpha- and beta-diversity patterns to the original population, with Seeker being a notable exception. CONCLUSIONS This study provides key metrics used to assess performance of phage detection tools, offers a framework for further comparison of additional viral discovery tools, and discusses optimal strategies for using these tools. We highlight that the choice of tool for identification of phages in metagenomic datasets, as well as their parameters, can bias the results and provide pointers for different use case scenarios. We have also made our benchmarking dataset available for download in order to facilitate future comparisons of phage identification tools. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siu Fung Stanley Ho
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Nicole E. Wheeler
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Andrew D. Millard
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Willem van Schaik
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Shen J, Zhang J, Mo L, Li Y, Li Y, Li C, Kuang X, Tao Z, Qu Z, Wu L, Chen J, Liu S, Zeng L, He Z, Chen Z, Deng Y, Zhang T, Li B, Dai L, Ma Y. Large-scale phage cultivation for commensal human gut bacteria. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:665-677.e7. [PMID: 37054680 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Phages are highly abundant in the human gut, yet most of them remain uncultured. Here, we present a gut phage isolate collection (GPIC) containing 209 phages for 42 commensal human gut bacterial species. Genome analysis of the phages identified 34 undescribed genera. We discovered 22 phages from the Salasmaviridae family that have small genomes (∼10-20 kbp) and infect Gram-positive bacteria. Two phages from a candidate family, Paboviridae, with high prevalence in the human gut were also identified. Infection assays showed that Bacteroides and Parabacteroides phages are specific to a bacterial species, and strains of the same species also exhibit substantial variations in phage susceptibility. A cocktail of 8 phages with a broad host range for Bacteroides fragilis strains effectively reduced their abundance in complex host-derived communities in vitro. Our study expands the diversity of cultured human gut bacterial phages and provides a valuable resource for human microbiome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Shen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jieqiong Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Luofei Mo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanchen Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yake Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cun Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoxian Kuang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zining Tao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zepeng Qu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lu Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junyu Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shiying Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Linfang Zeng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zexi He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zuohong Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Urban Water Recycling and Environmental Safety, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yu Deng
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Bing Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Urban Water Recycling and Environmental Safety, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lei Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Yingfei Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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41
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Weiner A, Turjeman S, Koren O. Gut microbes and host behavior: The forgotten members of the gut-microbiome. Neuropharmacology 2023; 227:109453. [PMID: 36738776 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiota refers to an entire population of microorganisms that colonize the gut. This community includes viruses, prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea), and eukaryotes (fungi and parasites). Multiple studies in the last decades described the significant involvement of gut bacteria in gut-brain axis communication; however, the involvement of other members of the gut microbiota has been neglected. Recent studies found that these 'forgotten' members of the gut microbiota may also have a role in gut-brain communication, although it is still unclear whether they have a direct effect on the brain or if their effects are mediated by gut bacteria. Here, we provide concrete suggestions for future research to tease out mechanisms of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Microbiome & the Brain: Mechanisms & Maladies".
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Weiner
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Sondra Turjeman
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Omry Koren
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
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42
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Smith L, Goldobina E, Govi B, Shkoporov AN. Bacteriophages of the Order Crassvirales: What Do We Currently Know about This Keystone Component of the Human Gut Virome? Biomolecules 2023; 13:584. [PMID: 37189332 PMCID: PMC10136315 DOI: 10.3390/biom13040584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The order Crassvirales comprises dsDNA bacteriophages infecting bacteria in the phylum Bacteroidetes that are found in a variety of environments but are especially prevalent in the mammalian gut. This review summarises available information on the genomics, diversity, taxonomy, and ecology of this largely uncultured viral taxon. With experimental data available from a handful of cultured representatives, the review highlights key properties of virion morphology, infection, gene expression and replication processes, and phage-host dynamics.
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43
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Stockdale SR, Shkoporov AN, Khokhlova EV, Daly KM, McDonnell SA, O' Regan O, Nolan JA, Sutton TDS, Clooney AG, Ryan FJ, Sheehan D, Lavelle A, Draper LA, Shanahan F, Ross RP, Hill C. Interpersonal variability of the human gut virome confounds disease signal detection in IBD. Commun Biol 2023; 6:221. [PMID: 36841913 PMCID: PMC9968284 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04592-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are increasingly recognised as important components of the human microbiome, fulfilling numerous ecological roles including bacterial predation, immune stimulation, genetic diversification, horizontal gene transfer, microbial interactions, and augmentation of metabolic functions. However, our current view of the human gut virome is tainted by previous sequencing requirements that necessitated the amplification of starting nucleic acids. In this study, we performed an original longitudinal analysis of 40 healthy control, 19 Crohn's disease, and 20 ulcerative colitis viromes over three time points without an amplification bias, which revealed and highlighted the interpersonal individuality of the human gut virome. In contrast to a 16 S rRNA gene analysis of matched samples, we show that α- and β-diversity metrics of unamplified viromes are not as efficient at discerning controls from patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Additionally, we explored the intrinsic properties of unamplified gut viromes and show there is considerable interpersonal variability in viral taxa, infrequent longitudinal persistence of intrapersonal viruses, and vast fluctuations in the abundance of temporal viruses. Together, these properties of unamplified faecal viromes confound the ability to discern disease associations but significantly advance toward an unbiased and accurate representation of the human gut virome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Karen M Daly
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Orla O' Regan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | - James A Nolan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Adam G Clooney
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | - Feargal J Ryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | - Donal Sheehan
- Department of Medicine, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | - Aonghus Lavelle
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Medicine, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Fergus Shanahan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Medicine, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | - R Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland.
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Co, Cork, Ireland.
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44
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CrAssphage May Be Viable Markers of Contamination in Pristine and Contaminated River Water. mSystems 2023; 8:e0128222. [PMID: 36744944 PMCID: PMC9948693 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01282-22] [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] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are the most biologically abundant entities and may be ideal indicators of fecal pollutants in water. Anthropogenic activities have triggered drastic ecosystem changes in rivers, leading to substantial shifts in chemical and biological attributes. Here, we evaluate the viability of using the presence of crAssphage as indicators of fecal contamination in South African rivers. Shotgun analysis revealed diverse crAssphage viruses in these rivers, which are impacted by chemical and biological pollution. Overall, the diversity and relative abundances of these viruses was higher in contaminated sites compared to pristine locations. In contrast to fecal coliform counts, crAssphage sequences were detected in pristine rivers, supporting the assertion that the afore mentioned marker may be a more accurate indicator of fecal contamination. Our data demonstrate the presence of diverse putative hosts which includes members of the phyla Bacteroidota, Pseudomonadota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Bacillota. Phylogenetic analysis revealed novel subfamilies, suggesting that rivers potentially harbor distinct and uncharacterized clades of crAssphage. These data provide the first insights regarding the diversity, distribution, and functional roles of crAssphage in rivers. Taken together, the results support the potential application of crAssphage as viable markers for water quality monitoring. IMPORTANCE Rivers support substantial populations and provide important ecosystem services. Despite the application of fecal coliform tests and other markers, we lack rapid and reproducible approaches for determining fecal contamination in rivers. Waterborne viral outbreaks have been reported even after fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) were suggested to be absent or below regulated levels of coliforms. This indicates a need to develop and apply improved indicators of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. Here, we evaluate the viability of crAssphage as indicators of fecal contamination in two South African rivers. We assess the abundance, distribution, and diversity of these viruses in sites that had been predicted pristine or contaminated by FIB analysis. We show that crAssphage are ideal and sensitive markers for fecal contamination and describe novel clades of crAss-like phages. Known crAss-like subfamilies were unrepresented in our data, suggesting that the diversity of these viruses may reflect geographic locality and dependence.
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45
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Sausset R, Krupova Z, Guédon E, Peron S, Grangier A, Petit M, De Sordi L, De Paepe M. Comparison of interferometric light microscopy with nanoparticle tracking analysis for the study of extracellular vesicles and bacteriophages. JOURNAL OF EXTRACELLULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 2:e75. [PMID: 38938523 PMCID: PMC11080698 DOI: 10.1002/jex2.75] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Research on extracellular vesicles (EVs) and bacteriophages (phages) has been steadily expanding over the past decades as many of their roles in medicine, biology, and ecosystems have been unveiled. Such interest has brought about the need for new tools to quantify and determine the sizes of these biological nanoparticles. A new device based on interferometric light microscopy (ILM), the Videodrop, was recently developed for this purpose. Here, we compared this new device to two nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) devices, the NanoSight and the ZetaView, for the analysis of EVs and phages. We used EVs isolated from bacteria, fecal samples, bovine milk and human cells, and phages of various sizes and shape, ranging from 30 to 120 nm of diameter. While NTA instruments correctly enumerated most phages, the Videodrop detected only the largest one, indicating a lower sensitivity threshold compared to the NTA devices. Nevertheless, the performance of the Videodrop compared favourably to that of the NTA devices for the determination of the concentration of eukaryotic EV samples. The NanoSight instrument provided the most precise size distributions but the Videodrop was by far the most time-saving device, making it worthy of consideration for studies conducted on a large number of samples composed of nanoparticles larger than 90 nm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Sausset
- Micalis Institute, INRAE, AgroParisTechUniversité Paris‐SaclayJouy‐en‐JosasFrance
- Myriade68 boulevard de Port RoyalParisFrance
- Centre de Recherche Saint AntoineSorbonne Université, INSERMParisFrance
| | - Zuzana Krupova
- Excilone, Departement R&D6 rue Blaise Pascal, Parc Euclide, Bat. AElancourtFrance
| | | | | | - Alice Grangier
- Laboratoire MSC Matière et Systèmes ComplexesCNRS UMR 7057Université Paris CitéParisFrance
| | - Marie‐Agnès Petit
- Micalis Institute, INRAE, AgroParisTechUniversité Paris‐SaclayJouy‐en‐JosasFrance
| | - Luisa De Sordi
- Centre de Recherche Saint AntoineSorbonne Université, INSERMParisFrance
| | - Marianne De Paepe
- Micalis Institute, INRAE, AgroParisTechUniversité Paris‐SaclayJouy‐en‐JosasFrance
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Turner D, Shkoporov AN, Lood C, Millard AD, Dutilh BE, Alfenas-Zerbini P, van Zyl LJ, Aziz RK, Oksanen HM, Poranen MM, Kropinski AM, Barylski J, Brister JR, Chanisvili N, Edwards RA, Enault F, Gillis A, Knezevic P, Krupovic M, Kurtböke I, Kushkina A, Lavigne R, Lehman S, Lobocka M, Moraru C, Moreno Switt A, Morozova V, Nakavuma J, Reyes Muñoz A, Rūmnieks J, Sarkar BL, Sullivan MB, Uchiyama J, Wittmann J, Yigang T, Adriaenssens EM. Abolishment of morphology-based taxa and change to binomial species names: 2022 taxonomy update of the ICTV bacterial viruses subcommittee. Arch Virol 2023; 168:74. [PMID: 36683075 PMCID: PMC9868039 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05694-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 138.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
This article summarises the activities of the Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses for the period of March 2021-March 2022. We provide an overview of the new taxa proposed in 2021, approved by the Executive Committee, and ratified by vote in 2022. Significant changes to the taxonomy of bacterial viruses were introduced: the paraphyletic morphological families Podoviridae, Siphoviridae, and Myoviridae as well as the order Caudovirales were abolished, and a binomial system of nomenclature for species was established. In addition, one order, 22 families, 30 subfamilies, 321 genera, and 862 species were newly created, promoted, or moved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dann Turner
- School of Applied Sciences, College of Health, Science and Society, University of the West of England, Bristol, BS16 1QY UK
| | - Andrey N. Shkoporov
- Department of Medicine and APC Microbiome Ireland, School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Cédric Lood
- Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Andrew D. Millard
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, UK
| | - Bas E. Dutilh
- Institute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Science for Life, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, Utrecht, 3584 CH The Netherlands
| | | | - Leonardo J. van Zyl
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM), Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, 7535 Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ramy K. Aziz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, 11562 Cairo, Egypt
- Egypt/ and Children’s Cancer Hospital, 57357, 11617 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hanna M. Oksanen
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Minna M. Poranen
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andrew M. Kropinski
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Jakub Barylski
- Department of Molecular Virology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poznan, Poland
| | - J Rodney Brister
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894 USA
| | - Nina Chanisvili
- The Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Rob A. Edwards
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, Adelaide, Australia
| | - François Enault
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LMGE, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Annika Gillis
- Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2, L7.05.12, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Petar Knezevic
- PK Lab, Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 3, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Archaeal Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Paris, 75015 France
| | - Ipek Kurtböke
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, 4558 Maroochydore, BC, QLD Australia
| | - Alla Kushkina
- Department of Bacteriophage molecular genetics, D.K.Zabolotny Institute of microbiology and virology, NAS of Ukraine, 154 Acad. Zabolotnoho str, 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Bacterial molecular genetics, Faculty of biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susan Lehman
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD USA
| | - Malgorzata Lobocka
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Cristina Moraru
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Andrea Moreno Switt
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Vera Morozova
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Jesca Nakavuma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Alejandro Reyes Muñoz
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Computational Biology, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, 111711 Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jānis Rūmnieks
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Center, 1067 Riga, Latvia
| | - BL Sarkar
- ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Kolkata, India
| | - Matthew B. Sullivan
- Departments of Microbiology and Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Jumpei Uchiyama
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 1-1-1, Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 7008530 Japan
| | - Johannes Wittmann
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Tong Yigang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 China
| | - Evelien M. Adriaenssens
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Rosalind Franklin Road, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UQ UK
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Shang J, Tang X, Sun Y. PhaTYP: predicting the lifestyle for bacteriophages using BERT. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:bbac487. [PMID: 36659812 PMCID: PMC9851330 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (or phages), which infect bacteria, have two distinct lifestyles: virulent and temperate. Predicting the lifestyle of phages helps decipher their interactions with their bacterial hosts, aiding phages' applications in fields such as phage therapy. Because experimental methods for annotating the lifestyle of phages cannot keep pace with the fast accumulation of sequenced phages, computational method for predicting phages' lifestyles has become an attractive alternative. Despite some promising results, computational lifestyle prediction remains difficult because of the limited known annotations and the sheer amount of sequenced phage contigs assembled from metagenomic data. In particular, most of the existing tools cannot precisely predict phages' lifestyles for short contigs. In this work, we develop PhaTYP (Phage TYPe prediction tool) to improve the accuracy of lifestyle prediction on short contigs. We design two different training tasks, self-supervised and fine-tuning tasks, to overcome lifestyle prediction difficulties. We rigorously tested and compared PhaTYP with four state-of-the-art methods: DeePhage, PHACTS, PhagePred and BACPHLIP. The experimental results show that PhaTYP outperforms all these methods and achieves more stable performance on short contigs. In addition, we demonstrated the utility of PhaTYP for analyzing the phage lifestyle on human neonates' gut data. This application shows that PhaTYP is a useful means for studying phages in metagenomic data and helps extend our understanding of microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Shang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China SAR
| | - Xubo Tang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China SAR
| | - Yanni Sun
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China SAR
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48
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Rothschild-Rodriguez D, Hedges M, Kaplan M, Karav S, Nobrega FL. Phage-encoded carbohydrate-interacting proteins in the human gut. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1083208. [PMID: 36687636 PMCID: PMC9853417 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1083208] [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: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In the human gastrointestinal tract, the gut mucosa and the bacterial component of the microbiota interact and modulate each other to accomplish a variety of critical functions. These include digestion aid, maintenance of the mucosal barrier, immune regulation, and production of vitamins, hormones, and other metabolites that are important for our health. The mucus lining of the gut is primarily composed of mucins, large glycosylated proteins with glycosylation patterns that vary depending on factors including location in the digestive tract and the local microbial population. Many gut bacteria have evolved to reside within the mucus layer and thus encode mucus-adhering and -degrading proteins. By doing so, they can influence the integrity of the mucus barrier and therefore promote either health maintenance or the onset and progression of some diseases. The viral members of the gut - mostly composed of bacteriophages - have also been shown to have mucus-interacting capabilities, but their mechanisms and effects remain largely unexplored. In this review, we discuss the role of bacteriophages in influencing mucosal integrity, indirectly via interactions with other members of the gut microbiota, or directly with the gut mucus via phage-encoded carbohydrate-interacting proteins. We additionally discuss how these phage-mucus interactions may influence health and disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morgen Hedges
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Merve Kaplan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey
| | - Sercan Karav
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey
| | - Franklin L. Nobrega
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Franklin L. Nobrega, ✉
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Cervantes-Echeverría M, Gallardo-Becerra L, Cornejo-Granados F, Ochoa-Leyva A. The Two-Faced Role of crAssphage Subfamilies in Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome: Between Good and Evil. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:139. [PMID: 36672880 PMCID: PMC9858991 DOI: 10.3390/genes14010139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral metagenomic studies of the human gut microbiota have unraveled the differences in phage populations between health and disease, stimulating interest in phages' role on bacterial ecosystem regulation. CrAssphage is a common and abundant family in the gut virome across human populations. Therefore, we explored its role in obesity (O) and obesity with metabolic syndrome (OMS) in a children's cohort. We found a significantly decreased prevalence, diversity, and richness of the crAssphage Alpha subfamily in OMS mainly driven by a decrease in the Alpha_1 and Alpha_4 genera. On the contrary, there was a significant increase in the Beta subfamily in OMS, mainly driven by an increase in Beta_6. Additionally, an overabundance of the Delta_8 genus was observed in OMS. Notably, a decreased abundance of crAssphages was significantly correlated with the overabundance of Bacilli in the same group. The Bacilli class is a robust taxonomical biomarker of O and was also significantly abundant in our OMS cohort. Our results suggest that a loss of stability in the Alpha subfamily of crAssphages is associated with O and OMS. Contrary, an overabundance of the Delta subfamily was found in OMS. Our study advises the importance of considering the dual role (good and evil) of crAssphage subfamilies and their participation in conditions such as O, where we suggest that Alpha loss and Delta gain are associated with obese individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Adrian Ochoa-Leyva
- Departamento de Microbiologia Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Avenida Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico
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Buttimer C, Khokhlova EV, Stein L, Hueston CM, Govi B, Draper LA, Ross RP, Shkoporov AN, Hill C. Temperate bacteriophages infecting the mucin-degrading bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus from the human gut. Gut Microbes 2023; 15:2194794. [PMID: 36994608 PMCID: PMC10072058 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2194794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Ruminococcus gnavus is a prevalent gut microbe reported to occur in higher abundance among individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study reports the isolation and characterization of six bacteriophages (phages) isolated from human fecal material and environmental samples that infect this species. Isolated phages have a siphovirus morphology, with genomes ranging between 36.5 and 37.8 kbp. Genome analysis indicates that the phages have a temperate lifestyle, which was confirmed by their ability to form lysogens on their host bacterial species. In contrast to the finding that phages lyse their host in liquid medium, results from a mouse trial indicate these phages can co-exist with the host bacterium in the gut without causing a significant reduction of R. gnavus. The bacterial counts in the feces of phage-treated mice did not significantly differ in the presence of phage. Furthermore, analysis of publicly available gut virome sequence data indicates a high abundance of these phages among individuals suffering from IBD. This work provides the first insight into how phages interact with R. gnavus in the human gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Buttimer
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Lisa Stein
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College, Cork, Ireland
| | - Cara M. Hueston
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College, Cork, Ireland
| | - Bianca Govi
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College, Cork, Ireland
| | - Lorraine A. Draper
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College, Cork, Ireland
| | - R. Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College, Cork, Ireland
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