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Saba J, Flores K, Marshall B, Engstrom MD, Peng Y, Garje AS, Comstock L, Landick R. Bacteroides expand the functional versatility of a universal transcription factor and transcribed DNA to program capsule diversity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.21.599965. [PMID: 38948710 PMCID: PMC11213015 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.21.599965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Human gut Bacteroides species encode numerous (eight or more) tightly regulated capsular polysaccharides (CPS). Specialized paralogs of the universal transcription elongation factor NusG, called UpxY (Y), and an anti-Y UpxZ (Z) are encoded by the first two genes of each CPS operon. The Y-Z regulators combine with promoter inversions to limit CPS transcription to a single operon in most cells. Y enhances transcript elongation whereas Z inhibits noncognate Ys. How Y distinguishes among cognate CPS operons and how Z inhibits only noncognate Ys are unknown. Using in-vivo nascent-RNA sequencing and promoter-less in vitro transcription (PIVoT), we establish that Y recognizes a paused RNA polymerase via sequences in both the exposed non-template DNA and the upstream duplex DNA. Y association is aided by novel 'pause-then-escape' nascent RNA hairpins. Z binds non-cognate Ys to directly inhibit Y association. This Y-Z hierarchical regulatory program allows Bacteroides to create CPS subpopulations for optimal fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Saba
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Katia Flores
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Bailey Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Michael D. Engstrom
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yikai Peng
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Atharv S. Garje
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Genetics Training Program, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Laurie Comstock
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Robert Landick
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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2
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Brown HA, Morris AL, Pudlo NA, Hopkins AE, Martens EC, Golob JL, Koropatkin NM. Acarbose Impairs Gut Bacteroides Growth by Targeting Intracellular GH97 Enzymes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.20.595031. [PMID: 38826241 PMCID: PMC11142093 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.20.595031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Acarbose is a type-2 diabetes medicine that inhibits dietary starch breakdown into glucose by inhibiting host amylase and glucosidase enzymes. Numerous gut species in the Bacteroides genus enzymatically break down starch and change in relative abundance within the gut microbiome in acarbose-treated individuals. To mechanistically explain this observation, we used two model starch-degrading Bacteroides, Bacteroides ovatus (Bo) and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt). Bt growth is severely impaired by acarbose whereas Bo growth is not. The Bacteroides use a starch utilization system (Sus) to grow on starch. We hypothesized that Bo and Bt Sus enzymes are differentially inhibited by acarbose. Instead, we discovered that although acarbose primarily targets the Sus periplasmic GH97 enzymes in both organisms, the drug affects starch processing at multiple other points. Acarbose competes for transport through the Sus beta-barrel proteins and binds to the Sus transcriptional regulators. Further, Bo expresses a non-Sus GH97 (BoGH97D) when grown in starch with acarbose. The Bt homolog, BtGH97H, is not expressed in the same conditions, nor can overexpression of BoGH97D complement the Bt growth inhibition in the presence of acarbose. This work informs us about unexpected complexities of Sus function and regulation in Bacteroides, including variation between related species. Further, this indicates that the gut microbiome may be a source of variable response to acarbose treatment for diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley A. Brown
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Adeline L. Morris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Pudlo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ashley E. Hopkins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Eric C. Martens
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Golob
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nicole M. Koropatkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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3
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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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4
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García-Bayona L, Said N, Coyne MJ, Flores K, Elmekki NM, Sheahan ML, Camacho AG, Hutt K, Yildiz FH, Kovács ÁT, Waldor MK, Comstock LE. A pervasive large conjugative plasmid mediates multispecies biofilm formation in the intestinal microbiota increasing resilience to perturbations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.29.590671. [PMID: 38746121 PMCID: PMC11092513 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.590671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Although horizontal gene transfer is pervasive in the intestinal microbiota, we understand only superficially the roles of most exchanged genes and how the mobile repertoire affects community dynamics. Similarly, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the ability of a community to recover after a perturbation. Here, we identified and functionally characterized a large conjugative plasmid that is one of the most frequently transferred elements among Bacteroidales species and is ubiquitous in diverse human populations. This plasmid encodes both an extracellular polysaccharide and fimbriae, which promote the formation of multispecies biofilms in the mammalian gut. We use a hybridization-based approach to visualize biofilms in clarified whole colon tissue with unprecedented 3D spatial resolution. These biofilms increase bacterial survival to common stressors encountered in the gut, increasing strain resiliency, and providing a rationale for the plasmid's recent spread and high worldwide prevalence.
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5
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Zhong Q, Liao B, Liu J, Shen W, Wang J, Wei L, Ma Y, Dong PT, Bor B, McLean JS, Chang Y, Shi W, Cen L, Wu M, Liu J, Li Y, He X, Le S. Episymbiotic Saccharibacteria TM7x modulates the susceptibility of its host bacteria to phage infection and promotes their coexistence. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2319790121. [PMID: 38593079 PMCID: PMC11032452 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319790121] [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: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) play critical roles in modulating microbial ecology. Within the human microbiome, the factors influencing the long-term coexistence of phages and bacteria remain poorly investigated. Saccharibacteria (formerly TM7) are ubiquitous members of the human oral microbiome. These ultrasmall bacteria form episymbiotic relationships with their host bacteria and impact their physiology. Here, we showed that during surface-associated growth, a human oral Saccharibacteria isolate (named TM7x) protects its host bacterium, a Schaalia odontolytica strain (named XH001) against lytic phage LC001 predation. RNA-Sequencing analysis identified in XH001 a gene cluster with predicted functions involved in the biogenesis of cell wall polysaccharides (CWP), whose expression is significantly down-regulated when forming a symbiosis with TM7x. Through genetic work, we experimentally demonstrated the impact of the expression of this CWP gene cluster on bacterial-phage interaction by affecting phage binding. In vitro coevolution experiments further showed that the heterogeneous populations of TM7x-associated and TM7x-free XH001, which display differential susceptibility to LC001 predation, promote bacteria and phage coexistence. Our study highlights the tripartite interaction between the bacterium, episymbiont, and phage. More importantly, we present a mechanism, i.e., episymbiont-mediated modulation of gene expression in host bacteria, which impacts their susceptibility to phage predation and contributes to the formation of "source-sink" dynamics between phage and bacteria in biofilm, promoting their long-term coexistence within the human microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu Zhong
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing400038, China
| | - Binyou Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan610041, China
| | - Jiazhen Liu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing400038, China
| | - Wei Shen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing401336, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing400038, China
| | - Leilei Wei
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400038, China
| | - Yansong Ma
- Department of Orthodontics, Capital Medical University, Beijing100050, China
| | - Pu-Ting Dong
- Department of Microbiology, The American Dental Association Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA02142
| | - Batbileg Bor
- Department of Microbiology, The American Dental Association Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA02142
- Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA02115
| | - Jeffrey S. McLean
- Department of Periodontics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98119
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
| | - Yunjie Chang
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
- Department of Infectious Disease of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Wenyuan Shi
- Department of Microbiology, The American Dental Association Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA02142
| | - Lujia Cen
- Department of Microbiology, The American Dental Association Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA02142
| | - Miaomiao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan610041, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06536
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan610041, China
| | - Xuesong He
- Department of Microbiology, The American Dental Association Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA02142
- Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA02115
| | - Shuai Le
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing400038, China
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6
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Ryan D, Bornet E, Prezza G, Alampalli SV, Franco de Carvalho T, Felchle H, Ebbecke T, Hayward RJ, Deutschbauer AM, Barquist L, Westermann AJ. An expanded transcriptome atlas for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron reveals a small RNA that modulates tetracycline sensitivity. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1130-1144. [PMID: 38528147 PMCID: PMC10994844 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01642-9] [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: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Plasticity in gene expression allows bacteria to adapt to diverse environments. This is particularly relevant in the dynamic niche of the human intestinal tract; however, transcriptional networks remain largely unknown for gut-resident bacteria. Here we apply differential RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and conventional RNA-seq to the model gut bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron to map transcriptional units and profile their expression levels across 15 in vivo-relevant growth conditions. We infer stress- and carbon source-specific transcriptional regulons and expand the annotation of small RNAs (sRNAs). Integrating this expression atlas with published transposon mutant fitness data, we predict conditionally important sRNAs. These include MasB, which downregulates tetracycline tolerance. Using MS2 affinity purification and RNA-seq, we identify a putative MasB target and assess its role in the context of the MasB-associated phenotype. These data-publicly available through the Theta-Base web browser ( http://micromix.helmholtz-hiri.de/bacteroides/ )-constitute a valuable resource for the microbiome community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ryan
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elise Bornet
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gianluca Prezza
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Shuba Varshini Alampalli
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Taís Franco de Carvalho
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Felchle
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany
| | - Titus Ebbecke
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Regan J Hayward
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Adam M Deutschbauer
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Lars Barquist
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexander J Westermann
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Würzburg, Germany.
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
- Department of Microbiology, Biocentre, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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7
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Carasso S, Zaatry R, Hajjo H, Kadosh-Kariti D, Ben-Assa N, Naddaf R, Mandelbaum N, Pressman S, Chowers Y, Gefen T, Jeffrey KL, Jofre J, Coyne MJ, Comstock LE, Sharon I, Geva-Zatorsky N. Inflammation and bacteriophages affect DNA inversion states and functionality of the gut microbiota. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:322-334.e9. [PMID: 38423015 PMCID: PMC10939037 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Reversible genomic DNA inversions control the expression of numerous gut bacterial molecules, but how this impacts disease remains uncertain. By analyzing metagenomic samples from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cohorts, we identified multiple invertible regions where a particular orientation correlated with disease. These include the promoter of polysaccharide A (PSA) of Bacteroides fragilis, which induces regulatory T cells (Tregs) and ameliorates experimental colitis. The PSA promoter was mostly oriented "OFF" in IBD patients, which correlated with increased B. fragilis-associated bacteriophages. Similarly, in mice colonized with a healthy human microbiota and B. fragilis, induction of colitis caused a decline of PSA in the "ON" orientation that reversed as inflammation resolved. Monocolonization of mice with B. fragilis revealed that bacteriophage infection increased the frequency of PSA in the "OFF" orientation, causing reduced PSA expression and decreased Treg cells. Altogether, we reveal dynamic bacterial phase variations driven by bacteriophages and host inflammation, signifying bacterial functional plasticity during disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaqed Carasso
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Rawan Zaatry
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Haitham Hajjo
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Dana Kadosh-Kariti
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Nadav Ben-Assa
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Rawi Naddaf
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Noa Mandelbaum
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Sigal Pressman
- Department of Gastroenterology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa 3109601, Israel; Clinical Research Institute, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa 3109601, Israel
| | - Yehuda Chowers
- Department of Gastroenterology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa 3109601, Israel; Clinical Research Institute, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa 3109601, Israel; Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Tal Gefen
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Kate L Jeffrey
- Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Juan Jofre
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael J Coyne
- Duchossois Family Institute and Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Laurie E Comstock
- Duchossois Family Institute and Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Itai Sharon
- Migal-Galilee Research Institute, P.O. Box 831, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel; Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Tel-Hai Academic College, Upper Galilee 1220800, Israel
| | - Naama Geva-Zatorsky
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Haifa 32000, Israel; CIFAR, MaRS Centre, West Tower 661, Suite 505, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada.
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8
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Haudiquet M, Le Bris J, Nucci A, Bonnin RA, Domingo-Calap P, Rocha EPC, Rendueles O. Capsules and their traits shape phage susceptibility and plasmid conjugation efficiency. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2032. [PMID: 38448399 PMCID: PMC10918111 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46147-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial evolution is affected by mobile genetic elements like phages and conjugative plasmids, offering new adaptive traits while incurring fitness costs. Their infection is affected by the bacterial capsule. Yet, its importance has been difficult to quantify because of the high diversity of confounding mechanisms in bacterial genomes such as anti-viral systems and surface receptor modifications. Swapping capsule loci between Klebsiella pneumoniae strains allowed us to quantify their impact on plasmid and phage infection independently of genetic background. Capsule swaps systematically invert phage susceptibility, revealing serotypes as key determinants of phage infection. Capsule types also influence conjugation efficiency in both donor and recipient cells, a mechanism shaped by capsule volume and conjugative pilus structure. Comparative genomics confirmed that more permissive serotypes in the lab correspond to the strains acquiring more conjugative plasmids in nature. The least capsule-sensitive pili (F-like) are the most frequent in the species' plasmids, and are the only ones associated with both antibiotic resistance and virulence factors, driving the convergence between virulence and antibiotics resistance in the population. These results show how traits of cellular envelopes define slow and fast lanes of infection by mobile genetic elements, with implications for population dynamics and horizontal gene transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Haudiquet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France.
- Ecole Doctoral FIRE-Programme Bettencourt, CRI, Paris, France.
| | - Julie Le Bris
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, Ecole Doctorale Complexité du Vivant, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Amandine Nucci
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Rémy A Bonnin
- Team Resist UMR1184 Université Paris Saclay, CEA, Inserm, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
- Service de bactériologie, Hôpital Bicêtre, Université Paris Saclay, AP-HP, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
- Centre National de Référence Associé de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas, Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980, Paterna, Spain
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France.
| | - Olaya Rendueles
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France.
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9
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Tripathi S, Voogdt CGP, Bassler SO, Anderson M, Huang PH, Sakenova N, Capraz T, Jain S, Koumoutsi A, Bravo AM, Trotter V, Zimmerman M, Sonnenburg JL, Buie C, Typas A, Deutschbauer AM, Shiver AL, Huang KC. Randomly barcoded transposon mutant libraries for gut commensals I: Strategies for efficient library construction. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113517. [PMID: 38142397 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Randomly barcoded transposon mutant libraries are powerful tools for studying gene function and organization, assessing gene essentiality and pathways, discovering potential therapeutic targets, and understanding the physiology of gut bacteria and their interactions with the host. However, construction of high-quality libraries with uniform representation can be challenging. In this review, we survey various strategies for barcoded library construction, including transposition systems, methods of transposon delivery, optimal library size, and transconjugant selection schemes. We discuss the advantages and limitations of each approach, as well as factors to consider when selecting a strategy. In addition, we highlight experimental and computational advances in arraying condensed libraries from mutant pools. We focus on examples of successful library construction in gut bacteria and their application to gene function studies and drug discovery. Given the need for understanding gene function and organization in gut bacteria, we provide a comprehensive guide for researchers to construct randomly barcoded transposon mutant libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surya Tripathi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Carlos Geert Pieter Voogdt
- Genome Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Oliver Bassler
- Genome Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Grabengasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mary Anderson
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Po-Hsun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nazgul Sakenova
- Genome Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tümay Capraz
- Genome Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sunit Jain
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Alexandra Koumoutsi
- Genome Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Afonso Martins Bravo
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Valentine Trotter
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Michael Zimmerman
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Justin L Sonnenburg
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Cullen Buie
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Athanasios Typas
- Genome Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Adam M Deutschbauer
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Anthony L Shiver
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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10
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Lou YC, Chen L, Borges AL, West-Roberts J, Firek BA, Morowitz MJ, Banfield JF. Infant gut DNA bacteriophage strain persistence during the first 3 years of life. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:35-47.e6. [PMID: 38096814 PMCID: PMC11156429 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are key components of gut microbiomes, yet the phage colonization process in the infant gut remains uncertain. Here, we establish a large phage sequence database and use strain-resolved analyses to investigate DNA phage succession in infants throughout the first 3 years of life. Analysis of 819 fecal metagenomes collected from 28 full-term and 24 preterm infants and their mothers revealed that early-life phageome richness increases over time and reaches adult-like complexity by age 3. Approximately 9% of early phage colonizers, which are mostly maternally transmitted and infect Bacteroides, persist for 3 years and are more prevalent in full-term than in preterm infants. Although rare, phages with stop codon reassignment are more likely to persist than non-recoded phages and generally display an increase in in-frame reassigned stop codons over 3 years. Overall, maternal seeding, stop codon reassignment, host CRISPR-Cas locus prevalence, and diverse phage populations contribute to stable viral colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Clare Lou
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - LinXing Chen
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94709, USA
| | - Adair L Borges
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jacob West-Roberts
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Brian A Firek
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Michael J Morowitz
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Jillian F Banfield
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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11
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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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12
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Kim K, Kang M, Cho BK. Systems and synthetic biology-driven engineering of live bacterial therapeutics. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1267378. [PMID: 37929193 PMCID: PMC10620806 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1267378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The past decade has seen growing interest in bacterial engineering for therapeutically relevant applications. While early efforts focused on repurposing genetically tractable model strains, such as Escherichia coli, engineering gut commensals is gaining traction owing to their innate capacity to survive and stably propagate in the intestine for an extended duration. Although limited genetic tractability has been a major roadblock, recent advances in systems and synthetic biology have unlocked our ability to effectively harness native gut commensals for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes, ranging from the rational design of synthetic microbial consortia to the construction of synthetic cells that execute "sense-and-respond" logic operations that allow real-time detection and therapeutic payload delivery in response to specific signals in the intestine. In this review, we outline the current progress and latest updates on microbial therapeutics, with particular emphasis on gut commensal engineering driven by synthetic biology and systems understanding of their molecular phenotypes. Finally, the challenges and prospects of engineering gut commensals for therapeutic applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangsan Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjeong Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Kwan Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Engineering Biology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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13
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Young GR, Nelson A, Stewart CJ, Smith DL. Bacteriophage communities are a reservoir of unexplored microbial diversity in neonatal health and disease. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 75:102379. [PMID: 37647765 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102379] [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: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Acquisition and development of the gut microbiome are vital for immune education in neonates, especially those born preterm. As such, microbial communities have been extensively studied in the context of postnatal health and disease. Bacterial communities have been the focus of research in this area due to the relative ease of targeted bacterial sequencing and the availability of databases to align and validate sequencing data. Recent increases in high-throughput metagenomic sequencing accessibility have facilitated research to investigate bacteriophages within the context of neonatal gut microbial communities. Focusing on unexplored viral diversity, has identified novel bacteriophage species and previously uncharacterised viral diversity. In doing so, studies have highlighted links between bacteriophages and bacterial community structure in the context of health and disease. However, much remains unknown about the complex relationships between bacteriophages, the bacteria they infect and their human host. With a particular focus on preterm infants, this review highlights opportunities to explore the influence of bacteriophages on developing microbial communities and the tripartite relationships between bacteriophages, bacteria and the neonatal human host. We suggest a focus on expanding collections of isolated bacteriophages that will further our understanding of the growing numbers of bacteriophages identified in metagenomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory R Young
- Applied Sciences, Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Andrew Nelson
- Applied Sciences, Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
| | | | - Darren L Smith
- Applied Sciences, Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK.
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14
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Chanin RB, West PT, Park RM, Wirbel J, Green GZM, Miklos AM, Gill MO, Hickey AS, Brooks EF, Bhatt AS. Intragenic DNA inversions expand bacterial coding capacity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.11.532203. [PMID: 36945655 PMCID: PMC10028968 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.11.532203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial populations that originate from a single bacterium are not strictly clonal. Often, they contain subgroups with distinct phenotypes. Bacteria can generate heterogeneity through phase variation: a preprogrammed, reversible mechanism that alters gene expression levels across a population. One well studied type of phase variation involves enzyme-mediated inversion of specific intergenic regions of genomic DNA. Frequently, these DNA inversions flip the orientation of promoters, turning ON or OFF adjacent coding regions within otherwise isogenic populations. Through this mechanism, inversion can affect fitness, survival, or group dynamics. Here, we develop and apply bioinformatic approaches to discover thousands of previously undescribed phase-variable regions in prokaryotes using long-read datasets. We identify 'intragenic invertons', a surprising new class of invertible elements found entirely within genes, in bacteria and archaea. To date, inversions within single genes have not been described. Intragenic invertons allow a gene to encode two or more versions of a protein by flipping a DNA sequence within the coding region, thereby increasing coding capacity without increasing genome size. We experimentally characterize specific intragenic invertons in the gut commensal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, presenting a 'roadmap' for investigating this new gene-diversifying phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael B. Chanin
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation); Stanford, USA
| | - Patrick T. West
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation); Stanford, USA
| | - Ryan M. Park
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation); Stanford, USA
| | - Jakob Wirbel
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation); Stanford, USA
| | - Gabriella Z. M. Green
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation); Stanford, USA
| | - Arjun M. Miklos
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation); Stanford, USA
| | | | | | - Erin F. Brooks
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation); Stanford, USA
| | - Ami S. Bhatt
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation); Stanford, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University; Stanford, USA
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15
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Dikareva E, Matharu D, Lahtinen E, Kolho KL, De Vos WM, Salonen A, Ponsero AJ. An extended catalog of integrated prophages in the infant and adult fecal microbiome shows high prevalence of lysogeny. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1254535. [PMID: 37731926 PMCID: PMC10508911 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1254535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and aims The acquisition and gradual maturation of gut microbial communities during early childhood is central to an individual's healthy development. Bacteriophages have the potential to shape the gut bacterial communities. However, the complex ecological interactions between phages and their bacterial host are still poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated the abundance and diversity of integrated prophages in infant and adult gut bacteria by detecting integrated prophages in metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) of commensal bacteria. Methods Our study included 88 infants sampled at 3 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months (n = 323 total samples), and their parents around delivery time (n = 138 total samples). Fecal DNA was extracted and characterized by using shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and a collection of prokaryotic MAGs was generated. The MAG collection was screened for the presence of integrated bacteriophage sequences, allowing their taxonomic and functional characterization. Results A large collection of 6,186 MAGs from infant and adult gut microbiota was obtained and screened for integrated prophages, allowing the identification of 7,165 prophage sequences longer than 10 kb. Strikingly, more than 70% of the near-complete MAGs were identified as lysogens. The prevalence of prophages in MAGs varied across bacterial families, with a lower prevalence observed among Coriobacteriaceae, Eggerthellaceae, Veillonellaceae and Burkholderiaceae, while a very high prevalence of lysogen MAGs were observed in Oscillospiraceae, Enterococcaceae, and Enterobacteriaceae. Interestingly for several bacterial families such as Bifidobacteriaceae and Bacteroidaceae, the prevalence of prophages in MAGs was higher in early infant time point (3 weeks and 3 months) than in later sampling points (6 and 12 months) and in adults. The prophage sequences were clustered into 5,616 species-like vOTUs, 77% of which were novel. Finally, we explored the functional repertoire of the potential auxiliary metabolic genes carried by these prophages, encoding functions involved in carbohydrate metabolism and degradation, amino acid metabolism and carbon metabolism. Conclusion Our study provides an enhanced understanding of the diversity and prevalence of lysogens in infant and adult gut microbiota and suggests a complex interplay between prophages and their bacterial hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Dikareva
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dollwin Matharu
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emilia Lahtinen
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kaija-Leena Kolho
- Children's Hospital, Paediatric Research Centre, University of Helsinki and HUS, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Willem M. De Vos
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Anne Salonen
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Alise J. Ponsero
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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16
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [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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17
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Lan F, Saba J, Qian Y, Ross T, Landick R, Venturelli OS. Single-cell analysis of multiple invertible promoters reveals differential inversion rates as a strong determinant of bacterial population heterogeneity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg5476. [PMID: 37540747 PMCID: PMC10403206 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg5476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Population heterogeneity can promote bacterial fitness in response to unpredictable environmental conditions. A major mechanism of phenotypic variability in the human gut symbiont Bacteroides spp. involves the inversion of promoters that drive the expression of capsular polysaccharides, which determine the architecture of the cell surface. High-throughput single-cell sequencing reveals substantial population heterogeneity generated through combinatorial promoter inversion regulated by a broadly conserved serine recombinase. Exploiting control over population diversification, we show that populations with different initial compositions converge to a similar composition over time. Combining our data with stochastic computational modeling, we demonstrate that the differential rates of promoter inversion are a major mechanism shaping population dynamics. More broadly, our approach could be used to interrogate single-cell combinatorial phase variable states of diverse microbes including bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freeman Lan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Jason Saba
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yili Qian
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Tyler Ross
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Robert Landick
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Ophelia S. Venturelli
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison 53706, WI, USA
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18
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Wang K, Zhang Z, Hang J, Liu J, Guo F, Ding Y, Li M, Nie Q, Lin J, Zhuo Y, Sun L, Luo X, Zhong Q, Ye C, Yun C, Zhang Y, Wang J, Bao R, Pang Y, Wang G, Gonzalez FJ, Lei X, Qiao J, Jiang C. Microbial-host-isozyme analyses reveal microbial DPP4 as a potential antidiabetic target. Science 2023; 381:eadd5787. [PMID: 37535747 DOI: 10.1126/science.add5787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
A mechanistic understanding of how microbial proteins affect the host could yield deeper insights into gut microbiota-host cross-talk. We developed an enzyme activity-screening platform to investigate how gut microbiota-derived enzymes might influence host physiology. We discovered that dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) is expressed by specific bacterial taxa of the microbiota. Microbial DPP4 was able to decrease the active glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and disrupt glucose metabolism in mice with a leaky gut. Furthermore, the current drugs targeting human DPP4, including sitagliptin, had little effect on microbial DPP4. Using high-throughput screening, we identified daurisoline-d4 (Dau-d4) as a selective microbial DPP4 inhibitor that improves glucose tolerance in diabetic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Hang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Fusheng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Ding
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Qixing Nie
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Lin
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yingying Zhuo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lulu Sun
- Laboratory of Metabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xi Luo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Qihang Zhong
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Chuan Ye
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuyu Yun
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jue Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Bao
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Division of Infectious Diseases in State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanli Pang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Guang Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Frank J Gonzalez
- Laboratory of Metabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Lei
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Beijing, China
| | - Changtao Jiang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Obesity and Metabolic Disease Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center of Basic Medical Research, Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
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19
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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: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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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20
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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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21
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Abedon ST. Bacteriophage Adsorption: Likelihood of Virion Encounter with Bacteria and Other Factors Affecting Rates. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:723. [PMID: 37107086 PMCID: PMC10135360 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12040723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
For ideal gasses, the likelihood of collision of two molecules is a function of concentrations as well as environmental factors such as temperature. This too is the case for particles diffusing within liquids. Two such particles are bacteria and their viruses, the latter called bacteriophages or phages. Here, I review the basic process of predicting the likelihoods of phage collision with bacteria. This is a key step governing rates of phage-virion adsorption to their bacterial hosts, thereby underlying a large fraction of the potential for a given phage concentration to affect a susceptible bacterial population. Understanding what can influence those rates is very relevant to appreciating both phage ecology and the phage therapy of bacterial infections, i.e., where phages are used to augment or replace antibiotics; so too adsorption rates are highly important for predicting the potential for phage-mediated biological control of environmental bacteria. Particularly emphasized here, however, are numerous complications on phage adsorption rates beyond as dictated by the ideals of standard adsorption theory. These include movements other than due to diffusion, various hindrances to diffusive movement, and the influence of assorted heterogeneities. Considered chiefly are the biological consequences of these various phenomena rather than their mathematical underpinnings.
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22
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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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23
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Beamud B, García-González N, Gómez-Ortega M, González-Candelas F, Domingo-Calap P, Sanjuan R. Genetic determinants of host tropism in Klebsiella phages. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112048. [PMID: 36753420 PMCID: PMC9989827 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages play key roles in bacterial ecology and evolution and are potential antimicrobials. However, the determinants of phage-host specificity remain elusive. Here, we isolate 46 phages to challenge 138 representative clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a widespread opportunistic pathogen. Spot tests show a narrow host range for most phages, with <2% of 6,319 phage-host combinations tested yielding detectable interactions. Bacterial capsule diversity is the main factor restricting phage host range. Consequently, phage-encoded depolymerases are key determinants of host tropism, and depolymerase sequence types are associated with the ability to infect specific capsular types across phage families. However, all phages with a broader host range found do not encode canonical depolymerases, suggesting alternative modes of entry. These findings expand our knowledge of the complex interactions between bacteria and their viruses and point out the feasibility of predicting the first steps of phage infection using bacterial and phage genome sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Beamud
- Joint Research Unit Infection and Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain; Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Neris García-González
- Joint Research Unit Infection and Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain; Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Mar Gómez-Ortega
- Joint Research Unit Infection and Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain
| | - Fernando González-Candelas
- Joint Research Unit Infection and Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain; Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain.
| | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain.
| | - Rafael Sanjuan
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain.
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24
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Ryan D, Bornet E, Prezza G, Alampalli SV, de Carvalho TF, Felchle H, Ebbecke T, Hayward R, Deutschbauer AM, Barquist L, Westermann AJ. An integrated transcriptomics-functional genomics approach reveals a small RNA that modulates Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron sensitivity to tetracyclines. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.16.528795. [PMID: 36824877 PMCID: PMC9949090 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.16.528795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression plasticity allows bacteria to adapt to diverse environments, tie their metabolism to available nutrients, and cope with stress. This is particularly relevant in a niche as dynamic and hostile as the human intestinal tract, yet transcriptional networks remain largely unknown in gut Bacteroides spp. Here, we map transcriptional units and profile their expression levels in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron over a suite of 15 defined experimental conditions that are relevant in vivo , such as variation of temperature, pH, and oxygen tension, exposure to antibiotic stress, and growth on simple carbohydrates or on host mucin-derived glycans. Thereby, we infer stress- and carbon source-specific transcriptional regulons, including conditional expression of capsular polysaccharides and polysaccharide utilization loci, and expand the annotation of small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) in this organism. Integrating this comprehensive expression atlas with transposon mutant fitness data, we identify conditionally important sRNAs. One example is MasB, whose inactivation led to increased bacterial tolerance of tetracyclines. Using MS2 affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing, we predict targets of this sRNA and discuss their potential role in the context of the MasB-associated phenotype. Together, this transcriptomic compendium in combination with functional sRNA genomics-publicly available through a new iteration of the 'Theta-Base' web browser (www.helmholtz-hiri.de/en/datasets/bacteroides-v2)-constitutes a valuable resource for the microbiome and sRNA research communities alike.
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25
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Eribo OA, Naidoo CC, Theron G, Walzl G, du Plessis N, Chegou NN. An Archetypical Model for Engrafting Bacteroides fragilis into Conventional Mice Following Reproducible Antibiotic Conditioning of the Gut Microbiota. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020451. [PMID: 36838416 PMCID: PMC9966493 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteroides fragilis is a commonly investigated commensal bacterium for its protective role in host diseases. Here, we aimed to develop a reproducible antibiotic-based model for conditioning the gut microbiota and engrafting B. fragilis into a conventional murine host. Initially, we selected different combinations of antibiotics, including metronidazole, imipenem, and clindamycin, and investigated their efficacy in depleting the mouse Bacteroides population. We performed 16S rRNA sequencing of DNA isolated from fecal samples at different time points. The α-diversity was similar in mice treated with metronidazole (MET) and differed only at weeks 1 (p = 0.001) and 3 (p = 0.009) during metronidazole/imipenem (MI) treatment. Bacteroides compositions, during the MET and MI exposures, were similar to the pre-antibiotic exposure states. Clindamycin supplementation added to MET or MI regimens eliminated the Bacteroides population. We next repeated metronidazole/clindamycin (MC) treatment in two additional independent experiments, followed by a B. fragilis transplant. MC consistently and reproducibly eliminated the Bacteroides population. The depleted Bacteroides did not recover in a convalescence period of six weeks post-MC treatment. Finally, B. fragilis was enriched for ten days following engraftment into Bacteroides-depleted mice. Our model has potential use in gut microbiota studies that selectively investigate Bacteroides' role in diseases of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osagie A. Eribo
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
| | - Charissa C. Naidoo
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
- African Microbiome Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
| | - Grant Theron
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
- African Microbiome Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
| | - Gerhard Walzl
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
| | - Nelita du Plessis
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
| | - Novel N. Chegou
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
- Correspondence:
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26
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Hoces D, Greter G, Arnoldini M, Stäubli ML, Moresi C, Sintsova A, Berent S, Kolinko I, Bansept F, Woller A, Häfliger J, Martens E, Hardt WD, Sunagawa S, Loverdo C, Slack E. Fitness advantage of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron capsular polysaccharide in the mouse gut depends on the resident microbiota. eLife 2023; 12:81212. [PMID: 36757366 PMCID: PMC10014078 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Many microbiota-based therapeutics rely on our ability to introduce a microbe of choice into an already-colonized intestine. In this study, we used genetically barcoded Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta) strains to quantify population bottlenecks experienced by a B. theta population during colonization of the mouse gut. As expected, this reveals an inverse relationship between microbiota complexity and the probability that an individual wildtype B. theta clone will colonize the gut. The polysaccharide capsule of B. theta is important for resistance against attacks from other bacteria, phage, and the host immune system, and correspondingly acapsular B. theta loses in competitive colonization against the wildtype strain. Surprisingly, the acapsular strain did not show a colonization defect in mice with a low-complexity microbiota, as we found that acapsular strains have an indistinguishable colonization probability to the wildtype strain on single-strain colonization. This discrepancy could be resolved by tracking in vivo growth dynamics of both strains: acapsular B.theta shows a longer lag phase in the gut lumen as well as a slightly slower net growth rate. Therefore, as long as there is no niche competitor for the acapsular strain, this has only a small influence on colonization probability. However, the presence of a strong niche competitor (i.e., wildtype B. theta, SPF microbiota) rapidly excludes the acapsular strain during competitive colonization. Correspondingly, the acapsular strain shows a similarly low colonization probability in the context of a co-colonization with the wildtype strain or a complete microbiota. In summary, neutral tagging and detailed analysis of bacterial growth kinetics can therefore quantify the mechanisms of colonization resistance in differently-colonized animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hoces
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Giorgia Greter
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Markus Arnoldini
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Melanie L Stäubli
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Claudia Moresi
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Anna Sintsova
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Sara Berent
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Isabel Kolinko
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Florence Bansept
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP)ParisFrance
| | - Aurore Woller
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP)ParisFrance
| | - Janine Häfliger
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Eric Martens
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Wolf-Dietrich Hardt
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Shinichi Sunagawa
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Claude Loverdo
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP)ParisFrance
| | - Emma Slack
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
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27
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Milman O, Yelin I, Kishony R. Systematic identification of gene-altering programmed inversions across the bacterial domain. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:553-573. [PMID: 36617974 PMCID: PMC9881135 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Programmed chromosomal inversions allow bacteria to generate intra-population genotypic and functional heterogeneity, a bet-hedging strategy important in changing environments. Some programmed inversions modify coding sequences, producing different alleles in several gene families, most notably in specificity-determining genes such as Type I restriction-modification systems, where systematic searches revealed cross phylum abundance. Yet, a broad, gene-independent, systematic search for gene-altering programmed inversions has been absent, and little is known about their genomic sequence attributes and prevalence across gene families. Here, identifying intra-species variation in genomes of over 35 000 species, we develop a predictive model of gene-altering inversions, revealing key attributes of their genomic sequence attributes, including gene-pseudogene size asymmetry and orientation bias. The model predicted over 11,000 gene-altering loci covering known targeted gene families, as well as novel targeted families including Type II restriction-modification systems, a protein of unknown function, and a fusion-protein containing conjugative-pilus and phage tail domains. Publicly available long-read sequencing datasets validated representatives of these newly predicted inversion-targeted gene families, confirming intra-population genetic heterogeneity. Together, these results reveal gene-altering programmed inversions as a key strategy adopted across the bacterial domain, and highlight programmed inversions that modify Type II restriction-modification systems as a possible new mechanism for maintaining intra-population heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Milman
- Faculty of Biology, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Idan Yelin
- Faculty of Biology, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Roy Kishony
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +972 4 8293737;
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Hedžet S, Rupnik M, Accetto T. Broad host range may be a key to long-term persistence of bacteriophages infecting intestinal Bacteroidaceae species. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21098. [PMID: 36473906 PMCID: PMC9727126 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25636-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The longitudinal studies have found that the human gut microbiota is stable over time with some major bacterial lineages or even strains persisting for years. This was recently extended to gut bacteriophages using the metagenomic data. Here, we focused on cultivation of the major Bacteroidetes of human gut, the Bacteroides and Phocaeicola strains, and their bacteriophages from two healthy donors. The persistence of Bacteroides and Phocaeicola species and strains was confirmed. We isolated 28 genetically different phages grouped into seven distinct clusters, two of these were new. Moreover, the bacteriophages from several groups, although being genetically quite homogeneous, had the ability to infect the strains belonging to different species isolated from several sampling time-points and different donors. We propose that the ability to infect several host species, which differ in their nutritional niches, may promote long-term persistence of dominant gut bacteriophage groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stina Hedžet
- grid.439263.9Department for Microbiological Research, Centre for Medical Microbiology, National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, NLZOH, Prvomajska Ulica 1, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Maja Rupnik
- grid.439263.9Department for Microbiological Research, Centre for Medical Microbiology, National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, NLZOH, Prvomajska Ulica 1, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia ,grid.8647.d0000 0004 0637 0731Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Accetto
- grid.8954.00000 0001 0721 6013Department of Microbiology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Groblje 3, 1230 Domžale, Slovenia
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Sequestration of gut pathobionts in intraluminal casts, a mechanism to avoid dysregulated T cell activation by pathobionts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2209624119. [PMID: 36201539 PMCID: PMC9565271 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2209624119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells that express the transcription factor RORγ, regulatory (Treg), or conventional (Th17) are strongly influenced by intestinal symbionts. In a genetic approach to identify mechanisms underlying this influence, we performed a screen for microbial genes implicated, in germfree mice monocolonized with Escherichia coli Nissle. The loss of capsule-synthesis genes impaired clonal expansion and differentiation of intestinal RORγ+ T cells. Mechanistic exploration revealed that the capsule-less mutants remained able to induce species-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) and were highly IgA-coated. They could still trigger myeloid cells, and more effectively damaged epithelial cells in vitro. Unlike wild-type microbes, capsule-less mutants were mostly engulfed in intraluminal casts, large agglomerates composed of myeloid cells extravasated into the gut lumen. We speculate that sequestration in luminal casts of potentially harmful microbes, favored by IgA binding, reduces the immune system's actual exposure, preserving host-microbe equilibrium. The variable immunostimulation by microbes that has been charted in recent years may not solely be conditioned by triggering molecules or metabolites but also by physical limits to immune system exposure.
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30
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Viral biogeography of the mammalian gut and parenchymal organs. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:1301-1311. [PMID: 35918425 PMCID: PMC7614033 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01178-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian virome has been linked to health and disease but our understanding of how it is structured along the longitudinal axis of the mammalian gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and other organs is limited. Here, we report a metagenomic analysis of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic virome occupying luminal and mucosa-associated habitats along the GIT, as well as parenchymal organs (liver, lung and spleen), in two representative mammalian species, the domestic pig and rhesus macaque (six animals per species). Luminal samples from the large intestine of both mammals harboured the highest loads and diversity of bacteriophages (class Caudoviricetes, family Microviridae and others). Mucosal samples contained much lower viral loads but a higher proportion of eukaryotic viruses (families Astroviridae, Caliciviridae, Parvoviridae). Parenchymal organs contained bacteriophages of gut origin, in addition to some eukaryotic viruses. Overall, GIT virome composition was specific to anatomical region and host species. Upper GIT and mucosa-specific viruses were greatly under-represented in distal colon samples (a proxy for faeces). Nonetheless, certain viral and phage species were ubiquitous in all samples from the oral cavity to the distal colon. The dataset and its accompanying methodology may provide an important resource for future work investigating the biogeography of the mammalian gut virome.
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31
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Characterization of inositol lipid metabolism in gut-associated Bacteroidetes. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:986-1000. [PMID: 35725777 PMCID: PMC9246714 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01152-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Inositol lipids are ubiquitous in eukaryotes and have finely tuned roles in cellular signalling and membrane homoeostasis. In Bacteria, however, inositol lipid production is relatively rare. Recently, the prominent human gut bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (BT) was reported to produce inositol lipids and sphingolipids, but the pathways remain ambiguous and their prevalence unclear. Here, using genomic and biochemical approaches, we investigated the gene cluster for inositol lipid synthesis in BT using a previously undescribed strain with inducible control of sphingolipid synthesis. We characterized the biosynthetic pathway from myo-inositol-phosphate (MIP) synthesis to phosphoinositol dihydroceramide, determined the crystal structure of the recombinant BT MIP synthase enzyme and identified the phosphatase responsible for the conversion of bacterially-derived phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP-DAG) to phosphatidylinositol (PI-DAG). In vitro, loss of inositol lipid production altered BT capsule expression and antimicrobial peptide resistance. In vivo, loss of inositol lipids decreased bacterial fitness in a gnotobiotic mouse model. We identified a second putative, previously undescribed pathway for bacterial PI-DAG synthesis without a PIP-DAG intermediate, common in Prevotella. Our results indicate that inositol sphingolipid production is widespread in host-associated Bacteroidetes and has implications for symbiosis. The pathways responsible for inositol lipid production in human gut Bacteroides are characterized and these lipids are important for capsule expression and antimicrobial peptide resistance in vitro and colonization in vivo.
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32
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Shkoporov AN, Turkington CJ, Hill C. Mutualistic interplay between bacteriophages and bacteria in the human gut. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:737-749. [PMID: 35773472 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00755-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are often described as obligate predators of their bacterial hosts, and phage predation is one of the leading forces controlling the density and distribution of bacterial populations. Every 48 h half of all bacteria on Earth are killed by phages. Efficient killing also forms the basis of phage therapy in humans and animals and the use of phages as food preservatives. In turn, bacteria have a plethora of resistance systems against phage attack, but very few bacterial species, if any, have entirely escaped phage predation. However, in complex communities and environments such as the human gut, this antagonistic model of attack and counter-defence does not fully describe the scope of phage-bacterium interactions. In this Review, we explore some of the more mutualistic aspects of phage-bacterium interactions in the human gut, and we suggest that the relationship between phages and their bacterial hosts in the gut is best characterized not as a fight to the death between enemies but rather as a mutualistic relationship between partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey N Shkoporov
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. .,Department of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | | | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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33
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Cheng L, Deng Z, Tao H, Song W, Xing B, Liu W, Kong L, Yuan S, Ma Y, Wu Y, Huang X, Peng Y, Wong NK, Liu Y, Wang Y, Shen Y, Li J, Xiao M. Harnessing stepping-stone hosts to engineer, select, and reboot synthetic bacteriophages in one pot. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2022; 2:100217. [PMID: 35637913 PMCID: PMC9142689 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Advances in synthetic genomics have led to a great demand for genetic manipulation. Trimming any process to simplify and accelerate streamlining of genetic code into life holds great promise for synthesizing and studying organisms. Here, we develop a simple but powerful stepping-stone strategy to promote genome refactoring of viruses in one pot, validated by successful cross-genus and cross-order rebooting of 90 phages infecting 4 orders of popular pathogens. Genomic sequencing suggests that rebooting outcome is associated with gene number and DNA polymerase availability within phage genomes. We integrate recombineering, screening, and rebooting processes in one pot and demonstrate genome assembly and genome editing of phages by stepping-stone hosts in an efficient and economic manner. Under this framework, in vitro assembly, yeast-based assembly, or genetic manipulation of native hosts are not required. As additional stepping-stone hosts are being developed, this framework will open doors for synthetic phages targeting more pathogens and commensals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Cheng
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Ziqing Deng
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- BGI-Beijing, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Haoran Tao
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Wenchen Song
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Bo Xing
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Wenfeng Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Lingxin Kong
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Shengjian Yuan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yingfei Ma
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yayun Wu
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Xun Huang
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Yun Peng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Immunity, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, 518112 Shenzhen, China
| | - Nai-Kei Wong
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Immunity, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, 518112 Shenzhen, China
| | - Yingxia Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Immunity, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, 518112 Shenzhen, China
| | - Yun Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Read and Write, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
- Guangdong Provincial Academician Workstation of BGI Synthetic Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Yue Shen
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Read and Write, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Innovative Molecular Diagnostics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Junhua Li
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Minfeng Xiao
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
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34
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Podlesny D, Arze C, Dörner E, Verma S, Dutta S, Walter J, Fricke WF. Metagenomic strain detection with SameStr: identification of a persisting core gut microbiota transferable by fecal transplantation. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:53. [PMID: 35337386 PMCID: PMC8951724 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01251-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The understanding of how microbiomes assemble, function, and evolve requires metagenomic tools that can resolve microbiota compositions at the strain level. However, the identification and tracking of microbial strains in fecal metagenomes is challenging and available tools variably classify subspecies lineages, which affects their applicability to infer microbial persistence and transfer. RESULTS We introduce SameStr, a bioinformatic tool that identifies shared strains in metagenomes by determining single-nucleotide variants (SNV) in species-specific marker genes, which are compared based on a maximum variant profile similarity. We validated SameStr on mock strain populations, available human fecal metagenomes from healthy individuals and newly generated data from recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) patients treated with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). SameStr demonstrated enhanced sensitivity to detect shared dominant and subdominant strains in related samples (where strain persistence or transfer would be expected) when compared to other tools, while being robust against false-positive shared strain calls between unrelated samples (where neither strain persistence nor transfer would be expected). We applied SameStr to identify strains that are stably maintained in fecal microbiomes of healthy adults over time (strain persistence) and that successfully engraft in rCDI patients after FMT (strain engraftment). Taxonomy-dependent strain persistence and engraftment frequencies were positively correlated, indicating that a specific core microbiota of intestinal species is adapted to be competitive both in healthy microbiomes and during post-FMT microbiome assembly. We explored other use cases for strain-level microbiota profiling, as a metagenomics quality control measure and to identify individuals based on the persisting core gut microbiota. CONCLUSION SameStr provides for a robust identification of shared strains in metagenomic sequence data with sufficient specificity and sensitivity to examine strain persistence, transfer, and engraftment in human fecal microbiomes. Our findings identify a persisting healthy adult core gut microbiota, which should be further studied to shed light on microbiota contributions to chronic diseases. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Podlesny
- Department of Microbiome Research and Applied Bioinformatics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Cesar Arze
- Department of Microbiome Research and Applied Bioinformatics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- Current address: Ring Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Elisabeth Dörner
- Department of Microbiome Research and Applied Bioinformatics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sandeep Verma
- Division of Gastroenterology, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sudhir Dutta
- Division of Gastroenterology, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jens Walter
- APC Microbiome Ireland, School of Microbiology, and Department of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - W Florian Fricke
- Department of Microbiome Research and Applied Bioinformatics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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35
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Investigation and Alteration of Organic Acid Synthesis Pathways in the Mammalian Gut Symbiont Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0231221. [PMID: 35196806 PMCID: PMC8865466 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02312-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the gut-dwelling Bacteroides genus have remarkable abilities in degrading a diverse set of fiber polysaccharide structures, most of which are found in the mammalian diet. As part of their metabolism, they convert these fibers to organic acids that can in turn provide energy to their host. While many studies have identified and characterized the genes and corresponding proteins involved in polysaccharide degradation, relatively little is known about Bacteroides genes involved in downstream metabolic pathways. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron is one of the most studied species from the genus and is representative of this group in producing multiple organic acids as part of its metabolism. We focused here on several organic acid synthesis pathways in B. thetaiotaomicron, including those involved in formate, lactate, propionate, and acetate production. We identified potential genes involved in each pathway and characterized these through gene deletions coupled to growth assays and organic acid quantification. In addition, we developed and employed a Golden Gate-compatible plasmid system to simplify alteration of native gene expression levels. Our work both validates and contradicts previous bioinformatic gene annotations, and we develop a model on which to base future efforts. A clearer understanding of Bacteroides metabolic pathways can inform and facilitate efforts to employ these bacteria for improved human health or other utilization strategies. IMPORTANCE Both humans and animals host a large community of bacteria and other microorganisms in their gastrointestinal tracts. This community breaks down dietary fiber and produces organic acids that are used as an energy source by the body and can also help the host resist infection by various pathogens. While the Bacteroides genus is one of the most common in the gut microbiota, it is only distantly related to bacteria with well-characterized metabolic pathways and it is therefore unclear whether research insights on organic acid production in those species can also be directly applied to the Bacteroides. By investigating multiple genetic pathways for organic acid production in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, we provide a basis for deeper understanding of these pathways. The work further enables greater understanding of Bacteroides–host relationships, as well as inter-species relationships in the microbiota, which are of importance for both human and animal gut health.
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36
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Lynch JB, Bennett BD, Merrill BD, Ruby EG, Hryckowian AJ. Independent host- and bacterium-based determinants protect a model symbiosis from phage predation. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110376. [PMID: 35172163 PMCID: PMC8983117 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are diverse and abundant constituents of microbial communities worldwide, capable of modulating bacterial populations in diverse ways. Here, we describe the phage HNL01, which infects the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri. We use culture-based approaches to demonstrate that mutations in the exopolysaccharide locus of V. fischeri render this bacterium resistant to infection by HNL01, highlighting the extracellular matrix as a key determinant of HNL01 infection. Additionally, using the natural symbiosis between V. fischeri and the squid Euprymna scolopes, we show that, during colonization, V. fischeri is protected from phages present in the ambient seawater. Taken together, these findings shed light on independent yet synergistic host- and bacterium-based strategies for resisting symbiosis-disrupting phage predation, and we present important implications for understanding these strategies in the context of diverse host-associated microbial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan B Lynch
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Brittany D Bennett
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Bryan D Merrill
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Edward G Ruby
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Andrew J Hryckowian
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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37
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Fang Q, Feng Y, McNally A, Zong Z. Characterization of phage resistance and phages capable of intestinal decolonization of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in mice. Commun Biol 2022; 5:48. [PMID: 35027665 PMCID: PMC8758719 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03001-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) has emerged as a severe global health challenge. We isolate and characterize two previously unidentified lytic phages, P24 and P39, with large burst sizes active against ST11 KL64, a major CRKP lineage. P24 and P39 represent species of the genera Przondovirus (Studiervirinae subfamily) and Webervirus (Drexlerviridae family), respectively. P24 and P39 together restrain CRKP growth to nearly 8 h. Phage-resistant mutants exhibit reduced capsule production and decreased virulence. Modifications in mshA and wcaJ encoding capsule polysaccharide synthesis mediate P24 resistance whilst mutations in epsJ encoding exopolysaccharide synthesis cause P39 resistance. We test P24 alone and together with P39 for decolonizing CRKP using mouse intestinal colonization models. Bacterial load shed decrease significantly in mice treated with P24 and P39. In conclusion, we report the characterization of two previously unidentified lytic phages against CRKP, revealing phage resistance mechanisms and demonstrating the potential of lytic phages for intestinal decolonization. Fang et al. characterized two previously unidentified phage species that could inhibit growth and decrease virulence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP). They also showed that CRKP develop phage resistance but could still be decolonized in a mouse intestinal colonization model, highlighting phage therapy as potential treatment against drug-resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Fang
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Feng
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Center for Pathogen Research, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Alan McNally
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Zhiyong Zong
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. .,Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. .,Center for Pathogen Research, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. .,Department of Infection Control, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Gulyaeva A, Garmaeva S, Ruigrok RAAA, Wang D, Riksen NP, Netea MG, Wijmenga C, Weersma RK, Fu J, Vila AV, Kurilshikov A, Zhernakova A. Discovery, diversity, and functional associations of crAss-like phages in human gut metagenomes from four Dutch cohorts. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110204. [PMID: 35021085 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The crAss-like phages are a diverse group of related viruses that includes some of the most abundant viruses of the human gut. To explore their diversity and functional role in human population and clinical cohorts, we analyze gut metagenomic data collected from 1,950 individuals from the Netherlands. We identify 1,556 crAss-like phage genomes, including 125 species-level and 32 genus-level clusters absent from the reference databases used. Analysis of their genomic features shows that closely related crAss-like phages can possess strikingly divergent regions responsible for transcription, presumably acquired through recombination. Prediction of crAss-like phage hosts points primarily to bacteria of the phylum Bacteroidetes, consistent with previous reports. Finally, we explore the temporal stability of crAss-like phages over a 4-year period and identify associations between the abundance of crAss-like phages and several human phenotypes, including depletion of crAss-like phages in inflammatory bowel disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Gulyaeva
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands.
| | - Sanzhima Garmaeva
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands
| | - Renate A A A Ruigrok
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands
| | - Daoming Wang
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands
| | - Niels P Riksen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525GA, the Netherlands
| | - Mihai G Netea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525GA, the Netherlands
| | - Cisca Wijmenga
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands
| | - Rinse K Weersma
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands
| | - Jingyuan Fu
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands
| | - Arnau Vich Vila
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands
| | - Alexander Kurilshikov
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands
| | - Alexandra Zhernakova
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands.
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Fang X, Dong S, Xin Z, He W, Zhang Y, Xiong J, Wang J, Zhenlin L, Wang L, Zhong Q, Hong W. Correlation between green tea polyphenols regulating intestinal bacteriophage and flora diversity in SPF mice. Food Funct 2022; 13:2952-2965. [DOI: 10.1039/d1fo03694g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Green tea polyphenols (GTP) play an important role in shaping the gut microbiome, comprising of a range of densely colonizing microorganisms, including bacteriophages. Previous studies focused on the effect of...
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40
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El Haddad L, Mendoza JF, Jobin C. Bacteriophage-mediated manipulations of microbiota in gastrointestinal diseases. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1055427. [PMID: 36466675 PMCID: PMC9714271 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1055427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although some gastrointestinal diseases could be managed using various antibiotics regimen, this therapeutic approach lacks precision and damages the microbiota. Emerging literature suggests that phages may play a key role in restoring the gut microbiome balance and controlling disease progression either with exogenous phage intervention or filtered fecal transplantation or even engineered phages. In this review, we will discuss the current phage applications aiming at controlling the bacterial population and preventing infection, inflammation, and cancer progression in the context of gastrointestinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn El Haddad
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jesus F Mendoza
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Christian Jobin
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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41
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Nishiyama K, Yokoi T, Sugiyama M, Osawa R, Mukai T, Okada N. Roles of the Cell Surface Architecture of Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium in the Gut Colonization. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:754819. [PMID: 34721360 PMCID: PMC8551831 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.754819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There are numerous bacteria reside within the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. Among the intestinal bacteria, Akkermansia, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Ruminococcus closely interact with the intestinal mucus layer and are, therefore, known as mucosal bacteria. Mucosal bacteria use host or dietary glycans for colonization via adhesion, allowing access to the carbon source that the host’s nutrients provide. Cell wall or membrane proteins, polysaccharides, and extracellular vesicles facilitate these mucosal bacteria-host interactions. Recent studies revealed that the physiological properties of Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium significantly change in the presence of co-existing symbiotic bacteria or markedly differ with the spatial distribution in the mucosal niche. These recently discovered strategic colonization processes are important for understanding the survival of bacteria in the gut. In this review, first, we introduce the experimental models used to study host-bacteria interactions, and then, we highlight the latest discoveries on the colonization properties of mucosal bacteria, focusing on the roles of the cell surface architecture regarding Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Nishiyama
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsunari Yokoi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Pharmacy, Kitasato University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Sugiyama
- Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
| | - Ro Osawa
- Research Center for Food Safety and Security, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Takao Mukai
- Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Okada
- Department of Microbiology, School of Pharmacy, Kitasato University, Tokyo, Japan
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42
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Lam KN, Spanogiannopoulos P, Soto-Perez P, Alexander M, Nalley MJ, Bisanz JE, Nayak RR, Weakley AM, Yu FB, Turnbaugh PJ. Phage-delivered CRISPR-Cas9 for strain-specific depletion and genomic deletions in the gut microbiome. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109930. [PMID: 34731631 PMCID: PMC8591988 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanistic insights into the role of the human microbiome in the predisposition to and treatment of disease are limited by the lack of methods to precisely add or remove microbial strains or genes from complex communities. Here, we demonstrate that engineered bacteriophage M13 can be used to deliver DNA to Escherichia coli within the mouse gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Delivery of a programmable exogenous CRISPR-Cas9 system enables the strain-specific depletion of fluorescently marked isogenic strains during competitive colonization and genomic deletions that encompass the target gene in mice colonized with a single strain. Multiple mechanisms allow E. coli to escape targeting, including loss of the CRISPR array or even the entire CRISPR-Cas9 system. These results provide a robust and experimentally tractable platform for microbiome editing, a foundation for the refinement of this approach to increase targeting efficiency, and a proof of concept for the extension to other phage-bacterial pairs of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy N Lam
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Peter Spanogiannopoulos
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Paola Soto-Perez
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Margaret Alexander
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Matthew J Nalley
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jordan E Bisanz
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Renuka R Nayak
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Allison M Weakley
- Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Stanford ChEM-H: Chemistry, Engineering and Medicine for Human Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Feiqiao B Yu
- Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Peter J Turnbaugh
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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Attrill EL, Claydon R, Łapińska U, Recker M, Meaden S, Brown AT, Westra ER, Harding SV, Pagliara S. Individual bacteria in structured environments rely on phenotypic resistance to phage. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001406. [PMID: 34637438 PMCID: PMC8509860 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages represent an avenue to overcome the current antibiotic resistance crisis, but evolution of genetic resistance to phages remains a concern. In vitro, bacteria evolve genetic resistance, preventing phage adsorption or degrading phage DNA. In natural environments, evolved resistance is lower possibly because the spatial heterogeneity within biofilms, microcolonies, or wall populations favours phenotypic survival to lytic phages. However, it is also possible that the persistence of genetically sensitive bacteria is due to less efficient phage amplification in natural environments, the existence of refuges where bacteria can hide, and a reduced spread of resistant genotypes. Here, we monitor the interactions between individual planktonic bacteria in isolation in ephemeral refuges and bacteriophage by tracking the survival of individual cells. We find that in these transient spatial refuges, phenotypic resistance due to reduced expression of the phage receptor is a key determinant of bacterial survival. This survival strategy is in contrast with the emergence of genetic resistance in the absence of ephemeral refuges in well-mixed environments. Predictions generated via a mathematical modelling framework to track bacterial response to phages reveal that the presence of spatial refuges leads to fundamentally different population dynamics that should be considered in order to predict and manipulate the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of bacteria–phage interactions in naturally structured environments. Bacteriophages represent a promising avenue to overcome the current antibiotic resistance crisis, but evolution of phage resistance remains a concern. This study shows that in the presence of spatial refuges, genetic resistance to phage is less of a problem than commonly assumed, but the persistence of genetically susceptible bacteria suggests that eradicating bacterial pathogens from structured environments may require combined phage-antibiotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L. Attrill
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Rory Claydon
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Urszula Łapińska
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Mario Recker
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Sean Meaden
- Environment and Sustainability Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Aidan T. Brown
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Edze R. Westra
- Environment and Sustainability Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah V. Harding
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
As we learn about the sophisticated and far-reaching impacts that our resident microbiomes have on our biology, it is apparent that the tools we have for managing our microbiomes are rudimentary at best. For example, though antibiotics rid our microbiomes of bacterial pathogens, they target pathogens and commensals alike. Additional approaches, such as fecal microbiome transplant, seem to restore a healthy microbiome in some applications, but the mechanisms underlying this treatment and its long-term effects are poorly understood. Here, I discuss my laboratory's research, which uses two major drivers of gut microbiome ecology, diet and bacteriophages, as tools to develop new concepts and approaches for managing microbiomes. I speculate on the anticipated impacts of this research and how it will influence the way that we treat the kaleidoscope of microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions central to our health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Hryckowian
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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45
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Novel Host Recognition Mechanism of the K1 Capsule-Specific Phage of Escherichia coli: Capsular Polysaccharide as the First Receptor and Lipopolysaccharide as the Secondary Receptor. J Virol 2021; 95:e0092021. [PMID: 34191582 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00920-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
K1 capsule-specific phages of Escherichia coli have been reported in recent years, but the molecular mechanism involved in host recognition of these phages remains unknown. In this study, the interactions between PNJ1809-36, a new K1-specific phage, and its host bacterium, E. coli DE058, were investigated. A transposon mutation library was used to screen for receptor-related genes. Gene deletion, lysis curve determination, plaque formation test, adsorption assay, and inhibition assay of phage by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) showed that capsular polysaccharide (CPS) was the first receptor for the initial adsorption of PNJ1809-36 to E. coli DE058 and that LPS was a secondary receptor for the irreversible binding of the phage. The penultimate galactose in the outer core was identified as the specific binding region on LPS. Through antibody blocking assay, fluorescence labeling and high-performance gel permeation chromatography, the tail protein ORF261 of phage PNJ1809-36 was identified as the receptor-binding protein on CPS. Given these findings, we propose a model for the recognition process of phage PNJ1809-36 on E. coli DE058: the phage PNJ1809-36 tail protein ORF261 recognizes and adsorbs to the K1 capsule, and then the K1 capsule is partially degraded, exposing the active site of LPS which is recognized by phage PNJ1809-36. This model provides insight into the molecular mechanisms between K1-specific phages and their host bacteria. IMPORTANCE It has been speculated that CPS is the main receptor of K1-specific phages belonging to Siphoviridae. In recent years, a new type of K1-specific phage belonging to Myoviridae has been reported, but its host recognition mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we studied the interactions between PNJ1809-36, a new type of K1 phage, and its host bacterium, E. coli DE058. Our research showed that the phage initially adsorbed to the K1 capsule mediated by ORF261 and then bound to the penultimate galactose of LPS to begin the infection process.
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Shkoporov AN, Khokhlova EV, Stephens N, Hueston C, Seymour S, Hryckowian AJ, Scholz D, Ross RP, Hill C. Long-term persistence of crAss-like phage crAss001 is associated with phase variation in Bacteroides intestinalis. BMC Biol 2021; 19:163. [PMID: 34407825 PMCID: PMC8375218 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01084-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The crAss-like phages are ubiquitous and highly abundant members of the human gut virome that infect commensal bacteria of the order Bacteroidales. Although incapable of lysogeny, these viruses demonstrate long-term persistence in the human gut microbiome, dominating the virome in some individuals. RESULTS Here we show that rapid phase variation of alternate capsular polysaccharides in Bacteroides intestinalis cultures plays an important role in a dynamic equilibrium between phage sensitivity and resistance, allowing phage and bacteria to multiply in parallel. The data also suggests the role of a concomitant phage persistence mechanism associated with delayed lysis of infected cells, similar to carrier state infection. From an ecological and evolutionary standpoint, this type of phage-host interaction is consistent with the Piggyback-the-Winner model, which suggests a preference towards lysogenic or other "benign" forms of phage infection when the host is stably present at high abundance. CONCLUSION Long-term persistence of bacteriophage and host could result from mutually beneficial mechanisms driving bacterial strain-level diversity and phage survival in complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey N Shkoporov
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | | | - Niamh Stephens
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Cara Hueston
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Samuel Seymour
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Andrew J Hryckowian
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, USA
| | - Dimitri Scholz
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - R Paul Ross
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Small RNAs go global in human gut Bacteroides. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:e0038321. [PMID: 34370557 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00383-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The last two decades have seen numerous studies connecting physiological behaviors in Bacteroides-including polysaccharide degradation and capsule production-with elements of global regulation, but a complete model is still elusive. A new study by Adams et al. in this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology reveals another layer of regulation by describing a novel family of RNA-binding proteins (Rbps) in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron that modify expression of genes involved in carbohydrate utilization and capsule expression, among others.
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Kunttu HMT, Runtuvuori-Salmela A, Sundell K, Wiklund T, Middelboe M, Landor L, Ashrafi R, Hoikkala V, Sundberg LR. Bacteriophage Resistance Affects Flavobacterium columnare Virulence Partly via Mutations in Genes Related to Gliding Motility and the Type IX Secretion System. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0081221. [PMID: 34106011 PMCID: PMC8315173 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00812-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing problems with antibiotic resistance have directed interest toward phage therapy in the aquaculture industry. However, phage resistance evolving in target bacteria is considered a challenge. To investigate how phage resistance influences the fish pathogen Flavobacterium columnare, two wild-type bacterial isolates, FCO-F2 and FCO-F9, were exposed to phages (FCO-F2 to FCOV-F2, FCOV-F5, and FCOV-F25, and FCO-F9 to FCL-2, FCOV-F13, and FCOV-F45), and resulting phenotypic and genetic changes in bacteria were analyzed. Bacterial viability first decreased in the exposure cultures but started to increase after 1 to 2 days, along with a change in colony morphology from original rhizoid to rough, leading to 98% prevalence of the rough morphotype. Twenty-four isolates (including four isolates from no-phage treatments) were further characterized for phage resistance, antibiotic susceptibility, motility, adhesion, and biofilm formation, protease activity, whole-genome sequencing, and virulence in rainbow trout fry. The rough isolates arising in phage exposure were phage resistant with low virulence, whereas rhizoid isolates maintained phage susceptibility and high virulence. Gliding motility and protease activity were also related to the phage susceptibility. Observed mutations in phage-resistant isolates were mostly located in genes encoding the type IX secretion system, a component of the Bacteroidetes gliding motility machinery. However, not all phage-resistant isolates had mutations, indicating that phage resistance in F. columnare is a multifactorial process, including both genetic mutations and changes in gene expression. Phage resistance may not, however, be a challenge for development of phage therapy against F. columnare infections since phage resistance is associated with decreases in bacterial virulence. IMPORTANCE Phage resistance of infectious bacteria is a common phenomenon posing challenges for the development of phage therapy. Along with a growing world population and the need for increased food production, constantly intensifying animal farming has to face increasing problems of infectious diseases. Columnaris disease, caused by Flavobacterium columnare, is a worldwide threat for salmonid fry and juvenile farming. Without antibiotic treatments, infections can lead to 100% mortality in a fish stock. Phage therapy of columnaris disease would reduce the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic loads by the aquaculture industry, but phage-resistant bacterial isolates may become a risk. However, phenotypic and genetic characterization of phage-resistant F. columnare isolates in this study revealed that they are less virulent than phage-susceptible isolates and thus not a challenge for phage therapy against columnaris disease. This is valuable information for the fish farming industry globally when considering phage-based prevention and curing methods for F. columnare infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi M. T. Kunttu
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Anniina Runtuvuori-Salmela
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Krister Sundell
- Laboratory of Aquatic Pathobiology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Tom Wiklund
- Laboratory of Aquatic Pathobiology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Mathias Middelboe
- Department of Biology, Marine Biological Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Lotta Landor
- Laboratory of Aquatic Pathobiology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Roghaieh Ashrafi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ville Hoikkala
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Lotta-Riina Sundberg
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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Kirsch JM, Brzozowski RS, Faith D, Round JL, Secor PR, Duerkop BA. Bacteriophage-Bacteria Interactions in the Gut: From Invertebrates to Mammals. Annu Rev Virol 2021; 8:95-113. [PMID: 34255542 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-091919-101238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria and their viruses (bacteriophages or phages) interact antagonistically and beneficially in polymicrobial communities such as the guts of animals. These interactions are multifaceted and are influenced by environmental conditions. In this review, we discuss phage-bacteria interactions as they relate to the complex environment of the gut. Within the mammalian and invertebrate guts, phages and bacteria engage in diverse interactions including genetic coexistence through lysogeny, and phages directly modulate microbiota composition and the immune system with consequences that are becoming recognized as potential drivers of health and disease. With greater depth of understanding of phage-bacteria interactions in the gut and the outcomes, future phage therapies become possible. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Virology, Volume 8 is September 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Kirsch
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA;
| | - Robert S Brzozowski
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA;
| | - Dominick Faith
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA;
| | - June L Round
- Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84113, USA;
| | - Patrick R Secor
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA;
| | - Breck A Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA;
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50
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Hsieh SA, Donermeyer DL, Horvath SC, Allen PM. Phase-variable bacteria simultaneously express multiple capsules. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2021; 167. [PMID: 34224345 PMCID: PMC8489884 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) protect bacteria from host and environmental factors. Many bacteria can express different CPSs and these CPSs are phase variable. For example, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta) is a prominent member of the human gut microbiome and expresses eight different capsular polysaccharides. Bacteria, including B. theta, have been shown to change their CPSs to adapt to various niches such as immune, bacteriophage, and antibiotic perturbations. However, there are limited tools to study CPSs and fundamental questions regarding phase variance, including if gut bacteria can express more than one capsule at the same time, remain unanswered. To better understand the roles of different CPSs, we generated a B. theta CPS1-specific antibody and a flow cytometry assay to detect CPS expression in individual bacteria in the gut microbiota. Using these novel tools, we report for the first time that bacteria can simultaneously express multiple CPSs. We also observed that nutrients such as glucose and salts had no effect on CPS expression. The ability to express multiple CPSs at the same time may provide bacteria with an adaptive advantage to thrive amid changing host and environmental conditions, especially in the intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha A Hsieh
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - David L Donermeyer
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Stephen C Horvath
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Paul M Allen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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