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Matteau D, Duval A, Baby V, Rodrigue S. Mesoplasma florum: a near-minimal model organism for systems and synthetic biology. Front Genet 2024; 15:1346707. [PMID: 38404664 PMCID: PMC10884336 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1346707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mesoplasma florum is an emerging model organism for systems and synthetic biology due to its small genome (∼800 kb) and fast growth rate. While M. florum was isolated and first described almost 40 years ago, many important aspects of its biology have long remained uncharacterized due to technological limitations, the absence of dedicated molecular tools, and since this bacterial species has not been associated with any disease. However, the publication of the first M. florum genome in 2004 paved the way for a new era of research fueled by the rise of systems and synthetic biology. Some of the most important studies included the characterization and heterologous use of M. florum regulatory elements, the development of the first replicable plasmids, comparative genomics and transposon mutagenesis, whole-genome cloning in yeast, genome transplantation, in-depth characterization of the M. florum cell, as well as the development of a high-quality genome-scale metabolic model. The acquired data, knowledge, and tools will greatly facilitate future genome engineering efforts in M. florum, which could next be exploited to rationally design and create synthetic cells to advance fundamental knowledge or for specific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominick Matteau
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Anthony Duval
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Vincent Baby
- Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Sébastien Rodrigue
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Gourgues G, Manso-Silván L, Chamberland C, Sirand-Pugnet P, Thiaucourt F, Blanchard A, Baby V, Lartigue C. A toolbox for manipulating the genome of the major goat pathogen, Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2024; 170:001423. [PMID: 38193814 PMCID: PMC10866025 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capripneumoniae (Mccp) is the causative agent of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP), a devastating disease listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) as a notifiable disease and threatening goat production in Africa and Asia. Although a few commercial inactivated vaccines are available, they do not comply with WOAH standards and there are serious doubts regarding their efficacy. One of the limiting factors to comprehend the molecular pathogenesis of CCPP and develop improved vaccines has been the lack of tools for Mccp genome engineering. In this work, key synthetic biology techniques recently developed for closely related mycoplasmas were adapted to Mccp. CReasPy-Cloning was used to simultaneously clone and engineer the Mccp genome in yeast, prior to whole-genome transplantation into M. capricolum subsp. capricolum recipient cells. This approach was used to knock out an S41 serine protease gene recently identified as a potential virulence factor, leading to the generation of the first site-specific Mccp mutants. The Cre-lox recombination system was then applied to remove all DNA sequences added during genome engineering. Finally, the resulting unmarked S41 serine protease mutants were validated by whole-genome sequencing and their non-caseinolytic phenotype was confirmed by casein digestion assay on milk agar. The synthetic biology tools that have been successfully implemented in Mccp allow the addition and removal of genes and other genetic features for the construction of seamless targeted mutants at ease, which will pave the way for both the identification of key pathogenicity determinants of Mccp and the rational design of novel, improved vaccines for the control of CCPP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géraldine Gourgues
- Université de Bordeaux, INRAE, BFP, UMR 1332, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Lucía Manso-Silván
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-34398, Montpellier, France
- ASTRE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, F-34398, Montpellier, France
| | - Catherine Chamberland
- Université de Sherbrooke, Département de biologie, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | | | - François Thiaucourt
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-34398, Montpellier, France
- ASTRE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, F-34398, Montpellier, France
| | - Alain Blanchard
- Université de Bordeaux, INRAE, BFP, UMR 1332, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Vincent Baby
- Université de Montréal, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Carole Lartigue
- Université de Bordeaux, INRAE, BFP, UMR 1332, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France
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Gene Silencing through CRISPR Interference in Mycoplasmas. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061159. [PMID: 35744677 PMCID: PMC9229473 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasmas are pathogenic, genome-reduced bacteria. The development of such fields of science as system and synthetic biology is closely associated with them. Despite intensive research of different representatives of this genus, genetic manipulations remain challenging in mycoplasmas. Here we demonstrate a single-plasmid transposon-based CRISPRi system for the repression of gene expression in mycoplasmas. We show that selected expression determinants provide a level of dCas9 that does not lead to a significant slow-down of mycoplasma growth. For the first time we describe the proteomic response of genome-reduced bacteria to the expression of exogenous dcas9. The functionality of the resulting vector is confirmed by targeting the three genes coding transcription factors-fur, essential spxA, whiA, and histone-like protein hup1 in Mycoplasma gallisepticum. As a result, the expression level of each gene was decreased tenfold and influenced the mRNA level of predicted targets of transcription factors. To illustrate the versatility of this vector, we performed a knockdown of metabolic genes in a representative member of another cluster of the Mycoplasma genus-Mycoplasma hominis. The developed CRISPRi system is a powerful tool to discover the functioning of genes that are essential, decipher regulatory networks and that can help to identify novel drug targets to control Mycoplasma infections.
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Yiwen C, Yueyue W, Lianmei Q, Cuiming Z, Xiaoxing Y. Infection strategies of mycoplasmas: Unraveling the panoply of virulence factors. Virulence 2021; 12:788-817. [PMID: 33704021 PMCID: PMC7954426 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1889813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasmas, the smallest bacteria lacking a cell wall, can cause various diseases in both humans and animals. Mycoplasmas harbor a variety of virulence factors that enable them to overcome numerous barriers of entry into the host; using accessory proteins, mycoplasma adhesins can bind to the receptors or extracellular matrix of the host cell. Although the host immune system can eradicate the invading mycoplasma in most cases, a few sagacious mycoplasmas employ a series of invasion and immune escape strategies to ensure their continued survival within their hosts. For instance, capsular polysaccharides are crucial for anti-phagocytosis and immunomodulation. Invasive enzymes degrade reactive oxygen species, neutrophil extracellular traps, and immunoglobulins. Biofilm formation is important for establishing a persistent infection. During proliferation, successfully surviving mycoplasmas generate numerous metabolites, including hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide; or secrete various exotoxins, such as community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome toxin, and hemolysins; and express various pathogenic enzymes, all of which have potent toxic effects on host cells. Furthermore, some inherent components of mycoplasmas, such as lipids, membrane lipoproteins, and even mycoplasma-generated superantigens, can exert a significant pathogenic impact on the host cells or the immune system. In this review, we describe the proposed virulence factors in the toolkit of notorious mycoplasmas to better understand the pathogenic features of these bacteria, along with their pathogenic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yiwen
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control; Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang, China
| | - Wu Yueyue
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control; Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang, China
| | - Qin Lianmei
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control; Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang, China
| | - Zhu Cuiming
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control; Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang, China
| | - You Xiaoxing
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control; Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang, China
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Blötz C, Lartigue C, Valverde Timana Y, Ruiz E, Paetzold B, Busse J, Stülke J. Development of a replicating plasmid based on the native oriC in Mycoplasma pneumoniae. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2018; 164:1372-1382. [PMID: 30252643 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria of the genus Mycoplasma have recently attracted considerable interest as model organisms in synthetic and systems biology. In particular, Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of the most intensively studied organisms in the field of systems biology. However, the genetic manipulation of these bacteria is often difficult due to the lack of efficient genetic systems and some intrinsic peculiarities such as an aberrant genetic code. One major disadvantage in working with M. pneumoniae is the lack of replicating plasmids that can be used for the complementation of mutants and the expression of proteins. In this study, we have analysed the genomic region around the gene encoding the replication initiation protein, DnaA, and detected putative binding sites for DnaA (DnaA boxes) that are, however, less conserved than in other bacteria. The construction of several plasmids encompassing this region allowed the selection of plasmid pGP2756 that is stably inherited and that can be used for genetic experiments, as shown by the complementation assays with the glpQ gene encoding the glycerophosphoryl diester phosphodiesterase. Plasmid-borne complementation of the glpQ mutant restored the formation of hydrogen peroxide when bacteria were cultivated in the presence of glycerol phosphocholine. Interestingly, the replicating plasmid can also be used in the close relative, Mycoplasma genitalium but not in more distantly related members of the genus Mycoplasma. Thus, plasmid pGP2756 is a valuable tool for the genetic analysis of M. pneumoniae and M. genitalium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Blötz
- 1Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Carole Lartigue
- 2INRA, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, Villenave d'Ornon, France.,3University of Bordeaux, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Yanina Valverde Timana
- 2INRA, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, Villenave d'Ornon, France.,3University of Bordeaux, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Estelle Ruiz
- 2INRA, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, Villenave d'Ornon, France.,3University of Bordeaux, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Bernhard Paetzold
- 4Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,†Present address: S-Biomedic N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Julia Busse
- 1Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Stülke
- 1Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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