1
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Pozhydaieva N, Billau FA, Wolfram-Schauerte M, Ramírez Rojas AA, Paczia N, Schindler D, Höfer K. Temporal epigenome modulation enables efficient bacteriophage engineering and functional analysis of phage DNA modifications. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011384. [PMID: 39231196 PMCID: PMC11404850 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 09/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Lytic bacteriophages hold substantial promise in medical and biotechnological applications. Therefore a comprehensive understanding of phage infection mechanisms is crucial. CRISPR-Cas systems offer a way to explore these mechanisms via site-specific phage mutagenesis. However, phages can resist Cas-mediated cleavage through extensive DNA modifications like cytosine glycosylation, hindering mutagenesis efficiency. Our study utilizes the eukaryotic enzyme NgTET to temporarily reduce phage DNA modifications, facilitating Cas nuclease cleavage and enhancing mutagenesis efficiency. This approach enables precise DNA targeting and seamless point mutation integration, exemplified by deactivating specific ADP-ribosyltransferases crucial for phage infection. Furthermore, by temporally removing DNA modifications, we elucidated the effects of these modifications on T4 phage infections without necessitating gene deletions. Our results present a strategy enabling the investigation of phage epigenome functions and streamlining the engineering of phages with cytosine DNA modifications. The described temporal modulation of the phage epigenome is valuable for synthetic biology and fundamental research to comprehend phage infection mechanisms through the generation of mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Nicole Paczia
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Schindler
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Höfer
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
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2
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de Melo AG, Morency C, Moineau S. Virulence-associated factors as targets for phage infection. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 79:102471. [PMID: 38569419 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens can infect a wide range of hosts and pose a threat to public and animal health as well as to agriculture. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has increased this risk by making the treatment of bacterial infections even more challenging. Pathogenic bacteria thrive in various ecological niches, but they can also be specifically targeted and killed by bacteriophages (phages). Lytic phages are now investigated and even used, in some cases, as alternatives or complements to antibiotics for preventing or treating bacterial infections (phage therapy). As such, it is key to identify factors responsible for phage specificity and efficiency. Here, we review recent advances in virulence-associated factors that are targeted by phages. We highlight components of the bacterial cell surface, effector systems, and motility structures exploited by phages and the effects of phages on cell aggregation and communication. We also look at the fitness trade-off of phage resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra G de Melo
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Carlee Morency
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Sylvain Moineau
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Félix d'Hérelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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3
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Nair S, Barker CR, Bird M, Greig DR, Collins C, Painset A, Chattaway M, Pickard D, Larkin L, Gharbia S, Didelot X, Ribeca P. Presence of phage-plasmids in multiple serovars of Salmonella enterica. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001247. [PMID: 38717818 PMCID: PMC11165635 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001247] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence is accumulating in the literature that the horizontal spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes mediated by bacteriophages and bacteriophage-like plasmid (phage-plasmid) elements is much more common than previously envisioned. For instance, we recently identified and characterized a circular P1-like phage-plasmid harbouring a bla CTX-M-15 gene conferring extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) resistance in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. As the prevalence and epidemiological relevance of such mechanisms has never been systematically assessed in Enterobacterales, in this study we carried out a follow-up retrospective analysis of UK Salmonella isolates previously sequenced as part of routine surveillance protocols between 2016 and 2021. Using a high-throughput bioinformatics pipeline we screened 47 784 isolates for the presence of the P1 lytic replication gene repL, identifying 226 positive isolates from 25 serovars and demonstrating that phage-plasmid elements are more frequent than previously thought. The affinity for phage-plasmids appears highly serovar-dependent, with several serovars being more likely hosts than others; most of the positive isolates (170/226) belonged to S. Typhimurium ST34 and ST19. The phage-plasmids ranged between 85.8 and 98.2 kb in size, with an average length of 92.1 kb; detailed analysis indicated a high amount of diversity in gene content and genomic architecture. In total, 132 phage-plasmids had the p0111 plasmid replication type, and 94 the IncY type; phylogenetic analysis indicated that both horizontal and vertical gene transmission mechanisms are likely to be involved in phage-plasmid propagation. Finally, phage-plasmids were present in isolates that were resistant and non-resistant to antimicrobials. In addition to providing a first comprehensive view of the presence of phage-plasmids in Salmonella, our work highlights the need for a better surveillance and understanding of phage-plasmids as AMR carriers, especially through their characterization with long-read sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clare R. Barker
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Genomics and Enabling Data, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| | - Matthew Bird
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David R. Greig
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caitlin Collins
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Genomics and Enabling Data, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Marie Chattaway
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Genomics and Enabling Data, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| | - Derek Pickard
- The Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Saheer Gharbia
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Genomics and Enabling Data, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Xavier Didelot
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Genomics and Enabling Data, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- School of Public Health and Department of Statistics, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| | - Paolo Ribeca
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Genomics and Enabling Data, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, The James Hutton Institute, Edinburgh, UK
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4
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Masset Z, Gunaratnam S, Millette M, McFarland LV, Lacroix M. Environmental and Nutritional Parameters Modulating Genetic Expression for Virulence Factors of Clostridioides difficile. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:365. [PMID: 38667041 PMCID: PMC11047382 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13040365] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) continue to be a persistent healthcare concern despite newer antibiotic treatments, enhanced infection control practices, and preventive strategies focused on restoring the protective intestinal microbial barrier. Recent strides in gene sequencing research have identified many genes regulating diverse virulence factors for CDIs. These genes may be over- or under-expressed when triggered by various environmental and nutritional factors. The aims of this paper are to review the important genes involved in C. difficile pathogenesis and to identify modifiable environmental, nutritional, and other factors that may trigger the expression of these genes and thus offer new strategies to prevent CDIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Masset
- INRS Armand-Frappier Health Biotechnology Research Centre, Research Laboratories in Sciences, 531 des Prairies Blvd, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; (Z.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Sathursha Gunaratnam
- Bio-K+, a Kerry Company, Preclinical Research Division, 495 Armand-Frappier Blvd, Laval, QC H7V 4B3, Canada; (S.G.); (M.M.)
| | - Mathieu Millette
- Bio-K+, a Kerry Company, Preclinical Research Division, 495 Armand-Frappier Blvd, Laval, QC H7V 4B3, Canada; (S.G.); (M.M.)
| | - Lynne V. McFarland
- Public Health Reserves Corps, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
- McFarland Consulting, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Monique Lacroix
- INRS Armand-Frappier Health Biotechnology Research Centre, Research Laboratories in Sciences, 531 des Prairies Blvd, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; (Z.M.); (M.L.)
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5
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Fang P, Yu S, Ma X, Hou L, Li T, Gao K, Wang Y, Sun Q, Shang L, Liu Q, Nie M, Yang J. Applications of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in antimicrobial peptides field: Current state and new applications. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28484. [PMID: 38601527 PMCID: PMC11004759 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a group of small molecular peptides that exhibit a wide range of antimicrobial activity. These peptides are abundantly present in the innate immune system of various organisms. Given the rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria, microbiological studies have identified AMPs as potential natural antibiotics. In the context of antimicrobial resistance across various human pathogens, AMPs hold considerable promise for clinical applications. However, numerous challenges exist in the detection of AMPs, particularly by immunological and molecular biological methods, especially when studying of newly discovered AMPs in proteomics. This review outlines the current status of AMPs research and the strategies employed in their development, considering resent discoveries and methodologies. Subsequently, we focus on the advanced techniques of mass spectrometry for the quantification of AMPs in diverse samples, and analyzes their application, advantages, and limitations. Additionally, we propose suggestions for the future development of tandem mass spectrometry for the detection of AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panpan Fang
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Songlin Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Ma
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, PR China
| | - Lian Hou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, PR China
| | - Tiewei Li
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Kaijie Gao
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Yingyuan Wang
- Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Qianqian Sun
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Lujun Shang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550004, PR China
| | - Qianqian Liu
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Manjie Nie
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
| | - Junmei Yang
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Children's Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, PR China
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6
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Schmidtke DT, Hickey AS, Liachko I, Sherlock G, Bhatt AS. Analysis and culturing of the prototypic crAssphage reveals a phage-plasmid lifestyle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.20.585998. [PMID: 38562748 PMCID: PMC10983915 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.20.585998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The prototypic crAssphage (Carjivirus communis) is one of the most abundant, prevalent, and persistent gut bacteriophages, yet it remains uncultured and its lifestyle uncharacterized. For the last decade, crAssphage has escaped plaque-dependent culturing efforts, leading us to investigate alternative lifestyles that might explain its widespread success. Through genomic analyses and culturing, we find that crAssphage uses a phage-plasmid lifestyle to persist extrachromosomally. Plasmid-related genes are more highly expressed than those implicated in phage maintenance. Leveraging this finding, we use a plaque-free culturing approach to measure crAssphage replication in culture with Phocaeicola vulgatus, Phocaeicola dorei, and Bacteroides stercoris, revealing a broad host range. We demonstrate that crAssphage persists with its hosts in culture without causing major cell lysis events or integrating into host chromosomes. The ability to switch between phage and plasmid lifestyles within a wide range of hosts contributes to the prolific nature of crAssphage in the human gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danica T. Schmidtke
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Gavin Sherlock
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Senior author
| | - Ami S. Bhatt
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine (Division of Hematology), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Lead corresponding author
- Senior author
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7
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Wang M, Zhang J, Wei J, Jiang L, Jiang L, Sun Y, Zeng Z, Wang Z. Phage-inspired strategies to combat antibacterial resistance. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024; 50:196-211. [PMID: 38400715 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2181056] [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: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in clinically priority pathogensis now a major threat to public health worldwide. Phages are bacterial parasites that efficiently infect or kill specific strains and represent the most abundant biological entities on earth, showing great attraction as potential antibacterial therapeutics in combating AMR. This review provides a summary of phage-inspired strategies to combat AMR. We firstly cover the phage diversity, and then explain the biological principles of phage therapy that support the use of phages in the post-antimicrobial era. Furthermore, we state the versatility methods of phage therapy both from direct access as well as collateral access. Among the direct access approaches, we discuss the use of phage cocktail therapy, phage-encoded endolysins and the bioengineering for function improvement of used phages or endolysins. On the other hand, we introduce the collateral access, including the phages antimicrobial immunity combined therapy and phage-based novel antibacterial mimic molecules. Nowadays, more and more talented and enthusiastic scientist, doctors, pharmacists, media, authorities, and industry are promoting the progress of phage therapy, and proposed more phages-inspired strategy to make them more tractable to combat AMR and benefit more people, more animal and diverse environment in "one health" framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mianzhi Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Junxuan Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingyi Wei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Li Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yongxue Sun
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenling Zeng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou, China
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8
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Istvan P, Birkeland E, Avershina E, Kværner AS, Bemanian V, Pardini B, Tarallo S, de Vos WM, Rognes T, Berstad P, Rounge TB. Exploring the gut DNA virome in fecal immunochemical test stool samples reveals associations with lifestyle in a large population-based study. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1791. [PMID: 38424056 PMCID: PMC10904388 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46033-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Stool samples for fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) are collected in large numbers worldwide as part of colorectal cancer screening programs. Employing FIT samples from 1034 CRCbiome participants, recruited from a Norwegian colorectal cancer screening study, we identify, annotate and characterize more than 18000 DNA viruses, using shotgun metagenome sequencing. Only six percent of them are assigned to a known taxonomic family, with Microviridae being the most prevalent viral family. Linking individual profiles to comprehensive lifestyle and demographic data shows 17/25 of the variables to be associated with the gut virome. Physical activity, smoking, and dietary fiber consumption exhibit strong and consistent associations with both diversity and relative abundance of individual viruses, as well as with enrichment for auxiliary metabolic genes. We demonstrate the suitability of FIT samples for virome analysis, opening an opportunity for large-scale studies of this enigmatic part of the gut microbiome. The diverse viral populations and their connections to the individual lifestyle uncovered herein paves the way for further exploration of the role of the gut virome in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Istvan
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Einar Birkeland
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ekaterina Avershina
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ane S Kværner
- Section for Colorectal Cancer Screening, Cancer Registry of Norway, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vahid Bemanian
- Pathology Department, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Barbara Pardini
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Turin, Italy
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), c/o IRCCS Candiolo, Turin, Italy
| | - Sonia Tarallo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Turin, Italy
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), c/o IRCCS Candiolo, Turin, Italy
| | - Willem M de Vos
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Torbjørn Rognes
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Paula Berstad
- Section for Colorectal Cancer Screening, Cancer Registry of Norway, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Trine B Rounge
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
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9
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Pfeifer E, Rocha EPC. Phage-plasmids promote recombination and emergence of phages and plasmids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1545. [PMID: 38378896 PMCID: PMC10879196 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45757-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Phages and plasmids are regarded as distinct types of mobile genetic elements that drive bacterial evolution by horizontal gene transfer. However, the distinction between both types is blurred by the existence of elements known as prophage-plasmids or phage-plasmids, which transfer horizontally between cells as viruses and vertically within cellular lineages as plasmids. Here, we study gene flow between the three types of elements. We show that the gene repertoire of phage-plasmids overlaps with those of phages and plasmids. By tracking recent recombination events, we find that phage-plasmids exchange genes more frequently with plasmids than with phages, and that direct gene exchange between plasmids and phages is less frequent in comparison. The results suggest that phage-plasmids can mediate gene flow between plasmids and phages, including exchange of mobile element core functions, defense systems, and antibiotic resistance. Moreover, a combination of gene transfer and gene inactivation may result in the conversion of elements. For example, gene loss turns P1-like phage-plasmids into integrative prophages or into plasmids (that are no longer phages). Remarkably, some of the latter have acquired conjugation-related functions to became mobilisable by conjugation. Thus, our work indicates that phage-plasmids can play a key role in the transfer of genes across mobile elements within their hosts, and can act as intermediates in the conversion of one type of element into another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugen Pfeifer
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, 75015, Paris, France.
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, 75015, Paris, France.
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10
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Liu Z, Tang K, Zhou Y, Liu T, Guo Y, Wu D, Wang X. Active prophages in coral-associated Halomonas capable of lateral transduction. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae085. [PMID: 38739683 PMCID: PMC11131426 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Temperate phages can interact with bacterial hosts through lytic and lysogenic cycles via different mechanisms. Lysogeny has been identified as the major form of bacteria-phage interaction in the coral-associated microbiome. However, the lysogenic-to-lytic switch of temperate phages in ecologically important coral-associated bacteria and its ecological impact have not been extensively investigated. By studying the prophages in coral-associated Halomonas meridiana, we found that two prophages, Phm1 and Phm3, are inducible by the DNA-damaging agent mitomycin C and that Phm3 is spontaneously activated under normal cultivation conditions. Furthermore, Phm3 undergoes an atypical lytic pathway that can amplify and package adjacent host DNA, potentially resulting in lateral transduction. The induction of Phm3 triggered a process of cell lysis accompanied by the formation of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and Phm3 attached to OMVs. This unique cell-lysis process was controlled by a four-gene lytic module within Phm3. Further analysis of the Tara Ocean dataset revealed that Phm3 represents a new group of temperate phages that are widely distributed and transcriptionally active in the ocean. Therefore, the combination of lateral transduction mediated by temperate phages and OMV transmission offers a versatile strategy for host-phage coevolution in marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510301, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1, Yanqihu East Road, Huairou District, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Kaihao Tang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510301, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1, Yanqihu East Road, Huairou District, Beijing 101408, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Yiqing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Tianlang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510301, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1, Yanqihu East Road, Huairou District, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Yunxue Guo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510301, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1, Yanqihu East Road, Huairou District, Beijing 101408, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Duoting Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Xiaoxue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510301, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1, Yanqihu East Road, Huairou District, Beijing 101408, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou 511458, China
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11
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Fang Z, Xu M, Shen S, Sun W, Yu Q, Wu Q, Xiang L, Weng Q. Prediction and characterization of prophages of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia reveals a remarkable phylogenetic diversity of prophages. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22941. [PMID: 38135742 PMCID: PMC10746704 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50449-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Prophages, which enables bacterial hosts to acquire novel traits, and increase genetic variation and evolutionary innovation, are considered to be one of the greatest drivers of bacterial diversity and evolution. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is widely distributed and one of the most important multidrug resistant bacteria in hospitals. However, the distribution and genetic diversity of S. maltophilia prophages have not been elucidated. In this study, putative prophages were predicted in S. maltophilia genomes by using virus prediction tools, and the genetic diversity and phylogeny of S. maltophilia and the prophages they harbor were further analyzed. A total of 356 prophage regions were predicted from 88 S. maltophilia genomes. Among them, 144 were intact prophages, but 77.09% of the intact prophages did not match any known phage sequences in the public database. The number of prophage carried by S. maltophilia is related to its host habitat and is an important factor affecting the size of the host genome, but it is not related to the genetic diversity of the prophage. The prediction of auxiliary genes encoded by prophage showed that antibiotic resistance genes was not predicted for any of the prophages except for one questionable prophage, while 53 virulence genes and 169 carbohydrate active enzymes were predicted from 11.24 and 44.1% prophages, respectively. Most of the prophages (72.29%) mediated horizontal gene transfer of S. maltophilia genome, but only involved in 6.25% of the horizontal gene transfer events. In addition, CRISPR prediction indicated 97.75% S. maltophilia strains contained the CRISPR-Cas system containing 818 spacer sequences. However, these spacer sequences did not match any known S. maltophilia phages, and only a few S. maltophilia prophages. Comparative genomic analysis revealed a highly conserved and syntenic organization with genomic rearrangement between the prophages and the known related S. maltophilia phages. Our results indicate a high prevalence and genetic diversity of prophages in the genome of S. maltophilia, as well as the presence of a large number of uncharacterized phages. It provides an important complement to understanding the diversity and biological characteristics of phages, as well as the interactions and evolution between bacteria and phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Fang
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Man Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan Shen
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingshan Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan Xiang
- Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities, Duyun, 558000, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingbei Weng
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
- Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities, Duyun, 558000, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Schroven K, Putzeys L, Swinnen AL, Hendrix H, Paeshuyse J, Lavigne R. The phage-encoded protein PIT2 impacts Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing by direct interaction with LasR. iScience 2023; 26:107745. [PMID: 37736037 PMCID: PMC10509696 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been a notable increase in antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, necessitating the development of innovative treatments to combat this pathogen. This manuscript explores the potential of different phage proteins to attenuate virulence factors of P. aeruginosa, particularly the type II secretion system (T2SS). PIT2, a protein derived from the lytic Pseudomonas phage LMA2 inhibits the T2SS effectors PrpL and LasA and attenuates the bacterial virulence toward HeLa cells and Galleria mellonella. Using RNAseq-based differential gene expression analysis, PIT2's impact on the LasR regulatory network is revealed, which plays a key role in bacterial quorum sensing. This discovery expands our knowledge on phage-encoded modulators of the bacterial metabolism and offers a promising anti-virulence target in P. aeruginosa. As such, it lays the foundation for a new phage-inspired anti-virulence strategy to combat multidrug resistant pathogens and opens the door for SynBio applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaat Schroven
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, 3000 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Leena Putzeys
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, 3000 Heverlee, Belgium
| | | | - Hanne Hendrix
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, 3000 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Jan Paeshuyse
- Laboratory for Host Pathogen Interactions in Livestock, KU Leuven, 3000 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, 3000 Heverlee, Belgium
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13
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Li X, Xu C, Liang B, Kastelic JP, Han B, Tong X, Gao J. Alternatives to antibiotics for treatment of mastitis in dairy cows. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1160350. [PMID: 37404775 PMCID: PMC10315858 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1160350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mastitis is considered the costliest disease on dairy farms and also adversely affects animal welfare. As treatment (and to a lesser extent prevention) of mastitis rely heavily on antibiotics, there are increasing concerns in veterinary and human medicine regarding development of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, with genes conferring resistance being capable of transfer to heterologous strains, reducing resistance in strains of animal origin should have positive impacts on humans. This article briefly reviews potential roles of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), herbal medicines, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), bacteriophages and their lytic enzymes, vaccination and other emerging therapies for prevention and treatment of mastitis in dairy cows. Although many of these approaches currently lack proven therapeutic efficacy, at least some may gradually replace antibiotics, especially as drug-resistant bacteria are proliferating globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Li
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuang Xu
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Bingchun Liang
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - John P. Kastelic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Bo Han
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofang Tong
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Gao
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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14
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Pargin E, Roach MJ, Skye A, Papudeshi B, Inglis LK, Mallawaarachchi V, Grigson SR, Harker C, Edwards RA, Giles SK. The human gut virome: composition, colonization, interactions, and impacts on human health. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:963173. [PMID: 37293229 PMCID: PMC10244655 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.963173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut virome is an incredibly complex part of the gut ecosystem. Gut viruses play a role in many disease states, but it is unknown to what extent the gut virome impacts everyday human health. New experimental and bioinformatic approaches are required to address this knowledge gap. Gut virome colonization begins at birth and is considered unique and stable in adulthood. The stable virome is highly specific to each individual and is modulated by varying factors such as age, diet, disease state, and use of antibiotics. The gut virome primarily comprises bacteriophages, predominantly order Crassvirales, also referred to as crAss-like phages, in industrialized populations and other Caudoviricetes (formerly Caudovirales). The stability of the virome's regular constituents is disrupted by disease. Transferring the fecal microbiome, including its viruses, from a healthy individual can restore the functionality of the gut. It can alleviate symptoms of chronic illnesses such as colitis caused by Clostridiodes difficile. Investigation of the virome is a relatively novel field, with new genetic sequences being published at an increasing rate. A large percentage of unknown sequences, termed 'viral dark matter', is one of the significant challenges facing virologists and bioinformaticians. To address this challenge, strategies include mining publicly available viral datasets, untargeted metagenomic approaches, and utilizing cutting-edge bioinformatic tools to quantify and classify viral species. Here, we review the literature surrounding the gut virome, its establishment, its impact on human health, the methods used to investigate it, and the viral dark matter veiling our understanding of the gut virome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sarah K. Giles
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
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15
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Latka A, Aertsen A, Boeckaerts D, Blasdel B, Ceyssens PJ, Garcia-Pino A, Gillis A, Lavigne R, Lima-Mendez G, Matthijnssens J, Onsea J, Peeters E, Pirnay JP, Thiry D, Vandenheuvel D, Van Mechelen E, Venneman J, Verbeken G, Wagemans J, Briers Y. Foundation of the Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes and Meeting Report of Its Inaugural Symposium. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051213. [PMID: 37243298 DOI: 10.3390/v15051213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes (BSVoM) was founded on 9 June 2022 to capture and enhance the collaborative spirit among the expanding community of microbial virus researchers in Belgium. The sixteen founders are affiliated to fourteen different research entities across academia, industry and government. Its inaugural symposium was held on 23 September 2022 in the Thermotechnical Institute at KU Leuven. The meeting program covered three thematic sessions launched by international keynote speakers: (1) virus-host interactions, (2) viral ecology, evolution and diversity and (3) present and future applications. During the one-day symposium, four invited keynote lectures, ten selected talks and eight student pitches were given along with 41 presented posters. The meeting hosted 155 participants from twelve countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Latka
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, University of Wroclaw, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Abram Aertsen
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dimitri Boeckaerts
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium
- KERMIT, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bob Blasdel
- Vésale Bioscience, Vésale Pharmaceutica, 5310 Noville-sur-Mehaigne, Belgium
| | | | - Abel Garcia-Pino
- Cellular and Molecular Microbiology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus La Plaine, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Annika Gillis
- Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gipsi Lima-Mendez
- Biology of Microorganisms Research Unit (URBM), Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), Université de Namur ASBL, 5000 Namur, Belgium
| | - Jelle Matthijnssens
- Laboratory of Viral Metagenomics, Rega Institute, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Onsea
- Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eveline Peeters
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Paul Pirnay
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, 1120 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Damien Thiry
- Veterinary Bacteriology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Dieter Vandenheuvel
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Els Van Mechelen
- Research Centre Health & Water Technology, University of Applied Sciences, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Jolien Venneman
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Gilbert Verbeken
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, 1120 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Wagemans
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yves Briers
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium
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16
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Oyejobi GK, Zhang X, Xiong D, Ogolla F, Xue H, Wei H. Phage-bacterial evolutionary interactions: experimental models and complications. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023; 49:283-296. [PMID: 35358006 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2052793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Phage treatment of bacterial infections has offered some hope even as the crisis of antimicrobial resistance continues to be on the rise. However, bacterial resistance to phage is another looming challenge capable of undermining the effectiveness of phage therapy. Moreover, the consideration of including phage therapy in modern medicine calls for more careful research around every aspect of phage study. In an attempt to adequately prepare for the events of phage resistance, many studies have attempted to experimentally evolve phage resistance in different bacterial strains, as well as train phages to evolve counter-infectivity of resistant bacterial mutants, in view of answering such questions as coevolutionary dynamics between phage and bacteria, mechanisms of phage resistance, fitness costs of phage resistance on bacteria, etc. In this review, we summarised many such studies and by careful examination, highlighted critical issues to the outcome of phage therapy. We also discuss the insufficiency of many of these in vitro studies to represent actual disease conditions during phage application, alongside other complications that exist in phage-bacterial evolutionary interactions. Conclusively, we present the exploitation of phage-bacterial interactions for successful infection managements, as well as some future perspectives to direct phage research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greater Kayode Oyejobi
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Microbiology, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria.,Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Xiaoxu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dongyan Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Faith Ogolla
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, Kenya.,Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Heng Xue
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongping Wei
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
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17
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Gummalla VS, Zhang Y, Liao YT, Wu VCH. The Role of Temperate Phages in Bacterial Pathogenicity. Microorganisms 2023; 11:541. [PMID: 36985115 PMCID: PMC10052878 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and archaea and are classified as virulent or temperate phages based on their life cycles. A temperate phage, also known as a lysogenic phage, integrates its genomes into host bacterial chromosomes as a prophage. Previous studies have indicated that temperate phages are beneficial to their susceptible bacterial hosts by introducing additional genes to bacterial chromosomes, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. This article reviewed three primary ways temperate phages contribute to the bacterial pathogenicity of foodborne pathogens, including phage-mediated virulence gene transfer, antibiotic resistance gene mobilization, and biofilm formation. This study provides insights into mechanisms of phage-bacterium interactions in the context of foodborne pathogens and provokes new considerations for further research to avoid the potential of phage-mediated harmful gene transfer in agricultural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Vivian C. H. Wu
- Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA 94710, USA
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18
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Marchi J, Zborowsky S, Debarbieux L, Weitz JS. The dynamic interplay of bacteriophage, bacteria and the mammalian host during phage therapy. iScience 2023; 26:106004. [PMID: 36818291 PMCID: PMC9932479 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
For decades, biomedically centered studies of bacteria have focused on mechanistic drivers of disease in their mammalian hosts. Likewise, molecular studies of bacteriophage have centered on understanding mechanisms by which bacteriophage exploit the intracellular environment of their bacterial hosts. These binary interactions - bacteriophage infect bacteria and bacteria infect eukaryotic hosts - have remained largely separate lines of inquiry. However, recent evidence demonstrates how tripartite interactions between bacteriophage, bacteria and the eukaryotic host shape the dynamics and fate of each component. In this perspective, we provide an overview of different ways in which bacteriophage ecology modulates bacterial infections along a spectrum of positive to negative impacts on a mammalian host. We also examine how coevolutionary processes over longer timescales may change the valence of these interactions. We argue that anticipating both ecological and evolutionary dynamics is key to understand and control tripartite interactions and ultimately to the success or failure of phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Marchi
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Sophia Zborowsky
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Bacteriophage Bacterium Host, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Laurent Debarbieux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Bacteriophage Bacterium Host, 75015 Paris, France
- Corresponding author
| | - Joshua S. Weitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- School of Biological Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Institut de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, 75005 Paris, France
- Corresponding author
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19
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Evseev P, Lukianova A, Tarakanov R, Tokmakova A, Popova A, Kulikov E, Shneider M, Ignatov A, Miroshnikov K. Prophage-Derived Regions in Curtobacterium Genomes: Good Things, Small Packages. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:1586. [PMID: 36675099 PMCID: PMC9862828 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Curtobacterium is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria within the order Actinomycetales. Some Curtobacterium species (C. flaccumfaciens, C. plantarum) are harmful pathogens of agricultural crops such as soybean, dry beans, peas, sugar beet and beetroot, which occur throughout the world. Bacteriophages (bacterial viruses) are considered to be potential curative agents to control the spread of harmful bacteria. Temperate bacteriophages integrate their genomes into bacterial chromosomes (prophages), sometimes substantially influencing bacterial lifestyle and pathogenicity. About 200 publicly available genomes of Curtobacterium species, including environmental metagenomic sequences, were inspected for the presence of sequences of possible prophage origin using bioinformatic methods. The comparison of the search results with several ubiquitous bacterial groups showed the relatively low level of the presence of prophage traces in Curtobacterium genomes. Genomic and phylogenetic analyses were undertaken for the evaluation of the evolutionary and taxonomic positioning of predicted prophages. The analyses indicated the relatedness of Curtobacterium prophage-derived sequences with temperate actinophages of siphoviral morphology. In most cases, the predicted prophages can represent novel phage taxa not described previously. One of the predicted temperate phages was induced from the Curtobacterium genome. Bioinformatic analysis of the modelled proteins encoded in prophage-derived regions led to the discovery of some 100 putative glycopolymer-degrading enzymes that contained enzymatic domains with predicted cell-wall- and cell-envelope-degrading activity; these included glycosidases and peptidases. These proteins can be considered for the experimental design of new antibacterials against Curtobacterium phytopathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Evseev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Lukianova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Rashit Tarakanov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Tokmakova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
- School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology National Research University, Institutskiy Per, 9, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Anastasia Popova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Eugene Kulikov
- School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology National Research University, Institutskiy Per, 9, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- Research Center of Biotechnology, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prosp. 60-letia Oktyabrya, 7-2, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail Shneider
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Ignatov
- Agrobiotechnology Department, Agrarian and Technological Institute, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya Str. 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin Miroshnikov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 117997 Moscow, Russia
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20
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Tong Z, Zhou X, Chu Y, Zhang T, Zhang J, Zhao X, Wang Z, Ding R, Meng Q, Yu J, Wang J, Kang Y. Implications of oral streptococcal bacteriophages in autism spectrum disorder. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:91. [DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00355-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractGrowing evidence suggests altered oral and gut microbiota in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but little is known about the alterations and roles of phages, especially within the oral microbiota in ASD subjects. We enrolled ASD (n = 26) and neurotypical subjects (n = 26) with their oral hygiene controlled, and the metagenomes of both oral and fecal samples (n = 104) are shotgun-sequenced and compared. We observe extensive and diverse oral phageome comparable to that of the gut, and clear signals of mouth-to-gut phage strain transfer within individuals. However, the overall phageomes of the two sites are widely different and show even less similarity in the oral communities between ASD and control subjects. The ASD oral phageome exhibits significantly reduced abundance and alpha diversity, but the Streptococcal phages there are atypically enriched, often dominating the community. The over-representation of Streptococcal phages is accompanied by enriched oral Streptococcal virulence factors and Streptococcus bacteria, all exhibiting a positive correlation with the severity of ASD clinical manifestations. These changes are not observed in the parallel sampling of the gut flora, suggesting a previously unknown oral-specific association between the excessive Streptococcal phage enrichment and ASD pathogenesis. The findings provide new evidence for the independent microbiome-mouth-brain connection, deepen our understanding of how the growth dynamics of bacteriophages and oral microbiota contribute to ASD, and point to novel effective therapeutics.
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21
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Wang S, Huang X, Yang J, Yang D, Zhang Y, Hou Y, Lin L, Hua L, Liang W, Wu B, Peng Z. Biocontrol of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using a virulent bacteriophage derived from a temperate one. Microbiol Res 2022; 267:127258. [PMID: 36434990 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.127258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a serious threat to global public health due to its resistance to specific antibiotics. Bacteriophages particularly the lytic ones are promoted as a potential powerful-tool to combat infections caused by drug resistant bacteria; while several disadvantages limited the application of the temperate ones. In this study, we isolated 14 phages against MRSA strains, and found three ones showed the capacity of killing most of the target MRSA strains. However, whole genome sequencing and generation of lysogens indicated that these three bacteriophage candidates were temperate ones. Therefore, we mutated one (4PHSA25) of them to a virulent bacteriophage (4PHCISA25). Phenotypical characterization assays revealed that 4PHCISA25 had similar lytic spectrum, temperature, pH, and UV sensitivities to 4PHSA25. However, 4PHCISA25 displayed increased lytic activities and decreased bacteriophage insensitive mutant frequency. Biofilm removing assays showed that 4PHCISA25 exhibited a better capacity than 4PHSA25 on eliminating biofilms formed by MRSA strains. Mouse experiments demonstrated that injection of 4PHCISA25 was safe to the mice and treatment with it (109 PFU per mouse) inhibited the development of abscess induced by MRSA within 24 h and promoted the recovery from the clinical signs. Taken together, this study highlights the use of phages combating MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanyan Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Zhong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China.
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22
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Genomic Features of Pseudomonas putida PCL1760: A Biocontrol Agent Acting via Competition for Nutrient and Niche. Appl Microbiol 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/applmicrobiol2040057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonasputida strain PCL1760 is a biocontrol agent protecting plants from pathogens via the mechanism of competition for nutrients and niches (CNN). To confirm this mechanism as well as to adapt the strain for biotechnological applications, full genome analysis was compared with the known biotechnological model, P. putida S12, and other related species, which were analyzed on different genomic databases. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of PCL1760 was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pseudomonas syringae. No genetic systems involved in antibiosis were revealed among the secondary metabolite clusters of the strain of PCL1760. The only antagonistic effect was observed against P. syringae, which might be because of siderophore (yellow-greenish fluorescence), although less than 19% pyoverdin biosynthesis clusters were predicted using the AntiSMASH server. P. putida PCL1760 in comparison with the Pseudomonas simiae strain PCL1751, another biocontrol agent acting solely via CNN, which lost its ‘luxury’ genes necessary for antibiosis or parasitism/predation mechanisms, but carries genetic systems providing motility. Interestingly, immunity genes (CRISPR/Cas and prophages) showed PCL1760 to be robust in comparison with S12, while annotation on OrthoVenn2 showed PCL1760 to be amenable for genetic manipulations. It is tempting to state that rhizobacteria using the mechanism of CNN are distinguishable from biocontrol agents acting via antibiosis or parasitism/predation at the genomic level. This confirms the CNN of PCL1760 as the sole mechanism for biocontrol and we suggest the strain as a new model for genetic engineering.
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23
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Bruneaux M, Ashrafi R, Kronholm I, Laanto E, Örmälä‐Tiznado A, Galarza JA, Zihan C, Kubendran Sumathi M, Ketola T. The effect of a temperature-sensitive prophage on the evolution of virulence in an opportunistic bacterial pathogen. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5402-5418. [PMID: 35917247 PMCID: PMC9826266 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16638] [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: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are key actors of ecosystems and have major impacts on global biogeochemical cycles. Prophages deserve particular attention as they are ubiquitous in bacterial genomes and can enter a lytic cycle when triggered by environmental conditions. We explored how temperature affects the interactions between prophages and other biological levels using an opportunistic pathogen, the bacterium Serratia marcescens, which harbours several prophages and that had undergone an evolution experiment under several temperature regimes. We found that the release of one of the prophages was temperature-sensitive and malleable to evolutionary changes. We further discovered that the virulence of the bacterium in an insect model also evolved and was positively correlated with phage release rates. We determined through analysis of genetic and epigenetic data that changes in the bacterial outer cell wall structure possibly explain this phenomenon. We hypothezise that the temperature-dependent phage release rate acted as a selection pressure on S. marcescens and that it resulted in modified bacterial virulence in the insect host. Our study system illustrates how viruses can mediate the influence of abiotic environmental changes to other biological levels and thus be involved in ecosystem feedback loops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Bruneaux
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Roghaieh Ashrafi
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Ilkka Kronholm
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Elina Laanto
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland,Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | | | - Juan A. Galarza
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Chen Zihan
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland,Shenzhen Research InstituteThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
| | - Mruthyunjay Kubendran Sumathi
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ArizonaTucsonArizonaUSA
| | - Tarmo Ketola
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
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24
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Abstract
Temperate phages (prophages) are ubiquitous in nature and persist as dormant components of host cells (lysogenic stage) before activating and lysing the host (lytic stage). Actively replicating prophages contribute to central community processes, such as enabling bacterial virulence, manipulating biogeochemical cycling, and driving microbial community diversification. Recent advances in sequencing technology have allowed for the identification and characterization of diverse phages, yet no approaches currently exist for identifying if a prophage has activated. Here, we present PropagAtE (Prophage Activity Estimator), an automated software tool for estimating if a prophage is in the lytic or lysogenic stage of infection. PropagAtE uses statistical analyses of prophage-to-host read coverage ratios to decipher actively replicating prophages, irrespective of whether prophages were induced or spontaneously activated. We demonstrate that PropagAtE is fast, accurate, and sensitive, regardless of sequencing depth. Application of PropagAtE to prophages from 348 complex metagenomes from human gut, murine gut, and soil environments identified distinct spatial and temporal prophage activation signatures, with the highest proportion of active prophages in murine gut samples. In infants treated with antibiotics or infants without treatment, we identified active prophage populations correlated with specific treatment groups. Within time series samples from the human gut, 11 prophage populations, some encoding the sulfur metabolism gene cysH or a rhuM-like virulence factor, were consistently present over time but not active. Overall, PropagAtE will facilitate accurate representations of viruses in microbiomes by associating prophages with their active roles in shaping microbial communities in nature. IMPORTANCE Viruses that infect bacteria are key components of microbiomes and ecosystems. They can kill and manipulate microorganisms, drive planetary-scale processes and biogeochemical cycling, and influence the structures of entire food networks. Prophages are viruses that can exist in a dormant state within the genome of their host (lysogenic stage) before activating in order to replicate and kill the host (lytic stage). Recent advances have allowed for the identification of diverse viruses in nature, but no approaches exist for characterizing prophages and their stages of infection (prophage activity). We develop and benchmark an automated approach, PropagAtE, to identify the stages of infection of prophages from genomic data. We provide evidence that active prophages vary in identity and abundance across multiple environments and scales. Our approach will enable accurate and unbiased analyses of viruses in microbiomes and ecosystems.
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25
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Yang D, Wang S, Sun E, Chen Y, Hua L, Wang X, Zhou R, Chen H, Peng Z, Wu B. A temperate Siphoviridae bacteriophage isolate from Siberian tiger enhances the virulence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus through distinct mechanisms. Virulence 2022; 13:137-148. [PMID: 34986751 PMCID: PMC8741283 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.2022276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and worldwide spread of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pose a threat to human health. While bacteriophages are recognized as an effective alternative to treat infections caused by drug resistant pathogens, some bacteriophages in particular the temperate bacteriophage may also influence the virulence of the host bacteria in distinct ways. In this study, we isolated a bacteriophage vB_Saus_PHB21 from an epidermal sample of Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) using an MRSA strain SA14 as the indicator. Our following laboratory tests and whole genome sequencing analyses revealed that vB_Saus_PHB21 was a temperate bacteriophage belonging to the Siphoviridae family, and this bacteriophage did not contain any virulence genes. However, the integration of PHB21 genome into the host MRSA increased the bacterial capacities of cell adhesion, anti-phagocytosis, and biofilm formation. Challenge of the lysogenic strain (SA14+) caused severe mortalities in both Galleria mellonella and mouse models. Mice challenged with SA14+ showed more serious organ lesions and produced higher inflammatory cytokines (IL-8, IFN-γ and TNF-α) compared to those challenged with SA14. In mechanism, we found the integration of PHB21 genome caused the upregulated expression of many genes encoding products involved in bacterial biofilm formation, adherence to host cells, anti-phagocytosis, and virulence. This study may provide novel knowledge of “bacteria-phage-interactions” in MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Erchao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yibao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiangru Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Huanchun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, the Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Ministry of Science and Technology International Research Center for Animal Disease, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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26
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Lood C, Boeckaerts D, Stock M, De Baets B, Lavigne R, van Noort V, Briers Y. Digital phagograms: predicting phage infectivity through a multilayer machine learning approach. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 52:174-181. [PMID: 34952265 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Machine learning has been broadly implemented to investigate biological systems. In this regard, the field of phage biology has embraced machine learning to elucidate and predict phage-host interactions, based on receptor-binding proteins, (anti-)defense systems, prophage detection, and life cycle recognition. Here, we highlight the enormous potential of integrating information from omics data with insights from systems biology to better understand phage-host interactions. We conceptualize and discuss the potential of a multilayer model that mirrors the phage infection process, integrating adsorption, bacterial pan-immune components and hijacking of the bacterial metabolism to predict phage infectivity. In the future, this model can offer insights into the underlying mechanisms of the infection process, and digital phagograms can support phage cocktail design and phage engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Lood
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dimitri Boeckaerts
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; KERMIT, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Michiel Stock
- KERMIT, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; BIOBIX, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bernard De Baets
- KERMIT, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Vera van Noort
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Yves Briers
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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27
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Martín-Galiano AJ, García E. Streptococcus pneumoniae: a Plethora of Temperate Bacteriophages With a Role in Host Genome Rearrangement. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:775402. [PMID: 34869076 PMCID: PMC8637289 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.775402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria. They are the most abundant biological entity on Earth (current estimates suggest there to be perhaps 1031 particles) and are found nearly everywhere. Temperate phages can integrate into the chromosome of their host, and prophages have been found in abundance in sequenced bacterial genomes. Prophages may modulate the virulence of their host in different ways, e.g., by the secretion of phage-encoded toxins or by mediating bacterial infectivity. Some 70% of Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus)—a frequent cause of otitis media, pneumonia, bacteremia and meningitis—isolates harbor one or more prophages. In the present study, over 4000 S. pneumoniae genomes were examined for the presence of prophages, and nearly 90% were found to contain at least one prophage, either defective (47%) or present in full (43%). More than 7000 complete putative integrases, either of the tyrosine (6243) or serine (957) families, and 1210 full-sized endolysins (among them 1180 enzymes corresponding to 318 amino acid-long N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidases [LytAPPH]) were found. Based on their integration site, 26 different pneumococcal prophage groups were documented. Prophages coding for tRNAs, putative virulence factors and different methyltransferases were also detected. The members of one group of diverse prophages (PPH090) were found to integrate into the 3’ end of the host lytASpn gene encoding the major S. pneumoniae autolysin without disrupting it. The great similarity of the lytASpnand lytAPPH genes (85–92% identity) allowed them to recombine, via an apparent integrase-independent mechanism, to produce different DNA rearrangements within the pneumococcal chromosome. This study provides a complete dataset that can be used to further analyze pneumococcal prophages, their evolutionary relationships, and their role in the pathogenesis of pneumococcal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio J Martín-Galiano
- Intrahospital Infections Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Ernesto García
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana y de Plantas, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
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28
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Johnson CN, Sheriff EK, Duerkop BA, Chatterjee A. Let Me Upgrade You: Impact of Mobile Genetic Elements on Enterococcal Adaptation and Evolution. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:e0017721. [PMID: 34370561 PMCID: PMC8508098 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00177-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterococci are Gram-positive bacteria that have evolved to thrive as both commensals and pathogens, largely due to their accumulation of mobile genetic elements via horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Common agents of HGT include plasmids, transposable elements, and temperate bacteriophages. These vehicles of HGT have facilitated the evolution of the enterococci, specifically Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, into multidrug-resistant hospital-acquired pathogens. On the other hand, commensal strains of Enterococcus harbor CRISPR-Cas systems that prevent the acquisition of foreign DNA, restricting the accumulation of mobile genetic elements. In this review, we discuss enterococcal mobile genetic elements by highlighting their contributions to bacterial fitness, examine the impact of CRISPR-Cas on their acquisition, and identify key areas of research that can improve our understanding of enterococcal evolution and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cydney N. Johnson
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Emma K. Sheriff
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Breck A. Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Anushila Chatterjee
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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29
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Kever L, Hünnefeld M, Brehm J, Heermann R, Frunzke J. Identification of Gip as a novel phage-encoded gyrase inhibitor protein of Corynebacterium glutamicum. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:1268-1280. [PMID: 34536319 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
By targeting key regulatory hubs of their host, bacteriophages represent a powerful source for the identification of novel antimicrobial proteins. Here, a screening of small cytoplasmic proteins encoded by the CGP3 prophage of Corynebacterium glutamicum resulted in the identification of the gyrase-inhibiting protein Cg1978, termed Gip. Pull-down assays and surface plasmon resonance revealed a direct interaction of Gip with the gyrase subunit A (GyrA). The inhibitory activity of Gip was shown to be specific to the DNA gyrase of its bacterial host C. glutamicum. Overproduction of Gip in C. glutamicum resulted in a severe growth defect as well as an induction of the SOS response. Furthermore, reporter assays revealed an RecA-independent induction of the cryptic CGP3 prophage, most likely caused by topological alterations. Overexpression of gip was counteracted by an increased expression of gyrAB and a reduction of topA expression at the same time, reflecting the homeostatic control of DNA topology. We postulate that the prophage-encoded Gip protein plays a role in modulating gyrase activity to enable efficient phage DNA replication. A detailed elucidation of the mechanism of action will provide novel directions for the design of drugs targeting DNA gyrase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Kever
- Institute of Bio- und Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Max Hünnefeld
- Institute of Bio- und Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jannis Brehm
- Institut für Molekulare Physiologie, Biozentrum II, Mikrobiologie und Weinforschung, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ralf Heermann
- Institut für Molekulare Physiologie, Biozentrum II, Mikrobiologie und Weinforschung, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Julia Frunzke
- Institute of Bio- und Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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30
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Bonilla E, Costa AR, van den Berg DF, van Rossum T, Hagedoorn S, Walinga H, Xiao M, Song W, Haas PJ, Nobrega FL, Brouns SJJ. Genomic characterization of four novel bacteriophages infecting the clinical pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. DNA Res 2021; 28:6352498. [PMID: 34390569 PMCID: PMC8386662 DOI: 10.1093/dnares/dsab013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are an invaluable source of novel genetic diversity. Sequencing of phage genomes can reveal new proteins with potential uses as biotechnological and medical tools, and help unravel the diversity of biological mechanisms employed by phages to take over the host during viral infection. Aiming to expand the available collection of phage genomes, we have isolated, sequenced, and assembled the genome sequences of four phages that infect the clinical pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae: vB_KpnP_FBKp16, vB_KpnP_FBKp27, vB_KpnM_FBKp34, and Jumbo phage vB_KpnM_FBKp24. The four phages show very low (0–13%) identity to genomic phage sequences deposited in the GenBank database. Three of the four phages encode tRNAs and have a GC content very dissimilar to that of the host. Importantly, the genome sequences of the phages reveal potentially novel DNA packaging mechanisms as well as distinct clades of tubulin spindle and nucleus shell proteins that some phages use to compartmentalize viral replication. Overall, this study contributes to uncovering previously unknown virus diversity, and provides novel candidates for phage therapy applications against antibiotic-resistant K. pneumoniae infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estrada Bonilla
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands.,Fagenbank, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Ana Rita Costa
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands.,Fagenbank, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Daan F van den Berg
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Teunke van Rossum
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands.,Fagenbank, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Hagedoorn
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Hielke Walinga
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Minfeng Xiao
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, 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
| | - Pieter-Jan Haas
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Franklin L Nobrega
- Fagenbank, Delft, The Netherlands.,School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Stan J J Brouns
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, The Netherlands.,Fagenbank, Delft, The Netherlands
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31
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Correa AMS, Howard-Varona C, Coy SR, Buchan A, Sullivan MB, Weitz JS. Revisiting the rules of life for viruses of microorganisms. Nat Rev Microbiol 2021; 19:501-513. [PMID: 33762712 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-021-00530-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Viruses that infect microbial hosts have traditionally been studied in laboratory settings with a focus on either obligate lysis or persistent lysogeny. In the environment, these infection archetypes are part of a continuum that spans antagonistic to beneficial modes. In this Review, we advance a framework to accommodate the context-dependent nature of virus-microorganism interactions in ecological communities by synthesizing knowledge from decades of virology research, eco-evolutionary theory and recent technological advances. We discuss that nuanced outcomes, rather than the extremes of the continuum, are particularly likely in natural communities given variability in abiotic factors, the availability of suboptimal hosts and the relevance of multitrophic partnerships. We revisit the 'rules of life' in terms of how long-term infections shape the fate of viruses and microbial cells, populations and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Samantha R Coy
- BioSciences Department, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alison Buchan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - Matthew B Sullivan
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. .,Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Joshua S Weitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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32
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Giannattasio-Ferraz S, Ene A, Maskeri L, Oliveira AP, Barbosa-Stancioli EF, Putonti C. Corynebacterium phoceense, resident member of the urogenital microbiota? MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2021; 167. [PMID: 34269674 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Corynebacterium phoceense is a Gram-positive species previously isolated from human urine. Although other species from the same genus have been associated with urinary tract infections, C. phoceense is currently believed to be a non-pathogenic member of the urogenital microbiota. Prior to our study, only two isolates were described in the literature, and very little is known about the species. Here, we describe C. phoceense UFMG-H7, the first strain of this species isolated from the urine of healthy cattle. The genome for this isolate was produced and compared to the two other publicly available C. phoceense as well as other Corynebacterium genome assemblies. Our in-depth genomic analysis identified four additional publicly available genome assemblies that are representatives of the species, also isolated from the human urogenital tract. Although none of the strains have been associated with symptoms or disease, numerous genes associated with virulence factors are encoded. In contrast to related Corynebacterium species and Corynebacterium species from the bovine vaginal tract, all C. phoceense strains examined code for the SpaD-type pili suggesting adherence is essential for its persistence within the urinary tract. As the other C. phoceense strains analysed were isolated from the human urogenital tract, our results suggest that this species may be specific to this niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Giannattasio-Ferraz
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Adriana Ene
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Laura Maskeri
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Edel F Barbosa-Stancioli
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Catherine Putonti
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
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Genome Sequence of the Bacteriophage CL31 and Interaction with the Host Strain Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032. Viruses 2021; 13:v13030495. [PMID: 33802915 PMCID: PMC8002715 DOI: 10.3390/v13030495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the genomic features of the phage CL31 and the infection dynamics with the biotechnologically relevant host strain Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032. Genome sequencing and annotation of CL31 revealed a 45-kbp genome composed of 72 open reading frames, mimicking the GC content of its host strain (54.4%). An ANI-based distance matrix showed the highest similarity of CL31 to the temperate corynephage Φ16. While the C. glutamicum ATCC 13032 wild type strain showed only mild propagation of CL31, a strain lacking the cglIR-cglIIR-cglIM restriction-modification system was efficiently infected by this phage. Interestingly, the prophage-free strain C. glutamicum MB001 featured an even accelerated amplification of CL31 compared to the ∆resmod strain suggesting a role of cryptic prophage elements in phage defense. Proteome analysis of purified phage particles and transcriptome analysis provide important insights into structural components of the phage and the response of C. glutamicum to CL31 infection. Isolation and sequencing of CL31-resistant strains revealed SNPs in genes involved in mycolic acid biosynthesis suggesting a role of this cell envelope component in phage adsorption. Altogether, these results provide an important basis for further investigation of phage-host interactions in this important biotechnological model organism.
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Hashemi Shahraki A, Mirsaeidi M. Phage Therapy for Mycobacterium Abscessus and Strategies to Improve Outcomes. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9030596. [PMID: 33799414 PMCID: PMC7999966 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9030596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of Mycobacterium abscessus complex are known for causing severe, chronic infections. Members of M. abscessus are a new "antibiotic nightmare" as one of the most resistant organisms to chemotherapeutic agents. Treatment of these infections is challenging due to the either intrinsic or acquired resistance of the M. abscessus complex to the available antibiotics. Recently, successful phage therapy with a cocktail of three phages (one natural lytic phage and two engineered phages) every 12 h for at least 32 weeks has been reported against a severe case of the disseminated M. abscessus subsp. massiliense infection, which underlines the high value of phages against drug-resistant superbugs. This report also highlighted the limitations of phage therapy, such as the absence of lytic phages with a broad host-range against all strains and subspecies of the M. abscessus complex and also the risk of phage resistant bacteria over treatment. Cutting-edge genomic technologies have facilitated the development of engineered phages for therapeutic purposes by introducing new desirable properties, changing host-range and arming the phages with additional killing genes. Here, we review the available literature and suggest new potential solutions based on the progress in phage engineering that can help to overcome the present limitations of M. abscessus treatment.
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