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Gonçalves-Oliveira J, Pattenden T, Nachum-Biala Y, de Sousa KCM, Wahl L, Harrus S. Exploring the diversity and evolutionary strategies of prophages in Hyphomicrobiales, comparing animal-associated with non-animal-associated bacteria. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:159. [PMID: 38724926 PMCID: PMC11080155 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03315-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The Hyphomicrobiales bacterial order (previously Rhizobiales) exhibits a wide range of lifestyle characteristics, including free-living, plant-association, nitrogen-fixing, and association with animals (Bartonella and Brucella). This study explores the diversity and evolutionary strategies of bacteriophages within the Hyphomicrobiales order, comparing animal-associated (AAB) with non-animal-associated bacteria (NAAB). We curated 560 high-quality complete genomes of 58 genera from this order and used the PHASTER server for prophage annotation and classification. For 19 genera with representative genomes, we curated 96 genomes and used the Defense-Finder server to summarize the type of anti-phage systems (APS) found in this order. We analyzed the genetic repertoire and length distributions of prophages, estimating evolutionary rates and comparing intact, questionable, and incomplete prophages in both groups. Analyses of best-fit parameters and bootstrap sensitivity were used to understand the evolutionary processes driving prophage gene content. A total of 1860 prophages distributed in Hyphomicrobiales were found, 695 in AAB and 1165 in the NAAB genera. The results revealed a similar number of prophages per genome in AAB and NAAB and a similar length distribution, suggesting shared mechanisms of genetic acquisition of prophage genes. Changes in the frequency of specific gene classes were observed between incomplete and intact prophages, indicating preferential loss or enrichment in both groups. The analysis of best-fit parameters and bootstrap sensitivity tests indicated a higher selection coefficient, induction rate, and turnover in NAAB genomes. We found 68 types of APS in Hyphomicrobiales; restriction modification (RM) and abortive infection (Abi) were the most frequent APS found for all Hyphomicrobiales, and within the AAB group. This classification of APS showed that NAAB genomes have a greater diversity of defense systems compared to AAB, which could be related to the higher rates of prophage induction and turnover in the latter group. Our study provides insights into the distributions of both prophages and APS in Hyphomicrobiales genomes, demonstrating that NAAB carry more defense systems against phages, while AAB show increased prophage stability and an increased number of incomplete prophages. These results suggest a greater role for domesticated prophages within animal-associated bacteria in Hyphomicrobiales.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tyler Pattenden
- School of Management, Economics and Mathematics, King's University College, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Yaarit Nachum-Biala
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Lindi Wahl
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Shimon Harrus
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
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de Sousa KCM, Gutiérrez R, Yahalomi D, Shalit T, Markus B, Nachum-Biala Y, Hawlena H, Marcos-Hadad E, Hazkani-Covo E, de Rezende Neves HH, Covo S, Harrus S. Genomic structural plasticity of rodent-associated Bartonella in nature. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:3784-3797. [PMID: 35620948 PMCID: PMC9540758 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Rodent‐associated Bartonella species have shown a remarkable genetic diversity and pathogenic potential. To further explore the extent of the natural intraspecific genomic variation and its potential role as an evolutionary driver, we focused on a single genetically diverse Bartonella species, Bartonella krasnovii, which circulates among gerbils and their associated fleas. Twenty genomes from 16 different B. krasnovii genotypes were fully characterized through a genome sequencing assay (using short and long read sequencing), pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and PCR validation. Genomic analyses were performed in comparison to the B. krasnovii strain OE 1–1. While, single nucleotide polymorphism represented only a 0.3% of the genome variation, structural diversity was identified in these genomes, with an average of 51 ± 24 structural variation (SV) events per genome. Interestingly, a large proportion of the SVs (>40%) was associated with prophages. Further analyses revealed that most of the SVs, and prophage insertions were found at the chromosome replication termination site (ter), suggesting this site as a plastic zone of the B. krasnovii chromosome. Accordingly, six genomes were found to be unbalanced, and essential genes near the ter showed a shift between the leading and lagging strands, revealing the SV effect on these genomes. In summary, our findings demonstrate the extensive genomic diversity harbored by wild B. krasnovii strains and suggests that its diversification is initially promoted by structural changes, probably driven by phages. These events may constantly feed the system with novel genotypes that ultimately lead to inter‐ and intraspecies competition and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ricardo Gutiérrez
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.,National Reference Center for Bacteriology. Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health (INCIENSA)
| | - Dayana Yahalomi
- The Mantoux Bioinformatics institute of the Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Shalit
- The Mantoux Bioinformatics institute of the Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Barak Markus
- The Mantoux Bioinformatics institute of the Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yaarit Nachum-Biala
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Hadas Hawlena
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Evgeniya Marcos-Hadad
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Einat Hazkani-Covo
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, Open University of Israel, Raanana, Israel
| | | | - Shay Covo
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shimon Harrus
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.,National Reference Center for Bacteriology. Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health (INCIENSA)
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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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van Belkum A, Almeida C, Bardiaux B, Barrass SV, Butcher SJ, Çaykara T, Chowdhury S, Datar R, Eastwood I, Goldman A, Goyal M, Happonen L, Izadi-Pruneyre N, Jacobsen T, Johnson PH, Kempf VAJ, Kiessling A, Bueno JL, Malik A, Malmström J, Meuskens I, Milner PA, Nilges M, Pamme N, Peyman SA, Rodrigues LR, Rodriguez-Mateos P, Sande MG, Silva CJ, Stasiak AC, Stehle T, Thibau A, Vaca DJ, Linke D. Host-Pathogen Adhesion as the Basis of Innovative Diagnostics for Emerging Pathogens. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11071259. [PMID: 34359341 PMCID: PMC8305138 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11071259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases are an existential health threat, potentiated by emerging and re-emerging viruses and increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance. Targeted treatment of infectious diseases requires precision diagnostics, especially in cases where broad-range therapeutics such as antibiotics fail. There is thus an increasing need for new approaches to develop sensitive and specific in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests. Basic science and translational research are needed to identify key microbial molecules as diagnostic targets, to identify relevant host counterparts, and to use this knowledge in developing or improving IVD. In this regard, an overlooked feature is the capacity of pathogens to adhere specifically to host cells and tissues. The molecular entities relevant for pathogen–surface interaction are the so-called adhesins. Adhesins vary from protein compounds to (poly-)saccharides or lipid structures that interact with eukaryotic host cell matrix molecules and receptors. Such interactions co-define the specificity and sensitivity of a diagnostic test. Currently, adhesin-receptor binding is typically used in the pre-analytical phase of IVD tests, focusing on pathogen enrichment. Further exploration of adhesin–ligand interaction, supported by present high-throughput “omics” technologies, might stimulate a new generation of broadly applicable pathogen detection and characterization tools. This review describes recent results of novel structure-defining technologies allowing for detailed molecular analysis of adhesins, their receptors and complexes. Since the host ligands evolve slowly, the corresponding adhesin interaction is under selective pressure to maintain a constant receptor binding domain. IVD should exploit such conserved binding sites and, in particular, use the human ligand to enrich the pathogen. We provide an inventory of methods based on adhesion factors and pathogen attachment mechanisms, which can also be of relevance to currently emerging pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex van Belkum
- BioMérieux, Open Innovation & Partnerships, 38390 La Balme Les Grottes, France;
- Correspondence: (A.v.B.); (D.L.)
| | | | - Benjamin Bardiaux
- Institut Pasteur, Structural Biology and Chemistry, 75724 Paris, France; (B.B.); (N.I.-P.); (T.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Sarah V. Barrass
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (S.V.B.); (S.J.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Sarah J. Butcher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (S.V.B.); (S.J.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Tuğçe Çaykara
- Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials, 4760-034 Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal; (T.Ç.); (C.J.S.)
| | - Sounak Chowdhury
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22242 Lund, Sweden; (S.C.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Rucha Datar
- BioMérieux, Microbiology R&D, 38390 La Balme Les Grottes, France;
| | | | - Adrian Goldman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (S.V.B.); (S.J.B.); (A.G.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Manisha Goyal
- BioMérieux, Open Innovation & Partnerships, 38390 La Balme Les Grottes, France;
| | - Lotta Happonen
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22242 Lund, Sweden; (S.C.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre
- Institut Pasteur, Structural Biology and Chemistry, 75724 Paris, France; (B.B.); (N.I.-P.); (T.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Theis Jacobsen
- Institut Pasteur, Structural Biology and Chemistry, 75724 Paris, France; (B.B.); (N.I.-P.); (T.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Pirjo H. Johnson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Volkhard A. J. Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (V.A.J.K.); (A.T.); (D.J.V.)
| | - Andreas Kiessling
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Juan Leva Bueno
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Anchal Malik
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Johan Malmström
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22242 Lund, Sweden; (S.C.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Ina Meuskens
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway;
| | - Paul A. Milner
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Michael Nilges
- Institut Pasteur, Structural Biology and Chemistry, 75724 Paris, France; (B.B.); (N.I.-P.); (T.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Nicole Pamme
- School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK; (N.P.); (P.R.-M.)
| | - Sally A. Peyman
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Ligia R. Rodrigues
- CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (L.R.R.); (M.G.S.)
| | - Pablo Rodriguez-Mateos
- School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK; (N.P.); (P.R.-M.)
| | - Maria G. Sande
- CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (L.R.R.); (M.G.S.)
| | - Carla Joana Silva
- Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials, 4760-034 Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal; (T.Ç.); (C.J.S.)
| | - Aleksandra Cecylia Stasiak
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.C.S.); (T.S.)
| | - Thilo Stehle
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.C.S.); (T.S.)
| | - Arno Thibau
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (V.A.J.K.); (A.T.); (D.J.V.)
| | - Diana J. Vaca
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (V.A.J.K.); (A.T.); (D.J.V.)
| | - Dirk Linke
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway;
- Correspondence: (A.v.B.); (D.L.)
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Gutiérrez R, Shalit T, Markus B, Yuan C, Nachum-Biala Y, Elad D, Harrus S. Bartonella kosoyi sp. nov. and Bartonella krasnovii sp. nov., two novel species closely related to the zoonotic Bartonella elizabethae, isolated from black rats and wild desert rodent-fleas. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:1656-1665. [PMID: 32100689 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.003952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Bartonella (Family: Bartonellaceae; Order: Rhizobiales; Class: Alphaproteobacteria) comprises facultative intracellular Gram-negative, haemotropic, slow-growing, vector-borne bacteria. Wild rodents and their fleas harbor a great diversity of species and strains of the genus Bartonella, including several zoonotic ones. This genetic diversity coupled with a fastidious nature of the organism results in a taxonomic challenge that has led to a massive collection of uncharacterized strains. Here, we report the genomic and phenotypic characterization of two strains, members of the genus Bartonella (namely Tel Aviv and OE 1-1), isolated from Rattus rattus rats and Synosternus cleopatrae fleas, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed rod-shaped bacteria with polar pili, lengths ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 µm and widths ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 µm. OE 1-1 and Tel Aviv strains contained one single chromosome of 2.16 and 2.23 Mbp and one plasmid of 29.0 and 41.5 Kbp, with average DNA G+C contents of 38.16 and 38.47 mol%, respectively. These strains presented an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of 89.9 %. Bartonella elizabethae was found to be the closest phylogenetic relative of both strains (ANI=90.9-93.6 %). The major fatty acids identified in both strains were C18:1ω7c, C18 : 0 and C16 : 0. They differ from B. elizabethae in their C17 : 0 and C15 : 0 compositions. Both strains are strictly capnophilic and their biochemical profiles resembled those of species of the genus Bartonella with validly published names, whereas differences in arylamidase activities partially assisted in their speciation. Genomic and phenotypic differences demonstrate that OE 1-1 and Tel Aviv strains represent novel individual species, closely related to B. elizabethae, for which we propose the names Bartonella kosoyi sp. nov. and Bartonella krasnovii sp. nov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gutiérrez
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
| | - Tali Shalit
- The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
| | - Barak Markus
- The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
| | - Congli Yuan
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Yaarit Nachum-Biala
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
| | - Daniel Elad
- The Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
| | - Shimon Harrus
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
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Québatte M, Dehio C. Bartonella gene transfer agent: Evolution, function, and proposed role in host adaptation. Cell Microbiol 2019; 21:e13068. [PMID: 31231937 PMCID: PMC6899734 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The processes underlying host adaptation by bacterial pathogens remain a fundamental question with relevant clinical, ecological, and evolutionary implications. Zoonotic pathogens of the genus Bartonella constitute an exceptional model to study these aspects. Bartonellae have undergone a spectacular diversification into multiple species resulting from adaptive radiation. Specific adaptations of a complex facultative intracellular lifestyle have enabled the colonisation of distinct mammalian reservoir hosts. This remarkable host adaptability has a multifactorial basis and is thought to be driven by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and recombination among a limited genus‐specific pan genome. Recent functional and evolutionary studies revealed that the conserved Bartonella gene transfer agent (BaGTA) mediates highly efficient HGT and could thus drive this evolution. Here, we review the recent progress made towards understanding BaGTA evolution, function, and its role in the evolution and pathogenesis of Bartonella spp. We notably discuss how BaGTA could have contributed to genome diversification through recombination of beneficial traits that underlie host adaptability. We further address how BaGTA may counter the accumulation of deleterious mutations in clonal populations (Muller's ratchet), which are expected to occur through the recurrent transmission bottlenecks during the complex infection cycle of these pathogens in their mammalian reservoir hosts and arthropod vectors.
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