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Ortiz Charneco G, Kelleher P, Buivydas A, de Waal PP, van Rijswijck IM, van Peij NN, Cambillau C, Mahony J, Van Sinderen D. Discovering genetic determinants for cell-to-cell adhesion in two prevalent conjugative lactococcal plasmids. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2024; 6:100239. [PMID: 38706493 PMCID: PMC11067333 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmids pNP40 and pUC11B encode two prevalent yet divergent conjugation systems, which have been characterized in detail recently. Here, we report the elucidation of the putative adhesins of the pNP40 and pUC11B conjugation systems, encoded by traAd and trsAd, respectively. Despite their significant sequence divergence, TraAd and TrsAd represent the most conserved component between the pNP40- and the pUC11B-encoded conjugation systems and share similar peptidoglycan-hydrolase domains. Protein structure prediction using AlphaFold2 highlighted the structural similarities between their predicted domains, as well as the potential homo-dimeric state of both proteins. Expression of the putative surface adhesins resulted in a cell clumping phenotype not only among cells expressing these surface adhesins but also between adhesin-expressing and non-producing cells. Furthermore, mutant derivatives of plasmids pNP40 or pUC11B carrying a mutation in traAd or trsAd, respectively, were shown to act as efficient donors provided the corresponding recipient expresses either traAd or trsAd, thus demonstrating in trans reciprocal complementarity of these proteins in conjugation systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Ortiz Charneco
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Philip Kelleher
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Andrius Buivydas
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Paul P. de Waal
- dsm-firmenich; Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Irma M.H. van Rijswijck
- dsm-firmenich; Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Noël N.M.E. van Peij
- dsm-firmenich; Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Christian Cambillau
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IMM), Aix-Marseille Université – CNRS, UMR 7255, Marseille, France
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Douwe Van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
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2
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Michaelis C, Berger TMI, Kuhlmann K, Ghulam R, Petrowitsch L, Besora Vecino M, Gesslbauer B, Pavkov-Keller T, Keller W, Grohmann E. Effect of TraN key residues involved in DNA binding on pIP501 transfer rates in Enterococcus faecalis. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1268647. [PMID: 38380428 PMCID: PMC10877727 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1268647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Conjugation is a major mechanism that facilitates the exchange of antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria. The broad-host-range Inc18 plasmid pIP501 harbors 15 genes that encode for a type IV secretion system (T4SS). It is a membrane-spanning multiprotein complex formed between conjugating donor and recipient cells. The penultimate gene of the pIP501 operon encodes for the cytosolic monomeric protein TraN. This acts as a transcriptional regulator by binding upstream of the operon promotor, partially overlapping with the origin of transfer. Additionally, TraN regulates traN and traO expression by binding upstream of the PtraNO promoter. This study investigates the impact of nine TraN amino acids involved in binding to pIP501 DNA through site-directed mutagenesis by exchanging one to three residues by alanine. For three traN variants, complementation of the pIP501∆traN knockout resulted in an increase of the transfer rate by more than 1.5 orders of magnitude compared to complementation of the mutant with native traN. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) was used to assess the binding affinities of three TraN double-substituted variants and one triple-substituted variant to its cognate pIP501 double-stranded DNA. The MST data strongly correlated with the transfer rates obtained by biparental mating assays in Enterococcus faecalis. The TraN variants TraN_R23A-N24A-Q28A, TraN_H82A-R86A, and TraN_G100A-K101A not only exhibited significantly lower DNA binding affinities but also, upon complementation of the pIP501∆traN knockout, resulted in the highest pIP501 transfer rates. This confirms the important role of the TraN residues R23, N24, Q28, H82, R86, G100, and K101 in downregulating pIP501 transfer. Although TraN is not part of the mating pair formation complex, TraE, TraF, TraH, TraJ, TraK, and TraM were coeluted with TraN in a pull-down. Moreover, TraN homologs are present not only in Inc18 plasmids but also in RepA_N and Rep_3 family plasmids, which are frequently found in enterococci, streptococci, and staphylococci. This points to a widespread role of this repressor in conjugative plasmid transfer among Firmicutes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Michaelis
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Department of Microbiology, Berliner Hochschule für Technik, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Kirill Kuhlmann
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Rangina Ghulam
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Department of Microbiology, Berliner Hochschule für Technik, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lukas Petrowitsch
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Bernd Gesslbauer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Tea Pavkov-Keller
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Walter Keller
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Grohmann
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Department of Microbiology, Berliner Hochschule für Technik, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Ortiz Charneco G, Kelleher P, Buivydas A, de Waal PP, van Rijswijck IM, van Peij NN, Mahony J, Van Sinderen D. Transcriptional control of two distinct lactococcal plasmid-encoded conjugation systems. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2024; 6:100224. [PMID: 38371911 PMCID: PMC10873654 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Lactococcal conjugative plasmids are poorly characterized compared to those harbored by numerous other Gram-positive bacteria, despite their significance in dairy fermentations and starter culture development. Furthermore, the transcriptional landscape of these lactococcal conjugation systems and their regulation have not been studied in any detail. Lactococcal plasmids pNP40 and pUC11B possess two genetically distinct and prevalent conjugation systems. Here, we describe the detailed transcriptional analysis of the pNP40 and pUC11B conjugation-associated gene clusters, revealing three and five promoters, respectively, for which the corresponding transcriptional start sites were identified. Regulation of several of these promoters, and therefore conjugation, is shown to involve the individual or concerted activities of the corresponding relaxase and transcriptional repressor(s) encoded by each conjugative plasmid. This work highlights how the conjugative potential of these systems may be unlocked, with significant implications for the starter culture and food fermentation industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Ortiz Charneco
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Philip Kelleher
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Andrius Buivydas
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Paul P. de Waal
- dsm-firmenich; Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Irma M.H. van Rijswijck
- dsm-firmenich; Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Noël N.M.E. van Peij
- dsm-firmenich; Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Douwe Van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
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4
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Yang X, Niu Y, Yang Y, Zhou H, Li J, Fu X, Shen Z, Wang J, Qiu Z. Pheromone effect of estradiol regulates the conjugative transfer of pCF10 carrying antibiotic resistance genes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 451:131087. [PMID: 36889077 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mediated by conjugative plasmids greatly contributes to bacteria evolution and the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In addition to the selective pressure imposed by extensive antibiotic use, environmental chemical pollutants facilitate the dissemination of antibiotic resistance, consequently posing a serious threat to the ecological environment. Presently, the majority of studies focus on the effects of environmental compounds on R plasmid-mediated conjugation transfer, and pheromone-inducible conjugation has largely been neglected. In this study, we explored the pheromone effect and potential molecular mechanisms of estradiol in promoting the conjugative transfer of pCF10 plasmid in Enterococcus faecalis. Environmentally relevant concentrations of estradiol significantly increased the conjugative transfer of pCF10 with a maximum frequency of 3.2 × 10-2, up to 3.5-fold change compared to that of control. Exposure to estradiol induced the activation of pheromone signaling cascade by increasing the expression of ccfA. Furthermore, estradiol might directly bind to the pheromone receptor PrgZ and promote pCF10 induction and finally enhance the conjugative transfer of pCF10. These findings cast valuable insights on the roles of estradiol and its homolog in increasing antibiotic resistance and the potential ecological risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Yuanyuan Niu
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yutong Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Hongrui Zhou
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Jing Li
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Xinyue Fu
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Zhiqiang Shen
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Jingfeng Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China.
| | - Zhigang Qiu
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China.
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5
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Ortiz Charneco G, Kelleher P, Buivydas A, Dashko S, de Waal PP, van Peij NNME, Roberts RJ, Mahony J, van Sinderen D. Delineation of a lactococcal conjugation system reveals a restriction-modification evasion system. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1250-1263. [PMID: 36942662 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmid pUC11B is a 49.3-kb plasmid harboured by the fermented meat isolate Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis UC11. Among other features, pUC11B encodes a pMRC01-like conjugation system and tetracycline-resistance. In this study, we demonstrate that this plasmid can be conjugated at high frequencies to recipient strains. Mutational analysis of the 22 genes encompassing the presumed pUC11B conjugation cluster revealed the presence of several genes with essential conjugation functions, as well as a gene, trsR, encoding a putative transcriptional repressor of this conjugation cluster. Furthermore, plasmid pUC11B encodes an anti-restriction protein, TrsAR, which facilitates higher conjugation frequencies when pUC11B is transferred into recipient strains containing Type II or Type III RM systems. These findings demonstrate how RM mechanisms can be circumvented when they act as a biological barrier for conjugation events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philip Kelleher
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Andrius Buivydas
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Sofia Dashko
- DSM Food and Beverage, Center for Food Innovation, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Paul P de Waal
- DSM Food and Beverage, Center for Food Innovation, Delft, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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6
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Pheromone Activity after Stimulation with Ampicillin in a Plasmid-Free Enterococcus faecalis Strain. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112294. [DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterococci exhibit clumping under the selective pressure of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of supernatants from a plasmid-free clone (C29) of Enterococcus faecalis subjected to 0.25×, 0.5×, and 0.75× of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ampicillin on the expression of an aggregation substance (AS) by a donor plasmid clone (1390R). A clumping assay was performed. The relative expression of prgB (gene that encodes AS) was determined and semiquantified in 1390R, and iad1 expression was determined and semiquantified in C29. AS expression was analyzed in the stimulated 1390R cells by confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and ELISA. Adherence was also measured. Maximal clumping was observed with the pheromone medium 0.25×. Only the 1390R strain stimulated with the C29 supernatant without ampicillin and with 0.25× was able to express prgB. No expression of prgB was observed at 0.5× and 0.75×. The difference in relative expression (RE) of 1390R without ampicillin and with 0.25× was 0.5-fold. AS expression in 1390R showed the greatest increase upon stimulation with 0.25×. When 1390R was stimulated with 0.5× and 0.75×, AS expression was also observed but was significantly lower. Ampicillin stimulated C29 switch-off pheromone expression in recipient cells, which in turn switched off AS expression in donor cells. We observed that although prgB was switched off after 0.5× stimulation in C29, the supernatants induced expression in certain 1390R strains. In conclusion, ampicillin was able to modulate pheromone expression in free plasmid clones which, in turn, modulated AS expression in plasmid donor cells. The fact that PrgB gene expression was switched off after the ampicillin stimulus at 0.5× MIC, whereas AS proteins were present on the surface of the bacteria, suggested that a mechanism of rescue associated with mechanism pheromone sensing may be involved.
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7
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Lin H, Chen W, Zhou R, Yang J, Wu Y, Zheng J, Fei S, Wu G, Sun Z, Li J, Chen X. Characteristics of the plasmid-mediated colistin-resistance gene mcr-1 in Escherichia coli isolated from a veterinary hospital in Shanghai. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1002827. [PMID: 36386648 PMCID: PMC9650080 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1002827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The mobile colistin-resistance (mcr)-1 gene is primarily detected in Enterobacteriaceae species, such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, and represents a significant public health threat. Herein, we investigated the prevalence and characteristics of mcr-1-positive E. coli (MCRPEC) in hospitalized companion animals in a pet hospital in Shanghai, China, from May 2021 to July 2021. Seventy-nine non-duplicate samples were collected from the feces (n = 52) and wounds (n = 20) of cats and dogs and the surrounding hospital environment (n = 7). Seven MCRPEC strains, identified using screening assays and polymerase chain reaction, exhibited multidrug-resistant phenotypes in broth-microdilution and agar-dilution assays. Based in whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics analyses, all seven isolates were determined to belong to sequence type (ST) 117. Moreover, the Incl2 plasmid was prevalent in these MCRPEC isolates, and the genetic environment of the seven E. coli strains was highly similar to that of E. coli SZ02 isolated from human blood. The isolates also harbored the β-lactamase gene bla CTX-M-65, and florfenicol resistance gene floR, among other resistance genes. Given that horizontal transfer occurred in all seven strains, E. coli plasmid transferability may accelerate the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria and may be transmitted from companion animals to humans. Therefore, the surveillance of MCRPEC isolates among companion animals should be strengthened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongguang Lin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wenxin Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Rushun Zhou
- Hunan Provincial Institution of Veterinary Drug and Feed Control, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jie Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yong Wu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiaomei Zheng
- Changsha Animal and Plant Disease Control Center, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shuyue Fei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Guiting Wu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhiliang Sun
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiyun Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaojun Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Technology Research Center of Veterinary Drugs, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Berger TM, Michaelis C, Probst I, Sagmeister T, Petrowitsch L, Puchner S, Pavkov-Keller T, Gesslbauer B, Grohmann E, Keller W. Small Things Matter: The 11.6-kDa TraB Protein is Crucial for Antibiotic Resistance Transfer Among Enterococci. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:867136. [PMID: 35547396 PMCID: PMC9083827 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.867136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugative transfer is the most important means for spreading antibiotic resistance genes. It is used by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and archaea as well. Conjugative transfer is mediated by molecular membrane-spanning nanomachines, so called Type 4 Secretion Systems (T4SS). The T4SS of the broad-host-range inc18-plasmid pIP501 is organized in a single operon encoding 15 putative transfer proteins. pIP501 was originally isolated from a clinical Streptococcus agalactiae strain but is mainly found in Enterococci. In this study, we demonstrate that the small transmembrane protein TraB is essential for pIP501 transfer. Complementation of a markerless pIP501∆traB knockout by traB lacking its secretion signal sequence did not fully restore conjugative transfer. Pull-downs with Strep-tagged TraB demonstrated interactions of TraB with the putative mating pair formation proteins, TraF, TraH, TraK, TraM, and with the lytic transglycosylase TraG. As TraB is the only putative mating pair formation complex protein containing a secretion signal sequence, we speculate on its role as T4SS recruitment factor. Moreover, structural features of TraB and TraB orthologs are presented, making an essential role of TraB-like proteins in antibiotic resistance transfer among Firmicutes likely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara M.I. Berger
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Department of Structural Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Claudia Michaelis
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Department of Microbiology, Berliner Hochschule für Technik, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ines Probst
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Theo Sagmeister
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Department of Structural Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Lukas Petrowitsch
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Department of Structural Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Sandra Puchner
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Department of Microbiology, Berliner Hochschule für Technik, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tea Pavkov-Keller
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Department of Structural Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Bernd Gesslbauer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Grohmann
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Department of Microbiology, Berliner Hochschule für Technik, Berlin, Germany
| | - Walter Keller
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Department of Structural Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
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9
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Virolle C, Goldlust K, Djermoun S, Bigot S, Lesterlin C. Plasmid Transfer by Conjugation in Gram-Negative Bacteria: From the Cellular to the Community Level. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11111239. [PMID: 33105635 PMCID: PMC7690428 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial conjugation, also referred to as bacterial sex, is a major horizontal gene transfer mechanism through which DNA is transferred from a donor to a recipient bacterium by direct contact. Conjugation is universally conserved among bacteria and occurs in a wide range of environments (soil, plant surfaces, water, sewage, biofilms, and host-associated bacterial communities). Within these habitats, conjugation drives the rapid evolution and adaptation of bacterial strains by mediating the propagation of various metabolic properties, including symbiotic lifestyle, virulence, biofilm formation, resistance to heavy metals, and, most importantly, resistance to antibiotics. These properties make conjugation a fundamentally important process, and it is thus the focus of extensive study. Here, we review the key steps of plasmid transfer by conjugation in Gram-negative bacteria, by following the life cycle of the F factor during its transfer from the donor to the recipient cell. We also discuss our current knowledge of the extent and impact of conjugation within an environmentally and clinically relevant bacterial habitat, bacterial biofilms.
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10
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Verdonk CJ, Sullivan JT, Williman KM, Nicholson L, Bastholm TR, Hynes MF, Ronson CW, Bond CS, Ramsay JP. Delineation of the integrase-attachment and origin-of-transfer regions of the symbiosis island ICEMlSymR7A. Plasmid 2019; 104:102416. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2019.102416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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11
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Kohler V, Keller W, Grohmann E. Regulation of Gram-Positive Conjugation. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1134. [PMID: 31191478 PMCID: PMC6540685 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Type IV Secretion Systems (T4SSs) are membrane-spanning multiprotein complexes dedicated to protein secretion or conjugative DNA transport (conjugation systems) in bacteria. The prototype and best-characterized T4SS is that of the Gram-negative soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. For Gram-positive bacteria, only conjugative T4SSs have been characterized in some biochemical, structural, and mechanistic details. These conjugation systems are predominantly encoded by self-transmissible plasmids but are also increasingly detected on integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) and transposons. Here, we report regulatory details of conjugation systems from Enterococcus model plasmids pIP501 and pCF10, Bacillus plasmid pLS1, Clostridium plasmid pCW3, and staphylococcal plasmid pSK41. In addition, regulation of conjugative processes of ICEs (ICEBs1, ICESt1, ICESt3) by master regulators belonging to diverse repressor families will be discussed. A special focus of this review lies on the comparison of regulatory mechanisms executed by proteins belonging to the RRNPP family. These regulators share a common fold and govern several essential bacterial processes, including conjugative transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Kohler
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, BioTechMed Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Walter Keller
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, BioTechMed Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Grohmann
- Life Sciences and Technology, Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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