1
|
Matteau D, Duval A, Baby V, Rodrigue S. Mesoplasma florum: a near-minimal model organism for systems and synthetic biology. Front Genet 2024; 15:1346707. [PMID: 38404664 PMCID: PMC10884336 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1346707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mesoplasma florum is an emerging model organism for systems and synthetic biology due to its small genome (∼800 kb) and fast growth rate. While M. florum was isolated and first described almost 40 years ago, many important aspects of its biology have long remained uncharacterized due to technological limitations, the absence of dedicated molecular tools, and since this bacterial species has not been associated with any disease. However, the publication of the first M. florum genome in 2004 paved the way for a new era of research fueled by the rise of systems and synthetic biology. Some of the most important studies included the characterization and heterologous use of M. florum regulatory elements, the development of the first replicable plasmids, comparative genomics and transposon mutagenesis, whole-genome cloning in yeast, genome transplantation, in-depth characterization of the M. florum cell, as well as the development of a high-quality genome-scale metabolic model. The acquired data, knowledge, and tools will greatly facilitate future genome engineering efforts in M. florum, which could next be exploited to rationally design and create synthetic cells to advance fundamental knowledge or for specific applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominick Matteau
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Anthony Duval
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Vincent Baby
- Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Sébastien Rodrigue
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Green EA, Smedley SR, Klassen JL. North American Fireflies Host Low Bacterial Diversity. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 82:793-804. [PMID: 33609143 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01718-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although there are numerous studies of firefly mating flashes, lantern bioluminescence, and anti-predation lucibufagin metabolites, almost nothing is known about their microbiome. We therefore used 16S rRNA community amplicon sequencing to characterize the gut and body microbiomes of four North American firefly taxa: Ellychnia corrusca, the Photuris versicolor species complex, Pyractomena borealis, and Pyropyga decipiens. These firefly microbiomes all have very low species diversity, often dominated by a single species, and each firefly type has a characteristic microbiome. Although the microbiomes of male and female fireflies did not differ from each other, Ph. versicolor gut and body microbiomes did, with their gut microbiomes being enriched in Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter. Ellychnia corrusca egg and adult microbiomes were unique except for a single egg microbiome that shared a community type with E. corrusca adults, which could suggest microbial transmission from mother to offspring. Mollicutes that had been previously isolated from fireflies were common in our firefly microbiomes. These results set the stage for further research concerning the function and transmission of these bacterial symbionts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Green
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | | | - Jonathan L Klassen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Y, Huang JM, Zhou YL, Almeida A, Finn RD, Danchin A, He LS. Phylogenomics of expanding uncultured environmental Tenericutes provides insights into their pathogenicity and evolutionary relationship with Bacilli. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:408. [PMID: 32552739 PMCID: PMC7301438 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06807-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The metabolic capacity, stress response and evolution of uncultured environmental Tenericutes have remained elusive, since previous studies have been largely focused on pathogenic species. In this study, we expanded analyses on Tenericutes lineages that inhabit various environments using a collection of 840 genomes. Results Several environmental lineages were discovered inhabiting the human gut, ground water, bioreactors and hypersaline lake and spanning the Haloplasmatales and Mycoplasmatales orders. A phylogenomics analysis of Bacilli and Tenericutes genomes revealed that some uncultured Tenericutes are affiliated with novel clades in Bacilli, such as RF39, RFN20 and ML615. Erysipelotrichales and two major gut lineages, RF39 and RFN20, were found to be neighboring clades of Mycoplasmatales. We detected habitat-specific functional patterns between the pathogenic, gut and the environmental Tenericutes, where genes involved in carbohydrate storage, carbon fixation, mutation repair, environmental response and amino acid cleavage are overrepresented in the genomes of environmental lineages, perhaps as a result of environmental adaptation. We hypothesize that the two major gut lineages, namely RF39 and RFN20, are probably acetate and hydrogen producers. Furthermore, deteriorating capacity of bactoprenol synthesis for cell wall peptidoglycan precursors secretion is a potential adaptive strategy employed by these lineages in response to the gut environment. Conclusions This study uncovers the characteristic functions of environmental Tenericutes and their relationships with Bacilli, which sheds new light onto the pathogenicity and evolutionary processes of Mycoplasmatales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 28, Luhuitou Road, Sanya, Hai Nan, P.R. China.
| | - Jiao-Mei Huang
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 28, Luhuitou Road, Sanya, Hai Nan, P.R. China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying-Li Zhou
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 28, Luhuitou Road, Sanya, Hai Nan, P.R. China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Alexandre Almeida
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK.,Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Robert D Finn
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Antoine Danchin
- Kodikos, Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Institut Cochin INSERM U1016 - CNRS UMR8104 - Université Paris Descartes, 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques, 75014, Paris, France.,Li Kashing Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Li-Sheng He
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 28, Luhuitou Road, Sanya, Hai Nan, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Volokhov DV, Gao Y, Davidson MK, Chizhikov VE. Acholeplasma equirhinis sp. nov. isolated from respiratory tract of horse (Equus caballus) and Mycoplasma procyoni sp. nov. isolated from oral cavity of raccoon (Procyon lotor). Arch Microbiol 2019; 202:411-420. [PMID: 31828363 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-019-01786-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We describe two novel species of Acholeplasma sp. strain N93 and Mycoplasma sp. strain LR5794 which were isolated from the nasopharynx of a horse from the United Kingdom and from the oral cavity of a North American raccoon from Canada, respectively. These strains were phenotypically and genetically characterized and compared to other established Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma species. Both strains are facultative anaerobes, resistant to penicillin, and produce acid from glucose but do not hydrolyze arginine and urea. Both strains grew well in microaerophilic and anaerobic atmospheric conditions at 35-37 °C using PPLO (pleuropneumonia-like organisms) medium. Acholeplasma sp. N93 does not require serum for growth. Colonies of both strains showed a typical fried-egg appearance and transmission electron microscopy of bacterial cells revealed a typical mycoplasma cellular morphology. Molecular characterization included assessment of several genetic loci. The genetic analysis indicated that Acholeplasma sp. N93 and Mycoplasma sp. LR5794 were most closely related to A. hippikon and A. equifetale, and M. molare and M. lagogenitalium, respectively. However, both novel strains were genetically unique in comparison to other well-known Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma species. Based on the isolation source history, phenotypic, genotypic, and phylogenetic characteristics of these novel strains, we propose the name Acholeplasma equirhinis sp. nov. for Acholeplasma sp. isolated from the nasopharynx of a horse [the type strain is N93T (= DSM 106692T = ATCC TSD-139T = NCTC 14351T)], and the name Mycoplasma procyoni sp. nov. for the Mycoplasma sp. isolated from the oral cavity of a North American raccoon [the type strain is LR5794T (= DSM 106703T = ATCC TSD-141T = NCTC 14309T)].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dmitriy V Volokhov
- Laboratory of Method Development, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993-0002, USA.
| | - Yamei Gao
- Laboratory of Respiratory Viral Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993-0002, USA
| | - Maureen K Davidson
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 8401 Muirkirk Rd, Laurel, MD, 20708, USA
| | - Vladimir E Chizhikov
- Laboratory of Method Development, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993-0002, USA
| |
Collapse
|