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Pathom-Aree W, Sattayawat P, Inwongwan S, Cheirsilp B, Liewtrakula N, Maneechote W, Rangseekaew P, Ahmad F, Mehmood MA, Gao F, Srinuanpan S. Microalgae growth-promoting bacteria for cultivation strategies: Recent updates and progress. Microbiol Res 2024; 286:127813. [PMID: 38917638 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127813] [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: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Microalgae growth-promoting bacteria (MGPB), both actinobacteria and non-actinobacteria, have received considerable attention recently because of their potential to develop microalgae-bacteria co-culture strategies for improved efficiency and sustainability of the water-energy-environment nexus. Owing to their diverse metabolic pathways and ability to adapt to diverse conditions, microalgal-MGPB co-cultures could be promising biological systems under uncertain environmental and nutrient conditions. This review proposes the recent updates and progress on MGPB for microalgae cultivation through co-culture strategies. Firstly, potential MGPB strains for microalgae cultivation are introduced. Following, microalgal-MGPB interaction mechanisms and applications of their co-cultures for biomass production and wastewater treatment are reviewed. Moreover, state-of-the-art studies on synthetic biology and metabolic network analysis, along with the challenges and prospects of opting these approaches for microalgal-MGPB co-cultures are presented. It is anticipated that these strategies may significantly improve the sustainability of microalgal-MGPB co-cultures for wastewater treatment, biomass valorization, and bioproducts synthesis in a circular bioeconomy paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasu Pathom-Aree
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Pachara Sattayawat
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Sahutchai Inwongwan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Benjamas Cheirsilp
- Program of Biotechnology, Center of Excellence in Innovative Biotechnology for Sustainable Utilization of Bioresources, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Naruepon Liewtrakula
- Program of Biotechnology, Center of Excellence in Innovative Biotechnology for Sustainable Utilization of Bioresources, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Wageeporn Maneechote
- Program of Biotechnology, Center of Excellence in Innovative Biotechnology for Sustainable Utilization of Bioresources, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand; Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Pharada Rangseekaew
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Fiaz Ahmad
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Muhammad Aamer Mehmood
- Bioenergy Research Center, Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Fengzheng Gao
- Sustainable Food Processing Laboratory, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland; Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Epigenetics, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach 8603, Switzerland
| | - Sirasit Srinuanpan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Biorefinery and Bioprocess Engineering Research Cluster, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
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Tran NT, Le TBK. Control of a gene transfer agent cluster in Caulobacter crescentus by transcriptional activation and anti-termination. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4749. [PMID: 38834569 PMCID: PMC11150451 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49114-2] [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: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene Transfer Agents (GTAs) are phage-like particles that cannot self-multiply and be infectious. Caulobacter crescentus, a bacterium best known as a model organism to study bacterial cell biology and cell cycle regulation, has recently been demonstrated to produce bona fide GTA particles (CcGTA). Since C. crescentus ultimately die to release GTA particles, the production of GTA particles must be tightly regulated and integrated with the host physiology to prevent a collapse in cell population. Two direct activators of the CcGTA biosynthetic gene cluster, GafY and GafZ, have been identified, however, it is unknown how GafYZ controls transcription or how they coordinate gene expression of the CcGTA gene cluster with other accessory genes elsewhere on the genome for complete CcGTA production. Here, we show that the CcGTA gene cluster is transcriptionally co-activated by GafY, integration host factor (IHF), and by GafZ-mediated transcription anti-termination. We present evidence that GafZ is a transcription anti-terminator that likely forms an anti-termination complex with RNA polymerase, NusA, NusG, and NusE to bypass transcription terminators within the 14 kb CcGTA cluster. Overall, we reveal a two-tier regulation that coordinates the synthesis of GTA particles in C. crescentus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngat T Tran
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Tung B K Le
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
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Keeling PJ. Horizontal gene transfer in eukaryotes: aligning theory with data. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:416-430. [PMID: 38263430 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00688-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), or lateral gene transfer, is the non-sexual movement of genetic information between genomes. It has played a pronounced part in bacterial and archaeal evolution, but its role in eukaryotes is less clear. Behaviours unique to eukaryotic cells - phagocytosis and endosymbiosis - have been proposed to increase the frequency of HGT, but nuclear genomes encode fewer HGTs than bacteria and archaea. Here, I review the existing theory in the context of the growing body of data on HGT in eukaryotes, which suggests that any increased chance of acquiring new genes through phagocytosis and endosymbiosis is offset by a reduced need for these genes in eukaryotes, because selection in most eukaryotes operates on variation not readily generated by HGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Otero-Olarra JE, Díaz-Cárdenas G, Aguilera-Arreola MG, Curiel-Quesada E, Pérez-Valdespino A. Aeromonas trota Is Highly Refractory to Acquire Exogenous Genetic Material. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1091. [PMID: 38930473 PMCID: PMC11206119 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aeromonas trota is sensitive to most antibiotics and the sole species of this genus susceptible to ampicillin. This susceptibility profile could be related to its inability to acquire exogenous DNA. In this study, A. trota isolates were analyzed to establish their capacity to incorporate foreign DNA. Fourteen strains were identified as A. trota by multilocus phylogenetic analysis (MLPA). Minimal inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics (MIC) were assessed, confirming the susceptibility to most antibiotics tested. To explore their capacity to be transformed, A. trota strains were used as recipients in different horizontal transfer assays. Results showed that around fifty percent of A. trota strains were able to incorporate pBAMD1-2 and pBBR1MCS-3 plasmids after conjugal transfer. In all instances, conjugation frequencies were very low. Interestingly, several isoforms of plasmid pBBR1MCS-3 were observed in transconjugants. Strains could not receive pAr-32, a native plasmid from A. salmonicida. A. trota strains were unable to receive DNA by means of electroporation, natural transformation or vesiduction. These results confirm that A. trota species are extremely refractory to horizontal gene transfer, which could be associated to plasmid instability resulting from oligomerization or to the presence of defense systems against exogenous genetic material in their genomes. To explain the poor results of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), selected genomes were sequenced and analyzed, revealing the presence of defense systems, which could prevent the stable incorporation of exogenous DNA in A. trota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Erick Otero-Olarra
- Department of Biochemistry, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico; (J.E.O.-O.); (G.D.-C.)
| | - Gilda Díaz-Cárdenas
- Department of Biochemistry, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico; (J.E.O.-O.); (G.D.-C.)
| | - Ma Guadalupe Aguilera-Arreola
- Department of Microbiology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico;
| | - Everardo Curiel-Quesada
- Department of Biochemistry, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico; (J.E.O.-O.); (G.D.-C.)
| | - Abigail Pérez-Valdespino
- Department of Biochemistry, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico; (J.E.O.-O.); (G.D.-C.)
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Feng Y, Arsenault D, Louyakis AS, Altman-Price N, Gophna U, Papke RT, Gogarten JP. Using the pan-genomic framework for the discovery of genomic islands in the haloarchaeon Halorubrum ezzemoulense. mBio 2024; 15:e0040824. [PMID: 38619241 PMCID: PMC11078007 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00408-24] [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: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we use pan-genomics to characterize the genomic variability of the widely dispersed halophilic archaeal species Halorubrum ezzemoulense (Hez). We include a multi-regional sampling of newly sequenced, high-quality draft genomes. The pan-genome graph of the species reveals 50 genomic islands that represent rare accessory genetic capabilities available to members. Most notably, we observe rearrangements that have led to the insertion/recombination/replacement of mutually exclusive genomic islands in equivalent genome positions ("homeocassettes"). These conflicting islands encode for similar functions, but homologs from islands located between the same core genes exhibit high divergence on the amino acid level, while the neighboring core genes are nearly identical. Both islands of a homeocassette often coexist in the same geographic location, suggesting that either island may be beyond the reach of selective sweeps and that these loci of divergence between Hez members are maintained and persist long term. This implies that subsections of the population have different niche preferences and rare metabolic capabilities. After an evaluation of the gene content in the homeocassettes, we speculate that these islands may play a role in the speciation, niche adaptability, and group selection dynamics in Hez. Though homeocassettes are first described in this study, similar replacements and divergence of genes on genomic islands have been previously reported in other Haloarchaea and distantly related Archaea, suggesting that homeocassettes may be a feature in a wide range of organisms outside of Hez.IMPORTANCEThis study catalogs the rare genes discovered in strains of the species Halorubrum ezzemoulense (Hez), an obligate halophilic archaeon, through the perspective of its pan-genome. These rare genes are often found to be arranged on islands that confer metabolic and transport functions and contain genes that have eluded previous studies. The discovery of divergent, but homologous islands occupying equivalent genome positions ("homeocassettes") in different genomes, reveals significant new information on genome evolution in Hez. Homeocassette pairs encode for similar functions, but their dissimilarity and distribution imply high rates of recombination, different specializations, and niche preferences in Hez. The coexistence of both islands of a homeocassette pair in multiple environments demonstrates that both islands are beyond the reach of selective sweeps and that these genome content differences between strains persist long term. The switch between islands through recombination under different environmental conditions may lead to a greater range of niche adaptability in Hez.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutian Feng
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Danielle Arsenault
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Artemis S. Louyakis
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Neta Altman-Price
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Avinoam Adam Department of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Raanana, Israel
| | - Uri Gophna
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - R. Thane Papke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Johann Peter Gogarten
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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Filgueiras JPC, Zámocký M, Turchetto-Zolet AC. Unraveling the evolutionary origin of the P5CS gene: a story of gene fusion and horizontal transfer. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1341684. [PMID: 38693917 PMCID: PMC11061531 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1341684] [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: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of proline in response to the most diverse types of stress is a widespread defense mechanism. In prokaryotes, fungi, and certain unicellular eukaryotes (green algae), the first two reactions of proline biosynthesis occur through two distinct enzymes, γ-glutamyl kinase (GK E.C. 2.7.2.11) and γ-glutamyl phosphate reductase (GPR E.C. 1.2.1.41), encoded by two different genes, ProB and ProA, respectively. Plants, animals, and a few unicellular eukaryotes carry out these reactions through a single bifunctional enzyme, the Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS), which has the GK and GPR domains fused. To better understand the origin and diversification of the P5CS gene, we use a robust phylogenetic approach with a broad sampling of the P5CS, ProB and ProA genes, including species from all three domains of life. Our results suggest that the collected P5CS genes have arisen from a single fusion event between the ProA and ProB gene paralogs. A peculiar fusion event occurred in an ancestral eukaryotic lineage and was spread to other lineages through horizontal gene transfer. As for the diversification of this gene family, the phylogeny of the P5CS gene in plants shows that there have been multiple independent processes of duplication and loss of this gene, with the duplications being related to old polyploidy events.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Pedro Carmo Filgueiras
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marcel Zámocký
- Laboratory of Phylogenomic Ecology, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andreia Carina Turchetto-Zolet
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Sangiorgio G, Nicitra E, Bivona D, Bonomo C, Bonacci P, Santagati M, Musso N, Bongiorno D, Stefani S. Interactions of Gram-Positive Bacterial Membrane Vesicles and Hosts: Updates and Future Directions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2904. [PMID: 38474151 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayers derived from cell membranes, released by both eukaryotic cells and bacteria into the extracellular environment. During production, EVs carry proteins, nucleic acids, and various compounds, which are then released. While Gram-positive bacteria were traditionally thought incapable of producing EVs due to their thick peptidoglycan cell walls, recent studies on membrane vesicles (MVs) in Gram-positive bacteria have revealed their significant role in bacterial physiology and disease progression. This review explores the current understanding of MVs in Gram-positive bacteria, including the characterization of their content and functions, as well as their interactions with host and bacterial cells. It offers a fresh perspective to enhance our comprehension of Gram-positive bacterial EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Sangiorgio
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuele Nicitra
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Dalida Bivona
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Carmelo Bonomo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonacci
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Santagati
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Nicolò Musso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Dafne Bongiorno
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Stefania Stefani
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
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Wang Z, Peng D, Fu C, Luo X, Guo S, Li L, Yin H. Pan-metagenome reveals the abiotic stress resistome of cigar tobacco phyllosphere microbiome. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1248476. [PMID: 38179476 PMCID: PMC10765411 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1248476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The important role of microbial associations in mediating plant protection and responses to abiotic stresses has been widely recognized. However, there have been limited studies on the functional profile of the phyllosphere microbiota from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), hindering our understanding of the mechanisms underlying stress resilience in this representative and easy-to-cultivate model species from the solanaceous family. To address this knowledge gap, our study employed shotgun metagenomic sequencing for the first time to analyze the genetic catalog and identify putative plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) candidates that confer abiotic stress resilience throughout the growth period of cigar tobacco in the phyllosphere. We identified abundant genes from specific bacterial lineages, particularly Pseudomonas, within the cigar tobacco phyllospheric microbiome. These genes were found to confer resilience against a wide range of stressors, including osmotic and drought stress, heavy metal toxicity, temperature perturbation, organic pollutants, oxidative stress, and UV light damage. In addition, we conducted a virome mining analysis on the metagenome to explore the potential roles of viruses in driving microbial adaptation to environmental stresses. Our results identified a total of 3,320 scaffolds predicted to be viral from the cigar tobacco phyllosphere metagenome, with various phages infecting Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Enterobacteria, Ralstonia, and related viruses. Within the virome, we also annotated genes associated with abiotic stress resilience, such as alkaline phosphatase D (phoD) for nutrient solubilization and glutamate-5-semialdehyde dehydrogenase (proA) for osmolyte synthesis. These findings shed light on the unexplored roles of viruses in facilitating and transferring abiotic stress resilience in the phyllospheric microbiome through beneficial interactions with their hosts. The findings from this study have important implications for agricultural practices, as they offer potential strategies for harnessing the capabilities of the phyllosphere microbiome to enhance stress tolerance in crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Wang
- Zhangjiajie Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie, China
| | - Deyuan Peng
- Zhangjiajie Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie, China
| | - Changwu Fu
- Zhangjiajie Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie, China
| | - Xianxue Luo
- Zhangjiajie Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie, China
| | - Shijie Guo
- Zhangjiajie Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie, China
| | - Liangzhi Li
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Huaqun Yin
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Yuan B, Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Lin Z, Ma Y, Sun Y. Fluorescent tag reveals the potential mechanism of how indigenous soil bacteria affect the transfer of the wild fecal antibiotic resistance plasmid pKANJ7 in different habitat soils. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 455:131659. [PMID: 37209559 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids have increasingly become a point of concern since they act as a vital medium for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Although indigenous soil bacteria are critical hosts for these plasmids, the mechanisms driving the transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmids (ARPs) have not been well researched. In this study, we tracked and visualized the colonization of the wild fecal antibiotic resistance plasmid pKANJ7 in indigenous bacteria of different habitat soils (unfertilized soil (UFS), chemical fertilized soil (CFS), and manure fertilized soil (MFS)). The results showed that plasmid pKANJ7 mainly transferred to the dominant genera in the soil and genera that were highly related to the donor. More importantly, plasmid pKANJ7 also transferred to intermediate hosts which aid in the survival and persistence of these plasmids in soil. Nitrogen levels also raised the plasmid transfer rate (14th day: UFS: 0.09%, CFS: 1.21%, MFS: 4.57%). Lastly, our structural equation model (SEM) showed that dominant bacteria shifts caused by nitrogen and loam were the major driver shaping the difference in the transfer of plasmid pKANJ7. Overall, our findings enhance the mechanistic understanding of indigenous soil bacteria's role in plasmid transfer and inform potential methods to prevent the transmission of plasmid-borne resistance in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Yuan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zishuai Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhaoye Lin
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yanwen Ma
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ying Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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10
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Lesica P, Lavin M. Will molecular phylogenetics help decrease nomenclatural instability? AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16219. [PMID: 37561649 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Lesica
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, 59812, Montana, USA
| | - Matt Lavin
- Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, 59717, Montana, USA
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11
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Li L, Liu Y, Xiao Q, Xiao Z, Meng D, Yang Z, Deng W, Yin H, Liu Z. Dissecting the HGT network of carbon metabolic genes in soil-borne microbiota. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1173748. [PMID: 37485539 PMCID: PMC10361621 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1173748] [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: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The microbiota inhabiting soil plays a significant role in essential life-supporting element cycles. Here, we investigated the occurrence of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and established the HGT network of carbon metabolic genes in 764 soil-borne microbiota genomes. Our study sheds light on the crucial role of HGT components in microbiological diversification that could have far-reaching implications in understanding how these microbial communities adapt to changing environments, ultimately impacting agricultural practices. In the overall HGT network of carbon metabolic genes in soil-borne microbiota, a total of 6,770 nodes and 3,812 edges are present. Among these nodes, phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and Firmicutes are predominant. Regarding specific classes, Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidia, Actinomycetia, Betaproteobacteria, and Clostridia are dominant. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional assignments of glycosyltransferase (18.5%), glycolysis/gluconeogenesis (8.8%), carbohydrate-related transporter (7.9%), fatty acid biosynthesis (6.5%), benzoate degradation (3.1%) and butanoate metabolism (3.0%) are primarily identified. Glycosyltransferase involved in cell wall biosynthesis, glycosylation, and primary/secondary metabolism (with 363 HGT entries), ranks first overwhelmingly in the list of most frequently identified carbon metabolic HGT enzymes, followed by pimeloyl-ACP methyl ester carboxylesterase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase. Such HGT events mainly occur in the peripheral functions of the carbon metabolic pathway instead of the core section. The inter-microbe HGT genetic traits in soil-borne microbiota genetic sequences that we recognized, as well as their involvement in the metabolism and regulation processes of carbon organic, suggest a pervasive and substantial effect of HGT on the evolution of microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangzhi Li
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yongjun Liu
- Hunan Tobacco Science Institute, Changsha, China
| | - Qinzhi Xiao
- Yongzhou Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Yongzhou, China
| | - Zhipeng Xiao
- Hengyang Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Hengyang, China
| | - Delong Meng
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhaoyue Yang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wenqiao Deng
- Changsha Institute of Agricultural Science, Changsha, China
| | - Huaqun Yin
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhenghua Liu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
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12
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Huang Q, Huang Y, Li B, Li X, Guo Y, Jiang Z, Liu X, Yang Z, Ning Z, Xiao T, Jiang C, Hao L. Metagenomic analysis characterizes resistomes of an acidic, multimetal(loid)-enriched coal source mine drainage treatment system. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 448:130898. [PMID: 36731323 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal(loid) contaminations caused by mine activities are potential hot spots of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) because of heavy metal(loid)-induced co-selection of ARGs and heavy metal(loid) resistance genes (MRGs). This study used high-throughput metagenomic sequencing to analyze the resistome characteristics of a coal source acid mine drainage passive treatment system. The multidrug efflux mechanism dominated the antibiotic resistome, and a highly diverse heavy metal(loid) resistome was dominated by mercury-, iron-, and arsenic--associated resistance. Correlation analysis indicated that mobile gene elements had a greater influence on the dynamic of MRGs than ARGs. Among the metagenome-assembled genomes, six potential pathogens carrying multiple resistance genes resistant to several antibiotics and heavy metal(loid)s were recovered. Pseudomonas spp. contained the highest numbers of resistance genes, with resistance to two types of antibiotics and 12 types of heavy metal(loid)s. Thus, high contents of heavy metal(loid)s drove the co-selection of ARGs and MRGs. The occurrence of potential pathogens containing multiple resistance genes might increase the risk of ARG dissemination in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China
| | - Ye Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Bao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Xiutong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Yuan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China
| | - Zhen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Xiaoling Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China
| | - Zhenni Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Zengping Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China
| | - Tangfu Xiao
- Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Chengying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
| | - Likai Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; CAS Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, Xi'an 710061, PR China.
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13
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Castro AE, De Ungria MCA. Methods used in microbial forensics and epidemiological investigations for stronger health systems. Forensic Sci Res 2023; 7:650-661. [PMID: 36817258 PMCID: PMC9930754 DOI: 10.1080/20961790.2021.2023272] [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: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This review discusses microbial forensics as an emerging science that finds application in protecting human health. It is important to distinguish naturally acquired infections from those caused by the intentional release of microorganisms to the environment. This information is crucial in formulating procedures against the spread of infectious diseases and prosecuting persons who may be involved in acts of biocrime, bioterrorism, or biowarfare. A comparison between epidemiological investigations and microbial forensic investigations is provided. In addition, a discussion on how microbial forensics strengthens health systems is included in this review. Microbial forensic investigations and epidemiologic examinations employ similar concepts and involve identifying and characterising the microbe of interest. Both fields require formulating an appropriate case definition, determining a pathogen's mode of transmission, and identifying the source(s) of infection. However, the two subdisciplines differ in their objectives. An epidemiological investigation aims to identify the pathogen's source to prevent the spread of the disease. Microbial forensics focuses on source-tracking to facilitate the prosecution of persons responsible for the spread of a pathogen. Both fields use molecular techniques in analysing and comparing DNA, gene products, and biomolecules to identify and characterise the microorganisms of interest. We included case studies to show methods used in microbial forensic investigations, a brief discussion of the public significance of microbial forensic systems, and a roadmap for establishing a system at a national level. This system is expected to strengthen a country's capacity to respond to public health emergencies. Several factors must be considered in establishing national microbial forensic systems. First is the inherent ubiquity, diversity, and adaptability of microorganisms that warrants the use of robust and accurate molecular typing systems. Second, the availability of facilities and scientists who have been trained in epidemiology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and data analytics. Human resources and infrastructure are critical requirements because formulating strategies and allocating resources in times of infectious disease outbreaks must be data-driven. Establishing and maintaining a national microbial forensic system to strengthen capacities in conducting forensic and epidemiological investigations should be prioritised by all countries, accompanied by a national policy that sets the legislative framework and provides for the system's financial requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arizaldo E. Castro
- Microbial Ecology of Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems Laboratory, Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines,CONTACT Arizaldo E. Castro
| | - Maria Corazon A. De Ungria
- DNA Analysis Laboratory, Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines,Program on Biodiversity, Ethnicity, and Forensics, Philippine Genome Center, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
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14
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Goldman AD, Kaçar B. Very early evolution from the perspective of microbial ecology. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:5-10. [PMID: 35944516 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The universal ancestor at the root of the species tree of life depicts a population of organisms with a surprising degree of complexity, posessing genomes and translation systems much like that of microbial life today. As the first life forms were most likely to have been simple replicators, considerable evolutionary change must have taken place prior to the last universal common ancestor. It is often assumed that the lack of earlier branches on the tree of life is due to a prevalence of random horizontal gene transfer that obscured the delineations between lineages and hindered their divergence. Therefore, principles of microbial evolution and ecology may give us some insight into these early stages in the history of life. Here, we synthesize the current understanding of organismal and genome evolution from the perspective of microbial ecology and apply these evolutionary principles to the earliest stages of life on Earth. We focus especially on broad evolutionary modes pertaining to horizontal gene transfer, pangenome structure, and microbial mat communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D Goldman
- Department of Biology, Oberlin College and Conservatory, Oberlin, Ohio, USA
| | - Betül Kaçar
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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15
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Li P, Luo W, Xiang TX, Jiang Y, Liu P, Wei DD, Fan L, Huang S, Liao W, Liu Y, Zhang W. Horizontal gene transfer via OMVs co-carrying virulence and antimicrobial-resistant genes is a novel way for the dissemination of carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:945972. [PMID: 36532464 PMCID: PMC9751880 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.945972] [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: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The rapidly increased isolation rate of CR-HvKP worldwide has brought great difficulties in controlling clinical infection. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the transmission of drug-resistant genes among bacteria can be mediated by outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which is a new way of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The transmission of virulence genes among bacteria has also been well studied; however, it remains unclear whether virulence and drug-resistant genes can be co-transmitted simultaneously. Co-transmission of virulence and drug-resistant genes is essential for the formation and prevalence of CR-HvKP. METHODS First, we isolated OMVs from CR-HvKP by cushioned-density gradient ultracentrifugation (C-DGUC). TEM and DLS were used to examine the morphology and size of bacterial OMVs. OMV-mediated gene transfer in liquid cultures and the acquisition of the carbapenem gene and virulence gene was confirmed using colony-PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, mCIM and eCIM were conducted for the resistance of transformant. Serum killing assay, assessment of the anti-biofilm effect and galleria mellonella infection model, mucoviscosity assay, extraction and quantification of capsules were verified the virulence of transformant. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), S1 nuclease-pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (S1-PFGE), Southern blotting hybridization confirmed the plasmid of transformant. RESULTS Firstly, OMVs were isolated from CR-HvKP NUHL30457 (K2, ST86). TEM and DLS analyses revealed the spherical morphology of the vesicles. Secondly, our study demonstrated that CR-HvKP delivered genetic material, incorporated DNA within the OMVs, and protected it from degradation by extracellular exonucleases. Thirdly, the vesicular lumen DNA was delivered to the recipient cells after determining the presence of virulence and carbapenem-resistant genes in the CR-HvKP OMVs. Importantly, S1-PFGE and Southern hybridization analysis of the 700603 transformant strain showed that the transformant contained both drug-resistant and virulence plasmids. DISCUSSION In the present study, we aimed to clarify the role of CRHvKP-OMVs in transmitting CR-HvKP among K. pneumoniae. Collectively, our findings provided valuable insights into the evolution of CR-HvKP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Yichun People's Hospital, Yichun, China
| | - Wanying Luo
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Tian-Xin Xiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yuhuan Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Medical Center of Burn Plastic and Wound Repair, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Medical Center of Burn Plastic and Wound Repair, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Dan-Dan Wei
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Medical Center of Burn Plastic and Wound Repair, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Linping Fan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Medical Center of Burn Plastic and Wound Repair, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Shanshan Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Medical Center of Burn Plastic and Wound Repair, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wenjian Liao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Medical Center of Burn Plastic and Wound Repair, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- National Regional Center for Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Jiangxi Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Jiangxi Institute of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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16
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Li L, Peng S, Wang Z, Zhang T, Li H, Xiao Y, Li J, Liu Y, Yin H. Genome mining reveals abiotic stress resistance genes in plant genomes acquired from microbes via HGT. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1025122. [PMID: 36407614 PMCID: PMC9667741 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1025122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Colonization by beneficial microbes can enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. However, there are still many unknown fields regarding the beneficial plant-microbe interactions. In this study, we have assessed the amount or impact of horizontal gene transfer (HGT)-derived genes in plants that have potentials to confer abiotic stress resistance. We have identified a total of 235 gene entries in fourteen high-quality plant genomes belonging to phyla Chlorophyta and Streptophyta that confer resistance against a wide range of abiotic pressures acquired from microbes through independent HGTs. These genes encode proteins contributed to toxic metal resistance (e.g., ChrA, CopA, CorA), osmotic and drought stress resistance (e.g., Na+/proline symporter, potassium/proton antiporter), acid resistance (e.g., PcxA, ArcA, YhdG), heat and cold stress resistance (e.g., DnaJ, Hsp20, CspA), oxidative stress resistance (e.g., GST, PoxA, glutaredoxin), DNA damage resistance (e.g., Rad25, Rad51, UvrD), and organic pollutant resistance (e.g., CytP450, laccase, CbbY). Phylogenetic analyses have supported the HGT inferences as the plant lineages are all clustering closely with distant microbial lineages. Deep-learning-based protein structure prediction and analyses, in combination with expression assessment based on codon adaption index (CAI) further corroborated the functionality and expressivity of the HGT genes in plant genomes. A case-study applying fold comparison and molecular dynamics (MD) of the HGT-driven CytP450 gave a more detailed illustration on the resemblance and evolutionary linkage between the plant recipient and microbial donor sequences. Together, the microbe-originated HGT genes identified in plant genomes and their participation in abiotic pressures resistance indicate a more profound impact of HGT on the adaptive evolution of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangzhi Li
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | | | - Zhenhua Wang
- Zhangjiajie Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie, China
| | - Teng Zhang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Urban and Rural Environmental Construction Co., Ltd, Changsha, China
| | - Hongguang Li
- Hunan Tobacco Science Institute, Changsha, China
| | - Yansong Xiao
- Chenzhou Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Chenzhou, China
| | - Jingjun Li
- Chenzhou Tobacco Company of Hunan Province, Chenzhou, China
| | - Yongjun Liu
- Hunan Tobacco Science Institute, Changsha, China
| | - Huaqun Yin
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
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17
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Gozzi K, Tran NT, Modell JW, Le TBK, Laub MT. Prophage-like gene transfer agents promote Caulobacter crescentus survival and DNA repair during stationary phase. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001790. [PMID: 36327213 PMCID: PMC9632790 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are prophage-like entities found in many bacterial genomes that cannot propagate themselves and instead package approximately 5 to 15 kbp fragments of the host genome that can then be transferred to related recipient cells. Although suggested to facilitate horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the wild, no clear physiological role for GTAs has been elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that the α-proteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus produces bona fide GTAs. The production of Caulobacter GTAs is tightly regulated by a newly identified transcription factor, RogA, that represses gafYZ, the direct activators of GTA synthesis. Cells lacking rogA or expressing gafYZ produce GTAs harboring approximately 8.3 kbp fragment of the genome that can, after cell lysis, be transferred into recipient cells. Notably, we find that GTAs promote the survival of Caulobacter in stationary phase and following DNA damage by providing recipient cells a template for homologous recombination-based repair. This function may be broadly conserved in other GTA-producing organisms and explain the prevalence of this unusual HGT mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Gozzi
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ngat T. Tran
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua W. Modell
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tung B. K. Le
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Michael T. Laub
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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18
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Faddetta T, Vassallo A, Del Duca S, Gallo G, Fani R, Puglia AM. Unravelling the DNA sequences carried by Streptomyces coelicolor membrane vesicles. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16651. [PMID: 36198712 PMCID: PMC9534924 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21002-z] [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: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane vesicles (MVs) are spherical particles with nanoscale dimensions and characterized by the presence of diverse cargos, such as nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and cellular metabolites. Many examples of (micro)organisms producing MVs are reported in literature. Among them, bacterial MVs are of particular interest because they are now considered as the fourth mechanism of horizontal gene transfer. Streptomyces bacteria are well-known for their ecological roles and ability to synthesize bioactive compounds, with Streptomyces coelicolor being the model organism. It was previously demonstrated that it can produce distinct populations of MVs characterized by different protein and metabolite cargos. In this work we demonstrated for the first time that MVs of S. coelicolor carry both DNA and RNA and that their DNA content represents the entire chromosome of the bacterium. These findings suggest that MV DNA could have a role in the evolution of Streptomyces genomes and that MVs could be exploited in new strain engineering strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Faddetta
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, University of Palermo, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alberto Vassallo
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Sara Del Duca
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gallo
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, University of Palermo, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Renato Fani
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Puglia
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, University of Palermo, 90128, Palermo, Italy
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Degradation of gene silencer is essential for expression of foreign genes and bacterial colonization of the mammalian gut. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2210239119. [PMID: 36161931 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210239119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer drives bacterial evolution. To confer new properties, horizontally acquired genes must overcome gene silencing by nucleoid-associated proteins, such as the heat-stable nucleoid structuring (H-NS) protein. Enteric bacteria possess proteins that displace H-NS from foreign genes, form nonfunctional oligomers with H-NS, and degrade H-NS, raising the question of whether any of these mechanisms play a role in overcoming foreign gene silencing in vivo. To answer this question, we mutagenized the hns gene and identified a variant specifying an H-NS protein that binds foreign DNA and silences expression of the corresponding genes, like wild-type H-NS, but resists degradation by the Lon protease. Critically, Escherichia coli expressing this variant alone fails to produce curli, which are encoded by foreign genes and required for biofilm formation, and fails to colonize the murine gut. Our findings establish that H-NS proteolysis is a general mechanism of derepressing foreign genes and essential for colonization of mammalian hosts.
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20
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Metagenomics Analysis of Microbial Species and Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) in Untreated Wastewater from Different Types of Hospitals in Hangzhou. ADSORPT SCI TECHNOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/3344026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are contaminants that can propagate through a variety of environmental media. They contribute to an increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant microbes and thereby pose a danger to human health. Discharge from hospitals is the most significant contributor of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria to the natural environment. A comprehensive understanding of the microbiological structure and the distribution of ARGs in hospital wastewater can facilitate appropriate treatment of such wastewater and can improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of several epidemic illnesses. In this work, metagenomics techniques were used to compare the microbial species and ARGs in a control group with those in untreated wastewater from three types of hospitals (a general hospital, a hospital of traditional Chinese medicine, and an oral specialty hospital). The microbiota found in the hospital wastewater represented 6,415 species and 244 phyla. The composition of the bacterial community in the wastewater from the three hospitals was significantly different from that in the control group. The ARGs in the samples were also analyzed using the Antibiotic Resistance Genes Database (ARDB) and Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD). Finally, the link between abundant species and ARGs in the samples was examined. The findings of this study indicate that a connection exists between the microbial species and the ARG composition found in the wastewater samples. A variety of distinct genera of ARGs, each having their own unique correlations, have been found in wastewater from various hospitals. Consequently, the ARGs and microbial species found in the untreated wastewater from various hospitals have unique characteristics. Therefore, more detailed protocols need to be established to treat wastewater from various types of hospitals. Further studies should examine whether a connection exists between the various microbial species found in the wastewater of various types of hospitals and certain illnesses.
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21
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Zhang Y, Chu H, Yu L, He F, Gao Y, Tang L. Analysis of the Taxonomy, Synteny, and Virulence Factors for Soft Rot Pathogen Pectobacterium aroidearum in Amorphophallus konjac Using Comparative Genomics. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:868709. [PMID: 35910650 PMCID: PMC9326479 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.868709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial soft rot is a devastating disease for a wide range of crops, vegetables, and ornamental plants including konjac (Amorphophallus konjac). However, the pangenome and genomic plasticity of the konjac soft rot pathogens is little explored. In this study, we reported the complete genome sequences of 11 bacterial isolates that can cause typical soft rot symptoms in konjac by in vitro and in vivo pathogenicity tests. Based on in silico DNA-DNA hybridization, average nucleotide identity and phylogenomic analysis, all 11 isolates were determined to be Pectobacterium aroidearum. In addition, synteny analysis of these genomes revealed considerable chromosomal inversions, one of which is triggered by homologous recombination of ribose operon. Pangenome analysis and COG enrichment analysis showed that the pangenome of P. aroidearum is open and that accessory genes are enriched in replication, recombination, and repair. Variations in type IV secretion system and type VI secretion system were found, while plant cell wall degrading enzymes were conserved. Furthermore, sequence analyses also provided evidence for the presence of a type V secretion system in Pectobacterium. These findings advance our understanding of the pathogenicity determinants, genomic plasticity, and evolution of P. aroidearum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Zhang
- College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Yunnan Engineering Research Center of Fruit Wine, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, China
| | - Honglong Chu
- College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Yunnan Engineering Research Center of Fruit Wine, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, China
| | - Liqiong Yu
- College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Yunnan Engineering Research Center of Fruit Wine, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, China
| | - Fei He
- School of Modern Agriculture and Biotechnology, Ankang University, Ankang, China
| | - Yong Gao
- College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Yunnan Engineering Research Center of Fruit Wine, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, China
| | - Lizhou Tang
- College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
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22
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Wu Y, Xiang L, Wang H, Ma L, Qiu X, Liu D, Feng L, Lu X. Transcriptome analysis of an arsenite-/antimonite-oxidizer, Bosea sp. AS-1 reveals the importance of the type 4 secretion system in antimony resistance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:154168. [PMID: 35231521 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bosea sp. AS-1 is an arsenite [As(III)] and antimonite [Sb(III)] oxidizer previously isolated by our group from the Xikuangshan Antimony (Sb) Mine area. Our previous study showed that Bosea sp. AS-1 had a preference for oxidizing As(III) or Sb(III) with different carbon sources, which suggested that different metabolic mechanisms may be utilized by the bacteria to survive in As(III)- or Sb(III)-contaminated environments. Here, we conducted whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing to reveal the molecular mechanisms utilized by Bosea sp. AS-1 to resist As(III) or Sb(III). We discovered that AS-1 acquired various As- and Sb-resistant genes in its genome and might resist As(III) or Sb(III) through the regulation of multiple pathways, such as As and Sb metabolism, the bacterial secretion system, oxidative phosphorylation, the TCA cycle and bacterial flagellar motility. Interestingly, we discovered that genes of the type IV secretion system (T4SS) were activated in response to Sb(III), and inhibiting T4SS activity in AS-1 dramatically reduced its oxidation efficiency and tolerance to Sb(III). To our knowledge, this is the first study showing the activation of T4SS genes by Sb and a direct involvement of T4SS in bacterial Sb resistance. Our findings establish the T4SS as an important Sb resistance factor in bacteria and may help us understand the spread of Sb resistance genes in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Wu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Li Xiang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Hongmei Wang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China; State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of China (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Liyuan Ma
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xuan Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of China (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Deng Liu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Liang Feng
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xiaolu Lu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China.
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Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is arguably the most conspicuous feature of bacterial evolution. Evidence for HGT is found in most bacterial genomes. Although HGT can considerably alter bacterial genomes, not all transfer events may be biologically significant and may instead represent the outcome of an incessant evolutionary process that only occasionally has a beneficial purpose. When adaptive transfers occur, HGT and positive selection may result in specific, detectable signatures in genomes, such as gene-specific sweeps or increased transfer rates for genes that are ecologically relevant. In this Review, we first discuss the various mechanisms whereby HGT occurs, how the genetic signatures shape patterns of genomic variation and the distinct bioinformatic algorithms developed to detect these patterns. We then discuss the evolutionary theory behind HGT and positive selection in bacteria, and discuss the approaches developed over the past decade to detect transferred DNA that may be involved in adaptation to new environments.
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Kurokawa M, Nishimura I, Ying BW. Experimental Evolution Expands the Breadth of Adaptation to an Environmental Gradient Correlated With Genome Reduction. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:826894. [PMID: 35154062 PMCID: PMC8826082 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.826894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether and how adaptive evolution adjusts the breadth of adaptation in coordination with the genome are essential issues for connecting evolution with ecology. To address these questions, experimental evolution in five Escherichia coli strains carrying either the wild-type genome or a reduced genome was performed in a defined minimal medium (C0). The ancestral and evolved populations were subsequently subjected to fitness and chemical niche analyses across an environmental gradient with 29 combinations of eight chemical components of the minimal medium. The results showed that adaptation was achieved not only specific to the evolutionary condition (C0), but also generally, to the environmental gradient; that is, the breadth of adaptation to the eight chemical niches was expanded. The magnitudes of the adaptive improvement and the breadth increase were both correlated with genome reduction and were highly significant in two out of eight niches (i.e., glucose and sulfate). The direct adaptation-induced correlated adaptation to the environmental gradient was determined by only a few genome mutations. An additive increase in fitness associated with the stepwise fixation of mutations was consistently observed in the reduced genomes. In summary, this preliminary survey demonstrated that evolution finely tuned the breadth of adaptation correlated with genome reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaomi Kurokawa
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Issei Nishimura
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Bei-Wen Ying
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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Evolutionary History of RNA Modifications at N6-Adenosine Originating from the R-M System in Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11020214. [PMID: 35205080 PMCID: PMC8868631 DOI: 10.3390/biology11020214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The m6A is the most abundant and well-studied modification of mRNA, and plays an important role in transcription and translation. It is known to be evolutionarily conserved machinery present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA). The writers and erasers responsible for adding or removing m6A belong to specific protein families, respectively, suggesting that these members are evolutionarily related. However, only some of these mRNA m6A modification-associated proteins have been studied from an evolutionary perspective, while there has been no comprehensive and systematic analysis of the distributions and evolutionary history of N6mA-associated proteins in the three kingdoms of life. In this study, we identified orthologues of all the reported N6mA-associated proteins in 88 organisms from three kingdoms of life and comprehensively reconstructed the evolutionary history of the RNA N6mA modification machinery. The results demonstrate that RNA N6mA-MTases are derived from at least two different types of prokaryotic DNA MTases (class α and β MTases). As the m6A reader, YTH proteins may be acquired by LECA from an individual prokaryotic YTH-domain protein that evolved from the N-terminals of an R-M system endonuclease. In addition, the origin of eukaryotic ALKBH family proteins is inferred to be driven by at least two occasions of independent HTG from the bacterial ALKB family. Abstract Methylation at the N6-position of adenosine (N6mA) on mRNA (m6A) is one of the most widespread, highly selective and dynamically regulated RNA modifications and plays an important role in transcription and translation. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis of phylogenetic relationships, conserved domain sequence characteristics and protein structure comparisons were employed to explore the distribution of RNA N6mA modification (m6A, m6,6A, m6Am, m6, 6Am and m6t6A)-associated proteins (writers, readers and erasers) in three kingdoms of life and reveal the evolutionary history of these modifications. These findings further confirmed that the restriction-modification (R-M) system is the origin of DNA and RNA N6mA modifications. Among them, the existing mRNA m6A modification system derived from the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) is the evolutionary product of elements from the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) or driven by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacterial elements. The subsequent massive gene gains and losses contribute to the development of unique and diverse functions in distinct species. Particularly, RNA methyltransferases (MTases) as the writer responsible for adding N6mA marks on mRNA and ncRNAs may have evolved from class α and β prokaryotic “orphan” MTases originating from the R-M system. The reader, YTH proteins that specifically recognize the m6A deposit, may be acquired by LECA from an individual prokaryotic YTH-domain protein that evolved from N-terminals of an R-M system endonuclease. The eraser, which emerged from the ALKB family (ALKBH5 and FTO) in eukaryotes, may be driven by independent HTG from bacterial ALKB proteins. The evolutionary history of RNA N6mA modifications was inferred in the present study, which will deepen our understanding of these modifications in different species.
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The basis of molecular diagnostics for piroplasmids: Do the sequences lie? Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101907. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Chmelová Ľ, Bianchi C, Albanaz ATS, Režnarová J, Wheeler R, Kostygov AY, Kraeva N, Yurchenko V. Comparative Analysis of Three Trypanosomatid Catalases of Different Origin. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 11:46. [PMID: 35052550 PMCID: PMC8773446 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Most trypanosomatid flagellates do not have catalase. In the evolution of this group, the gene encoding catalase has been independently acquired at least three times from three different bacterial groups. Here, we demonstrate that the catalase of Vickermania was obtained by horizontal gene transfer from Gammaproteobacteria, extending the list of known bacterial sources of this gene. Comparative biochemical analyses revealed that the enzymes of V. ingenoplastis, Leptomonas pyrrhocoris, and Blastocrithidia sp., representing the three independent catalase-bearing trypanosomatid lineages, have similar properties, except for the unique cyanide resistance in the catalase of the latter species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ľubomíra Chmelová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Claretta Bianchi
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Amanda T. S. Albanaz
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Jana Režnarová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Richard Wheeler
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK;
| | - Alexei Yu. Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Natalya Kraeva
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, 119435 Moscow, Russia
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Carranza G, Menguiano T, Valenzuela-Gómez F, García-Cazorla Y, Cabezón E, Arechaga I. Monitoring Bacterial Conjugation by Optical Microscopy. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:750200. [PMID: 34671336 PMCID: PMC8521088 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.750200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial conjugation is the main mechanism for horizontal gene transfer, conferring plasticity to the genome repertoire. This process is also the major instrument for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes. Hence, gathering primary information of the mechanism underlying this genetic transaction is of a capital interest. By using fluorescent protein fusions to the ATPases that power conjugation, we have been able to track the localization of these proteins in the presence and absence of recipient cells. Moreover, we have found that more than one copy of the conjugative plasmid is transferred during mating. Altogether, these findings provide new insights into the mechanism of such an important gene transfer device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Carranza
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Tamara Menguiano
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Fernando Valenzuela-Gómez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Yolanda García-Cazorla
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Elena Cabezón
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
| | - Ignacio Arechaga
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, Santander, Spain
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Patel H, Wu ZX, Chen Y, Bo L, Chen ZS. Drug resistance: from bacteria to cancer. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2021; 2:27. [PMID: 35006446 PMCID: PMC8607383 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-021-00041-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenomenon of drug resistance has been a hindrance to therapeutic medicine since the late 1940s. There is a plethora of factors and mechanisms contributing to progression of drug resistance. From prokaryotes to complex cancers, drug resistance is a prevailing issue in clinical medicine. Although there are numerous factors causing and influencing the phenomenon of drug resistance, cellular transporters contribute to a noticeable majority. Efflux transporters form a huge family of proteins and are found in a vast number of species spanning from prokaryotes to complex organisms such as humans. During the last couple of decades, various approaches in analyses of biochemistry and pharmacology of transporters have led us to understand much more about drug resistance. In this review, we have discussed the structure, function, potential causes, and mechanisms of multidrug resistance in bacteria as well as cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsh Patel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Zhuo-Xun Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Yanglu Chen
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Letao Bo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York, NY, 11439, USA.
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What prevents mainstream evolutionists teaching the whole truth about how genomes evolve? PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 165:140-152. [PMID: 33933502 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2021.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The common belief that the neo-Darwinian Modern Synthesis (MS) was buttressed by the discoveries of molecular biology is incorrect. On the contrary those discoveries have undermined the MS. This article discusses the many processes revealed by molecular studies and genome sequencing that contribute to evolution but nonetheless lie beyond the strict confines of the MS formulated in the 1940s. The core assumptions of the MS that molecular studies have discredited include the idea that DNA is intrinsically a faithful self-replicator, the one-way transfer of heritable information from nucleic acids to other cell molecules, the myth of "selfish DNA", and the existence of an impenetrable Weismann Barrier separating somatic and germ line cells. Processes fundamental to modern evolutionary theory include symbiogenesis, biosphere interactions between distant taxa (including viruses), horizontal DNA transfers, natural genetic engineering, organismal stress responses that activate intrinsic genome change operators, and macroevolution by genome restructuring (distinct from the gradual accumulation of local microevolutionary changes in the MS). These 21st Century concepts treat the evolving genome as a highly formatted and integrated Read-Write (RW) database rather than a Read-Only Memory (ROM) collection of independent gene units that change by random copying errors. Most of the discoverers of these macroevolutionary processes have been ignored in mainstream textbooks and popularizations of evolutionary biology, as we document in some detail. Ironically, we show that the active view of evolution that emerges from genomics and molecular biology is much closer to the 19th century ideas of both Darwin and Lamarck. The capacity of cells to activate evolutionary genome change under stress can account for some of the most negative clinical results in oncology, especially the sudden appearance of treatment-resistant and more aggressive tumors following therapies intended to eradicate all cancer cells. Knowing that extreme stress can be a trigger for punctuated macroevolutionary change suggests that less lethal therapies may result in longer survival times.
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A novel esterase DacA pva from Comamonas sp. strain NyZ500 with deacetylation activity for acetylated polymer polyvinyl alcohol. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.03016-20. [PMID: 33547060 PMCID: PMC8091124 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03016-20] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As a water-soluble polymer, the widely used polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is produced from hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate. Microbial PVA carbon backbone cleavage via a two-step reaction of dehydrogenation and hydrolysis has been well studied. Content of acetyl group is a pivotal factor affecting performance of PVA derivatives in industrial application, and deacetylation is a non-negligible part in PVA degradation. However, the genetic and biochemical studies of its deacetylation remain largely elusive. Here, Comamonas sp. strain NyZ500 was isolated for its capability of growing on acetylated PVA from activated sludge. A spontaneous PVA-utilization deficient mutant strain NyZ501 was obtained when strain NyZ500 was cultured in rich media. Comparative analysis between the genomes of these two strains revealed a fragment (containing a putative hydrolase gene dacApva ) deletion in NyZ501 and dacApva-complemented strain NyZ501 restored the ability to grow on PVA. DacApva, which shares 21% identity with xylan esterase AxeA1 from Prevotella ruminicola 23, is a unique deacetylase catalyzing the conversion of acetylated PVA and its derivatives to deacetylated counterparts. This indicates that strain NyZ500 utilizes acetylated PVA via acetate as a carbon source to grow. DacApva also possessed the deacetylation ability for acetylated xylan and the antibiotic intermediate 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7ACA) but the enzymes for the above two compounds had no activities against PVA derivatives. This study enhanced our understanding of the diversity of microbial degradation of PVA and DacApva characterized here is also a potential biocatalyst for the eco-friendly biotransformation of PVA derivatives and other acetylated compounds.IMPORTANCE: Water-soluble PVA, which possesses a very robust ability to accumulate in the environment, has a very grave environmental impact due to its widespread use in industrial and household applications. On the other hand, chemical transformation of PVA derivatives is currently being carried out at high energy consumption and high pollution conditions using hazardous chemicals (such as NaOH, methanol) under high temperatures. The DacApva reported here performs PVA deacetylation under mild conditions, then it has a great potential to be developed into an eco-friendly biocatalyst for biotransformation of PVA derivatives. DacApva also has deacetylation activity for compounds other than PVA derivatives, which facilitates its development into a broad-spectrum deacetylation biocatalyst for production of certain desired compounds.
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Füchtbauer S, Mousavi S, Bereswill S, Heimesaat MM. Antibacterial properties of capsaicin and its derivatives and their potential to fight antibiotic resistance - A literature survey. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2021; 11:10-17. [PMID: 33764892 PMCID: PMC8042654 DOI: 10.1556/1886.2021.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is endangering public health globally and gives reason for constant fear of virtually intractable bacterial infections. Given a limitation of novel antibiotic classes brought to market in perspective, it is indispensable to explore novel, antibiotics-independent ways to fight bacterial infections. In consequence, the antibacterial properties of natural compounds have gained increasing attention in pharmacological sciences. We here performed a literature survey regarding the antibacterial effects of capsaicin and its derivatives constituting natural compounds of chili peppers. The studies included revealed that the compounds under investigation exerted i.) both direct and indirect antibacterial properties in vitro depending on the applied concentrations and the bacterial strains under investigation; ii.) synergistic antibacterial effects in combination with defined antibiotics; iii.) resistance-modification via inhibition of bacterial efflux pumps; iv.) attenuation of bacterial virulence factor expression; and v.) dampening of pathogen-induced immunopathological responses. In conclusion, capsaicin and its derivatives comprise promising antimicrobial molecules which could complement or replace antibiotic treatment strategies to fight bacterial infections. However, a solid basis for subsequent clinical trials requires future investigations to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms and in particular pharmaceutical evaluations in animal infection models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Füchtbauer
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Soraya Mousavi
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Bereswill
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus M Heimesaat
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
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Peng Z, Liu G, Huang K. Cold Adaptation Mechanisms of a Snow Alga Chlamydomonas nivalis During Temperature Fluctuations. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:611080. [PMID: 33584575 PMCID: PMC7874021 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.611080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold environments, such as glaciers and alpine regions, constitute unique habitats for organisms living on Earth. In these harsh ecosystems, snow algae survive, florish, and even become primary producers for microbial communities. How the snow algae maintain physiological activity during violent ambient temperature changes remains unsolved. To explore the cold adaptation mechanisms of the unicellular snow alga Chlamydomonas nivalis, we compared its physiological responses to a model organism from the same genus, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. When both cell types were exposed to a shift from 22°C to 4°C, C. nivalis exhibited an apparent advantage in cold tolerance over C. reinhardtii, as C. nivalis had both a higher growth rate and photosynthetic efficiency. To determine the cold tolerance mechanisms of C. nivalis, RNA sequencing was used to compare transcriptomes of both species after 1 h of cold treatment, mimicking temperature fluctuations in the polar region. Differential expression analysis showed that C. nivalis had fewer transcriptomic changes and was more stable during rapid temperature decrease relative to C. reinhardtii, especially for the expression of photosynthesis related genes. Additionally, we found that transcription in C. nivalis was precisely regulated by the cold response network, consisting of at least 12 transcription factors and 3 RNA-binding proteins. Moreover, genes participating in nitrogen metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway, and polysaccharide biosynthesis were upregulated, indicating that increasing resource assimilation and remodeling of metabolisms were critical for cold adaptation in C. nivalis. Furthermore, we identified horizontally transferred genes differentially expressed in C. nivalis, which are critical for cold adaptation in other psychrophiles. Our results reveal that C. nivalis adapts rapid temperature decrease by efficiently regulating transcription of specific genes to optimize resource assimilation and metabolic pathways, providing critical insights into how snow algae survive and propagate in cold environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Peng
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaiyao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Abstract
Thermophilic Campylobacter, in particular Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli and C. lari are the main relevant Campylobacter species for human infections. Due to their high capacity of genetic exchange by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), rapid adaptation to changing environmental and host conditions contribute to successful spreading and persistence of these foodborne pathogens. However, extensive HGT can exert dangerous side effects for the bacterium, such as the incorporation of gene fragments leading to disturbed gene functions. Here we discuss mechanisms of HGT, notably natural transformation, conjugation and bacteriophage transduction and limiting regulatory strategies of gene transfer. In particular, we summarize the current knowledge on how the DNA macromolecule is exchanged between single cells. Mechanisms to stimulate and to limit HGT obviously coevolved and maintained an optimal balance. Chromosomal rearrangements and incorporation of harmful mutations are risk factors for survival and can result in drastic loss of fitness. In Campylobacter, the restricted recognition and preferential uptake of free DNA from relatives are mediated by a short methylated DNA pattern and not by a classical DNA uptake sequence as found in other bacteria. A class two CRISPR-Cas system is present but also other DNases and restriction-modification systems appear to be important for Campylobacter genome integrity. Several lytic and integrated bacteriophages have been identified, which contribute to genome diversity. Furthermore, we focus on the impact of gene transfer on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (resistome) and persistence factors. We discuss remaining open questions in the HGT field, supposed to be answered in the future by current technologies like whole-genome sequencing and single-cell approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Carolin Golz
- Department of Biological Safety, National Reference Laboratory for Campylobacter, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Diedersdorfer Weg 1, 12277, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Stingl
- Department of Biological Safety, National Reference Laboratory for Campylobacter, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Diedersdorfer Weg 1, 12277, Berlin, Germany.
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Choi J, Groisman EA. Horizontally acquired regulatory gene activates ancestral regulatory system to promote Salmonella virulence. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:10832-10847. [PMID: 33045730 PMCID: PMC7641745 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontally acquired genes are typically regulated by ancestral regulators. This regulation enables expression of horizontally acquired genes to be coordinated with that of preexisting genes. Here, we report a singular example of the opposite regulation: a horizontally acquired gene that controls an ancestral regulator, thereby promoting bacterial virulence. We establish that the horizontally acquired regulatory gene ssrB is necessary to activate the ancestral regulatory system PhoP/PhoQ of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) in mildly acidic pH, which S. Typhimurium experiences inside macrophages. SsrB promotes phoP transcription by binding upstream of the phoP promoter. SsrB also increases ugtL transcription by binding to the ugtL promoter region, where it overcomes gene silencing by the heat-stable nucleoid structuring protein H-NS, enhancing virulence. The largely non-pathogenic species S. bongori failed to activate PhoP/PhoQ in mildly acidic pH because it lacks both the ssrB gene and the SsrB binding site in the target promoter. Low Mg2+ activated PhoP/PhoQ in both S. bongori and ssrB-lacking S. Typhimurium, indicating that the SsrB requirement for PhoP/PhoQ activation is signal-dependent. By controlling the ancestral genome, horizontally acquired genes are responsible for more crucial abilities, including virulence, than currently thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongjoon Choi
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
| | - Eduardo A Groisman
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06536, USA.,Yale Microbial Sciences Institute, P.O. Box 27389, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
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Yang J, Yuan B, Wu Y, Li M, Li J, Xu D, Gao ZH, Ma G, Zhou Y, Zuo Y, Wang J, Guo Y. The wide distribution and horizontal transfers of beta satellite DNA in eukaryotes. Genomics 2020; 112:5295-5304. [PMID: 33065245 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Beta satellite DNA (satDNA), also known as Sau3A sequences, are repetitive DNA sequences reported in human and primate genomes. It is previously thought that beta satDNAs originated in old world monkeys and bursted in great apes. In this study, we searched 7821 genome assemblies of 3767 eukaryotic species and found that beta satDNAs are widely distributed across eukaryotes. The four major branches of eukaryotes, animals, fungi, plants and Harosa/SAR, all have multiple clades containing beta satDNAs. These results were also confirmed by searching whole genome sequencing data (SRA) and PCR assay. Beta satDNA sequences were found in all the primate clades, as well as in Dermoptera and Scandentia, indicating that the beta satDNAs in primates might originate in the common ancestor of Primatomorpha or Euarchonta. In contrast, the widely patchy distribution of beta satDNAs across eukaryotes presents a typical scenario of multiple horizontal transfers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
| | - Bin Yuan
- Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Fertilizer, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Wu
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
| | - Meiyu Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Sun Yat-Sen University; Ministry of Education Experimental Teaching Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
| | - Jian Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Donglin Xu
- Guangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zeng-Hong Gao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Guangwei Ma
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiting Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yachao Zuo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
| | - Jin Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yabin Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Álvarez-Martínez FJ, Barrajón-Catalán E, Micol V. Tackling Antibiotic Resistance with Compounds of Natural Origin: A Comprehensive Review. Biomedicines 2020; 8:E405. [PMID: 33050619 PMCID: PMC7601869 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8100405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-resistant bacteria pose a serious threat to human health worldwide. Current antibiotics are losing efficacy and new antimicrobial agents are urgently needed. Living organisms are an invaluable source of antimicrobial compounds. The antimicrobial activity of the most representative natural products of animal, bacterial, fungal and plant origin are reviewed in this paper. Their activity against drug-resistant bacteria, their mechanisms of action, the possible development of resistance against them, their role in current medicine and their future perspectives are discussed. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect were used to search scientific contributions until September 2020, using relevant keywords. Natural compounds of heterogeneous origins have been shown to possess antimicrobial capabilities, including against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The most commonly found mechanisms of antimicrobial action are related to protein biosynthesis and alteration of cell walls and membranes. Various natural compounds, especially phytochemicals, have shown synergistic capacity with antibiotics. There is little literature on the development of specific resistance mechanisms against natural antimicrobial compounds. New technologies such as -omics, network pharmacology and informatics have the potential to identify and characterize new natural antimicrobial compounds in the future. This knowledge may be useful for the development of future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Álvarez-Martínez
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE), Universitas Miguel Hernández (UMH), 03202 Elche, Spain; (F.J.Á.-M.); (V.M.)
| | - Enrique Barrajón-Catalán
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE), Universitas Miguel Hernández (UMH), 03202 Elche, Spain; (F.J.Á.-M.); (V.M.)
| | - Vicente Micol
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE), Universitas Miguel Hernández (UMH), 03202 Elche, Spain; (F.J.Á.-M.); (V.M.)
- CIBER, Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, CIBERobn, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CB12/03/30038), 28220 Madrid, Spain
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Abstract
Either stereo reactants or stereo catalysis from achiral or chiral molecules are a prerequisite to obtain pure enantiomeric lipid derivatives. We reviewed a few plausibly organic syntheses of phospholipids under prebiotic conditions with special attention paid to the starting materials as pro-chiral dihydroxyacetone and dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), which are the key molecules to break symmetry in phospholipids. The advantages of homochiral membranes compared to those of heterochiral membranes were analysed in terms of specific recognition, optimal functions of enzymes, membrane fluidity and topological packing. All biological membranes contain enantiomerically pure lipids in modern bacteria, eukarya and archaea. The contemporary archaea, comprising of methanogens, halobacteria and thermoacidophiles, are living under extreme conditions reminiscent of primitive environment and may indicate the origin of one ancient evolution path of lipid biosynthesis. The analysis of the known lipid metabolism reveals that all modern cells including archaea synthetize enantiomerically pure lipid precursors from prochiral DHAP. Sn-glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (G1PDH), usually found in archaea, catalyses the formation of sn-glycerol-1-phosphate (G1P), while sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) catalyses the formation of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) in bacteria and eukarya. The selective enzymatic activity seems to be the main strategy that evolution retained to obtain enantiomerically pure lipids. The occurrence of two genes encoding for G1PDH and G3PDH served to build up an evolutionary tree being the basis of our hypothesis article focusing on the evolution of these two genes. Gene encoding for G3PDH in eukarya may originate from G3PDH gene found in rare archaea indicating that archaea appeared earlier in the evolutionary tree than eukarya. Archaea and bacteria evolved probably separately, due to their distinct respective genes coding for G1PDH and G3PDH. We propose that prochiral DHAP is an essential molecule since it provides a convergent link between G1DPH and G3PDH. The synthesis of enantiopure phospholipids from DHAP appeared probably firstly in the presence of chemical catalysts, before being catalysed by enzymes which were the products of later Darwinian selection. The enzymes were probably selected for their efficient catalytic activities during evolution from large libraries of vesicles containing amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and meteorite components that induced symmetry imbalance.
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Huang SP, Zhou LC, Wen B, Wang P, Zhu GP. Biochemical Characterization and Crystal Structure of a Novel NAD +-Dependent Isocitrate Dehydrogenase from Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165915. [PMID: 32824636 PMCID: PMC7460673 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum originated from a series of secondary symbiotic events and has been used as a model organism for studying diatom biology. A novel type II homodimeric isocitrate dehydrogenase from P. tricornutum (PtIDH1) was expressed, purified, and identified in detail through enzymatic characterization. Kinetic analysis showed that PtIDH1 is NAD+-dependent and has no detectable activity with NADP+. The catalytic efficiency of PtIDH1 for NAD+ is 0.16 μM-1·s-1 and 0.09 μM-1·s-1 in the presence of Mn2+ and Mg2+, respectively. Unlike other bacterial homodimeric NAD-IDHs, PtIDH1 activity was allosterically regulated by the isocitrate. Furthermore, the dimeric structure of PtIDH1 was determined at 2.8 Å resolution, and each subunit was resolved into four domains, similar to the eukaryotic homodimeric NADP-IDH in the type II subfamily. Interestingly, a unique and novel C-terminal EF-hand domain was first defined in PtIDH1. Deletion of this domain disrupted the intact dimeric structure and activity. Mutation of the four Ca2+-binding sites in the EF-hand significantly reduced the calcium tolerance of PtIDH1. Thus, we suggest that the EF-hand domain could be involved in the dimerization and Ca2+-coordination of PtIDH1. The current report, on the first structure of type II eukaryotic NAD-IDH, provides new information for further investigation of the evolution of the IDH family.
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DeSalle R, Riley M. Should Networks Supplant Tree Building? Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1179. [PMID: 32756444 PMCID: PMC7466111 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8081179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggested that network methods should supplant tree building as the basis of genealogical analysis. This proposition is based upon two arguments. First is the observation that bacterial and archaeal lineages experience processes oppositional to bifurcation and hence the representation of the evolutionary process in a tree like structure is illogical. Second is the argument tree building approaches are circular-you ask for a tree and you get one, which pins a verificationist label on tree building that, if correct, should be the end of phylogenetic analysis as we currently know it. In this review, we examine these questions and suggest that rumors of the death of the bacterial tree of life are exaggerated at best.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob DeSalle
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA;
| | - Margaret Riley
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 116 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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41
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Dixson JD, Azad RK. Prions: Roles in Development and Adaptive Evolution. J Mol Evol 2020; 88:427-434. [PMID: 32388713 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-020-09944-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Prions are often considered as anomalous proteins associated primarily with disease rather than as a fundamental source of diversity within biological proteomes. Whereas this longstanding viewpoint has its genesis in the discovery of the original namesake prions as causative agents of several complex diseases, the underlying assumption of a strict disease basis for prions could not be further from the truth. Prions and the spectrum of functions they comprise, likely represent one of the largest paradigm shifts concerning molecular-encoded phenotypic diversity since identification of DNA as the principle molecule of heredity. The ability of prions to recruit similar proteins to alternate conformations may engender a reservoir of diversity supplementing the genetic diversity resulting from stochastic mutations of DNA and subsequent natural selection. Here we present several currently known prions and how many of their functions as well as modes of transmission are intricately linked to adaptation from an evolutionary perspective. Further, the stability of some prion conformations across generations indicates that heritable prion-based adaptation is a reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie D Dixson
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
| | - Rajeev K Azad
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA.
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA.
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42
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Salmonella expresses foreign genes during infection by degrading their silencer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:8074-8082. [PMID: 32209674 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1912808117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The heat-stable nucleoid structuring (H-NS, also referred to as histone-like nucleoid structuring) protein silences transcription of foreign genes in a variety of Gram-negative bacterial species. To take advantage of the products encoded in foreign genes, bacteria must overcome the silencing effects of H-NS. Because H-NS amounts are believed to remain constant, overcoming gene silencing has largely been ascribed to proteins that outcompete H-NS for binding to AT-rich foreign DNA. However, we report here that the facultative intracellular pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium decreases H-NS amounts 16-fold when inside macrophages. This decrease requires both the protease Lon and the DNA-binding virulence regulator PhoP. The decrease in H-NS abundance reduces H-NS binding to foreign DNA, allowing transcription of foreign genes, including those required for intramacrophage survival. The purified Lon protease degraded free H-NS but not DNA-bound H-NS. By displacing H-NS from DNA, the PhoP protein promoted H-NS proteolysis, thereby de-repressing foreign genes-even those whose regulatory sequences are not bound by PhoP. The uncovered mechanism enables a pathogen to express foreign virulence genes during infection without the need to evolve binding sites for antisilencing proteins at each foreign gene.
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Courtier-Orgogozo V, Martin A. The coding loci of evolution and domestication: current knowledge and implications for bio-inspired genome editing. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:223/Suppl_1/jeb208934. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.208934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
One promising application of CRISPR/Cas9 is to create targeted mutations to introduce traits of interest into domesticated organisms. However, a major current limitation for crop and livestock improvement is to identify the precise genes and genetic changes that must be engineered to obtain traits of interest. Here, we discuss the advantages of bio-inspired genome editing, i.e. the engineered introduction of natural mutations that have already been associated with traits of interest in other lineages (breeds, populations or species). To obtain a landscape view of potential targets for genome editing, we used Gephebase (www.gephebase.org), a manually curated database compiling published data about the genes responsible for evolutionary and domesticated changes across eukaryotes, and examined the >1200 mutations that have been identified in the coding regions of more than 700 genes in animals, plants and yeasts. We observe that our genetic knowledge is relatively important for certain traits, such as xenobiotic resistance, and poor for others. We also note that protein-null alleles, often owing to nonsense and frameshift mutations, represent a large fraction of the known loci of domestication (42% of identified coding mutations), compared with intraspecific (27%) and interspecific evolution (11%). Although this trend may be subject to detection, publication and curation biases, it is consistent with the idea that breeders have selected large-effect mutations underlying adaptive traits in specific settings, but that these mutations and associated phenotypes would not survive the vagaries of changing external and internal environments. Our compilation of the loci of evolution and domestication uncovers interesting options for bio-inspired and transgene-free genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arnaud Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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44
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Ramsamy Y, Mlisana KP, Allam M, Amoako DG, Abia ALK, Ismail A, Singh R, Kisten T, Swe Han KS, Muckart DJJ, Hardcastle T, Suleman M, Essack SY. Genomic Analysis of Carbapenemase -Producing Extensively Drug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates Reveals the Horizontal Spread of p18-43_01 Plasmid Encoding blaNDM-1 in South Africa. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8010137. [PMID: 31963608 PMCID: PMC7023316 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8010137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome sequence (WGS) analyses were employed to investigate the genomic epidemiology of extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, focusing on the carbapenem resistance-encoding determinants, mobile genetic support, clonal and epidemiological relationships. A total of ten isolates were obtained from patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in a public hospital in South Africa. Five isolates were from rectal swabs of colonized patients and five from blood cultures of patients with invasive carbapenem-resistant infections. Following microbial identification and antibiotic susceptibility tests, the isolates were subjected to WGS on the Illumina MiSeq platform. All the isolates showed genotypic resistance to tested β-lactams (NDM-1, OXA-1, CTX-M-15, TEM-1B, SHV-1) and other antibiotics. All but one isolate belonged to the ST152 with a novel sequence type, ST3136, differing by a single-locus variant. The isolates had the same plasmid multilocus sequence type (IncF[K12:A-:B36]) and capsular serotype (KL149), supporting the epidemiological linkage between the clones. Resistance to carbapenems in the 10 isolates was conferred by the blaNDM-1 mediated by the acquisition of multi-replicon [ColRNAI, IncFIB(pB171), Col440I, IncFII, IncFIB(K) and IncFII(Yp)] p18-43_01 plasmid. These findings suggest that the acquisition of blaNDM-1-bearing plasmid structure (p18-43_01), horizontal transfer and clonal dissemination facilitate the spread of carbapenemases in South Africa. This emphasizes the importance of targeted infection control measures to prevent dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogandree Ramsamy
- Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa; (A.L.K.A.); (S.Y.E.)
- Medical Microbiology, National Health Laboratory Services, Durban 4000, South Africa; (K.P.M.); (R.S.)
- Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
- Correspondence: (Y.R.); (D.G.A.)
| | - Koleka P. Mlisana
- Medical Microbiology, National Health Laboratory Services, Durban 4000, South Africa; (K.P.M.); (R.S.)
- Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Mushal Allam
- Sequencing Core Facility, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2131, South Africa; (M.A.); (A.I.)
| | - Daniel G. Amoako
- Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa; (A.L.K.A.); (S.Y.E.)
- Correspondence: (Y.R.); (D.G.A.)
| | - Akebe L. K. Abia
- Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa; (A.L.K.A.); (S.Y.E.)
| | - Arshad Ismail
- Sequencing Core Facility, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2131, South Africa; (M.A.); (A.I.)
| | - Ravesh Singh
- Medical Microbiology, National Health Laboratory Services, Durban 4000, South Africa; (K.P.M.); (R.S.)
- Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Theroshnie Kisten
- School of Clinical Medicine, Discipline of Anaesthetics & Critical Care, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa;
- Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Department of Critical Care, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Khine Swe Swe Han
- Medical Microbiology, National Health Laboratory Services, Durban 4000, South Africa; (K.P.M.); (R.S.)
- Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - David J. Jackson Muckart
- Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Department of Surgery & Trauma Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa; (D.J.J.M.); (T.H.)
| | - Timothy Hardcastle
- Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Department of Surgery & Trauma Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa; (D.J.J.M.); (T.H.)
| | - Moosa Suleman
- Ahmed Al-Kadi Private Hospital, Durban 4000, South Africa;
| | - Sabiha Y. Essack
- Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa; (A.L.K.A.); (S.Y.E.)
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Seiler E, Trappe K, Renard BY. Where did you come from, where did you go: Refining metagenomic analysis tools for horizontal gene transfer characterisation. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007208. [PMID: 31335917 PMCID: PMC6677323 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has changed the way we regard evolution. Instead of waiting for the next generation to establish new traits, especially bacteria are able to take a shortcut via HGT that enables them to pass on genes from one individual to another, even across species boundaries. The tool Daisy offers the first HGT detection approach based on read mapping that provides complementary evidence compared to existing methods. However, Daisy relies on the acceptor and donor organism involved in the HGT being known. We introduce DaisyGPS, a mapping-based pipeline that is able to identify acceptor and donor reference candidates of an HGT event based on sequencing reads. Acceptor and donor identification is akin to species identification in metagenomic samples based on sequencing reads, a problem addressed by metagenomic profiling tools. However, acceptor and donor references have certain properties such that these methods cannot be directly applied. DaisyGPS uses MicrobeGPS, a metagenomic profiling tool tailored towards estimating the genomic distance between organisms in the sample and the reference database. We enhance the underlying scoring system of MicrobeGPS to account for the sequence patterns in terms of mapping coverage of an acceptor and donor involved in an HGT event, and report a ranked list of reference candidates. These candidates can then be further evaluated by tools like Daisy to establish HGT regions. We successfully validated our approach on both simulated and real data, and show its benefits in an investigation of an outbreak involving Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Seiler
- Bioinformatics Unit (MF1), Department for Methods Development and Research Infrastructure, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Efficient Algorithms for Omics Data, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, and Algorithmic Bioinformatics, Institute for Bioinformatics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kathrin Trappe
- Bioinformatics Unit (MF1), Department for Methods Development and Research Infrastructure, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard Y. Renard
- Bioinformatics Unit (MF1), Department for Methods Development and Research Infrastructure, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
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46
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Thoma L, Vollmer B, Oesterhelt F, Muth G. Live-cell imaging of Streptomyces conjugation. Int J Med Microbiol 2019; 309:338-343. [PMID: 31175019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Time-lapse imaging of conjugative plasmid transfer in Streptomyces revealed intriguing insights into the unique two-step conjugation process of this Gram+ mycelial soil bacterium. Differentially labelling of donor and recipient strains with distinct fluorescent proteins allowed the visualization of plasmid transfer in living mycelium. In nearly all observed matings, plasmid transfer occurred when donor and recipient hyphae made intimate contact at the lateral walls. Plasmid transfer does not involve a complete fusion of donor and recipient hyphae, but depends on a pore formed by the FtsK-like DNA translocase TraB. Following the initial transfer at the contact site of donor and recipient, the plasmids spread within the recipient mycelium by invading neighboring compartments, separated by cross walls. Intra-mycelial plasmid spreading depends on a septal cross wall localized multi-protein DNA translocation apparatus consisting of TraB and several Spd proteins and is abolished in a spd mutant. The ability to spread within the recipient mycelium is a crucial adaptation to the mycelial life style of Streptomyces, potentiating the efficiency of plasmid transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Thoma
- Interfakultäres Institut für Mikrobiologie und Infektionsmedizin Tübingen IMIT, Mikrobiologie/Biotechnologie, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - B Vollmer
- Interfakultäres Institut für Mikrobiologie und Infektionsmedizin Tübingen IMIT, Mikrobiologie/Biotechnologie, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - F Oesterhelt
- Interfakultäres Institut für Mikrobiologie und Infektionsmedizin Tübingen IMIT, Mikrobielle Wirkstoffe, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - G Muth
- Interfakultäres Institut für Mikrobiologie und Infektionsmedizin Tübingen IMIT, Mikrobiologie/Biotechnologie, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany.
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47
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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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48
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Fan XT, Li H, Chen QL, Zhang YS, Ye J, Zhu YG, Su JQ. Fate of Antibiotic Resistant Pseudomonas putida and Broad Host Range Plasmid in Natural Soil Microcosms. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:194. [PMID: 30881351 PMCID: PMC6407330 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmid conjugation is one of the dominant mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer, playing a noticeable role in the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Broad host range plasmids are known to transfer to diverse bacteria in extracted soil bacterial communities when evaluated by filter mating incubation. However, the persistence and dissemination of broad range plasmid in natural soil has not been well studied. In this study, Pseudomonas putida with a conjugative antibiotic resistance plasmid RP4 was inoculated into a soil microcosm, the fate and persistence of P. putida and RP4 were monitored by quantitative PCR. The concentrations of P. putida and RP4 both rapidly decreased within 15-day incubation. P. putida then decayed at a significantly lower rate during subsequent incubation, however, no further decay of RP4 was observed, resulting in an elevated RP4/P. putida ratio (up to 10) after 75-day incubation, which implied potential transfer of RP4 to soil microbiota. We further sorted RP4 recipient bacteria from the soil microcosms by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Spread of RP4 increased during 75-day microcosm operation and was estimated at around 10-4 transconjugants per recipient at the end of incubation. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of transconjugants showed that host bacteria of RP4 were affiliated to more than 15 phyla, with increased diversity and shift in the composition of host bacteria. Proteobacteria was the most dominant phylum in the transconjugant pools. Transient transfer of RP4 to some host bacteria was observed. These results emphasize the prolonged persistence of P. putida and RP4 in natural soil microcosms, and highlight the potential risks of increased spread potential of plasmid and broader range of host bacteria in disseminating ARGs in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ting Fan
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hu Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Qing-Lin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Yu-Sen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Ye
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Qiang Su
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
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Prabha R, Singh DP. Cyanobacterial phylogenetic analysis based on phylogenomics approaches render evolutionary diversification and adaptation: an overview of representative orders. 3 Biotech 2019; 9:87. [PMID: 30800598 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-019-1635-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic studies based on a definite set of marker genes usually reconstruct evolutionary relationships among the prokaryotic species. Based on specific target sequences, such studies represent variations and allow identification of similarities or dissimilarities in organisms. With the advent of completely sequenced genomes and accumulation of information on whole prokaryotic genomes, phylogenetic reconstructions should be considered more reliable if they are ideally based on entire genomes to resolve phylogenetic interest. We applied phylogenomics approaches taking into account completely sequenced cyanobacterial genomes to reconstruct underlying species that represented major taxonomic classes and belonged to distinctly different habitats (freshwater, marine, soils, and rocks). We did not rely on describing phylogeny of all representative class of cyanobacterial species on the basis of only ribosomal gene, 16S rDNA gene. In contrast, we analyzed combined molecular marker and phylogenomics approaches (genome alignment, gene content and gene order, composition vector and protein domain content) for accurately inferring phylogenetic relationship of species. We have shown that this approach reflects the impact of evolution on the organisms and considers connects with the ecological adaptation in cyanobacteria in different habitats. Analysis revealed that the members from marine habitat occupy different profile than those from freshwater. Impact of GC content and genomic repetitiveness over the diversification of cyanobacterial species and their possible role in adaptation was also reflected. Members occupying similar habitats cover more evolutionary distance together and also evolve various strategies for adaptation and survival either through genomic repetitiveness or preferences for genes of particular functions or modified GC content. Genomes undergo different changes for their adaptation in diverse habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratna Prabha
- 1ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kushmaur, Maunath Bhanjan, 275101 India
- 2Department of Biotechnology, Mewar University, Gangrar, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan India
| | - Dhananjaya P Singh
- 1ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kushmaur, Maunath Bhanjan, 275101 India
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50
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Panda A, Drancourt M, Tuller T, Pontarotti P. Genome-wide analysis of horizontally acquired genes in the genus Mycobacterium. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14817. [PMID: 30287860 PMCID: PMC6172269 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33261-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) was attributed as a major driving force for the innovation and evolution of prokaryotic genomes. Previously, multiple research endeavors were undertaken to decipher HGT in different bacterial lineages. The genus Mycobacterium houses some of the most deadly human pathogens; however, the impact of HGT in Mycobacterium has never been addressed in a systematic way. Previous initiatives to explore the genomic imprints of HGTs in Mycobacterium were focused on few selected species, specifically among the members of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Considering the recent availability of a large number of genomes, the current study was initiated to decipher the probable events of HGTs among 109 completely sequenced Mycobacterium species. Our comprehensive phylogenetic analysis with more than 9,000 families of Mycobacterium proteins allowed us to list several instances of gene transfers spread across the Mycobacterium phylogeny. Moreover, by examining the topology of gene phylogenies here, we identified the species most likely to donate and receive these genes and provided a detailed overview of the putative functions these genes may be involved in. Our study suggested that horizontally acquired foreign genes had played an enduring role in the evolution of Mycobacterium genomes and have contributed to their metabolic versatility and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arup Panda
- Aix-Marseille-Univ., IRD, MEPHI, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Michel Drancourt
- Aix-Marseille-Univ., IRD, MEPHI, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
| | - Tamir Tuller
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Pierre Pontarotti
- Aix-Marseille-Univ., IRD, MEPHI, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.,CNRS, Marseille, France
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