1
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Ruan C, Ramoneda J, Kan A, Rudge TJ, Wang G, Johnson DR. Phage predation accelerates the spread of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5397. [PMID: 38926498 PMCID: PMC11208555 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49840-7] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Phage predation is generally assumed to reduce microbial proliferation while not contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance. However, this assumption does not consider the effect of phage predation on the spatial organization of different microbial populations. Here, we show that phage predation can increase the spread of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance during surface-associated microbial growth by reshaping spatial organization. Using two strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli, we demonstrate that phage predation slows the spatial segregation of the strains during growth. This increases the number of cell-cell contacts and the extent of conjugation-mediated plasmid transfer between them. The underlying mechanism is that phage predation shifts the location of fastest growth from the biomass periphery to the interior where cells are densely packed and aligned closer to parallel with each other. This creates straighter interfaces between the strains that are less likely to merge together during growth, consequently slowing the spatial segregation of the strains and enhancing plasmid transfer between them. Our results have implications for the design and application of phage therapy and reveal a mechanism for how microbial functions that are deleterious to human and environmental health can proliferate in the absence of positive selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chujin Ruan
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Josep Ramoneda
- Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB), Blanes, Spain
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Anton Kan
- Department of Materials, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Timothy J Rudge
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Gang Wang
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
- National Black Soil & Agriculture Research, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
| | - David R Johnson
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland.
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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2
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Gomathinayagam S, Kodiveri Muthukaliannan G. Dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes in plasmids and bacteriophages. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38651513 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2339262] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
This brief review explores the intricate interplay between bacteriophages and plasmids in the context of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) dissemination. Originating from studies in the late 1950s, the review traces the evolution of knowledge regarding extrachromosomal factors facilitating horizontal gene transfer and adaptation in bacteria. Analyzing the gene repertoires of plasmids and bacteriophages, the study highlights their contributions to bacterial evolution and adaptation. While plasmids encode essential and accessory genes influencing host characteristics, bacteriophages carry auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) that augment host metabolism. The debate on phages carrying ARGs is explored through a critical evaluation of various studies, revealing contrasting findings from researchers. Additionally, the review addresses the interplay between prophages and plasmids, underlining their similarities and divergences. Based on the available literature evidence, we conclude that plasmids generally encode ARGs while bacteriophages typically do not contain ARGs. But extra-chromosomaly present prophages with plasmid characteristics can encode and disseminate ARGs.
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3
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Quinones-Olvera N, Owen SV, McCully LM, Marin MG, Rand EA, Fan AC, Martins Dosumu OJ, Paul K, Sanchez Castaño CE, Petherbridge R, Paull JS, Baym M. Diverse and abundant phages exploit conjugative plasmids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3197. [PMID: 38609370 PMCID: PMC11015023 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47416-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Phages exert profound evolutionary pressure on bacteria by interacting with receptors on the cell surface to initiate infection. While the majority of phages use chromosomally encoded cell surface structures as receptors, plasmid-dependent phages exploit plasmid-encoded conjugation proteins, making their host range dependent on horizontal transfer of the plasmid. Despite their unique biology and biotechnological significance, only a small number of plasmid-dependent phages have been characterized. Here we systematically search for new plasmid-dependent phages targeting IncP and IncF plasmids using a targeted discovery platform, and find that they are common and abundant in wastewater, and largely unexplored in terms of their genetic diversity. Plasmid-dependent phages are enriched in non-canonical types of phages, and all but one of the 65 phages we isolated were non-tailed, and members of the lipid-containing tectiviruses, ssDNA filamentous phages or ssRNA phages. We show that plasmid-dependent tectiviruses exhibit profound differences in their host range which is associated with variation in the phage holin protein. Despite their relatively high abundance in wastewater, plasmid-dependent tectiviruses are missed by metaviromic analyses, underscoring the continued importance of culture-based phage discovery. Finally, we identify a tailed phage dependent on the IncF plasmid, and find related structural genes in phages that use the orthogonal type 4 pilus as a receptor, highlighting the evolutionarily promiscuous use of these distinct contractile structures by multiple groups of phages. Taken together, these results indicate plasmid-dependent phages play an under-appreciated evolutionary role in constraining horizontal gene transfer via conjugative plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Quinones-Olvera
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Siân V Owen
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Lucy M McCully
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Maximillian G Marin
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Eleanor A Rand
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alice C Fan
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Oluremi J Martins Dosumu
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA, 02120, USA
| | - Kay Paul
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA, 02120, USA
| | - Cleotilde E Sanchez Castaño
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA, 02120, USA
| | - Rachel Petherbridge
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jillian S Paull
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Michael Baym
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
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4
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Dicks LMT, Vermeulen W. Bacteriophage-Host Interactions and the Therapeutic Potential of Bacteriophages. Viruses 2024; 16:478. [PMID: 38543843 PMCID: PMC10975011 DOI: 10.3390/v16030478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Healthcare faces a major problem with the increased emergence of antimicrobial resistance due to over-prescribing antibiotics. Bacteriophages may provide a solution to the treatment of bacterial infections given their specificity. Enzymes such as endolysins, exolysins, endopeptidases, endosialidases, and depolymerases produced by phages interact with bacterial surfaces, cell wall components, and exopolysaccharides, and may even destroy biofilms. Enzymatic cleavage of the host cell envelope components exposes specific receptors required for phage adhesion. Gram-positive bacteria are susceptible to phage infiltration through their peptidoglycan, cell wall teichoic acid (WTA), lipoteichoic acids (LTAs), and flagella. In Gram-negative bacteria, lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), pili, and capsules serve as targets. Defense mechanisms used by bacteria differ and include physical barriers (e.g., capsules) or endogenous mechanisms such as clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas) systems. Phage proteins stimulate immune responses against specific pathogens and improve antibiotic susceptibility. This review discusses the attachment of phages to bacterial cells, the penetration of bacterial cells, the use of phages in the treatment of bacterial infections, and the limitations of phage therapy. The therapeutic potential of phage-derived proteins and the impact that genomically engineered phages may have in the treatment of infections are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon M. T. Dicks
- Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa;
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5
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Liu K, Wang C, Zhou X, Guo X, Yang Y, Liu W, Zhao R, Song H. Bacteriophage therapy for drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1336821. [PMID: 38357445 PMCID: PMC10864608 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1336821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus stands as a prominent pathogen in nosocomial and community-acquired infections, capable of inciting various infections at different sites in patients. This includes Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SaB), which exhibits a severe infection frequently associated with significant mortality rate of approximately 25%. In the absence of better alternative therapies, antibiotics is still the main approach for treating infections. However, excessive use of antibiotics has, in turn, led to an increase in antimicrobial resistance. Hence, it is imperative that new strategies are developed to control drug-resistant S. aureus infections. Bacteriophages are viruses with the ability to infect bacteria. Bacteriophages, were used to treat bacterial infections before the advent of antibiotics, but were subsequently replaced by antibiotics due to limited theoretical understanding and inefficient preparation processes at the time. Recently, phages have attracted the attention of many researchers again because of the serious problem of antibiotic resistance. This article provides a comprehensive overview of phage biology, animal models, diverse clinical case treatments, and clinical trials in the context of drug-resistant S. aureus phage therapy. It also assesses the strengths and limitations of phage therapy and outlines the future prospects and research directions. This review is expected to offer valuable insights for researchers engaged in phage-based treatments for drug-resistant S. aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixin Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xudong Zhou
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- College of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xudong Guo
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Wanying Liu
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Rongtao Zhao
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Hongbin Song
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- College of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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6
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Parra B, Cockx B, Lutz VT, Brøndsted L, Smets BF, Dechesne A. Isolation and characterization of novel plasmid-dependent phages infecting bacteria carrying diverse conjugative plasmids. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0253723. [PMID: 38063386 PMCID: PMC10782986 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02537-23] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This work was undertaken because plasmid-dependent phages can reduce the prevalence of conjugative plasmids and can be leveraged to prevent the acquisition and dissemination of ARGs by bacteria. The two novel phages described in this study, Lu221 and Hi226, can infect Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Kluyvera sp. and Enterobacter sp. carrying conjugative plasmids. This was verified with plasmids carrying resistance determinants and belonging to the most common plasmid families among Gram-negative pathogens. Therefore, the newly isolated phages could have the potential to help control the spread of ARGs and thus help combat the antimicrobial resistance crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Parra
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Laboratorio de Investigación de Agentes Antibacterianos, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de las Américas, Concepción, Chile
| | - Bastiaan Cockx
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Veronika T. Lutz
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, København, Denmark
| | - Lone Brøndsted
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, København, Denmark
| | - Barth F. Smets
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Arnaud Dechesne
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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7
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Quinones-Olvera N, Owen SV, McCully LM, Marin MG, Rand EA, Fan AC, Martins Dosumu OJ, Paul K, Sanchez Castaño CE, Petherbridge R, Paull JS, Baym M. Diverse and abundant phages exploit conjugative plasmids. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.19.532758. [PMID: 36993299 PMCID: PMC10055259 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.19.532758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Phages exert profound evolutionary pressure on bacteria by interacting with receptors on the cell surface to initiate infection. While the majority of phages use chromosomally-encoded cell surface structures as receptors, plasmid-dependent phages exploit plasmid-encoded conjugation proteins, making their host range dependent on horizontal transfer of the plasmid. Despite their unique biology and biotechnological significance, only a small number of plasmid-dependent phages have been characterized. Here we systematically search for new plasmid-dependent phages targeting IncP and IncF plasmids using a targeted discovery platform, and find that they are common and abundant in wastewater, and largely unexplored in terms of their genetic diversity. Plasmid-dependent phages are enriched in non-canonical types of phages, and all but one of the 64 phages we isolated were non-tailed, and members of the lipid-containing tectiviruses, ssDNA filamentous phages or ssRNA phages. We show that plasmid-dependent tectiviruses exhibit profound differences in their host range which is associated with variation in the phage holin protein. Despite their relatively high abundance in wastewater, plasmid-dependent tectiviruses are missed by metaviromic analyses, underscoring the continued importance of culture-based phage discovery. Finally, we identify a tailed phage dependent on the IncF plasmid, and find related structural genes in phages that use the orthogonal type 4 pilus as a receptor, highlighting the promiscuous use of these distinct contractile structures by multiple groups of phages. Taken together, these results indicate plasmid-dependent phages play an under-appreciated evolutionary role in constraining horizontal gene transfer via conjugative plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Quinones-Olvera
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Siân V. Owen
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lucy M. McCully
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maximillian G. Marin
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Eleanor A. Rand
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alice C. Fan
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Oluremi J. Martins Dosumu
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA, 02120, USA
| | - Kay Paul
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA, 02120, USA
| | - Cleotilde E. Sanchez Castaño
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA, 02120, USA
| | - Rachel Petherbridge
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jillian S. Paull
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Michael Baym
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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8
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Montelongo Hernandez C, Putonti C, Wolfe AJ. Urinary Plasmids Reduce Permissivity to Coliphage Infection. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0130923. [PMID: 37409956 PMCID: PMC10433841 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01309-23] [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: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The microbial community of the urinary tract (urinary microbiota or urobiota) has been associated with human health. Bacteriophages (phages) and plasmids present in the urinary tract, like in other niches, may shape urinary bacterial dynamics. While urinary Escherichia coli strains associated with urinary tract infection (UTI) and their phages have been catalogued for the urobiome, bacterium-plasmid-phage interactions have yet to be explored. In this study, we characterized urinary E. coli plasmids and their ability to decrease permissivity to E. coli phage (coliphage) infection. Putative F plasmids were predicted in 47 of 67 urinary E. coli isolates, and most of these plasmids carried genes that encode toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules, antibiotic resistance, and/or virulence. Urinary E. coli plasmids, from urinary microbiota strains UMB0928 and UMB1284, were conjugated into E. coli K-12 strains. These transconjugants included genes for antibiotic resistance and virulence, and they decreased permissivity to coliphage infection by the laboratory phage P1vir and the urinary phages Greed and Lust. Plasmids in one transconjugant were maintained in E. coli K-12 for up to 10 days in the absence of antibiotic resistance selection; this included the maintenance of the antibiotic resistance phenotype and decreased permissivity to phage. Finally, we discuss how F plasmids present in urinary E. coli strains could play a role in coliphage dynamics and the maintenance of antibiotic resistance in urinary E. coli. IMPORTANCE The urinary tract contains a resident microbial community called the urinary microbiota or urobiota. Evidence exists that it is associated with human health. Bacteriophages (phages) and plasmids present in the urinary tract, like in other niches, may shape urinary bacterial dynamics. Bacterium-plasmid-phage interactions have been studied primarily in laboratory settings and are yet to be thoroughly tested in complex communities. This is especially true of the urinary tract, where the bacterial genetic determinants of phage infection are not well understood. In this study, we characterized urinary E. coli plasmids and their ability to decrease permissivity to E. coli phage (coliphage) infection. Urinary E. coli plasmids, encoding antibiotic resistance and transferred by conjugation into naive laboratory E. coli K-12 strains, decreased permissivity to coliphage infection. We propose a model by which urinary plasmids present in urinary E. coli strains could help to decrease phage infection susceptibility and maintain the antibiotic resistance of urinary E. coli. This has consequences for phage therapy, which could inadvertently select for plasmids that encode antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Montelongo Hernandez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Catherine Putonti
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alan J. Wolfe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
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9
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Dewan I, Uecker H. A mathematician's guide to plasmids: an introduction to plasmid biology for modellers. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001362. [PMID: 37505810 PMCID: PMC10433428 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids, extrachromosomal DNA molecules commonly found in bacterial and archaeal cells, play an important role in bacterial genetics and evolution. Our understanding of plasmid biology has been furthered greatly by the development of mathematical models, and there are many questions about plasmids that models would be useful in answering. In this review, we present an introductory, yet comprehensive, overview of the biology of plasmids suitable for modellers unfamiliar with plasmids who want to get up to speed and to begin working on plasmid-related models. In addition to reviewing the diversity of plasmids and the genes they carry, their key physiological functions, and interactions between plasmid and host, we also highlight selected plasmid topics that may be of particular interest to modellers and areas where there is a particular need for theoretical development. The world of plasmids holds a great variety of subjects that will interest mathematical biologists, and introducing new modellers to the subject will help to expand the existing body of plasmid theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Dewan
- Research Group Stochastic Evolutionary Dynamics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Hildegard Uecker
- Research Group Stochastic Evolutionary Dynamics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
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10
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Zaki BM, Fahmy NA, Aziz RK, Samir R, El-Shibiny A. Characterization and comprehensive genome analysis of novel bacteriophage, vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p, with lytic and anti-biofilm potential against clinical multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1077995. [PMID: 36756618 PMCID: PMC9901506 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1077995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The rise of infections by antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens is alarming. Among these, Klebsiella pneumoniae is a leading cause of death by hospital-acquired infections, and its multidrug-resistant strains are flagged as a global threat to human health, which necessitates finding novel antibiotics or alternative therapies. One promising therapeutic alternative is the use of virulent bacteriophages, which specifically target bacteria and coevolve with them to overcome potential resistance. Here, we aimed to discover specific bacteriophages with therapeutic potential against multiresistant K. pneumoniae clinical isolates. Methods and Results Out of six bacteriophages that we isolated from urban and medical sewage, phage vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p had the broadest host range and was thus characterized in detail. Transmission electron microscopy suggests vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p to be a tailed phage of the siphoviral morphotype. In vitro evaluation indicated a high lytic efficiency (30 min latent period and burst size of ∼100 PFU/cell), and extended stability at temperatures up to 70°C and a wide range of (2-12) pH. Additionally, phage vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p possesses antibiofilm activity that was evaluated by the crystal violet assay and was not cytotoxic to human skin fibroblasts. The whole genome was sequenced and annotated, uncovering one tRNA gene and 33 genes encoding proteins with assigned functions out of 85 predicted genes. Furthermore, comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis suggest that vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p most likely represents a new species, but belongs to the same genus as Klebsiella phages ZCKP8 and 6691. Comprehensive genomic and bioinformatics analyses substantiate the safety of the phage and its strictly lytic lifestyle. Conclusion Phage vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p is a novel phage with potential to be used against biofilm-forming K. pneumoniae and could be a promising source for antibacterial and antibiofilm products, which will be individually studied experimentally in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bishoy Maher Zaki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), 6th of October, Giza, Egypt,Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Biomedical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt
| | - Nada A. Fahmy
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Biomedical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ramy Karam Aziz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt,Center for Genome and Microbiome Research, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt,Microbiology and Immunology Research Program, Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Reham Samir
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt,Center for Genome and Microbiome Research, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt,*Correspondence: Reham Samir, ; Ayman El-Shibiny,
| | - Ayman El-Shibiny
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Biomedical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt,Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, Arish, Egypt,*Correspondence: Reham Samir, ; Ayman El-Shibiny,
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11
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He Z, Parra B, Nesme J, Smets BF, Dechesne A. Quantification and fate of plasmid-specific bacteriophages in wastewater: Beyond the F-coliphages. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 227:119320. [PMID: 36395568 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plasmid-specific bacteriophages specifically infect bacteria carrying conjugal plasmids. While wastewater has been used as isolation source for such phages, to date, only the distribution and ecology of RNA phages specific to the F plasmid have been described, because they serve as a water quality indicator. Yet, several other plasmid classes have higher clinical and ecological relevance, and the distribution, fate, and ecology of the phages that target them remain uncharacterized. We aimed to (i) provide an experimental platform to quantify the abundance of plasmid-specific phages applicable to several different conjugal plasmid classes, (ii) describe the distribution of such phages in wastewater systems, and (iii) relate their abundance to plasmid abundance and to municipal wastewater treatment processes. We introduced four model conjugal plasmids, belonging to incompatibility groups IncP-1, IncN, IncHI1, or IncF into an avirulent Salmonella enterica strain, for which somatic phages are at low abundance in wastewater. These strains were used in double layer agar assays with waters from contrasting sources. Plasmid-specific phages were common in wastewater but rare in river water. Hospital wastewater contained significantly more IncP-1-, but fewer IncF- and IncN- specific phages than domestic wastewater. This pattern did not match that of plasmid abundance estimated by Inc group targeting high-throughput quantitative PCR. The comparison between influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants revealed a reduction in phage concentration by ca. 2 log, without significant contribution of primary settling. Overall, the ubiquity of these phages hints at their importance for plasmid ecology, and can provide opportunities in water quality monitoring and in ecological management of mobile resistance genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiming He
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Bygningstorvet Bygning 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Boris Parra
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Bygningstorvet Bygning 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Joseph Nesme
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Section of Microbiology, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Barth F Smets
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Bygningstorvet Bygning 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Arnaud Dechesne
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Bygningstorvet Bygning 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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12
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Gambushe SM, Zishiri OT, El Zowalaty ME. Review of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Prevalence, Pathogenicity, Heavy Metal and Antimicrobial Resistance, African Perspective. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:4645-4673. [PMID: 36039321 PMCID: PMC9420067 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s365269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important food-borne and water-borne pathogen that causes hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic-uremic syndrome in humans and may cause serious morbidity and large outbreaks worldwide. People with bloody diarrhea have an increased risk of developing serious complications such as acute renal failure and neurological damage. The hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is a serious condition, and up to 50% of HUS patients can develop long-term renal dysfunction or blood pressure-related complications. Children aged two to six years have an increased risk of developing HUS. Clinical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) infections show fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. The EPEC reservoir is unknown but is suggested to be an asymptomatic or symptomatic child or an asymptomatic adult carrier. Spreading is often through the fecal-oral route. The prevalence of EPEC in infants is low, and EPEC is highly contagious in children. EPEC disease in children tends to be clinically more severe than other diarrheal infections. Some children experience persistent diarrhea that lasts for more than 14 days. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains are a compelling cause of the problem of diarrheal disease. ETEC strains are a global concern as the bacteria are the leading cause of acute watery diarrhea in children and the leading cause of traveler’s diarrhea. It is contagious to children and can cause chronic diarrhea that can affect the development and well-being of children. Infections with diarrheagenic E. coli are more common in African countries. Antimicrobial agents should be avoided in the acute phase of the disease since studies showed that antimicrobial agents may increase the risk of HUS in children. The South African National Veterinary Surveillance and Monitoring Programme for Resistance to Antimicrobial Drugs has reported increased antimicrobial resistance in E. coli. Pathogenic bacterial strains have developed resistance to a variety of antimicrobial agents due to antimicrobial misuse. The induced heavy metal tolerance may also enhance antimicrobial resistance. The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance depends on the type of the antimicrobial agent, bacterial strain, dose, time, and mode of administration. Developing countries are severely affected by increased resistance to antimicrobial agents due to poverty, lack of proper hygiene, and clean water, which can lead to bacterial infections with limited treatment options due to resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney M Gambushe
- School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Oliver T Zishiri
- School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Mohamed E El Zowalaty
- Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE 75 123, Sweden
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13
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Ngiam L, Weynberg KD, Guo J. The presence of plasmids in bacterial hosts alters phage isolation and infectivity. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:75. [PMID: 37938681 PMCID: PMC9723711 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00158-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes are often carried by plasmids, which spread intra- and inter genera bacterial populations, and also play a critical role in bacteria conferring phage resistance. However, it remains unknown about the influence of plasmids present in bacterial hosts on phage isolation and subsequent infectivity. In this study, using both Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida bacteria containing different plasmids, eight phages were isolated and characterized in terms of phage morphology and host range analysis, in conjunction with DNA and protein sequencing. We found that plasmids can influence both the phage isolation process and phage infectivity. In particular, the isolated phages exhibited different phage plaquing infectivity towards the same bacterial species containing different plasmids. Furthermore, the presence of plasmids was found to alter the expression of bacteria membrane protein, which correlates with bacterial cell surface receptors recognized by phages, thus affecting phage isolation and infectivity. Given the diverse and ubiquitous nature of plasmids, our findings highlight the need to consider plasmids as factors that can influence both phage isolation and infectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyman Ngiam
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Karen D Weynberg
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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14
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Evolutionary Dynamics between Phages and Bacteria as a Possible Approach for Designing Effective Phage Therapies against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11070915. [PMID: 35884169 PMCID: PMC9311878 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11070915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increasing global threat of antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need to develop new effective therapies to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Bacteriophage therapy is considered as a possible alternative over antibiotics to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, bacteria can evolve resistance towards bacteriophages through antiphage defense mechanisms, which is a major limitation of phage therapy. The antiphage mechanisms target the phage life cycle, including adsorption, the injection of DNA, synthesis, the assembly of phage particles, and the release of progeny virions. The non-specific bacterial defense mechanisms include adsorption inhibition, superinfection exclusion, restriction-modification, and abortive infection systems. The antiphage defense mechanism includes a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated (Cas) system. At the same time, phages can execute a counterstrategy against antiphage defense mechanisms. However, the antibiotic susceptibility and antibiotic resistance in bacteriophage-resistant bacteria still remain unclear in terms of evolutionary trade-offs and trade-ups between phages and bacteria. Since phage resistance has been a major barrier in phage therapy, the trade-offs can be a possible approach to design effective bacteriophage-mediated intervention strategies. Specifically, the trade-offs between phage resistance and antibiotic resistance can be used as therapeutic models for promoting antibiotic susceptibility and reducing virulence traits, known as bacteriophage steering or evolutionary medicine. Therefore, this review highlights the synergistic application of bacteriophages and antibiotics in association with the pleiotropic trade-offs of bacteriophage resistance.
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15
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Dimitriu T. Evolution of horizontal transmission in antimicrobial resistance plasmids. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168. [PMID: 35849537 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are one of the main vectors for the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across bacteria, due to their ability to move horizontally between bacterial lineages. Horizontal transmission of AMR can increase AMR prevalence at multiple scales, from increasing the prevalence of infections by resistant bacteria to pathogen epidemics and worldwide spread of AMR across species. Among MGEs, conjugative plasmids are the main contributors to the spread of AMR. This review discusses the selective pressures acting on MGEs and their hosts to promote or limit the horizontal transmission of MGEs, the mechanisms by which transmission rates can evolve, and their implications for limiting the spread of AMR, with a focus on AMR plasmids.
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16
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Muurinen J, Cairns J, Ekakoro JE, Wickware CL, Ruple A, Johnson TA. Biological units of antimicrobial resistance and strategies for their containment in animal production. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6589402. [PMID: 35587376 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections has ushered in a major global public health crisis. Judicious or restricted antimicrobial use in animal agriculture, aiming to confine the use for the treatment of infections, is the most commonly proposed solution to reduce selection pressure for resistant bacterial strains and resistance genes. However, a multifaceted solution will likely be required to make acceptable progress in reducing antimicrobial resistance, due to other common environmental conditions maintaining antimicrobial resistance and limited executionary potential as human healthcare and agriculture will continue to rely heavily on antimicrobials in the foreseeable future. Drawing parallels from systematic approaches to the management of infectious disease agents and biodiversity loss, we provide examples that a more comprehensive approach is required, targeting antimicrobial resistance in agroecosystems on multiple fronts simultaneously. We present one such framework, based on nested biological units of antimicrobial resistance, and describe established or innovative strategies targeting units. Some of the proposed strategies are already in use or ready to be implemented, while some require further research and discussion among scientists and policymakers. We envision that antimicrobial resistance mitigation strategies for animal agriculture combining multiple tools would constitute powerful ecosystem-level interventions necessary to mitigate antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Muurinen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Department of Microbiology, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johannes Cairns
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme (OEB), Department of Computer Science, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - John Eddie Ekakoro
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Carmen L Wickware
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Audrey Ruple
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Timothy A Johnson
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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17
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Barrow PA. Spotlight on avian pathology: Salmonella - new wine and old bottles. Avian Pathol 2021; 50:455-457. [PMID: 34495794 DOI: 10.1080/03079457.2021.1976726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Salmonella enterica remains an important avian and human pathogen. Control has been effective in some countries but the hygiene and biosecurity required may not be possible everywhere. Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem for both veterinary and human medicine. This short review commentary highlights existing and potential new control measures including legislation, hygiene and biosecurity, use of live and inactivated vaccines, and bacteriophages to tackle intestinal colonization, reduce the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and improve carcass decontamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A Barrow
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK
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18
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Li X, He Y, Wang Z, Wei J, Hu T, Si J, Tao G, Zhang L, Xie L, Abdalla AE, Wang G, Li Y, Teng T. A combination therapy of Phages and Antibiotics: Two is better than one. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:3573-3582. [PMID: 34512166 PMCID: PMC8416725 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.60551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Emergence of antibiotic resistance presents a major setback to global health, and shortage of antibiotic pipelines has created an urgent need for development of alternative therapeutic strategies. Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is considered as a potential approach for treatment of the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Phage-antibiotic synergy (PAS) refers to sublethal concentrations of certain antibiotics that enhance release of progeny phages from bacterial cells. A combination of phages and antibiotics is a promising strategy to reduce the dose of antibiotics and the development of antibiotic resistance during treatment. In this review, we highlight the state-of-the-art advancements of PAS studies, including the analysis of bacterial-killing enhancement, bacterial resistance reduction, and anti-biofilm effect, at both in vitro and in vivo levels. A comprehensive review of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of phage antibiotic synergy is provided, and synthetic biology approaches used to engineer phages, and design novel therapies and diagnostic tools are discussed. In addition, the role of engineered phages in reducing pathogenicity of bacteria is explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianghui Li
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Yuhua He
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Zhili Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Jiacun Wei
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Tongxin Hu
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Jiangzhe Si
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Guangzhao Tao
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Longxiang Xie
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Abualgasim Elgaili Abdalla
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka 2014, Saudi Arabia
| | - Guoying Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Yanzhang Li
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Tieshan Teng
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Regulation, school of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
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19
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Indirect Selection against Antibiotic Resistance via Specialized Plasmid-Dependent Bacteriophages. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9020280. [PMID: 33572937 PMCID: PMC7911639 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes of important Gram-negative bacterial pathogens are residing in mobile genetic elements such as conjugative plasmids. These elements rapidly disperse between cells when antibiotics are present and hence our continuous use of antimicrobials selects for elements that often harbor multiple resistance genes. Plasmid-dependent (or male-specific or, in some cases, pilus-dependent) bacteriophages are bacterial viruses that infect specifically bacteria that carry certain plasmids. The introduction of these specialized phages into a plasmid-abundant bacterial community has many beneficial effects from an anthropocentric viewpoint: the majority of the plasmids are lost while the remaining plasmids acquire mutations that make them untransferable between pathogens. Recently, bacteriophage-based therapies have become a more acceptable choice to treat multi-resistant bacterial infections. Accordingly, there is a possibility to utilize these specialized phages, which are not dependent on any particular pathogenic species or strain but rather on the resistance-providing elements, in order to improve or enlengthen the lifespan of conventional antibiotic approaches. Here, we take a snapshot of the current knowledge of plasmid-dependent bacteriophages.
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20
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Braz VS, Melchior K, Moreira CG. Escherichia coli as a Multifaceted Pathogenic and Versatile Bacterium. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:548492. [PMID: 33409157 PMCID: PMC7779793 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.548492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic plasticity promotes evolution and a vast diversity in Escherichia coli varying from avirulent to highly pathogenic strains, including the emergence of virulent hybrid microorganism. This ability also contributes to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. These hybrid pathogenic E. coli (HyPEC) are emergent threats, such as O104:H4 from the European outbreak in 2011, aggregative adherent bacteria with the potent Shiga-toxin. Here, we briefly revisited the details of these E. coli classic and hybrid pathogens, the increase in antimicrobial resistance in the context of a genetically empowered multifaceted and versatile bug and the growing need to advance alternative therapies to fight these infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vânia Santos Braz
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Karine Melchior
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Cristiano Gallina Moreira
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
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21
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Gama JA, Zilhão R, Dionisio F. Plasmid Interactions Can Improve Plasmid Persistence in Bacterial Populations. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:2033. [PMID: 32983032 PMCID: PMC7487452 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
It is difficult to understand plasmid maintenance in the absence of selection and theoretical models predict the conditions for plasmid persistence to be limited. Plasmid-associated fitness costs decrease bacterial competitivity, while imperfect partition allows the emergence of plasmid-free cells during cell division. Although plasmid conjugative transfer allows mobility into plasmid-free cells, the rate of such events is generally not high enough to ensure plasmid persistence. Experimental data suggest several factors that may expand the conditions favorable for plasmid maintenance, such as compensatory mutations and accessory genes that allow positive selection. Most of the previous studies focus on bacteria that carry a single plasmid. However, there is increasing evidence that multiple plasmids inhabit the same bacterial population and that interactions between them affect their transmission and persistence. Here, we adapt previous mathematical models to include multiple plasmids and perform computer simulations to study how interactions among them affect plasmid maintenance. We tested the contribution of different plasmid interaction parameters that impact three biological features: host fitness, conjugative transfer and plasmid loss – which affect plasmid persistence. The interaction affecting conjugation was studied in the contexts of intracellular and intercellular interactions, i.e., the plasmids interact when present in the same cell or when in different cells, respectively. First, we tested the effect of each type of interaction alone and concluded that only interactions affecting fitness (epistasis) prevented plasmid extinction. Although not allowing plasmid maintenance, intracellular interactions increasing conjugative efficiencies had a more determinant impact in delaying extinction than the remaining parameters. Then, we allowed multiple interactions between plasmids and concluded that, in a few cases, a combined effect of (intracellular) interactions increasing conjugation and fitness lead to plasmid maintenance. Our results show a hierarchy among these interaction parameters. Those affecting fitness favor plasmid persistence more than those affecting conjugative transfer and lastly plasmid loss. These results suggest that interactions between different plasmids can favor their persistence in bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Alves Gama
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Rita Zilhão
- Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisco Dionisio
- Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.,cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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22
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Spankie TJ, Haywood AL, Dottorini T, Barrow PA, Hirst JD. Interaction of the maturation protein of the bacteriophage MS2 and the sex pilus of the Escherichia coli F plasmid. J Mol Graph Model 2020; 101:107723. [PMID: 32927271 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2020.107723] [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: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
One promising strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance is to use bacteriophages that attach to the sex pili produced by transmissible antimicrobial resistance (AMR) plasmids, infect AMR bacteria and select for loss of the AMR plasmids, prolonging the life of existing antimicrobials. The maturation protein of the bacteriophage MS2 attaches to the pili produced by Incompatibility group F plasmid-containing bacteria. This interaction initiates delivery of the viral genetic material into the bacteria. Using protein-protein docking we constructed a model of the F pilus comprising a trimer of subunits binding to the maturation protein. Interactions between the maturation protein and the F pilus were investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. In silico alanine scanning and in silico single-point mutations were explored, with the longer term aim of increasing the affinity of the maturation protein to other Incompatibility group pili, without reducing the strength of binding to F pilin. We report our computational findings on which residues are required for the maturation protein and F pilin to interact, those which had no effect on the interaction and the mutations which led to a stronger interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Spankie
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG72RD, UK
| | - Alexe L Haywood
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG72RD, UK
| | - Tania Dottorini
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE125RD, UK
| | - Paul A Barrow
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE125RD, UK
| | - Jonathan D Hirst
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG72RD, UK.
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23
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Possible drugs for the treatment of bacterial infections in the future: anti-virulence drugs. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2020; 74:24-41. [PMID: 32647212 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-020-0344-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a global threat that should be urgently resolved. Finding a new antibiotic is one way, whereas the repression of the dissemination of virulent pathogenic bacteria is another. From this point of view, this paper summarizes first the mechanisms of conjugation and transformation, two important processes of horizontal gene transfer, and then discusses the approaches for disarming virulent pathogenic bacteria, that is, virulence factor inhibitors. In contrast to antibiotics, anti-virulence drugs do not impose a high selective pressure on a bacterial population, and repress the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Disarmed virulence factors make virulent pathogens avirulent bacteria or pathobionts, so that we human will be able to coexist with these disarmed bacteria peacefully.
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24
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Wall S. Prevention of antibiotic resistance - an epidemiological scoping review to identify research categories and knowledge gaps. Glob Health Action 2019; 12:1756191. [PMID: 32475304 PMCID: PMC7782542 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2020.1756191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibiotics have become the cornerstone for the treatment of infectious diseases and contributed significantly to the dramatic global health development during the last 70 years. Millions of people now survive what were previously life-threatening infections. But antibiotics are finite resources and misuse has led to antibiotic resistance and reduced efficacy within just a few years of introduction of each new antibiotic. The World Health Organization rates antibiotic resistance as a 'global security threat' impacting on global health, food security and development and as important as terrorism and climate change. OBJECTIVES This paper explores, through a scoping review of the literature published during the past 20 years, the magnitude of peer-reviewed and grey literature that addresses antibiotic resistance and specifically the extent to which "prevention" has been at the core. The ultimate aim is to identify know-do gaps and strategies to prevent ABR. METHODS The review covers four main data bases, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus and Ebsco searched for 2000-17. The broader research field "antibiotic OR antimicrobial resistance" gave 431,335 hits. Narrowing the search criteria to "Prevention of antibiotic OR antimicrobial resistance" resulted in 1062 remaining titles. Of these, 622 were unique titles. After screening of the 622 titles for relevance, 420 abstracts were read, and of these 282 papers were read in full. An additional 53 references were identified from these papers, and 64 published during 2018 and 2019 were also included. The final scoping review database thus consisted of 399 papers. RESULTS A thematic structure emerged when categorizing articles in different subject areas, serving as a proxy for interest expressed from the research community. The research area has been an evolving one with about half of the 399 papers published during the past four years of the study period. Epidemiological modelling needs strengthening and there is a need for more and better surveillance systems, especially in lower- and middle-income countries. There is a wealth of information on the local and national uses and misuses of antibiotics. Educational and stewardship programmes basically lack evidence. Several studies address knowledge of the public and prescribers. The lessons for policy are conveyed in many alarming reports from national and international organizations. CONCLUSIONS Descriptive rather than theoretical ambitions have characterized the literature. If we want to better understand and explain the antibiotic situation from a behavioural perspective, the required approaches are lacking. A framework for an epidemiological causal web behind ABR is suggested and may serve to identify entry points for potential interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stig Wall
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Mikonranta L, Buckling A, Jalasvuori M, Raymond B. Targeting antibiotic resistant bacteria with phage reduces bacterial density in an insect host. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20180895. [PMID: 30836884 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy is attracting growing interest among clinicians as antibiotic resistance continues becoming harder to control. However, clinical trials and animal model studies on bacteriophage treatment are still scarce and results on the efficacy vary. Recent research suggests that using traditional antimicrobials in concert with phage could have desirable synergistic effects that hinder the evolution of resistance. Here, we present a novel insect gut model to study phage-antibiotic interaction in a system where antibiotic resistance initially exists in very low frequency and phage specifically targets the resistance bearing cells. We demonstrate that while phage therapy could not reduce the frequency of target bacteria in the population during positive selection by antibiotics, it alleviated the antibiotic induced blooming by lowering the overall load of resistant cells. The highly structured gut environment had pharmacokinetic effects on both phage and antibiotic dynamics compared with in vitro: antibiotics did not reduce the overall amount of bacteria, demonstrating a simple turnover of gut microbiota from non-resistant to resistant population with little cost. The results imply moderate potential for using phage as an aid to target antibiotic resistant gut infections, and question the usefulness of in vitro inferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauri Mikonranta
- 1 School of Biosciences, University of Exeter , Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE , UK.,2 Department of Biology, University of York , Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD , UK
| | - Angus Buckling
- 1 School of Biosciences, University of Exeter , Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE , UK
| | - Matti Jalasvuori
- 3 Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä , PL 35, 40014 Jyväskylä , Finland
| | - Ben Raymond
- 1 School of Biosciences, University of Exeter , Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE , UK
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Colom J, Batista D, Baig A, Tang Y, Liu S, Yuan F, Belkhiri A, Marcelino L, Barbosa F, Rubio M, Atterbury R, Berchieri A, Barrow P. Sex pilus specific bacteriophage to drive bacterial population towards antibiotic sensitivity. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12616. [PMID: 31471549 PMCID: PMC6717204 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48483-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is now a major global problem largely resulting from the overuse of antibiotics in humans and livestock. In some AMR bacteria, resistance is encoded by conjugative plasmids expressing sex-pili that can readily spread resistance through bacterial populations. The aim of this study was to use sex pilus-specific (SPS) phage to reduce the carriage of AMR plasmids. Here, we demonstrate that SPS phage can kill AMR Escherichia coli and select for AMR plasmid loss in vitro. For the first time, we also demonstrate that SPS phage can both prevent the spread of AMR Salmonella Enteritidis infection in chickens and shift the bacterial population towards antibiotic sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Colom
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Diego Batista
- School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (FCAV/UNESP), São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Abiyad Baig
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Ying Tang
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Siyang Liu
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Fangzhong Yuan
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Aouatif Belkhiri
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Lucas Marcelino
- School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (FCAV/UNESP), São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Barbosa
- School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (FCAV/UNESP), São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Marcela Rubio
- School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (FCAV/UNESP), São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Robert Atterbury
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Angelo Berchieri
- School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (FCAV/UNESP), São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Paul Barrow
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK.
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Blázquez J, Rodríguez-Beltrán J, Matic I. Antibiotic-Induced Genetic Variation: How It Arises and How It Can Be Prevented. Annu Rev Microbiol 2019; 72:209-230. [PMID: 30200850 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-090817-062139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
By targeting essential cellular processes, antibiotics provoke metabolic perturbations and induce stress responses and genetic variation in bacteria. Here we review current knowledge of the mechanisms by which these molecules generate genetic instability. They include production of reactive oxygen species, as well as induction of the stress response regulons, which lead to enhancement of mutation and recombination rates and modulation of horizontal gene transfer. All these phenomena influence the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance. The use of strategies to stop or decrease the generation of resistant variants is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Blázquez
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; .,Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Microbiologia y Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, 41013 Seville, Spain.,Red Española de Investigacion en Patologia Infecciosa, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ivan Matic
- Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, INSERM 1001, CNRS, Université Paris-Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France;
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28
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Raymond B. Five rules for resistance management in the antibiotic apocalypse, a road map for integrated microbial management. Evol Appl 2019; 12:1079-1091. [PMID: 31297143 PMCID: PMC6597870 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Resistance to new antimicrobials can become widespread within 2-3 years. Resistance problems are particularly acute for bacteria that can experience selection as both harmless commensals and pathogenic hospital-acquired infections. New drugs, although welcome, cannot tackle the antimicrobial resistance crisis alone: new drugs must be partnered with more sustainable patterns of use. However, the broader experience of resistance management in other disciplines, and the assumptions on which resistance rests, is not widely appreciated in clinical and microbiological disciplines. Improved awareness of the field of resistance management could improve clinical outcomes and help shape novel solutions. Here, the aim is to develop a pragmatic approach to developing a sustainable integrated means of using antimicrobials, based on an interdisciplinary synthesis of best practice, recent theory and recent clinical data. This synthesis emphasizes the importance of pre-emptive action and the value of reducing the supply of genetic novelty to bacteria under selection. The weight of resistance management experience also cautions against strategies that over-rely on the fitness costs of resistance or low doses. The potential (and pitfalls) of shorter courses, antibiotic combinations and antibiotic mixing or cycling are discussed in depth. Importantly, some of variability in the success of clinical trials of mixing approaches can be explained by the number and diversity of drugs in a trial, as well as whether trials encompass single wards or the wider transmission network that is a hospital. Consideration of the importance of data, and of the initially low frequency of resistance, leads to a number of additional recommendations. Overall, reduction in selection pressure, interference with the transmission of problematic genotypes and multidrug approaches (combinations, mixing or cycling) are all likely to be required for sustainability and the protection of forthcoming drugs.
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Tagliaferri TL, Jansen M, Horz HP. Fighting Pathogenic Bacteria on Two Fronts: Phages and Antibiotics as Combined Strategy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:22. [PMID: 30834237 PMCID: PMC6387922 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
With the emerging threat of infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria, phages have been reconsidered as an alternative for treating infections caused by tenacious pathogens. However, instead of replacing antibiotics, the combination of both types of antimicrobials can be superior over the use of single agents. Enhanced bacterial suppression, more efficient penetration into biofilms, and lowered chances for the emergence of phage resistance are the likely advantages of the combined strategy. While a number of studies have provided experimental evidence in support of this concept, negative interference between phages and antibiotics have been reported as well. Neutral effects have also been observed, but in those cases, combined approaches may still be important for at least hampering the development of resistance. In any case, the choice of phage type and antibiotic as well as their mixing ratios must be given careful consideration when deciding for a dual antibacterial approach. The most frequently tested bacterium for a combined antibacterial treatment has been Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but encouraging results have also been reported for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, and Burkholderia cepacia. Given the immense play area of conceivable phage-antibiotic combinations and their potential excess value, it is time to recapitulate of what has been achieved so far. This review therefore gathers and compares the results from most relevant studies in order to help researchers and clinicians in their strategies to combat multidrug resistant bacteria. Special attention is given to the selected bacterial model organisms, the phage families and genera employed, and the experimental design and evaluation (e.g., in vitro vs. in vivo models, biofilm vs. planktonic culture experiments, order and frequency of administration etc.). The presented data may serve as a framework for directed further experimental approaches to ultimately achieve a resolute challenge of multidrug resistant bacteria based on traditional antibiotics and phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaysa Leite Tagliaferri
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mathias Jansen
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Horz
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
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30
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Mäntynen S, Sundberg LR, Oksanen HM, Poranen MM. Half a Century of Research on Membrane-Containing Bacteriophages: Bringing New Concepts to Modern Virology. Viruses 2019; 11:E76. [PMID: 30669250 PMCID: PMC6356626 DOI: 10.3390/v11010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Half a century of research on membrane-containing phages has had a major impact on virology, providing new insights into virus diversity, evolution and ecological importance. The recent revolutionary technical advances in imaging, sequencing and lipid analysis have significantly boosted the depth and volume of knowledge on these viruses. This has resulted in new concepts of virus assembly, understanding of virion stability and dynamics, and the description of novel processes for viral genome packaging and membrane-driven genome delivery to the host. The detailed analyses of such processes have given novel insights into DNA transport across the protein-rich lipid bilayer and the transformation of spherical membrane structures into tubular nanotubes, resulting in the description of unexpectedly dynamic functions of the membrane structures. Membrane-containing phages have provided a framework for understanding virus evolution. The original observation on membrane-containing bacteriophage PRD1 and human pathogenic adenovirus has been fundamental in delineating the concept of "viral lineages", postulating that the fold of the major capsid protein can be used as an evolutionary fingerprint to trace long-distance evolutionary relationships that are unrecognizable from the primary sequences. This has brought the early evolutionary paths of certain eukaryotic, bacterial, and archaeal viruses together, and potentially enables the reorganization of the nearly immeasurable virus population (~1 × 1031) on Earth into a reasonably low number of groups representing different architectural principles. In addition, the research on membrane-containing phages can support the development of novel tools and strategies for human therapy and crop protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sari Mäntynen
- Center of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland.
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Lotta-Riina Sundberg
- Center of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland.
| | - Hanna M Oksanen
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Minna M Poranen
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
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31
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Buckner MMC, Ciusa ML, Piddock LJV. Strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance: anti-plasmid and plasmid curing. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2018; 42:781-804. [PMID: 30085063 PMCID: PMC6199537 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuy031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem hindering treatment of bacterial infections, rendering many aspects of modern medicine less effective. AMR genes (ARGs) are frequently located on plasmids, which are self-replicating elements of DNA. They are often transmissible between bacteria, and some have spread globally. Novel strategies to combat AMR are needed, and plasmid curing and anti-plasmid approaches could reduce ARG prevalence, and sensitise bacteria to antibiotics. We discuss the use of curing agents as laboratory tools including chemicals (e.g. detergents and intercalating agents), drugs used in medicine including ascorbic acid, psychotropic drugs (e.g. chlorpromazine), antibiotics (e.g. aminocoumarins, quinolones and rifampicin) and plant-derived compounds. Novel strategies are examined; these include conjugation inhibitors (e.g. TraE inhibitors, linoleic, oleic, 2-hexadecynoic and tanzawaic acids), systems designed around plasmid incompatibility, phages and CRISPR/Cas-based approaches. Currently, there is a general lack of in vivo curing options. This review highlights this important shortfall, which if filled could provide a promising mechanism to reduce ARG prevalence in humans and animals. Plasmid curing mechanisms which are not suitable for in vivo use could still prove important for reducing the global burden of AMR, as high levels of ARGs exist in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M C Buckner
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, The University of Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Maria Laura Ciusa
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, The University of Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Laura J V Piddock
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, The University of Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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32
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The disparate effects of bacteriophages on antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018; 7:168. [PMID: 30302018 PMCID: PMC6177407 DOI: 10.1038/s41426-018-0169-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Faced with the crisis of multidrug-resistant bacteria, bacteriophages, viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria, have been reported to have both beneficial and detrimental effects with respect to disease management. Bacteriophages (phages) have important ecological and evolutionary impacts on their bacterial hosts and have been associated with therapeutic use to kill bacterial pathogens, but can lead to the transmission of antibiotic resistance. Although the process known as transduction has been reported for many bacterial species by classic and modern genetic approaches, its contribution to the spread of antibiotic resistance in nature remains unclear. In addition, detailed molecular studies have identified phages residing in bacterial genomes, revealing unexpected interactions between phages and their bacterial hosts. Importantly, antibiotics can induce the production of phages and phage-encoded products, disseminating these viruses and virulence-related genes, which have dangerous consequences for disease severity. These unwanted side-effects of antibiotics cast doubt on the suitability of some antimicrobial treatments and may require new strategies to prevent and limit the selection for virulence. Foremost among these treatments is phage therapy, which could be used to treat many bacterial infectious diseases and confront the pressing problem of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. This review discusses the interactions between bacteriophages, antibiotics, and bacteria and provides an integrated perspective that aims to inspire the development of successful antibacterial therapies.
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33
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Black Queen Evolution and Trophic Interactions Determine Plasmid Survival after the Disruption of the Conjugation Network. mSystems 2018; 3:mSystems00104-18. [PMID: 30320219 PMCID: PMC6172774 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00104-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial antibiotic resistance is often a part of mobile genetic elements that move from one bacterium to another. By interfering with the horizontal movement and the maintenance of these elements, it is possible to remove the resistance from the population. Here, we show that a so-called plasmid-dependent bacteriophage causes the initially resistant bacterial population to become susceptible to antibiotics. However, this effect is efficiently countered when the system also contains a predator that feeds on bacteria. Moreover, when the environment contains antibiotics, the survival of resistance is dependent on the resistance mechanism. When bacteria can help their contemporaries to degrade antibiotics, resistance is maintained by only a fraction of the community. On the other hand, when bacteria cannot help others, then all bacteria remain resistant. The concentration of the antibiotic played a less notable role than the antibiotic used. This report shows that the survival of antibiotic resistance in bacterial communities represents a complex process where many factors present in real-life systems define whether or not resistance is actually lost. Mobile genetic elements such as conjugative plasmids are responsible for antibiotic resistance phenotypes in many bacterial pathogens. The ability to conjugate, the presence of antibiotics, and ecological interactions all have a notable role in the persistence of plasmids in bacterial populations. Here, we set out to investigate the contribution of these factors when the conjugation network was disturbed by a plasmid-dependent bacteriophage. Phage alone effectively caused the population to lose plasmids, thus rendering them susceptible to antibiotics. Leakiness of the antibiotic resistance mechanism allowing Black Queen evolution (i.e. a “race to the bottom”) was a more significant factor than the antibiotic concentration (lethal vs sublethal) in determining plasmid prevalence. Interestingly, plasmid loss was also prevented by protozoan predation. These results show that outcomes of attempts to resensitize bacterial communities by disrupting the conjugation network are highly dependent on ecological factors and resistance mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Bacterial antibiotic resistance is often a part of mobile genetic elements that move from one bacterium to another. By interfering with the horizontal movement and the maintenance of these elements, it is possible to remove the resistance from the population. Here, we show that a so-called plasmid-dependent bacteriophage causes the initially resistant bacterial population to become susceptible to antibiotics. However, this effect is efficiently countered when the system also contains a predator that feeds on bacteria. Moreover, when the environment contains antibiotics, the survival of resistance is dependent on the resistance mechanism. When bacteria can help their contemporaries to degrade antibiotics, resistance is maintained by only a fraction of the community. On the other hand, when bacteria cannot help others, then all bacteria remain resistant. The concentration of the antibiotic played a less notable role than the antibiotic used. This report shows that the survival of antibiotic resistance in bacterial communities represents a complex process where many factors present in real-life systems define whether or not resistance is actually lost.
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Impact of plasmid interactions with the chromosome and other plasmids on the spread of antibiotic resistance. Plasmid 2018; 99:82-88. [PMID: 30240700 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Naturally occurring plasmids have medical importance given that they frequently code for virulence or antibiotic resistance. In many cases, plasmids impose a fitness cost to their hosts, meaning that the growth rate of plasmid-bearing cells is lower than that of plasmid-free cells. However, this does not fit with the fact that plasmids are ubiquitous in nature nor that plasmids and their hosts adapt to each other very fast - as has been shown in laboratory evolutionary assays. Even when plasmids are costly, they seem to largely interact in such a way that the cost of two plasmids is lower than the cost of one of them alone. Moreover, it has been argued that transfer rates are too low to compensate for plasmid costs and segregation. Several mechanisms involving interactions between plasmids and other replicons could overcome this limitation, hence contributing to the maintenance of plasmids in bacterial populations. We examine the importance of these mechanisms from a clinical point of view, particularly the spread of antibiotic resistance genes.
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Harada LK, Silva EC, Campos WF, Del Fiol FS, Vila M, Dąbrowska K, Krylov VN, Balcão VM. Biotechnological applications of bacteriophages: State of the art. Microbiol Res 2018; 212-213:38-58. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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36
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Torres-Barceló C. Phage Therapy Faces Evolutionary Challenges. Viruses 2018; 10:v10060323. [PMID: 29895791 PMCID: PMC6024868 DOI: 10.3390/v10060323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance evolution in bacteria indicates that one of the challenges faced by phage therapy is that, sooner or later, bacteria will evolve resistance to phages. Evidently, this is the case of every known antimicrobial therapy, but here this is also part of a ubiquitous natural process of co-evolution between phages and bacteria. Fundamental evolutionary studies hold some clues that are crucial to limit the problematic process of bacterial resistance during phage applications. First, I discuss here the importance of defining evolutionary and ecological factors influencing bacterial resistance and phage counter-defense mechanisms. Then, I comment on the interest of determining the co-evolutionary dynamics between phages and bacteria that may allow for selecting the conditions that will increase the probability of therapeutic success. I go on to suggest the varied strategies that may ensure the long-term success of phage therapy, including analysis of internal phage parameters and personalized treatments. In practical terms, these types of approaches will define evolutionary criteria regarding how to develop, and when to apply, therapeutic phage cocktails. Integrating this perspective in antimicrobial treatments, such as phage therapy, is among the necessary steps to expand its use in the near future, and to ensure its durability and success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Torres-Barceló
- University of Reunion Island, UMR Plant populations and bio-agressors in tropical environment (PVBMT), Saint-Pierre 97410, Reunion, France.
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37
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Abstract
Plasmids mediate the horizontal transmission of genetic information between bacteria, facilitating their adaptation to multiple environmental conditions. An especially important example of the ability of plasmids to catalyze bacterial adaptation and evolution is their instrumental role in the global spread of antibiotic resistance, which constitutes a major threat to public health. Plasmids provide bacteria with new adaptive tools, but they also entail a metabolic burden that, in the absence of selection for plasmid-encoded traits, reduces the competitiveness of the plasmid-carrying clone. Although this fitness reduction can be alleviated over time through compensatory evolution, the initial cost associated with plasmid carriage is the main constraint on the vertical and horizontal replication of these genetic elements. The fitness effects of plasmids therefore have a crucial influence on their ability to associate with new bacterial hosts and consequently on the evolution of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying plasmid fitness cost remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze the literature in the field and examine the potential fitness effects produced by plasmids throughout their life cycle in the host bacterium. We also explore the various mechanisms evolved by plasmids and bacteria to minimize the cost entailed by these mobile genetic elements. Finally, we discuss potential future research directions in the field.
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Conjugative plasmids are the main carriers of transmissible antibiotic resistance (AbR) genes. For that reason, strategies to control plasmid transmission have been proposed as potential solutions to prevent AbR dissemination. Natural mechanisms that bacteria employ as defense barriers against invading genomes, such as restriction-modification or CRISPR-Cas systems, could be exploited to control conjugation. Besides, conjugative plasmids themselves display mechanisms to minimize their associated burden or to compete with related or unrelated plasmids. Thus, FinOP systems, composed of FinO repressor protein and FinP antisense RNA, aid plasmids to regulate their own transfer; exclusion systems avoid conjugative transfer of related plasmids to the same recipient bacteria; and fertility inhibition systems block transmission of unrelated plasmids from the same donor cell. Artificial strategies have also been designed to control bacterial conjugation. For instance, intrabodies against R388 relaxase expressed in recipient cells inhibit plasmid R388 conjugative transfer; pIII protein of bacteriophage M13 inhibits plasmid F transmission by obstructing conjugative pili; and unsaturated fatty acids prevent transfer of clinically relevant plasmids in different hosts, promoting plasmid extinction in bacterial populations. Overall, a number of exogenous and endogenous factors have an effect on the sophisticated process of bacterial conjugation. This review puts them together in an effort to offer a wide picture and inform research to control plasmid transmission, focusing on Gram-negative bacteria.
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Gama JA, Zilhão R, Dionisio F. Co-resident plasmids travel together. Plasmid 2017; 93:24-29. [PMID: 28842131 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids encode genes that enable them to transfer, by conjugation, from a given host cell to another cell. Conjugative transfer, despite being an important feature of conjugative plasmids, is not constitutive for most plasmids, the reason being that genes involved in horizontal transfer are mostly repressed. Only upon their transient de-repression are plasmids able to transfer horizontally. If host cells harbour multiple plasmids, their simultaneous transfer depends on simultaneous transient de-repression of all plasmids. If de-repression of different plasmids was random and independent events, simultaneous de-repression should be a rare event because the probability of simultaneous de-repression would be the product of the probabilities of de-repression of each plasmid. Some previous observations support this hypothesis, while others show that co-transfer of plasmids is more frequent than this reasoning indicates. Here, we show that co-transfer of multiple plasmids mainly results from non-independent events: the probability that all plasmids within a cell become de-repressed is much higher than if de-repression of plasmids genes were independent. We found a simple model for the probability of co-transfer: the plasmid having the lowest conjugation rates is the one who limits co-transfer. In this sense, cells receiving the plasmid with the lower transfer rate also receive the other plasmid. If de-repression happens simultaneously on co-resident plasmids, common cues may stimulate de-repression of distinct plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Alves Gama
- cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Rita Zilhão
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Francisco Dionisio
- cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
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40
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Jalasvuori M, Penttinen R. What can evolutionary rescue tell us about the emergence of new resistant bacteria? Future Microbiol 2017; 12:731-733. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matti Jalasvuori
- Nanoscience Center, Department of Biological & Environmental Science, Center of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Reetta Penttinen
- Nanoscience Center, Department of Biological & Environmental Science, Center of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyväskylä, Finland
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41
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Abstract
If biology laboratories were smartphones, CRISPR-Cas would be the leading app. Nowadays, technology users rely on apps to communicate, get directions, entertain, and more. Likewise, many life scientists now rely on CRISPR-Cas systems to study the interactions between microbes and their viruses, to track strains as well as to modify and modulate genomes. Considering their high level of polymorphism, CRISPR arrays can increase the resolution of a microbial typing scheme. As dynamic systems, they allow the identification and the tracking of specific sequences, which is highly valuable for epidemiological studies. As a defense mechanism, they offer an opportunity to generate virus-resistant strains or even to construct strains refractory to the acquisition of specific genes. And last but not least, as customizable and transferable tools, CRISPR-Cas systems are particularly promising to fight multi-drug resistant bacteria through the engineering of phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Laurence Lemay
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bioinformatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Philippe Horvath
- DuPont Nutrition and Health, BP10, 86220 Dangé-Saint-Romain, France
| | - Sylvain Moineau
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bioinformatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Félix d'Hérelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses and Groupe de recherche en écologie buccale, Faculté de médecine dentaire, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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42
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Conjugative ESBL plasmids differ in their potential to rescue susceptible bacteria via horizontal gene transfer in lethal antibiotic concentrations. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2017; 70:805-808. [PMID: 28352105 DOI: 10.1038/ja.2017.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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43
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Barbu EM, Cady KC, Hubby B. Phage Therapy in the Era of Synthetic Biology. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2016; 8:cshperspect.a023879. [PMID: 27481531 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a023879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
For more than a century, bacteriophage (or phage) research has enabled some of the most important discoveries in biological sciences and has equipped scientists with many of the molecular biology tools that have advanced our understanding of replication, maintenance, and expression of genetic material. Phages have also been recognized and exploited as natural antimicrobial agents and nanovectors for gene therapy, but their potential as therapeutics has not been fully exploited in Western medicine because of challenges such as narrow host range, bacterial resistance, and unique pharmacokinetics. However, increasing concern related to the emergence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics has heightened interest in phage therapy and the development of strategies to overcome hurdles associated with bacteriophage therapeutics. Recent progress in sequencing technologies, DNA manipulation, and synthetic biology allowed scientists to refactor the entire bacterial genome of Mycoplasma mycoides, thereby creating the first synthetic cell. These new strategies for engineering genomes may have the potential to accelerate the construction of designer phage genomes with superior therapeutic potential. Here, we discuss the use of phage as therapeutics, as well as how synthetic biology can create bacteriophage with desirable attributes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyle C Cady
- Synthetic Genomics, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Bolyn Hubby
- Synthetic Genomics, La Jolla, California 92037
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44
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Ojala V, Mattila S, Hoikkala V, Bamford JK, Hiltunen T, Jalasvuori M. Scoping the effectiveness and evolutionary obstacles in using plasmid-dependent phages to fight antibiotic resistance. Future Microbiol 2016; 11:999-1009. [PMID: 27503765 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To investigate the potential evolutionary obstacles in the sustainable therapeutic use of plasmid-dependent phages to control the clinically important conjugative plasmid-mediated dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes to pathogenic bacteria. MATERIALS & METHODS The lytic plasmid-dependent phage PRD1 and the multiresistance conferring plasmid RP4 in an Escherichia coli host were utilized to assess the genetic and phenotypic changes induced by combined phage and antibiotic selection. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Resistance to PRD1 was always coupled with either completely lost or greatly reduced conjugation ability. Reversion to full conjugation efficiency was found to be rare, and it also restored the susceptibility to plasmid-dependent phages. Consequently, plasmid-dependent phages constitute an interesting candidate for development of sustainable anticonjugation/antiresistance therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ville Ojala
- Department of Biological & Environmental Science, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Food & Environmental Sciences/Microbiology & Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Sari Mattila
- Department of Biological & Environmental Science, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Food & Environmental Sciences/Microbiology & Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Ville Hoikkala
- Department of Biological & Environmental Science, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Food & Environmental Sciences/Microbiology & Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Jaana Kh Bamford
- Department of Biological & Environmental Science, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Food & Environmental Sciences/Microbiology & Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Teppo Hiltunen
- Department of Biological & Environmental Science, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Food & Environmental Sciences/Microbiology & Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Matti Jalasvuori
- Department of Biological & Environmental Science, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Food & Environmental Sciences/Microbiology & Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland
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45
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Indirect Fitness Benefits Enable the Spread of Host Genes Promoting Costly Transfer of Beneficial Plasmids. PLoS Biol 2016; 14:e1002478. [PMID: 27270455 PMCID: PMC4896427 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial genes that confer crucial phenotypes, such as antibiotic resistance, can spread horizontally by residing on mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Although many mobile genes provide strong benefits to their hosts, the fitness consequences of the process of transfer itself are less clear. In previous studies, transfer has been interpreted as a parasitic trait of the MGEs because of its costs to the host but also as a trait benefiting host populations through the sharing of a common gene pool. Here, we show that costly donation is an altruistic act when it spreads beneficial MGEs favoured when it increases the inclusive fitness of donor ability alleles. We show mathematically that donor ability can be selected when relatedness at the locus modulating transfer is sufficiently high between donor and recipients, ensuring high frequency of transfer between cells sharing donor alleles. We further experimentally demonstrate that either population structure or discrimination in transfer can increase relatedness to a level selecting for chromosomal transfer alleles. Both mechanisms are likely to occur in natural environments. The simple process of strong dilution can create sufficient population structure to select for donor ability. Another mechanism observed in natural isolates, discrimination in transfer, can emerge through coselection of transfer and discrimination alleles. Our work shows that horizontal gene transfer in bacteria can be promoted by bacterial hosts themselves and not only by MGEs. In the longer term, the success of cells bearing beneficial MGEs combined with biased transfer leads to an association between high donor ability, discrimination, and mobile beneficial genes. However, in conditions that do not select for altruism, host bacteria promoting transfer are outcompeted by hosts with lower transfer rate, an aspect that could be relevant in the fight against the spread of antibiotic resistance. Altruistic host bacteria can preferentially enhance the horizontal transfer of beneficial plasmids (such as those conferring antibiotic resistance or virulence) to others of their kind. In bacteria, genes can move between cells, sometimes with the donor host cell actively involved in the gene transfer mechanisms. This movement of genes is called horizontal gene transfer, and it increases the prevalence of mobile genes in bacterial populations. However, it is not clear if donor host cells benefit from gene spread, or are simply exploited by selfish genes. Here, we show with both modelling and experiments that for the donor host, investing in the transfer of beneficial genes—such as those conferring antibiotic resistance—can be understood as an altruistic behaviour. This behaviour is costly to the donor but beneficial to recipients and can be selected for if a sufficient proportion of recipient cells share the donors’ transfer allele. Preferential transfer from donors towards recipients that share this allele occurs when dispersal is limited or if discrimination mechanisms are present. Our work suggests that both processes are likely to be widespread in nature, promoting horizontal gene spread by host donor cells. As many antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes are mobile, our work further implies that the spread of harmful traits among human pathogens may be modulated by host bacteria in a direction that depends on the bacterial ability to transfer the traits specifically to their kind.
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46
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Chan BK, Sistrom M, Wertz JE, Kortright KE, Narayan D, Turner PE. Phage selection restores antibiotic sensitivity in MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26717. [PMID: 27225966 PMCID: PMC4880932 DOI: 10.1038/srep26717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 375] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing prevalence and severity of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections has necessitated novel antibacterial strategies. Ideally, new approaches would target bacterial pathogens while exerting selection for reduced pathogenesis when these bacteria inevitably evolve resistance to therapeutic intervention. As an example of such a management strategy, we isolated a lytic bacteriophage, OMKO1, (family Myoviridae) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that utilizes the outer membrane porin M (OprM) of the multidrug efflux systems MexAB and MexXY as a receptor-binding site. Results show that phage selection produces an evolutionary trade-off in MDR P. aeruginosa, whereby the evolution of bacterial resistance to phage attack changes the efflux pump mechanism, causing increased sensitivity to drugs from several antibiotic classes. Although modern phage therapy is still in its infancy, we conclude that phages, such as OMKO1, represent a new approach to phage therapy where bacteriophages exert selection for MDR bacteria to become increasingly sensitive to traditional antibiotics. This approach, using phages as targeted antibacterials, could extend the lifetime of our current antibiotics and potentially reduce the incidence of antibiotic resistant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin K Chan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Mark Sistrom
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - John E Wertz
- E. coli Genetic Stock Center, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E Kortright
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Deepak Narayan
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Paul E Turner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.,Program in Microbiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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47
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Rios AC, Moutinho CG, Pinto FC, Del Fiol FS, Jozala A, Chaud MV, Vila MMDC, Teixeira JA, Balcão VM. Alternatives to overcoming bacterial resistances: State-of-the-art. Microbiol Res 2016; 191:51-80. [PMID: 27524653 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2016.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide, bacterial resistance to chemical antibiotics has reached such a high level that endangers public health. Presently, the adoption of alternative strategies that promote the elimination of resistant microbial strains from the environment is of utmost importance. This review discusses and analyses several (potential) alternative strategies to current chemical antibiotics. Bacteriophage (or phage) therapy, although not new, makes use of strictly lytic phage particles as an alternative, or a complement, in the antimicrobial treatment of bacterial infections. It is being rediscovered as a safe method, because these biological entities devoid of any metabolic machinery do not possess any affinity whatsoever to eukaryotic cells. Lysin therapy is also recognized as an innovative antimicrobial therapeutic option, since the topical administration of preparations containing purified recombinant lysins with amounts in the order of nanograms, in infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, demonstrated a high therapeutic potential by causing immediate lysis of the target bacterial cells. Additionally, this therapy exhibits the potential to act synergistically when combined with certain chemical antibiotics already available on the market. Another potential alternative antimicrobial therapy is based on the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), amphiphilic polypeptides that cause disruption of the bacterial membrane and can be used in the treatment of bacterial, fungal and viral infections, in the prevention of biofilm formation, and as antitumoral agents. Interestingly, bacteriocins are a common strategy of bacterial defense against other bacterial agents, eliminating the potential opponents of the former and increasing the number of available nutrients in the environment for their own growth. They can be applied in the food industry as biopreservatives and as probiotics, and also in fighting multi-resistant bacterial strains. The use of antibacterial antibodies promises to be extremely safe and effective. Additionally, vaccination emerges as one of the most promising preventive strategies. All these will be tackled in detail in this review paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra C Rios
- LaBNUS-Biomaterials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, i(bs)2i(bs)(2)-intelligent biosensing and biomolecule stabilization research group, University of Sorocaba, Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - Carla G Moutinho
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; University Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Fernando S Del Fiol
- LaBNUS-Biomaterials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, i(bs)2i(bs)(2)-intelligent biosensing and biomolecule stabilization research group, University of Sorocaba, Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - Angela Jozala
- LaBNUS-Biomaterials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, i(bs)2i(bs)(2)-intelligent biosensing and biomolecule stabilization research group, University of Sorocaba, Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - Marco V Chaud
- LaBNUS-Biomaterials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, i(bs)2i(bs)(2)-intelligent biosensing and biomolecule stabilization research group, University of Sorocaba, Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - Marta M D C Vila
- LaBNUS-Biomaterials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, i(bs)2i(bs)(2)-intelligent biosensing and biomolecule stabilization research group, University of Sorocaba, Sorocaba/SP, Brazil
| | - José A Teixeira
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Victor M Balcão
- LaBNUS-Biomaterials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, i(bs)2i(bs)(2)-intelligent biosensing and biomolecule stabilization research group, University of Sorocaba, Sorocaba/SP, Brazil; CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
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48
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Nieth A, Verseux C, Barnert S, Süss R, Römer W. A first step toward liposome-mediated intracellular bacteriophage therapy. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2015; 12:1411-24. [DOI: 10.1517/17425247.2015.1043125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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49
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Jalasvuori M, Koonin EV. Classification of prokaryotic genetic replicators: between selfishness and altruism. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1341:96-105. [PMID: 25703428 PMCID: PMC4390439 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Prokaryotes harbor a variety of genetic replicators, including plasmids, viruses, and chromosomes, each having different effects on the phenotype of the hosting cell. Here, we propose a classification for replicators of bacteria and archaea on the basis of their horizontal-transfer potential and the type of relationships (mutualistic, symbiotic, commensal, or parasitic) that they have with the host cell vehicle. Horizontal movement of replicators can be either active or passive, reflecting whether or not the replicator encodes the means to mediate its own transfer from one cell to another. Some replicators also have an infectious extracellular state, thus separating viruses from other mobile elements. From the perspective of the cell vehicle, the different types of replicators form a continuum from genuinely mutualistic to completely parasitic replicators. This classification provides a general framework for dissecting prokaryotic systems into evolutionarily meaningful components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matti Jalasvuori
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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50
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Baquero F, Lanza VF, Cantón R, Coque TM. Public health evolutionary biology of antimicrobial resistance: priorities for intervention. Evol Appl 2014; 8:223-39. [PMID: 25861381 PMCID: PMC4380917 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 10/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The three main processes shaping the evolutionary ecology of antibiotic resistance (AbR) involve the emergence, invasion and occupation by antibiotic-resistant genes of significant environments for human health. The process of emergence in complex bacterial populations is a high-frequency, continuous swarming of ephemeral combinatory genetic and epigenetic explorations inside cells and among cells, populations and communities, expanding in different environments (migration), creating the stochastic variation required for evolutionary progress. Invasion refers to the process by which AbR significantly increases in frequency in a given (invaded) environment, led by external invaders local multiplication and spread, or by endogenous conversion. Conversion occurs because of the spread of AbR genes from an exogenous resistant clone into an established (endogenous) bacterial clone(s) colonizing the environment; and/or because of dissemination of particular resistant genetic variants that emerged within an endogenous clonal population. Occupation of a given environment by a resistant variant means a permanent establishment of this organism in this environment, even in the absence of antibiotic selection. Specific interventions on emergence influence invasion, those acting on invasion also influence occupation and interventions on occupation determine emergence. Such interventions should be simultaneously applied, as they are not simple solutions to the complex problem of AbR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Baquero
- Departamento de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) Madrid, Spain ; Unidad de Resistencia a Antibióticos y Virulencia Bacteriana asociada al Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Madrid, Spain ; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP) Madrid, Spain
| | - Val F Lanza
- Departamento de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) Madrid, Spain ; Unidad de Resistencia a Antibióticos y Virulencia Bacteriana asociada al Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Madrid, Spain ; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP) Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Cantón
- Departamento de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) Madrid, Spain ; Unidad de Resistencia a Antibióticos y Virulencia Bacteriana asociada al Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Madrid, Spain ; Spanish Network for the Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI RD12/0015), Instituto de Salud Carlos III Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa M Coque
- Departamento de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS) Madrid, Spain ; Unidad de Resistencia a Antibióticos y Virulencia Bacteriana asociada al Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Madrid, Spain ; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP) Madrid, Spain
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