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Pan J, Singh A, Hanning K, Hicks J, Williamson A. A role for the ATP-dependent DNA ligase lig E of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in biofilm formation. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:29. [PMID: 38245708 PMCID: PMC10799422 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03193-9] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ATP-dependent DNA ligase Lig E is present as an accessory DNA ligase in numerous proteobacterial genomes, including many disease-causing species. Here we have constructed a genomic Lig E knock-out in the obligate human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae and characterised its growth and infection phenotype. RESULTS This demonstrates that N. gonorrhoeae Lig E is a non-essential gene and its deletion does not cause defects in replication or survival of DNA-damaging stressors. Knock-out strains were partially defective in biofilm formation on an artificial surface as well as adhesion to epithelial cells. In addition to in vivo characterisation, we have recombinantly expressed and assayed N. gonorrhoeae Lig E and determined the crystal structure of the enzyme-adenylate engaged with DNA substrate in an open non-catalytic conformation. CONCLUSIONS These findings, coupled with the predicted extracellular/ periplasmic location of Lig E indicates a role in extracellular DNA joining as well as providing insight into the binding dynamics of these minimal DNA ligases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolyn Pan
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Avi Singh
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Kyrin Hanning
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Joanna Hicks
- School of Health, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Adele Williamson
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
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2
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Wang Z, Song L, Liu X, Shen X, Li X. Bacterial second messenger c-di-GMP: Emerging functions in stress resistance. Microbiol Res 2023; 268:127302. [PMID: 36640720 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127302] [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: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
In natural environments, bacteria constantly encounter various stressful conditions, including nutrient starvation, toxic chemicals, and oxidative stress. The ability to adapt to these adverse conditions is crucial for bacterial survival. Frequently, bacteria utilize nucleotide signaling molecules such as cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) to regulate their behaviors when encounter stress conditions. c-di-GMP is a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger regulating the transition between the planktonic state and biofilm state. An essential feature of biofilms is the production of extracellular matrix that covers bacterial cells and offers a physical barrier protecting the cells from environmental assaults. Beyond that, accumulating evidences have demonstrated that changes in the environment, including stress stimuli, cause the alteration of intracellular levels of c-di-GMP in bacterial cells, which is immediately sensed by a variety of downstream effectors that induce an appropriate stress response. In this review, we summarize recent research on the role of c-di-GMP signaling in bacterial responses to diverse stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Wang
- Yuncheng Key Laboratory of Halophiles Resources Utilization, College of Life Sciences, Yuncheng University, Yuncheng, Shanxi 044000, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Song
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaozhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China
| | - Xihui Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Li
- Yuncheng Key Laboratory of Halophiles Resources Utilization, College of Life Sciences, Yuncheng University, Yuncheng, Shanxi 044000, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Savitskaya VY, Monakhova MV, Iakushkina IV, Borovikova II, Kubareva EA. Neisseria gonorrhoeae: DNA Repair Systems and Their Role in Pathogenesis. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:965-982. [PMID: 36180987 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922090097] [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: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (a Gram-negative diplococcus) is a human pathogen and causative agent of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection. The bacterium uses various approaches for adapting to environmental conditions and multiplying efficiently in the human body, such as regulation of expression of gene expression of surface proteins and lipooligosaccharides (e.g., expression of various forms of pilin). The systems of DNA repair play an important role in the bacterium ability to survive in the host body. This review describes DNA repair systems of N. gonorrhoeae and their role in the pathogenicity of this bacterium. A special attention is paid to the mismatch repair system (MMR) and functioning of the MutS and MutL proteins, as well as to the role of these proteins in regulation of the pilin antigenic variation of the N. gonorrhoeae pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mayya V Monakhova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Iuliia V Iakushkina
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Irina I Borovikova
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Elena A Kubareva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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Pandey A, Cleary DW, Laver JR, Gorringe A, Deasy AM, Dale AP, Morris PD, Didelot X, Maiden MCJ, Read RC. Microevolution of Neisseria lactamica during nasopharyngeal colonisation induced by controlled human infection. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4753. [PMID: 30420631 PMCID: PMC6232127 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07235-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria lactamica is a harmless coloniser of the infant respiratory tract, and has a mutually-excluding relationship with the pathogen Neisseria meningitidis. Here we report controlled human infection with genomically-defined N. lactamica and subsequent bacterial microevolution during 26 weeks of colonisation. We find that most mutations that occur during nasopharyngeal carriage are transient indels within repetitive tracts of putative phase-variable loci associated with host-microbe interactions (pgl and lgt) and iron acquisition (fetA promotor and hpuA). Recurrent polymorphisms occurred in genes associated with energy metabolism (nuoN, rssA) and the CRISPR-associated cas1. A gene encoding a large hypothetical protein was often mutated in 27% of the subjects. In volunteers who were naturally co-colonised with meningococci, recombination altered allelic identity in N. lactamica to resemble meningococcal alleles, including loci associated with metabolism, outer membrane proteins and immune response activators. Our results suggest that phase variable genes are often mutated during carriage-associated microevolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anish Pandey
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK.
| | - David W Cleary
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK
- Southampton NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK
| | - Jay R Laver
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK
| | | | - Alice M Deasy
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S103JF, UK
- Department of Cardiology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S103JF, UK
| | - Adam P Dale
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK
- Southampton NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK
| | - Paul D Morris
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S103JF, UK
- Department of Cardiology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, S103JF, UK
| | - Xavier Didelot
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
- Department of Statistics, School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Martin C J Maiden
- Department of Zoology, Peter Medawar Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX13SY, UK
| | - Robert C Read
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK.
- Southampton NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK.
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO166YD, UK.
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Activity of Vsr endonucleases encoded by Neisseria gonorrhoeae FA1090 is influenced by MutL and MutS proteins. BMC Microbiol 2018; 18:95. [PMID: 30165819 PMCID: PMC6116569 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-018-1243-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The functioning of DNA repair systems is based on correct interactions between proteins involved in DNA repair. Very Short Patch (VSP) repair is a DNA repair system that corrects mismatches resulting from the deamination of 5-methylcytosine. The key enzyme in the VSP system is Vsr endonuclease, which can cleave mismatched DNA independently of accessory proteins. Until now, in vivo activity has only been shown for V.EcoKDcm - the only Vsr endonuclease in Escherichia coli. Additionally, the VSP system of E. coli is the only one for which interactions between proteins of the system have been demonstrated. Neisseria gonorrhoeae FA1090 is the first bacterium that we previously demonstrated to encode two active in vitro Vsr endonucleases: V.NgoAXIII and V.NgoAXIV. Results We elucidate the mutator phenotype of N. gonorrhoeae mutants with disrupted genes encoding V.NgoAXIII or V.NgoAXIV endonuclease. Furthermore, we investigate the interactions between gonococcal Vsr endonucleases and MutL and MutS proteins. The Vsr endonucleases physically interact with gonococcal MutL protein but not with MutS protein. In the presence of the MutL protein, the efficiency of DNA cleavage by both V.NgoAXIII and V.NgoAXIV endonucleases increases, resulting in a decrease in the amount of Vsr enzyme required to complete digestion of mismatched DNA. Both Vsr endonucleases are also stimulated in vitro by the MutL protein of E. coli. In turn, the gonococcal MutS protein hinders DNA cleavage by the Vsr endonucleases. However, this effect is overridden in the presence of MutL, and furthermore, the simultaneous presence of MutL and MutS causes an increase in the efficiency of DNA cleavage by the Vsr endonucleases compared to the reaction catalyzed by V.NgoAXIII or V.NgoAXIV alone. Conclusions For the first time, interactions between proteins of the DNA repair system encoded by N. gonorrhoeae that are responsible for the correction of mismatches resulting from the 5-methylcytosine deamination were identified. The increase in activity of Vsr endonucleases in the presence of MutL protein could allow for reduced synthesis of the Vsr endonucleases in cells, and the susceptibility of gonococcal Vsr endonucleases on MutL protein of E. coli implies a universal mechanism of Vsr stimulation by MutL protein. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-018-1243-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Rasmussen JA, Fletcher JR, Long ME, Allen LAH, Jones BD. Characterization of Francisella tularensis Schu S4 mutants identified from a transposon library screened for O-antigen and capsule deficiencies. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:338. [PMID: 25999917 PMCID: PMC4419852 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and O-antigen polysaccharide capsule structures of Francisella tularensis play significant roles in helping these highly virulent bacteria avoid detection within a host. We previously created pools of F. tularensis mutants that we screened to identify strains that were not reactive to a monoclonal antibody to the O-antigen capsule. To follow up previously published work, we characterize further seven of the F. tularensis Schu S4 mutant strains identified by our screen. These F. tularensis strains carry the following transposon mutations: FTT0846::Tn5, hemH::Tn5, wbtA::Tn5, wzy::Tn5, FTT0673p/prsA::Tn5, manB::Tn5, or dnaJ::Tn5. Each of these strains displayed sensitivity to human serum, to varying degrees, when compared to wild-type F. tularensis Schu S4. By Western blot, only FTT0846::Tn5, wbtA::Tn5, wzy::Tn5, and manB::Tn5 strains did not react to the capsule and LPS O-antigen antibody 11B7, although the wzy::Tn5 strain did have a single O-antigen reactive band that was detected by the FB11 monoclonal antibody. Of these strains, manB::Tn5 and FTT0846 appear to have LPS core truncations, whereas wbtA::Tn5 and wzy::Tn5 had LPS core structures that are similar to the parent F. tularensis Schu S4. These strains were also shown to have poor growth within human monocyte derived macrophages (MDMs) and bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs). We examined the virulence of these strains in mice, following intranasal challenge, and found that each was attenuated compared to wild type Schu S4. Our results provide additional strong evidence that LPS and/or capsule are F. tularensis virulence factors that most likely function by providing a stealth shield that prevents the host immune system from detecting this potent pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jed A Rasmussen
- Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Joshua R Fletcher
- Genetics Program, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Matthew E Long
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Lee-Ann H Allen
- Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA ; Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA ; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Bradley D Jones
- Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA ; Genetics Program, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, IA, USA
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Zielke RA, Wierzbicki IH, Weber JV, Gafken PR, Sikora AE. Quantitative proteomics of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae cell envelope and membrane vesicles for the discovery of potential therapeutic targets. Mol Cell Proteomics 2014; 13:1299-317. [PMID: 24607996 PMCID: PMC4014286 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m113.029538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) is a human-specific pathogen, and the agent of a sexually transmitted disease, gonorrhea. There is a critical need for new approaches to study and treat GC infections because of the growing threat of multidrug-resistant isolates and the lack of a vaccine. Despite the implied role of the GC cell envelope and membrane vesicles in colonization and infection of human tissues and cell lines, comprehensive studies have not been undertaken to elucidate their constituents. Accordingly, in pursuit of novel molecular therapeutic targets, we have applied isobaric tagging for absolute quantification coupled with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry for proteome quantitative analyses. Mining the proteome of cell envelopes and native membrane vesicles revealed 533 and 168 common proteins, respectively, in analyzed GC strains FA1090, F62, MS11, and 1291. A total of 22 differentially abundant proteins were discovered including previously unknown proteins. Among those proteins that displayed similar abundance in four GC strains, 34 were found in both cell envelopes and membrane vesicles fractions. Focusing on one of them, a homolog of an outer membrane protein LptD, we demonstrated that its depletion caused loss of GC viability. In addition, we selected for initial characterization six predicted outer membrane proteins with unknown function, which were identified as ubiquitous in the cell envelopes derived from examined GC isolates. These studies entitled a construction of deletion mutants and analyses of their resistance to different chemical probes. Loss of NGO1985, in particular, resulted in dramatically decreased GC viability upon treatment with detergents, polymyxin B, and chloramphenicol, suggesting that this protein functions in the maintenance of the cell envelope permeability barrier. Together, these findings underscore the concept that the cell envelope and membrane vesicles contain crucial, yet under-explored determinants of GC physiology, which may represent promising targets for designing new therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryszard A. Zielke
- From the ‡Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
| | - Igor H. Wierzbicki
- From the ‡Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
| | - Jacob V. Weber
- From the ‡Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
| | - Philip R. Gafken
- §Proteomics Facility, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109-1024
| | - Aleksandra E. Sikora
- From the ‡Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
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Tirumalai MR, Rastogi R, Zamani N, O’Bryant Williams E, Allen S, Diouf F, Kwende S, Weinstock GM, Venkateswaran KJ, Fox GE. Candidate genes that may be responsible for the unusual resistances exhibited by Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 spores. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66012. [PMID: 23799069 PMCID: PMC3682946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The spores of several Bacillus species, including Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 and B. safensis FO-36b, which were isolated from the spacecraft assembly facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, are unusually resistant to UV radiation and hydrogen peroxide. In order to identify candidate genes that might be associated with these resistances, the whole genome of B. pumilus SAFR-032, and the draft genome of B. safensis FO-36b were compared in detail with the very closely related type strain B. pumilus ATCC7061(T). 170 genes are considered characteristic of SAFR-032, because they are absent from both FO-36b and ATCC7061(T). Forty of these SAFR-032 characteristic genes are entirely unique open reading frames. In addition, four genes are unique to the genomes of the resistant SAFR-032 and FO-36b. Fifty three genes involved in spore coat formation, regulation and germination, DNA repair, and peroxide resistance, are missing from all three genomes. The vast majority of these are cleanly deleted from their usual genomic context without any obvious replacement. Several DNA repair and peroxide resistance genes earlier reported to be unique to SAFR-032 are in fact shared with ATCC7061(T) and no longer considered to be promising candidates for association with the elevated resistances. Instead, several SAFR-032 characteristic genes were identified, which along with one or more of the unique SAFR-032 genes may be responsible for the elevated resistances. These new candidates include five genes associated with DNA repair, namely, BPUM_0608 a helicase, BPUM_0652 an ATP binding protein, BPUM_0653 an endonuclease, BPUM_0656 a DNA cytosine-5- methyltransferase, and BPUM_3674 a DNA helicase. Three of these candidate genes are in immediate proximity of two conserved hypothetical proteins, BPUM_0654 and BPUM_0655 that are also absent from both FO-36b and ATCC7061(T). This cluster of five genes is considered to be an especially promising target for future experimental work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhan R. Tirumalai
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rajat Rastogi
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nader Zamani
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Elisha O’Bryant Williams
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Shamail Allen
- Department of Biology, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Fatma Diouf
- Department of Biology, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sharon Kwende
- Department of Biology, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - George M. Weinstock
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Kasthuri J. Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology & Planetary Protection Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - George E. Fox
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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