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Li S, Xu T, Meng X, Yan Y, Zhou Y, Duan L, Tang Y, Zhu L, Sun L. Ocr-mediated suppression of BrxX unveils a phage counter-defense mechanism. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:8580-8594. [PMID: 38989624 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The burgeoning crisis of antibiotic resistance has directed attention to bacteriophages as natural antibacterial agents capable of circumventing bacterial defenses. Central to this are the bacterial defense mechanisms, such as the BREX system, which utilizes the methyltransferase BrxX to protect against phage infection. This study presents the first in vitro characterization of BrxX from Escherichia coli, revealing its substrate-specific recognition and catalytic activity. We demonstrate that BrxX exhibits nonspecific DNA binding but selectively methylates adenine within specific motifs. Kinetic analysis indicates a potential regulation of BrxX by the concentration of its co-substrate, S-adenosylmethionine, and suggests a role for other BREX components in modulating BrxX activity. Furthermore, we elucidate the molecular mechanism by which the T7 phage protein Ocr (Overcoming classical restriction) inhibits BrxX. Despite low sequence homology between BrxX from different bacterial species, Ocr effectively suppresses BrxX's enzymatic activity through high-affinity binding. Cryo-electron microscopy and biophysical analyses reveal that Ocr, a DNA mimic, forms a stable complex with BrxX, highlighting a conserved interaction interface across diverse BrxX variants. Our findings provide insights into the strategic counteraction by phages against bacterial defense systems and offer a foundational understanding of the complex interplay between phages and their bacterial hosts, with implications for the development of phage therapy to combat antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbes and Biosafety, School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Tianhao Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xinru Meng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbes and Biosafety, School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Yujuan Yan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbes and Biosafety, School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbes and Biosafety, School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Lei Duan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yulong Tang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Electron Microscopy Centre of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Litao Sun
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbes and Biosafety, School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
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2
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Vizzarro G, Lemopoulos A, Adams DW, Blokesch M. Vibrio cholerae pathogenicity island 2 encodes two distinct types of restriction systems. J Bacteriol 2024:e0014524. [PMID: 39133004 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00145-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In response to predation by bacteriophages and invasion by other mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, bacteria have evolved specialized defense systems that are often clustered together on genomic islands. The O1 El Tor strains of Vibrio cholerae responsible for the ongoing seventh cholera pandemic (7PET) contain a characteristic set of genomic islands involved in host colonization and disease, many of which contain defense systems. Notably, Vibrio pathogenicity island 2 contains several characterized defense systems as well as a putative type I restriction-modification (T1RM) system, which, interestingly, is interrupted by two genes of unknown function. Here, we demonstrate that the T1RM system is active, methylates the host genomes of a representative set of 7PET strains, and identify a specific recognition sequence that targets non-methylated plasmids for restriction. We go on to show that the two genes embedded within the T1RM system encode a novel two-protein modification-dependent restriction system related to the GmrSD family of type IV restriction enzymes. Indeed, we show that this system has potent anti-phage activity against diverse members of the Tevenvirinae, a subfamily of bacteriophages with hypermodified genomes. Taken together, these results expand our understanding of how this highly conserved genomic island contributes to the defense of pandemic V. cholerae against foreign DNA. IMPORTANCE Defense systems are immunity systems that allow bacteria to counter the threat posed by bacteriophages and other mobile genetic elements. Although these systems are numerous and highly diverse, the most common types are restriction enzymes that can specifically recognize and degrade non-self DNA. Here, we show that the Vibrio pathogenicity island 2, present in the pathogen Vibrio cholerae, encodes two types of restriction systems that use distinct mechanisms to sense non-self DNA. The first system is a classical Type I restriction-modification system, and the second is a novel modification-dependent type IV restriction system that recognizes hypermodified cytosines. Interestingly, these systems are embedded within each other, suggesting that they are complementary to each other by targeting both modified and non-modified phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazia Vizzarro
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Lemopoulos
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David William Adams
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Blokesch
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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3
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Grafakou A, Mosterd C, Beck MH, Kelleher P, McDonnell B, de Waal PP, van Rijswijck IMH, van Peij NNME, Cambillau C, Mahony J, van Sinderen D. Discovery of antiphage systems in the lactococcal plasmidome. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae671. [PMID: 39119896 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Until the late 2000s, lactococci substantially contributed to the discovery of various plasmid-borne phage defence systems, rendering these bacteria an excellent antiphage discovery resource. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in identifying novel antiphage systems in lactic acid bacteria owing to recent reports of so-called 'defence islands' in diverse bacterial genera. Here, 321 plasmid sequences from 53 lactococcal strains were scrutinized for the presence of antiphage systems. Systematic evaluation of 198 candidates facilitated the discovery of seven not previously described antiphage systems, as well as five systems, of which homologues had been described in other bacteria. All described systems confer resistance against the most prevalent lactococcal phages, and act post phage DNA injection, while all except one behave like abortive infection systems. Structure and domain predictions provided insights into their mechanism of action and allow grouping of several genetically distinct systems. Although rare within our plasmid collection, homologues of the seven novel systems appear to be widespread among bacteria. This study highlights plasmids as a rich repository of as yet undiscovered antiphage systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andriana Grafakou
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Cas Mosterd
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Matthias H Beck
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Philip Kelleher
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Brian McDonnell
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Paul P de Waal
- dsm-firmenich, Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Delft 2613 AX, The Netherlands
| | - Irma M H van Rijswijck
- dsm-firmenich, Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Delft 2613 AX, The Netherlands
| | - Noël N M E van Peij
- dsm-firmenich, Taste, Texture & Health, Center for Food Innovation, Delft 2613 AX, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Cambillau
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IMM), Aix-Marseille Université - CNRS, UMR 7255 Marseille, France
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
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4
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Le DQ, Nguyen TA, Nguyen SH, Nguyen TT, Nguyen CH, Phung HT, Ho TH, Vo NS, Nguyen T, Nguyen HA, Cao MD. Efficient inference of large prokaryotic pangenomes with PanTA. Genome Biol 2024; 25:209. [PMID: 39107817 PMCID: PMC11304767 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03362-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Pangenome inference is an indispensable step in bacterial genomics, yet its scalability poses a challenge due to the rapid growth of genomic collections. This paper presents PanTA, a software package designed for constructing pangenomes of large bacterial datasets, showing unprecedented efficiency levels multiple times higher than existing tools. PanTA introduces a novel mechanism to construct the pangenome progressively without rebuilding the accumulated collection from scratch. The progressive mode is shown to consume orders of magnitude less computational resources than existing solutions in managing growing datasets. The software is open source and is publicly available at https://github.com/amromics/panta and at 10.6084/m9.figshare.23724705 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Duc Quang Le
- AMROMICS JSC, Nghe An, Vietnam
- Faculty of IT, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tien Anh Nguyen
- AMROMICS JSC, Nghe An, Vietnam
- Faculty of Biotechnology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | - Tam Thi Nguyen
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Canh Hao Nguyen
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Huong Thanh Phung
- Faculty of Biotechnology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tho Huu Ho
- Department of Medical Microbiology, The 103 Military Hospital, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Department of Genomics & Cytogenetics, Institute of Biomedicine & Pharmacy, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Nam S Vo
- Center for Biomedical Informatics, Vingroup Big Data Institute, Hanoi, Vietnam
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5
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Østergaard MZ, Nielsen FD, Meinfeldt MH, Kirkpatrick CL. The uncharacterized PA3040-3042 operon is part of the cell envelope stress response and a tobramycin resistance determinant in a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0387523. [PMID: 38949386 PMCID: PMC11302039 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03875-23] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (hereafter "phages") are ubiquitous predators of bacteria in the natural world, but interest is growing in their development into antibacterial therapy as complement or replacement for antibiotics. However, bacteria have evolved a huge variety of antiphage defense systems allowing them to resist phage lysis to a greater or lesser extent. In addition to dedicated phage defense systems, some aspects of the general stress response also impact phage susceptibility, but the details of this are not well known. In order to elucidate these factors in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we used the laboratory-conditioned strain PAO1 as host for phage infection experiments as it is naturally poor in dedicated phage defense systems. Screening by transposon insertion sequencing indicated that the uncharacterized operon PA3040-PA3042 was potentially associated with resistance to lytic phages. However, we found that its primary role appeared to be in regulating biofilm formation, particularly in a clinical isolate of P. aeruginosa in which it also altered tobramycin resistance. Its expression was highly growth-phase dependent and responsive to phage infection and cell envelope stress. Our results suggest that this operon may be a cryptic but important locus for P. aeruginosa stress tolerance. IMPORTANCE An important category of bacterial stress response systems is bacteriophage defense, where systems are triggered by bacteriophage infection and activate a response which may either destroy the phage genome or destroy the infected cell so that the rest of the population survives. In some bacteria, the cell envelope stress response is activated by bacteriophage infection, but it is unknown whether this contributes to the survival of the infection. We have found that a conserved uncharacterized operon (PA3040-PA3042) of the cell envelope stress regulon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which has very few dedicated phage defense systems, responds to phage infection and stationary phase as well as envelope stress and is important for growth and biofilm formation in a clinical isolate of P. aeruginosa, even in the absence of phages. As homologs of these genes are found in other bacteria, they may be a novel component of the general stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus Z. Østergaard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Flemming D. Nielsen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Mette H. Meinfeldt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Clare L. Kirkpatrick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Lin W, Li D, Pan L, Li M, Tong Y. Cyanobacteria-cyanophage interactions between freshwater and marine ecosystems based on large-scale cyanophage genomic analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 950:175201. [PMID: 39102952 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
The disparities in harmful algal blooms dynamics are largely attributed to variations in cyanobacteria populations within aquatic ecosystems. However, cyanobacteria-cyanophage interactions and their role in shaping cyanobacterial populations has been previously underappreciated. To address this knowledge gap, we isolated and sequenced 42 cyanophages from diverse water sources in China, with the majority (n = 35) originating from freshwater sources. We designated these sequences as the "Novel Cyanophage Genome sequence Collection" (NCGC). NCGC displayed notable genetic variations, with 95 % (40/42) of the sequences representing previously unidentified taxonomic ranks. By integrating NCGC with public data of cyanophages and cyanobacteria, we found evidence for more frequent historical cyanobacteria-cyanophage interactions in freshwater ecosystems. This was evidenced by a higher prevalence of prophage integrase-related genes in freshwater cyanophages (37.97 %) than marine cyanophages (7.42 %). In addition, freshwater cyanophages could infect a broader range of cyanobacteria orders (n = 4) than marine ones (n = 0). Correspondingly, freshwater cyanobacteria harbored more defense systems per million base pairs in their genomes, indicating more frequent phage infections. Evolutionary and cyanophage epidemiological studies suggest that interactions between cyanobacteria and cyanophages in freshwater and marine ecosystems are interconnected, and that brackish water can act as a transitional zone for freshwater and marine cyanophages. In conclusion, our research significantly expands the genetic information database of cyanophage, offering a wider selection of cyanophages to control harmful cyanobacterial blooms. Additionally, we represent a pioneering large-scale and comprehensive analysis of cyanobacteria and cyanophage sequencing data, and it provides theoretical guidance for the application of cyanophages in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Lin
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Dengfeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Lingting Pan
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Mengzhe Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Yigang Tong
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering (BAIC-SM), Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
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7
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Zhang H, Li Y, Li L, Chen L, Zhu C, Sun L, Dong P, Jing D, Yang J, Fu L, Xiao F, Xia N, Li S, Zheng Q, Wu Y. Structural insights into activation mechanisms on NADase of the bacterial DSR2 anti-phage defense system. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn5691. [PMID: 39083599 PMCID: PMC11290490 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn5691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
As a sirtuin (SIR2) family protein, defense-associated sirtuin2 (DSR2) has been demonstrated to participate in bacterial anti-phage resistance via depleting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) of infected cells, which can be activated by tail tube protein (TTP) and inhibited by DSR anti-defense 1 (DSAD1) of diverse phages. However, the regulating mechanism remains elusive. Here, we determined the cryo-electron microscopy structure of apo DSR2, as well as the respective complex structures with TTP and DSAD1. Structural analyses and biochemical studies reveal that DSR2 forms a tetramer with a SIR2 central core and two distinct conformations. Monomeric TTP preferentially binds to the closed conformation of DSR2, inducing conformational distortions on SIR2 tetramer assembly to activate its NADase activity. DSAD1 combines with the open conformation of DSR2, directly or allosterically inhibiting TTP activation on DSR2 NAD+ hydrolysis. Our findings decipher the detailed molecule mechanisms for DSR2 NADase activity regulation and lay a foundation for in-depth understanding of the DSR2 anti-phage defense system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Yu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
| | - Lanlan Li
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Lifei Chen
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Chunhua Zhu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350013, PR China
| | - Lifang Sun
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Panpan Dong
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Dingding Jing
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Jinbo Yang
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Lei Fu
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Fangnan Xiao
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
| | - Ningshao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
| | - Shaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
| | - Qingbing Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biologic Products, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
| | - Yunkun Wu
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation and Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, PR China
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8
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Norton P, Trus P, Wang F, Thornton MJ, Chang C. Understanding and treating diabetic foot ulcers: Insights into the role of cutaneous microbiota and innovative therapies. SKIN HEALTH AND DISEASE 2024; 4:e399. [PMID: 39104636 PMCID: PMC11297444 DOI: 10.1002/ski2.399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Background Notoriously known as the silent pandemic, chronic, non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), pose a significant rate of incidence for amputation and are a major cause of morbidity. Alarmingly, the treatment and management strategies of chronic wounds represent a significant economic and health burden as well as a momentous drain on resources with billions per annum being spent in the US and UK alone. Defective wound healing is a major pathophysiological condition which propagates an acute wound to a chronic wound, further propelled by underlying conditions such as diabetes and vascular complications which are more prevalent amongst the elderly. Chronic wounds are prone to infection, which can exacerbate the condition, occasionally resulting in amputation for the patient, despite the intervention of modern therapies. However, amputation can only yield a 5-year survival rate for 50% of patients, highlighting the need for new treatments for chronic wounds. Findings The dynamic cutaneous microbiota is comprised of diverse microorganisms that often aid wound healing. Conversely, the chronic wound microbiome consists of a combination of common skin commensals such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, as well as the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These bacteria have been identified as the most prevalent bacterial pathogens isolated from chronic wounds and contribute to prolific biofilm formation decreasing the efficiency of antimicrobials and further perpetuating a hyper-inflammatory state. Discussion and Conclusion Here, we review recent advances and provide a new perspective on alternative treatments including phage and microbiome transplant therapies and how the definitive role of the cutaneous microbiota impacts the aetiology of DFUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Norton
- School of Dental SciencesFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
- Biosciences InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
- Centre for Skin SciencesFaculty of Life SciencesUniversity of BradfordBradfordUK
| | - Pavlos Trus
- School of Dental SciencesFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
- Biosciences InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
| | - Fengyi Wang
- School of Dental SciencesFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
- Biosciences InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
| | - M. Julie Thornton
- Centre for Skin SciencesFaculty of Life SciencesUniversity of BradfordBradfordUK
| | - Chien‐Yi Chang
- School of Dental SciencesFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
- Biosciences InstituteFaculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle Upon TyneUK
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9
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An Q, Wang Y, Tian Z, Han J, Li J, Liao F, Yu F, Zhao H, Wen Y, Zhang H, Deng Z. Molecular and structural basis of an ATPase-nuclease dual-enzyme anti-phage defense complex. Cell Res 2024; 34:545-555. [PMID: 38834762 PMCID: PMC11291478 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-024-00981-w] [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: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Coupling distinct enzymatic effectors emerges as an efficient strategy for defense against phage infection in bacterial immune responses, such as the widely studied nuclease and cyclase activities in the type III CRISPR-Cas system. However, concerted enzymatic activities in other bacterial defense systems are poorly understood. Here, we biochemically and structurally characterize a two-component defense system DUF4297-HerA, demonstrating that DUF4297-HerA confers resistance against phage infection by cooperatively cleaving dsDNA and hydrolyzing ATP. DUF4297 alone forms a dimer, and HerA alone exists as a nonplanar split spiral hexamer, both of which exhibit extremely low enzymatic activity. Interestingly, DUF4297 and HerA assemble into an approximately 1 MDa supramolecular complex, where two layers of DUF4297 (6 DUF4297 molecules per layer) linked via inter-layer dimerization of neighboring DUF4297 molecules are stacked on top of the HerA hexamer. Importantly, the complex assembly promotes dimerization of DUF4297 molecules in the upper layer and enables a transition of HerA from a nonplanar hexamer to a planar hexamer, thus activating their respective enzymatic activities to abrogate phage infection. Together, our findings not only characterize a novel dual-enzyme anti-phage defense system, but also reveal a unique activation mechanism by cooperative complex assembly in bacterial immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiyin An
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenhua Tian
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Han
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinyue Li
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Fumeng Liao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Feiyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Haiyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yancheng Wen
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zengqin Deng
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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10
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Maestri A, Pons BJ, Pursey E, Chong CE, Gandon S, Custodio R, Olina A, Agapov A, Chisnall MAW, Grasso A, Paterson S, Szczelkun MD, Baker KS, van Houte S, Chevallereau A, Westra ER. The bacterial defense system MADS interacts with CRISPR-Cas to limit phage infection and escape. Cell Host Microbe 2024:S1931-3128(24)00264-6. [PMID: 39094583 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.07.005] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
The constant arms race between bacteria and their parasites has resulted in a large diversity of bacterial defenses, with many bacteria carrying multiple systems. Here, we report the discovery of a phylogenetically widespread defense system, coined methylation-associated defense system (MADS), which is distributed across gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. MADS interacts with a CRISPR-Cas system in its native host to provide robust and durable resistance against phages. While phages can acquire epigenetic-mediated resistance against MADS, co-existence of MADS and a CRISPR-Cas system limits escape emergence. MADS comprises eight genes with predicted nuclease, ATPase, kinase, and methyltransferase domains, most of which are essential for either self/non-self discrimination, DNA restriction, or both. The complex genetic architecture of MADS and MADS-like systems, relative to other prokaryotic defenses, points toward highly elaborate mechanisms of sensing infections, defense activation, and/or interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Maestri
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Benoit J Pons
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Elizabeth Pursey
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Charlotte E Chong
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK; Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Sylvain Gandon
- CEFE, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier 34293, France
| | - Rafael Custodio
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Anna Olina
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Aleksei Agapov
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Matthew A W Chisnall
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Anita Grasso
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Steve Paterson
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Mark D Szczelkun
- DNA-Protein Interactions Unit, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Kate S Baker
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK; Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Stineke van Houte
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Anne Chevallereau
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Cochin, Paris 75014, France.
| | - Edze R Westra
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
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11
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Leão P, Little ME, Appler KE, Sahaya D, Aguilar-Pine E, Currie K, Finkelstein IJ, De Anda V, Baker BJ. Asgard archaea defense systems and their roles in the origin of eukaryotic immunity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6386. [PMID: 39085212 PMCID: PMC11291487 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50195-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Dozens of new antiviral systems have been recently characterized in bacteria. Some of these systems are present in eukaryotes and appear to have originated in prokaryotes, but little is known about these defense mechanisms in archaea. Here, we explore the diversity and distribution of defense systems in archaea and identify 2610 complete systems in Asgardarchaeota, a group of archaea related to eukaryotes. The Asgard defense systems comprise 89 unique systems, including argonaute, NLR, Mokosh, viperin, Lassamu, and CBASS. Asgard viperin and argonaute proteins have structural homology to eukaryotic proteins, and phylogenetic analyses suggest that eukaryotic viperin proteins were derived from Asgard viperins. We show that Asgard viperins display anti-phage activity when heterologously expressed in bacteria. Eukaryotic and bacterial argonaute proteins appear to have originated in Asgardarchaeota, and Asgard argonaute proteins have argonaute-PIWI domains, key components of eukaryotic RNA interference systems. Our results support that Asgardarchaeota played important roles in the origin of antiviral defense systems in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Leão
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA.
- Department of Microbiology - RIBES, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Mary E Little
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kathryn E Appler
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
| | - Daphne Sahaya
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Emily Aguilar-Pine
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kathryn Currie
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ilya J Finkelstein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Valerie De Anda
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
| | - Brett J Baker
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA.
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12
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Roberts CG, Fishman CB, Banh DV, Marraffini LA. A bacterial TIR-based immune system senses viral capsids to initiate defense. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.29.605636. [PMID: 39131286 PMCID: PMC11312562 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.29.605636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domains are present in immune systems that protect prokaryotes from viral (phage) attack. In response to infection, TIRs can produce a cyclic adenosine diphosphate-ribose (ADPR) signaling molecule, which activates an effector that depletes the host of the essential metabolite NAD+ to limit phage propagation. How bacterial TIRs recognize phage infection is not known. Here we describe the sensing mechanism for the staphylococcal Thoeris defense system, which consists of two TIR domain sensors, ThsB1 and ThsB2, and the effector ThsA. We show that the major capsid protein of phage Φ80α forms a complex with ThsB1 and ThsB2, which is sufficient for the synthesis of 1''-3' glycocyclic ADPR (gcADPR) and subsequent activation of NAD+ cleavage by ThsA. Consistent with this, phages that escape Thoeris immunity harbor mutations in the capsid that prevent complex formation. We show that capsid proteins from staphylococcal Siphoviridae belonging to the capsid serogroup B, but not A, are recognized by ThsB1/B2, a result that suggests that capsid recognition by Sau-Thoeris and other anti-phage defense systems may be an important evolutionary force behind the structural diversity of prokaryotic viruses. More broadly, since mammalian toll-like receptors harboring TIR domains can also recognize viral structural components to produce an inflammatory response against infection, our findings reveal a conserved mechanism for the activation of innate antiviral defense pathways.
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13
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Vento JM, Durmusoglu D, Li T, Patinios C, Sullivan S, Ttofali F, van Schaik J, Yu Y, Wang Y, Barquist L, Crook N, Beisel CL. A cell-free transcription-translation pipeline for recreating methylation patterns boosts DNA transformation in bacteria. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2785-2796.e4. [PMID: 38936361 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The bacterial world offers diverse strains for understanding medical and environmental processes and for engineering synthetic biological chassis. However, genetically manipulating these strains has faced a long-standing bottleneck: how to efficiently transform DNA. Here, we report imitating methylation patterns rapidly in TXTL (IMPRINT), a generalized, rapid, and scalable approach based on cell-free transcription-translation (TXTL) to overcome DNA restriction, a prominent barrier to transformation. IMPRINT utilizes TXTL to express DNA methyltransferases from a bacterium's restriction-modification systems. The expressed methyltransferases then methylate DNA in vitro to match the bacterium's DNA methylation pattern, circumventing restriction and enhancing transformation. With IMPRINT, we efficiently multiplex methylation by diverse DNA methyltransferases and enhance plasmid transformation in gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. We also develop a high-throughput pipeline that identifies the most consequential methyltransferases, and we apply IMPRINT to screen a ribosome-binding site library in a hard-to-transform Bifidobacterium. Overall, IMPRINT can enhance DNA transformation, enabling the use of sophisticated genetic manipulation tools across the bacterial world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Vento
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Deniz Durmusoglu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Tianyu Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Constantinos Patinios
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sean Sullivan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Fani Ttofali
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - John van Schaik
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Yanying Yu
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yanyan Wang
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lars Barquist
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany; Medical Faculty, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Nathan Crook
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Chase L Beisel
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany; Medical Faculty, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
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14
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Martin FJO, Santiveri M, Hu H, Taylor NMI. Ion-driven rotary membrane motors: From structure to function. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 88:102884. [PMID: 39053417 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Ion-driven membrane motors, essential across all domains of life, convert a gradient of ions across a membrane into rotational energy, facilitating diverse biological processes including ATP synthesis, substrate transport, and bacterial locomotion. Herein, we highlight recent structural advances in the understanding of two classes of ion-driven membrane motors: rotary ATPases and 5:2 motors. The recent structure of the human F-type ATP synthase is emphasised along with the gained structural insight into clinically relevant mutations. Furthermore, we highlight the diverse roles of 5:2 motors and recent mechanistic understanding gained through the resolution of ions in the structure of a sodium-driven motor, combining insights into potential unifying mechanisms of ion selectivity and rotational torque generation in the context of their function as part of complex biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddie J O Martin
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mònica Santiveri
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Haidai Hu
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nicholas M I Taylor
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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15
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van den Berg DF, Costa AR, Esser JQ, Stanciu I, Geissler JQ, Zoumaro-Djayoon AD, Haas PJ, Brouns SJJ. Bacterial homologs of innate eukaryotic antiviral defenses with anti-phage activity highlight shared evolutionary roots of viral defenses. Cell Host Microbe 2024:S1931-3128(24)00266-X. [PMID: 39094584 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.07.007] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Prokaryotes have evolved a multitude of defense systems to protect against phage predation. Some of these resemble eukaryotic genes involved in antiviral responses. Here, we set out to systematically project the current knowledge of eukaryotic-like antiviral defense systems onto prokaryotic genomes, using Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model organism. Searching for phage defense systems related to innate antiviral genes from vertebrates and plants, we uncovered over 450 candidates. We validated six of these phage defense systems, including factors preventing viral attachment, R-loop-acting enzymes, the inflammasome, ubiquitin pathway, and pathogen recognition signaling. Collectively, these defense systems support the concept of deep evolutionary links and shared antiviral mechanisms between prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan F van den Berg
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Ana Rita Costa
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Jelger Q Esser
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Ilinka Stanciu
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Jasper Q Geissler
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, the Netherlands
| | | | - Pieter-Jan Haas
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Stan J J Brouns
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, the Netherlands.
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16
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Yang X, Wang Y, Zheng J. Structural insights into autoinhibition and activation of defense-associated sirtuin protein. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 277:134145. [PMID: 39059542 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial defense-associated sirtuin 2 (DSR2) proteins harbor an N-terminal sirtuin (SIR2) domain degrading NAD+. DSR2 from Bacillus subtilis 29R is autoinhibited and unable to hydrolyze NAD+ in the absence of phage infection. A tail tube protein (TTP) of phage SPR activates the DSR2 while a DSR2-inhibiting protein of phage SPbeta, known as DSAD1 (DSR anti-defense 1), inactivates the DSR2. Although DSR2 structures in complexed with TTP and DSAD1, respectively, have been reported recently, the autoinhibition and activation mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of the DSR2-NAD+ complex in autoinhibited state and the in vitro assembled DSR2-TFD (TTP tube-forming domain) complex in activated state. The DSR2-NAD+ complex reveals that the autoinhibited DSR2 assembles into an inactive tetramer, binding NAD+ through a distinct pocket situated outside active site. Binding of TFD into cavities within the sensor domains of DSR2 triggers a conformational change in SIR2 regions, activating its NADase activity, whereas the TTP β-sandwich domain (BSD) is flexible and does not contribute to the activation process. The activated form of DSR2 exists as tetramers and dimers, with the tetramers exhibiting more NADase activity. Overall, our results extend the current understanding of autoinhibition and activation of DSR2 immune proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yiqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jianting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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17
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Sun D, Zhu K, Wang L, Mu Z, Wu K, Hua L, Qin B, Gao X, Wang Y, Cui S. Nucleic acid-induced NADase activation of a short Sir2-associated prokaryotic Argonaute system. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114391. [PMID: 38923459 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of nucleic acid targets is mediated by Argonaute (Ago) proteins guided by RNA or DNA. Although the mechanisms underpinning the functions of eukaryotic and "long" prokaryotic Ago proteins (pAgos) are well understood, those for short pAgos remain enigmatic. Here, we determine two cryoelectron microscopy structures of short pAgos in association with the NADase-domain-containing protein Sir2-APAZ from Geobacter sulfurreducens (GsSir2/Ago): the guide RNA-target DNA-loaded GsSir2/Ago quaternary complex (2.58 Å) and the dimer of the quaternary complex (2.93Å). These structures show that the nucleic acid binding causes profound conformational changes that result in disorder or partial dissociation of the Sir2 domain, suggesting that it adopts a NADase-active conformation. Subsequently, two RNA-/DNA-loaded GsSir2/Ago complexes form a dimer through their MID domains, further enhancing NADase activity through synergistic effects. The findings provide a structural basis for short-pAgo-mediated defense against invading nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dapeng Sun
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for Tuberculosis Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Linyue Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for Tuberculosis Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Zhixia Mu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for Tuberculosis Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Kang Wu
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Lei Hua
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for Tuberculosis Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China; Medical School, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi 716000, China
| | - Bo Qin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for Tuberculosis Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaopan Gao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for Tuberculosis Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China.
| | - Yumei Wang
- Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China.
| | - Sheng Cui
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for Tuberculosis Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China.
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18
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Robins WP, Meader BT, Toska J, Mekalanos JJ. DdmABC-dependent death triggered by viral palindromic DNA sequences. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114450. [PMID: 39002129 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Defense systems that recognize viruses provide important insights into both prokaryotic and eukaryotic innate immunity mechanisms. Such systems that restrict foreign DNA or trigger cell death have recently been recognized, but the molecular signals that activate many of these remain largely unknown. Here, we characterize one such system in pandemic Vibrio cholerae responsible for triggering cell density-dependent death (CDD) of cells in response to the presence of certain genetic elements. We show that the key component is the Lamassu DdmABC anti-phage/plasmid defense system. We demonstrate that signals that trigger CDD were palindromic DNA sequences in phages and plasmids that are predicted to form stem-loop hairpins from single-stranded DNA. Our results suggest that agents that damage DNA also trigger DdmABC activation and inhibit cell growth. Thus, any infectious process that results in damaged DNA, particularly during DNA replication, can in theory trigger DNA restriction and death through the DdmABC abortive infection system.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P Robins
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Bradley T Meader
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonida Toska
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - John J Mekalanos
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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19
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Bullen NP, Johnson CN, Andersen SE, Arya G, Marotta SR, Lee YJ, Weigele PR, Whitney JC, Duerkop BA. An enterococcal phage protein broadly inhibits type IV restriction enzymes involved in antiphage defense. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.16.567456. [PMID: 38014348 PMCID: PMC10680825 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.16.567456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections continues to rise as the development of antibiotics needed to combat these infections remains stagnant. MDR enterococci are a major contributor to this crisis. A potential therapeutic approach for combating MDR enterococci is bacteriophage (phage) therapy, which uses lytic viruses to infect and kill pathogenic bacteria. While phages that lyse some strains of MDR enterococci have been identified, other strains display high levels of resistance and the mechanisms underlying this resistance are poorly defined. Here, we use a CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) screen to identify a genetic locus found on a mobilizable plasmid from Enterococcus faecalis involved in phage resistance. This locus encodes a putative serine recombinase followed by a Type IV restriction enzyme (TIV-RE) that we show restricts the replication of phage phi47 in E. faecalis. We further find that phi47 evolves to overcome restriction by acquiring a missense mutation in a TIV-RE inhibitor protein. We show that this inhibitor, termed type IV restriction inhibiting factor A (tifA), binds and inactivates diverse TIV-REs. Overall, our findings advance our understanding of phage defense in drug-resistant E. faecalis and provide mechanistic insight into how phages evolve to overcome antiphage defense systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan P. Bullen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4L8
- Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Cydney N. Johnson
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School – Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA, 80045
| | - Shelby E. Andersen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School – Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA, 80045
| | - Garima Arya
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School – Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA, 80045
| | - Sonia R. Marotta
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4L8
- Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Yan-Jiun Lee
- Research Department, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA, USA, 01938
| | - Peter R. Weigele
- Research Department, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA, USA, 01938
| | - John C. Whitney
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4L8
- Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Breck A. Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School – Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA, 80045
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20
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Loeff L, Adams DW, Chanez C, Stutzmann S, Righi L, Blokesch M, Jinek M. Molecular mechanism of plasmid elimination by the DdmDE defense system. Science 2024; 385:188-194. [PMID: 38870273 DOI: 10.1126/science.adq0534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Seventh-pandemic Vibrio cholerae strains contain two pathogenicity islands that encode the DNA defense modules DdmABC and DdmDE. In this study, we used cryogenic electron microscopy to determine the mechanistic basis for plasmid defense by DdmDE. The helicase-nuclease DdmD adopts an autoinhibited dimeric architecture. The prokaryotic Argonaute protein DdmE uses a DNA guide to target plasmid DNA. The structure of the DdmDE complex, validated by in vivo mutational studies, shows that DNA binding by DdmE triggers disassembly of the DdmD dimer and loading of monomeric DdmD onto the nontarget DNA strand. In vitro studies indicate that DdmD translocates in the 5'-to-3' direction, while partially degrading the plasmid DNA. These findings provide critical insights into the mechanism of DdmDE systems in plasmid elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luuk Loeff
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David W Adams
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christelle Chanez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sandrine Stutzmann
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laurie Righi
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Blokesch
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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21
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Shomar H, Georjon H, Feng Y, Olympio B, Guillaume M, Tesson F, Cury J, Wu F, Bernheim A. Viperin immunity evolved across the tree of life through serial innovations on a conserved scaffold. Nat Ecol Evol 2024:10.1038/s41559-024-02463-z. [PMID: 38965412 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02463-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Evolutionary arms races between cells and viruses drive the rapid diversification of antiviral genes in diverse life forms. Recent discoveries have revealed the existence of immune genes that are shared between prokaryotes and eukaryotes and show molecular and mechanistic similarities in their response to viruses. However, the evolutionary dynamics underlying the conservation and adaptation of these antiviral genes remain mostly unexplored. Here, we show that viperins constitute a highly conserved family of immune genes across diverse prokaryotes and eukaryotes and identify mechanisms by which they diversified in eukaryotes. Our findings indicate that viperins are enriched in Asgard archaea and widely distributed in all major eukaryotic clades, suggesting their presence in the last eukaryotic common ancestor and their acquisition in eukaryotes from an archaeal lineage. We show that viperins maintain their immune function by producing antiviral nucleotide analogues and demonstrate that eukaryotic viperins diversified through serial innovations on the viperin gene, such as the emergence and selection of substrate specificity towards pyrimidine nucleotides, and through partnerships with genes maintained through genetic linkage, notably with nucleotide kinases. These findings unveil biochemical and genomic transitions underlying the adaptation of immune genes shared by prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Our study paves the way for further understanding of the conservation of immunity across domains of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Shomar
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1284, Molecular Diversity of Microbes Lab, Paris, France
| | - Héloïse Georjon
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1284, Molecular Diversity of Microbes Lab, Paris, France
- Generare Bioscience, Paris, France
| | - Yanlei Feng
- School of Life Sciences, College of Science, Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, China
- Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bismarck Olympio
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1284, Molecular Diversity of Microbes Lab, Paris, France
| | - Marie Guillaume
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1284, Molecular Diversity of Microbes Lab, Paris, France
| | - Florian Tesson
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1284, Molecular Diversity of Microbes Lab, Paris, France
| | - Jean Cury
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1284, Molecular Diversity of Microbes Lab, Paris, France
| | - Fabai Wu
- School of Life Sciences, College of Science, Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, China.
| | - Aude Bernheim
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1284, Molecular Diversity of Microbes Lab, Paris, France.
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22
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Liu T, Gao X, Chen R, Tang K, Liu Z, Wang P, Wang X. A nuclease domain fused to the Snf2 helicase confers antiphage defence in coral-associated Halomonas meridiana. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14524. [PMID: 38980956 PMCID: PMC11232893 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The coral reef microbiome plays a vital role in the health and resilience of reefs. Previous studies have examined phage therapy for coral pathogens and for modifying the coral reef microbiome, but defence systems against coral-associated bacteria have received limited attention. Phage defence systems play a crucial role in helping bacteria fight phage infections. In this study, we characterized a new defence system, Hma (HmaA-HmaB-HmaC), in the coral-associated Halomonas meridiana derived from the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis. The Swi2/Snf2 helicase HmaA with a C-terminal nuclease domain exhibits antiviral activity against Escherichia phage T4. Mutation analysis revealed the nickase activity of the nuclease domain (belonging to PDD/EXK superfamily) of HmaA is essential in phage defence. Additionally, HmaA homologues are present in ~1000 bacterial and archaeal genomes. The high frequency of HmaA helicase in Halomonas strains indicates the widespread presence of these phage defence systems, while the insertion of defence genes in the hma region confirms the existence of a defence gene insertion hotspot. These findings offer insights into the diversity of phage defence systems in coral-associated bacteria and these diverse defence systems can be further applied into designing probiotics with high-phage resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental EngineeringSouth China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xinyu Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental EngineeringSouth China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Ran Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental EngineeringSouth China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Kaihao Tang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental EngineeringSouth China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)GuangzhouChina
| | - Ziyao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental EngineeringSouth China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Pengxia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental EngineeringSouth China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)GuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaoxue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental EngineeringSouth China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)GuangzhouChina
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23
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Chambers LR, Ye Q, Cai J, Gong M, Ledvina HE, Zhou H, Whiteley AT, Suhandynata RT, Corbett KD. A eukaryotic-like ubiquitination system in bacterial antiviral defence. Nature 2024; 631:843-849. [PMID: 39020180 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07730-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Ubiquitination pathways have crucial roles in protein homeostasis, signalling and innate immunity1-3. In these pathways, an enzymatic cascade of E1, E2 and E3 proteins conjugates ubiquitin or a ubiquitin-like protein (Ubl) to target-protein lysine residues4. Bacteria encode ancient relatives of E1 and Ubl proteins involved in sulfur metabolism5,6, but these proteins do not mediate Ubl-target conjugation, leaving open the question of whether bacteria can perform ubiquitination-like protein conjugation. Here we demonstrate that a bacterial operon associated with phage defence islands encodes a complete ubiquitination pathway. Two structures of a bacterial E1-E2-Ubl complex reveal striking architectural parallels with canonical eukaryotic ubiquitination machinery. The bacterial E1 possesses an amino-terminal inactive adenylation domain and a carboxy-terminal active adenylation domain with a mobile α-helical insertion containing the catalytic cysteine (CYS domain). One structure reveals a pre-reaction state with the bacterial Ubl C terminus positioned for adenylation, and a second structure mimics an E1-to-E2 transthioesterification state with the E1 CYS domain adjacent to the bound E2. We show that a deubiquitinase in the same pathway preprocesses the bacterial Ubl, exposing its C-terminal glycine for adenylation. Finally, we show that the bacterial E1 and E2 collaborate to conjugate Ubl to target-protein lysine residues. Together, these data reveal that bacteria possess bona fide ubiquitination systems with strong mechanistic and architectural parallels to canonical eukaryotic ubiquitination pathways, suggesting that these pathways arose first in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia R Chambers
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Qiaozhen Ye
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jiaxi Cai
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Minheng Gong
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hannah E Ledvina
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Huilin Zhou
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Aaron T Whiteley
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Raymond T Suhandynata
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kevin D Corbett
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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24
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Machado E, Vasconcellos S, Gomes L, Catanho M, Ramos J, de Carvalho L, Goldenberg T, Redner P, Caldas P, Campos C, Dalcolmo M, Lourenço MC, Lasunskaia E, Mussi V, Spinassé L, Vinhas S, Rigouts L, Cogneau S, de Rijk P, Utpatel C, Kaustova J, van der Laan T, de Neeling H, Rastogi N, Levina K, Kütt M, Mokrousov I, Zhuravlev V, Makhado N, Žolnir-Dovč M, Jankovic V, de Waard J, Sisco MC, van Soolingen D, Niemann S, de Jong BC, Meehan CJ, Suffys P. Phylogenomic and genomic analysis reveals unique and shared genetic signatures of Mycobacterium kansasii complex species. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001266. [PMID: 39016539 PMCID: PMC11316565 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001266] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Species belonging to the Mycobacterium kansasii complex (MKC) are frequently isolated from humans and the environment and can cause serious diseases. The most common MKC infections are caused by the species M. kansasii (sensu stricto), leading to tuberculosis-like disease. However, a broad spectrum of virulence, antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity of these non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are observed across the MKC. Many genomic aspects of the MKC that relate to these broad phenotypes are not well elucidated. Here, we performed genomic analyses from a collection of 665 MKC strains, isolated from environmental, animal and human sources. We inferred the MKC pangenome, mobilome, resistome, virulome and defence systems and show that the MKC species harbours unique and shared genomic signatures. High frequency of presence of prophages and different types of defence systems were observed. We found that the M. kansasii species splits into four lineages, of which three are lowly represented and mainly in Brazil, while one lineage is dominant and globally spread. Moreover, we show that four sub-lineages of this most distributed M. kansasii lineage emerged during the twentieth century. Further analysis of the M. kansasii genomes revealed almost 300 regions of difference contributing to genomic diversity, as well as fixed mutations that may explain the M. kansasii's increased virulence and drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edson Machado
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Aplicada a Micobactérias, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sidra Vasconcellos
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Aplicada a Micobactérias, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lia Gomes
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Aplicada a Micobactérias, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcos Catanho
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Microrganismos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jesus Ramos
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Tuberculose, Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luciana de Carvalho
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Tuberculose, Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Telma Goldenberg
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Tuberculose, Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paulo Redner
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Tuberculose, Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paulo Caldas
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Tuberculose, Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Campos
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Tuberculose, Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Margareth Dalcolmo
- Serviço de Pesquisa Clínica, Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina Lourenço
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Bioensaios, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elena Lasunskaia
- Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Mussi
- Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lizania Spinassé
- Núcleo de Doenças Infecciosas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Solange Vinhas
- Núcleo de Doenças Infecciosas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Leen Rigouts
- Unit of Mycobacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sari Cogneau
- Unit of Mycobacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pim de Rijk
- Unit of Mycobacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christian Utpatel
- Molecular and Experimental Mycobacteriology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
| | - Jarmila Kaustova
- Department of Diagnostic Mycobacterioses, Regional Institute of Public Health, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Tridia van der Laan
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Han de Neeling
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Nalin Rastogi
- TB and Mycobacteria Unit, Institut Pasteur de Guadeloupe, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Klavdia Levina
- Mycobacteriology Section of Microbiology Laboratory, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Marge Kütt
- Mycobacteriology Section of Microbiology Laboratory, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Igor Mokrousov
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Evolutionary Genetics, St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Viacheslav Zhuravlev
- St. Petersburg Research Institute of Phthisiopulmonology, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ndivhu Makhado
- Unit of Mycobacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Microbiological Pathology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service, Dr George Mukhari Tertiary Laboratory, Medical Microbiology, Pretoria, South Africa
- Global Institute of Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Manca Žolnir-Dovč
- National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria, University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Golnik, Slovenia
| | - Vera Jankovic
- Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory, Croatian National Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jacobus de Waard
- Tuberculosis Department. Servicio Autónomo Instituto de Biomedicina Dr. Jacinto Convit, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
- One Health Research Group, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Maria Carolina Sisco
- Tuberculosis Department. Servicio Autónomo Instituto de Biomedicina Dr. Jacinto Convit, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Dick van Soolingen
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Stefan Niemann
- Molecular and Experimental Mycobacteriology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
| | - Bouke C. de Jong
- Unit of Mycobacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Conor J. Meehan
- Unit of Mycobacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biosciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - Philip Suffys
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Aplicada a Micobactérias, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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25
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Ledvina HE, Whiteley AT. Conservation and similarity of bacterial and eukaryotic innate immunity. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:420-434. [PMID: 38418927 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01017-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Pathogens are ubiquitous and a constant threat to their hosts, which has led to the evolution of sophisticated immune systems in bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. Bacterial immune systems encode an astoundingly large array of antiviral (antiphage) systems, and recent investigations have identified unexpected similarities between the immune systems of bacteria and animals. In this Review, we discuss advances in our understanding of the bacterial innate immune system and highlight the components, strategies and pathogen restriction mechanisms conserved between bacteria and eukaryotes. We summarize evidence for the hypothesis that components of the human immune system originated in bacteria, where they first evolved to defend against phages. Further, we discuss shared mechanisms that pathogens use to overcome host immune pathways and unexpected similarities between bacterial immune systems and interbacterial antagonism. Understanding the shared evolutionary path of immune components across domains of life and the successful strategies that organisms have arrived at to restrict their pathogens will enable future development of therapeutics that activate the human immune system for the precise treatment of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E Ledvina
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Aaron T Whiteley
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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26
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Shi Y, Masic V, Mosaiab T, Rajaratman P, Hartley-Tassell L, Sorbello M, Goulart CC, Vasquez E, Mishra BP, Holt S, Gu W, Kobe B, Ve T. Structural characterization of macro domain-containing Thoeris antiphage defense systems. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn3310. [PMID: 38924412 PMCID: PMC11204291 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn3310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Thoeris defense systems protect bacteria from infection by phages via abortive infection. In these systems, ThsB proteins serve as sensors of infection and generate signaling nucleotides that activate ThsA effectors. Silent information regulator and SMF/DprA-LOG (SIR2-SLOG) containing ThsA effectors are activated by cyclic ADP-ribose (ADPR) isomers 2'cADPR and 3'cADPR, triggering abortive infection via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) depletion. Here, we characterize Thoeris systems with transmembrane and macro domain (TM-macro)-containing ThsA effectors. We demonstrate that ThsA macro domains bind ADPR and imidazole adenine dinucleotide (IAD), but not 2'cADPR or 3'cADPR. Combining crystallography, in silico predictions, and site-directed mutagenesis, we show that ThsA macro domains form nucleotide-induced higher-order oligomers, enabling TM domain clustering. We demonstrate that ThsB can produce both ADPR and IAD, and we identify a ThsA TM-macro-specific ThsB subfamily with an active site resembling deoxy-nucleotide and deoxy-nucleoside processing enzymes. Collectively, our study demonstrates that Thoeris systems with SIR2-SLOG and TM-macro ThsA effectors trigger abortive infection via distinct mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Shi
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Veronika Masic
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Tamim Mosaiab
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Premraj Rajaratman
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | | | - Mitchell Sorbello
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Cassia C. Goulart
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Eduardo Vasquez
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Biswa P. Mishra
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Stephanie Holt
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Weixi Gu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Bostjan Kobe
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas Ve
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
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27
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Woldetsadik YA, Lazinski DW, Camilli A. A Vibrio cholerae Anti-Phage System Depletes Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide to Restrict Virulent Bacteriophages. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.17.599363. [PMID: 38948830 PMCID: PMC11212891 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.17.599363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria and their predatory viruses (bacteriophages or phages) are in a perpetual molecular arms race. This has led to the evolution of numerous phage defensive systems in bacteria that are still being discovered, as well as numerous ways of interference or circumvention on the part of phages. Here, we identify a unique molecular battle between the classical biotype of Vibrio cholerae and virulent phages ICP1, ICP2, and ICP3. We show that classical biotype strains resist almost all isolates of these phages due to a 25-kb genomic island harboring several putative anti-phage systems. We observed that one of these systems, Nezha, encoding SIR2-like and helicase proteins, inhibited the replication of all three phages. Bacterial SIR2-like enzymes degrade the essential metabolic coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), thereby preventing replication of the invading phage. In support of this mechanism, we identified one phage isolate, ICP1_2001, which circumvents Nezha by encoding two putative NAD+ regeneration enzymes. By restoring the NAD+ pool, we hypothesize that this system antagonizes Nezha without directly interacting with either protein and should be able to antagonize other anti-phage systems that deplete NAD+.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yishak A. Woldetsadik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David W. Lazinski
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrew Camilli
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Beamud B, Benz F, Bikard D. Going viral: The role of mobile genetic elements in bacterial immunity. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:804-819. [PMID: 38870898 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophages and other mobile genetic elements (MGEs) pose a significant threat to bacteria, subjecting them to constant attacks. In response, bacteria have evolved a sophisticated immune system that employs diverse defensive strategies and mechanisms. Remarkably, a growing body of evidence suggests that most of these defenses are encoded by MGEs themselves. This realization challenges our traditional understanding of bacterial immunity and raises intriguing questions about the evolutionary forces at play. Our review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest findings on the main families of MGEs and the defense systems they encode. We also highlight how a vast diversity of defense systems remains to be discovered and their mechanism of mobility understood. Altogether, the composition and distribution of defense systems in bacterial genomes only makes sense in the light of the ecological and evolutionary interactions of a complex network of MGEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Beamud
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France.
| | - Fabienne Benz
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France; Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, 75015 Paris, France
| | - David Bikard
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France.
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Nuhamunada M, Mohite OS, Phaneuf P, Palsson B, Weber T. BGCFlow: systematic pangenome workflow for the analysis of biosynthetic gene clusters across large genomic datasets. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5478-5495. [PMID: 38686794 PMCID: PMC11162802 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Genome mining is revolutionizing natural products discovery efforts. The rapid increase in available genomes demands comprehensive computational platforms to effectively extract biosynthetic knowledge encoded across bacterial pangenomes. Here, we present BGCFlow, a novel systematic workflow integrating analytics for large-scale genome mining of bacterial pangenomes. BGCFlow incorporates several genome analytics and mining tools grouped into five common stages of analysis such as: (i) data selection, (ii) functional annotation, (iii) phylogenetic analysis, (iv) genome mining, and (v) comparative analysis. Furthermore, BGCFlow provides easy configuration of different projects, parallel distribution, scheduled job monitoring, an interactive database to visualize tables, exploratory Jupyter Notebooks, and customized reports. Here, we demonstrate the application of BGCFlow by investigating the phylogenetic distribution of various biosynthetic gene clusters detected across 42 genomes of the Saccharopolyspora genus, known to produce industrially important secondary/specialized metabolites. The BGCFlow-guided analysis predicted more accurate dereplication of BGCs and guided the targeted comparative analysis of selected RiPPs. The scalable, interoperable, adaptable, re-entrant, and reproducible nature of the BGCFlow will provide an effective novel way to extract the biosynthetic knowledge from the ever-growing genomic datasets of biotechnologically relevant bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matin Nuhamunada
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Omkar S Mohite
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Patrick V Phaneuf
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Bernhard O Palsson
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Tilmann Weber
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
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30
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Conte AN, Ridgeway SM, Ruchel ME, Kibby EM, Nagy TA, Whiteley AT. Phage detection by a bacterial NLR-related protein is mediated by DnaJ. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.04.597415. [PMID: 38895412 PMCID: PMC11185742 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria encode a wide range of antiphage systems and a subset of these proteins are homologous to components of the human innate immune system. Mammalian nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat containing proteins (NLRs) and bacterial NLR-related proteins use a central NACHT domain to link infection detection with initiation of an antimicrobial response. Bacterial NACHT proteins provide defense against both DNA and RNA phages. Here we determine the mechanism of RNA phage detection by the bacterial NLR-related protein bNACHT25 in E. coli. bNACHT25 was specifically activated by Emesvirus ssRNA phages and analysis of MS2 phage suppressor mutants that evaded detection revealed Coat Protein (CP) was sufficient for activation. bNACHT25 and CP did not physically interact. Instead, we found bNACHT25 requires the host chaperone DnaJ to detect CP. Our data suggest that bNACHT25 detects a wide range of phages by guarding a host cell process rather than binding a specific phage-derived molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy N. Conte
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Madison E. Ruchel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Biology, Front Range Community College, Longmont, CO, USA
| | - Emily M. Kibby
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Toni A. Nagy
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Aaron T. Whiteley
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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31
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Petakh P, Oksenych V, Khovpey Y, Kamyshnyi O. Comprehensive Analysis of Antiphage Defense Mechanisms: Serovar-Specific Patterns. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:522. [PMID: 38927188 PMCID: PMC11201134 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13060522] [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: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a major zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes in the genus Leptospira, affecting over a million people annually and causing approximately 60,000 deaths. Leptospira interrogans, a key causative agent, likely possesses defense systems against bacteriophages (leptophages), yet these systems are not well understood. We analyzed 402 genomes of L. interrogans using the DefenseFinder tool to identify and characterize the antiphage defense systems. We detected 24 unique systems, with CRISPR-Cas (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins), PrrC, Borvo, and Restriction-Modification (R-M) being the most prevalent. Notably, Cas were identified in all strains, indicating their central role in phage defense. Furthermore, there were variations in the antiphage system distribution across different serovars, suggesting unique evolutionary adaptations. For instance, Retron was found exclusively in the Canicola serovar, while prokaryotic Argonaute proteins (pAgo) were only detected in the Grippotyphosa serovar. These findings significantly enhance our understanding of Leptospira's antiphage defense mechanisms. They reveal the potential for the development of serovar-specific phage-based therapies and underscore the importance of further exploring these defense systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavlo Petakh
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Uzhhorod National University, 88000 Uzhhorod, Ukraine; (P.P.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Immunology, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, 46001 Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Valentyn Oksenych
- Broegelmann Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Yevheniya Khovpey
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Uzhhorod National University, 88000 Uzhhorod, Ukraine; (P.P.); (Y.K.)
| | - Oleksandr Kamyshnyi
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Immunology, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, 46001 Ternopil, Ukraine
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32
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Brauer A, Rosendahl S, Kängsep A, Lewańczyk AC, Rikberg R, Hõrak R, Tamman H. Isolation and characterization of a phage collection against Pseudomonas putida. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16671. [PMID: 38863081 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
The environmental bacterium, Pseudomonas putida, possesses a broad spectrum of metabolic pathways. This makes it highly promising for use in biotechnological production as a cell factory, as well as in bioremediation strategies to degrade various aromatic pollutants. For P. putida to flourish in its environment, it must withstand the continuous threats posed by bacteriophages. Interestingly, until now, only a handful of phages have been isolated for the commonly used laboratory strain, P. putida KT2440, and no phage defence mechanisms have been characterized. In this study, we present a new Collection of Environmental P. putida Phages from Estonia, or CEPEST. This collection comprises 67 double-stranded DNA phages, which belong to 22 phage species and 9 phage genera. Our findings reveal that most phages in the CEPEST collection are more infectious at lower temperatures, have a narrow host range, and require an intact lipopolysaccharide for P. putida infection. Furthermore, we show that cryptic prophages present in the P. putida chromosome provide strong protection against the infection of many phages. However, the chromosomal toxin-antitoxin systems do not play a role in the phage defence of P. putida. This research provides valuable insights into the interactions between P. putida and bacteriophages, which could have significant implications for biotechnological and environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Age Brauer
- Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Sirli Rosendahl
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anu Kängsep
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Alicja Cecylia Lewańczyk
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Roger Rikberg
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Rita Hõrak
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Hedvig Tamman
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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33
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Ednacot EMQ, Nabhani A, Dinh DM, Morehouse BR. Pharmacological potential of cyclic nucleotide signaling in immunity. Pharmacol Ther 2024; 258:108653. [PMID: 38679204 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2024.108653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Cyclic nucleotides are important signaling molecules that play many critical physiological roles including controlling cell fate and development, regulation of metabolic processes, and responding to changes in the environment. Cyclic nucleotides are also pivotal regulators in immune signaling, orchestrating intricate processes that maintain homeostasis and defend against pathogenic threats. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the pharmacological potential of cyclic nucleotide signaling pathways within the realm of immunity. Beginning with an overview of the fundamental roles of cAMP and cGMP as ubiquitous second messengers, this review delves into the complexities of their involvement in immune responses. Special attention is given to the challenges associated with modulating these signaling pathways for therapeutic purposes, emphasizing the necessity for achieving cell-type specificity to avert unintended consequences. A major focus of the review is on the recent paradigm-shifting discoveries regarding specialized cyclic nucleotide signals in the innate immune system, notably the cGAS-STING pathway. The significance of cyclic dinucleotides, exemplified by 2'3'-cGAMP, in controlling immune responses against pathogens and cancer, is explored. The evolutionarily conserved nature of cyclic dinucleotides as antiviral agents, spanning across diverse organisms, underscores their potential as targets for innovative immunotherapies. Findings from the last several years have revealed a striking diversity of novel bacterial cyclic nucleotide second messengers which are involved in antiviral responses. Knowledge of the existence and precise identity of these molecules coupled with accurate descriptions of their associated immune defense pathways will be essential to the future development of novel antibacterial therapeutic strategies. The insights presented herein may help researchers navigate the evolving landscape of immunopharmacology as it pertains to cyclic nucleotides and point toward new avenues or lines of thinking about development of therapeutics against the pathways they regulate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirene Marie Q Ednacot
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ali Nabhani
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - David M Dinh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Benjamin R Morehouse
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Institute for Immunology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Virus Research, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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34
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Bravo JPK, Ramos DA, Fregoso Ocampo R, Ingram C, Taylor DW. Plasmid targeting and destruction by the DdmDE bacterial defence system. Nature 2024; 630:961-967. [PMID: 38740055 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07515-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Although eukaryotic Argonautes have a pivotal role in post-transcriptional gene regulation through nucleic acid cleavage, some short prokaryotic Argonaute variants (pAgos) rely on auxiliary nuclease factors for efficient foreign DNA degradation1. Here we reveal the activation pathway of the DNA defence module DdmDE system, which rapidly eliminates small, multicopy plasmids from the Vibrio cholerae seventh pandemic strain (7PET)2. Through a combination of cryo-electron microscopy, biochemistry and in vivo plasmid clearance assays, we demonstrate that DdmE is a catalytically inactive, DNA-guided, DNA-targeting pAgo with a distinctive insertion domain. We observe that the helicase-nuclease DdmD transitions from an autoinhibited, dimeric complex to a monomeric state upon loading of single-stranded DNA targets. Furthermore, the complete structure of the DdmDE-guide-target handover complex provides a comprehensive view into how DNA recognition triggers processive plasmid destruction. Our work establishes a mechanistic foundation for how pAgos utilize ancillary factors to achieve plasmid clearance, and provides insights into anti-plasmid immunity in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack P K Bravo
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuberg, Austria.
| | - Delisa A Ramos
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | - Caiden Ingram
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - David W Taylor
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
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35
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Kraus S, Fletcher ML, Łapińska U, Chawla K, Baker E, Attrill EL, O'Neill P, Farbos A, Jeffries A, Galyov EE, Korbsrisate S, Barnes KB, Harding SV, Tsaneva-Atanasova K, Blaskovich MAT, Pagliara S. Phage-induced efflux down-regulation boosts antibiotic efficacy. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012361. [PMID: 38941361 PMCID: PMC11239113 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The interactions between a virus and its host vary in space and time and are affected by the presence of molecules that alter the physiology of either the host or the virus. Determining the molecular mechanisms at the basis of these interactions is paramount for predicting the fate of bacterial and phage populations and for designing rational phage-antibiotic therapies. We study the interactions between stationary phase Burkholderia thailandensis and the phage ΦBp-AMP1. Although heterogeneous genetic resistance to phage rapidly emerges in B. thailandensis, the presence of phage enhances the efficacy of three major antibiotic classes, the quinolones, the beta-lactams and the tetracyclines, but antagonizes tetrahydrofolate synthesis inhibitors. We discovered that enhanced antibiotic efficacy is facilitated by reduced antibiotic efflux in the presence of phage. This new phage-antibiotic therapy allows for eradication of stationary phase bacteria, whilst requiring reduced antibiotic concentrations, which is crucial for treating infections in sites where it is difficult to achieve high antibiotic concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Kraus
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Megan L Fletcher
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Urszula Łapińska
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Krina Chawla
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Evan Baker
- Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Erin L Attrill
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Paul O'Neill
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Audrey Farbos
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Aaron Jeffries
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Edouard E Galyov
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Sunee Korbsrisate
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok Thailand
| | - Kay B Barnes
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah V Harding
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Mark A T Blaskovich
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
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Otero-Olarra JE, Díaz-Cárdenas G, Aguilera-Arreola MG, Curiel-Quesada E, Pérez-Valdespino A. Aeromonas trota Is Highly Refractory to Acquire Exogenous Genetic Material. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1091. [PMID: 38930473 PMCID: PMC11206119 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aeromonas trota is sensitive to most antibiotics and the sole species of this genus susceptible to ampicillin. This susceptibility profile could be related to its inability to acquire exogenous DNA. In this study, A. trota isolates were analyzed to establish their capacity to incorporate foreign DNA. Fourteen strains were identified as A. trota by multilocus phylogenetic analysis (MLPA). Minimal inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics (MIC) were assessed, confirming the susceptibility to most antibiotics tested. To explore their capacity to be transformed, A. trota strains were used as recipients in different horizontal transfer assays. Results showed that around fifty percent of A. trota strains were able to incorporate pBAMD1-2 and pBBR1MCS-3 plasmids after conjugal transfer. In all instances, conjugation frequencies were very low. Interestingly, several isoforms of plasmid pBBR1MCS-3 were observed in transconjugants. Strains could not receive pAr-32, a native plasmid from A. salmonicida. A. trota strains were unable to receive DNA by means of electroporation, natural transformation or vesiduction. These results confirm that A. trota species are extremely refractory to horizontal gene transfer, which could be associated to plasmid instability resulting from oligomerization or to the presence of defense systems against exogenous genetic material in their genomes. To explain the poor results of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), selected genomes were sequenced and analyzed, revealing the presence of defense systems, which could prevent the stable incorporation of exogenous DNA in A. trota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Erick Otero-Olarra
- Department of Biochemistry, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico; (J.E.O.-O.); (G.D.-C.)
| | - Gilda Díaz-Cárdenas
- Department of Biochemistry, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico; (J.E.O.-O.); (G.D.-C.)
| | - Ma Guadalupe Aguilera-Arreola
- Department of Microbiology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico;
| | - Everardo Curiel-Quesada
- Department of Biochemistry, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico; (J.E.O.-O.); (G.D.-C.)
| | - Abigail Pérez-Valdespino
- Department of Biochemistry, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City 11340, Mexico; (J.E.O.-O.); (G.D.-C.)
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37
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Gao Y, Zhong Z, Zhang D, Zhang J, Li YX. Exploring the roles of ribosomal peptides in prokaryote-phage interactions through deep learning-enabled metagenome mining. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:94. [PMID: 38790030 PMCID: PMC11118758 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01807-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbial secondary metabolites play a crucial role in the intricate interactions within the natural environment. Among these metabolites, ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are becoming a promising source of therapeutic agents due to their structural diversity and functional versatility. However, their biosynthetic capacity and ecological functions remain largely underexplored. RESULTS Here, we aim to explore the biosynthetic profile of RiPPs and their potential roles in the interactions between microbes and viruses in the ocean, which encompasses a vast diversity of unique biomes that are rich in interactions and remains chemically underexplored. We first developed TrRiPP to identify RiPPs from ocean metagenomes, a deep learning method that detects RiPP precursors in a hallmark gene-independent manner to overcome the limitations of classic methods in processing highly fragmented metagenomic data. Applying this method to metagenomes from the global ocean microbiome, we uncover a diverse array of previously uncharacterized putative RiPP families with great novelty and diversity. Through correlation analysis based on metatranscriptomic data, we observed a high prevalence of antiphage defense-related and phage-related protein families that were co-expressed with RiPP families. Based on this putative association between RiPPs and phage infection, we constructed an Ocean Virus Database (OVD) and established a RiPP-involving host-phage interaction network through host prediction and co-expression analysis, revealing complex connectivities linking RiPP-encoding prokaryotes, RiPP families, viral protein families, and phages. These findings highlight the potential of RiPP families involved in prokaryote-phage interactions and coevolution, providing insights into their ecological functions in the ocean microbiome. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a systematic investigation of the biosynthetic potential of RiPPs from the ocean microbiome at a global scale, shedding light on the essential insights into the ecological functions of RiPPs in prokaryote-phage interactions through the integration of deep learning approaches, metatranscriptomic data, and host-phage connectivity. This study serves as a valuable example of exploring the ecological functions of bacterial secondary metabolites, particularly their associations with unexplored microbial interactions. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Gao
- CYM305, Department of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 999077, China
| | - Zheng Zhong
- CYM305, Department of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 999077, China
| | - Dengwei Zhang
- CYM305, Department of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 999077, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- CYM305, Department of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 999077, China
| | - Yong-Xin Li
- CYM305, Department of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 999077, China.
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Bell RT, Sahakyan H, Makarova KS, Wolf YI, Koonin EV. CoCoNuTs are a diverse subclass of Type IV restriction systems predicted to target RNA. eLife 2024; 13:RP94800. [PMID: 38739430 PMCID: PMC11090510 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94800] [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] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive census of McrBC systems, among the most common forms of prokaryotic Type IV restriction systems, followed by phylogenetic analysis, reveals their enormous abundance in diverse prokaryotes and a plethora of genomic associations. We focus on a previously uncharacterized branch, which we denote coiled-coil nuclease tandems (CoCoNuTs) for their salient features: the presence of extensive coiled-coil structures and tandem nucleases. The CoCoNuTs alone show extraordinary variety, with three distinct types and multiple subtypes. All CoCoNuTs contain domains predicted to interact with translation system components, such as OB-folds resembling the SmpB protein that binds bacterial transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA), YTH-like domains that might recognize methylated tmRNA, tRNA, or rRNA, and RNA-binding Hsp70 chaperone homologs, along with RNases, such as HEPN domains, all suggesting that the CoCoNuTs target RNA. Many CoCoNuTs might additionally target DNA, via McrC nuclease homologs. Additional restriction systems, such as Type I RM, BREX, and Druantia Type III, are frequently encoded in the same predicted superoperons. In many of these superoperons, CoCoNuTs are likely regulated by cyclic nucleotides, possibly, RNA fragments with cyclic termini, that bind associated CARF (CRISPR-Associated Rossmann Fold) domains. We hypothesize that the CoCoNuTs, together with the ancillary restriction factors, employ an echeloned defense strategy analogous to that of Type III CRISPR-Cas systems, in which an immune response eliminating virus DNA and/or RNA is launched first, but then, if it fails, an abortive infection response leading to PCD/dormancy via host RNA cleavage takes over.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Bell
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Harutyun Sahakyan
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Kira S Makarova
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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39
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Huang J, Zhu K, Gao Y, Ye F, Li Z, Ge Y, Liu S, Yang J, Gao A. Molecular basis of bacterial DSR2 anti-phage defense and viral immune evasion. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3954. [PMID: 38729958 PMCID: PMC11087589 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48291-4] [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: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Defense-associated sirtuin 2 (DSR2) systems are widely distributed across prokaryotic genomes, providing robust protection against phage infection. DSR2 recognizes phage tail tube proteins and induces abortive infection by depleting intracellular NAD+, a process that is counteracted by another phage-encoded protein, DSR Anti Defense 1 (DSAD1). Here, we present cryo-EM structures of Bacillus subtilis DSR2 in its apo, Tube-bound, and DSAD1-bound states. DSR2 assembles into an elongated tetramer, with four NADase catalytic modules clustered in the center and the regulatory-sensing modules distributed at four distal corners. Interestingly, monomeric Tube protein, rather than its oligomeric states, docks at each corner of the DSR2 tetramer to form a 4:4 DSR2-Tube assembly, which is essential for DSR2 NADase activity. DSAD1 competes with Tube for binding to DSR2 by occupying an overlapping region, thereby inhibiting DSR2 immunity. Thus, our results provide important insights into the assembly, activation and inhibition of the DSR2 anti-phage defense system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafeng Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Keli Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yina Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Feng Ye
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Zhaolong Li
- Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yao Ge
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Songqing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Neurology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Ang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China.
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China.
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40
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Oshiro RT, Dunham DT, Seed KD. The vibriophage-encoded inhibitor OrbA abrogates BREX-mediated defense through the ATPase BrxC. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.09.593382. [PMID: 38766029 PMCID: PMC11100822 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.09.593382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria and phages are locked in a co-evolutionary arms race where each entity evolves mechanisms to restrict the proliferation of the other. Phage-encoded defense inhibitors have proven powerful tools to interrogate how defense systems function. A relatively common defense system is BREX (Bacteriophage exclusion); however, how BREX functions to restrict phage infection remains poorly understood. A BREX system encoded by the SXT integrative and conjugative element, Vch Ind5, was recently identified in Vibrio cholerae , the causative agent of the diarrheal disease cholera. The lytic phage ICP1 that co-circulates with V. cholerae encodes the BREX inhibitor OrbA, but how OrbA inhibits BREX is unclear. Here, we determine that OrbA inhibits BREX using a unique mechanism from known BREX inhibitors by directly binding to the BREX component BrxC. BrxC has a functional ATPase domain that, when mutated, not only disrupts BrxC function but also alters how BrxC multimerizes. Furthermore, we find that OrbA binding disrupts BrxC-BrxC interactions. We determine that OrbA cannot bind BrxC encoded by the distantly related BREX system encoded by the SXT Vch Ban9, and thus fails to inhibit this BREX system that also circulates in epidemic V. cholerae . Lastly, we find that homologs of the Vch Ind5 BrxC are more diverse than the homologs of the Vch Ban9 BrxC. These data provide new insight into the function of the BrxC ATPase and highlight how phage-encoded inhibitors can disrupt phage defense systems using different mechanisms. Importance With renewed interest in phage therapy to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens, understanding the mechanisms bacteria use to defend themselves against phages and the counter-strategies phages evolve to inhibit defenses is paramount. Bacteriophage exclusion (BREX) is a common defense system with few known inhibitors. Here, we probe how the vibriophage-encoded inhibitor OrbA inhibits the BREX system of Vibrio cholerae , the causative agent of the diarrheal disease cholera. By interrogating OrbA function, we have begun to understand the importance and function of a BREX component. Our results demonstrate the importance of identifying inhibitors against defense systems, as they are powerful tools for dissecting defense activity and can inform strategies to increase the efficacy of some phage therapies.
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41
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Sprenger M, Siemers M, Krautwurst S, Papenfort K. Small RNAs direct attack and defense mechanisms in a quorum sensing phage and its host. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:727-738.e6. [PMID: 38579715 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Many, if not all, bacteria use quorum sensing (QS) to control collective behaviors, and more recently, QS has also been discovered in bacteriophages (phages). Phages can produce communication molecules of their own, or "listen in" on the host's communication processes, to switch between lytic and lysogenic modes of infection. Here, we study the interaction of Vibrio cholerae with the lysogenic phage VP882, which is activated by the QS molecule DPO. We discover that induction of VP882 results in the binding of phage transcripts to the major RNA chaperone Hfq, which in turn outcompetes and downregulates host-encoded small RNAs (sRNAs). VP882 itself also encodes Hfq-binding sRNAs, and we demonstrate that one of these sRNAs, named VpdS, promotes phage replication by regulating host and phage mRNA levels. We further show that host-encoded sRNAs can antagonize phage replication by downregulating phage mRNA expression and thus might be part of the host's phage defense arsenal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Sprenger
- Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Microbiology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Malte Siemers
- Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Microbiology, 07745 Jena, Germany; Microverse Cluster, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Kai Papenfort
- Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Microbiology, 07745 Jena, Germany; Microverse Cluster, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany.
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42
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Tamura A, Azam AH, Nakamura T, Lee K, Iyoda S, Kondo K, Ojima S, Chihara K, Yamashita W, Cui L, Akeda Y, Watashi K, Takahashi Y, Yotsuyanagi H, Kiga K. Synthetic phage-based approach for sensitive and specific detection of Escherichia coli O157. Commun Biol 2024; 7:535. [PMID: 38710842 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06247-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli O157 can cause foodborne outbreaks, with infection leading to severe disease such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Although phage-based detection methods for E. coli O157 are being explored, research on their specificity with clinical isolates is lacking. Here, we describe an in vitro assembly-based synthesis of vB_Eco4M-7, an O157 antigen-specific phage with a 68-kb genome, and its use as a proof of concept for E. coli O157 detection. Linking the detection tag to the C-terminus of the tail fiber protein, gp27 produces the greatest detection sensitivity of the 20 insertions sites tested. The constructed phage detects all 53 diverse clinical isolates of E. coli O157, clearly distinguishing them from 35 clinical isolates of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Our efficient phage synthesis methods can be applied to other pathogenic bacteria for a variety of applications, including phage-based detection and phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azumi Tamura
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Advanced Clinical Research Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Aa Haeruman Azam
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Nakamura
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Lee
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sunao Iyoda
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kohei Kondo
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinjiro Ojima
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Chihara
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wakana Yamashita
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Longzhu Cui
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke-shi, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Akeda
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Watashi
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Takahashi
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Yotsuyanagi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Advanced Clinical Research Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Kiga
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke-shi, Tochigi, Japan.
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43
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Huang Y, Zhang S, Wu M. S-adenosyl methionine-AMP opens another skylight of CRISPR system: discovering novel second messenger for bacterial antiviral immunity. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e522. [PMID: 38680519 PMCID: PMC11055957 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yongye Huang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresource Research and Development of Liaoning ProvinceCollege of Life and Health SciencesNortheastern UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Sihui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresource Research and Development of Liaoning ProvinceCollege of Life and Health SciencesNortheastern UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Min Wu
- Wenzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityWenzhouChina
- Wenzhou InstituteUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesWenzhouZhejiangChina
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44
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Embry A, Baggett NS, Heisler DB, White A, de Jong MF, Kocsis BL, Tomchick DR, Alto NM, Gammon DB. Exploiting bacterial effector proteins to uncover evolutionarily conserved antiviral host machinery. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012010. [PMID: 38753575 PMCID: PMC11098378 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Arboviruses are a diverse group of insect-transmitted pathogens that pose global public health challenges. Identifying evolutionarily conserved host factors that combat arbovirus replication in disparate eukaryotic hosts is important as they may tip the balance between productive and abortive viral replication, and thus determine virus host range. Here, we exploit naturally abortive arbovirus infections that we identified in lepidopteran cells and use bacterial effector proteins to uncover host factors restricting arbovirus replication. Bacterial effectors are proteins secreted by pathogenic bacteria into eukaryotic hosts cells that can inhibit antimicrobial defenses. Since bacteria and viruses can encounter common host defenses, we hypothesized that some bacterial effectors may inhibit host factors that restrict arbovirus replication in lepidopteran cells. Thus, we used bacterial effectors as molecular tools to identify host factors that restrict four distinct arboviruses in lepidopteran cells. By screening 210 effectors encoded by seven different bacterial pathogens, we identify several effectors that individually rescue the replication of all four arboviruses. We show that these effectors encode diverse enzymatic activities that are required to break arbovirus restriction. We further characterize Shigella flexneri-encoded IpaH4 as an E3 ubiquitin ligase that directly ubiquitinates two evolutionarily conserved proteins, SHOC2 and PSMC1, promoting their degradation in insect and human cells. We show that depletion of either SHOC2 or PSMC1 in insect or human cells promotes arbovirus replication, indicating that these are ancient virus restriction factors conserved across invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. Collectively, our study reveals a novel pathogen-guided approach to identify conserved antimicrobial machinery, new effector functions, and conserved roles for SHOC2 and PSMC1 in virus restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Embry
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
| | - Nina S. Baggett
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
| | - David B. Heisler
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
| | - Addison White
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
| | - Maarten F. de Jong
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
| | - Benjamin L. Kocsis
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
| | - Diana R. Tomchick
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
| | - Neal M. Alto
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
| | - Don B. Gammon
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United State of America
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45
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Hossain AA, Pigli YZ, Baca CF, Heissel S, Thomas A, Libis VK, Burian J, Chappie JS, Brady SF, Rice PA, Marraffini LA. DNA glycosylases provide antiviral defence in prokaryotes. Nature 2024; 629:410-416. [PMID: 38632404 PMCID: PMC11078745 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07329-9] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria have adapted to phage predation by evolving a vast assortment of defence systems1. Although anti-phage immunity genes can be identified using bioinformatic tools, the discovery of novel systems is restricted to the available prokaryotic sequence data2. Here, to overcome this limitation, we infected Escherichia coli carrying a soil metagenomic DNA library3 with the lytic coliphage T4 to isolate clones carrying protective genes. Following this approach, we identified Brig1, a DNA glycosylase that excises α-glucosyl-hydroxymethylcytosine nucleobases from the bacteriophage T4 genome to generate abasic sites and inhibit viral replication. Brig1 homologues that provide immunity against T-even phages are present in multiple phage defence loci across distinct clades of bacteria. Our study highlights the benefits of screening unsequenced DNA and reveals prokaryotic DNA glycosylases as important players in the bacteria-phage arms race.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amer A Hossain
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ying Z Pigli
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christian F Baca
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Søren Heissel
- Proteomics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexis Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Vincent K Libis
- Laboratory of Genetically Encoded Small Molecules, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ján Burian
- Laboratory of Genetically Encoded Small Molecules, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua S Chappie
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Sean F Brady
- Laboratory of Genetically Encoded Small Molecules, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Phoebe A Rice
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Luciano A Marraffini
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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Ren K, Zhou F, Zhang F, Yin M, Zhu Y, Wang S, Chen Y, Huang T, Wu Z, He J, Zhang A, Guo C, Huang Z. Discovery and structural mechanism of DNA endonucleases guided by RAGATH-18-derived RNAs. Cell Res 2024; 34:370-385. [PMID: 38575718 PMCID: PMC11061315 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-024-00952-1] [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: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems and IS200/IS605 transposon-associated TnpBs have been utilized for the development of genome editing technologies. Using bioinformatics analysis and biochemical experiments, here we present a new family of RNA-guided DNA endonucleases. Our bioinformatics analysis initially identifies the stable co-occurrence of conserved RAGATH-18-derived RNAs (reRNAs) and their upstream IS607 TnpBs with an average length of 390 amino acids. IS607 TnpBs form programmable DNases through interaction with reRNAs. We discover the robust dsDNA interference activity of IS607 TnpB systems in bacteria and human cells. Further characterization of the Firmicutes bacteria IS607 TnpB system (ISFba1 TnpB) reveals that its dsDNA cleavage activity is remarkably sensitive to single mismatches between the guide and target sequences in human cells. Our findings demonstrate that a length of 20 nt in the guide sequence of reRNA achieves the highest DNA cleavage activity for ISFba1 TnpB. A cryo-EM structure of the ISFba1 TnpB effector protein bound by its cognate RAGATH-18 motif-containing reRNA and a dsDNA target reveals the mechanisms underlying reRNA recognition by ISFba1 TnpB, reRNA-guided dsDNA targeting, and the sensitivity of the ISFba1 TnpB system to base mismatches between the guide and target DNA. Collectively, this study identifies the IS607 TnpB family of compact and specific RNA-guided DNases with great potential for application in gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan Ren
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Fengxia Zhou
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Westlake Center for Genome Editing, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Mingyu Yin
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yuwei Zhu
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shouyu Wang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yan Chen
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Tengjin Huang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zixuan Wu
- Westlake Center for Genome Editing, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiale He
- Westlake Center for Genome Editing, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Anqi Zhang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Changyou Guo
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhiwei Huang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
- Westlake Center for Genome Editing, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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47
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Rostøl JT, Quiles-Puchalt N, Iturbe-Sanz P, Lasa Í, Penadés JR. Bacteriophages avoid autoimmunity from cognate immune systems as an intrinsic part of their life cycles. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1312-1324. [PMID: 38565896 PMCID: PMC11087260 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01661-6] [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: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Dormant prophages protect lysogenic cells by expressing diverse immune systems, which must avoid targeting their cognate prophages upon activation. Here we report that multiple Staphylococcus aureus prophages encode Tha (tail-activated, HEPN (higher eukaryotes and prokaryotes nucleotide-binding) domain-containing anti-phage system), a defence system activated by structural tail proteins of incoming phages. We demonstrate the function of two Tha systems, Tha-1 and Tha-2, activated by distinct tail proteins. Interestingly, Tha systems can also block reproduction of the induced tha-positive prophages. To prevent autoimmunity after prophage induction, these systems are inhibited by the product of a small overlapping antisense gene previously believed to encode an excisionase. This genetic organization, conserved in S. aureus prophages, allows Tha systems to protect prophages and their bacterial hosts against phage predation and to be turned off during prophage induction, balancing immunity and autoimmunity. Our results show that the fine regulation of these processes is essential for the correct development of prophages' life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob T Rostøl
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Nuria Quiles-Puchalt
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- School of Health Sciences, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
| | - Pablo Iturbe-Sanz
- Laboratory of Microbial Pathogenesis. Navarrabiomed, Hospital Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Íñigo Lasa
- Laboratory of Microbial Pathogenesis. Navarrabiomed, Hospital Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - José R Penadés
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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48
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Hernandez CA, Delesalle VA, Krukonis GP, DeCurzio JM, Koskella B. Genomic and phenotypic signatures of bacteriophage coevolution with the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e16850. [PMID: 36651263 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16850] [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: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The rate and trajectory of evolution in an obligate parasite is critically dependent on those of its host(s). Adaptation to a genetically homogeneous host population should theoretically result in specialization, while adaptation to an evolving host population (i.e., coevolution) can result in various outcomes including diversification, range expansion, and/or local adaptation. For viruses of bacteria (bacteriophages, or phages), our understanding of how evolutionary history of the bacterial host(s) impacts viral genotypic and phenotypic evolution is currently limited. In this study, we used whole genome sequencing and two different metrics of phage impacts to compare the genotypes and phenotypes of lytic phages that had either coevolved with or were repeatedly passaged on an unchanging (ancestral) strain of the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae. Genomes of coevolved phages had more mutations than those of phages passaged on a constant host, and most mutations were in genes encoding phage tail-associated proteins. Phages from both passaging treatments shared some phenotypic outcomes, including range expansion and divergence across replicate populations, but coevolved phages were more efficient at reducing population growth (particularly of sympatric coevolved hosts). Genotypic similarity correlated with infectivity profile similarity in coevolved phages, but not in phages passaged on the ancestral host. Overall, while adaptation to either host type (coevolving or ancestral) led to divergence in phage tail proteins and infectivity patterns, coevolution led to more rapid molecular changes that increased bacterial killing efficiency and had more predictable effects on infectivity range. Together, these results underscore the important role of hosts in driving viral evolution and in shaping the genotype-phenotype relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Hernandez
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, Berkeley, USA
| | | | - Greg P Krukonis
- Department of Biology, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas, USA
| | - Jenna M DeCurzio
- Department of Biology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Britt Koskella
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, Berkeley, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
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Li J, Cheng R, Wang Z, Yuan W, Xiao J, Zhao X, Du X, Xia S, Wang L, Zhu B, Wang L. Structures and activation mechanism of the Gabija anti-phage system. Nature 2024; 629:467-473. [PMID: 38471529 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07270-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Prokaryotes have evolved intricate innate immune systems against phage infection1-7. Gabija is a highly widespread prokaryotic defence system that consists of two components, GajA and GajB8. GajA functions as a DNA endonuclease that is inactive in the presence of ATP9. Here, to explore how the Gabija system is activated for anti-phage defence, we report its cryo-electron microscopy structures in five states, including apo GajA, GajA in complex with DNA, GajA bound by ATP, apo GajA-GajB, and GajA-GajB in complex with ATP and Mg2+. GajA is a rhombus-shaped tetramer with its ATPase domain clustered at the centre and the topoisomerase-primase (Toprim) domain located peripherally. ATP binding at the ATPase domain stabilizes the insertion region within the ATPase domain, keeping the Toprim domain in a closed state. Upon ATP depletion by phages, the Toprim domain opens to bind and cleave the DNA substrate. GajB, which docks on GajA, is activated by the cleaved DNA, ultimately leading to prokaryotic cell death. Our study presents a mechanistic landscape of Gabija activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rui Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wuliu Yuan
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun Xiao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinyuan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinran Du
- School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shiyu Xia
- Divison of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Lianrong Wang
- Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Longfei Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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Martínez M, Rizzuto I, Molina R. Knowing Our Enemy in the Antimicrobial Resistance Era: Dissecting the Molecular Basis of Bacterial Defense Systems. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4929. [PMID: 38732145 PMCID: PMC11084316 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094929] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria and their phage adversaries are engaged in an ongoing arms race, resulting in the development of a broad antiphage arsenal and corresponding viral countermeasures. In recent years, the identification and utilization of CRISPR-Cas systems have driven a renewed interest in discovering and characterizing antiphage mechanisms, revealing a richer diversity than initially anticipated. Currently, these defense systems can be categorized based on the bacteria's strategy associated with the infection cycle stage. Thus, bacterial defense systems can degrade the invading genetic material, trigger an abortive infection, or inhibit genome replication. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of processes related to bacterial immunity has significant implications for phage-based therapies and the development of new biotechnological tools. This review aims to comprehensively cover these processes, with a focus on the most recent discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rafael Molina
- Department of Crystallography and Structural Biology, Instituto de Química-Física Blas Cabrera, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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