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Jiang B, Zhang Y, Li G, Quan Y, Shu J, Feng H, He Y. Research Progress on Immune Evasion of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1439. [PMID: 39065207 PMCID: PMC11279058 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12071439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
As the main pathogen associated with enzootic pneumonia (EP), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) is globally prevalent and inflicts huge financial losses on the worldwide swine industry each year. However, the pathogenicity of Mhp has not been fully explained to date. Mhp invasion usually leads to long-term chronic infection and persistent lung colonization, suggesting that Mhp has developed effective immune evasion strategies. In this review, we offer more detailed information than was previously available about its immune evasion mechanisms through a systematic summary of the extant findings. Genetic mutation and post-translational protein processing confer Mhp the ability to alter its surface antigens. With the help of adhesins, Mhp can achieve cell invasion. And Mhp can modulate the host immune system through the induction of inflammation, incomplete autophagy, apoptosis, and the suppression of immune cell or immune effector activity. Furthermore, we offer the latest views on how we may treat Mhp infections and develop novel vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yulong He
- Department of Biopharmacy, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (B.J.); (Y.Z.); (G.L.); (Y.Q.); (J.S.); (H.F.)
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2
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Magtoto PD, Arruda BL, Magtoto RL, Mora-Díaz JC, Opulencia RB, Baum DH, Zimmerman JJ, Giménez-Lirola LG. Differential antigenicity of individual Mycoplasma hyorhinis variable lipoproteins. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2024; 272:110768. [PMID: 38703559 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2024.110768] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
The Mycoplasma hyorhinis (Mhr) variable lipoprotein (Vlp) family, comprising Vlps A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, are highly variable in expression, size, and cytoadhesion capabilities across Mhr strains. The 'Vlp system' plays a crucial role in cytoadhesion, immune evasion, and in eliciting a host immunologic response. This pilot study described the development of Vlp peptide-based ELISAs to evaluate the antigenic reactivity of individual Vlps against Mhr antisera collected throughout a longitudinal study focused on Mhr strain 38983, reproducing Mhr-associated disease under experimental conditions. Specifically, serum samples were collected at day post-inoculation 0, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 from Mhr- and mock (Friis medium)-inoculated cesarean-derived, colostrum-deprived pigs. Significant Mhr-specific IgG responses were detected at specific time points throughout the infection, with some variations for each Vlp. Overall, individual Vlp ELISAs showed consistently high accuracy rates, except for VlpD, which would likely be associated with its expression levels or the anti-Vlp humoral immune response specific to the Mhr strain used in this study. This study provides the basis and tools for a more refined understanding of these Vlp- and Mhr strain-specific variations, which is foundational in understanding the host immune response to Mhr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Precy D Magtoto
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Pampanga State Agricultural University, Pampanga, the Philippines; College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, the Philippines
| | - Bailey L Arruda
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA; Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Ronaldo L Magtoto
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Mora-Díaz
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Rina B Opulencia
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, the Philippines
| | - David H Baum
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Jeff J Zimmerman
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Luis G Giménez-Lirola
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
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Ko CC, Merodio MM, Spronk E, Lehman JR, Shen H, Li G, Derscheid RJ, Piñeyro PE. Diagnostic investigation of Mycoplasma hyorhinis as a potential pathogen associated with neurological clinical signs and central nervous system lesions in pigs. Microb Pathog 2023; 180:106172. [PMID: 37230257 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Mycoplasma hyorhinis (M. hyorhinis) is a commensal of the upper respiratory tract in swine with the typical clinical presentations of arthritis and polyserositis in postweaning pigs. However, it has also been associated with conjunctivitis and otitis media, and recently has been isolated from meningeal swabs and/or cerebrospinal fluid of piglets with neurological signs. The objective of this study is to evaluate the role of M. hyorhinis as a potential pathogen associated with neurological clinical signs and central nervous system lesions in pigs. The presence of M. hyorhinis was evaluated in a clinical outbreak and a six-year retrospective study by qPCR detection, bacteriological culture, in situ hybridization (RNAscope®), and phylogenetic analysis and with immunohistochemistry characterization of the inflammatory response associated with its infection. M. hyorhinis was confirmed by bacteriological culture and within central nervous system lesions by in situ hybridization on animals with neurological signs during the clinical outbreak. The isolates from the brain had close genetic similarities from those previously reported and isolated from eye, lung, or fibrin. Nevertheless, the retrospective study confirmed by qPCR the presence of M. hyorhinis in 9.9% of cases reported with neurological clinical signs and histological lesions of encephalitis or meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology. M. hyorhinis mRNA was confirmed within cerebrum, cerebellum, and choroid plexus lesions by in situ hybridization (RNAscope®) with a positive rate of 72.7%. Here we present strong evidence that M. hyorhinis should be included as a differential etiology in pigs with neurological signs and central nervous system inflammatory lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin C Ko
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Maria M Merodio
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - E Spronk
- Swine Vet Center P.A., 1608 South Minnesota Avenue, St. Peter, Minnesota, USA
| | - J R Lehman
- Swine Technical Services, Merck Animal Health, Lenexa, KS, USA
| | - H Shen
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - G Li
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Rachel J Derscheid
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Pablo E Piñeyro
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
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Genomic Diversity of a Globally Used, Live Attenuated Mycoplasma Vaccine. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0284522. [PMID: 36318012 PMCID: PMC9769879 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02845-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mycoplasma synoviae live attenuated vaccine strain MS-H (Vaxsafe MS; Bioproperties Pty., Ltd., Australia) is commonly used around the world to prevent chronic infections caused by M. synoviae in birds and to minimize economic losses in the poultry industry. MS-H is a temperature-sensitive strain that is generated via the chemical mutagenesis of a virulent M. synoviae isolate, 86079/7NS. 32 single nucleotide polymorphisms have been found in the genome of MS-H compared to that of 86079/7NS, including 25 in predicted coding sequences (CDSs). There is limited information on the stability of these mutations in MS-H in vitro during the propagation of the vaccine manufacturing process or in vivo after the vaccination of chickens. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of MS-H genomes after in vitro and in vivo passages under different circumstances. Studying the dynamics of the MS-H population can provide insights into the factors that potentially affect the health of vaccinated birds. The genomes of 11 in vitro laboratory passages and 138 MS-H bird reisolates contained a total of 254 sequence variations. Of these, 39 variations associated with CDSs were detected in more than one genome (range = 2 to 62, median = 2.5), suggesting that these sequences are particularly prone to mutations. From the 25 CDSs containing previously characterized variations between MS-H and 86079/7NS, 7 were identified in the MS-H reisolates and progenies examined here. In conclusion, the MS-H genome contains individual regions that are prone to mutations that enable the restoration of the genotype or the phenotype of wild-type 86079/7NS in those regions. However, accumulated mutations in these regions are rare. IMPORTANCE Preventative measures, such as vaccination, are commonly used for the control of mycoplasmal infections in poultry. A live attenuated vaccine strain (Vaxsafe MS; MS-H; Bioproperties Pty. Ltd., Australia) is used for the prevention of disease caused by M. synoviae in many countries. However, information on the stability of previously characterized mutations in the MS-H genome is limited. In this study, we performed a comparative analysis of the whole-genome sequences of MS-H seeds used for vaccine manufacturing, commercial batches of the vaccine, cultures minimally passaged under small-scale laboratory and large-scale manufacturing conditions, MS-H reisolated from specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens that were vaccinated under controlled conditions, and MS-H reisolated from vaccinated commercial poultry flocks around the world. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of genome stability in MS-H after in vitro and in vivo passages under different circumstances and suggests that most of the mutations in the attenuated MS-H vaccine strain are stable.
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Abstract
Mycoplasmas are small, genome-reduced bacteria. They are obligate parasites that can be found in a wide range of host species, including the majority of livestock animals and humans. Colonization of the host can result in a wide spectrum of outcomes. In many cases, these successful parasites are considered commensal, as they are found in the microbiota of asymptomatic carriers. Conversely, mycoplasmas can also be pathogenic, as they are associated with a range of both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases which are problematic in veterinary and human medicine. The chronicity of mycoplasma infections and the ability of these bacteria to infect even recently vaccinated individuals clearly indicate that they are able to successfully evade their host’s humoral immune response. Over the years, multiple strategies of immune evasion have been identified in mycoplasmas, with a number of them aimed at generating important antigenic diversity. More recently, mycoplasma-specific anti-immunoglobulin strategies have also been characterized. Through the expression of the immunoglobulin-binding proteins protein M or mycoplasma immunoglobulin binding (MIB), mycoplasmas have the ability to target the host’s antibodies and to prevent them from interacting with their cognate antigens. In this review, we discuss how these discoveries shed new light on the relationship between mycoplasmas and their host’s immune system. We also propose that these strategies should be taken into consideration for future studies, as they are key to our understanding of mycoplasma diseases' chronic and inflammatory nature and are probably a contributing factor to reduce vaccine efficacy.
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Evaluation of colonization, variable lipoprotein-based serological response, and cellular immune response of Mycoplasma hyorhinis in experimentally infected swine. Vet Microbiol 2021; 260:109162. [PMID: 34217902 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2021.109162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Mycoplasma hyorhinis (Mhr) is a commensal of the upper respiratory tract that can be shed by nasal secretions and transmitted by direct contact in neonatal and nursery pigs. Lesions associated with Mhr infection include polyserositis and arthritis; however, systemic Mhr disease pathogenesis is not well characterized. This study aimed to investigate the immunopathogenesis and bacterial dissemination pattern of Mhr using single and multiple inoculation approaches in a caesarian-derived colostrum-deprived (CDCD) pig model. Animals in three treatment groups were inoculated once (Mhr 1; n = 12) or four (Mhr 2; n = 8) times with Mhr or sham-inoculated (NC group; n = 3) nasally and by tonsillar painting. Inoculum consisted of a triple cloned Mhr field isolate (4.5 × 107 CFU/mL) in Friis medium. Clinical signs were evaluated daily during the study. Serum and oral fluid antibody (IgA and IgG) response and cellular immune response were assessed using a recombinant chimeric VlpA-G-based indirect ELISA and by ELISpot, respectively. The presence of Mhr in oral fluids, nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were evaluated by qPCR. At 6 wpi, pigs were euthanized and evaluated for gross lesions consistent with Mhr and bacterial colonization in tonsils by qPCR. No clinical signs or gross lesions consistent with Mhr-associated disease were observed throughout the study. For Mhr 2 group, the presence of IgA and IgG in serum and oral fluids were detected at 2 and 4 weeks post-inoculation (wpi), respectively, while in Mhr 1, only IgA was detected in oral fluids at 6 wpi. The proportion of animals shedding Mhr in nasal secretions varied from 20 to 40 % in the Mhr 1 and 62.5-100% in the Mhr 2 group. However, the proportion of animals shedding Mhr in oropharyngeal swabs was consistent through the study (60 %) in Mhr 1 and fluctuated from 20 % to 87.5 % in Mhr 2 group. The lack of clinical signs and the presence of Mhr specific humoral response and bacterial colonization indicates that the multiple inoculation experimental model may mimic subclinical natural infection in the field. In addition, the humoral and transient cellular response did not result in bacterial clearance. Based on these results, animals would have to be exposed multiple times to mount a detectable immune response.
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Hennig-Pauka I, Sudendey C, Kleinschmidt S, Ruppitsch W, Loncaric I, Spergser J. Swine Conjunctivitis Associated with a Novel Mycoplasma Species Closely Related to Mycoplasma hyorhinis. Pathogens 2020; 10:pathogens10010013. [PMID: 33375690 PMCID: PMC7824142 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10010013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjunctivitis in swine is a common finding, usually considered to be a secondary symptom of respiratory or viral systemic disease, or a result of irritation by dust or ammonia, or of local infections with Mycoplasma (M.) hyorhinis or chlamydia. In three unrelated swine farms in Germany with a high prevalence of conjunctivitis, a novel mycoplasma species, tentatively named Mycoplasma sp. 1654_15, was isolated from conjunctival swabs taken from affected pigs. Although 16S rRNA gene sequences shared highest nucleotide similarities with M. hyorhinis, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, partial rpoB sequencing, and comparative whole genome analyses indicated the identification of a novel species within genus Mycoplasma. Noticeable differences between Mycoplasma sp. 1654_15 and M. hyorhinis were the lack of a vlp locus and the presence of a myo-inositol pathway in the genome of strain 1654_15. Since myo-inositol might be used as an alternative energy source by this pathogen on the conjunctival surface, robust colonization by outcompeting other bacteria could be the consequence. In summary, abundant isolation of Mycoplasma sp. 1654_15 from the conjunctiva of affected pigs, its close relationship to M. hyorhinis, and identification of a panel of coding sequences (CDSs) potentially associated with virulence and pathogenicity suggested a local eye disease caused by a so far unknown, highly specialized mycoplasma species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Hennig-Pauka
- Field Station for Epidemiology in Bakum, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 49456 Bakum, Germany;
| | | | - Sven Kleinschmidt
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Food and Veterinary Institute Braunschweig/Hannover, 30173 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Werner Ruppitsch
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, 1096 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Igor Loncaric
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Joachim Spergser
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
- Correspondence:
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Christodoulides A, Gupta N, Yacoubian V, Maithel N, Parker J, Kelesidis T. The Role of Lipoproteins in Mycoplasma-Mediated Immunomodulation. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1682. [PMID: 30108558 PMCID: PMC6080569 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma infections, such as walking pneumonia or pelvic inflammatory diseases, are a major threat to public health. Despite their relatively small physical and genomic size, mycoplasmas are known to elicit strong host immune responses, generally inflammatory, while also being able to evade the immune system. The mycoplasma membrane is composed of approximately two-thirds protein and one-third lipid and contains several lipoproteins that are known to regulate host immune responses. Herein, the immunomodulatory effects of mycoplasma lipoproteins are reviewed. A better understanding of the immunomodulatory effects, both activating and evasive, of Mycoplasma surface lipoproteins will contribute to understanding mechanisms potentially relevant to mycoplasma disease vaccine development and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Christodoulides
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Neha Gupta
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Vahe Yacoubian
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Neil Maithel
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jordan Parker
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Theodoros Kelesidis
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Galvao Ferrarini M, Mucha SG, Parrot D, Meiffrein G, Ruggiero Bachega JF, Comte G, Zaha A, Sagot MF. Hydrogen peroxide production and myo-inositol metabolism as important traits for virulence of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Mol Microbiol 2018; 108:683-696. [PMID: 29624763 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is the causative agent of enzootic pneumonia. In our previous work, we reconstructed the metabolic models of this species along with two other mycoplasmas from the respiratory tract of swine: Mycoplasma hyorhinis, considered less pathogenic but which nonetheless causes disease and Mycoplasma flocculare, a commensal bacterium. We identified metabolic differences that partially explained their different levels of pathogenicity. One important trait was the production of hydrogen peroxide from the glycerol metabolism only in the pathogenic species. Another important feature was a pathway for the metabolism of myo-inositol in M. hyopneumoniae. Here, we tested these traits to understand their relation to the different levels of pathogenicity, comparing not only the species but also pathogenic and attenuated strains of M. hyopneumoniae. Regarding the myo-inositol metabolism, we show that only M. hyopneumoniae assimilated this carbohydrate and remained viable when myo-inositol was the primary energy source. Strikingly, only the two pathogenic strains of M. hyopneumoniae produced hydrogen peroxide in complex medium. We also show that this production was dependent on the presence of glycerol. Although further functional tests are needed, we present in this work two interesting metabolic traits of M. hyopneumoniae that might be directly related to its enhanced virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Galvao Ferrarini
- ERABLE Team, Institut Nationale de Recherche en Informatique et Automation, Villeurbanne, France.,Laboratoire de Biometrie et Biologie Evolutive, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Scheila Gabriele Mucha
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Delphine Parrot
- ERABLE Team, Institut Nationale de Recherche en Informatique et Automation, Villeurbanne, France.,Laboratoire de Biometrie et Biologie Evolutive, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Guillaume Meiffrein
- Centre d'Etude des Substances Naturelles, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jose Fernando Ruggiero Bachega
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Departamento de Farmacociencias, Universidade Federal de Ciencias da Saude de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Gilles Comte
- Centre d'Etude des Substances Naturelles, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Arnaldo Zaha
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marie-France Sagot
- ERABLE Team, Institut Nationale de Recherche en Informatique et Automation, Villeurbanne, France.,Laboratoire de Biometrie et Biologie Evolutive, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
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Calcutt MJ, Lysnyansky I, Sachse K, Fox LK, Nicholas RAJ, Ayling RD. Gap analysis of Mycoplasma bovis disease, diagnosis and control: An aid to identify future development requirements. Transbound Emerg Dis 2018; 65 Suppl 1:91-109. [PMID: 29582590 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
There is a worldwide problem of disease caused by Mycoplasma (M.) bovis in cattle; it has a significant detrimental economic and animal welfare impact on cattle rearing. Infection can manifest as a plethora of clinical signs including mastitis, pneumonia, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis, otitis media and genital disorders that may result in infertility and abortion. Current diagnosis and control information are reviewed and analysed to identify gaps in knowledge of the causative organism in respect of the disease pathology, diagnosis and control methods. The main considerations are as follows: no vaccines are commercially available; antimicrobial resistance is increasing; diagnostic and antimicrobial sensitivity testing needs to be improved; and a pen-side test would facilitate more rapid diagnosis and implementation of treatment with antimicrobials. More data on host susceptibility, stress factors, immune response and infectious dose levels are required. The impact of asymptomatic carriers, M. bovis survival in the environment and the role of wildlife in transmitting the disease also needs investigation. To facilitate development of vaccines, further analysis of more M. bovis genomes, its pathogenic mechanisms, including variable surface proteins, is required, along with reproducible disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - K Sachse
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Jena, Germany.,Department of RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany
| | - L K Fox
- Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | | | - R D Ayling
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, UK
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Xer1-independent mechanisms of Vpma phase variation in Mycoplasma agalactiae are triggered by Vpma-specific antibodies. Int J Med Microbiol 2017; 307:443-451. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 09/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Søren A Ladefoged
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology University of Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry University Hospital of Aarhus, Denmark
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13
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Xiong Q, Zhang B, Wang J, Ni B, Ji Y, Wei Y, Xiao S, Feng Z, Liu M, Shao G. Characterization of the role in adherence of Mycoplasma hyorhinis variable lipoproteins containing different repeat unit copy numbers. Vet Microbiol 2016; 197:39-46. [PMID: 27938681 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2016.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Mycoplasma hyorhinis (M. hyorhinis) is an important pathogen of pigs. In previous studies, the variable lipoprotein (Vlp) family has been shown to play a role in mediating M. hyorhinis cytoadhesion. Herein, we performed several experiments to study the function of each Vlp family member in detail, especially examining the cytoadhesion functional domain and how the repeat unit copy number impacts on function. Recombinant proteins rVlpII, composed of region II from all seven Vlp members; rVlpIII, composed of repeat peptides from region III of all of Vlp members; as well as a series of recombinant rVlp proteins for each member containing different repeat unit copy numbers were constructed. All of the proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. The recombinant proteins, as well as seven keyhole limpet hemocyanin-conjugated Vlp peptides containing two copies of the repeat unit, were analyzed for their adherence to swine tracheal epithelial cells using a microtiter plate adherence assay. Both rVlpII and rVlpIII proteins were able to bind to cell membrane proteins. Among the repeat unit peptides, only PepVlpB and PepVlpG were able to bind to cell membrane proteins. All of the Vlp members had cytoadhesion capability. The adhesion abilities of the proteins containing 0 or 3 copies of the repeat unit were stronger than those of the proteins containing 12 copies. For rVlpA, rVlpB, rVlpD, rVlpF and rVlpG, the proteins containing no copies bound stronger than the proteins containing 3 copies. In contrast, the adherence of rVlpC3 was stronger than that of rVlpC0. There was no significant difference between the adherence of rVlpE3 and that of rVlpE0. Our results suggest that the major cytoadhesion sites of Vlps are mainly contained in region II, the function of which would be blocked by region III when region III is longer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiyan Xiong
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Bixiong Zhang
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China; Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Bo Ni
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Yan Ji
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Yanna Wei
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Shaobo Xiao
- Division of Animal Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhixin Feng
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Maojun Liu
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Guoqing Shao
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, National Center for Engineering Research of Veterinary Bio-products, Nanjing 210014, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Meat Production, Processing and Quality control, Nanjing 210014, China.
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14
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Ferrarini MG, Siqueira FM, Mucha SG, Palama TL, Jobard É, Elena-Herrmann B, R Vasconcelos AT, Tardy F, Schrank IS, Zaha A, Sagot MF. Insights on the virulence of swine respiratory tract mycoplasmas through genome-scale metabolic modeling. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:353. [PMID: 27178561 PMCID: PMC4866288 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2644-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The respiratory tract of swine is colonized by several bacteria among which are three Mycoplasma species: Mycoplasma flocculare, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Mycoplasma hyorhinis. While colonization by M. flocculare is virtually asymptomatic, M. hyopneumoniae is the causative agent of enzootic pneumonia and M. hyorhinis is present in cases of pneumonia, polyserositis and arthritis. The genomic resemblance among these three Mycoplasma species combined with their different levels of pathogenicity is an indication that they have unknown mechanisms of virulence and differential expression, as for most mycoplasmas. Methods In this work, we performed whole-genome metabolic network reconstructions for these three mycoplasmas. Cultivation tests and metabolomic experiments through nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) were also performed to acquire experimental data and further refine the models reconstructed in silico. Results Even though the refined models have similar metabolic capabilities, interesting differences include a wider range of carbohydrate uptake in M. hyorhinis, which in turn may also explain why this species is a widely contaminant in cell cultures. In addition, the myo-inositol catabolism is exclusive to M. hyopneumoniae and may be an important trait for virulence. However, the most important difference seems to be related to glycerol conversion to dihydroxyacetone-phosphate, which produces toxic hydrogen peroxide. This activity, missing only in M. flocculare, may be directly involved in cytotoxicity, as already described for two lung pathogenic mycoplasmas, namely Mycoplasma pneumoniae in human and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides in ruminants. Metabolomic data suggest that even though these mycoplasmas are extremely similar in terms of genome and metabolism, distinct products and reaction rates may be the result of differential expression throughout the species. Conclusions We were able to infer from the reconstructed networks that the lack of pathogenicity of M. flocculare if compared to the highly pathogenic M. hyopneumoniae may be related to its incapacity to produce cytotoxic hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, the ability of M. hyorhinis to grow in diverse sites and even in different hosts may be a reflection of its enhanced and wider carbohydrate uptake. Altogether, the metabolic differences highlighted in silico and in vitro provide important insights to the different levels of pathogenicity observed in each of the studied species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2644-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana G Ferrarini
- ERABLE, Inria, 43, Bd du 11 Novembre 1918, Villeurbanne, France.,CBiot, UFRGS, Av Bento Gon'calves, Porto Alegre, 9500, Brazil.,Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, 43, Bd du 11 Novembre 1918, Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Scheila G Mucha
- CBiot, UFRGS, Av Bento Gon'calves, Porto Alegre, 9500, Brazil
| | - Tony L Palama
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques (CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon 1), 5, Rue de la Doua, Villeurbanne, France.,Current address: LISBP - INSA Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Élodie Jobard
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques (CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon 1), 5, Rue de la Doua, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Bénédicte Elena-Herrmann
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques (CNRS, ENS Lyon, Université Lyon 1), 5, Rue de la Doua, Villeurbanne, France.,Université de Lyon, Centre Léon Bérard, Département d'oncologie médicale, 28, rue Laënnec, Lyon, France
| | - Ana T R Vasconcelos
- Laboratório Nacional de Computaćão Científica, Av. Getúlio Vargas, 333, Petrópolis, Brazil
| | - Florence Tardy
- Anses, Laboratoire de Lyon, UMR Mycoplasmoses des Ruminants, 31, Av Tony Garnier, Lyon, France.,Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, UMR Mycoplasmoses des Ruminants, 1 Avenue Bourgelat, Marcy L'Étoile, France
| | - Irene S Schrank
- CBiot, UFRGS, Av Bento Gon'calves, Porto Alegre, 9500, Brazil
| | - Arnaldo Zaha
- CBiot, UFRGS, Av Bento Gon'calves, Porto Alegre, 9500, Brazil
| | - Marie-France Sagot
- ERABLE, Inria, 43, Bd du 11 Novembre 1918, Villeurbanne, France. .,Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, 43, Bd du 11 Novembre 1918, Villeurbanne, France.
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15
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Tatarinova TV, Lysnyansky I, Nikolsky YV, Bolshoy A. The mysterious orphans of Mycoplasmataceae. Biol Direct 2016; 11:2. [PMID: 26747447 PMCID: PMC4706650 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-015-0104-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The length of a protein sequence is largely determined by its function. In certain species, it may be also affected by additional factors, such as growth temperature or acidity. In 2002, it was shown that in the bacterium Escherichia coli and in the archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus, protein sequences with no homologs were, on average, shorter than those with homologs (BMC Evol Biol 2:20, 2002). It is now generally accepted that in bacterial and archaeal genomes the distributions of protein length are different between sequences with and without homologs. In this study, we examine this postulate by conducting a comprehensive analysis of all annotated prokaryotic genomes and by focusing on certain exceptions. Results We compared the distribution of lengths of “having homologs proteins” (HHPs) and “non-having homologs proteins” (orphans or ORFans) in all currently completely sequenced and COG-annotated prokaryotic genomes. As expected, the HHPs and ORFans have strikingly different length distributions in almost all genomes. As previously established, the HHPs, indeed are, on average, longer than the ORFans, and the length distributions for the ORFans have a relatively narrow peak, in contrast to the HHPs, whose lengths spread over a wider range of values. However, about thirty genomes do not obey these rules. Practically all genomes of Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma have atypical ORFans distributions, with the mean lengths of ORFan larger than the mean lengths of HHPs. These genera constitute over 80 % of atypical genomes. Conclusions We confirmed on a ubiquitous set of genomes that the previous observation of HHPs and ORFans have different gene length distributions. We also showed that Mycoplasmataceae genomes have very distinctive distributions of ORFans lengths. We offer several possible biological explanations of this phenomenon, such as an adaptation to Mycoplasmataceae’s ecological niche, specifically its “quiet” co-existence with host organisms, resulting in long ABC transporters. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13062-015-0104-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana V Tatarinova
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90027, CA, USA. .,Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, CA, USA.
| | - Inna Lysnyansky
- Mycoplasma Unit, Division of Avian and Aquatic Diseases, Kimron Veterinary Institute, POB 12, Beit Dagan, 50250, Israel.
| | - Yuri V Nikolsky
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, 10900 University Blvd, MSN 5B3, Manassas, VA, 20110, USA. .,Prosapia Genetics, LLC, 534 San Andres Dr., Solana Beach, CA, 92075, USA. .,Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Moscow, Russian Federation.
| | - Alexander Bolshoy
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology and Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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16
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Characterization and application of monoclonal antibodies against Mycoplasma hyorhinis pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 complex subunit alpha. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 100:3587-97. [PMID: 26743652 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-7263-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Mycoplasma hyorhinis is commonly found in the respiratory tract of pigs and is the etiological agent of polyserositis. The metabolic enzymes of M. hyorhinis may play important roles in host-pathogen interactions. We immunized BALB/c mice with sodium deoxycholate-extracted antigens (DOC-Ags) and screened 10 hybridomas that secreted antibodies against various M. hyorhinis proteins. Pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 complex subunit alpha (PDHA) was identified as the protein that reacted with five of the 10 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Sequence analysis indicated that PDHA was highly conserved among M. hyorhinis strains, but not among other mycoplasmas. We predicted the three-dimensional structure of PDHA and identified three epitopes ((277)RTEEEEK(283), (299)KDKKYITDE(307), and (350)LKEQKQHAKDY(360)). The mAb 1H12 we generated was used to detect M. hyorhinis PDHA in vitro and in piglets infected with M. hyorhinis. We observed that PDHA was mainly located in the epithelial cells of the lungs. Our results indicate that the mAbs we generated could be used to further investigate the structure and function of M. hyorhinis PDHA. In addition, they could be used in the differential diagnosis of M. hyorhinis and other mycoplasmas.
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17
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Phenotypic characterization of Mycoplasma synoviae induced changes in the metabolic and sensitivity profile of in vitro infected chicken chondrocytes. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:613730. [PMID: 25243158 PMCID: PMC4160629 DOI: 10.1155/2014/613730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Revised: 08/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In infectious synovitis caused by Mycoplasma synoviae chicken chondrocytes (CCH) may come into direct contact with these bacteria that are also capable of invading CCH in vitro. In this study, phenotype microarrays were used to evaluate the influence of Mycoplasma synoviae on the global metabolic activity of CCH. Therefore, CCH were cultured in the presence of 504 individual compounds, spotted in wells of 11 phenotype microarrays for eukaryotic cells, and exposed to Mycoplasma synoviae membranes or viable Mycoplasma synoviae. Metabolic activity and sensitivity of normal cells versus infected cells were evaluated. Metabolic profiles of CCH treated with viable Mycoplasma synoviae or its membranes were significantly different from those of CCH alone. CCH treated with Mycoplasma synoviae membranes were able to use 48 carbon/nitrogen sources not used by CCH alone. Treatment also influenced ion uptake in CCH and intensified the sensitivity to 13 hormones, 5 immune mediators, and 29 cytotoxic chemicals. CCH were even more sensitive to hormones/immune mediators when exposed to viable Mycoplasma synoviae. Our results indicate that exposure to Mycoplasma synoviae or its membranes induces a wide range of metabolic and sensitivity modifications in CCH that can contribute to pathological processes in the development of infectious synovitis.
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18
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Siqueira FM, Thompson CE, Virginio VG, Gonchoroski T, Reolon L, Almeida LG, da Fonsêca MM, de Souza R, Prosdocimi F, Schrank IS, Ferreira HB, de Vasconcelos ATR, Zaha A. New insights on the biology of swine respiratory tract mycoplasmas from a comparative genome analysis. BMC Genomics 2013; 14:175. [PMID: 23497205 PMCID: PMC3610235 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2012] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma flocculare and Mycoplasma hyorhinis live in swine respiratory tracts. M. flocculare, a commensal bacterium, is genetically closely related to M. hyopneumoniae, the causative agent of enzootic porcine pneumonia. M. hyorhinis is also pathogenic, causing polyserositis and arthritis. In this work, we present the genome sequences of M. flocculare and M. hyopneumoniae strain 7422, and we compare these genomes with the genomes of other M. hyoponeumoniae strain and to the a M. hyorhinis genome. These analyses were performed to identify possible characteristics that may help to explain the different behaviors of these species in swine respiratory tracts. RESULTS The overall genome organization of three species was analyzed, revealing that the ORF clusters (OCs) differ considerably and that inversions and rearrangements are common. Although M. flocculare and M. hyopneumoniae display a high degree of similarity with respect to the gene content, only some genomic regions display considerable synteny. Genes encoding proteins that may be involved in host-cell adhesion in M. hyopneumoniae and M. flocculare display differences in genomic structure and organization. Some genes encoding adhesins of the P97 family are absent in M. flocculare and some contain sequence differences or lack of domains that are considered to be important for adhesion to host cells. The phylogenetic relationship of the three species was confirmed by a phylogenomic approach. The set of genes involved in metabolism, especially in the uptake of precursors for nucleic acids synthesis and nucleotide metabolism, display some differences in copy number and the presence/absence in the three species. CONCLUSIONS The comparative analyses of three mycoplasma species that inhabit the swine respiratory tract facilitated the identification of some characteristics that may be related to their different behaviors. M. hyopneumoniae and M. flocculare display many differences that may help to explain why one species is pathogenic and the other is considered to be commensal. However, it was not possible to identify specific virulence determinant factors that could explain the differences in the pathogenicity of the analyzed species. The M. hyorhinis genome contains differences in some components involved in metabolism and evasion of the host's immune system that may contribute to its growth aggressiveness. Several horizontal gene transfer events were identified. The phylogenomic analysis places M. hyopneumoniae, M. flocculare and M. hyorhinis in the hyopneumoniae clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciele Maboni Siqueira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Bioquímica. UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Claudia Elizabeth Thompson
- Laboratório de Bioinformática. Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica. Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Veridiana Gomes Virginio
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular. Centro de Biotecnologia UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Taylor Gonchoroski
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luciano Reolon
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular. Centro de Biotecnologia UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luiz Gonzaga Almeida
- Laboratório de Bioinformática. Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica. Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marbella Maria da Fonsêca
- Laboratório de Bioinformática. Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica. Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rangel de Souza
- Laboratório de Bioinformática. Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica. Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Francisco Prosdocimi
- Departamento de Bioquímica Médica. Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Irene Silveira Schrank
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular. Centro de Biotecnologia UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biociências. UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Henrique Bunselmeyer Ferreira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular. Centro de Biotecnologia UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biociências. UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Arnaldo Zaha
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular. Centro de Biotecnologia UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Bioquímica. UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biociências. UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Smajs D, Norris SJ, Weinstock GM. Genetic diversity in Treponema pallidum: implications for pathogenesis, evolution and molecular diagnostics of syphilis and yaws. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2012; 12:191-202. [PMID: 22198325 PMCID: PMC3786143 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2011] [Revised: 12/05/2011] [Accepted: 12/07/2011] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic uncultivable treponemes, similar to syphilis-causing Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum, include T. pallidum ssp. pertenue, T. pallidum ssp. endemicum and Treponema carateum, which cause yaws, bejel and pinta, respectively. Genetic analyses of these pathogens revealed striking similarity among these bacteria and also a high degree of similarity to the rabbit pathogen, Treponema paraluiscuniculi, a treponeme not infectious to humans. Genome comparisons between pallidum and non-pallidum treponemes revealed genes with potential involvement in human infectivity, whereas comparisons between pallidum and pertenue treponemes identified genes possibly involved in the high invasivity of syphilis treponemes. Genetic variability within syphilis strains is considered as the basis of syphilis molecular epidemiology with potential to detect more virulent strains, whereas genetic variability within a single strain is related to its ability to elude the immune system of the host. Genome analyses also shed light on treponemal evolution and on chromosomal targets for molecular diagnostics of treponemal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Smajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Building A6, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
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Čejková D, Zobaníková M, Chen L, Pospíšilová P, Strouhal M, Qin X, Mikalová L, Norris SJ, Muzny DM, Gibbs RA, Fulton LL, Sodergren E, Weinstock GM, Šmajs D. Whole genome sequences of three Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue strains: yaws and syphilis treponemes differ in less than 0.2% of the genome sequence. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1471. [PMID: 22292095 PMCID: PMC3265458 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The yaws treponemes, Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue (TPE) strains, are closely related to syphilis causing strains of Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum (TPA). Both yaws and syphilis are distinguished on the basis of epidemiological characteristics, clinical symptoms, and several genetic signatures of the corresponding causative agents. Methodology/Principal Findings To precisely define genetic differences between TPA and TPE, high-quality whole genome sequences of three TPE strains (Samoa D, CDC-2, Gauthier) were determined using next-generation sequencing techniques. TPE genome sequences were compared to four genomes of TPA strains (Nichols, DAL-1, SS14, Chicago). The genome structure was identical in all three TPE strains with similar length ranging between 1,139,330 bp and 1,139,744 bp. No major genome rearrangements were found when compared to the four TPA genomes. The whole genome nucleotide divergence (dA) between TPA and TPE subspecies was 4.7 and 4.8 times higher than the observed nucleotide diversity (π) among TPA and TPE strains, respectively, corresponding to 99.8% identity between TPA and TPE genomes. A set of 97 (9.9%) TPE genes encoded proteins containing two or more amino acid replacements or other major sequence changes. The TPE divergent genes were mostly from the group encoding potential virulence factors and genes encoding proteins with unknown function. Conclusions/Significance Hypothetical genes, with genetic differences, consistently found between TPE and TPA strains are candidates for syphilitic treponemes virulence factors. Seventeen TPE genes were predicted under positive selection, and eleven of them coded either for predicted exported proteins or membrane proteins suggesting their possible association with the cell surface. Sequence changes between TPE and TPA strains and changes specific to individual strains represent suitable targets for subspecies- and strain-specific molecular diagnostics. Spirochete Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue (TPE) is the causative agent of yaws while strains of Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum (TPA) cause syphilis. Both yaws and syphilis are distinguished on the basis of epidemiological characteristics and clinical symptoms. Neither treponeme can reproduce outside the host organism, which precludes the use of standard molecular biology techniques used to study cultivable pathogens. In this study, we determined high quality whole genome sequences of TPE strains and compared them to known genetic information for T. pallidum ssp. pallidum strains. The genome structure was identical in all three TPE strains and also between TPA and TPE strains. The TPE genome length ranged between 1,139,330 bp and 1,139,744 bp. The overall sequence identity between TPA and TPE genomes was 99.8%, indicating that the two pathogens are extremely closely related. A set of 34 TPE genes (3.5%) encoded proteins containing six or more amino acid replacements or other major sequence changes. These genes more often belonged to the group of genes with predicted virulence and unknown functions suggesting their involvement in infection differences between yaws and syphilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darina Čejková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Marie Zobaníková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lei Chen
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Petra Pospíšilová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Michal Strouhal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Xiang Qin
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Lenka Mikalová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Steven J. Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Donna M. Muzny
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Richard A. Gibbs
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Lucinda L. Fulton
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Erica Sodergren
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - George M. Weinstock
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
The infection of mice with Mycoplasma pulmonis is a model for studying chronic mycoplasmal respiratory disease. Many in vivo and in vitro studies have used the organism to gain a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions in chronic respiratory infection. The organism's Vsa proteins contain an extensive tandem repeat region. The length of the tandem repeat unit varies from as few as 11 amino acids to as many as 19. The number of tandem repeats can be as high as 60. The number of repeats varies at a high frequency due to slipped-strand mispairing events that occur during DNA replication. When the number of repeats is high, e.g., 40, the mycoplasma is resistant to lysis by complement but does not form a robust biofilm. When the number of repeats is low, e.g., 5, the mycoplasma is killed by complement when the cells are dispersed but has the capacity to form a biofilm that resists complement. Here, we examine the role of the Vsa proteins in the avoidance of phagocytosis and find that cells producing a protein with many tandem repeats are relatively resistant to killing by macrophages. These results may be pertinent to understanding the functions of similar proteins that have extensive repeat regions in other microbes.
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Ehrlichia chaffeensis TRP120 binds a G+C-rich motif in host cell DNA and exhibits eukaryotic transcriptional activator function. Infect Immun 2011; 79:4370-81. [PMID: 21859854 DOI: 10.1128/iai.05422-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichia chaffeensis is an obligately intracellular bacterium that modulates host cell gene transcription in the mononuclear phagocyte, but the host gene targets and mechanisms involved in transcriptional modulation are not well-defined. In this study, we identified a novel tandem repeat DNA-binding domain in the E. chaffeensis 120-kDa tandem repeat protein (TRP120) that directly binds host cell DNA. TRP120 was observed by immunofluorescent microscopy in the nucleus of E. chaffeensis-infected host cells and was detected in nuclear extracts by Western immunoblotting with TRP120-specific antibody. The TRP120 binding sites and associated host cell target genes were identified using high-throughput deep sequencing (Illumina) of immunoprecipitated DNA (chromatin immunoprecipitation and high-throughput DNA sequencing). Multiple em motif elicitation (MEME) analysis of the most highly enriched TRP120-bound sequences revealed a G+C-rich DNA motif, and recombinant TRP120 specifically bound synthetic oligonucleotides containing the motif. TRP120 target gene binding sites were mapped most frequently to intersecting regions (intron/exon; 49%) but were also identified in upstream regulatory regions (25%) and downstream locations (26%). Genes targeted by TRP120 were most frequently associated with transcriptional regulation, signal transduction, and apoptosis. TRP120 targeted inflammatory chemokine genes, CCL2, CCL20, and CXCL11, which were strongly upregulated during E. chaffeensis infection and were also upregulated by direct transfection with recombinant TRP120. This study reveals that TRP120 is a novel DNA-binding protein that is involved in a host gene transcriptional regulation strategy.
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Browning GF, Marenda MS, Noormohammadi AH, Markham PF. The central role of lipoproteins in the pathogenesis of mycoplasmoses. Vet Microbiol 2011; 153:44-50. [PMID: 21684094 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2010] [Revised: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 05/17/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mycoplasmas are a diverse group of pathogens responsible for disease in a wide range of animal species. In recent years there have been considerable advances in knowledge of the proteins and structures involved in adherence in some mycoplasmas, but understanding of the biochemical functions and roles in virulence of another central feature of mycoplasmas, their lipoproteins, continues to develop. The aim of this review is to examine current knowledge of the roles of lipoproteins in the pathogenicity and the evolution of virulence in those mycoplasmas causing disease in domestic animals. Those lipoproteins that have been characterised have roles in adherence, in transport of nutrients into the mycoplasma cell, and in enzymatic interactions with the host. Furthermore they appear to play a prominent role in both inducing the host immune response to infection and in facilitating evasion of this response, particularly through the generation of dramatic levels of antigenic variation on the cell surface. Recent genomic comparisons of several pathogenic mycoplasmas have identified a further level of interaction between lipoproteins and pathogenicity. In several pathogens large scale horizontal gene transfer between distantly related mycoplasma species has resulted in the acquisition of a large number of genes, including those encoding lipoproteins thought to play a role in virulence, by one mycoplasma from another inhabiting the same host species. The interactions between these horizontally transferred genes, their new mycoplasma host and the animal that it infects may be an important contributing factor in the pathogenesis of some mycoplasmoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- G F Browning
- Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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Mikalová L, Strouhal M, Čejková D, Zobaníková M, Pospíšilová P, Norris SJ, Sodergren E, Weinstock GM, Šmajs D. Genome analysis of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum and subsp. pertenue strains: most of the genetic differences are localized in six regions. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15713. [PMID: 21209953 PMCID: PMC3012094 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2010] [Accepted: 11/28/2010] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of eight treponemes including T. p. pallidum strains (Nichols, SS14, DAL-1 and Mexico A), T. p. pertenue strains (Samoa D, CDC-2 and Gauthier), and the Fribourg-Blanc isolate, were amplified in 133 overlapping amplicons, and the restriction patterns of these fragments were compared. The approximate sizes of the genomes investigated based on this whole genome fingerprinting (WGF) analysis ranged from 1139.3-1140.4 kb, with the estimated genome sequence identity of 99.57-99.98% in the homologous genome regions. Restriction target site analysis, detecting the presence of 1773 individual restriction sites found in the reference Nichols genome, revealed a high genome structure similarity of all strains. The unclassified simian Fribourg-Blanc isolate was more closely related to T. p. pertenue than to T. p. pallidum strains. Most of the genetic differences between T. p. pallidum and T. p. pertenue strains were accumulated in six genomic regions. These genome differences likely contribute to the observed differences in pathogenicity between T. p. pallidum and T. p. pertenue strains. These regions of sequence divergence could be used for the molecular detection and discrimination of syphilis and yaws strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Mikalová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Strouhal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Darina Čejková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Zobaníková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Pospíšilová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Steven J. Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Erica Sodergren
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, The Genome Center, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - George M. Weinstock
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, The Genome Center, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Citti C, Nouvel LX, Baranowski E. Phase and antigenic variation in mycoplasmas. Future Microbiol 2010; 5:1073-85. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb.10.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
With their reduced genome bound by a single membrane, bacteria of the Mycoplasma species represent some of the simplest autonomous life forms. Yet, these minute prokaryotes are able to establish persistent infection in a wide range of hosts, even in the presence of a specific immune response. Clues to their success in host adaptation and survival reside, in part, in a number of gene families that are affected by frequent, stochastic genotypic changes. These genetic events alter the expression, the size and the antigenic structure of abundant surface proteins, thereby creating highly versatile and dynamic surfaces within a clonal population. This phenomenon provides these wall-less pathogens with a means to escape the host immune response and to modulate surface accessibility by masking and unmasking stably expressed components that are essential in host interaction and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurent-Xavier Nouvel
- INRA, UMR 1225, F-31076 Toulouse, France
- Université de Toulouse, ENVT, UMR 1225, F-31076 Toulouse, France
| | - Eric Baranowski
- INRA, UMR 1225, F-31076 Toulouse, France
- Université de Toulouse, ENVT, UMR 1225, F-31076 Toulouse, France
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26
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Said KB, Zhu G, Zhao X. Organ- and Host-Specific Clonal Groups ofStaphylococcus aureusfrom Human Infections and Bovine Mastitis Revealed by the Clumping Factor A Gene. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2010; 7:111-9. [DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2009.0334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Guoqiang Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Science, Yanzhou University, Yanzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Quebec, Canada
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Occurrence, plasticity, and evolution of the vpma gene family, a genetic system devoted to high-frequency surface variation in Mycoplasma agalactiae. J Bacteriol 2009; 191:4111-21. [PMID: 19376859 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00251-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma agalactiae, an important pathogen of small ruminants, exhibits a very versatile surface architecture by switching multiple, related lipoproteins (Vpmas) on and off. In the type strain, PG2, Vpma phase variation is generated by a cluster of six vpma genes that undergo frequent DNA rearrangements via site-specific recombination. To further comprehend the degree of diversity that can be generated at the M. agalactiae surface, the vpma gene repertoire of a field strain, 5632, was analyzed and shown to contain an extended repertoire of 23 vpma genes distributed between two loci located 250 kbp apart. Loci I and II include 16 and 7 vpma genes, respectively, with all vpma genes of locus II being duplicated at locus I. Several Vpmas displayed a chimeric structure suggestive of homologous recombination, and a global proteomic analysis further indicated that at least 13 of the 16 Vpmas can be expressed by the 5632 strain. Because a single promoter is present in each vpma locus, concomitant Vpma expression can occur in a strain with duplicated loci. Consequently, the number of possible surface combinations is much higher for strain 5632 than for the type strain. Finally, our data suggested that insertion sequences are likely to be involved in 5632 vpma locus duplication at a remote chromosomal position. The role of such mobile genetic elements in chromosomal shuffling of genes encoding major surface components may have important evolutionary and epidemiological consequences for pathogens, such as mycoplasmas, that have a reduced genome and no cell wall.
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Coil DA, Vandersmissen L, Ginevra C, Jarraud S, Lammertyn E, Anné J. Intragenic tandem repeat variation between Legionella pneumophila strains. BMC Microbiol 2008; 8:218. [PMID: 19077205 PMCID: PMC2639597 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-8-218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2008] [Accepted: 12/10/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bacterial genomes harbour a large number of tandem repeats, yet the possible phenotypic effects of those found within the coding region of genes are only beginning to be examined. Evidence exists from other organisms that these repeats can be involved in the evolution of new genes, gene regulation, adaptation, resistance to environmental stresses, and avoidance of the immune system. Results In this study, we have investigated the presence and variability in copy number of intragenic tandemly repeated sequences in the genome of Legionella pneumophila, the etiological agent of a severe pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. Within the genome of the Philadelphia strain, we have identified 26 intragenic tandem repeat sequences using conservative selection criteria. Of these, seven were "polymorphic" in terms of repeat copy number between a large number of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 strains. These strains were collected from a wide variety of environments and patients in several geographical regions. Within this panel of strains, all but one of these seven genes exhibited statistically different patterns in repeat copy number between samples from different origins (environmental, clinical, and hot springs). Conclusion These results support the hypothesis that intragenic tandem repeats could play a role in virulence and adaptation to different environments. While tandem repeats are an increasingly popular focus of molecular typing studies in prokaryotes, including in L. pneumophila, this study is the first examining the difference in tandem repeat distribution as a function of clinical or environmental origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Coil
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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29
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Levdansky E, Sharon H, Osherov N. Coding fungal tandem repeats as generators of fungal diversity. FUNGAL BIOL REV 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2008.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Hegermann J, Halbedel S, Dumke R, Regula J, Gabdoulline RR, Mayer F, Stülke J, Herrmann R. The acidic, glutamine-rich Mpn474 protein of Mycoplasma pneumoniae is surface exposed and covers the complete cell. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2008; 154:1185-1192. [PMID: 18375811 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.2007/013342-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The protein Mpn474 encoded by the mpn474 gene of the human-pathogenic Mycoplasma pneumoniae contains 1033 amino acids and has an isoelectric point of 4.79, which is caused by the large excess of glutamic acid residues (11 %). Although the protein lacks recognizable export signals we showed by immuno-electron microscopy that Mpn474 is surface exposed, covering the cell completely. By combining cross-linking and careful treatment of the bacterial cells with Triton X-100, we found that this protein is weakly bound to the cell surface, while the true transmembrane protein Mpn141 (adhesin P1) is firmly attached under the same experimental conditions. A transposon mutant in the mpn474 gene, which has no obvious phenotype, served as negative control for the immunodetection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Hegermann
- Abteilung für Allgemeine Mikrobiologie, Institut für Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sven Halbedel
- Abteilung für Allgemeine Mikrobiologie, Institut für Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Roger Dumke
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Technische Universität, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jörg Regula
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Razif R Gabdoulline
- Molecular and Cellular Modeling Group, EML Research, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 33, D-69118 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Mayer
- Abteilung für Allgemeine Mikrobiologie, Institut für Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Stülke
- Abteilung für Allgemeine Mikrobiologie, Institut für Mikrobiologie und Genetik, Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Richard Herrmann
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Chopra-Dewasthaly R, Citti C, Glew MD, Zimmermann M, Rosengarten R, Jechlinger W. Phase-locked mutants of Mycoplasma agalactiae: defining the molecular switch of high-frequency Vpma antigenic variation. Mol Microbiol 2008; 67:1196-210. [PMID: 18248580 PMCID: PMC2268961 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.06103.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mycoplasma agalactiae, an important pathogen of small ruminants, exhibits antigenic diversity by switching the expression of multiple surface lipoproteins called Vpmas (Variable proteins of M. agalactiae). Although phase variation has been shown to play important roles in many host–pathogen interactions, the biological significance and the mechanism of Vpma oscillations remain largely unclear. Here, we demonstrate that all six Vpma proteins are expressed in the type strain PG2 and all undergo phase variation at an unusually high frequency. Furthermore, targeted gene disruption of the xer1 gene encoding a putative site-specific recombinase adjacent to the vpma locus was accomplished via homologous recombination using a replicon-based vector. Inactivation of xer1 abolished further Vpma switching and the ‘phase-locked’ mutants (PLMs) continued to steadily express only a single Vpma product. Complementation of the wild-type xer1 gene in PLMs restored Vpma phase variation thereby proving that Xer1 is essential for vpma inversions. The study is not only instrumental in enhancing our ability to understand the role of Vpmas in M. agalactiae infections but also provides useful molecular approaches to study potential disease factors in other ‘difficult-to-manipulate’ mycoplasmas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohini Chopra-Dewasthaly
- Institute of Bacteriology, Mycology and Hygiene, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
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Wise KS, Foecking MF, Röske K, Lee YJ, Lee YM, Madan A, Calcutt MJ. Distinctive repertoire of contingency genes conferring mutation- based phase variation and combinatorial expression of surface lipoproteins in Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum of the Mycoplasma mycoides phylogenetic cluster. J Bacteriol 2006; 188:4926-41. [PMID: 16788201 PMCID: PMC1483001 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00252-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The generation of surface variation among many divergent species of Mollicutes (mycoplasmas) occurs through stochastic expression patterns of diverse lipoprotein genes. The size and wide distribution of such variable gene sets in minimal (approximately 0.6- to 1.4-Mb) mycoplasmal genomes suggest their key role in the adaptation and survival of these wall-less monoderms. Diversity through variable genes is less clearly established among phylogenetically similar mycoplasmas, such as the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster of ruminant pathogens, which vary widely in host range and pathobiology. Using (i) genome sequences from two members of this clade, Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum and M. mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony biotype (SC), (ii) antibodies to specific peptide determinants of predicted M. capricolum subsp. capricolum gene products, and (iii) analysis of the membrane-associated proteome of M. capricolum subsp. capricolum, a novel set of six genes (vmcA to vmcF) expressing distinct Vmc (variable M. capricolum subsp. capricolum) lipoproteins is demonstrated. These occur at two separate loci in the M. capricolum subsp. capricolum genome, which shares striking overall similarity and gene synteny with the M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC genome. Collectively, Vmc expression is noncoordinate and combinatorial, subject to a single-unit insertion/deletion in a 5' flanking dinucleotide repeat that governs expression of each vmc gene. All vmc genes share modular regions affecting expression and membrane translocation. In contrast, vmcA to vmcD genes at one locus express surface proteins with highly structured size-variable repeating domains, whereas vmcE to vmcF genes express products with short repeats devoid of predicted structure. These genes confer a distinctive, dynamic surface architecture that may represent adaptive differences within this important group of pathogens as well as exploitable diagnostic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim S Wise
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri-Columbia, M616 Medical Sciences Building, One Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
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Mavromatis K, Doyle CK, Lykidis A, Ivanova N, Francino MP, Chain P, Shin M, Malfatti S, Larimer F, Copeland A, Detter JC, Land M, Richardson PM, Yu XJ, Walker DH, McBride JW, Kyrpides NC. The genome of the obligately intracellular bacterium Ehrlichia canis reveals themes of complex membrane structure and immune evasion strategies. J Bacteriol 2006; 188:4015-23. [PMID: 16707693 PMCID: PMC1482910 DOI: 10.1128/jb.01837-05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichia canis, a small obligately intracellular, tick-transmitted, gram-negative, alpha-proteobacterium, is the primary etiologic agent of globally distributed canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. Complete genome sequencing revealed that the E. canis genome consists of a single circular chromosome of 1,315,030 bp predicted to encode 925 proteins, 40 stable RNA species, 17 putative pseudogenes, and a substantial proportion of noncoding sequence (27%). Interesting genome features include a large set of proteins with transmembrane helices and/or signal sequences and a unique serine-threonine bias associated with the potential for O glycosylation that was prominent in proteins associated with pathogen-host interactions. Furthermore, two paralogous protein families associated with immune evasion were identified, one of which contains poly(G-C) tracts, suggesting that they may play a role in phase variation and facilitation of persistent infections. Genes associated with pathogen-host interactions were identified, including a small group encoding proteins (n = 12) with tandem repeats and another group encoding proteins with eukaryote-like ankyrin domains (n = 7).
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Affiliation(s)
- K Mavromatis
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, 2800 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598, USA.
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Denison AM, Clapper B, Dybvig K. Avoidance of the host immune system through phase variation in Mycoplasma pulmonis. Infect Immun 2005; 73:2033-9. [PMID: 15784544 PMCID: PMC1087440 DOI: 10.1128/iai.73.4.2033-2039.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2004] [Revised: 10/26/2004] [Accepted: 11/24/2004] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Phase-variable lipoproteins are commonly found in Mycoplasma species. Mycoplasma pulmonis contains a family of extensively studied phase- and size-variable lipoproteins encoded by the vsa locus. The Vsa surface proteins vary at a high frequency, the in vivo significance of which has yet to be determined. We investigated the role of Vsa phase variation in respect to tissue tropism and avoidance of the immune system in the mouse host. Mycoplasmas were cultured 3, 14, and 21 days postinoculation from the nose, lung, trachea, liver, and spleen of experimentally infected C57BL/6 (wild-type), C57BL/6-RAG-1-/- (RAG-/-), and C57BL/6-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-/- (iNOS-/-) mice. In wild-type and iNOS-/- mice, a large number of Vsa variants were seen by 21 days postinoculation. In contrast, little Vsa variation occurred in all tissues of RAG-/- mice. Analysis of isolates from 14 days postinoculation revealed less variation of the Vsa proteins in iNOS-/- mice than in the wild type. Western blot analysis of isolates from each strain of mouse demonstrated that Vsa phase variation occurred independently of size variation, indicating no obvious selection pressure for size variants. Additionally, these experiments provided no evidence that mycoplasmas producing particular Vsa proteins adhered only to specific tissues. The data strongly indicate that Vsa phase variation is a mechanism for avoidance of the immune system with no obvious contribution to tissue tropism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Denison
- Department of Genetics, KAUL, Room 720, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0024, USA
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Tu AHT, Clapper B, Schoeb TR, Elgavish A, Zhang J, Liu L, Yu H, Dybvig K. Association of a major protein antigen of Mycoplasma arthritidis with virulence. Infect Immun 2005; 73:245-9. [PMID: 15618160 PMCID: PMC538968 DOI: 10.1128/iai.73.1.245-249.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma arthritidis causes acute polyarthritis in rats and chronic proliferative arthritis in mice. M. arthritidis-induced arthritis serves as a model for arthritis caused by infectious agents and as a model for examining the role of the superantigen MAM (M. arthritidis T-cell mitogen) in the development of autoimmunity. M. arthritidis strain 158-1 is a spontaneous mutant of strain 158 that has a drastic reduction in virulence. We show that the mutant is missing a major antigen of 47 kDa (P47) and has acquired a protein of 67 kDa (P67). P47 and P67 partitioned into the detergent phase by extraction with Triton X-114. Coomassie blue staining of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels show that P67 is produced in abundance. Analysis of gel-purified P67 by mass spectrometry led to its identification as a lipoprotein (the open reading frame [ORF] 619 gene product) predicted from the genome sequence of M. arthritidis. PCR analysis of genomic DNA from 158 and 158-1 indicates that P47 and P67 are encoded by the same ORF 619 gene and differ only in the number of repeats in a tandem repeat region. By two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel analysis, no protein differences were detectable between 158 and 158-1 other than P47 and P67. Collectively, the data suggest that the tandem repeat region of P47 and P67 influences disease outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- A-H T Tu
- Department of Genetics, KAUL, Room 720, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0024, USA
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Collins NE, Liebenberg J, de Villiers EP, Brayton KA, Louw E, Pretorius A, Faber FE, van Heerden H, Josemans A, van Kleef M, Steyn HC, van Strijp MF, Zweygarth E, Jongejan F, Maillard JC, Berthier D, Botha M, Joubert F, Corton CH, Thomson NR, Allsopp MT, Allsopp BA. The genome of the heartwater agent Ehrlichia ruminantium contains multiple tandem repeats of actively variable copy number. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102:838-43. [PMID: 15637156 PMCID: PMC545511 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0406633102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Heartwater, a tick-borne disease of domestic and wild ruminants, is caused by the intracellular rickettsia Ehrlichia ruminantium (previously known as Cowdria ruminantium). It is a major constraint to livestock production throughout subSaharan Africa, and it threatens to invade the Americas, yet there is no immediate prospect of an effective vaccine. A shotgun genome sequencing project was undertaken in the expectation that access to the complete protein coding repertoire of the organism will facilitate the search for vaccine candidate genes. We report here the complete 1,516,355-bp sequence of the type strain, the stock derived from the South African Welgevonden isolate. Only 62% of the genome is predicted to be coding sequence, encoding 888 proteins and 41 stable RNA species. The most striking feature is the large number of tandemly repeated and duplicated sequences, some of continuously variable copy number, which contributes to the low proportion of coding sequence. These repeats have mediated numerous translocation and inversion events that have resulted in the duplication and truncation of some genes and have also given rise to new genes. There are 32 predicted pseudogenes, most of which are truncated fragments of genes associated with repeats. Rather then being the result of the reductive evolution seen in other intracellular bacteria, these pseudogenes appear to be the product of ongoing sequence duplication events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola E Collins
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
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Abstract
Phase and antigenic variation result in a heterogenic phenotype of a clonal bacterial population, in which individual cells either express the phase-variable protein(s) or not, or express one of multiple antigenic forms of the protein, respectively. This form of regulation has been identified mainly, but by no means exclusively, for a wide variety of surface structures in animal pathogens and is implicated as a virulence strategy. This review provides an overview of the many bacterial proteins and structures that are under the control of phase or antigenic variation. The context is mainly within the role of the proteins and variation for pathogenesis, which reflects the main body of literature. The occurrence of phase variation in expression of genes not readily recognizable as virulence factors is highlighted as well, to illustrate that our current knowledge is incomplete. From recent genome sequence analysis, it has become clear that phase variation may be more widespread than is currently recognized, and a brief discussion is included to show how genome sequence analysis can provide novel information, as well as its limitations. The current state of knowledge of the molecular mechanisms leading to phase variation and antigenic variation are reviewed, and the way in which these mechanisms form part of the general regulatory network of the cell is addressed. Arguments both for and against a role of phase and antigenic variation in immune evasion are presented and put into new perspective by distinguishing between a role in bacterial persistence in a host and a role in facilitating evasion of cross-immunity. Finally, examples are presented to illustrate that phase-variable gene expression should be taken into account in the development of diagnostic assays and in the interpretation of experimental results and epidemiological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjan W van der Woude
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, 202A Johnson Pavilion, 3610 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6076, USA.
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Röske K, Calcutt MJ, Wise KS. The Mycoplasma fermentans prophage φMFV1: genome organization, mobility and variable expression of an encoded surface protein. Mol Microbiol 2004; 52:1703-20. [PMID: 15186419 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04087.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The approximately 16 kb genome of the Mycoplasma fermentans phiMFV1 prophage is described, and its mobility, replication and effect on the mycoplasma surface phenotype are demonstrated. In various M. fermentans strains, phiMFV1 was either absent or integrated at diverse (and sometimes multiple) chromosomal sites, each marked by a conserved TTTTTA target sequence that is duplicated upon integration. Precise excision, replication of an extrachromosomal form and loss of phiMFV1 from the mycoplasmal genome were documented in a series of clonal derivatives of M. fermentans propagated in culture. Of 18 open reading frames (ORFs) encoded by phiMFV1, most can be ascribed functions related to phage biology, whereas one encodes a unique coiled-coil membrane surface protein, Mem, that was confirmed to be expressed in propagating populations of M. fermentans. With the exception of Mem and other minor ORFs, the striking similarity between the deduced proteomes of phiMFV1 and the recently described phiMAV1 of arthritogenic strains of Mycoplasma arthritidis, along with the prominent gene synteny between these elements, provides the taxonomic basis for a new family of prophage. Their coding features are consistent with long-term residence in mycoplasma genomes and the divergence of species within a phylogenetic clade of mycoplasmas. The unique Mem protein expressed from phiMFV1 and the unique hypothetical surface lipoproteins encoded by phiMAV1 and phiMFV1 also suggest that prophage-associated genes may provide specific, selectable phenotypic traits during co-evolution of mycoplasma species with their respective mammalian hosts. Retention of these labile prophage elements in organisms with such drastically reduced genome sizes implies a significant role in adaptation and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Röske
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
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Salaün L, Snyder LA, Saunders NJ. Adaptation by phase variation in pathogenic bacteria. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2003; 52:263-301. [PMID: 12964248 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2164(03)01011-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Salaün
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Functional Genomics Group, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom
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Jordan P, Snyder LAS, Saunders NJ. Diversity in coding tandem repeats in related Neisseria spp. BMC Microbiol 2003; 3:23. [PMID: 14611665 PMCID: PMC305346 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-3-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2003] [Accepted: 11/12/2003] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tandem repeats contained within coding regions can mediate phase variation when the repeated units change the reading frame of the coding sequence in a copy number dependent manner. Coding tandem repeats are those which do not alter the reading frame with copy number, and the changes in copy number of these repeats may then potentially alter the function or antigenicity of the protein encoded. Three complete neisserial genomes were analyzed and compared to identify coding tandem repeats where the number of copies of the repeat will have some structural consequence for the protein. This is the first study to address coding tandem repeats that may affect protein structures using comparative genomics, combined with a population survey to investigate which show interstrain variability. RESULTS A total of 28 genes were identified. Of these, 22 contain coding tandem repeats that vary in copy number between the three sequenced strains, three strain specific genes were included for investigation on the basis of having >90% identity between repeated units, and three genes with repeated elements of >250 bp were included although no length variations were seen in the genomes. Amplification, and sequencing of repeats showing altered copy number, of these 28 coding tandem repeat containing regions, from a set of largely unrelated strains, revealed further repeat length variation in several cases. CONCLUSION Eighteen genes were identified which have variation in repeat copy number between strains of the same species, twelve of which show greater diversity in repeat copy number than is present in the sequenced genomes. In some cases, this may reflect a mechanism for the generation of antigenic variation, as previously described in other species. However, some of the genes identified encode proteins with cytoplasmic functions, including sugar metabolism, DNA repair, and protein production, in which repeat length variation may have other functions. Coding tandem repeats appear to represent a largely unexplored mechanism of generating diversity in the Neisseria spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Jordan
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Functional Genomics Group, The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford. OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Lori AS Snyder
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Functional Genomics Group, The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford. OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Nigel J Saunders
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Functional Genomics Group, The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford. OX1 3RE, UK
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Simmons WL, Dybvig K. The Vsa proteins modulate susceptibility of Mycoplasma pulmonis to complement killing, hemadsorption, and adherence to polystyrene. Infect Immun 2003; 71:5733-8. [PMID: 14500494 PMCID: PMC201092 DOI: 10.1128/iai.71.10.5733-5738.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2003] [Revised: 06/26/2003] [Accepted: 07/18/2003] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The variable surface antigens (Vsa) of the murine respiratory pathogen Mycoplasma pulmonis are associated with the virulence of the microorganism in the lung. In strain UAB CT, the antigens consist of an N-terminal region that is combined with one of seven different C-terminal variable regions comprised of tandem repeats. M. pulmonis producing a VsaA protein with about 40 tandem repeats (R40) does not adhere to red blood cells or polystyrene. Strains that produce VsaH contain a short C-terminal region that lacks tandem repeats and adhere to red blood cells and plastic. We isolated and analyzed M. pulmonis strain CT variants (CT182 and derivatives) that produced a VsaA protein with only three tandem repeats (R3). These variants adhered to plastic and red blood cells similarly to the VsaH-producing strain. When the R3-producing CT182 strain or the VsaH-producing strains were incubated with normal guinea pig serum, they were efficiently killed. Killing was abolished when the serum was heat inactivated. In contrast, the M. pulmonis strains that produced VsaA R40 were highly resistant to complement killing. CT182R3 variants that survived the complement killing reactions all produced the R40 form of VsaA and were resistant to complement killing. VsaA R40 is the first mycoplasmal protein shown to be associated with resistance to complement. As both VsaH and VsaA can mediate adherence to plastic, cytadherence, and susceptibility to complement, we propose that Vsa modulates these phenotypes by nonspecific interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren L Simmons
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 720 South 20th Street, Kaul Room 720, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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Monecke S, Helbig JH, Jacobs E. Phase variation of the multiple banded protein in Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum. Int J Med Microbiol 2003; 293:203-11. [PMID: 12868657 DOI: 10.1078/1438-4221-00239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ureaplasma urealyticum and U. parvum are common commensals and, possibly, pathogens of the human urogenital tract. Like other Mycoplasmatales they possess variable surface proteins. The multiple banded (MB) protein shows a striking variability of its molecular weight. This is caused by changes of the number of C-terminal repeating units. In this study, selective pressure was imposed against cytadherence of U. urealyticum and U. parvum. Ureaplasmas were co-incubated with either erythrocytes or HeLa cells and the cell-bound fraction was removed. Additionally, U. urealyticum populations were transferred serially through broth containing specific polyclonal antibodies. Both approaches led to the emergence of escape variants in which no MB protein was detectable. PCR studies with several primers on different parts of the mba gene indicated major differences between wild-type strains and MB-negative escape variants. In experiments with clonal lineages, however, the loss of the MB protein was shown to be reversible. Therefore, it is proposed that the multiple banded proteins of U. urealyticum and U. parvum are subjected to a phase-switching mechanism as it has already been described for several other Mycoplasmatales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Monecke
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Medical Faculty, Technical University of Dresden, Germany.
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Snyder LAS, Shafer WM, Saunders NJ. Divergence and transcriptional analysis of the division cell wall (dcw) gene cluster in Neisseria spp. Mol Microbiol 2003; 47:431-42. [PMID: 12519193 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2003.03204.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Three of the 18 open reading frames in the division and cell wall synthesis cluster of the pathogenic Neisseria spp. are not present in the clusters of other bacterial species. The region containing two of these, dcaB and dcaC, displays interstrain and interspecies variability uncharacteristic of such clusters. 3' of dcaB is a Correia repeat enclosed element (CREE), which is only present in some strains. It has been suggested that this CREE is a transcriptional terminator, although we demonstrate otherwise. A gearbox-like promoter within this CREE is active in Escherichia coli but not in Neisseria meningitidis. There is an active promoter 5' of dcaC, although its sequence is not conserved. The presence of similarly located promoters has not been demonstrated in other species. In Neisseria lactamica, this promoter involves another dcw-associated CREE, the first demonstration of active promoter generation at the 5' end of this common intergenic, apparently mobile, element. Upstream of this promoter is an inverted pair of neisserial uptake signal sequences, which are commonly considered to be transcriptional terminators. It has been proposed to terminate transcription in this location, although we have demonstrated transcript extending through this uptake signal sequence. dcaC contains a 108 bp tandem repeat, which is present in different copy numbers in the neisserial strains examined. This investigation reveals extensive sequence variation, disputes the presence of transcriptional terminators and identifies active internal promoters in this normally highly conserved cluster of essential genes, and addresses the transcriptional activity of two common neisserial intergenic components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori A S Snyder
- The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Univrsity of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
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Lührmann A, Deiters U, Skokowa J, Hanke M, Gessner JE, Mühlradt PF, Pabst R, Tschernig T. In vivo effects of a synthetic 2-kilodalton macrophage-activating lipopeptide of Mycoplasma fermentans after pulmonary application. Infect Immun 2002; 70:3785-92. [PMID: 12065522 PMCID: PMC128036 DOI: 10.1128/iai.70.7.3785-3792.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasmas can cause interstitial pneumonias inducing critical illness in humans and animals. Mycoplasma infections are characterized by an influx of neutrophils, followed by an accumulation of macrophages and lymphocytes. The present study deals with the question of which mycoplasmal components cause this host reaction. The mycoplasma-derived, macrophage-activating lipopeptide 2S-MALP-2 was used to mimic the sequelae of a mycoplasma infection. To this end, 2S-MALP-2 was intratracheally instilled into the lungs of Lewis rats, and the bronchoalveolar lavage cells were examined at different times after different doses of 2S-MALP-2. Application of 2.5 microg induced a pronounced leukocyte accumulation in the bronchoalveolar space. At 24 h after 2S-MALP-2 administration, the majority of leukocytes consisted of neutrophils, followed by macrophages, peaking on days 2 and 3. Lymphocyte numbers, although amounting to only a few percent of the total bronchoalveolar lavage cells, also increased significantly, with maximal lymphocyte accumulation occurring by 72 h after instillation. The leukocyte count of the lung interstitium was increased on day 3 after treatment. After 10 days all investigated cell populations returned to control levels. Transient chemotactic activity for neutrophils was detected in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid early after 2S-MALP-2 application, followed by monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 activity (MCP-1) in lung homogenates. MCP-1 was produced by bronchoalveolar lavage cells upon stimulation with 2S-MALP-2. Our data indicate that mycoplasmal lipoproteins and lipopeptides are probably the most relevant mycoplasmal components for the early host reaction. The primary target cells are likely to be the alveolar macrophages liberating chemokines, which attract further leukocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Lührmann
- Department of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Medical School of Hannover, 30623 Hannover, Germany.
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Rocha EPC, Blanchard A. Genomic repeats, genome plasticity and the dynamics of Mycoplasma evolution. Nucleic Acids Res 2002; 30:2031-42. [PMID: 11972343 PMCID: PMC113839 DOI: 10.1093/nar/30.9.2031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasmas evolved by a drastic reduction in genome size, but their genomes contain numerous repeated sequences with important roles in their evolution. We have established a bioinformatic strategy to detect the major recombination hot-spots in the genomes of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma pulmonis. This allowed the identification of large numbers of potentially variable regions, as well as a comparison of the relative recombination potentials of different genomic regions. Different trends are perceptible among mycoplasmas, probably due to different functional and structural constraints. The largest potential for illegitimate recombination in M.pulmonis is found at the vsa locus and its comparison in two different strains reveals numerous changes since divergence. On the other hand, the main M.pneumoniae and M.genitalium adhesins rely on large distant repeats and, hence, homologous recombination for variation. However, the relation between the existence of repeats and antigenic variation is not necessarily straightforward, since repeats of P1 adhesin were found to be anti-correlated with epitopes recognized by patient antibodies. These different strategies have important consequences for the structures of genomes, since large distant repeats correlate well with the major chromosomal rearrangements. Probably to avoid such events, mycoplasmas strongly avoid inverse repeats, in comparison to co-oriented repeats.
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Röske K, Blanchard A, Chambaud I, Citti C, Helbig JH, Prevost MC, Rosengarten R, Jacobs E. Phase variation among major surface antigens of Mycoplasma penetrans. Infect Immun 2001; 69:7642-51. [PMID: 11705944 PMCID: PMC98858 DOI: 10.1128/iai.69.12.7642-7651.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenicity and prevalence of Mycoplasma penetrans, a Mycoplasma species recently isolated from humans, are still debated. A major P35 antigen, which is used as target epitope in serological assays, was shown to be a phase-variable lipid-associated membrane protein (LAMP). In this study, we performed a comparative analysis of the LAMP patterns from five M. penetrans clinical isolates and from the type strain. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profiles and immunoblots with sera serially collected from an M. penetrans-infected patient indicated that these strains expressed different LAMP repertoires. Furthermore, the intraclonal variation in the expression of LAMPs (P34A, P34B, P35, and P38) was monitored by immunoblot analysis with three specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) developed in this study and MAb 7 to P35. The phase variation of these LAMPs occurs in an independent manner, with frequencies of variation ranging from 10(-2) to 10(-4) per cell per generation. Consistent with their amphipathic nature, the P34B and P38 antigens were found exposed at the cell surface. The DNA sequence encoding the P38 antigen was defined and found to be related to those of the P35 gene and other putative LAMP-encoding genes, suggesting that these variable antigens are encoded by a family of related genes. Finally, the serum samples from an M. penetrans-infected patient contained antibodies that reacted with a P36 antigen expressed in different M. penetrans strains but not in the isolate recovered from this patient. This result suggested that in vivo phase variation of P36 occurred, which would support a role for these LAMP variations in avoiding the host's immune vigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Röske
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
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Lysnyansky I, Ron Y, Yogev D. Juxtaposition of an active promoter to vsp genes via site-specific DNA inversions generates antigenic variation in Mycoplasma bovis. J Bacteriol 2001; 183:5698-708. [PMID: 11544233 PMCID: PMC95462 DOI: 10.1128/jb.183.19.5698-5708.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma bovis, the most important etiological agent of bovine mycoplasmosis, undergoes extensive antigenic variation of major and highly immunogenic surface lipoprotein antigens (Vsps). A family of 13 related but divergent vsp genes, which occur as single chromosomal copies, was recently found in the chromosome of M. bovis. In the present study, the molecular mechanism mediating the high-frequency phase variation of two Vsps (VspA and VspC) as representatives of the Vsp family was investigated. Analysis of clonal isolates exhibiting phase transitions of VspA or of VspC (i.e., ON-->OFF-->ON) has shown that DNA inversions occur during Vsp phase variation. The upstream region of each vsp gene contains two sequence cassettes. The first (cassette no. 1), a 71-bp region upstream of the ATG initiation codon, exhibits 98% homology among all vsp genes, while the second (cassette no. 2), upstream of cassette no. 1, ranges in size from 50 to 180 bp and is more divergent. Examination of the ends of the inverted fragments during VspA or VspC phase variation revealed that in both cases, a change in the organization of vsp upstream cassettes involving three vsp genes had occurred. Primer extension and Northern blot analysis have shown that a specific cassette no. 2, designated A(2), is an active promoter and that juxtaposition of this regulatory element to a silent vsp gene by DNA inversions allows transcription initiation of the recipient gene. Further genetic analysis revealed that phase variation of VspA or of VspC involves two site-specific DNA inversions occurring between inverted copies of a specific 35-bp sequence present within the conserved cassette no. 1. A model for the control of Vsp phase variation is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Lysnyansky
- Department of Membrane and Ultrastructure Research, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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48
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Zhang Q, Wise KS. Coupled phase-variable expression and epitope masking of selective surface lipoproteins increase surface phenotypic diversity in Mycoplasma hominis. Infect Immun 2001; 69:5177-81. [PMID: 11447202 PMCID: PMC98616 DOI: 10.1128/iai.69.8.5177-5181.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A new mechanism expanding mycoplasmal surface diversity is described. Exposure of surface epitopes on a constitutively expressed membrane protein (P56) of Mycoplasma hominis was subject to high-frequency phase variation due to phase-variable expression of the P120 antigen and its selective masking of P56 epitopes. Phase-variable masking may confer previously unrealized adaptive capabilities on mycoplasmas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q Zhang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri 65212, USA
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49
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Affiliation(s)
- S Rottem
- Department of Membrane and Ultrastructure Research, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
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50
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Shen X, Gumulak J, Yu H, French CT, Zou N, Dybvig K. Gene rearrangements in the vsa locus of Mycoplasma pulmonis. J Bacteriol 2000; 182:2900-8. [PMID: 10781561 PMCID: PMC102001 DOI: 10.1128/jb.182.10.2900-2908.2000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The vsa genes of Mycoplasma pulmonis encode the V-1 lipoproteins. Most V-1 proteins contain repetitive domains and are thought to be involved in mycoplasma-host cell interactions. Previously, we have reported the isolation and characterization of six vsa genes comprising a 10-kb region of the genome of M. pulmonis strain KD735-15. In the current study, vsa-specific probes were used to clone several fragments from a genomic library of KD735-15 DNA and assemble a single 20-kb contig containing 11 vsa genes. The middle region of the vsa locus contains a large open reading frame (ORF) that is not a vsa gene and has undergone an internal deletion in some strains. The ORF is predicted to encode a membrane protein that may have a role in disease pathogenesis. To examine vsa genes in a strain of M. pulmonis that is unrelated to KD735-15, strain CT was studied. Through Southern hybridization and genomic cloning analyses, CT was found to possess homologs of the KD735-15 vsaA, -C, -E, and -F genes and two unique genes (vsaG and vsaH) that were not found in KD735-15. High-frequency, site-specific DNA inversions serve to regulate the phase-variable production of individual V-1 proteins. As a result of the sequence analysis of vsa recombination products, a model in which DNA inversion arises from strand exchange involving at least six nucleotides of the vrs box is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Shen
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0019, USA
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