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Woelfel S, Silva MS, Stecher B. Intestinal colonization resistance in the context of environmental, host, and microbial determinants. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:820-836. [PMID: 38870899 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.05.002] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Microbial communities that colonize the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract defend against pathogens through a mechanism known as colonization resistance (CR). Advances in technologies such as next-generation sequencing, gnotobiotic mouse models, and bacterial cultivation have enhanced our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the intricate microbial interactions involved in CR. Rather than being attributed to specific microbial clades, CR is now understood to arise from a dynamic interplay between microbes and the host and is shaped by metabolic, immune, and environmental factors. This evolving perspective underscores the significance of contextual factors, encompassing microbiome composition and host conditions, in determining CR. This review highlights recent research that has shifted its focus toward elucidating how these factors interact to either promote or impede enteric infections. It further discusses future research directions to unravel the complex relationship between host, microbiota, and environmental determinants in safeguarding against GI infections to promote human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Woelfel
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institute for Hygiene and Clinical Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Marta Salvado Silva
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institute for Hygiene and Clinical Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Bärbel Stecher
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institute for Hygiene and Clinical Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
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2
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Arbulu S, Kjos M. Revisiting the Multifaceted Roles of Bacteriocins : The Multifaceted Roles of Bacteriocins. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:41. [PMID: 38351266 PMCID: PMC10864542 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02357-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriocins are gene-encoded antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria. These peptides are heterogeneous in terms of structure, antimicrobial activities, biosynthetic clusters, and regulatory mechanisms. Bacteriocins are widespread in nature and may contribute to microbial diversity due to their capacity to target specific bacteria. Primarily studied as food preservatives and therapeutic agents, their function in natural settings is however less known. This review emphasizes the ecological significance of bacteriocins as multifunctional peptides by exploring bacteriocin distribution, mobility, and their impact on bacterial population dynamics and biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Arbulu
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
| | - Morten Kjos
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
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3
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The Role of Temperate Phages in Bacterial Pathogenicity. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030541. [PMID: 36985115 PMCID: PMC10052878 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and archaea and are classified as virulent or temperate phages based on their life cycles. A temperate phage, also known as a lysogenic phage, integrates its genomes into host bacterial chromosomes as a prophage. Previous studies have indicated that temperate phages are beneficial to their susceptible bacterial hosts by introducing additional genes to bacterial chromosomes, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. This article reviewed three primary ways temperate phages contribute to the bacterial pathogenicity of foodborne pathogens, including phage-mediated virulence gene transfer, antibiotic resistance gene mobilization, and biofilm formation. This study provides insights into mechanisms of phage–bacterium interactions in the context of foodborne pathogens and provokes new considerations for further research to avoid the potential of phage-mediated harmful gene transfer in agricultural environments.
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4
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Clavel T, Horz H, Segata N, Vehreschild M. Next steps after 15 stimulating years of human gut microbiome research. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:164-175. [PMID: 34818454 PMCID: PMC8719818 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiome research has bloomed over the past 15 years. We have learnt a lot about the complex microbial communities that colonize our intestine. Promising avenues of research and microbiome-based applications are being implemented, with the goal of sustaining host health and applying personalized disease management strategies. Despite this exciting outlook, many fundamental questions about enteric microbial ecosystems remain to be answered. Organizational measures will also need to be taken to optimize the outcome of discoveries happening at an extremely rapid pace. This article highlights our own view of the field and perspectives for the next 15 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Clavel
- Functional Microbiome Research GroupInstitute of Medical MicrobiologyRWTH University HospitalAachenGermany
| | - Hans‐Peter Horz
- Phage Biology Research GroupInstitute of Medical MicrobiologyRWTH University HospitalAachenGermany
| | | | - Maria Vehreschild
- Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious DiseasesUniversity Hospital FrankfurtGoethe University FrankfurtFrankfurt am MainGermany
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5
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Lee IPA, Eldakar OT, Gogarten JP, Andam CP. Bacterial cooperation through horizontal gene transfer. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:223-232. [PMID: 34815098 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cooperation exists across all scales of biological organization, from genetic elements to complex human societies. Bacteria cooperate by secreting molecules that benefit all individuals in the population (i.e., public goods). Genes associated with cooperation can spread among strains through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). We discuss recent findings on how HGT mediated by mobile genetic elements promotes bacterial cooperation, how cooperation in turn can facilitate more frequent HGT, and how the act of HGT itself may be considered as a form of cooperation. We propose that HGT is an important enforcement mechanism in bacterial populations, thus creating a positive feedback loop that further maintains cooperation. To enforce cooperation, HGT serves as a homogenizing force by transferring the cooperative trait, effectively eliminating cheaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaiah Paolo A Lee
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Omar Tonsi Eldakar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - J Peter Gogarten
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
| | - Cheryl P Andam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA.
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6
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Chevallereau A, Pons BJ, van Houte S, Westra ER. Interactions between bacterial and phage communities in natural environments. Nat Rev Microbiol 2021; 20:49-62. [PMID: 34373631 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-021-00602-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We commonly acknowledge that bacterial viruses (phages) shape the composition and evolution of bacterial communities in nature and therefore have important roles in ecosystem functioning. This view stems from studies in the 1990s to the first decade of the twenty-first century that revealed high viral abundance, high viral diversity and virus-induced microbial death in aquatic ecosystems as well as an association between collapses in bacterial density and peaks in phage abundance. The recent surge in metagenomic analyses has provided deeper insight into the abundance, genomic diversity and spatio-temporal dynamics of phages in a wide variety of ecosystems, ranging from deep oceans to soil and the mammalian digestive tract. However, the causes and consequences of variations in phage community compositions remain poorly understood. In this Review, we explore current knowledge of the composition and evolution of phage communities, as well as their roles in controlling the population and evolutionary dynamics of bacterial communities. We discuss the need for greater ecological realism in laboratory studies to capture the complexity of microbial communities that thrive in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Chevallereau
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK. .,Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France.
| | - Benoît J Pons
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Stineke van Houte
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Edze R Westra
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.
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Koeppel MB, Glaser J, Baumgartner T, Spriewald S, Gerlach RG, von Armansperg B, Leong JM, Stecher B. Scalable Reporter Assays to Analyze the Regulation of stx2 Expression in Shiga Toxin-Producing Enteropathogens. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13080534. [PMID: 34437405 PMCID: PMC8402550 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13080534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Stx2 is the major virulence factor of EHEC and is associated with an increased risk for HUS in infected patients. The conditions influencing its expression in the intestinal tract are largely unknown. For optimal management and treatment of infected patients, the identification of environmental conditions modulating Stx2 levels in the human gut is of central importance. In this study, we established a set of chromosomal stx2 reporter assays. One system is based on superfolder GFP (sfGFP) using a T7 polymerase/T7 promoter-based amplification loop. This reporter can be used to analyze stx2 expression at the single-cell level using FACSs and fluorescence microscopy. The other system is based on the cytosolic release of the Gaussia princeps luciferase (gluc). This latter reporter proves to be a highly sensitive and scalable reporter assay that can be used to quantify reporter protein in the culture supernatant. We envision that this new set of reporter tools will be highly useful to comprehensively analyze the influence of environmental and host factors, including drugs, small metabolites and the microbiota, on Stx2 release and thereby serve the identification of risk factors and new therapies in Stx-mediated pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin B. Koeppel
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 Munich, Germany; (J.G.); (T.B.); (S.S.); (B.v.A.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.B.K.); (B.S.)
| | - Jana Glaser
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 Munich, Germany; (J.G.); (T.B.); (S.S.); (B.v.A.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Baumgartner
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 Munich, Germany; (J.G.); (T.B.); (S.S.); (B.v.A.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Spriewald
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 Munich, Germany; (J.G.); (T.B.); (S.S.); (B.v.A.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Roman G. Gerlach
- Mikrobiologisches Institut-Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Wasserturmstraße 3/5, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Benedikt von Armansperg
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 Munich, Germany; (J.G.); (T.B.); (S.S.); (B.v.A.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - John M. Leong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111, USA;
| | - Bärbel Stecher
- Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 Munich, Germany; (J.G.); (T.B.); (S.S.); (B.v.A.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.B.K.); (B.S.)
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