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Sun M, Gao J, Tang H, Wu T, Ma Q, Zhang S, Zuo Y, Li Q. Increasing CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing efficiency in T7 phage by reducing the escape rate based on insight into the survival mechanism. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2024; 56:937-944. [PMID: 38761011 PMCID: PMC11294054 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2024030] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages have been used across various fields, and the utilization of CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing technology can accelerate the research and applications of bacteriophages. However, some bacteriophages can escape from the cleavage of Cas protein, such as Cas9, and decrease the efficiency of genome editing. This study focuses on the bacteriophage T7, which is widely utilized but whose mechanism of evading the cleavage of CRISPR/Cas9 has not been elucidated. First, we test the escape rates of T7 phage at different cleavage sites, ranging from 10 -2 to 10 -5. The sequencing results show that DNA point mutations and microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) at the target sites are the main causes. Next, we indicate the existence of the hotspot DNA region of MMEJ and successfully reduce MMEJ events by designing targeted sites that bypass the hotspot DNA region. Moreover, we also knock out the ATP-dependent DNA ligase 1. 3 gene, which may be involved in the MMEJ event, and the frequency of MMEJ at 4. 3 is reduced from 83% to 18%. Finally, the genome editing efficiency in T7 Δ 1. 3 increases from 20% to 100%. This study reveals the mechanism of T7 phage evasion from the cleavage of CRISPR/Cas9 and demonstrates that the special design of editing sites or the deletion of key gene 1. 3 can reduce MMEJ events and enhance gene editing efficiency. These findings will contribute to advancing CRISPR/Cas-based tools for efficient genome editing in phages and provide a theoretical foundation for the broader application of phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjun Sun
- College of Life SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengdu610101China
| | - Jie Gao
- College of Life SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengdu610101China
| | - Hongjie Tang
- College of Life SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengdu610101China
| | - Ting Wu
- College of Life SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengdu610101China
| | - Qinqin Ma
- College of Life SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengdu610101China
| | - Suyi Zhang
- Luzhou Laojiao CoLtdLuzhou646000China
- National Engineering Research Center of Solid-State BrewingLuzhou646000China
| | - Yong Zuo
- College of Life SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengdu610101China
| | - Qi Li
- College of Life SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengdu610101China
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2
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Barno AR, Green K, Rohwer F, Silveira CB. Snow viruses and their implications on red snow algal blooms. mSystems 2024; 9:e0008324. [PMID: 38647296 PMCID: PMC11097641 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00083-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Algal blooms can give snowmelt a red color, reducing snow albedo and creating a runaway effect that accelerates snow melting. The occurrence of red snow is predicted to grow in polar and subpolar regions with increasing global temperatures. We hypothesize that these algal blooms affect virus-bacteria interactions in snow, with potential effects on snowmelt dynamics. A genomic analysis of double-stranded DNA virus communities in red and white snow from the Whistler region of British Columbia, Canada, identified 792 putative viruses infecting bacteria. The most abundant putative snow viruses displayed low genomic similarity with known viruses. We recovered the complete circular genomes of nine putative viruses, two of which were classified as temperate. Putative snow viruses encoded genes involved in energy metabolisms, such as NAD+ synthesis and salvage pathways. In model phages, these genes facilitate increased viral particle production and lysis rates. The frequency of temperate phages was positively correlated with microbial abundance in the snow samples. These results suggest the increased frequency of temperate virus-bacteria interactions as microbial densities increase during snowmelt. We propose that this virus-bacteria dynamic may facilitate the red snow algae growth stimulated by bacteria.IMPORTANCEMicrobial communities in red snow algal blooms contribute to intensifying snowmelt rates. The role of viruses in snow during this environmental shift, however, has yet to be elucidated. Here, we characterize novel viruses extracted from snow viral metagenomes and define the functional capacities of snow viruses in both white and red snow. These results are contextualized using the composition and functions observed in the bacterial communities from the same snow samples. Together, these data demonstrate the energy metabolism performed by viruses and bacteria in a snow algal bloom, as well as expand the overall knowledge of viral genomes in extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R. Barno
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kevin Green
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Forest Rohwer
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
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3
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Nomura K, Onda K, Murase H, Hashiya F, Ono Y, Terai G, Oka N, Asai K, Suzuki D, Takahashi N, Hiraoka H, Inagaki M, Kimura Y, Shimizu Y, Abe N, Abe H. Development of PCR primers enabling the design of flexible sticky ends for efficient concatenation of long DNA fragments. RSC Chem Biol 2024; 5:360-371. [PMID: 38576723 PMCID: PMC10989509 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00212h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
We developed chemically modified PCR primers that allow the design of flexible sticky ends by introducing a photo-cleavable group at the phosphate moiety. Nucleic acid derivatives containing o-nitrobenzyl photo-cleavable groups with a tert-butyl group at the benzyl position were stable during strong base treatment for oligonucleotide synthesis and thermal cycling in PCR reactions. PCR using primers incorporating these nucleic acid derivatives confirmed that chain extension reactions completely stopped at position 1 before and after the site of the photo-cleavable group was introduced. DNA fragments of 2 and 3 kbp, with sticky ends of 50 bases, were successfully concatenated with a high yield of 77%. A plasmid was constructed using this method. Finally, we applied this approach to construct a 48.5 kbp lambda phage DNA, which is difficult to achieve using restriction enzyme-based methods. After 7 days, we were able to confirm the generation of DNA of the desired length. Although the efficiency is yet to be improved, the chemically modified PCR primer offers potential to complement enzymatic methods and serve as a DNA concatenation technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Nomura
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Kaoru Onda
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Hirotaka Murase
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Fumitaka Hashiya
- Research Center for Materials Science, Nagoya University Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency 7 Gobancho Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 102-0076 Japan
| | - Yukiteru Ono
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa Chiba 277-8561 Japan
| | - Goro Terai
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa Chiba 277-8561 Japan
| | - Natsuhisa Oka
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science Faculty of Engineering, Gifu University Gifu 501-1193 Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Asai
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa Chiba 277-8561 Japan
| | - Daisuke Suzuki
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Naho Takahashi
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Haruka Hiraoka
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Masahito Inagaki
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Yasuaki Kimura
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Shimizu
- Laboratory for Cell-Free Protein Synthesis, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research Suita Osaka 565-0874 Japan
| | - Naoko Abe
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Hiroshi Abe
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
- Research Center for Materials Science, Nagoya University Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency 7 Gobancho Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 102-0076 Japan
- Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Nagoya University Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8601 Japan
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4
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Rakesh S, Aravind L, Krishnan A. Reappraisal of the DNA phosphorothioate modification machinery: uncovering neglected functional modalities and identification of new counter-invader defense systems. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:1005-1026. [PMID: 38163645 PMCID: PMC10853773 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The DndABCDE systems catalysing the unusual phosphorothioate (PT) DNA backbone modification, and the DndFGH systems, which restrict invasive DNA, have enigmatic and paradoxical features. Using comparative genomics and sequence-structure analyses, we show that the DndABCDE module is commonly functionally decoupled from the DndFGH module. However, the modification gene-neighborhoods encode other nucleases, potentially acting as the actual restriction components or suicide effectors limiting propagation of the selfish elements. The modification module's core consists of a coevolving gene-pair encoding the DNA-scanning apparatus - a DndD/CxC-clade ABC ATPase and DndE with two ribbon-helix-helix (MetJ/Arc) DNA-binding domains. Diversification of DndE's DNA-binding interface suggests a multiplicity of target specificities. Additionally, many systems feature DNA cytosine methylase genes instead of PT modification, indicating the DndDE core can recruit other nucleobase modifications. We show that DndFGH is a distinct counter-invader system with several previously uncharacterized domains, including a nucleotide kinase. These likely trigger its restriction endonuclease domain in response to multiple stimuli, like nucleotides, while blocking protective modifications by invader methylases. Remarkably, different DndH variants contain a HerA/FtsK ATPase domain acquired from multiple sources, including cellular genome-segregation systems and mobile elements. Thus, we uncovered novel HerA/FtsK-dependent defense systems that might intercept invasive DNA during replication, conjugation, or packaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siuli Rakesh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Berhampur (IISER Berhampur), Berhampur 760010, India
| | - L Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Arunkumar Krishnan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Berhampur (IISER Berhampur), Berhampur 760010, India
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Bleriot I, Blasco L, Pacios O, Fernández-García L, López M, Ortiz-Cartagena C, Barrio-Pujante A, Fernández-Cuenca F, Pascual Á, Martínez-Martínez L, Oteo-Iglesias J, Tomás M. Proteomic Study of the Interactions between Phages and the Bacterial Host Klebsiella pneumoniae. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0397422. [PMID: 36877024 PMCID: PMC10100988 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03974-22] [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: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Phages and bacteria have acquired resistance mechanisms for protection. In this context, the aims of the present study were to analyze the proteins isolated from 21 novel lytic phages of Klebsiella pneumoniae in search of defense mechanisms against bacteria and also to determine the infective capacity of the phages. A proteomic study was also conducted to investigate the defense mechanisms of two clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae infected by phages. For this purpose, the 21 lytic phages were sequenced and de novo assembled. The host range was determined in a collection of 47 clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae, revealing the variable infective capacity of the phages. Genome sequencing showed that all of the phages were lytic phages belonging to the order Caudovirales. Phage sequence analysis revealed that the proteins were organized in functional modules within the genome. Although most of the proteins have unknown functions, multiple proteins were associated with defense mechanisms against bacteria, including the restriction-modification system, the toxin-antitoxin system, evasion of DNA degradation, blocking of host restriction and modification, the orphan CRISPR-Cas system, and the anti-CRISPR system. Proteomic study of the phage-host interactions (i.e., between isolates K3574 and K3320, which have intact CRISPR-Cas systems, and phages vB_KpnS-VAC35 and vB_KpnM-VAC36, respectively) revealed the presence of several defense mechanisms against phage infection (prophage, defense/virulence/resistance, oxidative stress and plasmid proteins) in the bacteria, and of the Acr candidate (anti-CRISPR protein) in the phages. IMPORTANCE Researchers, including microbiologists and infectious disease specialists, require more knowledge about the interactions between phages and their bacterial hosts and about their defense mechanisms. In this study, we analyzed the molecular mechanisms of viral and bacterial defense in phages infecting clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae. Viral defense mechanisms included restriction-modification system evasion, the toxin-antitoxin (TA) system, DNA degradation evasion, blocking of host restriction and modification, and resistance to the abortive infection system, anti-CRISPR and CRISPR-Cas systems. Regarding bacterial defense mechanisms, proteomic analysis revealed expression of proteins involved in the prophage (FtsH protease modulator), plasmid (cupin phosphomannose isomerase protein), defense/virulence/resistance (porins, efflux pumps, lipopolysaccharide, pilus elements, quorum network proteins, TA systems, and methyltransferases), oxidative stress mechanisms, and Acr candidates (anti-CRISPR protein). The findings reveal some important molecular mechanisms involved in the phage-host bacterial interactions; however, further study in this field is required to improve the efficacy of phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Bleriot
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Lucia Blasco
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Olga Pacios
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Laura Fernández-García
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - María López
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Concha Ortiz-Cartagena
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Antonio Barrio-Pujante
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Felipe Fernández-Cuenca
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (University Hospital Virgen Macarena/CSIC/University of Seville), Seville, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Pascual
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (University Hospital Virgen Macarena/CSIC/University of Seville), Seville, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Martínez-Martínez
- Clinical Unit of Microbiology, Reina Sofía University Hospital, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Edaphology and Microbiology, University of Cordoba, Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute (IMIBIC), Cordoba, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Oteo-Iglesias
- Reference and Research Laboratory for Antibiotic Resistance and Health Care Infections, National Centre for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Tomás
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
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6
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Baqer AA, Fang K, Mohd-Assaad N, Adnan SNA, Md Nor NS. In Vitro Activity, Stability and Molecular Characterization of Eight Potent Bacteriophages Infecting Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Viruses 2022; 15:117. [PMID: 36680156 PMCID: PMC9860934 DOI: 10.3390/v15010117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Members of the genus Klebsiella are among the leading microbial pathogens associated with nosocomial infection. The increased incidence of antimicrobial resistance in these species has propelled the need for alternate/combination therapeutic regimens to aid clinical treatment, including bacteriophage therapy. Bacteriophages are considered very safe and effective in treating bacterial infections. In this study, we characterize eight lytic bacteriophages that were previously isolated by our team against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. METHODS The one-step-growth curves, stability and lytic ability of eight bacteriophages were characterized. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) typing analysis and protein profiling were used to characterize the microbes at the molecular level. Phylogenetic trees of four important proteins were constructed for the two selected bacteriophages. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS All eight bacteriophages showed high efficiency for reducing bacterial concentration with high stability under different physical and chemical conditions. We found four major protein bands out of at least ten 15-190 KDa bands that were clearly separated by SDS-PAGE, which were assumed to be the major head and tail proteins. The genomes were found to be dsDNA, with sizes of approximately 36-87 Kb. All bacteriophages reduced the optical density of the planktonic K. pneumoniae abruptly, indicating great potential to reduce K. pneumoniae infection. In this study, we have found that tail fiber protein can further distinguished closely related bacteriophages. The characterised bacteriophages showed promising potential as candidates against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae via bacteriophage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer Ameen Baqer
- Medical Laboratory Techniques Department, Dijlah University College, Baghdad 10021, Iraq;
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, SGR, Malaysia;
| | - Kokxin Fang
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, SGR, Malaysia;
| | - Norfarhan Mohd-Assaad
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, SGR, Malaysia;
- Institute for Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, SGR, Malaysia
| | - Siti Noor Adnalizawati Adnan
- Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Level 15, Tower B, Persiaran MPAJ, Jalan Pandan Utama, Kuala Lumpur 55100, SGR, Malaysia;
| | - Norefrina Shafinaz Md Nor
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, SGR, Malaysia;
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7
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Zou X, Xiao X, Mo Z, Ge Y, Jiang X, Huang R, Li M, Deng Z, Chen S, Wang L, Lee SY. Systematic strategies for developing phage resistant Escherichia coli strains. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4491. [PMID: 35918338 PMCID: PMC9345386 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31934-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Phages are regarded as powerful antagonists of bacteria, especially in industrial fermentation processes involving bacteria. While bacteria have developed various defense mechanisms, most of which are effective against a narrow range of phages and consequently exert limited protection from phage infection. Here, we report a strategy for developing phage-resistant Escherichia coli strains through the simultaneous genomic integration of a DNA phosphorothioation-based Ssp defense module and mutations of components essential for the phage life cycle. The engineered E. coli strains show strong resistance against diverse phages tested without affecting cell growth. Additionally, the resultant engineered phage-resistant strains maintain the capabilities of producing example recombinant proteins, D-amino acid oxidase and coronavirus-encoded nonstructural protein nsp8, even under high levels of phage cocktail challenge. The strategy reported here will be useful for developing engineered E. coli strains with improved phage resistance for various industrial fermentation processes for producing recombinant proteins and chemicals of interest. Phage contamination is a persistent problem in industrial biotechnology processes employing bacterial strains. Here, the authors report the construction of E. coli host strains with broad antiphase activities via the genomic integration of the Ssp defense system and mutations of components essential for phage infection cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Xiaohong Xiao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Ziran Mo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China.,Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518035, China
| | - Yashi Ge
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Xing Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China.,Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518035, China
| | - Ruolin Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China.,Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518035, China
| | - Mengxue Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Zixin Deng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Shi Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China. .,Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518035, China.
| | - Lianrong Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China.
| | - Sang Yup Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Four Program), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Abstract
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous genetic elements in bacteria that consist of a growth-inhibiting toxin and its cognate antitoxin. These systems are prevalent in bacterial chromosomes, plasmids, and phage genomes, but individual systems are not highly conserved, even among closely related strains. The biological functions of TA systems have been controversial and enigmatic, although a handful of these systems have been shown to defend bacteria against their viral predators, bacteriophages. Additionally, their patterns of conservation-ubiquitous, but rapidly acquired and lost from genomes-as well as the co-occurrence of some TA systems with known phage defense elements are suggestive of a broader role in mediating phage defense. Here, we review the existing evidence for phage defense mediated by TA systems, highlighting how toxins are activated by phage infection and how toxins disrupt phage replication. We also discuss phage-encoded systems that counteract TA systems, underscoring the ongoing coevolutionary battle between bacteria and phage. We anticipate that TA systems will continue to emerge as central players in the innate immunity of bacteria against phage. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele LeRoux
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;
| | - Michael T Laub
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Seo PW, Hofmann A, Kim JH, Hwangbo SA, Kim JH, Kim JW, Huynh TYL, Choy HE, Kim SJ, Lee J, Lee JO, Jin KS, Park SY, Kim JS. Structural features of a minimal intact methyltransferase of a type I restriction-modification system. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 208:381-389. [PMID: 35337914 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.03.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Type I restriction-modification enzymes are oligomeric proteins composed of methylation (M), DNA sequence-recognition (S), and restriction (R) subunits. The different bipartite DNA sequences of 2-4 consecutive bases are recognized by two discerned target recognition domains (TRDs) located at the two-helix bundle of the two conserved regions (CRs). Two M-subunits and a single S-subunit form an oligomeric protein that functions as a methyltransferase (M2S1 MTase). Here, we present the crystal structure of the intact MTase from Vibrio vulnificus YJ016 in complex with the DNA-mimicking Ocr protein and the S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH). This MTase includes the M-domain with a helix tail (M-tail helix) and the S1/2-domain of a TRD and a CR α-helix. The Ocr binds to the cleft of the TRD surface and SAH is located in the pocket within the M-domain. The solution- and negative-staining electron microscopy-based reconstructed (M1S1/2)2 structure reveals a symmetric (S1/2)2 assembly using two CR-helices and two M-tail helices as a pivot, which is plausible for recognizing two DNA regions of same sequence. The conformational flexibility of the minimal M1S1/2 MTase dimer indicates a particular state resembling the structure of M2S1 MTases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pil-Won Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Max Rubner-Institut, Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food, 95326 Kulmbach, Germany
| | - Jun-Ha Kim
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemical Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, 61, Daehak-ro, Gumi, Gyeongbuk 39177, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-A Hwangbo
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Republic of Korea; Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Membrane Proteins, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Hong Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Won Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Thi Yen Ly Huynh
- Department of Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyon E Choy
- Department of Microbiology, Basic Medical Research Building, Chonnam National University Medical College, Hwasun, Jeonnam 58128, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Jung Kim
- Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Jimin Lee
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Membrane Proteins, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Jie-Oh Lee
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Membrane Proteins, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Sik Jin
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Republic of Korea.
| | - Suk-Youl Park
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jeong-Sun Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Rocha EPC, Bikard D. Microbial defenses against mobile genetic elements and viruses: Who defends whom from what? PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001514. [PMID: 35025885 PMCID: PMC8791490 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotes have numerous mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that mediate horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between cells. These elements can be costly, even deadly, and cells use numerous defense systems to filter, control, or inactivate them. Recent studies have shown that prophages, conjugative elements, their parasites (phage satellites and mobilizable elements), and other poorly described MGEs encode defense systems homologous to those of bacteria. These constitute a significant fraction of the repertoire of cellular defense genes. As components of MGEs, these defense systems have presumably evolved to provide them, not the cell, adaptive functions. While the interests of the host and MGEs are aligned when they face a common threat such as an infection by a virulent phage, defensive functions carried by MGEs might also play more selfish roles to fend off other antagonistic MGEs or to ensure their maintenance in the cell. MGEs are eventually lost from the surviving host genomes by mutational processes and their defense systems can be co-opted when they provide an advantage to the cell. The abundance of defense systems in MGEs thus sheds new light on the role, effect, and fate of the so-called "cellular defense systems," whereby they are not only merely microbial defensive weapons in a 2-partner arms race, but also tools of intragenomic conflict between multiple genetic elements with divergent interests that shape cell fate and gene flow at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo P. C. Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, France
| | - David Bikard
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Synthetic Biology, Department of Microbiology, Paris, France
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11
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Nair A, Vyawahare R, Khairnar K. Characterization of a novel, biofilm dispersing, lytic bacteriophage against drug-resistant Enterobacter cloacae. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 132:2721-2732. [PMID: 34927785 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM To characterize a novel bacteriophage, En5822, isolated from the environment against Enterobacter cloacae and exploring its application as an alternate antimicrobial. METHODS AND RESULTS Bacteriophage was isolated from sewage sample by membrane-filtration immobilization technique. It was purified and studied for its various physical properties like microscopic structure, thermal and pH stability, latent period and burst time, antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity as well as molecular aspects by genome sequencing and analysis. En5822 is a myovirus with relative pH and thermal stability. En5822 shows a notable reduction of host bacterial biofilm as well as planktonic cultures. Whole genome sequence analysis revealed that the En5822 genome does not contain undesirable temperate lifestyle genes, antibiotic resistance genes and toxin-encoding genes. CONCLUSIONS En5822 displays high lytic activity, specificity and biofilm reduction capability. It has a short latent period and high burst size that aid faster activity. Its genomic and physical attributes offer possibilities for its as an alternative antimicrobial for the treatment of drug-resistant E. cloacae infections. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY The study describes a novel, naturally virulent bacteriophage from environment capable of lysing multi-drug resistant E. cloacae effectively. The phage could potentially serve as an alternative strategy for treating antibiotic-resistant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Nair
- CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Renuka Vyawahare
- CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, India
| | - Krishna Khairnar
- CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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12
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Martinez-Soto CE, Cucić S, Lin JT, Kirst S, Mahmoud ES, Khursigara CM, Anany H. PHIDA: A High Throughput Turbidimetric Data Analytic Tool to Compare Host Range Profiles of Bacteriophages Isolated Using Different Enrichment Methods. Viruses 2021; 13:2120. [PMID: 34834927 PMCID: PMC8623551 DOI: 10.3390/v13112120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and are present in niches where bacteria thrive. In recent years, the suggested application areas of lytic bacteriophage have been expanded to include therapy, biocontrol, detection, sanitation, and remediation. However, phage application is constrained by the phage's host range-the range of bacterial hosts sensitive to the phage and the degree of infection. Even though phage isolation and enrichment techniques are straightforward protocols, the correlation between the enrichment technique and host range profile has not been evaluated. Agar-based methods such as spotting assay and efficiency of plaquing (EOP) are the most used methods to determine the phage host range. These methods, aside from being labor intensive, can lead to subjective and incomplete results as they rely on qualitative observations of the lysis/plaques, do not reflect the lytic activity in liquid culture, and can overestimate the host range. In this study, phages against three bacterial genera were isolated using three different enrichment methods. Host range profiles of the isolated phages were quantitatively determined using a high throughput turbidimetric protocol and the data were analyzed with an accessible analytic tool "PHIDA". Using this tool, the host ranges of 9 Listeria, 14 Salmonella, and 20 Pseudomonas phages isolated with different enrichment methods were quantitatively compared. A high variability in the host range index (HRi) ranging from 0.86-0.63, 0.07-0.24, and 0.00-0.67 for Listeria, Salmonella, and Pseudomonas phages, respectively, was observed. Overall, no direct correlation was found between the phage host range breadth and the enrichment method in any of the three target bacterial genera. The high throughput method and analytics tool developed in this study can be easily adapted to any phage study and can provide a consensus for phage host range determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E. Martinez-Soto
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON N1G 5C9, Canada; (C.E.M.-S.); (S.C.); (J.T.L.); (S.K.); (C.M.K.)
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Stevan Cucić
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON N1G 5C9, Canada; (C.E.M.-S.); (S.C.); (J.T.L.); (S.K.); (C.M.K.)
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Janet T. Lin
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON N1G 5C9, Canada; (C.E.M.-S.); (S.C.); (J.T.L.); (S.K.); (C.M.K.)
| | - Sarah Kirst
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON N1G 5C9, Canada; (C.E.M.-S.); (S.C.); (J.T.L.); (S.K.); (C.M.K.)
| | - El Sayed Mahmoud
- Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, The Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Oakville, ON L6H 2L1, Canada;
| | - Cezar M. Khursigara
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON N1G 5C9, Canada; (C.E.M.-S.); (S.C.); (J.T.L.); (S.K.); (C.M.K.)
| | - Hany Anany
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON N1G 5C9, Canada; (C.E.M.-S.); (S.C.); (J.T.L.); (S.K.); (C.M.K.)
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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13
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Figueiredo CM, Malvezzi Karwowski MS, da Silva Ramos RCP, de Oliveira NS, Peña LC, Carneiro E, Freitas de Macedo RE, Rosa EAR. Bacteriophages as tools for biofilm biocontrol in different fields. BIOFOULING 2021; 37:689-709. [PMID: 34304662 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2021.1955866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microbial biofilms are difficult to control due to the limited accessibility that antimicrobial drugs and chemicals have to the entrapped inner cells. The extracellular matrix, binds water, contributes to altered cell physiology within biofilms and act as a barrier for most antiproliferative molecules. Thus, new strategies need to be developed to overcome biofilm vitality. In this review, based on 223 documents, the advantages, recommendations, and limitations of using bacteriophages as 'biofilm predators' are presented. The plausibility of using phages (bacteriophages and mycoviruses) to control biofilms grown in different environments is also discussed. The topics covered here include recent historical experiences in biofilm control/eradication using phages in medicine, dentistry, veterinary, and food industries, the pros and cons of their use, and the development of microbial resistance/immunity to such viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Lorena Caroline Peña
- Xenobiotics Research Unit, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Everdan Carneiro
- Graduate Program in Dentistry, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | - Edvaldo Antonio Ribeiro Rosa
- Graduate Program in Dentistry, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Animal Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Xenobiotics Research Unit, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
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14
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Wu X, Zhu J, Tao P, Rao VB. Bacteriophage T4 Escapes CRISPR Attack by Minihomology Recombination and Repair. mBio 2021; 12:e0136121. [PMID: 34154416 PMCID: PMC8262927 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01361-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria and bacteriophages (phages) have evolved potent defense and counterdefense mechanisms that allowed their survival and greatest abundance on Earth. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) is a bacterial defense system that inactivates the invading phage genome by introducing double-strand breaks at targeted sequences. While the mechanisms of CRISPR defense have been extensively investigated, the counterdefense mechanisms employed by phages are poorly understood. Here, we report a novel counterdefense mechanism by which phage T4 restores the genomes broken by CRISPR cleavages. Catalyzed by the phage-encoded recombinase UvsX, this mechanism pairs very short stretches of sequence identity (minihomology sites), as few as 3 or 4 nucleotides in the flanking regions of the cleaved site, allowing replication, repair, and stitching of genomic fragments. Consequently, a series of deletions are created at the targeted site, making the progeny genomes completely resistant to CRISPR attack. Our results demonstrate that this is a general mechanism operating against both type II (Cas9) and type V (Cas12a) CRISPR-Cas systems. These studies uncovered a new type of counterdefense mechanism evolved by T4 phage where subtle functional tuning of preexisting DNA metabolism leads to profound impact on phage survival. IMPORTANCE Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria and use them as replication factories to assemble progeny phages. Bacteria have evolved powerful defense mechanisms to destroy the invading phages by severing their genomes soon after entry into cells. We discovered a counterdefense mechanism evolved by phage T4 to stitch back the broken genomes and restore viral infection. In this process, a small amount of genetic material is deleted or another mutation is introduced, making the phage resistant to future bacterial attack. The mutant virus might also gain survival advantages against other restriction conditions or DNA damaging events. Thus, bacterial attack not only triggers counterdefenses but also provides opportunities to generate more fit phages. Such defense and counterdefense mechanisms over the millennia led to the extraordinary diversity and the greatest abundance of bacteriophages on Earth. Understanding these mechanisms will open new avenues for engineering recombinant phages for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorong Wu
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jingen Zhu
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Pan Tao
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Venigalla B. Rao
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA
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15
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Abd-Allah IM, El-Housseiny GS, Yahia IS, Aboshanab KM, Hassouna NA. Rekindling of a Masterful Precedent; Bacteriophage: Reappraisal and Future Pursuits. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:635597. [PMID: 34136415 PMCID: PMC8201069 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.635597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is exuberantly becoming a deleterious health problem world-wide. Seeking innovative approaches is necessary in order to circumvent such a hazard. An unconventional fill-in to antibiotics is bacteriophage. Bacteriophages are viruses capable of pervading bacterial cells and disrupting their natural activity, ultimately resulting in their defeat. In this article, we will run-through the historical record of bacteriophage and its correlation with bacteria. We will also delineate the potential of bacteriophage as a therapeutic antibacterial agent, its supremacy over antibiotics in multiple aspects and the challenges that could arise on the way to its utilization in reality. Pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and genetic engineering of bacteriophages and its proteins will be briefly discussed as well. In addition, we will highlight some of the in-use applications of bacteriophages, and set an outlook for their future ones. We will also overview some of the miscellaneous abilities of these tiny viruses in several fields other than the clinical one. This is an attempt to encourage tackling a long-forgotten hive. Perhaps, one day, the smallest of the creatures would be of the greatest help.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israa M. Abd-Allah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ghadir S. El-Housseiny
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ibrahim S. Yahia
- Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), Advanced Functional Materials & Optoelectronic Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- Nanoscience Laboratory for Environmental and Bio-Medical Applications (NLEBA), Semiconductor Lab., Metallurgical Lab, Physics Department, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Khaled M. Aboshanab
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nadia A. Hassouna
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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16
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Koulouras G, Frith MC. Significant non-existence of sequences in genomes and proteomes. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:3139-3155. [PMID: 33693858 PMCID: PMC8034619 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Minimal absent words (MAWs) are minimal-length oligomers absent from a genome or proteome. Although some artificially synthesized MAWs have deleterious effects, there is still a lack of a strategy for the classification of non-occurring sequences as potentially malicious or benign. In this work, by using Markovian models with multiple-testing correction, we reveal significant absent oligomers, which are statistically expected to exist. This suggests that their absence is due to negative selection. We survey genomes and proteomes covering the diversity of life and find thousands of significant absent sequences. Common significant MAWs are often mono- or dinucleotide tracts, or palindromic. Significant viral MAWs are often restriction sites and may indicate unknown restriction motifs. Surprisingly, significant mammal genome MAWs are often present, but rare, in other mammals, suggesting that they are suppressed but not completely forbidden. Significant human MAWs are frequently present in prokaryotes, suggesting immune function, but rarely present in human viruses, indicating viral mimicry of the host. More than one-fourth of human proteins are one substitution away from containing a significant MAW, with the majority of replacements being predicted harmful. We provide a web-based, interactive database of significant MAWs across genomes and proteomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigorios Koulouras
- Artificial Intelligence Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2-3-26 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
| | - Martin C Frith
- Artificial Intelligence Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2-3-26 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), AIST, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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Gurney J, Pleška M, Levin BR. Why put up with immunity when there is resistance: an excursion into the population and evolutionary dynamics of restriction-modification and CRISPR-Cas. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 374:20180096. [PMID: 30905282 PMCID: PMC6452257 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria can readily generate mutations that prevent bacteriophage (phage) adsorption and thus make bacteria resistant to infections with these viruses. Nevertheless, the majority of bacteria carry complex innate and/or adaptive immune systems: restriction–modification (RM) and CRISPR-Cas, respectively. Both RM and CRISPR-Cas are commonly assumed to have evolved and be maintained to protect bacteria from succumbing to infections with lytic phage. Using mathematical models and computer simulations, we explore the conditions under which selection mediated by lytic phage will favour such complex innate and adaptive immune systems, as opposed to simple envelope resistance. The results of our analysis suggest that when populations of bacteria are confronted with lytic phage: (i) In the absence of immunity, resistance to even multiple bacteriophage species with independent receptors can evolve readily. (ii) RM immunity can benefit bacteria by preventing phage from invading established bacterial populations and particularly so when there are multiple bacteriophage species adsorbing to different receptors. (iii) Whether CRISPR-Cas immunity will prevail over envelope resistance depends critically on the number of steps in the coevolutionary arms race between the bacteria-acquiring spacers and the phage-generating CRISPR-escape mutants. We discuss the implications of these results in the context of the evolution and maintenance of RM and CRISPR-Cas and highlight fundamental questions that remain unanswered. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The ecology and evolution of prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems’.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Gurney
- 1 School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA 30314 , USA
| | - Maroš Pleška
- 2 The Rockefeller University , New York, NY 10065 , USA
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18
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The arms race between bacteria and their phage foes. Nature 2020; 577:327-336. [PMID: 31942051 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1894-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 415] [Impact Index Per Article: 103.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria are under immense evolutionary pressure from their viral invaders-bacteriophages. Bacteria have evolved numerous immune mechanisms, both innate and adaptive, to cope with this pressure. The discovery and exploitation of CRISPR-Cas systems have stimulated a resurgence in the identification and characterization of anti-phage mechanisms. Bacteriophages use an extensive battery of counter-defence strategies to co-exist in the presence of these diverse phage defence mechanisms. Understanding the dynamics of the interactions between these microorganisms has implications for phage-based therapies, microbial ecology and evolution, and the development of new biotechnological tools. Here we review the spectrum of anti-phage systems and highlight their evasion by bacteriophages.
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19
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Safari F, Sharifi M, Farajnia S, Akbari B, Karimi Baba Ahmadi M, Negahdaripour M, Ghasemi Y. The interaction of phages and bacteria: the co-evolutionary arms race. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2019; 40:119-137. [PMID: 31793351 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2019.1674774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Since the dawn of life, bacteria and phages are locked in a constant battle and both are perpetually changing their tactics to overcome each other. Bacteria use various strategies to overcome the invading phages, including adsorption inhibition, restriction-modification (R/E) systems, CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated proteins) systems, abortive infection (Abi), etc. To counteract, phages employ intelligent tactics for the nullification of bacterial defense systems, such as accessing host receptors, evading R/E systems, and anti-CRISPR proteins. Intense knowledge about the details of these defense pathways is the basis for their broad utilities in various fields of research from microbiology to biotechnology. Hence, in this review, we discuss some strategies used by bacteria to inhibit phage infections as well as phage tactics to circumvent bacterial defense systems. In addition, the application of these strategies will be described as a lesson learned from bacteria and phage combats. The ecological factors that affect the evolution of bacterial immune systems is the other issue represented in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Safari
- Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Sharifi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Safar Farajnia
- Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Bahman Akbari
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | | | - Manica Negahdaripour
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Younes Ghasemi
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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20
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Large Phenotypic and Genetic Diversity of Prophages Induced from the Fish Pathogen Vibrio anguillarum. Viruses 2019; 11:v11110983. [PMID: 31653117 PMCID: PMC6893619 DOI: 10.3390/v11110983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrio anguillarum is a marine pathogenic bacterium that causes vibriosis in fish and shellfish. Although prophage-like sequences have been predicted in V. anguillarum strains, many are not characterized, and it is not known if they retain the functional capacity to form infectious particles that can infect and lysogenize other bacterial hosts. In this study, the genome sequences of 28 V. anguillarum strains revealed 55 different prophage-related elements. Chemical and spontaneous induction allowed a collection of 42 phage isolates, which were classified in seven different groups according to a multiplex PCR assay. One shared prophage sequence, p41 (group III), was present in 17 V. anguillarum strains, suggesting that this specific element is very dynamically exchanged among V. anguillarum populations. Interestingly, the host range of genetically identical phages was highly dependent on the strains used for proliferation, indicating that phenotypic properties of phages were partly regulated by the host. Finally, experimental evidence displayed that the induced phage ɸVa_90-11-287_p41 was able to lysogenize V. anguillarum strain Ba35, and subsequently spontaneously become released from the lysogenized cells, demonstrating an efficient transfer of the phage among V. anguillarum strains. Altogether, the results showed large genetic and functional diversity and broad distribution of prophages in V. anguillarum, and demonstrated the potential of prophages as drivers of evolution in V. anguillarum strains.
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21
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Bower EKM, Cooper LP, Roberts GA, White JH, Luyten Y, Morgan RD, Dryden DTF. A model for the evolution of prokaryotic DNA restriction-modification systems based upon the structural malleability of Type I restriction-modification enzymes. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:9067-9080. [PMID: 30165537 PMCID: PMC6158711 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Restriction Modification (RM) systems prevent the invasion of foreign genetic material into bacterial cells by restriction and protect the host's genetic material by methylation. They are therefore important in maintaining the integrity of the host genome. RM systems are currently classified into four types (I to IV) on the basis of differences in composition, target recognition, cofactors and the manner in which they cleave DNA. Comparing the structures of the different types, similarities can be observed suggesting an evolutionary link between these different types. This work describes the ‘deconstruction’ of a large Type I RM enzyme into forms structurally similar to smaller Type II RM enzymes in an effort to elucidate the pathway taken by Nature to form these different RM enzymes. Based upon the ability to engineer new enzymes from the Type I ‘scaffold’, an evolutionary pathway and the evolutionary pressures required to move along the pathway from Type I RM systems to Type II RM systems are proposed. Experiments to test the evolutionary model are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward K M Bower
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Laurie P Cooper
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Gareth A Roberts
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - John H White
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Yvette Luyten
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938-2723, USA
| | - Richard D Morgan
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938-2723, USA
| | - David T F Dryden
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
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22
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Jariah ROA, Hakim MS. Interaction of phages, bacteria, and the human immune system: Evolutionary changes in phage therapy. Rev Med Virol 2019; 29:e2055. [PMID: 31145517 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Phages and bacteria are known to undergo dynamic and co-evolutionary arms race interactions in order to survive. Recent advances from in vitro and in vivo studies have improved our understanding of the complex interactions between phages, bacteria, and the human immune system. This insight is essential for the development of phage therapy to battle the growing problems of antibiotic resistance. It is also pivotal to prevent the development of phage-resistance during the implementation of phage therapy in the clinic. In this review, we discuss recent progress of the interactions between phages, bacteria, and the human immune system and its clinical application for phage therapy. Proper phage therapy design will ideally produce large burst sizes, short latent periods, broad host ranges, and a low tendency to select resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rizka O A Jariah
- Department of Health Science, Faculty of Vocational Studies, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Mohamad S Hakim
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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23
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Rehman S, Ali Z, Khan M, Bostan N, Naseem S. The dawn of phage therapy. Rev Med Virol 2019; 29:e2041. [PMID: 31050070 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages or phages, being the most abundant entities on earth, represent a potential solution to a diverse range of problems. Phages are successful antibacterial agents whose use in therapeutics was hindered by the discovery of antibiotics. Eventually, because of the development and spread of antibiotic resistance among most bacterial species, interest in phage as therapeutic entities has returned, because their noninfectious nature to humans should make them safe for human nanomedicine. This review highlights the most recent advances and progress in phage therapy and bacterial hosts against which phage research is currently being conducted with respect to food, human, and marine pathogens. Bacterial immunity against phages and tactics of phage revenge to defeat bacterial defense systems are also summarized. We have also discussed approved phage-based products (whole phage-based products and phage proteins) and shed light on their influence on the eukaryotic host with respect to host safety and induction of immune response against phage preparations. Moreover, creation of phages with desirable qualities and their uses in cancer treatment, vaccine production, and other therapies are also reviewed to bring together evidence from the scientific literature about the potentials and possible utility of phage and phage encoded proteins in the field of therapeutics and industrial biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Rehman
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Zahid Ali
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Momna Khan
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nazish Bostan
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Saadia Naseem
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
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24
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Akhwale JK, Rohde M, Rohde C, Bunk B, Spröer C, Boga HI, Klenk HP, Wittmann J. Isolation, characterization and analysis of bacteriophages from the haloalkaline lake Elmenteita, Kenya. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215734. [PMID: 31022240 PMCID: PMC6483233 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
As a step towards better understanding of diversity and biology of phages and their hosts in haloalkaline Lake Elmenteita, phages were isolated from sediment samples and overlying water using indigenous bacteria as hosts. 17 seemingly different phages of diverse morphotypes with different dimensions and partly exhibiting remarkably unusual ultrastructures were revealed by transmission electron microscopy. 12 clonal phage isolates were further characterized. Infection capability of the phages was optimum at 30-35°C and in alkali condition with optimum at pH 10-12. Structural protein profiles and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses patterns were distinct for each of the phage type. Complete nucleotide sequences of phages vB-VmeM-32, vB_EauS-123 and vB_BhaS-171 genomes varied in size from 30,926-199,912 bp and G + C content of between 36.25-47.73%. A range of 56-260 potential open reading frames were identified and annotated. The results showed that the 12 phages were distinct from each other and confirmed the presence and diversity of phages in extreme environment of haloalkaline Lake Elmenteita. The phages were deposited at the German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures and three of their genomes uploaded to NCBI GenBank.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliah Khayeli Akhwale
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ – German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
- Department of Zoology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
- * E-mail:
| | - Manfred Rohde
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Central Facility for Microscopy, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christine Rohde
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ – German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Boyke Bunk
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ – German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Cathrin Spröer
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ – German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Hans-Peter Klenk
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Wittmann
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ – German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
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25
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Geredew Kifelew L, Mitchell JG, Speck P. Mini-review: efficacy of lytic bacteriophages on multispecies biofilms. BIOFOULING 2019; 35:472-481. [PMID: 31144513 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2019.1613525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
There is potential for phages to prevent and control bacterial biofilms, but few studies have examined the effect of phages on the multispecies biofilms that characterize most bacterial infections. This paper reviews the mechanism of action of phages, the evidence supporting the view that phage therapy will be effective against bacterial targets and the opposite viewpoint, phage application approaches, and the comparative advantage of phage therapy in multispecies biofilms. The few reports measuring the actions of lytic phages against multispecies biofilms are also reviewed. The authors are cautiously optimistic about the application of phages against their targets when in multispecies biofilms because some lysis mechanisms do not require species specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James G Mitchell
- a Flinders University, College of Science and Engineering , Bedford Park , South Australia
| | - Peter Speck
- a Flinders University, College of Science and Engineering , Bedford Park , South Australia
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26
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Flodman K, Tsai R, Xu MY, Corrêa IR, Copelas A, Lee YJ, Xu MQ, Weigele P, Xu SY. Type II Restriction of Bacteriophage DNA With 5hmdU-Derived Base Modifications. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:584. [PMID: 30984133 PMCID: PMC6449724 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To counteract bacterial defense systems, bacteriophages (phages) make extensive base modifications (substitutions) to block endonuclease restriction. Here we evaluated Type II restriction of three thymidine (T or 5-methyldeoxyuridine, 5mdU) modified phage genomes: Pseudomonas phage M6 with 5-(2-aminoethyl)deoxyuridine (5-NedU), Salmonella phage ViI (Vi1) with 5-(2-aminoethoxy)methyldeoxyuridine (5-NeOmdU) and Delftia phage phi W-14 (a.k.a. ΦW-14) with α-putrescinylthymidine (putT). Among >200 commercially available restriction endonucleases (REases) tested, phage M6, ViI, and phi W-14 genomic DNAs (gDNA) show resistance against 48.4, 71.0, and 68.8% of Type II restrictions, respectively. Inspection of the resistant sites indicates the presence of conserved dinucleotide TG or TC (TS, S=C, or G), implicating the specificity of TS sequence as the target that is converted to modified base in the genomes. We also tested a number of DNA methyltransferases (MTases) on these phage DNAs and found some MTases can fully or partially modify the DNA to confer more resistance to cleavage by REases. Phage M6 restriction fragments can be efficiently ligated by T4 DNA ligase. Phi W-14 restriction fragments show apparent reduced rate in E. coli exonuclease III degradation. This work extends previous studies that hypermodified T derived from 5hmdU provides additional resistance to host-encoded restrictions, in parallel to modified cytosines, guanine, and adenine in phage genomes. The results reported here provide a general guidance to use REases to map and clone phage DNA with hypermodified thymidine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca Tsai
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, MA, United States
| | - Michael Y Xu
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, MA, United States
| | - Ivan R Corrêa
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, MA, United States
| | | | - Yan-Jiun Lee
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, MA, United States
| | - Ming-Qun Xu
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, MA, United States
| | - Peter Weigele
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, MA, United States
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27
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Mukhopadhya I, Segal JP, Carding SR, Hart AL, Hold GL. The gut virome: the 'missing link' between gut bacteria and host immunity? Therap Adv Gastroenterol 2019; 12:1756284819836620. [PMID: 30936943 PMCID: PMC6435874 DOI: 10.1177/1756284819836620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The human gut virome includes a diverse collection of viruses that infect our own cells as well as other commensal organisms, directly impacting on our well-being. Despite its predominance, the virome remains one of the least understood components of the gut microbiota, with appropriate analysis toolkits still in development. Based on its interconnectivity with all living cells, it is clear that the virome cannot be studied in isolation. Here we review the current understanding of the human gut virome, specifically in relation to other constituents of the microbiome, its evolution and life-long association with its host, and our current understanding in the context of inflammatory bowel disease and associated therapies. We propose that the gut virome and the gut bacterial microbiome share similar trajectories and interact in both health and disease and that future microbiota studies should in parallel characterize the gut virome to uncover its role in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indrani Mukhopadhya
- Gastrointestinal Research Group, Division of Applied Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK Gut Health Group, The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Jonathan P. Segal
- St. Mark’s Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, UK Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, UK
| | - Simon R. Carding
- Gut Microbes and Health Research Programme, The Quadram Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | - Ailsa L. Hart
- St. Mark’s Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, UK Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, UK
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28
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Rusinov IS, Ershova AS, Karyagina AS, Spirin SA, Alexeevski AV. Avoidance of recognition sites of restriction-modification systems is a widespread but not universal anti-restriction strategy of prokaryotic viruses. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:885. [PMID: 30526500 PMCID: PMC6286503 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5324-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Restriction-modification (R-M) systems protect bacteria and archaea from attacks by bacteriophages and archaeal viruses. An R-M system specifically recognizes short sites in foreign DNA and cleaves it, while such sites in the host DNA are protected by methylation. Prokaryotic viruses have developed a number of strategies to overcome this host defense. The simplest anti-restriction strategy is the elimination of recognition sites in the viral genome: no sites, no DNA cleavage. Even a decrease of the number of recognition sites can help a virus to overcome this type of host defense. Recognition site avoidance has been a known anti-restriction strategy of prokaryotic viruses for decades. However, recognition site avoidance has not been systematically studied with the currently available sequence data. We analyzed the complete genomes of almost 4000 prokaryotic viruses with known host species and more than 17,000 restriction endonucleases with known specificities in terms of recognition site avoidance. RESULTS We observed considerable limitations of recognition site avoidance as an anti-restriction strategy. Namely, the avoidance of recognition sites is specific for dsDNA and ssDNA prokaryotic viruses. Avoidance is much more pronounced in the genomes of non-temperate bacteriophages than in the genomes of temperate ones. Avoidance is not observed for the sites of Type I and Type IIG systems and is very rarely observed for the sites of Type III systems. The vast majority of avoidance cases concern recognition sites of orthodox Type II restriction-modification systems. Even under these constraints, complete or almost complete elimination of sites is observed for approximately one-tenth of viral genomes and a significant under-representation for approximately one-fourth of them. CONCLUSIONS Avoidance of recognition sites of restriction-modification systems is a widespread but not universal anti-restriction strategy of prokaryotic viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- I S Rusinov
- Belozersky Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992, Moscow, Russia
| | - A S Ershova
- Belozersky Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992, Moscow, Russia.,Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098, Moscow, Russia.,All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550, Moscow, Russia
| | - A S Karyagina
- Belozersky Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992, Moscow, Russia.,Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098, Moscow, Russia.,All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550, Moscow, Russia
| | - S A Spirin
- Belozersky Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992, Moscow, Russia.,Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia.,National Research University Higher School of Economics, 101000, Moscow, Russia.,Institute of System Studies, 117281, Moscow, Russia
| | - A V Alexeevski
- Belozersky Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992, Moscow, Russia. .,Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia. .,Institute of System Studies, 117281, Moscow, Russia.
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29
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He Q, Hou Q, Wang Y, Li J, Li W, Kwok LY, Sun Z, Zhang H, Zhong Z. Comparative genomic analysis of Enterococcus faecalis: insights into their environmental adaptations. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:527. [PMID: 29996769 PMCID: PMC6042284 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4887-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enterococcus faecalis is widely studied as a common gut commensal and a nosocomial pathogen. In fact, Enterococcus faecalis is ubiquitous in nature, and it has been isolated from various niches, including the gastrointestinal tract, faeces, blood, urine, water, and fermented foods (such as dairy products). In order to elucidate the role of habitat in shaping the genome of Enterococcus faecalis, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of 78 strains of various origins. RESULTS Although no correlation was found between the strain isolation habitat and the phylogeny of Enterococcus faecalis from our whole genome-based phylogenetic analysis, our results revealed some environment-associated features in the analysed Enterococcus faecalis genomes. Significant differences were found in the genome size and the number of predicted open reading frames (ORFs) between strains originated from different environments. In general, strains from water sources had the smallest genome size and the least number of predicted ORFs. We also identified 293 environment-specific genes, some of which might link to the adaptive strategies for survival in particular environments. In addition, the number of antibiotic resistance genes was significantly different between strains isolated from dairy products, water, and blood. Strains isolated from blood had the largest number of antibiotic resistance genes. CONCLUSION These findings improve our understanding of the role of habitat in shaping the genomes of Enterococcus faecalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuwen He
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiangchuan Hou
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China
| | - Weicheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China
| | - Lai-Yu Kwok
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhihong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China
| | - Heping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education P.R. C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture P.R.C, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, 010018, People's Republic of China.
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30
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Pleška M, Guet CC. Effects of mutations in phage restriction sites during escape from restriction-modification. Biol Lett 2018; 13:rsbl.2017.0646. [PMID: 29237814 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Restriction-modification systems are widespread genetic elements that protect bacteria from bacteriophage infections by recognizing and cleaving heterologous DNA at short, well-defined sequences called restriction sites. Bioinformatic evidence shows that restriction sites are significantly underrepresented in bacteriophage genomes, presumably because bacteriophages with fewer restriction sites are more likely to escape cleavage by restriction-modification systems. However, how mutations in restriction sites affect the likelihood of bacteriophage escape is unknown. Using the bacteriophage λ and the restriction-modification system EcoRI, we show that while mutation effects at different restriction sites are unequal, they are independent. As a result, the probability of bacteriophage escape increases with each mutated restriction site. Our results experimentally support the role of restriction site avoidance as a response to selection imposed by restriction-modification systems and offer an insight into the events underlying the process of bacteriophage escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maroš Pleška
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Călin C Guet
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
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31
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Vlot M, Houkes J, Lochs SJ, Swarts DC, Zheng P, Kunne T, Mohanraju P, Anders C, Jinek M, van der Oost J, Dickman MJ, Brouns SJ. Bacteriophage DNA glucosylation impairs target DNA binding by type I and II but not by type V CRISPR-Cas effector complexes. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:873-885. [PMID: 29253268 PMCID: PMC5778469 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx1264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotes encode various host defense systems that provide protection against mobile genetic elements. Restriction-modification (R-M) and CRISPR-Cas systems mediate host defense by sequence specific targeting of invasive DNA. T-even bacteriophages employ covalent modifications of nucleobases to avoid binding and therefore cleavage of their DNA by restriction endonucleases. Here, we describe that DNA glucosylation of bacteriophage genomes affects interference of some but not all CRISPR-Cas systems. We show that glucosyl modification of 5-hydroxymethylated cytosines in the DNA of bacteriophage T4 interferes with type I-E and type II-A CRISPR-Cas systems by lowering the affinity of the Cascade and Cas9-crRNA complexes for their target DNA. On the contrary, the type V-A nuclease Cas12a (also known as Cpf1) is not impaired in binding and cleavage of glucosylated target DNA, likely due to a more open structural architecture of the protein. Our results suggest that CRISPR-Cas systems have contributed to the selective pressure on phages to develop more generic solutions to escape sequence specific host defense systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marnix Vlot
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joep Houkes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Silke J A Lochs
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Daan C Swarts
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peiyuan Zheng
- ChELSI Institute Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tim Kunne
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Prarthana Mohanraju
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Carolin Anders
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - John van der Oost
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mark J Dickman
- ChELSI Institute Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Stan J J Brouns
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
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32
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Abstract
Bacteria and archaea use CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems to defend themselves from infection by bacteriophages (phages). These RNA-guided nucleases are powerful weapons in the fight against foreign DNA, such as phages and plasmids, as well as a revolutionary gene editing tool. Phages are not passive bystanders in their interactions with CRISPR-Cas systems, however; recent discoveries have described phage genes that inhibit CRISPR-Cas function. More than 20 protein families, previously of unknown function, have been ascribed anti-CRISPR function. Here, we discuss how these CRISPR-Cas inhibitors were discovered and their modes of action were elucidated. We also consider the potential impact of anti-CRISPRs on bacterial and phage evolution. Finally, we speculate about the future of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adair L Borges
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158;
| | - Alan R Davidson
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Joseph Bondy-Denomy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158;
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33
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Piya D, Vara L, Russell WK, Young R, Gill JJ. The multicomponent antirestriction system of phage P1 is linked to capsid morphogenesis. Mol Microbiol 2017; 105:399-412. [PMID: 28509398 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial Type I restriction-modification (R-M) systems present a major barrier to foreign DNA entering the bacterial cell. The temperate phage P1 packages several proteins into the virion that protect the phage DNA from host restriction. Isogenic P1 deletion mutants were used to reconstitute the previously described restriction phenotypes associated with darA and darB. While P1ΔdarA and P1ΔdarB produced the expected phenotypes, deletions of adjacent genes hdf and ddrA also produced darA-like phenotypes and deletion of ulx produced a darB-like phenotype, implicating several new proteins of previously unknown function in the P1 dar antirestriction system. Interestingly, disruption of ddrB decreased P1's sensitivity to EcoB and EcoK restriction. Proteomic analysis of purified virions suggests that packaging of antirestriction components into P1 virions follows a distinct pathway that begins with the incorporation of DarA and Hdf and concludes with DarB and Ulx. Electron microscopy analysis showed that hdf and darA mutants also produce abnormally high proportions of virions with aberrant small heads, which suggests Hdf and DarA play a role in capsid morphogenesis. The P1 antirestriction system is more complex than previously realized and is comprised of multiple proteins including DdrA, DdrB, Hdf, and Ulx in addition to DarA and DarB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denish Piya
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A-M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A-M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Leonardo Vara
- Departments of Biology, Texas A-M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - William K Russell
- Departments of Chemistry, Texas A-M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ry Young
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A-M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A-M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jason J Gill
- Center for Phage Technology, Texas A-M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Departments of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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34
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Phage therapy: awakening a sleeping giant. Emerg Top Life Sci 2017; 1:93-103. [PMID: 33525818 PMCID: PMC7288995 DOI: 10.1042/etls20170002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
For a century, bacterial viruses called bacteriophages have been exploited as natural antibacterial agents. However, their medicinal potential has not yet been exploited due to readily available and effective antibiotics. After years of extensive use, both properly and improperly, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming more prominent and represent a worldwide public health threat. Most importantly, new antibiotics are not progressing at the same rate as the emergence of resistance. The therapeutic modality of bacteriophages, called phage therapy, offers a clinical option to combat bacteria associated with diseases. Here, we discuss traditional phage therapy approaches, as well as how synthetic biology has allowed for the creation of designer phages for new clinical applications. To implement these technologies, several key aspects and challenges still need to be addressed, such as narrow spectrum, safety, and bacterial resistance. We will summarize our current understanding of how phage treatment elicits mammalian host immune responses, as well bacterial phage resistance development, and the potential impact each will have on phage therapy effectiveness. We conclude by discussing the need for a paradigm shift on how phage therapy strategies are developed.
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35
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Rodic A, Blagojevic B, Zdobnov E, Djordjevic M, Djordjevic M. Understanding key features of bacterial restriction-modification systems through quantitative modeling. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2017; 11:377. [PMID: 28466789 PMCID: PMC5333194 DOI: 10.1186/s12918-016-0377-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Restriction-modification (R-M) systems are rudimentary bacterial immune systems. The main components include restriction enzyme (R), which cuts specific unmethylated DNA sequences, and the methyltransferase (M), which protects the same DNA sequences. The expression of R-M system components is considered to be tightly regulated, to ensure successful establishment in a naïve bacterial host. R-M systems are organized in different architectures (convergent or divergent) and are characterized by different features, i.e. binding cooperativities, dissociation constants of dimerization, translation rates, which ensure this tight regulation. It has been proposed that R-M systems should exhibit certain dynamical properties during the system establishment, such as: i) a delayed expression of R with respect to M, ii) fast transition of R from “OFF” to “ON” state, iii) increased stability of the toxic molecule (R) steady-state levels. It is however unclear how different R-M system features and architectures ensure these dynamical properties, particularly since it is hard to address this question experimentally. Results To understand design of different R-M systems, we computationally analyze two R-M systems, representative of the subset controlled by small regulators called ‘C proteins’, and differing in having convergent or divergent promoter architecture. We show that, in the convergent system, abolishing any of the characteristic system features adversely affects the dynamical properties outlined above. Moreover, an extreme binding cooperativity, accompanied by a very high dissociation constant of dimerization, observed in the convergent system, but absent from other R-M systems, can be explained in terms of the same properties. Furthermore, we develop the first theoretical model for dynamics of a divergent R-M system, which does not share any of the convergent system features, but has overlapping promoters. We show that i) the system dynamics exhibits the same three dynamical properties, ii) introducing any of the convergent system features to the divergent system actually diminishes these properties. Conclusions Our results suggest that different R-M architectures and features may be understood in terms of constraints imposed by few simple dynamical properties of the system, providing a unifying framework for understanding these seemingly diverse systems. We also provided predictions for the perturbed R-M systems dynamics, which may in future be tested through increasingly available experimental techniques, such as re-engineering R-M systems and single-cell experiments. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12918-016-0377-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andjela Rodic
- Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.,Multidisciplinary PhD program in Biophysics, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Bojana Blagojevic
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Evgeny Zdobnov
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Marko Djordjevic
- Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.
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36
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van Houte S, Buckling A, Westra ER. Evolutionary Ecology of Prokaryotic Immune Mechanisms. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2016; 80:745-63. [PMID: 27412881 PMCID: PMC4981670 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00011-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have a range of distinct immune strategies that provide protection against bacteriophage (phage) infections. While much has been learned about the mechanism of action of these defense strategies, it is less clear why such diversity in defense strategies has evolved. In this review, we discuss the short- and long-term costs and benefits of the different resistance strategies and, hence, the ecological conditions that are likely to favor the different strategies alone and in combination. Finally, we discuss some of the broader consequences, beyond resistance to phage and other genetic elements, resulting from the operation of different immune strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stineke van Houte
- ESI and CEC, Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Angus Buckling
- ESI and CEC, Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Edze R Westra
- ESI and CEC, Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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37
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Weigele P, Raleigh EA. Biosynthesis and Function of Modified Bases in Bacteria and Their Viruses. Chem Rev 2016; 116:12655-12687. [PMID: 27319741 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Naturally occurring modification of the canonical A, G, C, and T bases can be found in the DNA of cellular organisms and viruses from all domains of life. Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) are a particularly rich but still underexploited source of such modified variant nucleotides. The modifications conserve the coding and base-pairing functions of DNA, but add regulatory and protective functions. In prokaryotes, modified bases appear primarily to be part of an arms race between bacteriophages (and other genomic parasites) and their hosts, although, as in eukaryotes, some modifications have been adapted to convey epigenetic information. The first half of this review catalogs the identification and diversity of DNA modifications found in bacteria and bacteriophages. What is known about the biogenesis, context, and function of these modifications are also described. The second part of the review places these DNA modifications in the context of the arms race between bacteria and bacteriophages. It focuses particularly on the defense and counter-defense strategies that turn on direct recognition of the presence of a modified base. Where modification has been shown to affect other DNA transactions, such as expression and chromosome segregation, that is summarized, with reference to recent reviews.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Weigele
- Chemical Biology, New England Biolabs , Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, United States
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38
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Morozova N, Sabantsev A, Bogdanova E, Fedorova Y, Maikova A, Vedyaykin A, Rodic A, Djordjevic M, Khodorkovskii M, Severinov K. Temporal dynamics of methyltransferase and restriction endonuclease accumulation in individual cells after introducing a restriction-modification system. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:790-800. [PMID: 26687717 PMCID: PMC4737168 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv1490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Type II restriction-modification (R-M) systems encode a restriction endonuclease that cleaves DNA at specific sites, and a methyltransferase that modifies same sites protecting them from restriction endonuclease cleavage. Type II R-M systems benefit bacteria by protecting them from bacteriophages. Many type II R-M systems are plasmid-based and thus capable of horizontal transfer. Upon the entry of such plasmids into a naïve host with unmodified genomic recognition sites, methyltransferase should be synthesized first and given sufficient time to methylate recognition sites in the bacterial genome before the toxic restriction endonuclease activity appears. Here, we directly demonstrate a delay in restriction endonuclease synthesis after transformation of Escherichia coli cells with a plasmid carrying the Esp1396I type II R-M system, using single-cell microscopy. We further demonstrate that before the appearance of the Esp1396I restriction endonuclease the intracellular concentration of Esp1396I methyltransferase undergoes a sharp peak, which should allow rapid methylation of host genome recognition sites. A mathematical model that satisfactorily describes the observed dynamics of both Esp1396I enzymes is presented. The results reported here were obtained using a functional Esp1396I type II R-M system encoding both enzymes fused to fluorescent proteins. Similar approaches should be applicable to the studies of other R-M systems at single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Morozova
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251, Russia
| | - Anton Sabantsev
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Bogdanova
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Yana Fedorova
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251, Russia Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, 143026, Russia
| | - Anna Maikova
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251, Russia Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, 143026, Russia
| | - Alexey Vedyaykin
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251, Russia
| | - Andjela Rodic
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Djordjevic
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mikhail Khodorkovskii
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251, Russia
| | - Konstantin Severinov
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251, Russia Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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39
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Rusinov I, Ershova A, Karyagina A, Spirin S, Alexeevski A. Lifespan of restriction-modification systems critically affects avoidance of their recognition sites in host genomes. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:1084. [PMID: 26689194 PMCID: PMC4687349 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2288-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Avoidance of palindromic recognition sites of Type II restriction-modification (R-M) systems was shown for many R-M systems in dozens of prokaryotic genomes. However the phenomenon has not been investigated systematically for all presently available genomes and annotated R-M systems. We have studied all known recognition sites in thousands of prokaryotic genomes and found factors that influence their avoidance. Results Only Type II R-M systems consisting of independently acting endonuclease and methyltransferase (called ‘orthodox’ here) cause avoidance of their sites, both palindromic and asymmetric, in corresponding prokaryotic genomes; the avoidance takes place for ~ 50 % of 1774 studied cases. It is known that prokaryotes can acquire and lose R-M systems. Thus it is possible to talk about the lifespan of an R-M system in a genome. We have shown that the recognition site avoidance correlates with the lifespan of R-M systems. The sites of orthodox R-M systems that are encoded in host genomes for a long time are avoided more often (up to 100 % in certain cohorts) than the sites of recently acquired ones. We also found cases of site avoidance in absence of the corresponding R-M systems in the genome. An analysis of closely related bacteria shows that such avoidance can be a trace of lost R-M systems. Sites of Type I, IIС/G, IIM, III, and IV R-M systems are not avoided in vast majority of cases. Conclusions The avoidance of orthodox Type II R-M system recognition sites in prokaryotic genomes is a widespread phenomenon. Presence of an R-M system without an underrepresentation of its site may indicate that the R-M system was acquired recently. At the same time, a significant underrepresentation of a site may be a sign of presence of the corresponding R-M system in this organism or in its ancestors for a long time. The drastic difference between site avoidance for orthodox Type II R-M systems and R-M systems of other types can be explained by a higher rate of specificity changes or a less self-toxicity of the latter. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2288-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Rusinov
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia.
| | - Anna Ershova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia. .,Gamaleya Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, 123098, Russia. .,Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127550, Russia.
| | - Anna Karyagina
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia. .,Gamaleya Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, 123098, Russia. .,Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127550, Russia.
| | - Sergey Spirin
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia. .,Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia. .,Scientific Research Institute for System Studies, the Russian Academy of Science (NIISI RAS), Moscow, 117281, Russia.
| | - Andrei Alexeevski
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia. .,Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia. .,Scientific Research Institute for System Studies, the Russian Academy of Science (NIISI RAS), Moscow, 117281, Russia.
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40
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Mohammed M, Cormican M. Whole genome sequencing provides possible explanations for the difference in phage susceptibility among two Salmonella Typhimurium phage types (DT8 and DT30) associated with a single foodborne outbreak. BMC Res Notes 2015; 8:728. [PMID: 26613761 PMCID: PMC4661946 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-015-1687-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phage typing has been used for decades as a rapid, low cost approach for the epidemiological surveillance of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium. Although molecular methods are replacing phage typing the system is still in use and provides a valuable model for study of phage-host interaction. Phage typing depends on the pattern of bacterial resistance or sensitivity to a panel of specific bacteriophages. In the phage typing scheme, S. Typhimurium definitive phage types (DT) 8 and 30 differ greatly in their susceptibility to the 30 typing phages of S. Typhimurium; DT8 is susceptible to 11 phages whereas DT30 is resistant to all typing phages except one phage although both DT8 and DT30 were reported to be associated with a single foodborne salmonellosis outbreak in Ireland between 2009 and 2011. We wished to study the genomic correlates of the DT8 and DT30 difference in phage susceptibility using the whole genome sequence (WGS) of S. Typhimurium DT8 and DT30 representatives. RESULTS Comparative genome analysis revealed that both S. Typhimurium DT8 and DT30 are lysogenic for three prophages including two S. Typhimurium associated prophages (Gifsy-2 and ST64B) and one S. Enteritidis associated prophage (Enteritidis lysogenic phage S) which has not been detected previously in S. Typhimurium. Furthermore, DT8 and DT30 contain identical clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs). Interestingly, S. Typhimurium DT8 harbours an accessory genome represented by a virulence plasmid that is highly related to the pSLT plasmid of S. Typhimurium strain LT2 (phage typed as DT4) and codes a unique methyltransferase (MTase); M.EcoGIX related MTase. This plasmid is not detected in DT30. On the other hand, DT30 carries a unique genomic island similar to the integrative and conjugative element (ICE) of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and encodes type IV secretion pathway system (T4SS) and several hypothetical proteins. This genomic island is not detected in DT8. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that differences in phage susceptibility between DT8 and DT30 may be related to acquisition of ICE in DT30 and loss of pSLT like plasmid that might be associated with DT30 resistance to almost all phages used in the typing scheme. Additional studies are required to determine the significance of the differences among DT8 and DT30 in relation to the difference in phage susceptibility. This study represents an initial step toward understanding the molecular basis of this host-phage relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manal Mohammed
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Martin Cormican
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
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41
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Davison J. Pre-early functions of bacteriophage T5 and its relatives. BACTERIOPHAGE 2015; 5:e1086500. [PMID: 26904381 DOI: 10.1080/21597081.2015.1086500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Revised: 08/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Coliphage T5 injects its DNA in 2 steps: the first step transfer (FST) region 7.9% is injected and its genes are expressed and only then does the remainder (second step transfer, SST) of its DNA enter the cell. In the FST region, only 2 essential genes (A1 and A2) have been identified and a third (dmp) non-essential gene codes for a deoxyribonucleotide 5' monophosphatase. Thirteen additional putative ORFs are present in the FST region. Numerous properties have been attributed to FST region, including SST, host DNA degradation, inhibition of host RNA and protein synthesis, restriction insensitivity and protection of T5 DNA. These effects do not occur following infection with an A1 mutant. The A2 gene seems only to be involved in SST transfer. This is puzzling since there are more seemingly unrelated effects than there are essential genes to accomplish them and it is possible that some important genes were not identified. This review attempts to analyze these problems that were first identified in the 1970-80 s. In particular, an attempt is made to determine which potential ORFs are conserved in evolution (and thus likely to be important); by comparing T5 to 10 newly isolated and completely sequenced T5-like phages. A similar approach is used to identify conserved repeats, inverted repeats and palindromes that occur in all T5-like phages in the region containing the injection stop signal (iss) and the terminase substrate. Finally, an attempt is made to re-analyze the mechanism whereby T5 protects itself from the enzymes that degrade host DNA, from the RecBCD nuclease and from restriction enzymes. For all of these FST effects new hypotheses and possible new genetic and biochemical approaches are envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Davison
- INRA de Versailles (retired) ; Versailles, France
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42
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Lo WS, Gasparich GE, Kuo CH. Found and Lost: The Fates of Horizontally Acquired Genes in Arthropod-Symbiotic Spiroplasma. Genome Biol Evol 2015; 7:2458-72. [PMID: 26254485 PMCID: PMC4607517 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evv160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is an important mechanism that contributed to biological diversity, particularly in bacteria. Through acquisition of novel genes, the recipient cell may change its ecological preference and the process could promote speciation. In this study, we determined the complete genome sequence of two Spiroplasma species for comparative analyses and inferred the putative gene gains and losses. Although most Spiroplasma species are symbionts of terrestrial insects, Spiroplasma eriocheiris has evolved to be a lethal pathogen of freshwater crustaceans. We found that approximately 7% of the genes in this genome may have originated from HGT and these genes expanded the metabolic capacity of this organism. Through comparison with the closely related Spiroplasma atrichopogonis, as well as other more divergent lineages, our results indicated that these HGT events could be traced back to the most recent common ancestor of these two species. However, most of these horizontally acquired genes have been pseudogenized in S. atrichopogonis, suggesting that they did not contribute to the fitness of this lineage that maintained the association with terrestrial insects. Thus, accumulation of small deletions that disrupted these foreign genes was not countered by natural selection. On the other hand, the long-term survival of these horizontally acquired genes in the S. eriocheiris genome hinted that they might play a role in the ecological shift of this species. Finally, the implications of these findings and the conflicts among gene content, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and serological typing, are discussed in light of defining bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Sui Lo
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, NationalChung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | | | - Chih-Horng Kuo
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, NationalChung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
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43
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Sneppen K, Semsey S, Seshasayee ASN, Krishna S. Restriction modification systems as engines of diversity. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:528. [PMID: 26082758 PMCID: PMC4451750 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Restriction modification (RM) systems provide protection against a broad spectrum of phages. However, the likelihood of a phage permanently bypassing this can be as high as 0.1 per infection (Korona et al., 1993) which makes for a relatively weak defense. Here we argue that, apart from providing such transient defenses, RM systems can facilitate long-term coexistence of many bacterial strains. We show that this diversity can be as large as the burst size of the phage but no larger-a curious correspondence between a number at the level of species and another number at the level of individuals. Such a highly diverse and stably coexisting ecosystem is robust to substantial variation in both bacterial growth rates and strength of their RM systems, which might be one reason why quite weak RM systems exist in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Sneppen
- Center for Models of Life, Niels Bohr Institute Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Szabolcs Semsey
- Center for Models of Life, Niels Bohr Institute Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Sandeep Krishna
- Center for Models of Life, Niels Bohr Institute Copenhagen, Denmark ; National Centre for Biological Sciences Bangalore, India ; Simons Centre for the Study of Living Machines, National Centre for Biological Sciences Bangalore, India
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44
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Mensaert K, Van Criekinge W, Thas O, Schuuring E, Steenbergen RDM, Wisman GBA, De Meyer T. Mining for viral fragments in methylation enriched sequencing data. Front Genet 2015; 6:16. [PMID: 25699076 PMCID: PMC4316777 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Most next generation sequencing experiments generate more data than is usable for the experimental set up. For example, methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) affinity purification based sequencing is often used for DNA-methylation profiling, but up to 30% of the sequenced fragments cannot be mapped uniquely to the reference genome. Here we present and evaluate a methodology for the identification of viruses in these otherwise unused paired-end MBD-seq data. Viral detection is accomplished by mapping non-reference alignable reads to a comprehensive set of viral genomes. As viruses play an important role in epigenetics and cancer development, 92 (pre)malignant and benign samples, originating from two different collections of cervical samples and related cell lines, were used in this study. These samples include primary carcinomas (n = 22), low- and high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN1 and CIN2/3 - n = 2/n = 30) and normal tissue (n = 20), as well as control samples (n = 17). Viruses that were detected include phages, adenoviruses, herpesviridae and HPV. HPV, which causes virtually all cervical cancers, was identified in 95% of the carcinomas, 100% of the CIN2/3 samples, both CIN1 samples and in 55% of the normal samples. Comparing the amount of mapped fragments on HPV for each HPV-infected sample yielded a significant difference between normal samples and carcinomas or CIN2/3 samples (adjusted p-values resp. <10(-5), <10(-5)), reflecting different viral loads and/or methylation degrees in non-normal samples. Fragments originating from different HPV types could be distinguished and were independently validated by PCR-based assays in 71% of the detections. In conclusion, although limited by the a priori knowledge of viral reference genome sequences, the proposed methodology can provide a first confined but substantial insight into the presence, concentration and types of methylated viral sequences in MBD-seq data at low additional cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaas Mensaert
- Department of Mathematical Modeling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wim Van Criekinge
- Department of Mathematical Modeling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University Ghent, Belgium ; Department of Pathology, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Olivier Thas
- Department of Mathematical Modeling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ed Schuuring
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | | | - G Bea A Wisman
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Tim De Meyer
- Department of Mathematical Modeling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University Ghent, Belgium
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45
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Oliveira PH, Touchon M, Rocha EPC. The interplay of restriction-modification systems with mobile genetic elements and their prokaryotic hosts. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:10618-31. [PMID: 25120263 PMCID: PMC4176335 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Revised: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 07/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The roles of restriction-modification (R-M) systems in providing immunity against horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and in stabilizing mobile genetic elements (MGEs) have been much debated. However, few studies have precisely addressed the distribution of these systems in light of HGT, its mechanisms and its vectors. We analyzed the distribution of R-M systems in 2261 prokaryote genomes and found their frequency to be strongly dependent on the presence of MGEs, CRISPR-Cas systems, integrons and natural transformation. Yet R-M systems are rare in plasmids, in prophages and nearly absent from other phages. Their abundance depends on genome size for small genomes where it relates with HGT but saturates at two occurrences per genome. Chromosomal R-M systems might evolve under cycles of purifying and relaxed selection, where sequence conservation depends on the biochemical activity and complexity of the system and total gene loss is frequent. Surprisingly, analysis of 43 pan-genomes suggests that solitary R-M genes rarely arise from the degradation of R-M systems. Solitary genes are transferred by large MGEs, whereas complete systems are more frequently transferred autonomously or in small MGEs. Our results suggest means of testing the roles for R-M systems and their associations with MGEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro H Oliveira
- Institut Pasteur, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Département Génomes et Génétique, Paris, France CNRS, UMR3525, Paris, France
| | - Marie Touchon
- Institut Pasteur, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Département Génomes et Génétique, Paris, France CNRS, UMR3525, Paris, France
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Département Génomes et Génétique, Paris, France CNRS, UMR3525, Paris, France
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Castillo D, Christiansen RH, Espejo R, Middelboe M. Diversity and geographical distribution of Flavobacterium psychrophilum isolates and their phages: patterns of susceptibility to phage infection and phage host range. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2014; 67:748-757. [PMID: 24557506 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-014-0375-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Flavobacterium psychrophilum is an important fish pathogen worldwide that causes cold water disease (CWD) or rainbow trout fry syndrome (RTFS). Phage therapy has been suggested as an alternative method for the control of this pathogen in aquaculture. However, effective use of bacteriophages in disease control requires detailed knowledge about the diversity and dynamics of host susceptibility to phage infection. For this reason, we examined the genetic diversity of 49 F. psychrophilum strains isolated in three different areas (Chile, Denmark, and USA) through direct genome restriction enzyme analysis (DGREA) and their susceptibility to 33 bacteriophages isolated in Chile and Denmark, thus covering large geographical (>12,000 km) and temporal (>60 years) scales of isolation. An additional 40 phage-resistant isolates obtained from culture experiments after exposure to specific phages were examined for changes in phage susceptibility against the 33 phages. The F. psychrophilum and phage populations isolated from Chile and Denmark clustered into geographically distinct groups with respect to DGREA profile and host range, respectively. However, cross infection between Chilean phage isolates and Danish host isolates and vice versa was observed. Development of resistance to certain bacteriophages led to susceptibility to other phages suggesting that "enhanced infection" is potentially an important cost of resistance in F. psychrophilum, possibly contributing to the observed co-existence of phage-sensitive F. psychrophilum strains and lytic phages across local and global scales. Overall, our results showed that despite the identification of local communities of phages and hosts, some key properties determining phage infection patterns seem to be globally distributed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Castillo
- Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Universidad de Chile, El Líbano 5524, Macul, Santiago, 6903625, Chile,
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Ogilvie LA, Bowler LD, Caplin J, Dedi C, Diston D, Cheek E, Taylor H, Ebdon JE, Jones BV. Genome signature-based dissection of human gut metagenomes to extract subliminal viral sequences. Nat Commun 2014; 4:2420. [PMID: 24036533 PMCID: PMC3778543 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) have a key role in shaping the development and functional outputs of host microbiomes. Although metagenomic approaches have greatly expanded our understanding of the prokaryotic virosphere, additional tools are required for the phage-oriented dissection of metagenomic data sets, and host-range affiliation of recovered sequences. Here we demonstrate the application of a genome signature-based approach to interrogate conventional whole-community metagenomes and access subliminal, phylogenetically targeted, phage sequences present within. We describe a portion of the biological dark matter extant in the human gut virome, and bring to light a population of potentially gut-specific Bacteroidales-like phage, poorly represented in existing virus like particle-derived viral metagenomes. These predominantly temperate phage were shown to encode functions of direct relevance to human health in the form of antibiotic resistance genes, and provided evidence for the existence of putative ‘viral-enterotypes’ among this fraction of the human gut virome. Bacteriophages have a significant impact on microbial ecosystems, but additional tools are needed to assess viral communities. Ogilvie et al. present a new strategy to extract viral sequences from metagenomic data sets, and present new insights on their function in the gut ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley A Ogilvie
- Centre for Biomedical and Health Science Research, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
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48
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Huynh Thi Yen L, Park SY, Kim JS. Cloning, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of an intact DNA methyltransferase of a type I restriction-modification enzyme from Vibrio vulnificus. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2014; 70:489-92. [PMID: 24699746 PMCID: PMC3976070 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x14004543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Independently of the restriction (HsdR) subunit, the specificity (HsdS) and methylation (HsdM) subunits interact with each other, and function as a methyltransferase in type I restriction-modification systems. A single gene that combines the HsdS and HsdM subunits in Vibrio vulnificus YJ016 was expressed and purified. A crystal suitable for X-ray diffraction was obtained from 25%(w/v) polyethylene glycol monomethylether 5000, 0.1 M HEPES pH 8.0, 0.2 M ammonium sulfate at 291 K by hanging-drop vapour diffusion. Diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.31 Å using synchrotron radiation. The crystal belonged to the primitive monoclinic space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 93.25, b = 133.04, c = 121.49 Å, β = 109.7°. With four molecules in the asymmetric unit, the crystal volume per unit protein weight was 2.61 Å(3) Da(-1), corresponding to a solvent content of 53%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ly Huynh Thi Yen
- Department of Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Youl Park
- Department of Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Sun Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea
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49
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Bacteriophages and Their Derivatives as Biotherapeutic Agents in Disease Prevention and Treatment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1155/2014/382539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The application of bacteriophages for the elimination of pathogenic bacteria has received significantly increased attention world-wide in the past decade. This is borne out by the increasing prevalence of bacteriophage-specific conferences highlighting significant and diverse advances in the exploitation of bacteriophages. While bacteriophage therapy has been associated with the Former Soviet Union historically, since the 1990s, it has been widely and enthusiastically adopted as a research topic in Western countries. This has been justified by the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance in many prominent human pathogenic bacteria. Discussion of the therapeutic aspects of bacteriophages in this review will include the uses of whole phages as antibacterials and will also describe studies on the applications of purified phage-derived peptidoglycan hydrolases, which do not have the constraint of limited bacterial host-range often observed with whole phages.
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50
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Loenen WAM, Dryden DTF, Raleigh EA, Wilson GG. Type I restriction enzymes and their relatives. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:20-44. [PMID: 24068554 PMCID: PMC3874165 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2013] [Revised: 08/26/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Type I restriction enzymes (REases) are large pentameric proteins with separate restriction (R), methylation (M) and DNA sequence-recognition (S) subunits. They were the first REases to be discovered and purified, but unlike the enormously useful Type II REases, they have yet to find a place in the enzymatic toolbox of molecular biologists. Type I enzymes have been difficult to characterize, but this is changing as genome analysis reveals their genes, and methylome analysis reveals their recognition sequences. Several Type I REases have been studied in detail and what has been learned about them invites greater attention. In this article, we discuss aspects of the biochemistry, biology and regulation of Type I REases, and of the mechanisms that bacteriophages and plasmids have evolved to evade them. Type I REases have a remarkable ability to change sequence specificity by domain shuffling and rearrangements. We summarize the classic experiments and observations that led to this discovery, and we discuss how this ability depends on the modular organizations of the enzymes and of their S subunits. Finally, we describe examples of Type II restriction-modification systems that have features in common with Type I enzymes, with emphasis on the varied Type IIG enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wil A. M. Loenen
- Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands, EastChem School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9, 3JJ, Scotland, UK and New England Biolabs Inc., 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938-2723, USA
| | - David T. F. Dryden
- Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands, EastChem School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9, 3JJ, Scotland, UK and New England Biolabs Inc., 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938-2723, USA
| | - Elisabeth A. Raleigh
- Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands, EastChem School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9, 3JJ, Scotland, UK and New England Biolabs Inc., 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938-2723, USA
| | - Geoffrey G. Wilson
- Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands, EastChem School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9, 3JJ, Scotland, UK and New England Biolabs Inc., 240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938-2723, USA
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