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Lee E, Priutt E, Woods S, Quick A, King S, McLellan LK, Shields RC. Genomic analysis of conjugative and chromosomally integrated mobile genetic elements in oral streptococci. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024:e0136024. [PMID: 39254330 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01360-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the diversity of conjugative and chromosomally integrated mobile genetic elements (cciMGEs) within six oral streptococci species. cciMGEs, including integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) and integrative and mobilizable elements (IMEs), are stably maintained on the host cell chromosome; however, under certain conditions, they are able to excise, form extrachromosomal circles, and transfer via a conjugation apparatus. Many cciMGEs encode "cargo" functions that aid survival in new niches and evolve new antimicrobial resistance or virulence properties, whereas others have been shown to influence host bacterial physiology. Here, using a workflow employing preexisting bioinformatics tools, we analyzed 551 genomes for the presence of cciMGEs across six common health- and disease-associated oral streptococci. We identified 486 cciMGEs, 173 of which were ICEs and 233 of which were IMEs. The cciMGEs were diverse in size, cargo genes, and relaxase types. We identified several novel relaxase proteins and a widespread IME carrying a small multidrug resistance transporter. Additionally, we provide evidence that several of the bioinformatically predicted cciMGEs encoded within various Streptococcus mutans strains are capable of excision and circularization, a critical step for cciMGE conjugative transfer. These findings highlight the significance and potential impact of MGEs in shaping the genetic landscape, pathogenicity, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of the oral microbiota.IMPORTANCEOral streptococci are important players in the oral microbiome, influencing both health and disease states within dental bacterial communities. Evolutionary adaptation, shaped in a major part by the horizontal transfer of genes, is essential for their survival in the oral cavity and within new environments. Conjugation is a significant driver of horizontal gene transfer; however, there is limited information regarding this process in oral bacteria. This study utilizes publicly available genome sequences to identify conjugative and chromosomally integrated mobile genetic elements (cciMGEs) across several species of oral streptococci and presents the preliminary characterization of these elements. Our findings significantly enhance our understanding of the mobile genomic landscape of oral streptococci critical for human health, with valuable insights into how cciMGEs might influence the survival and pathogenesis of these bacteria in the oral microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Lee
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
| | - Erin Priutt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
| | - Seth Woods
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
| | - Allison Quick
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
| | - Shawn King
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
| | - Lisa K McLellan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
| | - Robert C Shields
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
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2
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Ares-Arroyo M, Coluzzi C, Moura de Sousa JA, Rocha EPC. Hijackers, hitchhikers, or co-drivers? The mysteries of mobilizable genetic elements. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002796. [PMID: 39208359 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements shape microbial gene repertoires and populations. Recent results reveal that many, possibly most, microbial mobile genetic elements require helpers to transfer between genomes, which we refer to as Hitcher Genetic Elements (hitchers or HGEs). They may be a large fraction of pathogenicity and resistance genomic islands, whose mechanisms of transfer have remained enigmatic for decades. Together with their helper elements and their bacterial hosts, hitchers form tripartite networks of interactions that evolve rapidly within a parasitism-mutualism continuum. In this emerging view of microbial genomes as communities of mobile genetic elements many questions arise. Which elements are being moved, by whom, and how? How often are hitchers costly hyper-parasites or beneficial mutualists? What is the evolutionary origin of hitchers? Are there key advantages associated with hitchers' lifestyle that justify their unexpected abundance? And why are hitchers systematically smaller than their helpers? In this essay, we start answering these questions and point ways ahead for understanding the principles, origin, mechanisms, and impact of hitchers in bacterial ecology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ares-Arroyo
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, France
| | - Charles Coluzzi
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, France
| | - Jorge A Moura de Sousa
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, France
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, France
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Duchin Rapp Y, Lipsman V, Yuda L, Kublanov IV, Matsliyah D, Segev E. Algal exudates promote conjugation in marine Roseobacters. mBio 2024:e0106224. [PMID: 39189747 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01062-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a pivotal mechanism driving bacterial evolution, conferring adaptability within dynamic marine ecosystems. Among HGT mechanisms, conjugation mediated by type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) plays a central role in the ecological success of marine bacteria. However, the conditions promoting conjugation events in the marine environment are not well-understood. Roseobacters, abundant marine bacteria commonly associated with algae, possess a multitude of T4SSs. Many Roseobacters are heterotrophic bacteria that rely on algal secreted compounds to support their growth. These compounds attract bacteria, facilitating colonization and attachment to algal cells. Algae and their metabolites bring bacteria into close proximity, potentially promoting bacterial HGT. Investigation across various Roseobacters revealed that algal exudates indeed enhance plasmid transfer through conjugation. While algal exudates do not influence the transcription of bacterial conjugative machinery genes, they promote bacterial attachment, potentially stabilizing proximity and facilitating HGT. Notably, under conditions where attachment is less advantageous, the impact of algal exudates on conjugation is reduced. These findings suggest that algae enhance bacterial conjugation primarily by fostering attachment and highlight the importance of studying bacterial HGT within the context of algal-bacterial interactions. IMPORTANCE This study explores how algal-bacterial interactions influence horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among marine bacteria. HGT, a key driver of bacterial evolution, is facilitated by conjugation mediated by type IV secretion systems (T4SSs). Through investigating Roseobacters, abundant marine bacteria often found to be associated with algae, the study reveals that algal exudates enhance plasmid transfer via conjugation. This enhancement is attributed to the promotion of bacterial attachment by algal compounds, emphasizing the role of algal-bacterial interactions in shaping genetic exchange within dynamic marine ecosystems. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for elucidating bacterial adaptability and evolution in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yemima Duchin Rapp
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Valeria Lipsman
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lilach Yuda
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ilya V Kublanov
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Dor Matsliyah
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Einat Segev
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Wangthaisong P, Piromyou P, Songwattana P, Phimphong T, Songsaeng A, Pruksametanan N, Boonchuen P, Wongdee J, Teamtaisong K, Boonkerd N, Sato S, Tittabutr P, Teaumroong N. CopG 1, a Novel Transcriptional Regulator Affecting Symbiosis in Bradyrhizobium sp. SUTN9-2. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:415. [PMID: 38927295 PMCID: PMC11201211 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The symbiotic interaction between leguminous and Bradyrhizobium sp. SUTN9-2 mainly relies on the nodulation process through Nod factors (NFs), while the type IV secretion system (T4SS) acts as an alternative pathway in this symbiosis. Two copies of T4SS (T4SS1 and T4SS2) are located on the chromosome of SUTN9-2. ΔT4SS1 reduces both nodule number and nitrogenase activity in all SUTN9-2 nodulating legumes. The functions of three selected genes (copG1, traG1, and virD21) within the region of T4SS1 were examined. We generated deleted mutants and tested them in Vigna radiata cv. SUT4. ΔtraG1 and ΔvirD21 exhibited lower invasion efficiency at the early stages of root infection but could be recently restored. In contrast, ΔcopG1 completely hindered nodule organogenesis and nitrogenase activity in all tested legumes. ΔcopG1 showed low expression of the nodulation gene and ttsI but exhibited high expression levels of the T4SS genes, traG1 and trbE1. The secreted proteins from ΔT4SS1 were down-regulated compared to the wild-type. Although ΔcopG1 secreted several proteins after flavonoid induction, T3SS (nopP and nopX) and the C4-dicarboxylate transporter (dct) were not detected. These results confirm the crucial role of the copG1 gene as a novel key regulator in the symbiotic relationship between SUTN9-2 and legumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praneet Wangthaisong
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Pongdet Piromyou
- Institute of Research and Development, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Pongpan Songwattana
- Institute of Research and Development, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Tarnee Phimphong
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Apisit Songsaeng
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Natcha Pruksametanan
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Pakpoom Boonchuen
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Jenjira Wongdee
- Institute of Research and Development, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Kamonluck Teamtaisong
- The Center for Scientific and Technological Equipment, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Nantakorn Boonkerd
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Shusei Sato
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Panlada Tittabutr
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Neung Teaumroong
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
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Elsen S, Simon V, Attrée I. Cross-regulation and cross-talk of conserved and accessory two-component regulatory systems orchestrate Pseudomonas copper resistance. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011325. [PMID: 38861577 PMCID: PMC11195947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria use diverse strategies and molecular machinery to maintain copper homeostasis and to cope with its toxic effects. Some genetic elements providing copper resistance are acquired by horizontal gene transfer; however, little is known about how they are controlled and integrated into the central regulatory network. Here, we studied two copper-responsive systems in a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas paraeruginosa and deciphered the regulatory and cross-regulation mechanisms. To do so, we combined mutagenesis, transcriptional fusion analyses and copper sensitivity phenotypes. Our results showed that the accessory CusRS two-component system (TCS) responds to copper and activates both its own expression and that of the adjacent nine-gene operon (the pcoA2 operon) to provide resistance to elevated levels of extracellular copper. The same locus was also found to be regulated by two core-genome-encoded TCSs-the copper-responsive CopRS and the zinc-responsive CzcRS. Although the target palindromic sequence-ATTCATnnATGTAAT-is the same for the three response regulators, transcriptional outcomes differ. Thus, depending on the operon/regulator pair, binding can result in different activation levels (from none to high), with the systems demonstrating considerable plasticity. Unexpectedly, although the classical CusRS and the noncanonical CopRS TCSs rely on distinct signaling mechanisms (kinase-based vs. phosphatase-based), we discovered cross-talk in the absence of the cognate sensory kinases. This cross-talk occurred between the proteins of these two otherwise independent systems. The cusRS-pcoA2 locus is part of an Integrative and Conjugative Element and was found in other Pseudomonas strains where its expression could provide copper resistance under appropriate conditions. The results presented here illustrate how acquired genetic elements can become part of endogenous regulatory networks, providing a physiological advantage. They also highlight the potential for broader effects of accessory regulatory proteins through interference with core regulatory proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Elsen
- University Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, UMR5075, Team Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses, Grenoble, France
| | - Victor Simon
- University Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, UMR5075, Team Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses, Grenoble, France
| | - Ina Attrée
- University Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, UMR5075, Team Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses, Grenoble, France
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Urbanowicz P, Izdebski R, Biedrzycka M, Gniadkowski M. VIM-type metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-encoding genomic islands in Pseudomonas spp. in Poland: predominance of clc-like integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs). J Antimicrob Chemother 2024; 79:1030-1037. [PMID: 38488311 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkae068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To characterize VIM-type metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-encoding genomic islands (GIs) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. putida group isolates from Polish hospitals from 2001-2015/16. METHODS Twelve P. aeruginosa and 20 P. putida group isolates producing VIM-like MBLs were selected from a large collection of these based on epidemiological and typing data. The organisms represented all major epidemic genotypes of these species spread in Poland with chromosomally located blaVIM gene-carrying integrons. The previously determined short-read sequences were complemented by long-read sequencing in this study. The comparative structural analysis of the GIs used a variety of bioinformatic tools. RESULTS Thirty different GIs with blaVIM integrons were identified in the 32 isolates, of which 24 GIs from 26 isolates were integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) of the clc family. These in turn were dominated by 21 variants of the GI2/ICE6441 subfamily with a total of 19 VIM integrons, each inserted in the same position within the ICE's Tn21-like transposon Tn4380. The three other ICEs formed a novel ICE6705 subfamily, lacking Tn4380 and having different VIM integrons located in another site of the elements. The remaining six non-ICE GIs represented miscellaneous structures. The presence of various integrons in the same ICE sublineage, and of the same integron in different GIs, indicated circulation and recombination of the integron-carrying genetic platforms across Pseudomonas species/genotypes. CONCLUSIONS Despite the general diversity of the blaVIM-carrying GIs in Pseudomonas spp. in Poland, a clear predominance of broadly spread and rapidly evolving clc-type ICEs was documented, confirming their significant role in antimicrobial resistance epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Urbanowicz
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, Chełmska 30/34, Warsaw 00-725, Poland
| | - R Izdebski
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, Chełmska 30/34, Warsaw 00-725, Poland
| | - M Biedrzycka
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, Chełmska 30/34, Warsaw 00-725, Poland
| | - M Gniadkowski
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, Chełmska 30/34, Warsaw 00-725, Poland
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7
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Quiñonero-Coronel MDM, Devos DP, Garcillán-Barcia MP. Specificities and commonalities of the Planctomycetes plasmidome. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16638. [PMID: 38733104 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Plasmids, despite their critical role in antibiotic resistance and modern biotechnology, are understood in only a few bacterial groups in terms of their natural ecological dynamics. The bacterial phylum Planctomycetes, known for its unique molecular and cellular biology, has a largely unexplored plasmidome. This study offers a thorough exploration of the diversity of natural plasmids within Planctomycetes, which could serve as a foundation for developing various genetic research tools for this phylum. Planctomycetes plasmids encode a broad range of biological functions and appear to have coevolved significantly with their host chromosomes, sharing many homologues. Recent transfer events of insertion sequences between cohabiting chromosomes and plasmids were also observed. Interestingly, 64% of plasmid genes are distantly related to either chromosomally encoded genes or have homologues in plasmids from other bacterial groups. The planctomycetal plasmidome is composed of 36% exclusive proteins. Most planctomycetal plasmids encode a replication initiation protein from the Replication Protein A family near a putative iteron-containing replication origin, as well as active type I partition systems. The identification of one conjugative and three mobilizable plasmids suggests the occurrence of horizontal gene transfer via conjugation within this phylum. This comprehensive description enhances our understanding of the plasmidome of Planctomycetes and its potential implications in antibiotic resistance and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Damien Paul Devos
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD, CSIC-Universidad Pablo de Olavide), Sevilla, Spain
| | - M Pilar Garcillán-Barcia
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC, CSIC-Universidad de Cantabria), Cantabria, Spain
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Colombi E, Bertels F, Doulcier G, McConnell E, Pichugina T, Sohn KH, Straub C, McCann HC, Rainey PB. Rapid dissemination of host metabolism-manipulating genes via integrative and conjugative elements. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309263121. [PMID: 38457521 PMCID: PMC10945833 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309263121] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are self-transmissible mobile elements that transfer functional genetic units across broad phylogenetic distances. Accessory genes shuttled by ICEs can make significant contributions to bacterial fitness. Most ICEs characterized to date encode readily observable phenotypes contributing to symbiosis, pathogenicity, and antimicrobial resistance, yet the majority of ICEs carry genes of unknown function. Recent observations of rapid acquisition of ICEs in a pandemic lineage of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidae led to investigation of the structural and functional diversity of these elements. Fifty-three unique ICE types were identified across the P. syringae species complex. Together they form a distinct family of ICEs (PsICEs) that share a distant relationship to ICEs found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PsICEs are defined by conserved backbone genes punctuated by an array of accessory cargo genes, are highly recombinogenic, and display distinct evolutionary histories compared to their bacterial hosts. The most common cargo is a recently disseminated 16-kb mobile genetic element designated Tn6212. Deletion of Tn6212 did not alter pathogen growth in planta, but mutants displayed fitness defects when grown on tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. RNA-seq analysis of a set of nested deletion mutants showed that a Tn6212-encoded LysR regulator has global effects on chromosomal gene expression. We show that Tn6212 responds to preferred carbon sources and manipulates bacterial metabolism to maximize growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Colombi
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Frederic Bertels
- Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Guilhem Doulcier
- Laboratoire Biophysique et Évolution, Institut Chemie Biologie Innovation, École Supérieure de Physique et de Chemie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris, Université Paris Science et Lettres, Centre National de al Reserche Scientifique, Paris 75005, France
| | - Ellen McConnell
- Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Tatyana Pichugina
- Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Kee Hoon Sohn
- Plant Immunity Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Christina Straub
- Health and Environment, Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Auckland 1025, New Zealand
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Honour C McCann
- Plant Pathogen Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Paul B Rainey
- Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
- Laboratoire Biophysique et Évolution, Institut Chemie Biologie Innovation, École Supérieure de Physique et de Chemie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris, Université Paris Science et Lettres, Centre National de al Reserche Scientifique, Paris 75005, France
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Stanton IC, Tipper HJ, Chau K, Klümper U, Subirats J, Murray AK. Does Environmental Exposure to Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Product Residues Result in the Selection of Antimicrobial-Resistant Microorganisms, and is this Important in Terms of Human Health Outcomes? ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:623-636. [PMID: 36416260 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The environment plays a critical role in the development, dissemination, and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) enter the environment through direct application to the environment and through anthropogenic pollution. Although there is a growing body of evidence defining minimal selective concentrations (MSCs) of antibiotics and the role antibiotics play in horizontal gene transfer (HGT), there is limited evidence on the role of non-antibiotic PPCPs. Existing data show associations with the development of resistance or effects on bacterial growth rather than calculating selective endpoints. Research has focused on laboratory-based systems rather than in situ experiments, although PPCP concentrations found throughout wastewater, natural water, and soil environments are often within the range of laboratory-derived MSCs and at concentrations shown to promote HGT. Increased selection and HGT of AMR by PPCPs will result in an increase in total AMR abundance in the environment, increasing the risk of exposure and potential transmission of environmental AMR to humans. There is some evidence to suggest that humans can acquire resistance from environmental settings, with water environments being the most frequently studied. However, because this is currently limited, we recommend that more evidence be gathered to understand the risk the environment plays in regard to human health. In addition, we recommend that future research efforts focus on MSC-based experiments for non-antibiotic PPCPS, particularly in situ, and investigate the effect of PPCP mixtures on AMR. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:623-636. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kevin Chau
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Uli Klümper
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Technische Universitӓt Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jessica Subirats
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Spanish Council for Scientific Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aimee K Murray
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
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Cai J, Geng Y, Zhang B, Li Y. Discovery of a Novel Integrative Conjugative Element ICE AplChn2 Related to SXT/R391 in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Microb Drug Resist 2024; 30:134-140. [PMID: 38181173 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2023.0108] [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] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to characterize ICEAplChn2, a novel SXT/R391-related integration and conjugation element (ICE) carrying 19 drug resistance genes, in a clinical isolate of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae from swine. Methods: Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of A. pleuropneumoniae CP063424 strain was completed using a combination of third-generation PacBio and second-generation Illumina. The putative ICE was predicted by the online tool ICEfinder. ICEAplChn2 was analyzed by PCR, conjugation experiments, and bioinformatics tools. Results: A. pleuropneumoniae CP063424 strain exhibited high minimum inhibitory concentrations of clindamycin (1,024 mg/L). The WGS data revealed that ICEAplChn2, with a length of 167,870 bp and encoding 151 genes, including multiple antibiotic resistance genes such as erm(42), VanE, LpxC, dfrA1, golS, aadA3, EreA, dfrA32, tetR(C), tet(C), sul2, aph(3)″-lb, aph(6)-l, floR, dfrA, ANT(3″)-IIa, catB11, and VanRE, was found to be related to the SXT/R391 family on the chromosome of A. pleuronipneumoniae CP063424. The circular intermediate of ICEAplChn2 was detected by PCR, but conjugation experiments showed that it was not self-transmissible. Conclusions: To our knowledge, ICEAplChn2 is the longest member with the most resistance genes in the SXT/R391 family. Meanwhile, ATP-binding cassette superfamily was found to be inserted in the ICEAplChn2 and possessed a new insertion region, which is the first description in the SXT/R391 family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinshuang Cai
- Key Laboratory of Bacteriology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Geng
- Key Laboratory of Bacteriology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Baoge Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bacteriology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yufeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Bacteriology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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11
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Pfeifer E, Rocha EPC. Phage-plasmids promote recombination and emergence of phages and plasmids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1545. [PMID: 38378896 PMCID: PMC10879196 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45757-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Phages and plasmids are regarded as distinct types of mobile genetic elements that drive bacterial evolution by horizontal gene transfer. However, the distinction between both types is blurred by the existence of elements known as prophage-plasmids or phage-plasmids, which transfer horizontally between cells as viruses and vertically within cellular lineages as plasmids. Here, we study gene flow between the three types of elements. We show that the gene repertoire of phage-plasmids overlaps with those of phages and plasmids. By tracking recent recombination events, we find that phage-plasmids exchange genes more frequently with plasmids than with phages, and that direct gene exchange between plasmids and phages is less frequent in comparison. The results suggest that phage-plasmids can mediate gene flow between plasmids and phages, including exchange of mobile element core functions, defense systems, and antibiotic resistance. Moreover, a combination of gene transfer and gene inactivation may result in the conversion of elements. For example, gene loss turns P1-like phage-plasmids into integrative prophages or into plasmids (that are no longer phages). Remarkably, some of the latter have acquired conjugation-related functions to became mobilisable by conjugation. Thus, our work indicates that phage-plasmids can play a key role in the transfer of genes across mobile elements within their hosts, and can act as intermediates in the conversion of one type of element into another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugen Pfeifer
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, 75015, Paris, France.
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, 75015, Paris, France.
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12
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Han Y, Gao YF, Xu HT, Li JP, Li C, Song CL, Lei CW, Chen X, Wang Q, Ma BH, Wang HN. Characterization and risk assessment of novel SXT/R391 integrative and conjugative elements with multidrug resistance in Proteus mirabilis isolated from China, 2018-2020. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0120923. [PMID: 38197656 PMCID: PMC10871549 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01209-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteus mirabilis can transfer transposons, insertion sequences, and gene cassettes to the chromosomes of other hosts through SXT/R391 integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs), significantly increasing the possibility of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) evolution and expanding the risk of ARGs transmission among bacteria. A total of 103 strains of P. mirabilis were isolated from 25 farms in China from 2018 to 2020. The positive detection rate of SXT/R391 ICEs was 25.2% (26/103). All SXT/R391 ICEs positive P. mirabilis exhibited a high level of overall drug resistance. Conjugation experiments showed that all 26 SXT/R391 ICEs could efficiently transfer to Escherichia coli EC600 with a frequency of 2.0 × 10-7 to 6.0 × 10-5. The acquired ARGs, genetic structures, homology relationships, and conservation sequences of 26 (19 different subtypes) SXT/R391 ICEs were investigated by high-throughput sequencing, whole-genome typing, and phylogenetic tree construction. ICEPmiChnHBRJC2 carries erm (42), which have never been found within an SXT/R391 ICE in P. mirabilis, and ICEPmiChnSC1111 carries 19 ARGs, including clinically important cfr, blaCTX-M-65, and aac(6')-Ib-cr, making it the ICE with the most ARGs reported to date. Through genetic stability, growth curve, and competition experiments, it was found that the transconjugant of ICEPmiChnSCNNC12 did not have a significant fitness cost on the recipient bacterium EC600 and may have a higher risk of transmission and dissemination. Although the transconjugant of ICEPmiChnSCSZC20 had a relatively obvious fitness cost on EC600, long-term resistance selection pressure may improve bacterial fitness through compensatory adaptation, providing scientific evidence for risk assessment of horizontal transfer and dissemination of SXT/R391 ICEs in P. mirabilis.IMPORTANCEThe spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a major public health concern. The study investigated the prevalence and genetic diversity of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) in Proteus mirabilis, which can transfer ARGs to other hosts. The study found that all of the P. mirabilis strains carrying ICEs exhibited a high level of drug resistance and a higher risk of transmission and dissemination of ARGs. The analysis of novel multidrug-resistant ICEs highlighted the potential for the evolution and spread of novel resistance mechanisms. These findings emphasize the importance of monitoring the spread of ICEs carrying ARGs and the urgent need for effective strategies to combat antibiotic resistance. Understanding the genetic diversity and potential for transmission of ARGs among bacteria is crucial for developing targeted interventions to mitigate the threat of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Han
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu-Feng Gao
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - He-ting Xu
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jin-Peng Li
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chao Li
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Cai-Liang Song
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chang-Wei Lei
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuan Chen
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qin Wang
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bo-Heng Ma
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hong-Ning Wang
- Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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13
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Ryan MP, Carraro N, Slattery S, Pembroke JT. Integrative Conjugative Elements (ICEs) of the SXT/R391 family drive adaptation and evolution in γ-Proteobacteria. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024; 50:105-126. [PMID: 36634159 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2161870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Integrative Conjugative Elements (ICEs) are mosaics containing functional modules allowing maintenance by site-specific integration and excision into and from the host genome and conjugative transfer to a specific host range. Many ICEs encode a range of adaptive functions that aid bacterial survival and evolution in a range of niches. ICEs from the SXT/R391 family are found in γ-Proteobacteria. Over 100 members have undergone epidemiological and molecular characterization allowing insight into their diversity and function. Comparative analysis of SXT/R391 elements from a wide geographic distribution has revealed conservation of key functions, and the accumulation and evolution of adaptive genes. This evolution is associated with gene acquisition in conserved hotspots and variable regions within the SXT/R391 ICEs catalysed via element-encoded recombinases. The elements can carry IS elements and transposons, and a mutagenic DNA polymerase, PolV, which are associated with their evolution. SXT/R391 ICEs isolated from different niches appear to have retained adaptive functions related to that specific niche; phage resistance determinants in ICEs carried by wastewater bacteria, antibiotic resistance determinants in clinical isolates and metal resistance determinants in bacteria recovered from polluted environments/ocean sediments. Many genes found in the element hotspots are undetermined and have few homologs in the nucleotide databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Ryan
- Department of Applied Sciences, Technological University of the Shannon, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Nicolas Carraro
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Shannon Slattery
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland
| | - J Tony Pembroke
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland
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14
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Bin Hafeez A, Pełka K, Worobo R, Szweda P. In Silico Safety Assessment of Bacillus Isolated from Polish Bee Pollen and Bee Bread as Novel Probiotic Candidates. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:666. [PMID: 38203838 PMCID: PMC10780176 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010666] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacillus species isolated from Polish bee pollen (BP) and bee bread (BB) were characterized for in silico probiotic and safety attributes. A probiogenomics approach was used, and in-depth genomic analysis was performed using a wide array of bioinformatics tools to investigate the presence of virulence and antibiotic resistance properties, mobile genetic elements, and secondary metabolites. Functional annotation and Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes (CAZYme) profiling revealed the presence of genes and a repertoire of probiotics properties promoting enzymes. The isolates BB10.1, BP20.15 (isolated from bee bread), and PY2.3 (isolated from bee pollen) genome mining revealed the presence of several genes encoding acid, heat, cold, and other stress tolerance mechanisms, adhesion proteins required to survive and colonize harsh gastrointestinal environments, enzymes involved in the metabolism of dietary molecules, antioxidant activity, and genes associated with the synthesis of vitamins. In addition, genes responsible for the production of biogenic amines (BAs) and D-/L-lactate, hemolytic activity, and other toxic compounds were also analyzed. Pan-genome analyses were performed with 180 Bacillus subtilis and 204 Bacillus velezensis genomes to mine for any novel genes present in the genomes of our isolates. Moreover, all three isolates also consisted of gene clusters encoding secondary metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmer Bin Hafeez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Ul. G. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (A.B.H.); (K.P.)
| | - Karolina Pełka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Ul. G. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (A.B.H.); (K.P.)
| | - Randy Worobo
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
| | - Piotr Szweda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Ul. G. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (A.B.H.); (K.P.)
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15
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Tamayo-Leiva J, Alcorta J, Sepúlveda F, Fuentes-Alburquenque S, Arroyo JI, González-Pastor JE, Díez B. Structure and dispersion of the conjugative mobilome in surface ocean bacterioplankton. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae059. [PMID: 38770060 PMCID: PMC11104534 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs), collectively referred to as the "mobilome", can have a significant impact on the fitness of microbial communities and therefore on ecological processes. Marine MGEs have mainly been associated with wide geographical and phylogenetic dispersal of adaptative traits. However, whether the structure of this mobilome exhibits deterministic patterns in the natural community is still an open question. The aim of this study was to characterize the structure of the conjugative mobilome in the ocean surface bacterioplankton by searching the publicly available marine metagenomes from the TARA Oceans survey, together with molecular markers, such as relaxases and type IV coupling proteins of the type IV secretion system (T4SS). The T4SS machinery was retrieved in more abundance than relaxases in the surface marine bacterioplankton. Moreover, among the identified MGEs, mobilizable elements were the most abundant, outnumbering self-conjugative sequences. Detection of a high number of incomplete T4SSs provides insight into possible strategies related to trans-acting activity between MGEs, and accessory functions of the T4SS (e.g. protein secretion), allowing the host to maintain a lower metabolic burden in the highly dynamic marine system. Additionally, the results demonstrate a wide geographical dispersion of MGEs throughout oceanic regions, while the Southern Ocean appears segregated from other regions. The marine mobilome also showed a high similarity of functions present in known plasmid databases. Moreover, cargo genes were mostly related to DNA processing, but scarcely associated with antibiotic resistance. Finally, within the MGEs, integrative and conjugative elements showed wider marine geographic dispersion than plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Tamayo-Leiva
- Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR2), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jaime Alcorta
- Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CRG) , Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Sepúlveda
- Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CRG) , Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián Fuentes-Alburquenque
- Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Matemáticas y Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Facultad de Ingeniería, Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago, Chile
| | - José Ignacio Arroyo
- Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87131, United States
- Centro de Modelamiento Matemático, Universidad de Chile, IRL 2807 CNRS Beauchef 851, Santiago, Chile
| | - José Eduardo González-Pastor
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA. Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850 Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Díez
- Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR2), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CRG) , Santiago, Chile
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16
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Tokuda M, Shintani M. Microbial evolution through horizontal gene transfer by mobile genetic elements. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14408. [PMID: 38226780 PMCID: PMC10832538 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are crucial for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in bacteria and facilitate their rapid evolution and adaptation. MGEs include plasmids, integrative and conjugative elements, transposons, insertion sequences and bacteriophages. Notably, the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), which poses a serious threat to public health, is primarily attributable to HGT through MGEs. This mini-review aims to provide an overview of the mechanisms by which MGEs mediate HGT in microbes. Specifically, the behaviour of conjugative plasmids in different environments and conditions was discussed, and recent methodologies for tracing the dynamics of MGEs were summarised. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying HGT and the role of MGEs in bacterial evolution and adaptation is important to develop strategies to combat the spread of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maho Tokuda
- Department of Environment and Energy Systems, Graduate School of Science and TechnologyShizuoka UniversityHamamatsuJapan
| | - Masaki Shintani
- Department of Environment and Energy Systems, Graduate School of Science and TechnologyShizuoka UniversityHamamatsuJapan
- Research Institute of Green Science and TechnologyShizuoka UniversityHamamatsuJapan
- Japan Collection of MicroorganismsRIKEN BioResource Research CenterIbarakiJapan
- Graduate School of Integrated Science and TechnologyShizuoka UniversityHamamatsuJapan
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17
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Benigno V, Carraro N, Sarton-Lohéac G, Romano-Bertrand S, Blanc DS, van der Meer JR. Diversity and evolution of an abundant ICE clc family of integrative and conjugative elements in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mSphere 2023; 8:e0051723. [PMID: 37902330 PMCID: PMC10732049 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00517-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Microbial populations swiftly adapt to changing environments through horizontal gene transfer. While the mechanisms of gene transfer are well known, the impact of environmental conditions on the selection of transferred gene functions remains less clear. We investigated ICEs, specifically the ICEclc-type, in Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. Our findings revealed co-evolution between ICEs and their hosts, with ICE transfers occurring within strains. Gene functions carried by ICEs are positively selected, including potential virulence factors and heavy metal resistance. Comparison to publicly available P. aeruginosa genomes unveiled widespread antibiotic-resistance determinants within ICEclc clades. Thus, the ubiquitous ICEclc family significantly contributes to P. aeruginosa's adaptation and fitness in diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Benigno
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Carraro
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Garance Sarton-Lohéac
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sara Romano-Bertrand
- Hydrosciences Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Hospital Hygiene and Infection Control Team, University Hospital of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Dominique S. Blanc
- Prevention and Infection Control Unit, Infectious Diseases Service, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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18
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Baines SL, Guérillot R, Ballard S, Johnson PDR, Stinear TP, Roberts S, Howden BP. Genomic investigation of the emergence of vanD vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Access Microbiol 2023; 5:000712.v3. [PMID: 38188239 PMCID: PMC10765050 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000712.v3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is an increasingly identified cause of human disease, with most infections resulting from the vanA and vanB genotypes; less is known about other clinically relevant genotypes. Here we report a genomic exploration of a vanD VRE faecium (VREfm), which arose de novo during a single infectious episode. The genomes of the vancomycin-susceptible E. faecium (VSEfm) recipient and resulting VREfm were subjected to long-read sequencing and closed, with whole-genome alignments, cross-mapping and orthologue clustering used to identify genomic variation. Three key differences were identified. (i) The VREfm chromosome gained a 142.6 kb integrative conjugative element (ICE) harbouring the vanD locus. (ii) The native ligase (ddl) was disrupted by an ISEfm1 insertion. (iii) A large 1.74 Mb chromosomal inversion of unknown consequence occurred. Alignment and phylogenetic-based comparisons of the VREfm with a global collection of vanD-harbouring genomes identified strong similarities in the 120-160 kb genomic region surrounding vanD, suggestive of a common mobile element and integration site, irrespective of the diverse taxonomic, geographical and host origins of the isolates. This isolate diversity revealed that this putative ICE (and its source) is globally disseminated and is capable of being acquired by different genera. Although the incidence of vanD VREfm is low, understanding its emergence and potential for spread is crucial for the ongoing efforts to reduce antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Baines
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Romain Guérillot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Susan Ballard
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul D. R. Johnson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Timothy P. Stinear
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sally Roberts
- Department of Microbiology, LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin P. Howden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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19
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Ivanovski I, Zylstra GJ. Genetic and Functional Characterization of a Salicylate 1-monooxygenase Located on an Integrative and Conjugative Element (ICE) in Pseudomonas stutzeri AJR13. J Microbiol 2023; 61:1025-1032. [PMID: 38100000 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-023-00093-x] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Pseudomonas stutzeri strain AJR13 was isolated for growth on the related compounds biphenyl (BPH) and diphenylmethane (DPM). The BPH and DPM degradative pathway genes are present on an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) in the chromosome. Examination of the genome sequence of AJR13 revealed a gene encoding a salicylate 1-monooxygenase (salA) associated with the ICE even though AJR13 did not grow on salicylate. Transfer of the ICE to the well-studied Pseudomonas putida KT2440 resulted in a KT2440 strain that could grow on salicylate. Knockout mutagenesis of the salA gene on the ICE in KT2440 eliminated the ability to grow on salicylate. Complementation of the knockout with the cloned salA gene restored growth on salicylate. Transfer of the cloned salA gene under control of the lac promoter to KT2440 resulted in a strain that could grow on salicylate. Heterologous expression of the salA gene in E. coli BL21 DE3 resulted in the production of catechol from salicylate, confirming that it is indeed a salicylate 1-monooxygenase. Interestingly, transfer of the cloned salA gene under control of the lac promoter to AJR13 resulted in a strain that could now grow on salicylate, suggesting that gene expression for the downstream catechol pathway is intact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Ivanovski
- Department of Biology, St. Joseph's University, Patchogue, NY, 11772, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
| | - Gerben J Zylstra
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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20
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Marsh JW, Kirk C, Ley RE. Toward Microbiome Engineering: Expanding the Repertoire of Genetically Tractable Members of the Human Gut Microbiome. Annu Rev Microbiol 2023; 77:427-449. [PMID: 37339736 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-032421-112304] [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] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Genetic manipulation is necessary to interrogate the functions of microbes in their environments, such as the human gut microbiome. Yet, the vast majority of human gut microbiome species are not genetically tractable. Here, we review the hurdles to seizing genetic control of more species. We address the barriers preventing the application of genetic techniques to gut microbes and report on genetic systems currently under development. While methods aimed at genetically transforming many species simultaneously in situ show promise, they are unable to overcome many of the same challenges that exist for individual microbes. Unless a major conceptual breakthrough emerges, the genetic tractability of the microbiome will remain an arduous task. Increasing the list of genetically tractable organisms from the human gut remains one of the highest priorities for microbiome research and will provide the foundation for microbiome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Marsh
- Department of Microbiome Science, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany;
| | - Christian Kirk
- Department of Microbiome Science, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany;
| | - Ruth E Ley
- Department of Microbiome Science, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany;
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21
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Weisberg AJ, Chang JH. Mobile Genetic Element Flexibility as an Underlying Principle to Bacterial Evolution. Annu Rev Microbiol 2023; 77:603-624. [PMID: 37437216 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-032521-022006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements are key to the evolution of bacteria and traits that affect host and ecosystem health. Here, we use a framework of a hierarchical and modular system that scales from genes to populations to synthesize recent findings on mobile genetic elements (MGEs) of bacteria. Doing so highlights the role that emergent properties of flexibility, robustness, and genetic capacitance of MGEs have on the evolution of bacteria. Some of their traits can be stored, shared, and diversified across different MGEs, taxa of bacteria, and time. Collectively, these properties contribute to maintaining functionality against perturbations while allowing changes to accumulate in order to diversify and give rise to new traits. These properties of MGEs have long challenged our abilities to study them. Implementation of new technologies and strategies allows for MGEs to be analyzed in new and powerful ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra J Weisberg
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA;
| | - Jeff H Chang
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA;
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Huang J, Dai X, Wu Z, Hu X, Sun J, Tang Y, Zhang W, Han P, Zhao J, Liu G, Wang X, Mao S, Wang Y, Call DR, Liu J, Wang L. Conjugative transfer of streptococcal prophages harboring antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1467-1481. [PMID: 37369704 PMCID: PMC10432423 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01463-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Prophages play important roles in the transduction of various functional traits, including virulence factors, but remain debatable in harboring and transmitting antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Herein we characterize a prevalent family of prophages in Streptococcus, designated SMphages, which harbor twenty-five ARGs that collectively confer resistance to ten antimicrobial classes, including vanG-type vancomycin resistance locus and oxazolidinone resistance gene optrA. SMphages integrate into four chromosome attachment sites by utilizing three types of integration modules and undergo excision in response to phage induction. Moreover, we characterize four subtypes of Alp-related surface proteins within SMphages, the lethal effects of which are extensively validated in cell and animal models. SMphages transfer via high-frequency conjugation that is facilitated by integrative and conjugative elements from either donors or recipients. Our findings explain the widespread of SMphages and the rapid dissemination of ARGs observed in members of the Streptococcus genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhu Huang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xingyang Dai
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zuowei Wu
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Junjie Sun
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yijun Tang
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Wanqiu Zhang
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Peizhao Han
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhao
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Guangjin Liu
- Key Lab of Animal Bacteriology, Ministry of Agriculture, OIE Reference Lab for Swine Streptococcosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shengyong Mao
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Douglas R Call
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Jinxin Liu
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Liping Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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Ryan ME, Damke PP, Shaffer CL. DNA Transport through the Dynamic Type IV Secretion System. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0043622. [PMID: 37338415 PMCID: PMC10353360 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00436-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The versatile type IV secretion system (T4SS) nanomachine plays a pivotal role in bacterial pathogenesis and the propagation of antibiotic resistance determinants throughout microbial populations. In addition to paradigmatic DNA conjugation machineries, diverse T4SSs enable the delivery of multifarious effector proteins to target prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, mediate DNA export and uptake from the extracellular milieu, and in rare examples, facilitate transkingdom DNA translocation. Recent advances have identified new mechanisms underlying unilateral nucleic acid transport through the T4SS apparatus, highlighting both functional plasticity and evolutionary adaptations that enable novel capabilities. In this review, we describe the molecular mechanisms underscoring DNA translocation through diverse T4SS machineries, emphasizing the architectural features that implement DNA exchange across the bacterial membrane and license transverse DNA release across kingdom boundaries. We further detail how recent studies have addressed outstanding questions surrounding the mechanisms by which nanomachine architectures and substrate recruitment strategies contribute to T4SS functional diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie E. Ryan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Prashant P. Damke
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Carrie L. Shaffer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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24
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Wangthaisong P, Piromyou P, Songwattana P, Wongdee J, Teamtaisong K, Tittabutr P, Boonkerd N, Teaumroong N. The Type IV Secretion System (T4SS) Mediates Symbiosis between Bradyrhizobium sp. SUTN9-2 and Legumes. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0004023. [PMID: 37255432 PMCID: PMC10304904 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00040-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been little study of the type IV secretion system (T4SS) of bradyrhizobia and its role in legume symbiosis. Therefore, broad host range Bradyrhizobium sp. SUTN9-2 was selected for study. The chromosome of Bradyrhizobium sp. SUTN9-2 contains two copies of the T4SS gene, homologous with the tra/trb operons. A phylogenetic tree of the T4SS gene traG was constructed, which exemplified its horizontal transfer among Bradyrhizobium and Mesorhizobium genera. They also showed similar gene arrangements for the tra/trb operons. However, the virD2 gene was not observed in Mesorhizobium, except M. oppotunistum WSM2075. Interestingly, the orientation of copG, traG, and virD2 cluster was unique to the Bradyrhizobium genus. The phylogenetic tree of copG, traG, and virD2 demonstrated that copies 1 and 2 of these genes were grouped in different clades. In addition, the derived mutant and complementation strains of T4SS were investigated in representative legumes Genistoids, Dalbergioids, and Millettiods. When T4SS copy 1 (T4SS1) was deleted, the nodule number and nitrogenase activity decreased. This supports a positive effect of T4SS1 on symbiosis. In addition, delayed nodulation was observed 7 dpi, which was restored by the complementation of T4SS1. Therefore, T4SS plays an important role in the symbiotic interaction between Bradyrhizobium sp. SUTN9-2 and its leguminous hosts. IMPORTANCE SUTN9-2 is a broad host range strain capable of symbiosis with several legumes. Two copies of T4SS clusters belonging to the tra/trb operon are observed on chromosomes with different gene arrangements. We use phylogenetic tree and gene annotation analysis to predict the evolution of the tra/trb operon of rhizobia. Our finding suggests that the gene encoding the T4SS gene among Bradyrhizobium and Mesorhizobium may have coevolution. In addition, Bradyrhizobium has a uniquely arranged copG, traG, and virD2 gene cluster. The results of T4SS1 gene deletion and complementation revealed its positive effect on nodulation. Therefore, T4SS seems to be another determinant for symbiosis. This is the first report on the role of T4SS in Bradyrhizobium symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praneet Wangthaisong
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Pongdet Piromyou
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Pongpan Songwattana
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Jenjira Wongdee
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Kamonluck Teamtaisong
- The Center for Scientific and Technological Equipment, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Panlada Tittabutr
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Nantakorn Boonkerd
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Neung Teaumroong
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
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25
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Murthy AC, Aleksanyan N, Morton GM, Toyoda HC, Kalashyan M, Chen S, Ragucci AE, Broulidakis MP, Swerdlow KJ, Bui MNN, Muccioli M, Berkmen MB. Characterization of ConE, the VirB4 Homolog of the Integrative and Conjugative Element ICE Bs1 of Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0003323. [PMID: 37219457 PMCID: PMC10294652 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00033-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugation is a major form of horizontal gene transfer, contributing to bacterial evolution and the acquisition of new traits. During conjugation, a donor cell transfers DNA to a recipient through a specialized DNA translocation channel classified as a type IV secretion system (T4SS). Here, we focused on the T4SS of ICEBs1, an integrative and conjugative element in Bacillus subtilis. ConE, encoded by ICEBs1, is a member of the VirB4 family of ATPases, the most conserved component of T4SSs. ConE is required for conjugation and localizes to the cell membrane, predominantly at the cell poles. In addition to Walker A and B boxes, VirB4 homologs have conserved ATPase motifs C, D, and E. Here, we created alanine substitutions in five conserved residues within or near ATPase motifs in ConE. Mutations in all five residues drastically decreased conjugation frequency but did not affect ConE protein levels or localization, indicating that an intact ATPase domain is critical for DNA transfer. Purified ConE is largely monomeric with some oligomers and lacks enzymatic activity, suggesting that ATP hydrolysis may be regulated or require special solution conditions. Finally, we investigated which ICEBs1 T4SS components interact with ConE using a bacterial two-hybrid assay. ConE interacts with itself, ConB, and ConQ, but these interactions are not required to stabilize ConE protein levels and largely do not depend on conserved residues within the ATPase motifs of ConE. The structure-function characterization of ConE provides more insight into this conserved component shared by all T4SSs. IMPORTANCE Conjugation is a major form of horizontal gene transfer and involves the transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another through the conjugation machinery. Conjugation contributes to bacterial evolution by disseminating genes involved in antibiotic resistance, metabolism, and virulence. Here, we characterized ConE, a protein component of the conjugation machinery of the conjugative element ICEBs1 of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. We found that mutations in the conserved ATPase motifs of ConE disrupt mating but do not alter ConE localization, self-interaction, or levels. We also explored which conjugation proteins ConE interacts with and whether these interactions contribute to stabilizing ConE. Our work contributes to the understanding of the conjugative machinery of Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia C. Murthy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Naira Aleksanyan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Georgeanna M. Morton
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hunter C. Toyoda
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Meri Kalashyan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sirui Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adelyn E. Ragucci
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cancer Immunology and Virology Department, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew P. Broulidakis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kyle J. Swerdlow
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Minh N. N. Bui
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maria Muccioli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Melanie B. Berkmen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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26
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Herviou P, Balvay A, Bellet D, Bobet S, Maudet C, Staub J, Alric M, Leblond-Bourget N, Delorme C, Rabot S, Denis S, Payot S. Transfer of the Integrative and Conjugative Element ICE St3 of Streptococcus thermophilus in Physiological Conditions Mimicking the Human Digestive Ecosystem. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0466722. [PMID: 36995244 PMCID: PMC10269554 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04667-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Metagenome analyses of the human microbiome suggest that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is frequent in these rich and complex microbial communities. However, so far, only a few HGT studies have been conducted in vivo. In this work, three different systems mimicking the physiological conditions encountered in the human digestive tract were tested, including (i) the TNO gastro-Intestinal tract Model 1 (TIM-1) system (for the upper part of the intestine), (ii) the ARtificial COLon (ARCOL) system (to mimic the colon), and (iii) a mouse model. To increase the likelihood of transfer by conjugation of the integrative and conjugative element studied in the artificial digestive systems, bacteria were entrapped in alginate, agar, and chitosan beads before being placed in the different gut compartments. The number of transconjugants detected decreased, while the complexity of the ecosystem increased (many clones in TIM-1 but only one clone in ARCOL). No clone was obtained in a natural digestive environment (germfree mouse model). In the human gut, the richness and diversity of the bacterial community would offer more opportunities for HGT events to occur. In addition, several factors (SOS-inducing agents, microbiota-derived factors) that potentially increase in vivo HGT efficiency were not tested here. Even if HGT events are rare, expansion of the transconjugant clones can happen if ecological success is fostered by selecting conditions or by events that destabilize the microbial community. IMPORTANCE The human gut microbiota plays a key role in maintaining normal host physiology and health, but its homeostasis is fragile. During their transit in the gastrointestinal tract, bacteria conveyed by food can exchange genes with resident bacteria. New traits acquired by HGT (e.g., new catabolic properties, bacteriocins, antibiotic resistance) can impact the gut microbial composition and metabolic potential. We showed here that TIM-1, a system mimicking the upper digestive tract, is a useful tool to evaluate HGT events in conditions closer to the physiological ones. Another important fact pointed out in this work is that Enterococcus faecalis is a good candidate for foreign gene acquisition. Due to its high ability to colonize the gut and acquire mobile genetic elements, this commensal bacterium could serve as an intermediate for HGT in the human gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Herviou
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, MEDIS, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Aurélie Balvay
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Deborah Bellet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Sophie Bobet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Claire Maudet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Johan Staub
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, Nancy, France
| | - Monique Alric
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, MEDIS, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | - Christine Delorme
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Sylvie Rabot
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Sylvain Denis
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, MEDIS, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Sophie Payot
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, Nancy, France
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27
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Fujihara H, Hirose J, Suenaga H. Evolution of genetic architecture and gene regulation in biphenyl/PCB-degrading bacteria. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1168246. [PMID: 37350784 PMCID: PMC10282184 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1168246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A variety of bacteria in the environment can utilize xenobiotic compounds as a source of carbon and energy. The bacterial strains degrading xenobiotics are suitable models to investigate the adaptation and evolutionary processes of bacteria because they appear to have emerged relatively soon after the release of these compounds into the natural environment. Analyses of bacterial genome sequences indicate that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the most important contributor to the bacterial evolution of genetic architecture. Further, host bacteria that can use energy effectively by controlling the expression of organized gene clusters involved in xenobiotic degradation will have a survival advantage in harsh xenobiotic-rich environments. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of evolutionary mechanisms operative in bacteria, with a focus on biphenyl/PCB-degrading bacteria. We then discuss metagenomic approaches that are useful for such investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidehiko Fujihara
- Department of Food and Fermentation Sciences, Faculty of Food and Nutrition Sciences, Beppu University, Beppu, Japan
| | - Jun Hirose
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Hikaru Suenaga
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
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28
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Dai X, Zhao J, Sun J, Chen L, Han P, Wang X, Huang J, Wang L. ICESpsuAH0906, a novel optrA-carrying element conferring resistance to phenicols and oxazolidinones from Streptococcus parasuis, is transferable to Streptococcus suis. Vet Microbiol 2023; 283:109795. [PMID: 37269713 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2023.109795] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus parasuis is a potential opportunistic zoonotic pathogen which is a close relative to Streptococcus suis, which exhibit extensive genetic exchange. The occurrence and dissemination of oxazolidinone resistance poses a severe threat to public health. However, such knowledge about the optrA gene in S. parasuis is limited. Herein, we characterized an optrA-positive multi-resistant S. parasuis isolate AH0906, in which the capsular polysaccharide locus exhibited a hybrid structure of S. suis serotype 11 and S. parasuis serotype 26. The optrA and erm(B) genes were co-located on a novel ICE of the ICESsuYZDH1 family, designated ICESpsuAH0906. IS1216E-optrA-carrying translocatable unit could be formed when excised from ICESpsuAH0906. ICESpsuAH0906 was found to be transferable from isolate AH0906 to Streptococcus suis P1/7RF at a relative high frequency of ∼ 10-5. Nonconservative integrations of ICESpsuAH0906 into the primary site SSU0877 and secondary site SSU1797 with 2-/4-nt imperfect direct repeats in recipient P1/7RF were observed. Upon transfer, the transconjugant displayed elevated MICs of the corresponding antimicrobial agents and performed a weak fitness cost when compared with the recipient strain. To our knowledge, it is the first description of the transfer of optrA in S. prarasuis and the first report of interspecies transfer of ICE with triplet serine integrases (of the ICESsuYZDH1 family). Considering the high transmission frequency of the ICEs and the extensive genetic exchange potential of S. parasuis with other streptococci, attention should be paid to the dissemination of the optrA gene from S. parasuis to clinically more important bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyang Dai
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhao
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Junjie Sun
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Li Chen
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Peizhao Han
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Risk Assessment Center of Veterinary Drug Residue and Antimicrobial Resistance, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Center for Veterinary Drug Research and Evaluation, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jinhu Huang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Risk Assessment Center of Veterinary Drug Residue and Antimicrobial Resistance, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Center for Veterinary Drug Research and Evaluation, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Liping Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Risk Assessment Center of Veterinary Drug Residue and Antimicrobial Resistance, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Center for Veterinary Drug Research and Evaluation, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
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29
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Fu J, Liu Y, Wang F, Zong G, Wang Z, Zhong C, Cao G. Glabridin inhibited the spread of polymyxin-resistant Enterobacterium carrying ICE MmoMP63. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1188900. [PMID: 37283918 PMCID: PMC10239875 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1188900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The role of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) in antibiotic resistance in Morganella morganii is unknown. This study aimed to determine whether an ICE identified in the M. morganii genome contributed to the polymyxin resistance. Methods Whole-genome sequencing was performed followed by bioinformatics analyses to identify ICEs and antibiotic resistance genes. Conjugation assays were performed to analyze the transferability of a discovered ICE. A drug transporter encoded on the ICE was heterogeneously expressed in Escherichia coli, minimum inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics were determined, and a traditional Chinese medicine library was screened for potential efflux pump inhibitors. Results An antibiotic resistance-conferring ICE, named ICEMmoMP63, was identified. ICEMmoMP63 was verified to be horizontally transferred among Enterobacteriaceae bacteria. G3577_03020 in ICEMmoMP63 was found to mediate multiple antibiotic resistances, especially polymyxin resistance. However, natural compound glabridin was demonstrated to inhibit polymyxin resistance. Discussion Our findings support the need for monitoring dissemination of ICEMmoMP63 in Enterobacteriaceae bacteria. Combined glabridin and polymyxin may have therapeutic potential for treating infections from multi-drug resistant bacteria carrying ICEMmoMP63.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafang Fu
- First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs. Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Yayu Liu
- First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs. Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | | | - Gongli Zong
- First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs. Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, China
| | - Chuanqing Zhong
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, China
| | - Guangxiang Cao
- First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs. Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
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30
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Garcillán-Barcia MP, Redondo-Salvo S, de la Cruz F. Plasmid classifications. Plasmid 2023; 126:102684. [PMID: 37116631 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2023.102684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids are universally present in bacteria and play key roles in the dissemination of genes such as antibiotic resistance determinants. Major concepts in Plasmid Biology derive from the efforts to classify plasmids. Here, we review the main plasmid classification systems, starting by phenotype-based methods, such as fertility inhibition and incompatibility, followed by schemes based on a single gene (replicon type and MOB class), and finishing with recently developed approaches that use genetic distances between whole plasmid sequences. A comparison of the latter highlights significant differences between them. We further discuss the need for an operational definition of plasmid species that reveals their biological features, akin to plasmid taxonomic units (PTUs).
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pilar Garcillán-Barcia
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad de Cantabria), Cantabria, Spain.
| | - Santiago Redondo-Salvo
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad de Cantabria), Cantabria, Spain; Biomar Microbial Technologies, León, Spain
| | - Fernando de la Cruz
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad de Cantabria), Cantabria, Spain.
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31
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Urquhart AS, Vogan AA, Gardiner DM, Idnurm A. Starships are active eukaryotic transposable elements mobilized by a new family of tyrosine recombinases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2214521120. [PMID: 37023132 PMCID: PMC10104507 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2214521120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements in eukaryotic organisms have historically been considered "selfish," at best conferring indirect benefits to their host organisms. The Starships are a recently discovered feature in fungal genomes that are, in some cases, predicted to confer beneficial traits to their hosts and also have hallmarks of being transposable elements. Here, we provide experimental evidence that Starships are indeed autonomous transposons, using the model Paecilomyces variotii, and identify the HhpA "Captain" tyrosine recombinase as essential for their mobilization into genomic sites with a specific target site consensus sequence. Furthermore, we identify multiple recent horizontal gene transfers of Starships, implying that they jump between species. Fungal genomes have mechanisms to defend against mobile elements, which are frequently detrimental to the host. We discover that Starships are also vulnerable to repeat-induced point mutation defense, thereby having implications on the evolutionary stability of such elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S. Urquhart
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, St Lucia, QLD4067, Australia
- Applied Biosciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW2109, Australia
| | - Aaron A. Vogan
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, 752 36Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Donald M. Gardiner
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, St Lucia, QLD4067, Australia
- University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD4067, Australia
| | - Alexander Idnurm
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC3010, Australia
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32
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Breidenstein A, Ter Beek J, Berntsson RPA. Structural and functional characterization of TraI from pKM101 reveals basis for DNA processing. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201775. [PMID: 36669792 PMCID: PMC9868005 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Type 4 secretion systems are large and versatile protein machineries that facilitate the spread of antibiotic resistance and other virulence factors via horizontal gene transfer. Conjugative type 4 secretion systems depend on relaxases to process the DNA in preparation for transport. TraI from the well-studied conjugative plasmid pKM101 is one such relaxase. Here, we report the crystal structure of the trans-esterase domain of TraI in complex with its substrate oriT DNA, highlighting the conserved DNA-binding mechanism of conjugative relaxases. In addition, we present an apo structure of the trans-esterase domain of TraI that includes most of the flexible thumb region. This allows us for the first time to visualize the large conformational change of the thumb subdomain upon DNA binding. We also characterize the DNA binding, nicking, and religation activity of the trans-esterase domain, helicase domain, and full-length TraI. Unlike previous indications in the literature, our results reveal that the TraI trans-esterase domain from pKM101 behaves in a conserved manner with its homologs from the R388 and F plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Breidenstein
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Josy Ter Beek
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ronnie P-A Berntsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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33
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Botelho J, Tüffers L, Fuss J, Buchholz F, Utpatel C, Klockgether J, Niemann S, Tümmler B, Schulenburg H. Phylogroup-specific variation shapes the clustering of antimicrobial resistance genes and defence systems across regions of genome plasticity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. EBioMedicine 2023; 90:104532. [PMID: 36958270 PMCID: PMC10053402 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen consisting of three phylogroups (hereafter named A, B, and C). Here, we assessed phylogroup-specific evolutionary dynamics across available and also new P. aeruginosa genomes. METHODS In this genomic analysis, we first generated new genome assemblies for 18 strains of the major P. aeruginosa clone type (mPact) panel, comprising a phylogenetically diverse collection of clinical and environmental isolates for this species. Thereafter, we combined these new genomes with 1991 publicly available P. aeruginosa genomes for a phylogenomic and comparative analysis. We specifically explored to what extent antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, defence systems, and virulence genes vary in their distribution across regions of genome plasticity (RGPs) and "masked" (RGP-free) genomes, and to what extent this variation differs among the phylogroups. FINDINGS We found that members of phylogroup B possess larger genomes, contribute a comparatively larger number of pangenome families, and show lower abundance of CRISPR-Cas systems. Furthermore, AMR and defence systems are pervasive in RGPs and integrative and conjugative/mobilizable elements (ICEs/IMEs) from phylogroups A and B, and the abundance of these cargo genes is often significantly correlated. Moreover, inter- and intra-phylogroup interactions occur at the accessory genome level, suggesting frequent recombination events. Finally, we provide here the mPact panel of diverse P. aeruginosa strains that may serve as a valuable reference for functional analyses. INTERPRETATION Altogether, our results highlight distinct pangenome characteristics of the P. aeruginosa phylogroups, which are possibly influenced by variation in the abundance of CRISPR-Cas systems and are shaped by the differential distribution of other defence systems and AMR genes. FUNDING German Science Foundation, Max-Planck Society, Leibniz ScienceCampus Evolutionary Medicine of the Lung, BMBF program Medical Infection Genomics, Kiel Life Science Postdoc Award.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Botelho
- Antibiotic Resistance Group, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany; Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Leif Tüffers
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany; Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Janina Fuss
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian Albrechts University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Florian Buchholz
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Christian Utpatel
- Molecular and Experimental Mycobacteriology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
| | - Jens Klockgether
- Clinic for Paediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Niemann
- Molecular and Experimental Mycobacteriology, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
| | - Burkhard Tümmler
- Clinic for Paediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Hinrich Schulenburg
- Antibiotic Resistance Group, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany; Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
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Arbel-Goren R, McKeithen-Mead SA, Voglmaier D, Afremov I, Teza G, Grossman AD, Stavans J. Target search by an imported conjugative DNA element for a unique integration site along a bacterial chromosome during horizontal gene transfer. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:3116-3129. [PMID: 36762480 PMCID: PMC10123120 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are mobile genetic elements that can transfer by conjugation to recipient cells. Some ICEs integrate into a unique site in the genome of their hosts. We studied quantitatively the process by which an ICE searches for its unique integration site in the Bacillus subtilis chromosome. We followed the motion of both ICEBs1 and the chromosomal integration site in real time within individual cells. ICEBs1 exhibited a wide spectrum of dynamical behaviors, ranging from rapid sub-diffusive displacements crisscrossing the cell, to kinetically trapped states. The chromosomal integration site moved sub-diffusively and exhibited pronounced dynamical asymmetry between longitudinal and transversal motions, highlighting the role of chromosomal structure and the heterogeneity of the bacterial interior in the search. The successful search for and subsequent recombination into the integration site is a key step in the acquisition of integrating mobile genetic elements. Our findings provide new insights into intracellular transport processes involving large DNA molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinat Arbel-Goren
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | | | - Dominik Voglmaier
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Idana Afremov
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Gianluca Teza
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Alan D Grossman
- Department of Biology Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Joel Stavans
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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35
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Hirose J. Diversity and Evolution of Integrative and Conjugative Elements Involved in Bacterial Aromatic Compound Degradation and Their Utility in Environmental Remediation. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020438. [PMID: 36838403 PMCID: PMC9960961 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are mobile DNA molecules that can be transferred through excision, conjugation, and integration into chromosomes. They contribute to the horizontal transfer of genomic islands across bacterial species. ICEs carrying genes encoding aromatic compound degradation pathways are of interest because of their contribution to environmental remediation. Recent advances in DNA sequencing technology have increased the number of newly discovered ICEs in bacterial genomes and have enabled comparative analysis of their evolution. The two different families of ICEs carry various aromatic compound degradation pathway genes. ICEclc and its related ICEs contain a number of members with diverse catabolic capabilities. In addition, the Tn4371 family, which includes ICEs that carry the chlorinated biphenyl catabolic pathway, has been identified. It is apparent that they underwent evolution through the acquisition, deletion, or exchange of modules to adapt to an environmental niche. ICEs have the property of both stability and mobility in the chromosome. Perspectives on the use of ICEs in environmental remediation are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Hirose
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan
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36
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Michaelis C, Grohmann E. Horizontal Gene Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Biofilms. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020328. [PMID: 36830238 PMCID: PMC9952180 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Most bacteria attach to biotic or abiotic surfaces and are embedded in a complex matrix which is known as biofilm. Biofilm formation is especially worrisome in clinical settings as it hinders the treatment of infections with antibiotics due to the facilitated acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Environmental settings are now considered as pivotal for driving biofilm formation, biofilm-mediated antibiotic resistance development and dissemination. Several studies have demonstrated that environmental biofilms can be hotspots for the dissemination of ARGs. These genes can be encoded on mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as conjugative and mobilizable plasmids or integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs). ARGs can be rapidly transferred through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) which has been shown to occur more frequently in biofilms than in planktonic cultures. Biofilm models are promising tools to mimic natural biofilms to study the dissemination of ARGs via HGT. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art of biofilm studies and the techniques that visualize the three main HGT mechanisms in biofilms: transformation, transduction, and conjugation.
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37
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Structural and Genomic Evolution of RRNPPA Systems and Their Pheromone Signaling. mBio 2022; 13:e0251422. [PMID: 36259720 PMCID: PMC9765709 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02514-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In Firmicutes, important processes such as competence development, sporulation, virulence, and biofilm formation are regulated by cytoplasmic quorum sensing (QS) receptors of the RRNPPA family using peptide-based communication. Although these systems regulate important processes in a variety of bacteria, their origin and diversification are poorly understood. Here, we integrate structural, genomic, and phylogenetic evidence to shed light on RRNPPA protein origin and diversification. The family is constituted by seven different subfamilies with different domain architectures and functions. Among these, three were found in Lactobacillales (Rgg, ComR, and PrgX) and four in Bacillales (AimR, NprR, PlcR, and Rap). The patterns of presence and the phylogeny of these proteins show that subfamilies diversified a long time ago, resulting in key structural and functional differences. The concordance between the distribution of subfamilies and the bacterial phylogeny was somewhat unexpected, since many of the subfamilies are very abundant in mobile genetic elements, such as phages, plasmids, and phage-plasmids. The existence of diverse propeptide architectures raises intriguing questions about their export and maturation. It also suggests the existence of diverse roles for the RRNPPA systems. Some systems encode multiple pheromones on the same propeptide or multiple similar propeptides, suggesting that they act as "chatterers." Many others lack pheromone genes and may be "eavesdroppers." Interestingly, AimR systems without associated propeptide genes were particularly abundant in chromosomal regions not classed as prophages, suggesting that either the bacterium or other mobile elements are eavesdropping on phage activity. IMPORTANCE Quorum sensing (QS) is a mechanism of bacterial communication, coordinating important decisions depending on bacterial population. QS regulates important processes not only in bacterial behavior but also in genetic mobile elements and host-guest interactions. In Firmicutes, the most important family of QS receptors is the RRNPPA family. Despite the importance of such systems in microbiology, we know little about RRNPPA origin and diversification. In this work, the combination of sequence analysis and structural biology allowed us to identify a very large number of novel systems but also to class of them in functional families and thereby study of their origin and functional diversification. Moreover, peptide pheromone analysis revealed new and intriguing mechanisms of communication, such as "eavesdropper" systems which only listen for the pheromone and "chatterers" that take control of the communication in their microenvironment.
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38
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Shan S, Cheng W, Li Y, Zhang M, Liu Z, Wang Y, Wei X, Fu Z, Wu S, Du D, Guo Z. Comparative genomic analysis of Citrobacter sp. XT1-2-2 reveals insights into the molecular mechanism of microbial immobilization of heavy metals. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:838. [PMID: 36536293 PMCID: PMC9764585 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-09069-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In our previous study, Citrobacter sp. XT1-2-2 was isolated from high cadmium-contaminated soils, and demonstrated an excellent ability to decrease the bioavailability of cadmium in the soil and inhibit cadmium uptake in rice. In addition, the strain XT1-2-2 could significantly promote rice growth and increase rice biomass. Therefore, the strain XT1-2-2 shows great potential for remediation of cadmium -contaminated soils. However, the genome sequence of this organism has not been reported so far. RESULTS: Here the basic characteristics and genetic diversity of the strain XT1-2-2 were described, together with the draft genome and comparative genomic results. The strain XT1-2-2 is 5040459 bp long with an average G + C content of 52.09%, and contains a total of 4801 genes. Putative genomic islands were predicted in the genome of Citrobacter sp. XT1-2-2. All genes of a complete set of sulfate reduction pathway and various putative heavy metal resistance genes in the genome were identified and analyzed. CONCLUSIONS These analytical results provide insights into the genomic basis of microbial immobilization of heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiping Shan
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China ,Hunan Engineering and Technology Research Center of Agricultural Microbiology Application, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Wei Cheng
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Yilu Li
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Min Zhang
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Zhudong Liu
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Yushuang Wang
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Xiaowu Wei
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Zujiao Fu
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Shandong Wu
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Dongxia Du
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
| | - Zhaohui Guo
- grid.506983.1Hunan Institute of Microbiology, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China ,Hunan Engineering and Technology Research Center of Agricultural Microbiology Application, 410009 Changsha, Hunan China
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39
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Nayar G, Terrizzano I, Seabolt E, Agarwal A, Boucher C, Ruiz J, Slizovskiy IB, Kaufman JH, Noyes NR. ggMOB: Elucidation of genomic conjugative features and associated cargo genes across bacterial genera using genus-genus mobilization networks. Front Genet 2022; 13:1024577. [PMID: 36568361 PMCID: PMC9779932 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1024577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer mediated by conjugation is considered an important evolutionary mechanism of bacteria. It allows organisms to quickly evolve new phenotypic properties including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence. The frequency of conjugation-mediated cargo gene exchange has not yet been comprehensively studied within and between bacterial taxa. We developed a frequency-based network of genus-genus conjugation features and candidate cargo genes from whole-genome sequence data of over 180,000 bacterial genomes, representing 1,345 genera. Using our method, which we refer to as ggMOB, we revealed that over half of the bacterial genomes contained one or more known conjugation features that matched exactly to at least one other genome. Moreover, the proportion of genomes containing these conjugation features varied substantially by genus and conjugation feature. These results and the genus-level network structure can be viewed interactively in the ggMOB interface, which allows for user-defined filtering of conjugation features and candidate cargo genes. Using the network data, we observed that the ratio of AMR gene representation in conjugative versus non-conjugative genomes exceeded 5:1, confirming that conjugation is a critical force for AMR spread across genera. Finally, we demonstrated that clustering genomes by conjugation profile sometimes correlated well with classical phylogenetic structuring; but that in some cases the clustering was highly discordant, suggesting that the importance of the accessory genome in driving bacterial evolution may be highly variable across both time and taxonomy. These results can advance scientific understanding of bacterial evolution, and can be used as a starting point for probing genus-genus gene exchange within complex microbial communities that include unculturable bacteria. ggMOB is publicly available under the GNU licence at https://ruiz-hci-lab.github.io/ggMOB/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gowri Nayar
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | | | - Ed Seabolt
- IBM Research Almaden, San Jose, CA, United States
| | | | - Christina Boucher
- Department of Computer and Information Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jaime Ruiz
- Department of Computer and Information Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ilya B. Slizovskiy
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | | | - Noelle R. Noyes
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States,*Correspondence: Noelle R. Noyes,
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40
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McLellan LK, Anderson ME, Grossman AD. TnSmu1 is a functional integrative and conjugative element in Streptococcus mutans that when expressed causes growth arrest of host bacteria. Mol Microbiol 2022; 118:652-669. [PMID: 36268794 PMCID: PMC10098952 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are major drivers of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. They mediate their own transfer from host cells (donors) to recipients and allow bacteria to acquire new phenotypes, including pathogenic and metabolic capabilities and drug resistances. Streptococcus mutans, a major causative agent of dental caries, contains a putative ICE, TnSmu1, integrated at the 3' end of a leucyl tRNA gene. We found that TnSmu1 is a functional ICE, containing all the genes necessary for ICE function. It excised from the chromosome and excision was stimulated by DNA damage. We identified the DNA junctions generated by excision of TnSmu1, defined the ends of the element, and detected the extrachromosomal circle. We found that TnSmu1 can transfer from S. mutans donors to recipients when co-cultured on solid medium. The presence of TnSmu1 in recipients inhibited successful acquisition of another copy and this inhibition was mediated, at least in part, by the likely transcriptional repressor encoded by the element. Using microscopy to track individual cells, we found that activation of TnSmu1 caused an arrest of cell growth. Our results demonstrate that TnSmu1 is a functional ICE that affects the biology of its host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa K McLellan
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mary E Anderson
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alan D Grossman
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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41
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Lao J, Lacroix T, Guédon G, Coluzzi C, Payot S, Leblond-Bourget N, Chiapello H. ICEscreen: a tool to detect Firmicute ICEs and IMEs, isolated or enclosed in composite structures. NAR Genom Bioinform 2022; 4:lqac079. [PMID: 36285285 PMCID: PMC9585547 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqac079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mobile Genetic Elements (MGEs) are integrated in bacterial genomes and key elements that drive prokaryote genome evolution. Among them are Integrative and Conjugative Elements (ICEs) and Integrative Mobilizable Elements (IMEs) which are important for bacterial fitness since they frequently carry genes participating in important bacterial adaptation phenotypes such as antibiotic resistance, virulence or specialized metabolic pathways. Although ICEs and IMEs are widespread, they are as yet almost never annotated in public bacterial genomes. To address the need of dedicated strategies for the annotation of these elements, we developed ICEscreen, a tool that introduces two new features to detect ICEs and IMEs in Firmicute genomes. First, ICEscreen uses an efficient strategy to detect Signature Proteins of ICEs and IMEs based on a database dedicated to Firmicutes and composed of manually curated proteins and Hidden Markov Models (HMM) profiles. Second, ICEscreen includes a new original algorithm that detects composite structures of ICEs and IMEs that are frequent in genomes of Firmicutes but are currently not resolved by any other tool. We benchmarked ICEscreen on experimentally supported elements and on a public dataset of 246 manually annotated elements including the genomes of 40 Firmicutes and demonstrate its efficiency to detect ICEs and IMEs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gérard Guédon
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Charles Coluzzi
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, MaIAGE, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France,Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Sophie Payot
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | | | - Hélène Chiapello
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +33 1 34652884; Fax: +33 1 34652217;
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42
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Key Role of Transconjugants for Dissemination of the Integrative Conjugative Element ICE Bs1 in Biofilms. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0032722. [PMID: 36106855 PMCID: PMC9578416 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00327-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology, J.-S. Bourassa, G. Jeannotte, S. Lebel-Beaucage, and P. B. Beauregard (J Bacteriol 204:e00181-22, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.00181-22) showed that ICEBs1 propagation in Bacillus subtilis biofilm relies almost exclusively on transconjugants. It appears restricted to clusters of bacteria in a close neighborhood of initial donor cells, which are heterogeneously distributed in the biofilm and expand vertically toward the air-liquid interface.
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43
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Haudiquet M, de Sousa JM, Touchon M, Rocha EPC. Selfish, promiscuous and sometimes useful: how mobile genetic elements drive horizontal gene transfer in microbial populations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210234. [PMID: 35989606 PMCID: PMC9393566 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) drives microbial adaptation but is often under the control of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) whose interests are not necessarily aligned with those of their hosts. In general, transfer is costly to the donor cell while potentially beneficial to the recipients. The diversity and plasticity of cell–MGEs interactions, and those among MGEs, result in complex evolutionary processes where the source, or even the existence of selection for maintaining a function in the genome, is often unclear. For example, MGE-driven HGT depends on cell envelope structures and defense systems, but many of these are transferred by MGEs themselves. MGEs can spur periods of intense gene transfer by increasing their own rates of horizontal transmission upon communicating, eavesdropping, or sensing the environment and the host physiology. This may result in high-frequency transfer of host genes unrelated to the MGE. Here, we review how MGEs drive HGT and how their transfer mechanisms, selective pressures and genomic traits affect gene flow, and therefore adaptation, in microbial populations. The encoding of many adaptive niche-defining microbial traits in MGEs means that intragenomic conflicts and alliances between cells and their MGEs are key to microbial functional diversification. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Genomic population structures of microbial pathogens’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Haudiquet
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris 75015, France
| | - Jorge Moura de Sousa
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris 75015, France
| | - Marie Touchon
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris 75015, France
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris 75015, France
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Choufa C, Tidjani AR, Gauthier A, Harb M, Lao J, Leblond-Bourget N, Vos M, Leblond P, Bontemps C. Prevalence and mobility of integrative and conjugative elements within a Streptomyces natural population. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:970179. [PMID: 36177458 PMCID: PMC9513070 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.970179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) is a powerful force generating genomic diversity in bacterial populations. HGT in Streptomyces is in large part driven by conjugation thanks to plasmids, Integrative and Conjugative elements (ICEs) and Actinomycete ICEs (AICEs). To investigate the impact of ICE and AICE conjugation on Streptomyces genome evolution, we used in silico and experimental approaches on a set of 11 very closely related strains isolated from a millimeter scale rhizosphere population. Through bioinformatic searches of canonical conjugation proteins, we showed that AICEs are the most frequent integrative conjugative elements, with the central chromosome region being a hotspot for integrative element insertion. Strains exhibited great variation in AICE composition consistent with frequent HGT and/or gene loss. We found that single insertion sites can be home to different elements in different strains (accretion) and conversely, elements belonging to the same family can be found at different insertion sites. A wide variety of cargo genes was present in the AICEs with the potential to mediate strain-specific adaptation (e.g., DNA metabolism and resistance genes to antibiotic and phages). However, a large proportion of AICE cargo genes showed hallmarks of pseudogenization, consistent with deleterious effects of cargo genes on fitness. Pock assays enabled the direct visualization of conjugal AICE transfer and demonstrated the transfer of AICEs between some, but not all, of the isolates. Multiple AICEs were shown to be able to transfer during a single mating event. Although we did not obtain experimental evidence for transfer of the sole chromosomal ICE in this population, genotoxic stress mediated its excision from the chromosome, suggesting its functionality. Our results indicate that AICE-mediated HGT in Streptomyces populations is highly dynamic, with likely impact on strain fitness and the ability to adapt to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abdoul-Razak Tidjani
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, Nancy, France
- Faculty of Medecine, CNRS, Grenoble INP, CHU Grenoble-Alpes, University Grenoble-Alpes, TIMC (UMR 5525), Grenoble, France
| | | | - Manar Harb
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, Nancy, France
- INRAE-ONIRIS, Nantes, France
| | - Julie Lao
- INRAE, UR1404 MaIAGE, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Michiel Vos
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Medical School, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Leblond
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, Nancy, France
- *Correspondence: Pierre Leblond,
| | - Cyril Bontemps
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, Nancy, France
- Cyril Bontemps,
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45
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Laroussi H, Aoudache Y, Robert E, Libante V, Thiriet L, Mias-Lucquin D, Douzi B, Roussel Y, Chauvot de Beauchêne I, Soler N, Leblond-Bourget N. Exploration of DNA processing features unravels novel properties of ICE conjugation in Gram-positive bacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:8127-8142. [PMID: 35849337 PMCID: PMC9371924 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are important drivers of horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes. They are responsible for antimicrobial resistance spread, a major current health concern. ICEs are initially processed by relaxases that recognize the binding site of oriT sequence and nick at a conserved nic site. The ICESt3/Tn916/ICEBs1 superfamily, which is widespread among Firmicutes, encodes uncanonical relaxases belonging to a recently identified family called MOBT. This family is related to the rolling circle replication initiators of the Rep_trans family. The nic site of these MOBT relaxases is conserved but their DNA binding site is still unknown. Here, we identified the bind site of RelSt3, the MOBT relaxase from ICESt3. Unexpectedly, we found this bind site distantly located from the nic site. We revealed that the binding of the RelSt3 N-terminal HTH domain is required for efficient nicking activity. We also deciphered the role of RelSt3 in the initial and final stages of DNA processing during conjugation. Especially, we demonstrated a strand transfer activity, and the formation of covalent DNA-relaxase intermediate for a MOBT relaxase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haifa Laroussi
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - Yanis Aoudache
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - Emilie Robert
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | | | - Louise Thiriet
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | | | | | - Yvonne Roussel
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | | | - Nicolas Soler
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, DynAMic, F-54000, Nancy, France
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Sulser S, Vucicevic A, Bellini V, Moritz R, Delavat F, Sentchilo V, Carraro N, van der Meer JR. A bistable prokaryotic differentiation system underlying development of conjugative transfer competence. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010286. [PMID: 35763548 PMCID: PMC9286271 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms and impact of horizontal gene transfer processes to distribute gene functions with potential adaptive benefit among prokaryotes have been well documented. In contrast, little is known about the life-style of mobile elements mediating horizontal gene transfer, whereas this is the ultimate determinant for their transfer fitness. Here, we investigate the life-style of an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) within the genus Pseudomonas that is a model for a widespread family transmitting genes for xenobiotic compound metabolism and antibiotic resistances. Previous work showed bimodal ICE activation, but by using single cell time-lapse microscopy coupled to combinations of chromosomally integrated single copy ICE promoter-driven fluorescence reporters, RNA sequencing and mutant analysis, we now describe the complete regulon leading to the arisal of differentiated dedicated transfer competent cells. The regulon encompasses at least three regulatory nodes and five (possibly six) further conserved gene clusters on the ICE that all become expressed under stationary phase conditions. Time-lapse microscopy indicated expression of two regulatory nodes (i.e., bisR and alpA-bisDC) to precede that of the other clusters. Notably, expression of all clusters except of bisR was confined to the same cell subpopulation, and was dependent on the same key ICE regulatory factors. The ICE thus only transfers from a small fraction of cells in a population, with an estimated proportion of between 1.7–4%, which express various components of a dedicated transfer competence program imposed by the ICE, and form the centerpiece of ICE conjugation. The components mediating transfer competence are widely conserved, underscoring their selected fitness for efficient transfer of this class of mobile elements. Horizontal gene transfer processes among prokaryotes have raised wide interest, which is attested by broad public health concern of rapid spread of antibiotic resistances. However, we typically take for granted that horizontal transfer is the result of some underlying spontaneous low frequency event, but this is not necessarily the case. As we show here, mobile genetic elements from the class of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) impose a coordinated program on the host cell in order to transfer, leading to an exclusive differentiated set of transfer competent cells. We base our conclusions on single cell microscopy studies to compare the rare activation of ICE promoters in individual cells in bacterial populations, and on mutant and RNA-seq analysis to show their dependency on ICE factors. This is an important finding because it implies that conjugation itself is subject to natural selection, which would lead to selection of fitter elements that transfer better or become more widespread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Sulser
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Vucicevic
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Veronica Bellini
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Roxane Moritz
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - François Delavat
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vladimir Sentchilo
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Carraro
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jan Roelof van der Meer
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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47
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Coluzzi C, Garcillán-Barcia MP, de la Cruz F, Rocha EPC. Evolution of plasmid mobility: origin and fate of conjugative and non-conjugative plasmids. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6593704. [PMID: 35639760 PMCID: PMC9185392 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugation drives the horizontal transfer of adaptive traits across prokaryotes. One-fourth of the plasmids encode the functions necessary to conjugate autonomously, the others being eventually mobilizable by conjugation. To understand the evolution of plasmid mobility, we studied plasmid size, gene repertoires, and conjugation-related genes. Plasmid gene repertoires were found to vary rapidly in relation to the evolutionary rate of relaxases, for example, most pairs of plasmids with 95% identical relaxases have fewer than 50% of homologs. Among 249 recent transitions of mobility type, we observed a clear excess of plasmids losing the capacity to conjugate. These transitions are associated with even greater changes in gene repertoires, possibly mediated by transposable elements, including pseudogenization of the conjugation locus, exchange of replicases reducing the problem of incompatibility, and extensive loss of other genes. At the microevolutionary scale of plasmid taxonomy, transitions of mobility type sometimes result in the creation of novel taxonomic units. Interestingly, most transitions from conjugative to mobilizable plasmids seem to be lost in the long term. This suggests a source-sink dynamic, where conjugative plasmids generate nonconjugative plasmids that tend to be poorly adapted and are frequently lost. Still, in some cases, these relaxases seem to have evolved to become efficient at plasmid mobilization in trans, possibly by hijacking multiple conjugative systems. This resulted in specialized relaxases of mobilizable plasmids. In conclusion, the evolution of plasmid mobility is frequent, shapes the patterns of gene flow in bacteria, the dynamics of gene repertoires, and the ecology of plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Coluzzi
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France
| | - M Pilar Garcillán-Barcia
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, C/Albert Einstein 22, 39011, Santander, Spain
| | - Fernando de la Cruz
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC, C/Albert Einstein 22, 39011, Santander, Spain
| | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris, 75015, France
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Darmancier H, Domingues CPF, Rebelo JS, Amaro A, Dionísio F, Pothier J, Serra O, Nogueira T. Are Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes Linked? A Comprehensive Analysis of Bacterial Chromosomes and Plasmids. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11060706. [PMID: 35740113 PMCID: PMC9220345 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11060706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although pathogenic bacteria are the targets of antibiotics, these drugs also affect hundreds of commensal or mutualistic species. Moreover, the use of antibiotics is not only restricted to the treatment of infections but is also largely applied in agriculture and in prophylaxis. During this work, we tested the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the number and the genomic location of antibiotic resistance (AR) genes and virulence factor (VF) genes. We performed a comprehensive study of 16,632 reference bacterial genomes in which we identified and counted all orthologues of AR and VF genes in each of the locations: chromosomes, plasmids, or in both locations of the same genome. We found that, on a global scale, no correlation emerges. However, some categories of AR and VF genes co-occur preferentially, and in the mobilome, which supports the hypothesis that some bacterial pathogens are under selective pressure to be resistant to specific antibiotics, a fact that can jeopardize antimicrobial therapy for some human-threatening diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Darmancier
- Bacteriology and Mycology Laboratory, INIAV—National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; (H.D.); (C.P.F.D.); (A.A.)
| | - Célia P. F. Domingues
- Bacteriology and Mycology Laboratory, INIAV—National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; (H.D.); (C.P.F.D.); (A.A.)
- cE3c—Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.S.R.); (F.D.)
| | - João S. Rebelo
- cE3c—Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.S.R.); (F.D.)
| | - Ana Amaro
- Bacteriology and Mycology Laboratory, INIAV—National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; (H.D.); (C.P.F.D.); (A.A.)
| | - Francisco Dionísio
- cE3c—Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.S.R.); (F.D.)
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joël Pothier
- Atelier de Bioinformatique, ISYEB, UMR 7205 CNRS MNHN UPMC EPHE, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CP 50, 45 Rue Buffon, F-75005 Paris, France;
| | - Octávio Serra
- INIAV—National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, Portuguese Plant Germoplasm Bank, 4700-859 Braga, Portugal;
| | - Teresa Nogueira
- Bacteriology and Mycology Laboratory, INIAV—National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; (H.D.); (C.P.F.D.); (A.A.)
- cE3c—Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.S.R.); (F.D.)
- Correspondence:
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Guédon G, Lao J, Payot S, Lacroix T, Chiapello H, Leblond-Bourget N. FirmiData: a set of 40 genomes of Firmicutes with a curated annotation of ICEs and IMEs. BMC Res Notes 2022; 15:157. [PMID: 35538580 PMCID: PMC9092696 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-022-06036-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES 'Integrative and Conjugative Elements' (ICEs) and 'Integrative and Mobilizable Elements' (IMEs) are two classes of mobile genetic elements that are complex to detect and delineate. Therefore, they are yet poorly annotated in bacterial genomes. FirmiData provides to the scientific community of microbiologists and bioinformaticians a reference resource of annotated ICEs and of IMEs from Firmicutes. It illustrates their prevalence and their diversity but also gives information on their organization. FirmiData was designed to assist the scientific community in identifying and annotating these elements by using the sequences of these ICEs and IMEs for the identification of related elements in other genomes of Firmicutes. Therefore, Firmidata meets the needs of the scientific community. DATA DESCRIPTION Firmidata provides a manually curated annotation of 98 ICEs and 148 IMEs identified in 40 chromosomes of Firmicutes. The delineation at the nucleotide level of almost all of these elements allows for the characterization of the genes they carry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gérard Guédon
- DynAMic, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Julie Lao
- DynAMic, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, 54000 Nancy, France
- MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Sophie Payot
- DynAMic, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Thomas Lacroix
- MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Hélène Chiapello
- MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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50
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Harden MM, Anderson ME, Grossman AD. A
CRISPR
interference screen reveals a role for cell wall teichoic acids in conjugation in
Bacillus subtilis. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:1366-1383. [PMID: 35490406 PMCID: PMC9324163 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Conjugative elements are widespread in bacteria and include plasmids and integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs). They transfer from donor to recipient cells via an element‐encoded type IV secretion system. These elements interact with and utilize host functions for their lifecycles. We sought to identify essential host genes involved in the lifecycle of the integrative and conjugative element ICEBs1 of Bacillus subtilis. We constructed a library of strains for inducible knockdown of essential B. subtilis genes using CRISPR interference. Each strain expressed one guide RNA in ICEBs1. We induced partial interference of essential genes and identified those that caused an acute defect in acquisition of ICEBs1 by recipient cells. This screen revealed that reducing expression of genes needed for synthesis of cell wall teichoic acids caused a decrease in conjugation. Using three different ways to reduce their synthesis, we found that wall teichoic acids were necessary in both donors and recipients for efficient conjugative transfer of ICEBs1. Further, we found that depletion of wall teichoic acids caused cells involved in ICEBs1 conjugation to die, most likely from damage to the cell envelope. Our results indicate that wall teichoic acids help protect against envelope stress caused by active conjugation machines.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Michael Harden
- Department of Biology Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Mary E. Anderson
- Department of Biology Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Alan D. Grossman
- Department of Biology Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139
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