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Cheng YY, Zhou Z, Papadopoulos JM, Zuke JD, Falbel TG, Anantharaman K, Burton BM, Venturelli OS. Efficient plasmid transfer via natural competence in a microbial co-culture. Mol Syst Biol 2023; 19:e11406. [PMID: 36714980 PMCID: PMC9996237 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202211406] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular and ecological factors shaping horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via natural transformation in microbial communities are largely unknown, which is critical for understanding the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. We investigate key factors shaping HGT in a microbial co-culture by quantifying extracellular DNA release, species growth, and HGT efficiency over time. In the co-culture, plasmid release and HGT efficiency are significantly enhanced than in the respective monocultures. The donor is a key determinant of HGT efficiency as plasmids induce the SOS response, enter a multimerized state, and are released in high concentrations, enabling efficient HGT. However, HGT is reduced in response to high donor lysis rates. HGT is independent of the donor viability state as both live and dead cells transfer the plasmid with high efficiency. In sum, plasmid HGT via natural transformation depends on the interplay of plasmid properties, donor stress responses and lysis rates, and interspecies interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Yu Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Zhichao Zhou
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - James M Papadopoulos
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jason D Zuke
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Tanya G Falbel
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Briana M Burton
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ophelia S Venturelli
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
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Reprogramming microbial populations using a programmed lysis system to improve chemical production. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6886. [PMID: 34824227 PMCID: PMC8617184 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27226-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial populations are a promising model for achieving microbial cooperation to produce valuable chemicals. However, regulating the phenotypic structure of microbial populations remains challenging. In this study, a programmed lysis system (PLS) is developed to reprogram microbial cooperation to enhance chemical production. First, a colicin M -based lysis unit is constructed to lyse Escherichia coli. Then, a programmed switch, based on proteases, is designed to regulate the effective lysis unit time. Next, a PLS is constructed for chemical production by combining the lysis unit with a programmed switch. As a result, poly (lactate-co-3-hydroxybutyrate) production is switched from PLH synthesis to PLH release, and the content of free PLH is increased by 283%. Furthermore, butyrate production with E. coli consortia is switched from E. coli BUT003 to E. coli BUT004, thereby increasing butyrate production to 41.61 g/L. These results indicate the applicability of engineered microbial populations for improving the metabolic division of labor to increase the efficiency of microbial cell factories.
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Juhas M, Ajioka JW. T7 RNA polymerase-driven inducible cell lysis for DNA transfer from Escherichia coli to Bacillus subtilis. Microb Biotechnol 2017; 10:1797-1808. [PMID: 28815907 PMCID: PMC5658589 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 07/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of the good DNA editing techniques have been developed in Escherichia coli; however, Bacillus subtilis is better host for a plethora of synthetic biology and biotechnology applications. Reliable and efficient systems for the transfer of synthetic DNA between E. coli and B. subtilis are therefore of the highest importance. Using synthetic biology approaches, such as streamlined lambda Red recombineering and Gibson Isothermal Assembly, we integrated genetic circuits pT7L123, Repr‐ts‐1 and pLT7pol encoding the lysis genes of bacteriophages MS2, ΦX174 and lambda, the thermosensitive repressor and the T7 RNA polymerase into the E. coli chromosome. In this system, T7 RNA polymerase regulated by the thermosensitive repressor drives the expression of the phage lysis genes. We showed that T7 RNA polymerase significantly increases efficiency of cell lysis and transfer of the plasmid and bacterial artificial chromosome‐encoded DNA from the lysed E. coli into B. subtilis. The T7 RNA polymerase‐driven inducible cell lysis system is suitable for the efficient cell lysis and transfer of the DNA engineered in E. coli to other naturally competent hosts, such as B. subtilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Juhas
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP, Cambridge, UK
| | - James W Ajioka
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP, Cambridge, UK
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