1
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Yang QE, Ma X, Li M, Zhao M, Zeng L, He M, Deng H, Liao H, Rensing C, Friman VP, Zhou S, Walsh TR. Evolution of triclosan resistance modulates bacterial permissiveness to multidrug resistance plasmids and phages. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3654. [PMID: 38688912 PMCID: PMC11061290 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48006-9] [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: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The horizontal transfer of plasmids has been recognized as one of the key drivers for the worldwide spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across bacterial pathogens. However, knowledge remain limited about the contribution made by environmental stress on the evolution of bacterial AMR by modulating horizontal acquisition of AMR plasmids and other mobile genetic elements. Here we combined experimental evolution, whole genome sequencing, reverse genetic engineering, and transcriptomics to examine if the evolution of chromosomal AMR to triclosan (TCS) disinfectant has correlated effects on modulating bacterial pathogen (Klebsiella pneumoniae) permissiveness to AMR plasmids and phage susceptibility. Herein, we show that TCS exposure increases the evolvability of K. pneumoniae to evolve TCS-resistant mutants (TRMs) by acquiring mutations and altered expression of several genes previously associated with TCS and antibiotic resistance. Notably, nsrR deletion increases conjugation permissiveness of K. pneumoniae to four AMR plasmids, and enhances susceptibility to various Klebsiella-specific phages through the downregulation of several bacterial defense systems and changes in membrane potential with altered reactive oxygen species response. Our findings suggest that unrestricted use of TCS disinfectant imposes a dual impact on bacterial antibiotic resistance by augmenting both chromosomally and horizontally acquired AMR mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu E Yang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Xiaodan Ma
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Minchun Li
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Mengshi Zhao
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Lingshuang Zeng
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Minzhen He
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Hui Deng
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Hanpeng Liao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ville-Petri Friman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shungui Zhou
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
| | - Timothy R Walsh
- Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK.
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2
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Gordils-Valentin L, Ouyang H, Qian L, Hong J, Zhu X. Conjugative type IV secretion systems enable bacterial antagonism that operates independently of plasmid transfer. Commun Biol 2024; 7:499. [PMID: 38664513 PMCID: PMC11045733 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06192-8] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cooperation and antagonism mediated by secretion systems are among the ways in which bacteria interact with one another. Here we report the discovery of an antagonistic property of a type IV secretion system (T4SS) sourced from a conjugative plasmid, RP4, using engineering approaches. We scrutinized the genetic determinants and suggested that this antagonistic activity is independent of molecular cargos, while we also elucidated the resistance genes. We further showed that a range of Gram-negative bacteria and a mixed bacterial population can be eliminated by this T4SS-dependent antagonism. Finally, we showed that such an antagonistic property is not limited to T4SS sourced from RP4, rather it can also be observed in a T4SS originated from another conjugative plasmid, namely R388. Our results are the first demonstration of conjugative T4SS-dependent antagonism between Gram-negative bacteria on the genetic level and provide the foundation for future mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lois Gordils-Valentin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, TX, US
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics & Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, TX, US
| | - Huanrong Ouyang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, TX, US
| | - Liangyu Qian
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, TX, US
| | - Joshua Hong
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, TX, US
| | - Xuejun Zhu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, TX, US.
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics & Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, TX, US.
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3
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Hernandez DM, Marzouk M, Cole M, Fortoul MC, Kethireddy SR, Contractor R, Islam H, Moulder T, Kalifa AR, Meneses EM, Mendoza MB, Thomas R, Masud S, Pubien S, Milanes P, Diaz-Tang G, Lopatkin AJ, Smith RP. Purine and pyrimidine synthesis differently affect the strength of the inoculum effect for aminoglycoside and β-lactam antibiotics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.09.588696. [PMID: 38645041 PMCID: PMC11030397 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.09.588696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
The inoculum effect has been observed for nearly all antibiotics and bacterial species. However, explanations accounting for its occurrence and strength are lacking. We previously found that growth productivity, which captures the relationship between [ATP] and growth, can account for the strength of the inoculum effect for bactericidal antibiotics. However, the molecular pathway(s) underlying this relationship, and therefore determining the inoculum effect, remain undiscovered. We show that nucleotide synthesis can determine the relationship between [ATP] and growth, and thus the strength of inoculum effect in an antibiotic class-dependent manner. Specifically, and separate from activity through the tricarboxylic acid cycle, we find that transcriptional activity of genes involved in purine and pyrimidine synthesis can predict the strength of the inoculum effect for β-lactam and aminoglycosides antibiotics, respectively. Our work highlights the antibiotic class-specific effect of purine and pyrimidine synthesis on the severity of the inoculum effect and paves the way for intervention strategies to reduce the inoculum effect in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella M. Hernandez
- Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Melissa Marzouk
- Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Madeline Cole
- Department of Medical Education, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Marla C. Fortoul
- Department of Medical Education, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Saipranavi Reddy Kethireddy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Rehan Contractor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Habibul Islam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester; Rochester, NY 14627; USA
| | - Trent Moulder
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Ariane R. Kalifa
- Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Estefania Marin Meneses
- Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Maximiliano Barbosa Mendoza
- Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Ruth Thomas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Saad Masud
- Department of Medical Education, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Sheena Pubien
- Department of Medical Education, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Patricia Milanes
- Department of Medical Education, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Gabriela Diaz-Tang
- Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
| | - Allison J. Lopatkin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester; Rochester, NY 14627; USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center; Rochester, NY 14627; USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester Medical Center; Rochester, NY 14627; USA
| | - Robert P. Smith
- Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
- Department of Medical Education, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314
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4
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Fraikin N, Couturier A, Lesterlin C. The winding journey of conjugative plasmids toward a novel host cell. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 78:102449. [PMID: 38432159 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Horizontal transfer of plasmids by conjugation is a fundamental mechanism driving the widespread dissemination of drug resistance among bacterial populations. The successful colonization of a new host cell necessitates the plasmid to navigate through a series of sequential steps, each dependent on specific plasmid or host factors. This review explores recent advancements in comprehending the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern plasmid transmission, establishment, and long-term maintenance. Adopting a plasmid-centric perspective, we describe the critical steps and bottlenecks in the plasmid's journey toward a new host cell, encompassing exploration and contact initiation, invasion, establishment and control, and assimilation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Fraikin
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Agathe Couturier
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Christian Lesterlin
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Inserm, UMR5086, 69007 Lyon, France.
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5
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Goff JL, Lui LM, Nielsen TN, Poole FL, Smith HJ, Walker KF, Hazen TC, Fields MW, Arkin AP, Adams MWW. Mixed waste contamination selects for a mobile genetic element population enriched in multiple heavy metal resistance genes. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae064. [PMID: 38800128 PMCID: PMC11128244 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae064] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) like plasmids, viruses, and transposable elements can provide fitness benefits to their hosts for survival in the presence of environmental stressors. Heavy metal resistance genes (HMRGs) are frequently observed on MGEs, suggesting that MGEs may be an important driver of adaptive evolution in environments contaminated with heavy metals. Here, we report the meta-mobilome of the heavy metal-contaminated regions of the Oak Ridge Reservation subsurface. This meta-mobilome was compared with one derived from samples collected from unimpacted regions of the Oak Ridge Reservation subsurface. We assembled 1615 unique circularized DNA elements that we propose to be MGEs. The circular elements from the highly contaminated subsurface were enriched in HMRG clusters relative to those from the nearby unimpacted regions. Additionally, we found that these HMRGs were associated with Gamma and Betaproteobacteria hosts in the contaminated subsurface and potentially facilitate the persistence and dominance of these taxa in this region. Finally, the HMRGs were associated with conjugative elements, suggesting their potential for future lateral transfer. We demonstrate how our understanding of MGE ecology, evolution, and function can be enhanced through the genomic context provided by completed MGE assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Goff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, United States
| | - Lauren M Lui
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Torben N Nielsen
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Farris L Poole
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States
| | - Heidi J Smith
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
| | - Kathleen F Walker
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916, United States
| | - Terry C Hazen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916, United States
- Genome Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, United States
| | - Matthew W Fields
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
| | - Adam P Arkin
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Michael W W Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States
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6
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Sun H, Li H, Zhang X, Liu Y, Chen H, Zheng L, Zhai Y, Zheng H. The honeybee gut resistome and its role in antibiotic resistance dissemination. Integr Zool 2023; 18:1014-1026. [PMID: 36892101 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
There is now general concern about widespread antibiotic resistance, and growing evidence indicates that gut microbiota is critical in providing antibiotic resistance. Honeybee is an important pollinator; the incidence of antibiotic resistance genes in honeybee gut causes potential risks to not only its own health but also to public and animal health, for its potential disseminator role, thus receiving more attention from the public. Recent analysis results reveal that the gut of honeybee serves as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes, probably due to antibiotics application history in beekeeping and horizontal gene transfer from the highly polluted environment. These antibiotic resistance genes accumulate in the honeybee gut and could be transferred to the pathogen, even having the potential to spread during pollination, tending, social interactions, etc. Newly acquired resistance traits may cause fitness reduction in bacteria whereas facilitating adaptive evolution as well. This review outlines the current knowledge about the resistome in honeybee gut and emphasizes its role in antibiotic resistance dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Sun
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya, China
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Li Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
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7
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Allain M, Mahérault AC, Gachet B, Martinez C, Condamine B, Magnan M, Kempf I, Denamur E, Landraud L. Dissemination of IncI plasmid encoding bla CTX-M-1 is not hampered by its fitness cost in the pig's gut. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0011123. [PMID: 37702541 PMCID: PMC10583664 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00111-23] [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: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiresistance plasmids belonging to the IncI incompatibility group have become one of the most pervasive plasmid types in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli of animal origin. The extent of the burden imposed on the bacterial cell by these plasmids seems to modulate the emergence of "epidemic" plasmids. However, in vivo data in the natural environment of the strains are scarce. Here, we investigated the cost of a bla CTX-M-1-IncI1 epidemic plasmid in a commensal E. coli animal strain, UB12-RC, before and after oral inoculation of 15 6- to 8-week- old specific-pathogen-free pigs. Growth rate in rich medium was determined on (i) UB12-RC and derivatives, with or without plasmid, in vivo and/or in vitro evolved, and (ii) strains that acquired the plasmid in the gut during the experiment. Although bla CTX-M-1-IncI1 plasmid imposed no measurable burden on the recipient strain after conjugation and during the longitudinal carriage in the pig's gut, we observed a significant difference in the bacterial growth rate between IncI1 plasmid-carrying and plasmid-free isolates collected during in vivo carriage. Only a few mutations on the chromosome of the UB12-RC derivatives were detected by whole-genome sequencing. RNA-Seq analysis of a selected set of these strains showed that transcriptional responses to the bla CTX-M-1-IncI1 acquisition were limited, affecting metabolism, stress response, and motility functions. Our data suggest that the effect of IncI plasmid on host cells is limited, fitness cost being insufficient to act as a barrier to IncI plasmid spread among natural population of E. coli in the gut niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Allain
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Hygiène, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Colombes, France
| | - Anne Claire Mahérault
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Hygiène, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Colombes, France
| | - Benoit Gachet
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Martinez
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
| | - Bénédicte Condamine
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Magnan
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Kempf
- ANSES, Laboratoire de Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort, Ploufragan, France
| | - Erick Denamur
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France
| | - Luce Landraud
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Hygiène, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Colombes, France
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8
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Arbé-Carton K, Rey-Sogo A, Santos-Fernández N, Altube O, Garbisu C, Arana L, Alkorta I. Development of a high-throughput platform to measure plasmid transfer frequency. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1269732. [PMID: 37886666 PMCID: PMC10598849 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1269732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance represents one of the greatest threats to global health. The spread of antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria occurs mostly through horizontal gene transfer via conjugation mediated by plasmids. This process implies a direct contact between a donor and a recipient bacterium which acquires the antibiotic resistance genes encoded by the plasmid and, concomitantly, the capacity to transfer the acquired plasmid to a new recipient. Classical assays for the measurement of plasmid transfer frequency (i.e., conjugation frequency) are often characterized by a high variability and, hence, they require many biological and technical replicates to reduce such variability and the accompanying uncertainty. In addition, classical conjugation assays are commonly tedious and time-consuming because they typically involve counting colonies on a large number of plates for the quantification of donors, recipients, and transconjugants (i.e., the bacteria that have received the genetic material by conjugation). Due to the magnitude of the antibiotic resistance problem, it is critical to develop reliable and rapid methods for the quantification of plasmid transfer frequency that allow the simultaneous analysis of many samples. Here, we present the development of a high-throughput, reliable, quick, easy, and cost-effective method to simultaneously accomplish and measure multiple conjugation events in 96-well plates, in which the quantification of donors, recipients, and transconjugants is estimated from the time required to reach a specific threshold value (OD600 value) in the bacterial growth curves. Our method successfully discriminates different plasmid transfer frequencies, yielding results that are equivalent to those obtained by a classical conjugation assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kepa Arbé-Carton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Ana Rey-Sogo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Nagore Santos-Fernández
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Oihane Altube
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Carlos Garbisu
- Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Spain
| | - Lide Arana
- Department of Applied Chemistry, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia, Spain
| | - Itziar Alkorta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
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9
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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: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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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10
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Mayorga-Ramos A, Zúñiga-Miranda J, Carrera-Pacheco SE, Barba-Ostria C, Guamán LP. CRISPR-Cas-Based Antimicrobials: Design, Challenges, and Bacterial Mechanisms of Resistance. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1283-1302. [PMID: 37347230 PMCID: PMC10353011 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00649] [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: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains is a source of public health concern across the globe. As the discovery of new conventional antibiotics has stalled significantly over the past decade, there is an urgency to develop novel approaches to address drug resistance in infectious diseases. The use of a CRISPR-Cas-based system for the precise elimination of targeted bacterial populations holds promise as an innovative approach for new antimicrobial agent design. The CRISPR-Cas targeting system is celebrated for its high versatility and specificity, offering an excellent opportunity to fight antibiotic resistance in pathogens by selectively inactivating genes involved in antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, pathogenicity, virulence, or bacterial viability. The CRISPR-Cas strategy can enact antimicrobial effects by two approaches: inactivation of chromosomal genes or curing of plasmids encoding antibiotic resistance. In this Review, we provide an overview of the main CRISPR-Cas systems utilized for the creation of these antimicrobials, as well as highlighting promising studies in the field. We also offer a detailed discussion about the most commonly used mechanisms for CRISPR-Cas delivery: bacteriophages, nanoparticles, and conjugative plasmids. Lastly, we address possible mechanisms of interference that should be considered during the intelligent design of these novel approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Mayorga-Ramos
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias
de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad
UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
| | - Johana Zúñiga-Miranda
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias
de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad
UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
| | - Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias
de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad
UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
| | - Carlos Barba-Ostria
- Escuela
de Medicina, Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud Quito, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito 170902, Ecuador
| | - Linda P. Guamán
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias
de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad
UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
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11
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Fernández-Calvet A, Toribio-Celestino L, Alonso-del Valle A, Sastre-Dominguez J, Valdes-Chiara P, San Millan A, DelaFuente J. The distribution of fitness effects of plasmid pOXA-48 in clinical enterobacteria. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001369. [PMID: 37505800 PMCID: PMC10433420 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria is a major public health problem. The main route for AMR acquisition in clinically important bacteria is the horizontal transfer of plasmids carrying resistance genes. AMR plasmids allow bacteria to survive antibiotics, but they also entail physiological alterations in the host cell. Multiple studies over the last few years have indicated that these alterations can translate into a fitness cost when antibiotics are absent. However, due to technical limitations, most of these studies are based on analysing new associations between plasmids and bacteria generated in vitro, and we know very little about the effects of plasmids in their native bacterial hosts. In this study, we used a CRISPR-Cas9-tool to selectively cure plasmids from clinical enterobacteria to overcome this limitation. Using this approach, we were able to study the fitness effects of the carbapenem resistance plasmid pOXA-48 in 35 pOXA-48-carrying isolates recovered from hospitalized patients. Our results revealed that pOXA-48 produces variable effects across the collection of wild-type enterobacterial strains naturally carrying the plasmid, ranging from fitness costs to fitness benefits. Importantly, the plasmid was only associated with a significant fitness reduction in four out of 35 clones, and produced no significant changes in fitness in the great majority of isolates. Our results suggest that plasmids produce neutral fitness effects in most native bacterial hosts, helping to explain the great prevalence of plasmids in natural microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Alvaro San Millan
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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12
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Ma Y, Ramoneda J, Johnson DR. Timing of antibiotic administration determines the spread of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance during microbial range expansion. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3530. [PMID: 37316482 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39354-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are the main vector by which antibiotic resistance is transferred between bacterial cells within surface-associated communities. In this study, we ask whether there is an optimal time to administer antibiotics to minimize plasmid spread in new bacterial genotypes during community expansion across surfaces. We address this question using consortia of Pseudomonas stutzeri strains, where one is an antibiotic resistance-encoding plasmid donor and the other a potential recipient. We allowed the strains to co-expand across a surface and administered antibiotics at different times. We find that plasmid transfer and transconjugant proliferation have unimodal relationships with the timing of antibiotic administration, where they reach maxima at intermediate times. These unimodal relationships result from the interplay between the probabilities of plasmid transfer and loss. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the transfer and proliferation of antibiotic resistance-encoding plasmids within microbial communities and identifies the timing of antibiotic administration as an important determinant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinyin Ma
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Josep Ramoneda
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - David R Johnson
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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13
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Ahmad M, Prensky H, Balestrieri J, ElNaggar S, Gomez-Simmonds A, Uhlemann AC, Traxler B, Singh A, Lopatkin AJ. Tradeoff between lag time and growth rate drives the plasmid acquisition cost. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2343. [PMID: 37095096 PMCID: PMC10126158 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38022-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids drive genetic diversity and evolution in microbial populations. Despite their prevalence, plasmids can impose long-term fitness costs on their hosts, altering population structure, growth dynamics, and evolutionary outcomes. In addition to long-term fitness costs, acquiring a new plasmid introduces an immediate, short-term perturbation to the cell. However, due to the transient nature of this plasmid acquisition cost, a quantitative understanding of its physiological manifestations, overall magnitudes, and population-level implications, remains unclear. To address this, here we track growth of single colonies immediately following plasmid acquisition. We find that plasmid acquisition costs are primarily driven by changes in lag time, rather than growth rate, for nearly 60 conditions covering diverse plasmids, selection environments, and clinical strains/species. Surprisingly, for a costly plasmid, clones exhibiting longer lag times also achieve faster recovery growth rates, suggesting an evolutionary tradeoff. Modeling and experiments demonstrate that this tradeoff leads to counterintuitive ecological dynamics, whereby intermediate-cost plasmids outcompete both their low and high-cost counterparts. These results suggest that, unlike fitness costs, plasmid acquisition dynamics are not uniformly driven by minimizing growth disadvantages. Moreover, a lag/growth tradeoff has clear implications in predicting the ecological outcomes and intervention strategies of bacteria undergoing conjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrose Ahmad
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Hannah Prensky
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | | | - Shahd ElNaggar
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Angela Gomez-Simmonds
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Anne-Catrin Uhlemann
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Beth Traxler
- Department Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Abhyudai Singh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19717, USA
| | - Allison J Lopatkin
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Department Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA.
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14
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Long J, Zhang J, Xi Y, Zhao J, Jin Y, Yang H, Chen S, Duan G. Genomic Insights into CRISPR-Harboring Plasmids in the Klebsiella Genus: Distribution, Backbone Structures, Antibiotic Resistance, and Virulence Determinant Profiles. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0118922. [PMID: 36790185 PMCID: PMC10019312 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01189-22] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR systems are often encoded by many prokaryotes as adaptive defense against mobile genetic elements (MGEs), but several MGEs also recruit CRISPR components to perform additional biological functions. Type IV-A systems are identified in Klebsiella plasmids, yet the distribution, characterization, and role of these plasmids carrying CRISPR systems in the whole Klebsiella genus remain unclear. Here, we performed large-scale comparative analysis of these plasmids using publicly available plasmid genomes. CRISPR-harboring plasmids were mainly distributed in Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.09%), covering 19.23% of sequence types, but sparse in Klebsiella species outside Klebsiella pneumoniae (3.92%). Plasmid genome comparison reiterated that these plasmids often carried the cointegrates of IncFIB and IncHI1B replicons, occasionally linked to other replicons, such as IncFIA, IncFII, IncR, IncQ, and IncU. Comparative genome analysis showed that CRISPR-carrying Klebsiella plasmids shared a conserved pNDM-MAR-like conjugation module as their backbones and served as an important vector for the accretion of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and even virulence genes (VGs). Moreover, compared with CRISPR-negative IncFIB/IncHIB plasmids, CRISPR-positive IncFIB/IncHIB plasmids displayed high divergences in terms of ARGs, VGs, GC content, plasmid length, and backbone structures, suggesting their divergent evolutionary paths. The network analysis revealed that CRISPR-positive plasmids yielded fierce competitions with other plasmid types, especially conjugative plasmids, thereby affecting the dynamics of plasmid transmission. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the role of CRISPR-positive plasmids in the spread of ARGs and VGs in Klebsiella genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhao Long
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiangfeng Zhang
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanyan Xi
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiaxue Zhao
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuefei Jin
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haiyan Yang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuaiyin Chen
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guangcai Duan
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
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15
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Disturbing the Spatial Organization of Biofilm Communities Affects Expression of agr-Regulated Virulence Factors in Staphylococcus aureus. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0193222. [PMID: 36700647 PMCID: PMC9973005 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01932-22] [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: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus uses quorum sensing and nutrient availability to control the expression of agr-regulated virulence factors. Quorum sensing is mediated by autoinducing peptide (AIP), which at a high concentration reduces expression of surface attachment proteins (coa, fnbpA) and increases expression of exotoxins (lukS) and proteases (splA). Nutrient availability can be sensed through the saeS/saeR system. Low nutrients increase expression of saeR, which augments expression of coa and fnbpA, distinct from the activity of AIP. The formation of spatial structure, such as biofilms, can alter quorum sensing and nutrient acquisition. In natural environments, biofilms encounter forces that may alter their spatial structure. These forces may impact quorum sensing and/or nutrient acquisition and thus affect the expression of agr-regulated virulence factors. However, this has not been studied. We show that periodically disturbing biofilms composed of S. aureus using a physical force affected the expression of agr-regulated virulence factors. In nutrient-poor environments, disturbance increased the expression of coa, fnbpA, lukS, and splA. Disturbance in a nutrient-rich environment at low or high disturbance amplitudes moderately reduced expression of coa and fnbpA but increased expression of lukS and splA. Interestingly, at an intermediate amplitude, the overall expression of agr-regulated virulence factors was the lowest; expression of lukS and splA remained unchanged relative to an undisturbed biofilm, while expression of coa and fnbpA significantly decreased. We hypothesize that these changes are a result of disturbance-driven changes in access to AIP and nutrients. Our results may allow the identification of environments where virulence is enhanced, or reduced, owing to a disturbance. IMPORTANCE Bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, integrate signals from the environment to regulate genes encoding virulence factors. These signals include those produced by quorum-sensing systems and nutrient availability. We show that disturbing the spatial organization of S. aureus populations can lead to changes in the expression of virulence factors, likely by altering the ways in which S. aureus detects these signals. Our work may allow us to identify environments that increase or reduce the expression of virulence factors in S. aureus.
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16
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Vélez Justiniano YA, Goeres DM, Sandvik EL, Kjellerup BV, Sysoeva TA, Harris JS, Warnat S, McGlennen M, Foreman CM, Yang J, Li W, Cassilly CD, Lott K, HerrNeckar LE. Mitigation and use of biofilms in space for the benefit of human space exploration. Biofilm 2023; 5:100102. [PMID: 36660363 PMCID: PMC9843197 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2022.100102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are self-organized communities of microorganisms that are encased in an extracellular polymeric matrix and often found attached to surfaces. Biofilms are widely present on Earth, often found in diverse and sometimes extreme environments. These microbial communities have been described as recalcitrant or protective when facing adversity and environmental exposures. On the International Space Station, biofilms were found in human-inhabited environments on a multitude of hardware surfaces. Moreover, studies have identified phenotypic and genetic changes in the microorganisms under microgravity conditions including changes in microbe surface colonization and pathogenicity traits. Lack of consistent research in microgravity-grown biofilms can lead to deficient understanding of altered microbial behavior in space. This could subsequently create problems in engineered systems or negatively impact human health on crewed spaceflights. It is especially relevant to long-term and remote space missions that will lack resupply and service. Conversely, biofilms are also known to benefit plant growth and are essential for human health (i.e., gut microbiome). Eventually, biofilms may be used to supply metabolic pathways that produce organic and inorganic components useful to sustaining life on celestial bodies beyond Earth. This article will explore what is currently known about biofilms in space and will identify gaps in the aerospace industry's knowledge that should be filled in order to mitigate or to leverage biofilms to the advantage of spaceflight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yo-Ann Vélez Justiniano
- ECLSS Development Branch, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Darla M. Goeres
- The Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA,Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | | | - Birthe Veno Kjellerup
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Tatyana A. Sysoeva
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Jacob S. Harris
- Biomedical and Environmental Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Stephan Warnat
- The Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA,Mechanical Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Matthew McGlennen
- The Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA,Mechanical Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Christine M. Foreman
- The Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA,Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Jiseon Yang
- Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Wenyan Li
- Laboratory Support Services and Operations (LASSO), NASA Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, FL, USA
| | | | - Katelynn Lott
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Lauren E. HerrNeckar
- ECLSS Development Branch, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
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17
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Bethke JH, Ma HR, Tsoi R, Cheng L, Xiao M, You L. Vertical and horizontal gene transfer tradeoffs direct plasmid fitness. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 19:e11300. [PMID: 36573357 PMCID: PMC9912019 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202211300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmid fitness is directed by two orthogonal processes-vertical transfer through cell division and horizontal transfer through conjugation. When considered individually, improvements in either mode of transfer can promote how well a plasmid spreads and persists. Together, however, the metabolic cost of conjugation could create a tradeoff that constrains plasmid evolution. Here, we present evidence for the presence, consequences, and molecular basis of a conjugation-growth tradeoff across 40 plasmids derived from clinical Escherichia coli pathogens. We discover that most plasmids operate below a conjugation efficiency threshold for major growth effects, indicating strong natural selection for vertical transfer. Below this threshold, E. coli demonstrates a remarkable growth tolerance to over four orders of magnitude change in conjugation efficiency. This tolerance fades as nutrients become scarce and horizontal transfer attracts a greater share of host resources. Our results provide insight into evolutionary constraints directing plasmid fitness and strategies to combat the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan H Bethke
- Department of Molecular Genetics and MicrobiologyDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA
| | - Helena R Ma
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA,Center for Quantitative BiodesignDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA
| | - Ryan Tsoi
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA
| | - Li Cheng
- BGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina,School of Biology and Biological EngineeringSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
| | - Minfeng Xiao
- BGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Molecular Genetics and MicrobiologyDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA,Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA,Center for Quantitative BiodesignDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA,School of Biology and Biological EngineeringSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
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18
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Diaz-Tang G, Meneses EM, Patel K, Mirkin S, García-Diéguez L, Pajon C, Barraza I, Patel V, Ghali H, Tracey AP, Blanar CA, Lopatkin AJ, Smith RP. Growth productivity as a determinant of the inoculum effect for bactericidal antibiotics. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd0924. [PMID: 36516248 PMCID: PMC9750144 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add0924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms by which populations of bacteria resist antibiotics has implications in evolution, microbial ecology, and public health. The inoculum effect (IE), where antibiotic efficacy declines as the density of a bacterial population increases, has been observed for multiple bacterial species and antibiotics. Several mechanisms to account for IE have been proposed, but most lack experimental evidence or cannot explain IE for multiple antibiotics. We show that growth productivity, the combined effect of growth and metabolism, can account for IE for multiple bactericidal antibiotics and bacterial species. Guided by flux balance analysis and whole-genome modeling, we show that the carbon source supplied in the growth medium determines growth productivity. If growth productivity is sufficiently high, IE is eliminated. Our results may lead to approaches to reduce IE in the clinic, help standardize the analysis of antibiotics, and further our understanding of how bacteria evolve resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Diaz-Tang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Estefania Marin Meneses
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Kavish Patel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Sophia Mirkin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Laura García-Diéguez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Camryn Pajon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Ivana Barraza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Vijay Patel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Helana Ghali
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Angelica P. Tracey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Christopher A. Blanar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Allison J. Lopatkin
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY10025, USA
- Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY10025, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY10025, USA
| | - Robert P. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
- Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
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19
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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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20
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Ekhlas D, Soro AB, Leonard FC, Manzanilla EG, Burgess CM. Examining the impact of zinc on horizontal gene transfer in Enterobacterales. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20503. [PMID: 36443412 PMCID: PMC9705563 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23690-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the main international health concerns for humans, animals, and the environment, and substantial efforts have focused on reducing its development and spread. While there is evidence for correlations between antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance development, specific information on the effect of heavy metal/antimicrobial usage on bacterial conjugation is more limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of zinc and antimicrobials in different concentrations on horizontal gene transfer of an ampicillin resistance gene, using a multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli donor strain and three different Salmonella enterica serovars as recipient strains. Differences in conjugation frequencies for the different Salmonella recipients were observed, independent of the presence of zinc or the antimicrobials. Selective pressure on the recipient strains, in the form of ampicillin, resulted in a decrease in conjugation frequencies, while, the presence of rifampicin resulted in increases. Zinc exposure affected conjugation frequencies of only one of the three recipient strains, thus the effect of zinc on conjugation frequencies seemed to be concentration and strain dependent. Furthermore, differences in growth rates due to plasmid carriage were observed for one of the Salmonella strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ekhlas
- grid.6435.40000 0001 1512 9569Department of Food Safety, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland ,grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Arturo B. Soro
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland ,grid.6435.40000 0001 1512 9569Department of Food Chemistry & Technology, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Finola C. Leonard
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Edgar G. Manzanilla
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland ,Pig Development Department, Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork Ireland
| | - Catherine M. Burgess
- grid.6435.40000 0001 1512 9569Department of Food Safety, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland
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21
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Ding M, Ye Z, Liu L, Wang W, Chen Q, Zhang F, Wang Y, Sjöling Å, Martín-Rodríguez AJ, Hu R, Chen W, Zhou Y. Subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations promote the horizontal transfer of plasmid-borne resistance genes from Klebsiellae pneumoniae to Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1017092. [PMID: 36419429 PMCID: PMC9678054 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1017092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer plays an important role in the spread of antibiotic resistance, in which plasmid-mediated conjugation transfer is the most important mechanism. While sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MIC) of antibiotics could promote conjugation frequency, the mechanism by which sub-MIC levels of antibiotics affect conjugation frequency is not clear. Here, we used Klebsiella pneumoniae SW1780 carrying the multi-drug resistance plasmid pSW1780-KPC as the donor strain, to investigate the effects of sub-MICs of meropenem (MEM), ciprofloxacin (CIP), cefotaxime (CTX), and amikacin (AK) on conjugational transfer of pSW1780-KPC from SW1780 to Escherichia coli J53. Our results showed that the transfer frequencies increased significantly by treating SW1780 strain with sub-MIC levels of MEM, CIP, CTX and AK. Transfer frequencies at sub-MIC conditions in a Galleria mellonella were significantly higher than in vitro. To investigate gene expression and metabolic effects, RT-qPCR and LC-MS-based metabolome sequencing were performed. Transcript levels of T4SS genes virB1, virB2, virB4, virB8, and conjugation-related genes traB, traK, traE, and traL were significantly upregulated by exposure to sub-MICs of MEM, CIP, CTX, and AK. Metabolome sequencing revealed nine differentially regulated metabolites. Our findings are an early warning for a wide assessment of the roles of sub-MIC levels of antibiotics in the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manlin Ding
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zi Ye
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qiao Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Feiyang Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Åsa Sjöling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Renjing Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Wenbi Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yingshun Zhou
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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22
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Bean EL, McLellan LK, Grossman AD. Activation of the integrative and conjugative element Tn916 causes growth arrest and death of host bacteria. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010467. [PMID: 36279314 PMCID: PMC9632896 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) serve as major drivers of bacterial evolution. These elements often confer some benefit to host cells, including antibiotic resistance, metabolic capabilities, or pathogenic determinants. ICEs can also have negative effects on host cells. Here, we investigated the effects of the ICE (conjugative transposon) Tn916 on host cells. Because Tn916 is active in a relatively small subpopulation of host cells, we developed a fluorescent reporter system for monitoring activation of Tn916 in single cells. Using this reporter, we found that cell division was arrested in cells of Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecalis (a natural host for Tn916) that contained an activated (excised) Tn916. Furthermore, most of the cells with the activated Tn916 subsequently died. We also observed these phenotypes on the population level in B. subtilis utilizing a modified version of Tn916 that can be activated in the majority of cells. We identified two genes (orf17 and orf16) in Tn916 that were sufficient to cause growth defects in B. subtilis and identified a single gene, yqaR, that is in a defective phage (skin) in the B. subtilis chromosome that was required for this phenotype. These three genes were only partially responsible for the growth defect caused by Tn916, indicating that Tn916 possesses multiple mechanisms to affect growth and viability of host cells. These results highlight the complex relationships that conjugative elements have with their host cells and the interplay between mobile genetic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L. Bean
- Department of Biology Massachusetts, Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lisa K. McLellan
- Department of Biology Massachusetts, Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alan D. Grossman
- Department of Biology Massachusetts, Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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23
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Effects of Nutrient Level and Growth Rate on the Conjugation Process That Transfers Mobile Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Continuous Cultures. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0112122. [PMID: 36094214 PMCID: PMC9552606 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01121-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can transfer antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to the bacteria in receiving water through conjugation; however, there is a lack of quantitative assessment of this phenomenon in continuous cultures. Our objective was to determine the effects of background nutrient levels in river water column and growth rates of bacteria on the conjugation frequency of ARGs from effluent bacteria to river bacteria, as well as on the resulting resistance level (i.e., MICs) of the river bacteria. Chemostats were employed to simulate the discharge points of WWTPs into rivers, where effluent bacteria (donor cells) meet river bacteria (recipient cells). Both donor and recipient cells were Escherichia coli cells, and the donor cells were constructed by filter mating with bacteria in the effluent of a local WWTP. Results showed that higher bacterial growth rate (0.45 h-1 versus 0.15 h-1) led to higher conjugation frequencies (10-4 versus 10-6 transconjugant per recipient). The nutrient level also significantly affected the conjugation frequency, albeit to a lesser extent than the growth rate. The MIC against tetracycline increased from 2 mg/L in the recipient to 64 to 128 mg/L in transconjugants. In comparison, the MIC only increased to as high as 8 mg/L in mutants. Whole-genome sequencing showed that the tet-containing plasmid in both the donor and the transconjugant cells also occur in other fecal bacterial genera. The quantitative information obtained from this study can inform hazard identification related to the proliferation of wastewater-associated ARGs in surface water. IMPORTANCE WWTPs have been regarded as an important hot spot of ARGs. The discharge point of WWTP effluent, where ARGs may be horizontally transferred from bacteria of treated wastewater to bacteria of receiving water, is an important interface between the human-dominated ecosystem and the natural environment. The use of batch cultures in previous studies cannot adequately simulate the nutrient conditions and growth rates in receiving water. In this study, chemostats were employed to simulate the continuous growth of bacteria in receiving water. Furthermore, the experimental setup allowed for separate investigations on the effects of nutrient levels (i.e., simulating background nutrients in river water) and bacterial growth rates on conjugation frequencies and resulting resistance levels. The study generates statistically sound ecological data that can be used to estimate the risk of wastewater-originated ARGs as part of the One Health framework.
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24
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Darphorn TS, Koenders-van Sintanneland BB, Grootemaat AE, van der Wel NN, Brul S, ter Kuile BH. Transfer dynamics of multi-resistance plasmids in Escherichia coli isolated from meat. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270205. [PMID: 35797379 PMCID: PMC9262221 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270205] [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: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Resistance plasmids are crucial for the transfer of antimicrobial resistance and thus form a matter of concern for veterinary and human healthcare. To study plasmid transfer, foodborne Escherichia coli isolates harboring one to five known plasmids were co-incubated with a general recipient strain. Plasmid transfer rates under standardized conditions varied by a factor of almost 106, depending on the recipient/donor strain combination. After 1 hour transconjugants never accounted for more than 3% of the total number of cells. Transconjugants were formed from 14 donors within 1 hour of co-incubation, but in the case of 3 donors 24 hours were needed. Transfer rates were also measured during longer co-incubation, between different species and during repeated back and forth transfer. Longer co-incubation resulted in the transfer of more types of resistance. Maximum growth rates of donor strains varied by a factor of 3. Donor strains often had higher growth rates than the corresponding transconjugants, which grew at the same rate as or slightly faster than the recipient. Hence, possessing one or more plasmids does not seem to burden the harboring strain metabolically. Transfer was species specific and repeated transfer of one plasmid did not result in different transfer rates over time. Transmission Electron microcopy was used to analyze the morphology of the connection between co-incubated strains. Connection by more pili between the cells resulted in better aggregate formation and corresponded with higher transfer rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania S. Darphorn
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Belinda B. Koenders-van Sintanneland
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anita E. Grootemaat
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Electron Microscopy Centre Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole N. van der Wel
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Electron Microscopy Centre Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stanley Brul
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Benno H. ter Kuile
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Office for Risk Assessment, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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25
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Plasmid Viability Depends on the Ecological Setting of Hosts within a Multiplasmid Community. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0013322. [PMID: 35416702 PMCID: PMC9045312 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00133-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements, some of which disperse horizontally between different strains and species of bacteria. They are a major factor in the dissemination of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance. Understanding the ecology of plasmids has a notable anthropocentric value, and therefore, the interactions between bacterial hosts and individual plasmids have been studied in detail. However, bacterial systems often carry multiple genetically distinct plasmids, but dynamics within these multiplasmid communities have remained unstudied. Here, we set to investigate the survival of 11 mobilizable or conjugative plasmids under five different conditions where the hosts had a differing ecological status in comparison to other bacteria in the system. The key incentive was to determine whether plasmid dynamics are reproducible and whether there are tradeoffs in plasmid fitness that stem from the ecological situation of their initial hosts. Growth rates and maximum population densities increased in all communities and treatments over the 42-day evolution experiment, although plasmid contents at the end varied notably. Large multiresistance-conferring plasmids were unfit when the community also contained smaller plasmids with fewer resistance genes. This suggests that restraining the use of a few antibiotics can make bacterial communities sensitive to others. In general, the presence or absence of antibiotic selection and plasmid-free hosts (of various fitnesses) has a notable influence on which plasmids survive. These tradeoffs in different settings can help explain, for example, why some resistance plasmids have an advantage during a rapid proliferation of antibiotic-sensitive pathogens whereas others dominate in alternative situations. IMPORTANCE Conjugative and mobilizable plasmids are ubiquitous in bacterial systems. Several different plasmids can compete within a single bacterial community. We here show that the ecological setting of the host bacteria has a notable effect on the survival of individual plasmids. Selection for opportunistic genes such as antibiotic resistance genes and the presence of plasmid-free hosts can determine which plasmids survive in the system. Host bacteria appear to adapt specifically to a situation where there are multiple plasmids present instead of alleviating the plasmid-associated fitness costs of individual plasmids. Plasmids providing antibiotic resistance survived under all conditions even if there was a constant migration of higher-fitness plasmid-free hosts and no selection via antibiotics. This study is one of the first to observe the behavior of multiple genetically different plasmids as a part of a single system.
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26
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Igler C, Schwyter L, Gehrig D, Wendling CC. Conjugative plasmid transfer is limited by prophages but can be overcome by high conjugation rates. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200470. [PMID: 34839704 PMCID: PMC8628080 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance spread via plasmids is a serious threat to successfully fight infections and makes understanding plasmid transfer in nature crucial to prevent the rise of antibiotic resistance. Studies addressing the dynamics of plasmid conjugation have yet neglected one omnipresent factor: prophages (viruses integrated into bacterial genomes), whose activation can kill host and surrounding bacterial cells. To investigate the impact of prophages on conjugation, we combined experiments and mathematical modelling. Using Escherichia coli, prophage λ and the multidrug-resistant plasmid RP4 we find that prophages can substantially limit the spread of conjugative plasmids. This inhibitory effect was strongly dependent on environmental conditions and bacterial genetic background. Our empirically parameterized model reproduced experimental dynamics of cells acquiring either the prophage or the plasmid well but could only reproduce the number of cells acquiring both elements by assuming complex interactions between conjugative plasmids and prophages in sequential infections. Varying phage and plasmid infection parameters over empirically realistic ranges revealed that plasmids can overcome the negative impact of prophages through high conjugation rates. Overall, the presence of prophages introduces an additional death rate for plasmid carriers, the magnitude of which is determined in non-trivial ways by the environment, the phage and the plasmid. This article is part of the theme issue 'The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Igler
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Schwyter
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Gehrig
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carolin Charlotte Wendling
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
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27
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Domingues CPF, Rebelo JS, Monteiro F, Nogueira T, Dionisio F. Harmful behaviour through plasmid transfer: a successful evolutionary strategy of bacteria harbouring conjugative plasmids. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200473. [PMID: 34839709 PMCID: PMC8628071 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids are extrachromosomal mobile genetic elements pervasive among bacteria. Plasmids' acquisition often lowers cells' growth rate, so their ubiquity has been a matter of debate. Chromosomes occasionally mutate, rendering plasmids cost-free. However, these compensatory mutations typically take hundreds of generations to appear after plasmid arrival. By then, it could be too late to compete with fast-growing plasmid-free cells successfully. Moreover, arriving plasmids would have to wait hundreds of generations for compensatory mutations to appear in the chromosome of their new host. We hypothesize that plasmid-donor cells may use the plasmid as a 'weapon' to compete with plasmid-free cells, particularly in structured environments. Cells already adapted to plasmids may increase their inclusive fitness through plasmid transfer to impose a cost to nearby plasmid-free cells and increase the replication opportunities of nearby relatives. A mathematical model suggests conditions under which the proposed hypothesis works, and computer simulations tested the long-term plasmid maintenance. Our hypothesis explains the maintenance of conjugative plasmids not coding for beneficial genes. This article is part of the theme issue 'The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia P. F. Domingues
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal,INIAV - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P., Oeiras and Vairão, Portugal
| | - João S. Rebelo
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Francisca Monteiro
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Teresa Nogueira
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal,INIAV - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P., Oeiras and Vairão, Portugal
| | - Francisco Dionisio
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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28
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Rodríguez-Beltrán J, León-Sampedro R, Ramiro-Martínez P, de la Vega C, Baquero F, Levin BR, San Millán Á. Translational demand is not a major source of plasmid-associated fitness costs. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200463. [PMID: 34839712 PMCID: PMC8628068 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are key drivers of bacterial evolution because they are crucial agents for the horizontal transfer of adaptive traits, such as antibiotic resistance. Most plasmids entail a metabolic burden that reduces the fitness of their host if there is no selection for plasmid-encoded genes. It has been hypothesized that the translational demand imposed by plasmid-encoded genes is a major mechanism driving the fitness cost of plasmids. Plasmid-encoded genes typically present a different codon usage from host chromosomal genes. As a consequence, the translation of plasmid-encoded genes might sequestrate ribosomes on plasmid transcripts, overwhelming the translation machinery of the cell. However, the pervasiveness and origins of the translation-derived costs of plasmids are yet to be assessed. Here, we systematically altered translation efficiency in the host cell to disentangle the fitness effects produced by six natural antibiotic resistance plasmids. We show that limiting translation efficiency either by reducing the number of available ribosomes or their processivity does not increase plasmid costs. Overall, our results suggest that ribosomal paucity is not a major contributor to plasmid fitness costs. This article is part of the theme issue 'The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo León-Sampedro
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Ramiro-Martínez
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen de la Vega
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Baquero
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red, Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Bruce R. Levin
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Álvaro San Millán
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red, Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología–CSIC, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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29
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Mishra S, Klümper U, Voolaid V, Berendonk TU, Kneis D. Simultaneous estimation of parameters governing the vertical and horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 798:149174. [PMID: 34375245 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The accelerated spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) in the environment occurs mainly through plasmid transfer facilitated via bacterial conjugation. To predict and efficiently counteract the problems associated with ARG transmission, it is important to estimate conjugation rates under different experimental conditions. The classical models typically used to estimate parameters for mating experiments, while pragmatic in calculating growth and plasmid transfer, often ignore processes such as the reduction in growth due to plasmid bearing costs and are non-inclusive of environmental influences like temperature effects. Here, we present a process-based numerical model taking into account the fitness cost associated with plasmid carriage and temperature dependencies in vertical and horizontal gene transfer processes. Observations from liquid culture conjugation experiments using Escherichia coli and the plasmid pB10 were used to validate our proposed model. We present a comparison between the parameters estimated using the existing and the proposed model. Uncertainties in the estimated parameters were quantified using classical and advanced Bayesian methods. For our mating experiments, we found that at temperatures between 20 and 37 °C, the plasmid bearing costs reduced the growth rates by > 35%. The temperature dependency model of conjugation showed a good fit (mean absolute percentage error < 10%) independent of the bacteria and the plasmid under study. The proposed model simultaneously estimates growth and plasmid transfer rate constants for all three strains (donor, recipient, and transconjugant). Simultaneous estimation of growth and conjugation parameters is particularly useful to estimate the spread of ARG when one of the mating partners inhibits the growth of the other, which is common in multi-species mating or when the incurred plasmid costs are situation dependent (e.g., increased plasmid cost in a mating environment) as observed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulagna Mishra
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany.
| | - Uli Klümper
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany
| | - Veiko Voolaid
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany
| | - Thomas U Berendonk
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany
| | - David Kneis
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany
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30
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Brockhurst MA, Harrison E. Ecological and evolutionary solutions to the plasmid paradox. Trends Microbiol 2021; 30:534-543. [PMID: 34848115 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The 'plasmid paradox' arises because, although plasmids are common features of bacterial genomes, theoretically they should not exist: rates of conjugation were believed insufficient to allow plasmids to persist by infectious transmission, whereas the costs of plasmid maintenance meant that plasmids should be purged by negative selection regardless of whether they encoded beneficial accessory traits because these traits should eventually be captured by the chromosome, enabling the loss of the redundant plasmid. In the decade since the plasmid paradox was described, new data and theory show that a range of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms operate in bacterial populations and communities to explain the widespread distribution and stable maintenance of plasmids. We conclude, therefore, that multiple solutions to the plasmid paradox are now well understood. The current challenge for the field, however, is to better understand how these solutions operate in natural bacterial communities to explain and predict the distribution of plasmids and the dynamics of the horizontal gene transfer that they mediate in bacterial (pan)genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Brockhurst
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
| | - Ellie Harrison
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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31
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Kim K, Hou CY, Choe D, Kang M, Cho S, Sung BH, Lee DH, Lee SG, Kang TJ, Cho BK. Adaptive laboratory evolution of Escherichia coli W enhances gamma-aminobutyric acid production using glycerol as the carbon source. Metab Eng 2021; 69:59-72. [PMID: 34775076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2021.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The microbial conversion of glycerol into value-added commodity products has emerged as an attractive means to meet the demands of biosustainability. However, glycerol is a non-preferential carbon source for productive fermentation because of its low energy density. We employed evolutionary and metabolic engineering in tandem to construct an Escherichia coli strain with improved GABA production using glycerol as the feedstock carbon. Adaptive evolution of E. coli W under glycerol-limited conditions for 1300 generations harnessed an adapted strain with a metabolic system optimized for glycerol utilization. Mutation profiling, enzyme kinetic assays, and transcriptome analysis of the adapted strain allowed us to decipher the basis of glycerol adaptation at the molecular level. Importantly, increased substrate influx mediated by the mutant glpK and modulation of intracellular cAMP levels were the key drivers of improved fitness in the glycerol-limited condition. Leveraging the enhanced capability of glycerol utilization in the strain, we constructed a GABA-producing E. coli W-derivative with superior GABA production compared to the wild-type. Furthermore, rationally designed inactivation of the non-essential metabolic genes, including ackA, mgsA, and gabT, in the glycerol-adapted strain improved the final GABA titer and specific productivity by 3.9- and 4.3-fold, respectively, compared with the wild-type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangsan Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences and KI for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Chen Yuan Hou
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghui Choe
- Department of Biological Sciences and KI for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjeong Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences and KI for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Suhyung Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences and KI for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong Hyun Sung
- Synthetic Biology & Bioengineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Hee Lee
- Synthetic Biology & Bioengineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Goo Lee
- Synthetic Biology & Bioengineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Taek Jin Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea.
| | - Byung-Kwan Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences and KI for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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Molina Ortiz JP, McClure DD, Shanahan ER, Dehghani F, Holmes AJ, Read MN. Enabling rational gut microbiome manipulations by understanding gut ecology through experimentally-evidenced in silico models. Gut Microbes 2021; 13:1965698. [PMID: 34455914 PMCID: PMC8432618 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1965698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome has emerged as a contributing factor in non-communicable disease, rendering it a target of health-promoting interventions. Yet current understanding of the host-microbiome dynamic is insufficient to predict the variation in intervention outcomes across individuals. We explore the mechanisms that underpin the gut bacterial ecosystem and highlight how a more complete understanding of this ecology will enable improved intervention outcomes. This ecology varies within the gut over space and time. Interventions disrupt these processes, with cascading consequences throughout the ecosystem. In vivo studies cannot isolate and probe these processes at the required spatiotemporal resolutions, and in vitro studies lack the representative complexity required. However, we highlight that, together, both approaches can inform in silico models that integrate cellular-level dynamics, can extrapolate to explain bacterial community outcomes, permit experimentation and observation over ecological processes at high spatiotemporal resolution, and can serve as predictive platforms on which to prototype interventions. Thus, it is a concerted integration of these techniques that will enable rational targeted manipulations of the gut ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan P. Molina Ortiz
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Engineering, Centre for Advanced Food Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dale D. McClure
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Engineering, Centre for Advanced Food Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Erin R. Shanahan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fariba Dehghani
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Engineering, Centre for Advanced Food Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andrew J. Holmes
- Faculty of Engineering, Centre for Advanced Food Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark N. Read
- Faculty of Engineering, Centre for Advanced Food Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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