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Hamrick GS, Maddamsetti R, Son HI, Wilson ML, Davis HM, You L. Programming Dynamic Division of Labor Using Horizontal Gene Transfer. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1142-1151. [PMID: 38568420 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The metabolic engineering of microbes has broad applications, including biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, and environmental remediation. The introduction of a complex, multistep pathway often imposes a substantial metabolic burden on the host cell, restraining the accumulation of productive biomass and limiting pathway efficiency. One strategy to alleviate metabolic burden is the division of labor (DOL) in which different subpopulations carry out different parts of the pathway and work together to convert a substrate into a final product. However, the maintenance of different engineered subpopulations is challenging due to competition and convoluted interstrain population dynamics. Through modeling, we show that dynamic division of labor (DDOL), which we define as the DOL between indiscrete populations capable of dynamic and reversible interchange, can overcome these limitations and enable the robust maintenance of burdensome, multistep pathways. We propose that DDOL can be mediated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and use plasmid genomics to uncover evidence that DDOL is a strategy utilized by natural microbial communities. Our work suggests that bioengineers can harness HGT to stabilize synthetic metabolic pathways in microbial communities, enabling the development of robust engineered systems for deployment in a variety of contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grayson S Hamrick
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Rohan Maddamsetti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Hye-In Son
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Maggie L Wilson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Harris M Davis
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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2
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Oliveira RP, da Silva JS, da Silva GC, Rosa JN, Bazzolli DMS, Mantovani HC. Prevalence and characteristics of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in clinically healthy pigs: implications for antibiotic resistance spread in livestock. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae058. [PMID: 38444193 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae058] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
AIM This study aimed to compare and characterize the resistance profile and the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) related genes in Escherichia coli isolated from healthy finishing pigs fed with or without antibiotics in their diets. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 27 ceftiofur-resistant E. coli isolates were obtained from 96 healthy pigs. The antibiotic resistance profile was tested, and all 27 isolates were classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR). A high proportion of isolates were resistant to cephalosporins, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracyclines. The ESBL production was observed in 85% of isolates by double-disc synergy test. The MDR-E. coli isolates harbored ESBL genes, such as blaTEM, blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-2, and blaCTX-M-8,25. In addition, other antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs) were also detected, such as sul2, ant(3″)-I, tetA, and mcr-1. The mobilization of the blaCTX-M gene was confirmed for nine E. coli isolates by conjugation assays. The presence of blaCTX-M on mobile genetic elements in these isolates was demonstrated by Southern blot hybridization, and the resistance to cephalosporins was confirmed in the transconjugants. Our results indicate the prevalence of CTX-M-producing E. coli strains harboring mobile genetic elements in the normal microbiota of healthy pigs. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the significance of ESBL genes as a global health concern in livestock and the potential spread of antimicrobial resistance to other members of the gastrointestinal tract microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rúzivia Pimentel Oliveira
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Bacteria, Instituto de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agropecuária (Bioagro), Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Juliana Soares da Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Giarlã Cunha da Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Nogueira Rosa
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Denise Mara Soares Bazzolli
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Bacteria, Instituto de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agropecuária (Bioagro), Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Hilario C Mantovani
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, WI, United States
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3
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Peng S, Guo C, Cui H, Duan Z. Complete genome analysis of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum VHProbi P06, a novel probiotic that resists Streptococcus pneumoniae in the upper respiratory tract. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127320. [PMID: 37832615 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127320] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to screen lactic acid bacteria active against Streptococcus pneumoniae and to analyze the genetic basis of their probiotic functions from the genome. We isolated a novel Lactiplantibacillus plantarum VHProbi P06 from pickles, which showed strong antibacterial activity against S. pneumoniae, adhesion to 5-8F cells, and inhibition of S. pneumoniae colonization in the respiratory tract. Genome of VHProbi P06 was analyzed, we found one class II bacteriocin synthesis gene cluster. Genome of the strain contained 42 adhesion-related protein-coding genes, and implicated three exopolysaccharide biosynthesis gene clusters with low homologous to L. plantarum WCFS1. Moreover, VHProbi P06 possessed 3 intact phage regions and 117 Carbohydrate Active Enzyme genes. By comparing the genomes of five L. plantarum, 275 unique genes were found in VHProbi P06. Finally, the gene prediction was verified, the bacteriocin PlnJK produced by P06 was identified by LC-MS/MS, and the laminar exopolysaccharide with a weight-averaged molecular of 125.37 KDa was also found. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of VHProbi P06 to the upper respiratory tract to resist pathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shudong Peng
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Youmei Institute of Intelligent Bio-manufacturing Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chaoqun Guo
- Qingdao Vland Biotech Inc. Nutrition & Health Technology Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongchang Cui
- Qingdao Vland Biotech Inc. Nutrition & Health Technology Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhi Duan
- Qingdao Vland Biotech Inc. Nutrition & Health Technology Center, Qingdao, China.
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4
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Alonso-del Valle A, Toribio-Celestino L, Quirant A, Pi CT, DelaFuente J, Canton R, Rocha EPC, Ubeda C, Peña-Miller R, San Millan A. Antimicrobial resistance level and conjugation permissiveness shape plasmid distribution in clinical enterobacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2314135120. [PMID: 38096417 PMCID: PMC10741383 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314135120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids play a key role in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes across bacterial pathogens. AMR plasmids are widespread in clinical settings, but their distribution is not random, and certain associations between plasmids and bacterial clones are particularly successful. For example, the globally spread carbapenem resistance plasmid pOXA-48 can use a wide range of enterobacterial species as hosts, but it is usually associated with a small number of specific Klebsiella pneumoniae clones. These successful associations represent an important threat for hospitalized patients. However, knowledge remains limited about the factors determining AMR plasmid distribution in clinically relevant bacteria. Here, we combined in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches to analyze pOXA-48-associated AMR levels and conjugation dynamics in a collection of wild-type enterobacterial strains isolated from hospitalized patients. Our results revealed significant variability in these traits across different bacterial hosts, with Klebsiella spp. strains showing higher pOXA-48-mediated AMR and conjugation frequencies than Escherichia coli strains. Using experimentally determined parameters, we developed a simple mathematical model to interrogate the contribution of AMR levels and conjugation permissiveness to plasmid distribution in bacterial communities. The simulations revealed that a small subset of clones, combining high AMR levels and conjugation permissiveness, play a critical role in stabilizing the plasmid in different polyclonal microbial communities. These results help to explain the preferential association of plasmid pOXA-48 with K. pneumoniae clones in clinical settings. More generally, our study reveals that species- and strain-specific variability in plasmid-associated phenotypes shape AMR evolution in clinically relevant bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Alonso-del Valle
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Laura Toribio-Celestino
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Anna Quirant
- Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia46020, Spain
| | - Carles Tardio Pi
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca62209, México
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Unidad Académica Yucatán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Yucatán04510, México
| | - Javier DelaFuente
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Rafael Canton
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal-Instituto Ramon y Cajal de Investigacion Sanitaria, Madrid28034, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
| | - Eduardo P. C. Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris75015, France
| | - Carles Ubeda
- Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia46020, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
| | - Rafael Peña-Miller
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca62209, México
| | - Alvaro San Millan
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
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5
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Zhang S, Wen J, Wang Y, Zhong Z, Wang M, Jia R, Chen S, Liu M, Zhu D, Zhao X, Wu Y, Yang Q, Huang J, Ou X, Mao S, Gao Q, Sun D, Tian B, Cheng A. Decoding the enigma: unveiling the molecular transmission of avian-associated tet(X4)-positive E. coli in Sichuan Province, China. Poult Sci 2023; 102:103142. [PMID: 37879166 PMCID: PMC10618799 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103142] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tigecycline is considered one of the "last resort antibiotics" for treating complex infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, especially for combating clinical resistant strains that produce carbapenemases. However, the tet(X4) gene, which carried by different plasmids can mediate high levels of bacterial resistance to tigecycline, was first reported in 2019. Here, we report the emergence of the plasmid-mediated tet(X4) in avian environment of Sichuan Province. A total of 21 tet(X4)-positive Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains were isolated and identified from avian samples in selected regions, with an isolation rate of 1.6% (21/1,286), and all of them were MDR strains. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) method was used to classify the 21 tet(X4)-positive E. coli into the ST206, ST761, ST155, ST1638, ST542, and ST767 types, which also belong to the 3 phylogenetic subgroups A, B1, and C. Tet(X4) is located on mobile plasmids that can be efficiently and stably propagated. The results of fitness cost experiments showed that tet(X4)-positive plasmids may incur some fitness cost to host bacteria, but different tet(X4)-positive plasmids bring about differential fitness costs. Whole-genome sequencing further confirmed the tet(X4) gene can be located on IncX1-type plasmids and the core genetic structures are ISVsa3-rdmc-tet(X4) or rdmc-tet(X4)-ISVsa3, the former is a 7 copies tandem repeat structure. In this study, we isolated and identified tet(X4)-positive E. coli from the avian origin in Sichuan, analyzed the mobility of the tet(X4) by conjugational transfer and S1-PFGE, and evaluated the biological characteristics of the tet(X4)-positive plasmid using the results of conjugational frequency, plasmid stability, and fitness costs. Finally, combined with the third-generation whole-genome sequencing analysis, the molecular transmission characteristics of the tet(X4) were preliminarily clarified, providing a scientific basis for guiding veterinary clinical use in this area, as well as risk assessment and prevention of the transfer and spread of tigecycline resistant strains or genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaqiu Zhang
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Jinfeng Wen
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- Mianyang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mianyang 621023, PR China
| | - Zhijun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Shun Chen
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Mafeng Liu
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Dekang Zhu
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Xinxin Zhao
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Ying Wu
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Qiao Yang
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Juan Huang
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Xumin Ou
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Sai Mao
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Qun Gao
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Di Sun
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Bin Tian
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China
| | - Anchun Cheng
- Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the PR China, Chengdu 611130, PR China.
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Baig Y, Ma HR, Xu H, You L. Autoencoder neural networks enable low dimensional structure analyses of microbial growth dynamics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7937. [PMID: 38049401 PMCID: PMC10696002 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43455-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to effectively represent microbiome dynamics is a crucial challenge in their quantitative analysis and engineering. By using autoencoder neural networks, we show that microbial growth dynamics can be compressed into low-dimensional representations and reconstructed with high fidelity. These low-dimensional embeddings are just as effective, if not better, than raw data for tasks such as identifying bacterial strains, predicting traits like antibiotic resistance, and predicting community dynamics. Additionally, we demonstrate that essential dynamical information of these systems can be captured using far fewer variables than traditional mechanistic models. Our work suggests that machine learning can enable the creation of concise representations of high-dimensional microbiome dynamics to facilitate data analysis and gain new biological insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasa Baig
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Helena R Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Helen Xu
- Department of Computer Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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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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Hamrick GS, Maddamsetti R, Son HI, Wilson ML, Davis HM, You L. Programming dynamic division of labor using horizontal gene transfer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.03.560696. [PMID: 37873187 PMCID: PMC10592921 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.03.560696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The metabolic engineering of microbes has broad applications, including in biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, and environmental remediation. The introduction of a complex, multi-step pathway often imposes a substantial metabolic burden on the host cell, restraining the accumulation of productive biomass and limiting pathway efficiency. One strategy to alleviate metabolic burden is division of labor (DOL), in which different subpopulations carry out different parts of the pathway and work together to convert a substrate into a final product. However, the maintenance of different engineered subpopulations is challenging due to competition and convoluted inter-strain population dynamics. Through modeling, we show that dynamic division of labor (DDOL) mediated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) can overcome these limitations and enable the robust maintenance of burdensome, multi-step pathways. We also use plasmid genomics to uncover evidence that DDOL is a strategy utilized by natural microbial communities. Our work suggests that bioengineers can harness HGT to stabilize synthetic metabolic pathways in microbial communities, enabling the development of robust engineered systems for deployment in a variety of contexts.
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9
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Dewan I, Uecker H. A mathematician's guide to plasmids: an introduction to plasmid biology for modellers. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001362. [PMID: 37505810 PMCID: PMC10433428 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids, extrachromosomal DNA molecules commonly found in bacterial and archaeal cells, play an important role in bacterial genetics and evolution. Our understanding of plasmid biology has been furthered greatly by the development of mathematical models, and there are many questions about plasmids that models would be useful in answering. In this review, we present an introductory, yet comprehensive, overview of the biology of plasmids suitable for modellers unfamiliar with plasmids who want to get up to speed and to begin working on plasmid-related models. In addition to reviewing the diversity of plasmids and the genes they carry, their key physiological functions, and interactions between plasmid and host, we also highlight selected plasmid topics that may be of particular interest to modellers and areas where there is a particular need for theoretical development. The world of plasmids holds a great variety of subjects that will interest mathematical biologists, and introducing new modellers to the subject will help to expand the existing body of plasmid theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Dewan
- Research Group Stochastic Evolutionary Dynamics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Hildegard Uecker
- Research Group Stochastic Evolutionary Dynamics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
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