1
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Baca CF, Majumder P, Hickling JH, Ye L, Teplova M, Brady SF, Patel DJ, Marraffini LA. The CRISPR-associated adenosine deaminase Cad1 converts ATP to ITP to provide antiviral immunity. Cell 2024; 187:7183-7195.e24. [PMID: 39471810 PMCID: PMC11645235 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.002] [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: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 09/06/2024] [Accepted: 10/02/2024] [Indexed: 11/01/2024]
Abstract
Type III CRISPR systems provide immunity against genetic invaders through the production of cyclic oligo-adenylate (cAn) molecules that activate effector proteins that contain CRISPR-associated Rossman fold (CARF) domains. Here, we characterized the function and structure of an effector in which the CARF domain is fused to an adenosine deaminase domain, CRISPR-associated adenosine deaminase 1 (Cad1). We show that upon binding of cA4 or cA6 to its CARF domain, Cad1 converts ATP to ITP, both in vivo and in vitro. Cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structural studies on full-length Cad1 reveal an hexameric assembly composed of a trimer of dimers, with bound ATP at inter-domain sites required for activity and ATP/ITP within deaminase active sites. Upon synthesis of cAn during phage infection, Cad1 activation leads to a growth arrest of the host that prevents viral propagation. Our findings reveal that CRISPR-Cas systems employ a wide range of molecular mechanisms beyond nucleic acid degradation to provide adaptive immunity in prokaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian F Baca
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, Rockefeller University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Puja Majumder
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - James H Hickling
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Linzhi Ye
- Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, Rockefeller University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Laboratory of Genetically Encoded Small Molecules, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Marianna Teplova
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sean F Brady
- Laboratory of Genetically Encoded Small Molecules, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Dinshaw J Patel
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Luciano A Marraffini
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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2
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Li Y, Li Z, Yan P, Hua C, Kong J, Wu W, Cui Y, Duan Y, Li S, Li G, Ji S, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Yang P, Hu C, Lu M, Chen M, Xiao Y. Antiviral signaling of a type III CRISPR-associated deaminase. Science 2024:eadr0393. [PMID: 39666823 DOI: 10.1126/science.adr0393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 12/01/2024] [Indexed: 12/14/2024]
Abstract
Prokaryotes have evolved diverse defense strategies against viral infection, such as foreign nucleic acid degradation by CRISPR-Cas systems and DNA/RNA synthesis inhibition via nucleotide pool depletion. Here, we report an antiviral mechanism of type III CRISPR-Cas-regulated ATP depletion, where ATP is converted into ITP by CRISPR-Cas-associated adenosine deaminase (CAAD) upon activation by either cA4 or cA6, followed by hydrolysis into IMP by Nudix hydrolase, ultimately resulting in cell growth arrest. The cryo-electron microscopy structures of CAAD in its apo and activated forms, together with biochemical evidence, revealed how cA4/cA6 binds to the CARF domain and abrogates CAAD autoinhibition, inducing substantial conformational changes that reshape the structure of CAAD and induce its deaminase activity. Our results reveal the mechanism of a CRISPR-Cas-regulated ATP depletion antiviral strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutao Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaoxing Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Purui Yan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chenyang Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianping Kong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wanqian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yurong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Duan
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Shunxiang Li
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Guanglei Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing, China
| | - Shunli Ji
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yijun Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yucheng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Peng Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chunyi Hu
- Precision Medicine Translational Research Programme (TRP), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Meiling Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meirong Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yibei Xiao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing, China
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3
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Blankenchip CL, Corbett KD. Bacterial WYL domain transcriptional repressors sense single-stranded DNA to control gene expression. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:13723-13732. [PMID: 39588753 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae1101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 10/04/2024] [Accepted: 10/26/2024] [Indexed: 11/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria encode a wide array of immune systems to protect themselves against ubiquitous bacteriophages and foreign DNA elements. While these systems' molecular mechanisms are becoming increasingly well known, their regulation remains poorly understood. Here, we show that an immune system-associated transcriptional repressor of the wHTH-WYL-WCX family, CapW, directly binds single-stranded DNA to sense DNA damage and activate expression of its associated immune system. We show that CapW mediates increased expression of a reporter gene in response to DNA damage in a host cell. CapW directly binds single-stranded DNA by-products of DNA repair through its WYL domain, causing a conformational change that releases the protein from double-stranded DNA. In an Escherichia coli CBASS system with an integrated capW gene, we find that CapW-mediated transcriptional activation is important for this system's ability to prevent induction of a λ prophage. Overall, our data reveal the molecular mechanisms of WYL-domain transcriptional repressors, and provide an example of how bacteria can balance the protective benefits of carrying anti-phage immune systems against the inherent risk of these systems' aberrant activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea L Blankenchip
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kevin D Corbett
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
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4
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Johnson SR, Weigele PR, Fomenkov A, Ge A, Vincze A, Eaglesham JB, Roberts RJ, Sun Z. Domainator, a flexible software suite for domain-based annotation and neighborhood analysis, identifies proteins involved in antiviral systems. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae1175. [PMID: 39657740 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae1175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 11/07/2024] [Accepted: 11/15/2024] [Indexed: 12/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The availability of large databases of biological sequences presents an opportunity for in-depth exploration of gene diversity and function. Bacterial defense systems are a rich source of diverse but difficult to annotate genes with biotechnological applications. In this work, we present Domainator, a flexible and modular software suite for domain-based gene neighborhood and protein search, extraction and clustering. We demonstrate the utility of Domainator through three examples related to bacterial defense systems. First, we cluster CRISPR-associated Rossman fold (CARF) containing proteins with difficult to annotate effector domains, classifying most of them as likely transcriptional regulators and a subset as likely RNases. Second, we extract and cluster P4-like phage satellite defense hotspots, identify an abundant variant of Lamassu defense systems and demonstrate its in vivo activity against several T-even phages. Third, we integrate a protein language model into Domainator and use it to identify restriction endonucleases with low similarity to known reference sequences, validating the activity of one example in vitro. Domainator is made available as an open-source package with detailed documentation and usage examples.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Andrew Ge
- New England Biolabs Inc., Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Anna Vincze
- New England Biolabs Inc., Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | | | | | - Zhiyi Sun
- New England Biolabs Inc., Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
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5
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Deep A, Liang Q, Enustun E, Pogliano J, Corbett KD. Architecture and activation mechanism of the bacterial PARIS defence system. Nature 2024; 634:432-439. [PMID: 39112702 PMCID: PMC11479591 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07772-8] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria and their viruses (bacteriophages or phages) are engaged in an intense evolutionary arms race1-5. While the mechanisms of many bacterial antiphage defence systems are known1, how these systems avoid toxicity outside infection yet activate quickly after infection is less well understood. Here we show that the bacterial phage anti-restriction-induced system (PARIS) operates as a toxin-antitoxin system, in which the antitoxin AriA sequesters and inactivates the toxin AriB until triggered by the T7 phage counterdefence protein Ocr. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we show that AriA is related to SMC-family ATPases but assembles into a distinctive homohexameric complex through two oligomerization interfaces. In uninfected cells, the AriA hexamer binds to up to three monomers of AriB, maintaining them in an inactive state. After Ocr binding, the AriA hexamer undergoes a structural rearrangement, releasing AriB and allowing it to dimerize and activate. AriB is a toprim/OLD-family nuclease, the activation of which arrests cell growth and inhibits phage propagation by globally inhibiting protein translation through specific cleavage of a lysine tRNA. Collectively, our findings reveal the intricate molecular mechanisms of a bacterial defence system triggered by a phage counterdefence protein, and highlight how an SMC-family ATPase has been adapted as a bacterial infection sensor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Deep
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Qishan Liang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eray Enustun
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joe Pogliano
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kevin D Corbett
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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6
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Binder S, Schneberger N, Schmitz M, Engeser M, Geyer M, Rouillon C, Hagelueken G. The SAVED domain of the type III CRISPR protease CalpL is a ring nuclease. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:10520-10532. [PMID: 39166476 PMCID: PMC11417357 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas immune systems detect and cleave foreign nucleic acids. In type III CRISPR-Cas systems, the Cas10 subunit of the activated recognition complex synthesizes cyclic oligoadenylates (cOAs), second messengers that activate downstream ancillary effector proteins. Once the viral attack has been weathered, elimination of extant cOA is essential to limit the antiviral response and to allow cellular recovery. Various families of ring nucleases have been identified, specializing in the degradation of cOAs either as standalone enzymes or as domains of effector proteins. Here we describe the ring nuclease activity inherent in the SAVED domain of the cA4-activated CRISPR Lon protease CalpL. We characterize the kinetics of cA4 cleavage and identify key catalytic residues. We demonstrate that cA4-induced oligomerization of CalpL is essential not only for activation of the protease, but is also required for nuclease activity. Further, the nuclease activity of CalpL poses a limitation to the protease reaction, indicating a mechanism for regulation of the CalpL/T/S signaling cascade. This work is the first demonstration of a catalytic SAVED domain and gives new insights into the dynamics of transcriptional adaption in CRISPR defense systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie C Binder
- Institute of Structural Biology, Venusberg-Campus 1, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Niels Schneberger
- Institute of Structural Biology, Venusberg-Campus 1, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maximilian Schmitz
- Institute of Structural Biology, Venusberg-Campus 1, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Marianne Engeser
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Matthias Geyer
- Institute of Structural Biology, Venusberg-Campus 1, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christophe Rouillon
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Gregor Hagelueken
- Institute of Structural Biology, Venusberg-Campus 1, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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7
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Bilger R, Migur A, Wulf A, Steglich C, Urlaub H, Hess WR. A type III-Dv CRISPR-Cas system is controlled by the transcription factor RpaB and interacts with the DEAD-box RNA helicase CrhR. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114485. [PMID: 38996066 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
How CRISPR-Cas systems defend bacteria and archaea against invading genetic elements is well understood, but less is known about their regulation. In the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, the expression of one of the three different CRISPR-Cas systems responds to changes in environmental conditions. The cas operon promoter of this system is controlled by the light- and redox-responsive transcription factor RpaB binding to an HLR1 motif, resulting in transcriptional activation at low light intensities. However, the strong promoter that drives transcription of the cognate repeat-spacer array is not controlled by RpaB. Instead, the leader transcript is bound by the redox-sensitive RNA helicase CrhR. Crosslinking coupled with mass spectrometry analysis and site-directed mutagenesis revealed six residues involved in the CrhR-RNA interaction, with C371 being critically important. Thus, the expression of a type III-Dv CRISPR-Cas system is linked to the redox status of the photosynthetic cell at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Bilger
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Angela Migur
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Wulf
- Bioanalytics Research Group, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Centre, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Steglich
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytics Research Group, Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Centre, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang R Hess
- Faculty of Biology, Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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8
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Hoikkala V, Graham S, White MF. Bioinformatic analysis of type III CRISPR systems reveals key properties and new effector families. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:7129-7141. [PMID: 38808661 PMCID: PMC11229360 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae462] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Recognition of RNA from invading mobile genetic elements (MGE) prompts type III CRISPR systems to activate an HD nuclease domain and/or a nucleotide cyclase domain in the Cas10 subunit, eliciting an immune response. The cyclase domain can generate a range of nucleotide second messengers, which in turn activate a diverse family of ancillary effector proteins. These provide immunity by non-specific degradation of host and MGE nucleic acids or proteins, perturbation of membrane potentials, transcriptional responses, or the arrest of translation. The wide range of nucleotide activators and downstream effectors generates a complex picture that is gradually being resolved. Here, we carry out a global bioinformatic analysis of type III CRISPR loci in prokaryotic genomes, defining the relationships of Cas10 proteins and their ancillary effectors. Our study reveals that cyclic tetra-adenylate is by far the most common signalling molecule used and that many loci have multiple effectors. These typically share the same activator and may work synergistically to combat MGE. We propose four new candidate effector protein families and confirm experimentally that the Csm6-2 protein, a highly diverged, fused Csm6 effector, is a ribonuclease activated by cyclic hexa-adenylate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ville Hoikkala
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Shirley Graham
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Malcolm F White
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
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9
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Bosi E, Taviani E, Avesani A, Doni L, Auguste M, Oliveri C, Leonessi M, Martinez-Urtaza J, Vetriani C, Vezzulli L. Pan-Genome Provides Insights into Vibrio Evolution and Adaptation to Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae131. [PMID: 39007295 PMCID: PMC11247349 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae131] [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] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
This study delves into the genomic features of 10 Vibrio strains collected from deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean, providing insights into their evolutionary history and ecological adaptations. Through sequencing and pan-genome analysis involving 141 Vibrio species, we found that deep-sea strains exhibit larger genomes with unique gene distributions, suggesting adaptation to the vent environment. The phylogenomic reconstruction of the investigated isolates revealed the presence of 2 main clades: The first is monophyletic, consisting exclusively of Vibrio alginolyticus, while the second forms a monophyletic clade comprising both Vibrio antiquarius and Vibrio diabolicus species, which were previously isolated from deep-sea vents. All strains carry virulence and antibiotic resistance genes related to those found in human pathogenic Vibrio species which may play a wider ecological role other than host infection in these environments. In addition, functional genomic analysis identified genes potentially related to deep-sea survival and stress response, alongside candidate genes encoding for novel antimicrobial agents. Ultimately, the pan-genome we generated represents a valuable resource for future studies investigating the taxonomy, evolution, and ecology of Vibrio species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Bosi
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Elisa Taviani
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessia Avesani
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
| | - Lapo Doni
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Manon Auguste
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Caterina Oliveri
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
| | - Martina Leonessi
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Jaime Martinez-Urtaza
- Facultat de Biociéncies, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain
| | - Costantino Vetriani
- Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Luigi Vezzulli
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
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10
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Fuentenebro Navas D, Steens JA, de Lannoy C, Noordijk B, Pfeffer M, de Ridder D, H.J. Staals R, Schmid S. Nanopores Reveal the Stoichiometry of Single Oligoadenylates Produced by Type III CRISPR-Cas. ACS NANO 2024; 18:16505-16515. [PMID: 38875527 PMCID: PMC11223493 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c11769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Cyclic oligoadenylates (cOAs) are small second messenger molecules produced by the type III CRISPR-Cas system as part of the prokaryotic immune response. The role of cOAs is to allosterically activate downstream effector proteins that induce dormancy or cell death, and thus abort viral spread through the population. Interestingly, different type III systems have been reported to utilize different cOA stoichiometries (with 3 to 6 adenylate monophosphates). However, so far, their characterization has only been possible in bulk and with sophisticated equipment, while a portable assay with single-molecule resolution has been lacking. Here, we demonstrate the label-free detection of single cOA molecules using a simple protein nanopore assay. It sensitively identifies the stoichiometry of individual cOA molecules and their mixtures from synthetic and enzymatic origin. To achieve this, we trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) and validated it with a series of experiments on mono- and polydisperse cOA samples. Ultimately, we determined the stoichiometric composition of cOAs produced enzymatically by the CRISPR type III-A and III-B variants of Thermus thermophilus and confirmed the results by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS). Interestingly, both variants produce cOAs of nearly identical composition (within experimental uncertainties), and we discuss the biological implications of this finding. The presented nanopore-CNN workflow with single cOA resolution can be adapted to many other signaling molecules (including eukaryotic ones), and it may be integrated into portable handheld devices with potential point-of-care applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Fuentenebro Navas
- Laboratory
of Biophysics, Wageningen University and
Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jurre A. Steens
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Wageningen University and
Research, Stippeneng
4, 6708WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Carlos de Lannoy
- Bioinformatics
Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Ben Noordijk
- Bioinformatics
Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Pfeffer
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 22, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dick de Ridder
- Bioinformatics
Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Raymond H.J. Staals
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Wageningen University and
Research, Stippeneng
4, 6708WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sonja Schmid
- Laboratory
of Biophysics, Wageningen University and
Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
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11
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Yang H, Patel DJ. Structures, mechanisms and applications of RNA-centric CRISPR-Cas13. Nat Chem Biol 2024; 20:673-688. [PMID: 38702571 PMCID: PMC11375968 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01593-6] [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: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Prokaryotes are equipped with a variety of resistance strategies to survive frequent viral attacks or invading mobile genetic elements. Among these, CRISPR-Cas surveillance systems are abundant and have been studied extensively. This Review focuses on CRISPR-Cas type VI Cas13 systems that use single-subunit RNA-guided Cas endonucleases for targeting and subsequent degradation of foreign RNA, thereby providing adaptive immunity. Notably, distinct from single-subunit DNA-cleaving Cas9 and Cas12 systems, Cas13 exhibits target RNA-activated substrate RNase activity. This Review outlines structural, biochemical and cell biological studies toward elucidation of the unique structural and mechanistic principles underlying surveillance effector complex formation, precursor CRISPR RNA (pre-crRNA) processing, self-discrimination and RNA degradation in Cas13 systems as well as insights into suppression by bacteriophage-encoded anti-CRISPR proteins and regulation by endogenous accessory proteins. Owing to its programmable ability for RNA recognition and cleavage, Cas13 provides powerful RNA targeting, editing, detection and imaging platforms with emerging biotechnological and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yang
- Key Laboratory of RNA Innovation, Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dinshaw J Patel
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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12
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Bell RT, Sahakyan H, Makarova KS, Wolf YI, Koonin EV. CoCoNuTs are a diverse subclass of Type IV restriction systems predicted to target RNA. eLife 2024; 13:RP94800. [PMID: 38739430 PMCID: PMC11090510 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive census of McrBC systems, among the most common forms of prokaryotic Type IV restriction systems, followed by phylogenetic analysis, reveals their enormous abundance in diverse prokaryotes and a plethora of genomic associations. We focus on a previously uncharacterized branch, which we denote coiled-coil nuclease tandems (CoCoNuTs) for their salient features: the presence of extensive coiled-coil structures and tandem nucleases. The CoCoNuTs alone show extraordinary variety, with three distinct types and multiple subtypes. All CoCoNuTs contain domains predicted to interact with translation system components, such as OB-folds resembling the SmpB protein that binds bacterial transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA), YTH-like domains that might recognize methylated tmRNA, tRNA, or rRNA, and RNA-binding Hsp70 chaperone homologs, along with RNases, such as HEPN domains, all suggesting that the CoCoNuTs target RNA. Many CoCoNuTs might additionally target DNA, via McrC nuclease homologs. Additional restriction systems, such as Type I RM, BREX, and Druantia Type III, are frequently encoded in the same predicted superoperons. In many of these superoperons, CoCoNuTs are likely regulated by cyclic nucleotides, possibly, RNA fragments with cyclic termini, that bind associated CARF (CRISPR-Associated Rossmann Fold) domains. We hypothesize that the CoCoNuTs, together with the ancillary restriction factors, employ an echeloned defense strategy analogous to that of Type III CRISPR-Cas systems, in which an immune response eliminating virus DNA and/or RNA is launched first, but then, if it fails, an abortive infection response leading to PCD/dormancy via host RNA cleavage takes over.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Bell
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Harutyun Sahakyan
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Kira S Makarova
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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13
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Kretz J, Börner J, Friedrich T, McIntosh M, Procida-Kowalski T, Gerken F, Wilhelm J, Klug G. Function of the RNA-targeting class 2 type VI CRISPR Cas system of Rhodobacter capsulatus. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1384543. [PMID: 38741736 PMCID: PMC11089165 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1384543] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria use CRISPR Cas systems to defend against invading foreign nucleic acids, e.g., phage genomes, plasmids or mobile genetic elements. Some CRISPR Cas systems were reported to have physiological importance under a variety of abiotic stress conditions. We used physiological tests under different stress conditions and RNA-seq analyses to address the possible function of the RNA-targeting class 2 type VI CRISPR Cas system of the facultative phototrophic α-proteobacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus. Expression of the system was low under exponential non-stress conditions and high during oxidative stress, membrane stress and in stationary phase. Induction of the CRISPR Cas system in presence of a target protospacer RNA resulted in a growth arrest of R. capsulatus. RNA-seq revealed a strong alteration of the R. capsulatus transcriptome when cas13a was induced in presence of a target protospacer. RNA 5' end mapping indicated that the CRISPR Cas-dependent transcriptome remodeling is accompanied by fragmentation of cellular RNAs, e.g., for mRNAs originating from a genomic locus which encodes multiple ribosomal proteins and the RNA polymerase subunits RpoA, RpoB and RpoC. The data suggest a function of this CRISPR Cas system in regulated growth arrest, which may prevent the spread of phages within the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Kretz
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Janek Börner
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tobias Friedrich
- Institute of Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
- Biomedical Informatics and Systems Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Matthew McIntosh
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Florian Gerken
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jochen Wilhelm
- Institute for Lung Health, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Gabriele Klug
- Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
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14
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Beavogui A, Lacroix A, Wiart N, Poulain J, Delmont TO, Paoli L, Wincker P, Oliveira PH. The defensome of complex bacterial communities. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2146. [PMID: 38459056 PMCID: PMC10924106 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46489-0] [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: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have developed various defense mechanisms to avoid infection and killing in response to the fast evolution and turnover of viruses and other genetic parasites. Such pan-immune system (defensome) encompasses a growing number of defense lines that include well-studied innate and adaptive systems such as restriction-modification, CRISPR-Cas and abortive infection, but also newly found ones whose mechanisms are still poorly understood. While the abundance and distribution of defense systems is well-known in complete and culturable genomes, there is a void in our understanding of their diversity and richness in complex microbial communities. Here we performed a large-scale in-depth analysis of the defensomes of 7759 high-quality bacterial population genomes reconstructed from soil, marine, and human gut environments. We observed a wide variation in the frequency and nature of the defensome among large phyla, which correlated with lifestyle, genome size, habitat, and geographic background. The defensome's genetic mobility, its clustering in defense islands, and genetic variability was found to be system-specific and shaped by the bacterial environment. Hence, our results provide a detailed picture of the multiple immune barriers present in environmentally distinct bacterial communities and set the stage for subsequent identification of novel and ingenious strategies of diversification among uncultivated microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina Beavogui
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), CNRS, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 2 Rue Gaston Crémieux, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Auriane Lacroix
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), CNRS, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 2 Rue Gaston Crémieux, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Nicolas Wiart
- Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, 2 Rue Gaston Crémieux, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Julie Poulain
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), CNRS, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 2 Rue Gaston Crémieux, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022 / Tara GOsee, Paris, France
| | - Tom O Delmont
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), CNRS, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 2 Rue Gaston Crémieux, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022 / Tara GOsee, Paris, France
| | - Lucas Paoli
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1284, Molecular Diversity of Microbes lab, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Wincker
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), CNRS, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 2 Rue Gaston Crémieux, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022 / Tara GOsee, Paris, France
| | - Pedro H Oliveira
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), CNRS, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 2 Rue Gaston Crémieux, 91057, Evry, France.
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15
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Schumacher MA, Cannistraci E, Salinas R, Lloyd D, Messner E, Gozzi K. Structure of the WYL-domain containing transcription activator, DriD, in complex with ssDNA effector and DNA target site. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:1435-1449. [PMID: 38142455 PMCID: PMC10853764 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1198] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription regulators play central roles in orchestrating responses to changing environmental conditions. Recently the Caulobacter crescentus transcription activator DriD, which belongs to the newly defined WYL-domain family, was shown to regulate DNA damage responses independent of the canonical SOS pathway. However, the molecular mechanisms by which DriD and other WYL-regulators sense environmental signals and recognize DNA are not well understood. We showed DriD DNA-binding is triggered by its interaction with ssDNA, which is produced during DNA damage. Here we describe the structure of the full-length C. crescentus DriD bound to both target DNA and effector ssDNA. DriD consists of an N-terminal winged-HTH (wHTH) domain, linker region, three-helix bundle, WYL-domain and C-terminal WCX-dimer domain. Strikingly, DriD binds DNA using a novel, asymmetric DNA-binding mechanism that results from different conformations adopted by the linker. Although the linker does not touch DNA, our data show that contacts it makes with the wHTH are key for specific DNA binding. The structure indicates how ssDNA-effector binding to the WYL-domain impacts wHTH DNA binding. In conclusion, we present the first structure of a WYL-activator bound to both effector and target DNA. The structure unveils a unique, asymmetric DNA binding mode that is likely conserved among WYL-activators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Schumacher
- Department of Biochemistry, 307 Research Dr., Box 3711, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Emily Cannistraci
- Department of Biochemistry, 307 Research Dr., Box 3711, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Raul Salinas
- Department of Biochemistry, 307 Research Dr., Box 3711, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Devin Lloyd
- 100 Edwin H Land Blvd, Rowland Institute at Harvard, Harvard University, Cambridge, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ella Messner
- 100 Edwin H Land Blvd, Rowland Institute at Harvard, Harvard University, Cambridge, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kevin Gozzi
- 100 Edwin H Land Blvd, Rowland Institute at Harvard, Harvard University, Cambridge, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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16
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Steens JA, Bravo JP, Salazar CRP, Yildiz C, Amieiro AM, Köstlbacher S, Prinsen SH, Andres AS, Patinios C, Bardis A, Barendregt A, Scheltema RA, Ettema TJ, van der Oost J, Taylor DW, Staals RH. Type III-B CRISPR-Cas cascade of proteolytic cleavages. Science 2024; 383:512-519. [PMID: 38301007 PMCID: PMC11220425 DOI: 10.1126/science.adk0378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The generation of cyclic oligoadenylates and subsequent allosteric activation of proteins that carry sensory domains is a distinctive feature of type III CRISPR-Cas systems. In this work, we characterize a set of associated genes of a type III-B system from Haliangium ochraceum that contains two caspase-like proteases, SAVED-CHAT and PCaspase (prokaryotic caspase), co-opted from a cyclic oligonucleotide-based antiphage signaling system (CBASS). Cyclic tri-adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-induced oligomerization of SAVED-CHAT activates proteolytic activity of the CHAT domains, which specifically cleave and activate PCaspase. Subsequently, activated PCaspase cleaves a multitude of proteins, which results in a strong interference phenotype in vivo in Escherichia coli. Taken together, our findings reveal how a CRISPR-Cas-based detection of a target RNA triggers a cascade of caspase-associated proteolytic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurre A. Steens
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Scope Biosciences B.V.; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jack P.K. Bravo
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin; Austin, USA
| | | | - Caglar Yildiz
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Afonso M. Amieiro
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Stephan Köstlbacher
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ane S. Andres
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Constantinos Patinios
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Bardis
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Arjan Barendregt
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, University of Utrecht; Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Richard A. Scheltema
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, University of Utrecht; Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs J.G. Ettema
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - John van der Oost
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - David W. Taylor
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin; Austin, USA
| | - Raymond H.J. Staals
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research; Wageningen, The Netherlands
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17
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Deep A, Liang Q, Enustun E, Pogliano J, Corbett KD. Architecture and infection-sensing mechanism of the bacterial PARIS defense system. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.02.573835. [PMID: 38260510 PMCID: PMC10802264 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.02.573835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria and the viruses that infect them (bacteriophages or phages) are engaged in an evolutionary arms race that has resulted in the development of hundreds of bacterial defense systems and myriad phage-encoded counterdefenses1-5. While the mechanisms of many bacterial defense systems are known1, how these systems avoid toxicity outside infection yet activate quickly upon sensing phage infection is less well understood. Here, we show that the bacterial Phage Anti-Restriction-Induced System (PARIS) operates as a toxin-antitoxin system, in which the antitoxin AriA sequesters and inactivates the toxin AriB until triggered by the T7 phage counterdefense protein Ocr. Using cryoelectron microscopy (cryoEM), we show that AriA is structurally similar to dimeric SMC-family ATPases but assembles into a distinctive homohexameric complex through two distinct oligomerization interfaces. In the absence of infection, the AriA hexamer binds up to three monomers of AriB, maintaining them in an inactive state. Ocr binding to the AriA-AriB complex triggers rearrangement of the AriA hexamer, releasing AriB and allowing it to dimerize and activate. AriB is a toprim/OLD-family nuclease whose activation arrests cell growth and inhibits phage propagation by globally inhibiting protein translation. Collectively, our findings reveal the intricate molecular mechanisms of a bacterial defense system that evolved in response to a phage counterdefense protein, and highlight how an SMC-family ATPase has been adapted as a bacterial infection sensor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Deep
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA, USA
| | - Qishan Liang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA, USA
| | - Eray Enustun
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA, USA
| | - Joe Pogliano
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA, USA
| | - Kevin D. Corbett
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA, USA
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18
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Keller LML, Flattich K, Weber-Ban E. Novel WYL domain-containing transcriptional activator acts in response to genotoxic stress in rapidly growing mycobacteria. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1222. [PMID: 38042942 PMCID: PMC10693628 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05592-6] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The WYL domain is a nucleotide-sensing module that controls the activity of transcription factors involved in the regulation of DNA damage response and phage defense mechanisms in bacteria. In this study, we investigated a WYL domain-containing transcription factor in Mycobacterium smegmatis that we termed stress-involved WYL domain-containing regulator (SiwR). We found that SiwR controls adjacent genes that belong to the DinB/YfiT-like putative metalloenzymes superfamily by upregulating their expression in response to various genotoxic stress conditions, including upon exposure to H2O2 or the natural antibiotic zeocin. We show that SiwR binds different forms of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) with high affinity, primarily through its characteristic WYL domain. In combination with complementation studies of a M. smegmatis siwR deletion strain, our findings support a role of the WYL domains as signal-sensing activity switches of WYL domain-containing transcription factors (WYL TFs). Our study provides evidence that WYL TFs are involved in the adaptation of bacteria to changing environments and encountered stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kim Flattich
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eilika Weber-Ban
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
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19
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Nicastro GG, Burroughs AM, Iyer L, Aravind L. Functionally comparable but evolutionarily distinct nucleotide-targeting effectors help identify conserved paradigms across diverse immune systems. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:11479-11503. [PMID: 37889040 PMCID: PMC10681802 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
While nucleic acid-targeting effectors are known to be central to biological conflicts and anti-selfish element immunity, recent findings have revealed immune effectors that target their building blocks and the cellular energy currency-free nucleotides. Through comparative genomics and sequence-structure analysis, we identified several distinct effector domains, which we named Calcineurin-CE, HD-CE, and PRTase-CE. These domains, along with specific versions of the ParB and MazG domains, are widely present in diverse prokaryotic immune systems and are predicted to degrade nucleotides by targeting phosphate or glycosidic linkages. Our findings unveil multiple potential immune systems associated with at least 17 different functional themes featuring these effectors. Some of these systems sense modified DNA/nucleotides from phages or operate downstream of novel enzymes generating signaling nucleotides. We also uncovered a class of systems utilizing HSP90- and HSP70-related modules as analogs of STAND and GTPase domains that are coupled to these nucleotide-targeting- or proteolysis-induced complex-forming effectors. While widespread in bacteria, only a limited subset of nucleotide-targeting effectors was integrated into eukaryotic immune systems, suggesting barriers to interoperability across subcellular contexts. This work establishes nucleotide-degrading effectors as an emerging immune paradigm and traces their origins back to homologous domains in housekeeping systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianlucca G Nicastro
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, USA
| | - A Maxwell Burroughs
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, USA
| | - Lakshminarayan M Iyer
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, USA
| | - L Aravind
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, USA
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20
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McQuarrie S, Athukoralage JS, McMahon SA, Graham S, Ackermann K, Bode BE, White MF, Gloster TM. Activation of Csm6 ribonuclease by cyclic nucleotide binding: in an emergency, twist to open. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:10590-10605. [PMID: 37747760 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Type III CRISPR systems synthesize cyclic oligoadenylate (cOA) second messengers as part of a multi-faceted immune response against invading mobile genetic elements (MGEs). cOA activates non-specific CRISPR ancillary defence nucleases to create a hostile environment for MGE replication. Csm6 ribonucleases bind cOA using a CARF (CRISPR-associated Rossmann Fold) domain, resulting in activation of a fused HEPN (Higher Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes Nucleotide binding) ribonuclease domain. Csm6 enzymes are widely used in a new generation of diagnostic assays for the detection of specific nucleic acid species. However, the activation mechanism is not fully understood. Here we characterised the cyclic hexa-adenylate (cA6) activated Csm6' ribonuclease from the industrially important bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus. Crystal structures of Csm6' in the inactive and cA6 bound active states illuminate the conformational changes which trigger mRNA destruction. Upon binding of cA6, there is a close to 60° rotation between the CARF and HEPN domains, which causes the 'jaws' of the HEPN domain to open and reposition active site residues. Key to this transition is the 6H domain, a right-handed solenoid domain connecting the CARF and HEPN domains, which transmits the conformational changes for activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart McQuarrie
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Januka S Athukoralage
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Stephen A McMahon
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Shirley Graham
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Katrin Ackermann
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Chemistry, Centre of Magnetic Resonance, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Bela E Bode
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Chemistry, Centre of Magnetic Resonance, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Malcolm F White
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Tracey M Gloster
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
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21
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McBride TM, Cameron SC, Fineran PC, Fagerlund RD. The biology and type I/III hybrid nature of type I-D CRISPR-Cas systems. Biochem J 2023; 480:471-488. [PMID: 37052300 PMCID: PMC10212523 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Prokaryotes have adaptive defence mechanisms that protect them from mobile genetic elements and viral infection. One defence mechanism is called CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins). There are six different types of CRISPR-Cas systems and multiple subtypes that vary in composition and mode of action. Type I and III CRISPR-Cas systems utilise multi-protein complexes, which differ in structure, nucleic acid binding and cleaving preference. The type I-D system is a chimera of type I and III systems. Recently, there has been a burst of research on the type I-D CRISPR-Cas system. Here, we review the mechanism, evolution and biotechnological applications of the type I-D CRISPR-Cas system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess M. McBride
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Shaharn C. Cameron
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Peter C. Fineran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Robert D. Fagerlund
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
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22
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Keller LM, Weber-Ban E. An emerging class of nucleic acid-sensing regulators in bacteria: WYL domain-containing proteins. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 74:102296. [PMID: 37027901 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional regulation plays a central role in adaptation to changing environments for all living organisms. Recently, proteins belonging to a novel widespread class of bacterial transcription factors have been characterized in mycobacteria and Proteobacteria. Those multidomain proteins carry a WYL domain that is almost exclusive to the domain of bacteria. WYL domain-containing proteins act as regulators in different cellular contexts, including the DNA damage response and bacterial immunity. WYL domains have an Sm-like fold with five antiparallel β-strands arranged into a β-sandwich preceded by an α-helix. A common feature of WYL domains is their ability to bind nucleic acids that regulate their activity. In this review, we discuss recent progress made toward the understanding of WYL domain-containing proteins as transcriptional regulators, their structural features, and molecular mechanisms, as well as their functional roles in bacterial physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Ml Keller
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eilika Weber-Ban
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
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23
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Scrascia M, Roberto R, D'Addabbo P, Ahmed Y, Porcelli F, Oliva M, Calia C, Marzella A, Pazzani C. Bioinformatic survey of CRISPR loci across 15 Serratia species. Microbiologyopen 2023; 12:e1339. [PMID: 37186230 PMCID: PMC9981886 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1339] [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: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) system of prokaryotes is an adaptative immune defense mechanism to protect themselves from invading genetic elements (e.g., phages and plasmids). Studies that describe the genetic organization of these prokaryotic systems have mainly reported on the Enterobacteriaceae family (now reorganized within the order of Enterobacterales). For some genera, data on CRISPR-Cas systems remain poor, as in the case of Serratia (now part of the Yersiniaceae family) where data are limited to a few genomes of the species marcescens. This study describes the detection, in silico, of CRISPR loci in 146 Serratia complete genomes and 336 high-quality assemblies available for the species ficaria, fonticola, grimesii, inhibens, liquefaciens, marcescens, nematodiphila, odorifera, oryzae, plymuthica, proteomaculans, quinivorans, rubidaea, symbiotica, and ureilytica. Apart from subtypes I-E and I-F1 which had previously been identified in marcescens, we report that of I-C and the I-E unique locus 1, I-E*, and I-F1 unique locus 1. Analysis of the genomic contexts for CRISPR loci revealed mdtN-phnP as the region mostly shared (grimesii, inhibens, marcescens, nematodiphila, plymuthica, rubidaea, and Serratia sp.). Three new contexts detected in genomes of rubidaea and fonticola (puu genes-mnmA) and rubidaea (osmE-soxG and ampC-yebZ) were also found. The plasmid and/or phage origin of spacers was also established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Scrascia
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Bari Aldo MoroBariItaly
| | - Roberta Roberto
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli AlimentiUniversity of Bari Aldo MoroBariItaly
| | | | - Yosra Ahmed
- Plant Quarantine Pathogens Laboratory, Mycology Research & Disease SurveyPlant Pathology Research Institute, ARCGizaEgypt
| | - Francesco Porcelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli AlimentiUniversity of Bari Aldo MoroBariItaly
| | - Marta Oliva
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Bari Aldo MoroBariItaly
| | - Carla Calia
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Bari Aldo MoroBariItaly
| | | | - Carlo Pazzani
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Bari Aldo MoroBariItaly
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24
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Structural Studies of Pif1 Helicases from Thermophilic Bacteria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020479. [PMID: 36838444 PMCID: PMC9964779 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Pif1 proteins are DNA helicases belonging to Superfamily 1, with 5' to 3' directionality. They are conserved from bacteria to human and have been shown to be particularly important in eukaryotes for replication and nuclear and mitochondrial genome stability. However, Pif1 functions in bacteria are less known. While most Pif1 from mesophilic bacteria consist of the helicase core with limited N-terminal and C-terminal extensions, some Pif1 from thermophilic bacteria exhibit a C-terminal WYL domain. We solved the crystal structures of Pif1 helicase cores from thermophilic bacteria Deferribacter desulfuricans and Sulfurihydrogenibium sp. in apo and nucleotide bound form. We show that the N-terminal part is important for ligand binding. The full-length Pif1 helicase was predicted based on the Alphafold algorithm and the nucleic acid binding on the Pif1 helicase core and the WYL domain was modelled based on known crystallographic structures. The model predicts that amino acids in the domains 1A, WYL, and linker between the Helicase core and WYL are important for nucleic acid binding. Therefore, the N-terminal and C-terminal extensions may be necessary to strengthen the binding of nucleic acid on these Pif1 helicases. This may be an adaptation to thermophilic conditions.
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25
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Tesson F, Bernheim A. Synergy and regulation of antiphage systems: toward the existence of a bacterial immune system? Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 71:102238. [PMID: 36423502 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria encode a vast repertoire of diverse antiphage defense systems. Recent studies revealed that different defense systems are often encoded within the same genome, raising the question of their possible interactions in a cell. Here, we review the known synergies and coregulations of antiphage systems. The emerging complexities suggest a potential existence of an additional level of organization of antiviral defense in prokaryotes. We argue that this organization could be compared with immune systems of animals and plants. We discuss this concept and explore what it could mean in bacteria.
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26
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Rouillon C, Schneberger N, Chi H, Blumenstock K, Da Vela S, Ackermann K, Moecking J, Peter MF, Boenigk W, Seifert R, Bode BE, Schmid-Burgk JL, Svergun D, Geyer M, White MF, Hagelueken G. Antiviral signalling by a cyclic nucleotide activated CRISPR protease. Nature 2023; 614:168-174. [PMID: 36423657 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05571-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR defence systems such as the well-known DNA-targeting Cas9 and the RNA-targeting type III systems are widespread in prokaryotes1,2. The latter orchestrates a complex antiviral response that is initiated through the synthesis of cyclic oligoadenylates after recognition of foreign RNA3-5. Among the large set of proteins that are linked to type III systems and predicted to bind cyclic oligoadenylates6,7, a CRISPR-associated Lon protease (CalpL) stood out to us. CalpL contains a sensor domain of the SAVED family7 fused to a Lon protease effector domain. However, the mode of action of this effector is unknown. Here we report the structure and function of CalpL and show that this soluble protein forms a stable tripartite complex with two other proteins, CalpT and CalpS, that are encoded on the same operon. After activation by cyclic tetra-adenylate (cA4), CalpL oligomerizes and specifically cleaves the MazF homologue CalpT, which releases the extracytoplasmic function σ factor CalpS from the complex. Our data provide a direct connection between CRISPR-based detection of foreign nucleic acids and transcriptional regulation. Furthermore, the presence of a SAVED domain that binds cyclic tetra-adenylate in a CRISPR effector reveals a link to the cyclic-oligonucleotide-based antiphage signalling system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Rouillon
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior-caesar, Bonn, Germany.
| | | | - Haotian Chi
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Katja Blumenstock
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Bonn and University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefano Da Vela
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Ackermann
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, and Centre of Magnetic Resonance, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, UK
| | - Jonas Moecking
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Martin F Peter
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Boenigk
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior-caesar, Bonn, Germany
| | - Reinhard Seifert
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior-caesar, Bonn, Germany
| | - Bela E Bode
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, and Centre of Magnetic Resonance, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, UK
| | - Jonathan L Schmid-Burgk
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Bonn and University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Geyer
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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27
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Kurasz JE, Crawford MC, Porwollik S, Gregory O, Tadlock KR, Balding EC, Weinert EE, McClelland M, Karls AC. Strain-Specific Gifsy-1 Prophage Genes Are Determinants for Expression of the RNA Repair Operon during the SOS Response in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0026222. [PMID: 36622230 PMCID: PMC9879122 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00262-22] [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: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The adaptation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium to stress conditions involves expression of genes within the regulon of the alternative sigma factor RpoN (σ54). RpoN-dependent transcription requires an activated bacterial enhancer binding protein (bEBP) that hydrolyzes ATP to remodel the RpoN-holoenzyme-promoter complex for transcription initiation. The bEBP RtcR in S. Typhimurium strain 14028s is activated by genotoxic stress to direct RpoN-dependent expression of the RNA repair operon rsr-yrlBA-rtcBA. The molecular signal for RtcR activation is an oligoribonucleotide with a 3'-terminal 2',3'-cyclic phosphate. We show in S. Typhimurium 14028s that the molecular signal is not a direct product of nucleic acid damage, but signal generation is dependent on a RecA-controlled SOS-response pathway, specifically, induction of prophage Gifsy-1. A genome-wide mutant screen and utilization of Gifsy prophage-cured strains indicated that the nucleoid-associated protein Fis and the Gifsy-1 prophage significantly impact RtcR activation. Directed-deletion analysis and genetic mapping by transduction demonstrated that a three-gene region (STM14_3218-3220) in Gifsy-1, which is variable between S. Typhimurium strains, is required for RtcR activation in strain 14028s and that the absence of STM14_3218-3220 in the Gifsy-1 prophages of S. Typhimurium strains LT2 and 4/74, which renders these strains unable to activate RtcR during genotoxic stress, can be rescued by complementation in cis by the region encompassing STM14_3218-3220. Thus, even though RtcR and the RNA repair operon are highly conserved in Salmonella enterica serovars, RtcR-dependent expression of the RNA repair operon in S. Typhimurium is controlled by a variable region of a prophage present in only some strains. IMPORTANCE The transcriptional activator RtcR and the RNA repair proteins whose expression it regulates, RtcA and RtcB, are widely conserved in Proteobacteria. In Salmonella Typhimurium 14028s, genotoxic stress activates RtcR to direct RpoN-dependent expression of the rsr-yrlBA-rtcBA operon. This work identifies key elements of a RecA-dependent pathway that generates the signal for RtcR activation in strain 14028s. This signaling pathway requires the presence of a specific region within the prophage Gifsy-1, yet this region is absent in most other wild-type Salmonella strains. Thus, we show that the activity of a widely conserved regulatory protein can be controlled by prophages with narrow phylogenetic distributions. This work highlights an underappreciated phenomenon where bacterial physiological functions are altered due to genetic rearrangement of prophages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Steffen Porwollik
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California–Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Oliver Gregory
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Eve C. Balding
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Emily E. Weinert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael McClelland
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California–Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Anna C. Karls
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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28
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Cas12a2 elicits abortive infection through RNA-triggered destruction of dsDNA. Nature 2023; 613:588-594. [PMID: 36599979 PMCID: PMC9811890 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05559-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial abortive-infection systems limit the spread of foreign invaders by shutting down or killing infected cells before the invaders can replicate1,2. Several RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas systems (that is, types III and VI) cause abortive-infection phenotypes by activating indiscriminate nucleases3-5. However, a CRISPR-mediated abortive mechanism that leverages indiscriminate DNase activity of an RNA-guided single-effector nuclease has yet to be observed. Here we report that RNA targeting by the type V single-effector nuclease Cas12a2 drives abortive infection through non-specific cleavage of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). After recognizing an RNA target with an activating protospacer-flanking sequence, Cas12a2 efficiently degrades single-stranded RNA (ssRNA), single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and dsDNA. Within cells, the activation of Cas12a2 induces an SOS DNA-damage response and impairs growth, preventing the dissemination of the invader. Finally, we harnessed the collateral activity of Cas12a2 for direct RNA detection, demonstrating that Cas12a2 can be repurposed as an RNA-guided RNA-targeting tool. These findings expand the known defensive abilities of CRISPR-Cas systems and create additional opportunities for CRISPR technologies.
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29
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Abstract
CRISPR-Cas is a widespread adaptive immune system in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infection by targeting specific invading nucleic acid sequences. Whereas some CRISPR-Cas systems sense and cleave viral DNA, type III and type VI CRISPR-Cas systems sense RNA that results from viral transcription and perhaps invasion by RNA viruses. The sequence-specific detection of viral RNA evokes a cell-wide response that typically involves global damage to halt the infection. How can one make sense of an immune strategy that encompasses broad, collateral effects rather than specific, targeted destruction? In this Review, we summarize the current understanding of RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas systems. We detail the composition and properties of type III and type VI systems, outline the cellular defence processes that are instigated upon viral RNA sensing and describe the biological rationale behind the broad RNA-activated immune responses as an effective strategy to combat viral infection.
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30
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Wang J, Wei J, Li H, Li Y. High-efficiency genome editing of an extreme thermophile Thermus thermophilus using endogenous type I and type III CRISPR-Cas systems. MLIFE 2022; 1:412-427. [PMID: 38818488 PMCID: PMC10989782 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Thermus thermophilus is an attractive species in the bioindustry due to its valuable natural products, abundant thermophilic enzymes, and promising fermentation capacities. However, efficient and versatile genome editing tools are not available for this species. In this study, we developed an efficient genome editing tool for T. thermophilus HB27 based on its endogenous type I-B, I-C, and III-A/B CRISPR-Cas systems. First, we systematically characterized the DNA interference capabilities of the different types of the native CRISPR-Cas systems in T. thermophilus HB27. We found that genomic manipulations such as gene deletion, mutation, and in situ tagging could be easily implemented by a series of genome-editing plasmids carrying an artificial self-targeting mini-CRISPR and a donor DNA responsible for the recombinant recovery. We also compared the genome editing efficiency of different CRISPR-Cas systems and the editing plasmids with donor DNAs of different lengths. Additionally, we developed a reporter gene system for T. thermophilus based on a heat-stable β-galactosidase gene TTP0042, and constructed an engineered strain with a high production capacity of superoxide dismutases by genome modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Life Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and HealthHuazhong Agricultural UniversityShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at ShenzhenChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Junwei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Life Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and HealthHuazhong Agricultural UniversityShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at ShenzhenChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Haijuan Li
- College of Biological and Environmental EngineeringXi'an UniversityXi'anChina
| | - Yingjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Life Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and HealthHuazhong Agricultural UniversityShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at ShenzhenChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesShenzhenChina
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31
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Type III CRISPR-Cas provides resistance against nucleus-forming jumbo phages via abortive infection. Mol Cell 2022; 82:4471-4486.e9. [PMID: 36395770 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria have diverse defenses against phages. In response, jumbo phages evade multiple DNA-targeting defenses by protecting their DNA inside a nucleus-like structure. We previously demonstrated that RNA-targeting type III CRISPR-Cas systems provide jumbo phage immunity by recognizing viral mRNA exported from the nucleus for translation. Here, we demonstrate that recognition of phage mRNA by the type III system activates a cyclic triadenylate-dependent accessory nuclease, NucC. Although unable to access phage DNA in the nucleus, NucC degrades the bacterial chromosome, triggers cell death, and disrupts phage replication and maturation. Hence, type-III-mediated jumbo phage immunity occurs via abortive infection, with suppression of the viral epidemic protecting the population. We further show that type III systems targeting jumbo phages have diverse accessory nucleases, including RNases that provide immunity. Our study demonstrates how type III CRISPR-Cas systems overcome the inaccessibility of jumbo phage DNA to provide robust immunity.
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32
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Molina R, Garcia-Martin R, López-Méndez B, Jensen ALG, Ciges-Tomas JR, Marchena-Hurtado J, Stella S, Montoya G. Molecular basis of cyclic tetra-oligoadenylate processing by small standalone CRISPR-Cas ring nucleases. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:11199-11213. [PMID: 36271789 PMCID: PMC9638899 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Standalone ring nucleases are CRISPR ancillary proteins, which downregulate the immune response of Type III CRISPR-Cas systems by cleaving cyclic oligoadenylates (cA) second messengers. Two genes with this function have been found within the Sulfolobus islandicus (Sis) genome. They code for a long polypeptide composed by a CARF domain fused to an HTH domain and a short polypeptide constituted by a CARF domain with a 40 residue C-terminal insertion. Here, we determine the structure of the apo and substrate bound states of the Sis0455 enzyme, revealing an insertion at the C-terminal region of the CARF domain, which plays a key role closing the catalytic site upon substrate binding. Our analysis reveals the key residues of Sis0455 during cleavage and the coupling of the active site closing with their positioning to proceed with cA4 phosphodiester hydrolysis. A time course comparison of cA4 cleavage between the short, Sis0455, and long ring nucleases, Sis0811, shows the slower cleavage kinetics of the former, suggesting that the combination of these two types of enzymes with the same function in a genome could be an evolutionary strategy to regulate the levels of the second messenger in different infection scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Molina
- Structural Molecular Biology Group, Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3-B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ricardo Garcia-Martin
- Structural Molecular Biology Group, Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3-B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Blanca López-Méndez
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Protein Structure & Function Programme, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Louise Grøn Jensen
- Structural Molecular Biology Group, Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3-B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - J Rafael Ciges-Tomas
- Structural Molecular Biology Group, Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3-B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Javier Marchena-Hurtado
- Structural Molecular Biology Group, Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3-B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stefano Stella
- Structural Molecular Biology Group, Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3-B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Guillermo Montoya
- Structural Molecular Biology Group, Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3-B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.,The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Protein Structure & Function Programme, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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33
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Abstract
Advances in our understanding of prokaryotic antiphage defense mechanisms in the past few years have revealed a multitude of new cyclic nucleotide signaling molecules that play a crucial role in switching infected cells into an antiviral state. Defense pathways including type III CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats), CBASS (cyclic nucleotide-based antiphage signaling system), PYCSAR (pyrimidine cyclase system for antiphage resistance), and Thoeris all use cyclic nucleotides as second messengers to activate a diverse range of effector proteins. These effectors typically degrade or disrupt key cellular components such as nucleic acids, membranes, or metabolites, slowing down viral replication kinetics at great cost to the infected cell. Mechanisms to manipulate the levels of cyclic nucleotides are employed by cells to regulate defense pathways and by viruses to subvert them. Here we review the discovery and mechanism of the key pathways, signaling molecules and effectors, parallels and differences between the systems, open questions, and prospects for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Januka S Athukoralage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Malcolm F White
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom;
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34
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Iyer LM, Burroughs AM, Anantharaman V, Aravind L. Apprehending the NAD +-ADPr-Dependent Systems in the Virus World. Viruses 2022; 14:1977. [PMID: 36146784 PMCID: PMC9503650 DOI: 10.3390/v14091977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
NAD+ and ADP-ribose (ADPr)-containing molecules are at the interface of virus-host conflicts across life encompassing RNA processing, restriction, lysogeny/dormancy and functional hijacking. We objectively defined the central components of the NAD+-ADPr networks involved in these conflicts and systematically surveyed 21,191 completely sequenced viral proteomes representative of all publicly available branches of the viral world to reconstruct a comprehensive picture of the viral NAD+-ADPr systems. These systems have been widely and repeatedly exploited by positive-strand RNA and DNA viruses, especially those with larger genomes and more intricate life-history strategies. We present evidence that ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTs), ADPr-targeting Macro, NADAR and Nudix proteins are frequently packaged into virions, particularly in phages with contractile tails (Myoviruses), and deployed during infection to modify host macromolecules and counter NAD+-derived signals involved in viral restriction. Genes encoding NAD+-ADPr-utilizing domains were repeatedly exchanged between distantly related viruses, hosts and endo-parasites/symbionts, suggesting selection for them across the virus world. Contextual analysis indicates that the bacteriophage versions of ADPr-targeting domains are more likely to counter soluble ADPr derivatives, while the eukaryotic RNA viral versions might prefer macromolecular ADPr adducts. Finally, we also use comparative genomics to predict host systems involved in countering viral ADP ribosylation of host molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - L. Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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35
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Kushwaha SK, Narasimhan LP, Chithananthan C, Marathe SA. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas system: diversity and regulation in Enterobacteriaceae. Future Microbiol 2022; 17:1249-1267. [PMID: 36006039 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2022-0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Insights into the arms race between bacteria and invading mobile genetic elements have revealed the intricacies of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas system and the counter-defenses of bacteriophages. Incredible spacer diversity but significant spacer conservation among species/subspecies dictates the specificity of the CRISPR-Cas system. Researchers have exploited this feature to type/subtype the bacterial strains, devise targeted antimicrobials and regulate gene expression. This review focuses on the nuances of the CRISPR-Cas systems in Enterobacteriaceae that predominantly harbor type I-E and I-F CRISPR systems. We discuss the systems' regulation by the global regulators, H-NS, LeuO, LRP, cAMP receptor protein and other regulators in response to environmental stress. We further discuss the regulation of noncanonical functions like DNA repair pathways, biofilm formation, quorum sensing and virulence by the CRISPR-Cas system. The review comprehends multiple facets of the CRISPR-Cas system in Enterobacteriaceae including its diverse attributes, association with genetic features, regulation and gene regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simran K Kushwaha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, 333031, India
| | - Lakshmi P Narasimhan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, 333031, India
| | - Chandrananthi Chithananthan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, 333031, India
| | - Sandhya A Marathe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, 333031, India
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Mestre MR, Gao LA, Shah SA, López-Beltrán A, González-Delgado A, Martínez-Abarca F, Iranzo J, Redrejo-Rodríguez M, Zhang F, Toro N. UG/Abi: a highly diverse family of prokaryotic reverse transcriptases associated with defense functions. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:6084-6101. [PMID: 35648479 PMCID: PMC9226505 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Reverse transcriptases (RTs) are enzymes capable of synthesizing DNA using RNA as a template. Within the last few years, a burst of research has led to the discovery of novel prokaryotic RTs with diverse antiviral properties, such as DRTs (Defense-associated RTs), which belong to the so-called group of unknown RTs (UG) and are closely related to the Abortive Infection system (Abi) RTs. In this work, we performed a systematic analysis of UG and Abi RTs, increasing the number of UG/Abi members up to 42 highly diverse groups, most of which are predicted to be functionally associated with other gene(s) or domain(s). Based on this information, we classified these systems into three major classes. In addition, we reveal that most of these groups are associated with defense functions and/or mobile genetic elements, and demonstrate the antiphage role of four novel groups. Besides, we highlight the presence of one of these systems in novel families of human gut viruses infecting members of the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla. This work lays the foundation for a comprehensive and unified understanding of these highly diverse RTs with enormous biotechnological potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Rodríguez Mestre
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Linyi Alex Gao
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Shiraz A Shah
- Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev-Gentofte, Ledreborg Allé 34, DK-2820 Gentofte, Denmark
| | - Adrián López-Beltrán
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) – Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro González-Delgado
- Department of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Structure, Dynamics and Function of Rhizobacterial Genomes, Grupo de Ecología Genética de la Rizosfera, Spain
| | - Francisco Martínez-Abarca
- Department of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Structure, Dynamics and Function of Rhizobacterial Genomes, Grupo de Ecología Genética de la Rizosfera, Spain
| | - Jaime Iranzo
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) – Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
- Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Modesto Redrejo-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Feng Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicolás Toro
- Department of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Structure, Dynamics and Function of Rhizobacterial Genomes, Grupo de Ecología Genética de la Rizosfera, Spain
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37
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Aravind L, Iyer LM, Burroughs AM. Discovering Biological Conflict Systems Through Genome Analysis: Evolutionary Principles and Biochemical Novelty. Annu Rev Biomed Data Sci 2022; 5:367-391. [PMID: 35609893 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biodatasci-122220-101119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Biological replicators, from genes within a genome to whole organisms, are locked in conflicts. Comparative genomics has revealed a staggering diversity of molecular armaments and mechanisms regulating their deployment, collectively termed biological conflict systems. These encompass toxins used in inter- and intraspecific interactions, self/nonself discrimination, antiviral immune mechanisms, and counter-host effectors deployed by viruses and intragenomic selfish elements. These systems possess shared syntactical features in their organizational logic and a set of effectors targeting genetic information flow through the Central Dogma, certain membranes, and key molecules like NAD+. These principles can be exploited to discover new conflict systems through sensitive computational analyses. This has led to significant advances in our understanding of the biology of these systems and furnished new biotechnological reagents for genome editing, sequencing, and beyond. We discuss these advances using specific examples of toxins, restriction-modification, apoptosis, CRISPR/second messenger-regulated systems, and other enigmatic nucleic acid-targeting systems. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biomedical Data Science, Volume 5 is August 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Lakshminarayan M Iyer
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - A Maxwell Burroughs
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
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38
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Blankenchip CL, Nguyen JV, Lau RK, Ye Q, Gu Y, Corbett KD. Control of bacterial immune signaling by a WYL domain transcription factor. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:5239-5250. [PMID: 35536256 PMCID: PMC9122588 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria use diverse immune systems to defend themselves from ubiquitous viruses termed bacteriophages (phages). Many anti-phage systems function by abortive infection to kill a phage-infected cell, raising the question of how they are regulated to avoid cell killing outside the context of infection. Here, we identify a transcription factor associated with the widespread CBASS bacterial immune system, that we term CapW. CapW forms a homodimer and binds a palindromic DNA sequence in the CBASS promoter region. Two crystal structures of CapW suggest that the protein switches from an unliganded, DNA binding-competent state to a ligand-bound state unable to bind DNA. We show that CapW strongly represses CBASS gene expression in uninfected cells, and that phage infection causes increased CBASS expression in a CapW-dependent manner. Unexpectedly, this CapW-dependent increase in CBASS expression is not required for robust anti-phage activity, suggesting that CapW may mediate CBASS activation and cell death in response to a signal other than phage infection. Our results parallel concurrent reports on the structure and activity of BrxR, a transcription factor associated with the BREX anti-phage system, suggesting that CapW and BrxR are members of a family of universal defense signaling proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea L Blankenchip
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Justin V Nguyen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca K Lau
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Qiaozhen Ye
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yajie Gu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kevin D Corbett
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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39
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Luyten Y, Hausman DE, Young JC, Doyle L, Higashi K, Ubilla-Rodriguez N, Lambert AR, Arroyo CS, Forsberg K, Morgan R, Stoddard B, Kaiser B. Identification and characterization of the WYL BrxR protein and its gene as separable regulatory elements of a BREX phage restriction system. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:5171-5190. [PMID: 35511079 PMCID: PMC9122589 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage exclusion ('BREX') phage restriction systems are found in a wide range of bacteria. Various BREX systems encode unique combinations of proteins that usually include a site-specific methyltransferase; none appear to contain a nuclease. Here we describe the identification and characterization of a Type I BREX system from Acinetobacter and the effect of deleting each BREX ORF on growth, methylation, and restriction. We identified a previously uncharacterized gene in the BREX operon that is dispensable for methylation but involved in restriction. Biochemical and crystallographic analyses of this factor, which we term BrxR ('BREX Regulator'), demonstrate that it forms a homodimer and specifically binds a DNA target site upstream of its transcription start site. Deletion of the BrxR gene causes cell toxicity, reduces restriction, and significantly increases the expression of BrxC. In contrast, the introduction of a premature stop codon into the BrxR gene, or a point mutation blocking its DNA binding ability, has little effect on restriction, implying that the BrxR coding sequence and BrxR protein play independent functional roles. We speculate that elements within the BrxR coding sequence are involved in cis regulation of anti-phage activity, while the BrxR protein itself plays an additional regulatory role, perhaps during horizontal transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette A Luyten
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Deanna E Hausman
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Juliana C Young
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Lindsey A Doyle
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Kerilyn M Higashi
- Department of Biology, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
| | - Natalia C Ubilla-Rodriguez
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Abigail R Lambert
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Corina S Arroyo
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Kevin J Forsberg
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Barry L Stoddard
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Brett K Kaiser
- Department of Biology, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
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40
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Picton DM, Harling-Lee JD, Duffner SJ, Went SC, Morgan RD, Hinton JCD, Blower TR. A widespread family of WYL-domain transcriptional regulators co-localizes with diverse phage defence systems and islands. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:5191-5207. [PMID: 35544231 PMCID: PMC9122601 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are under constant assault by bacteriophages and other mobile genetic elements. As a result, bacteria have evolved a multitude of systems that protect from attack. Genes encoding bacterial defence mechanisms can be clustered into 'defence islands', providing a potentially synergistic level of protection against a wider range of assailants. However, there is a comparative paucity of information on how expression of these defence systems is controlled. Here, we functionally characterize a transcriptional regulator, BrxR, encoded within a recently described phage defence island from a multidrug resistant plasmid of the emerging pathogen Escherichia fergusonii. Using a combination of reporters and electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we discovered that BrxR acts as a repressor. We present the structure of BrxR to 2.15 Å, the first structure of this family of transcription factors, and pinpoint a likely binding site for ligands within the WYL-domain. Bioinformatic analyses demonstrated that BrxR-family homologues are widespread amongst bacteria. About half (48%) of identified BrxR homologues were co-localized with a diverse array of known phage defence systems, either alone or clustered into defence islands. BrxR is a novel regulator that reveals a common mechanism for controlling the expression of the bacterial phage defence arsenal.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Picton
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Joshua D Harling-Lee
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.,The Roslin Institute, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Samuel J Duffner
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Sam C Went
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | | | - Jay C D Hinton
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Tim R Blower
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
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41
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Rousset F, Depardieu F, Miele S, Dowding J, Laval AL, Lieberman E, Garry D, Rocha EPC, Bernheim A, Bikard D. Phages and their satellites encode hotspots of antiviral systems. Cell Host Microbe 2022; 30:740-753.e5. [PMID: 35316646 PMCID: PMC9122126 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria carry diverse genetic systems to defend against viral infection, some of which are found within prophages where they inhibit competing viruses. Phage satellites pose additional pressures on phages by hijacking key viral elements to their own benefit. Here, we show that E. coli P2-like phages and their parasitic P4-like satellites carry hotspots of genetic variation containing reservoirs of anti-phage systems. We validate the activity of diverse systems and describe PARIS, an abortive infection system triggered by a phage-encoded anti-restriction protein. Antiviral hotspots participate in inter-viral competition and shape dynamics between the bacterial host, P2-like phages, and P4-like satellites. Notably, the anti-phage activity of satellites can benefit the helper phage during competition with virulent phages, turning a parasitic relationship into a mutualistic one. Anti-phage hotspots are present across distant species and constitute a substantial source of systems that participate in the competition between mobile genetic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Rousset
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France.
| | - Florence Depardieu
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Solange Miele
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Julien Dowding
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Anne-Laure Laval
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France
| | | | | | - Eduardo P C Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Aude Bernheim
- Université de Paris, INSERM, IAME, 75006 Paris, France
| | - David Bikard
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Synthetic Biology, 75015 Paris, France.
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42
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van Riet J, Saha C, Strepis N, Brouwer RWW, Martens-Uzunova ES, van de Geer WS, Swagemakers SMA, Stubbs A, Halimi Y, Voogd S, Tanmoy AM, Komor MA, Hoogstrate Y, Janssen B, Fijneman RJA, Niknafs YS, Chinnaiyan AM, van IJcken WFJ, van der Spek PJ, Jenster G, Louwen R. CRISPRs in the human genome are differentially expressed between malignant and normal adjacent to tumor tissue. Commun Biol 2022; 5:338. [PMID: 35396392 PMCID: PMC8993844 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03249-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPRs) have been identified in bacteria, archaea and mitochondria of plants, but not in eukaryotes. Here, we report the discovery of 12,572 putative CRISPRs randomly distributed across the human chromosomes, which we termed hCRISPRs. By using available transcriptome datasets, we demonstrate that hCRISPRs are distinctively expressed as small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) in cell lines and human tissues. Moreover, expression patterns thereof enabled us to distinguish normal from malignant tissues. In prostate cancer, we confirmed the differential hCRISPR expression between normal adjacent and malignant primary prostate tissue by RT-qPCR and demonstrate that the SHERLOCK and DETECTR dipstick tools are suitable to detect these sncRNAs. We anticipate that the discovery of CRISPRs in the human genome can be further exploited for diagnostic purposes in cancer and other medical conditions, which certainly will lead to the development of point-of-care tests based on the differential expression of the hCRISPRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Job van Riet
- Department of Urology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Computational Biology Center, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Chinmoy Saha
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Nikolaos Strepis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rutger W W Brouwer
- Center for Biomics, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Elena S Martens-Uzunova
- Department of Urology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wesley S van de Geer
- Cancer Computational Biology Center, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sigrid M A Swagemakers
- Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Andrew Stubbs
- Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yassir Halimi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sanne Voogd
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Arif Mohammad Tanmoy
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Child Health Research Foundation, 23/2 SEL Huq Skypark, Block-B, Khilji Rd, Dhaka, 1207, Bangladesh
| | - Malgorzata A Komor
- Translational Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Pathology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Oncoproteomics Laboratory, Department of Medical Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Youri Hoogstrate
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Remond J A Fijneman
- Translational Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Pathology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yashar S Niknafs
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Arul M Chinnaiyan
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Peter J van der Spek
- Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Guido Jenster
- Department of Urology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rogier Louwen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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Xia P, Dutta A, Gupta K, Batish M, Parashar V. Structural basis of cyclic oligoadenylate binding to the transcription factor Csa3 outlines cross talk between type III and type I CRISPR systems. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101591. [PMID: 35038453 PMCID: PMC8844856 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA interference by type III CRISPR systems results in the synthesis of cyclic oligoadenylate (cOA) second messengers, which are known to bind and regulate various CARF domain-containing nuclease receptors. The CARF domain-containing Csa3 family of transcriptional factors associated with the DNA-targeting type I CRISPR systems regulate expression of various CRISPR and DNA repair genes in many prokaryotes. In this study, we extend the known receptor repertoire of cOA messengers to include transcriptional factors by demonstrating specific binding of cyclic tetra-adenylate (cA4) to Saccharolobus solfataricus Csa3 (Csa3Sso). Our 2.0-Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of cA4-bound full-length Csa3Sso reveals the binding of its CARF domain to an elongated conformation of cA4. Using cA4 binding affinity analyses of Csa3Sso mutants targeting the observed Csa3Sso•cA4 structural interface, we identified a Csa3-specific cA4 binding motif distinct from a more widely conserved cOA-binding CARF motif. Using a rational surface engineering approach, we increased the cA4 binding affinity of Csa3Sso up to ∼145-fold over the wildtype, which has potential applications for future second messenger-driven CRISPR gene expression and editing systems. Our in-solution Csa3Sso structural analysis identified cA4-induced allosteric and asymmetric conformational rearrangement of its C-terminal winged helix-turn-helix effector domains, which could potentially be incompatible to DNA binding. However, specific in vitro binding of the purified Csa3Sso to its putative promoter (PCas4a) was found to be cA4 independent, suggesting a complex mode of Csa3Sso regulation. Overall, our results support cA4-and Csa3-mediated cross talk between type III and type I CRISPR systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengjun Xia
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Anirudha Dutta
- Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Kushol Gupta
- The Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mona Batish
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA; Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Vijay Parashar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA; Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.
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44
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Pan S, Zhang H. Discovery in CRISPR-Cas9 system. ZHONG NAN DA XUE XUE BAO. YI XUE BAN = JOURNAL OF CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY. MEDICAL SCIENCES 2021; 46:1392-1402. [PMID: 35232910 PMCID: PMC10930580 DOI: 10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2021.210169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the American scientist Jennifer A. Doudna and the French scientist Emmanuelle Charpentier, in recognition of their discovery in one of the greatest weapons in genetic technology: CRISPR-Cas9 gene scissors. The CRISPR-Cas system is a bacterial defense immune system against exogenous genetic material. Because the system can specifically recognize and cut DNA, this technology is widely used for precise editing of animal, plant, and microbial DNA. The discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 gene scissors enables the tedious and complicated cell gene editing work to be completed in a few weeks or even less, which has promoted the development of gene editing technology in various fields and brought revolutionary influence to the field of life sciences. At the same time, CRISPR gene editing technology has become one of the new therapies for tumors because of its large number of targets and relatively simple operation, and it also makes gene therapy possible. Although the technology still needs to solve technical problems such as off-target and promoter inefficiency, the CRISPR-Cas system will show its unique advantages in more fields with the continuous development of life science and basic medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaowei Pan
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
| | - Huali Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
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45
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Charbonneau AA, Eckert DM, Gauvin CC, Lintner NG, Lawrence CM. Cyclic Tetra-Adenylate (cA 4) Recognition by Csa3; Implications for an Integrated Class 1 CRISPR-Cas Immune Response in Saccharolobus solfataricus. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11121852. [PMID: 34944496 PMCID: PMC8699464 DOI: 10.3390/biom11121852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Csa3 family transcription factors are ancillary CRISPR-associated proteins composed of N-terminal CARF domains and C-terminal winged helix-turn-helix domains. The activity of Csa3 transcription factors is thought to be controlled by cyclic oligoadenyate (cOA) second messengers produced by type III CRISPR-Cas surveillance complexes. Here we show that Saccharolobus solfataricus Csa3a recognizes cyclic tetra-adenylate (cA4) and that Csa3a lacks self-regulating "ring nuclease" activity present in some other CARF domain proteins. The crystal structure of the Csa3a/cA4 complex was also determined and the structural and thermodynamic basis for cA4 recognition are described, as are conformational changes in Csa3a associated with cA4 binding. We also characterized the effect of cA4 on recognition of putative DNA binding sites. Csa3a binds to putative promoter sequences in a nonspecific, cooperative and cA4-independent manner, suggesting a more complex mode of transcriptional regulation. We conclude the Csa3a/cA4 interaction represents a nexus between the type I and type III CRISPR-Cas systems present in S. solfataricus, and discuss the role of the Csa3/cA4 interaction in coordinating different arms of this integrated class 1 immune system to mount a synergistic, highly orchestrated immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A. Charbonneau
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.A.C.); (C.C.G.); (N.G.L.)
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Debra M. Eckert
- School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA;
| | - Colin C. Gauvin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.A.C.); (C.C.G.); (N.G.L.)
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Nathanael G. Lintner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.A.C.); (C.C.G.); (N.G.L.)
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - C. Martin Lawrence
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.A.C.); (C.C.G.); (N.G.L.)
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-406-994-5382
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46
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Dadashi M, Chen L, Nasimian A, Ghavami S, Duan K. Putative RNA Ligase RtcB Affects the Switch between T6SS and T3SS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12561. [PMID: 34830443 PMCID: PMC8619066 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a significant cause of infection in immunocompromised individuals, cystic fibrosis patients, and burn victims. To benefit its survival, the bacterium adapt to either a motile or sessile lifestyle when infecting the host. The motile bacterium has an often activated type III secretion system (T3SS), which is virulent to the host, whereas the sessile bacterium harbors an active T6SS and lives in biofilms. Regulatory pathways involving Gac-Rsm or secondary messengers such as c-di-GMP determine which lifestyle is favorable for P. aeruginosa. Here, we introduce the RNA binding protein RtcB as a modulator of the switch between motile and sessile bacterial lifestyles. Using the wild-type P. aeruginosa PAO1, and a retS mutant PAO1(∆retS) in which T3SS is repressed and T6SS active, we show that deleting rtcB led to simultaneous expression of T3SS and T6SS in both PAO1(∆rtcB) and PAO1(∆rtcB∆retS). The deletion of rtcB also increased biofilm formation in PAO1(∆rtcB) and restored the motility of PAO1(∆rtcB∆retS). RNA-sequencing data suggested RtcB as a global modulator affecting multiple virulence factors, including bacterial secretion systems. Competitive killing and infection assays showed that the three T6SS systems (H1, H2, and H3) in PAO1(∆rtcB) were activated into a functional syringe, and could compete with Escherichia coli and effectively infect lettuce. Western blotting and RT-PCR results showed that RtcB probably exerted its function through RsmA in PAO1(∆rtcB∆retS). Quantification of c-di-GMP showed an elevated intracellular levels in PAO1(∆rtcB), which likely drove the switch between T6SS and T3SS, and contributed to the altered phenotypes and characteristics observed. Our data demonstrate a pivotal role of RtcB in the virulence of P. aeruginosa by controlling multiple virulence determinants, such as biofilm formation, motility, pyocyanin production, T3SS, and T6SS secretion systems towards eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. These findings suggest RtcB as a potential target for controlling P. aeruginosa colonization, establishment, and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Dadashi
- Department of Oral Biology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W2, Canada;
| | - Lin Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China;
| | - Ahmad Nasimian
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W2, Canada; (A.N.); (S.G.)
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W2, Canada; (A.N.); (S.G.)
| | - Kangmin Duan
- Department of Oral Biology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W2, Canada;
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W2, Canada
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47
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Payne LJ, Todeschini TC, Wu Y, Perry BJ, Ronson C, Fineran P, Nobrega F, Jackson S. Identification and classification of antiviral defence systems in bacteria and archaea with PADLOC reveals new system types. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:10868-10878. [PMID: 34606606 PMCID: PMC8565338 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To provide protection against viral infection and limit the uptake of mobile genetic elements, bacteria and archaea have evolved many diverse defence systems. The discovery and application of CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems has spurred recent interest in the identification and classification of new types of defence systems. Many new defence systems have recently been reported but there is a lack of accessible tools available to identify homologs of these systems in different genomes. Here, we report the Prokaryotic Antiviral Defence LOCator (PADLOC), a flexible and scalable open-source tool for defence system identification. With PADLOC, defence system genes are identified using HMM-based homologue searches, followed by validation of system completeness using gene presence/absence and synteny criteria specified by customisable system classifications. We show that PADLOC identifies defence systems with high accuracy and sensitivity. Our modular approach to organising the HMMs and system classifications allows additional defence systems to be easily integrated into the PADLOC database. To demonstrate application of PADLOC to biological questions, we used PADLOC to identify six new subtypes of known defence systems and a putative novel defence system comprised of a helicase, methylase and ATPase. PADLOC is available as a standalone package (https://github.com/padlocbio/padloc) and as a webserver (https://padloc.otago.ac.nz).
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Affiliation(s)
- Leighton J Payne
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Thomas C Todeschini
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Yi Wu
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Benjamin J Perry
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Clive W Ronson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Peter C Fineran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Franklin L Nobrega
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Simon A Jackson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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48
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Picton DM, Luyten YA, Morgan RD, Nelson A, Smith DL, Dryden DTF, Hinton JCD, Blower TR. The phage defence island of a multidrug resistant plasmid uses both BREX and type IV restriction for complementary protection from viruses. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:11257-11273. [PMID: 34657954 PMCID: PMC8565348 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved a multitude of systems to prevent invasion by bacteriophages and other mobile genetic elements. Comparative genomics suggests that genes encoding bacterial defence mechanisms are often clustered in 'defence islands', providing a concerted level of protection against a wider range of attackers. However, there is a comparative paucity of information on functional interplay between multiple defence systems. Here, we have functionally characterised a defence island from a multidrug resistant plasmid of the emerging pathogen Escherichia fergusonii. Using a suite of thirty environmentally-isolated coliphages, we demonstrate multi-layered and robust phage protection provided by a plasmid-encoded defence island that expresses both a type I BREX system and the novel GmrSD-family type IV DNA modification-dependent restriction enzyme, BrxU. We present the structure of BrxU to 2.12 Å, the first structure of the GmrSD family of enzymes, and show that BrxU can utilise all common nucleotides and a wide selection of metals to cleave a range of modified DNAs. Additionally, BrxU undergoes a multi-step reaction cycle instigated by an unexpected ATP-dependent shift from an intertwined dimer to monomers. This direct evidence that bacterial defence islands can mediate complementary layers of phage protection enhances our understanding of the ever-expanding nature of phage-bacterial interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Picton
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Yvette A Luyten
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | | | - Andrew Nelson
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of Northumbria, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Darren L Smith
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of Northumbria, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - David T F Dryden
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Jay C D Hinton
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Tim R Blower
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
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49
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Kolesnik MV, Fedorova I, Karneyeva KA, Artamonova DN, Severinov KV. Type III CRISPR-Cas Systems: Deciphering the Most Complex Prokaryotic Immune System. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2021; 86:1301-1314. [PMID: 34903162 PMCID: PMC8527444 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921100114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The emergence and persistence of selfish genetic elements is an intrinsic feature of all living systems. Cellular organisms have evolved a plethora of elaborate defense systems that limit the spread of such genetic parasites. CRISPR-Cas are RNA-guided defense systems used by prokaryotes to recognize and destroy foreign nucleic acids. These systems acquire and store fragments of foreign nucleic acids and utilize the stored sequences as guides to recognize and destroy genetic invaders. CRISPR-Cas systems have been extensively studied, as some of them are used in various genome editing technologies. Although Type III CRISPR-Cas systems are among the most common CRISPR-Cas systems, they are also some of the least investigated ones, mostly due to the complexity of their action compared to other CRISPR-Cas system types. Type III effector complexes specifically recognize and cleave RNA molecules. The recognition of the target RNA activates the effector large subunit - the so-called CRISPR polymerase - which cleaves DNA and produces small cyclic oligonucleotides that act as signaling molecules to activate auxiliary effectors, notably non-specific RNases. In this review, we provide a historical overview of the sometimes meandering pathway of the Type III CRISPR research. We also review the current data on the structures and activities of Type III CRISPR-Cas systems components, their biological roles, and evolutionary history. Finally, using structural modeling with AlphaFold2, we show that the archaeal HRAMP signature protein, which heretofore has had no assigned function, is a degenerate relative of Type III CRISPR-Cas signature protein Cas10, suggesting that HRAMP systems have descended from Type III CRISPR-Cas systems or their ancestors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matvey V Kolesnik
- Center of Life Science, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205, Russia.
| | - Iana Fedorova
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, 195251, Russia.
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Karyna A Karneyeva
- Center of Life Science, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205, Russia.
| | - Daria N Artamonova
- Center of Life Science, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205, Russia.
| | - Konstantin V Severinov
- Center of Life Science, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205, Russia.
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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50
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van Beljouw SPB, Haagsma AC, Rodríguez-Molina A, van den Berg DF, Vink JNA, Brouns SJJ. The gRAMP CRISPR-Cas effector is an RNA endonuclease complexed with a caspase-like peptidase. Science 2021; 373:1349-1353. [PMID: 34446442 DOI: 10.1126/science.abk2718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam P B van Beljouw
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Anna C Haagsma
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Alicia Rodríguez-Molina
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Daan F van den Berg
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Jochem N A Vink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Stan J J Brouns
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.,Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, Netherlands
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