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Hu WF, Yang JY, Wang JJ, Yuan SF, Yue XJ, Zhang Z, Zhang YQ, Meng JY, Li YZ. Characteristics and immune functions of the endogenous CRISPR-Cas systems in myxobacteria. mSystems 2024; 9:e0121023. [PMID: 38747603 PMCID: PMC11237760 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01210-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and their associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) system widely occurs in prokaryotic organisms to recognize and destruct genetic invaders. Systematic collation and characterization of endogenous CRISPR-Cas systems are conducive to our understanding and potential utilization of this natural genetic machinery. In this study, we screened 39 complete and 692 incomplete genomes of myxobacteria using a combined strategy to dispose of the abridged genome information and revealed at least 19 CRISPR-Cas subtypes, which were distributed with a taxonomic difference and often lost stochastically in intraspecies strains. The cas genes in each subtype were evolutionarily clustered but deeply separated, while most of the CRISPRs were divided into four types based on the motif characteristics of repeat sequences. The spacers recorded in myxobacterial CRISPRs were in high G+C content, matching lots of phages, tiny amounts of plasmids, and, surprisingly, massive organismic genomes. We experimentally demonstrated the immune and self-target immune activities of three endogenous systems in Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 against artificial genetic invaders and revealed the microhomology-mediated end-joining mechanism for the immunity-induced DNA repair but not homology-directed repair. The panoramic view and immune activities imply potential omnipotent immune functions and applications of the endogenous CRISPR-Cas machinery. IMPORTANCE Serving as an adaptive immune system, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and their associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) empower prokaryotes to fend off the intrusion of external genetic materials. Myxobacteria are a collective of swarming Gram-stain-negative predatory bacteria distinguished by intricate multicellular social behavior. An in-depth analysis of their intrinsic CRISPR-Cas systems is beneficial for our understanding of the survival strategies employed by host cells within their environmental niches. Moreover, the experimental findings presented in this study not only suggest the robust immune functions of CRISPR-Cas in myxobacteria but also their potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Feng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jiang-Yu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing-Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shu-Fei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xin-Jing Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ya-Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jun-Yan Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yue-Zhong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
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2
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Saha S, Kroos L. Regulation of late-acting operons by three transcription factors and a CRISPR-Cas component during Myxococcus xanthus development. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:1002-1020. [PMID: 38525557 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15252] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Upon starvation, rod-shaped Myxococcus xanthus bacteria form mounds and then differentiate into round, stress-resistant spores. Little is known about the regulation of late-acting operons important for spore formation. C-signaling has been proposed to activate FruA, which binds DNA cooperatively with MrpC to stimulate transcription of developmental genes. We report that this model can explain regulation of the fadIJ operon involved in spore metabolism, but not that of the spore coat biogenesis operons exoA-I, exoL-P, and nfsA-H. Rather, a mutation in fruA increased the transcript levels from these operons early in development, suggesting negative regulation by FruA, and a mutation in mrpC affected transcript levels from each operon differently. FruA bound to all four promoter regions in vitro, but strikingly each promoter region was unique in terms of whether or not MrpC and/or the DNA-binding domain of Nla6 bound, and in terms of cooperative binding. Furthermore, the DevI component of a CRISPR-Cas system is a negative regulator of all four operons, based on transcript measurements. Our results demonstrate complex regulation of sporulation genes by three transcription factors and a CRISPR-Cas component, which we propose produces spores suited to withstand starvation and environmental insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Saha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Lee Kroos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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3
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Murphy P, Comstock J, Khan T, Zhang J, Welch R, Igoshin OA. Cell behaviors underlying Myxococcus xanthus aggregate dispersal. mSystems 2023; 8:e0042523. [PMID: 37747885 PMCID: PMC10654071 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00425-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Understanding the processes behind bacterial biofilm formation, maintenance, and dispersal is essential for addressing their effects on health and ecology. Within these multicellular communities, various cues can trigger differentiation into distinct cell types, allowing cells to adapt to their specific local environment. The soil bacterium Myxococcus xanthus forms biofilms in response to starvation, marked by cells aggregating into mounds. Some aggregates persist as spore-filled fruiting bodies, while others disperse after initial formation for unknown reasons. Here, we use a combination of cell tracking analysis and computational simulations to identify behaviors at the cellular level that contribute to aggregate dispersal. Our results suggest that cells in aggregates actively determine whether to disperse or persist and undergo a transition to sporulation based on a self-produced cue related to the aggregate size. Identifying these cues is an important step in understanding and potentially manipulating bacterial cell-fate decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Murphy
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Theoretical Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jessica Comstock
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Trosporsha Khan
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Jiangguo Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Theoretical Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Roy Welch
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Oleg A. Igoshin
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Theoretical Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
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4
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Soto MJ, Pérez J, Muñoz-Dorado J, Contreras-Moreno FJ, Moraleda-Muñoz A. Transcriptomic response of Sinorhizobium meliloti to the predatory attack of Myxococcus xanthus. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1213659. [PMID: 37405170 PMCID: PMC10315480 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1213659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial predation impacts microbial community structures, which can have both positive and negative effects on plant and animal health and on environmental sustainability. Myxococcus xanthus is an epibiotic soil predator with a broad range of prey, including Sinorhizobium meliloti, which establishes nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with legumes. During the M. xanthus-S. meliloti interaction, the predator must adapt its transcriptome to kill and lyse the target (predatosome), and the prey must orchestrate a transcriptional response (defensome) to protect itself against the biotic stress caused by the predatory attack. Here, we describe the transcriptional changes taking place in S. meliloti in response to myxobacterial predation. The results indicate that the predator induces massive changes in the prey transcriptome with up-regulation of protein synthesis and secretion, energy generation, and fatty acid (FA) synthesis, while down-regulating genes required for FA degradation and carbohydrate transport and metabolism. The reconstruction of up-regulated pathways suggests that S. meliloti modifies the cell envelop by increasing the production of different surface polysaccharides (SPSs) and membrane lipids. Besides the barrier role of SPSs, additional mechanisms involving the activity of efflux pumps and the peptide uptake transporter BacA, together with the production of H2O2 and formaldehyde have been unveiled. Also, the induction of the iron-uptake machinery in both predator and prey reflects a strong competition for this metal. With this research we complete the characterization of the complex transcriptional changes that occur during the M. xanthus-S. meliloti interaction, which can impact the establishment of beneficial symbiosis with legumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Soto
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Protección Ambiental, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Juana Pérez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - José Muñoz-Dorado
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Aurelio Moraleda-Muñoz
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
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5
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Dong H, Gao R, Dong Y, Yao Q, Zhu H. Whole-genome sequencing of a biocontrol Myxococcus xanthus R31 isolate and comparative genomic analysis. Gene 2023; 863:147286. [PMID: 36804855 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Tomato bacterial wilt (TBW) caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the most destructive soil-borne diseases. Myxococcus xanthus R31, isolated from healthy tomato rhizosphere soil using the R. solanacearum baiting method, exhibiting good biocontrol efficacy against TBW. However, the genomic information and evolutionary features of R31 are largely unclear. Here, the high-quality genome assembly of R31 was presented. Using Nanopore sequencing technology, we assembled the 9.25 Mb complete genome of R31 and identified several extracellular enzyme proteins, including carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and peptidases. We also performed a comparative genome analysis of R31 and 17 other strains of M. xanthus with genome sequences in the NCBI database to gain insights into myxobacteria predation and genome size expansion. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization calculation and phylogenetic analysis indicated that R31 was closely related to the species M. xanthus. Further comparative genomics analysis suggested that, in addition to characteristics of predatory microorganisms, R31 contains many strain-specific genes, which may provide a genetic basis for its proficient predatory ability. This study provides new insights into R31 and other closely related species and facilitates studies using genetic approaches to further elucidate the predation mechanism of myxobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghong Dong
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiome (MARA), State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Microbial Culture Collection Center (GDMCC), Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Ruixiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiome (MARA), State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Microbial Culture Collection Center (GDMCC), Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yijie Dong
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiome (MARA), State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Microbial Culture Collection Center (GDMCC), Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Qing Yao
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Honghui Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiome (MARA), State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Microbial Culture Collection Center (GDMCC), Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China.
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6
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A Diverged Transcriptional Network for Usage of Two Fe-S Cluster Biogenesis Machineries in the Delta-Proteobacterium Myxococcus xanthus. mBio 2023; 14:e0300122. [PMID: 36656032 PMCID: PMC9973013 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03001-22] [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] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Myxococcus xanthus possesses two Fe-S cluster biogenesis machineries, ISC (iron-sulfur cluster) and SUF (sulfur mobilization). Here, we show that in comparison to the phylogenetically distant Enterobacteria, which also have both machineries, M. xanthus evolved an independent transcriptional scheme to coordinately regulate the expression of these machineries. This transcriptional response is directed by RisR, which we show to belong to a phylogenetically distant and biochemically distinct subgroup of the Rrf2 transcription factor family, in comparison to IscR that regulates the isc and suf operons in Enterobacteria. We report that RisR harbors an Fe-S cluster and that holo-RisR acts as a repressor of both the isc and suf operons, in contrast to Escherichia coli, where holo-IscR represses the isc operon whereas apo-IscR activates the suf operon. In addition, we establish that the nature of the cluster and the DNA binding sites of RisR, in the isc and suf operons, diverge from those of IscR. We further show that in M. xanthus, the two machineries appear to be fully interchangeable in maintaining housekeeping levels of Fe-S cluster biogenesis and in synthesizing the Fe-S cluster for their common regulator, RisR. We also demonstrate that in response to oxidative stress and iron limitation, transcriptional upregulation of the M. xanthus isc and suf operons was mediated solely by RisR and that the contribution of the SUF machinery was greater than the ISC machinery. Altogether, these findings shed light on the diversity of homeostatic mechanisms exploited by bacteria to coordinately use two Fe-S cluster biogenesis machineries. IMPORTANCE Fe-S proteins are ubiquitous and control a wide variety of key biological processes; therefore, maintaining Fe-S cluster homeostasis is an essential task for all organisms. Here, we provide the first example of how a bacterium from the Deltaproteobacteria branch coordinates expression of two Fe-S cluster biogenesis machineries. The results revealed a new model of coordination, highlighting the unique and common features that have independently emerged in phylogenetically distant bacteria to maintain Fe-S cluster homeostasis in response to environmental changes. Regulation is orchestrated by a previously uncharacterized transcriptional regulator, RisR, belonging to the Rrf2 superfamily, whose members are known to sense diverse environmental stresses frequently encountered by bacteria. Understanding how M. xanthus maintains Fe-S cluster homeostasis via RisR regulation revealed a strategy reflective of the aerobic lifestyle of this organsim. This new knowledge also paves the way to improve production of Fe-S-dependent secondary metabolites using M. xanthus as a chassis.
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7
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Corona Ramírez A, Lee KS, Odriozola A, Kaminek M, Stocker R, Zuber B, Junier P. Multiple roads lead to Rome: unique morphology and chemistry of endospores, exospores, myxospores, cysts and akinetes in bacteria. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169. [PMID: 36804869 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
The production of specialized resting cells is a remarkable survival strategy developed by many organisms to withstand unfavourable environmental factors such as nutrient depletion or other changes in abiotic and/or biotic conditions. Five bacterial taxa are recognized to form specialized resting cells: Firmicutes, forming endospores; Actinobacteria, forming exospores; Cyanobacteria, forming akinetes; the δ-Proteobacterial order Myxococcales, forming myxospores; and Azotobacteraceae, forming cysts. All these specialized resting cells are characterized by low-to-absent metabolic activity and higher resistance to environmental stress (desiccation, heat, starvation, etc.) when compared to vegetative cells. Given their similarity in function, we tested the potential existence of a universal morpho-chemical marker for identifying these specialized resting cells. After the production of endospores, exospores, akinetes and cysts in model organisms, we performed the first cross-species morphological and chemical comparison of bacterial sporulation. Cryo-electron microscopy of vitreous sections (CEMOVIS) was used to describe near-native morphology of the resting cells in comparison to the morphology of their respective vegetative cells. Resting cells shared a thicker cell envelope as their only common morphological feature. The chemical composition of the different specialized resting cells at the single-cell level was investigated using confocal Raman microspectroscopy. Our results show that the different specialized cells do not share a common chemical signature, but rather each group has a unique signature with a variable conservation of the signature of the vegetative cells. Additionally, we present the validation of Raman signatures associated with calcium dipicolinic acid (CaDPA) and their variation across individual cells to develop specific sorting thresholds for the isolation of endospores. This provides a proof of concept of the feasibility of isolating bacterial spores using a Raman-activated cell-sorting platform. This cross-species comparison and the current knowledge of genetic pathways inducing the formation of the resting cells highlights the complexity of this convergent evolutionary strategy promoting bacterial survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Corona Ramírez
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Kang Soo Lee
- Department of Civil, Institute for Environmental Engineering, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Marek Kaminek
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roman Stocker
- Department of Civil, Institute for Environmental Engineering, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benoît Zuber
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Pilar Junier
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
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8
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Saïdi F, Mahanta U, Panda A, Kezzo AA, Jolivet NY, Bitazar R, John G, Martinez M, Mellouk A, Calmettes C, Chang YW, Sharma G, Islam ST. Bacterial Outer Membrane Polysaccharide Export (OPX) Proteins Occupy Three Structural Classes with Selective β-Barrel Porin Requirements for Polymer Secretion. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0129022. [PMID: 36200915 PMCID: PMC9603273 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01290-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Secretion of high-molecular-weight polysaccharides across the bacterial envelope is ubiquitous, as it enhances prokaryotic survival in (a)biotic settings. Such polymers are often assembled by Wzx/Wzy- or ABC transporter-dependent schemes implicating outer membrane (OM) polysaccharide export (OPX) proteins in cell-surface polymer translocation. In the social predatory bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, the exopolysaccharide (EPS) pathway WzaX, major spore coat (MASC) pathway WzaS, and biosurfactant polysaccharide (BPS) pathway WzaB were herein found to be truncated OPX homologues of Escherichia coli Wza lacking OM-spanning α-helices. Comparative genomics across all bacteria (>91,000 OPX proteins identified and analyzed), complemented with cryo-electron tomography cell-envelope analyses, revealed such "truncated" WzaX/S/B architecture to be the most common among three defined OPX-protein structural classes independent of periplasm thickness. Fold recognition and deep learning revealed the conserved M. xanthus proteins MXAN_7418/3226/1916 (encoded beside wzaX/S/B, respectively) to be integral OM β-barrels, with structural homology to the poly-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine synthase-dependent pathway porin PgaA. Such bacterial porins were identified near numerous genes for all three OPX protein classes. Interior MXAN_7418/3226/1916 β-barrel electrostatics were found to match properties of their associated polymers. With MXAN_3226 essential for MASC export, and MXAN_7418 herein shown to mediate EPS translocation, we have designated this new secretion machinery component "Wzp" (i.e., Wz porin), with the final step of M. xanthus EPS/MASC/BPS secretion across the OM now proposed to be mediated by WzpX/S/B (i.e., MXAN_7418/3226/1916). Importantly, these data support a novel and widespread secretion paradigm for polysaccharide biosynthesis pathways in which those containing OPX components that cannot span the OM instead utilize β-barrel porins to mediate polysaccharide transport across the OM. IMPORTANCE Diverse bacteria assemble and secrete polysaccharides that alter their physiologies through modulation of motility, biofilm formation, and host immune system evasion. Most such pathways require outer membrane (OM) polysaccharide export (OPX) proteins for sugar-polymer transport to the cell surface. In the prototypic Escherichia coli Group-1-capsule biosynthesis system, eight copies of this canonical OPX protein cross the OM with an α-helix, forming a polysaccharide-export pore. Herein, we instead reveal that most OPX proteins across all bacteria lack this α-helix, raising questions as to the manner by which most secreted polysaccharides actually exit cells. In the model developmental bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, we show this process to depend on OPX-coupled OM-spanning β-barrel porins, with similar porins encoded near numerous OPX genes in diverse bacteria. Knowledge of the terminal polysaccharide secretion step will enable development of antimicrobial compounds targeted to blocking polymer export from outside the cell, thus bypassing any requirements for antimicrobial compound uptake by the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fares Saïdi
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Utkarsha Mahanta
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Adyasha Panda
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Ahmad A. Kezzo
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nicolas Y. Jolivet
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Razieh Bitazar
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gavin John
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Matthew Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Abdelkader Mellouk
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Charles Calmettes
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yi-Wei Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gaurav Sharma
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Salim T. Islam
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
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9
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Saïdi F, Gamboa Marin OJ, Veytia-Bucheli JI, Vinogradov E, Ravicoularamin G, Jolivet NY, Kezzo AA, Ramirez Esquivel E, Panda A, Sharma G, Vincent S, Gauthier C, Islam ST. Evaluation of Azido 3-Deoxy-d- manno-oct-2-ulosonic Acid (Kdo) Analogues for Click Chemistry-Mediated Metabolic Labeling of Myxococcus xanthus DZ2 Lipopolysaccharide. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:34997-35013. [PMID: 36211050 PMCID: PMC9535733 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c03711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic labeling paired with click chemistry is a powerful approach for selectively imaging the surfaces of diverse bacteria. Herein, we explored the feasibility of labeling the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Myxococcus xanthus-a Gram-negative predatory social bacterium known to display complex outer membrane (OM) dynamics-via growth in the presence of distinct azido (-N3) analogues of 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo). Determination of the LPS carbohydrate structure from strain DZ2 revealed the presence of one Kdo sugar in the core oligosaccharide, modified with phosphoethanolamine. The production of 8-azido-8-deoxy-Kdo (8-N3-Kdo) was then greatly improved over previous reports via optimization of the synthesis of its 5-azido-5-deoxy-d-arabinose precursor to yield gram amounts. The novel analogue 7-azido-7-deoxy-Kdo (7-N3-Kdo) was also synthesized, with both analogues capable of undergoing in vitro strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) "click" chemistry reactions. Slower and faster growth of M. xanthus was displayed in the presence of 8-N3-Kdo and 7-N3-Kdo (respectively) compared to untreated cells, with differences also seen for single-cell gliding motility and type IV pilus-dependent swarm community expansion. While the surfaces of 8-N3-Kdo-grown cells were fluorescently labeled following treatment with dibenzocyclooctyne-linked fluorophores, the surfaces of 7-N3-Kdo-grown cells could not undergo fluorescent tagging. Activity analysis of the KdsB enzyme required to activate Kdo prior to its integration into nascent LPS molecules revealed that while 8-N3-Kdo is indeed a substrate of the enzyme, 7-N3-Kdo is not. Though a lack of M. xanthus cell aggregation was shown to expedite growth in liquid culture, 7-N3-Kdo-grown cells did not manifest differences in intrinsic clumping relative to untreated cells, suggesting that 7-N3-Kdo may instead be catabolized by the cells. Ultimately, these data provide important insights into the synthesis and cellular processing of valuable metabolic labels and establish a basis for the elucidation of fundamental principles of OM dynamism in live bacterial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fares Saïdi
- Institut
National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)−Centre Armand-Frappier
Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Université
du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
- PROTEO,
the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering,
and Applications, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Oscar Javier Gamboa Marin
- Institut
National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)−Centre Armand-Frappier
Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Université
du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
- Unité
Mixte de Recherche INRS-UQAC, INRS−Centre AFSB, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
(UQAC), Chicoutimi, Quebec G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - José Ignacio Veytia-Bucheli
- Department
of Chemistry, Laboratory of Bio-Organic Chemistry−Namur Research
Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University
of Namur (UNamur), Namur 5000, Belgium
| | - Evgeny Vinogradov
- Vaccine
Program, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Gokulakrishnan Ravicoularamin
- Institut
National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)−Centre Armand-Frappier
Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Université
du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
- Unité
Mixte de Recherche INRS-UQAC, INRS−Centre AFSB, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
(UQAC), Chicoutimi, Quebec G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - Nicolas Y. Jolivet
- Institut
National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)−Centre Armand-Frappier
Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Université
du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
- PROTEO,
the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering,
and Applications, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Ahmad A. Kezzo
- Institut
National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)−Centre Armand-Frappier
Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Université
du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
- PROTEO,
the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering,
and Applications, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Eric Ramirez Esquivel
- Institut
National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)−Centre Armand-Frappier
Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Université
du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
- PROTEO,
the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering,
and Applications, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Adyasha Panda
- Institute
of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, Karnataka 560100, India
| | - Gaurav Sharma
- Institute
of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, Karnataka 560100, India
| | - Stéphane
P. Vincent
- Department
of Chemistry, Laboratory of Bio-Organic Chemistry−Namur Research
Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University
of Namur (UNamur), Namur 5000, Belgium
| | - Charles Gauthier
- Institut
National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)−Centre Armand-Frappier
Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Université
du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
- Unité
Mixte de Recherche INRS-UQAC, INRS−Centre AFSB, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
(UQAC), Chicoutimi, Quebec G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - Salim T. Islam
- Institut
National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)−Centre Armand-Frappier
Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Université
du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada
- PROTEO,
the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering,
and Applications, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada
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10
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Pérez J, Contreras-Moreno FJ, Muñoz-Dorado J, Moraleda-Muñoz A. Development versus predation: Transcriptomic changes during the lifecycle of Myxococcus xanthus. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1004476. [PMID: 36225384 PMCID: PMC9548883 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1004476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxococcus xanthus is a multicellular bacterium with a complex lifecycle. It is a soil-dwelling predator that preys on a wide variety of microorganisms by using a group and collaborative epibiotic strategy. In the absence of nutrients this myxobacterium enters in a unique developmental program by using sophisticated and complex regulatory systems where more than 1,400 genes are transcriptional regulated to guide the community to aggregate into macroscopic fruiting bodies filled of environmentally resistant myxospores. Herein, we analyze the predatosome of M. xanthus, that is, the transcriptomic changes that the predator undergoes when encounters a prey. This study has been carried out using as a prey Sinorhizobium meliloti, a nitrogen fixing bacteria very important for the fertility of soils. The transcriptional changes include upregulation of genes that help the cells to detect, kill, lyse, and consume the prey, but also downregulation of genes not required for the predatory process. Our results have shown that, as expected, many genes encoding hydrolytic enzymes and enzymes involved in biosynthesis of secondary metabolites increase their expression levels. Moreover, it has been found that the predator modifies its lipid composition and overproduces siderophores to take up iron. Comparison with developmental transcriptome reveals that M. xanthus downregulates the expression of a significant number of genes coding for regulatory elements, many of which have been demonstrated to be key elements during development. This study shows for the first time a global view of the M. xanthus lifecycle from a transcriptome perspective.
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11
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La Fortezza M, Rendueles O, Keller H, Velicer GJ. Hidden paths to endless forms most wonderful: ecology latently shapes evolution of multicellular development in predatory bacteria. Commun Biol 2022; 5:977. [PMID: 36114258 PMCID: PMC9481553 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03912-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractEcological causes of developmental evolution, for example from predation, remain much investigated, but the potential importance of latent phenotypes in eco-evo-devo has received little attention. Using the predatory bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, which undergoes aggregative fruiting body development upon starvation, we tested whether adaptation to distinct growth environments that do not induce development latently alters developmental phenotypes under starvation conditions that do induce development. In an evolution experiment named MyxoEE-3, growing M. xanthus populations swarmed across agar surfaces while adapting to conditions varying at factors such as surface stiffness or prey identity. Such ecological variation during growth was found to greatly impact the latent evolution of development, including fruiting body morphology, the degree of morphological trait correlation, reaction norms, degrees of developmental plasticity and stochastic diversification. For example, some prey environments promoted retention of developmental proficiency whereas others led to its systematic loss. Our results have implications for understanding evolutionary interactions among predation, development and motility in myxobacterial life cycles, and, more broadly, how ecology can profoundly shape the evolution of developmental systems latently rather than by direct selection on developmental features.
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12
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Tišma M, Panoukidou M, Antar H, Soh YM, Barth R, Pradhan B, Barth A, van der Torre J, Michieletto D, Gruber S, Dekker C. ParB proteins can bypass DNA-bound roadblocks via dimer-dimer recruitment. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn3299. [PMID: 35767606 PMCID: PMC9242446 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn3299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The ParABS system is essential for prokaryotic chromosome segregation. After loading at parS on the genome, ParB (partition protein B) proteins rapidly redistribute to distances of ~15 kilobases from the loading site. It has remained puzzling how this large-distance spreading can occur along DNA loaded with hundreds of proteins. Using in vitro single-molecule fluorescence imaging, we show that ParB from Bacillus subtilis can load onto DNA distantly of parS, as loaded ParB molecules themselves are found to be able to recruit additional ParB proteins from bulk. Notably, this recruitment can occur in cis but also in trans, where, at low tensions within the DNA, newly recruited ParB can bypass roadblocks as it gets loaded to spatially proximal but genomically distant DNA regions. The data are supported by molecular dynamics simulations, which show that cooperative ParB-ParB recruitment can enhance spreading. ParS-independent recruitment explains how ParB can cover substantial genomic distance during chromosome segregation, which is vital for the bacterial cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miloš Tišma
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Maria Panoukidou
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hammam Antar
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology (DMF), Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Young-Min Soh
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology (DMF), Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Roman Barth
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Biswajit Pradhan
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Anders Barth
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Jaco van der Torre
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Davide Michieletto
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stephan Gruber
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology (DMF), Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
- Corresponding author.
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13
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Padmanabhan S, Monera-Girona AJ, Pajares-Martínez E, Bastida-Martínez E, Del Rey Navalón I, Pérez-Castaño R, Galbis-Martínez ML, Fontes M, Elías-Arnanz M. Plasmalogens and Photooxidative Stress Signaling in Myxobacteria, and How it Unmasked CarF/TMEM189 as the Δ1'-Desaturase PEDS1 for Human Plasmalogen Biosynthesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:884689. [PMID: 35646900 PMCID: PMC9131029 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.884689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmalogens are glycerophospholipids with a hallmark sn-1 vinyl ether bond that endows them with unique physical-chemical properties. They have proposed biological roles in membrane organization, fluidity, signaling, and antioxidative functions, and abnormal plasmalogen levels correlate with various human pathologies, including cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. The presence of plasmalogens in animals and in anaerobic bacteria, but not in plants and fungi, is well-documented. However, their occurrence in the obligately aerobic myxobacteria, exceptional among aerobic bacteria, is often overlooked. Tellingly, discovery of the key desaturase indispensable for vinyl ether bond formation, and therefore fundamental in plasmalogen biogenesis, emerged from delving into how the soil myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus responds to light. A recent pioneering study unmasked myxobacterial CarF and its human ortholog TMEM189 as the long-sought plasmanylethanolamine desaturase (PEDS1), thus opening a crucial door to study plasmalogen biogenesis, functions, and roles in disease. The findings demonstrated the broad evolutionary sweep of the enzyme and also firmly established a specific signaling role for plasmalogens in a photooxidative stress response. Here, we will recount our take on this fascinating story and its implications, and review the current state of knowledge on plasmalogens, their biosynthesis and functions in the aerobic myxobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Padmanabhan
- Instituto de Química Física "Rocasolano", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio J Monera-Girona
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Área de Genética (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Elena Pajares-Martínez
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Área de Genética (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Eva Bastida-Martínez
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Área de Genética (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Irene Del Rey Navalón
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Área de Genética (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pérez-Castaño
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Área de Genética (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - María Luisa Galbis-Martínez
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Área de Genética (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Marta Fontes
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Área de Genética (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Montserrat Elías-Arnanz
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Área de Genética (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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14
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Eisner SA, Velicer GJ, Yu YTN. Mutation of rpoB Shifts the Nutrient Threshold Triggering Myxococcus Multicellular Development. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:817080. [PMID: 35359737 PMCID: PMC8963815 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.817080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to perceive and respond to environmental change is essential to all organisms. In response to nutrient depletion, cells of the soil-dwelling δ-proteobacterium Myxococcus xanthus undergo collective morphogenesis into multicellular fruiting bodies and transform into stress-resistant spores. This process is strictly regulated by gene networks that incorporate both inter- and intracellular signals. While commonly studied M. xanthus reference strains and some natural isolates undergo development only in nutrient-poor conditions, some lab mutants and other natural isolates commit to development at much higher nutrient levels, but mechanisms enabling such rich medium development remain elusive. Here we investigate the genetic basis of rich medium development in one mutant and find that a single amino acid change (S534L) in RpoB, the β-subunit of RNA polymerase, is responsible for the phenotype. Ectopic expression of the mutant rpoB allele was sufficient to induce nutrient-rich development. These results suggest that the universal bacterial transcription machinery bearing the altered β-subunit can relax regulation of developmental genes that are normally strictly controlled by the bacterial stringent response. Moreover, the mutation also pleiotropically mediates a tradeoff in fitness during vegetative growth between high vs. low nutrient conditions and generates resistance to exploitation by a developmental cheater. Our findings reveal a previously unknown connection between the universal transcription machinery and one of the most behaviorally complex responses to environmental stress found among bacteria.
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15
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Genomes of Novel Myxococcota Reveal Severely Curtailed Machineries for Predation and Cellular Differentiation. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0170621. [PMID: 34524899 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01706-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cultured Myxococcota are predominantly aerobic soil inhabitants, characterized by their highly coordinated predation and cellular differentiation capacities. Little is currently known regarding yet-uncultured Myxococcota from anaerobic, nonsoil habitats. We analyzed genomes representing one novel order (o__JAFGXQ01) and one novel family (f__JAFGIB01) in the Myxococcota from an anoxic freshwater spring (Zodletone Spring) in Oklahoma, USA. Compared to their soil counterparts, anaerobic Myxococcota possess smaller genomes and a smaller number of genes encoding biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), peptidases, one- and two-component signal transduction systems, and transcriptional regulators. Detailed analysis of 13 distinct pathways/processes crucial to predation and cellular differentiation revealed severely curtailed machineries, with the notable absence of homologs for key transcription factors (e.g., FruA and MrpC), outer membrane exchange receptor (TraA), and the majority of sporulation-specific and A-motility-specific genes. Further, machine learning approaches based on a set of 634 genes informative of social lifestyle predicted a nonsocial behavior for Zodletone Myxococcota. Metabolically, Zodletone Myxococcota genomes lacked aerobic respiratory capacities but carried genes suggestive of fermentation, dissimilatory nitrite reduction, and dissimilatory sulfate-reduction (in f_JAFGIB01) for energy acquisition. We propose that predation and cellular differentiation represent a niche adaptation strategy that evolved circa 500 million years ago (Mya) in response to the rise of soil as a distinct habitat on Earth. IMPORTANCE The phylum Myxococcota is a phylogenetically coherent bacterial lineage that exhibits unique social traits. Cultured Myxococcota are predominantly aerobic soil-dwelling microorganisms that are capable of predation and fruiting body formation. However, multiple yet-uncultured lineages within the Myxococcota have been encountered in a wide range of nonsoil, predominantly anaerobic habitats, and the metabolic capabilities, physiological preferences, and capacity of social behavior of such lineages remain unclear. Here, we analyzed genomes recovered from a metagenomic analysis of an anoxic freshwater spring in Oklahoma, USA, that represent novel, yet-uncultured, orders and families in the Myxococcota. The genomes appear to lack the characteristic hallmarks for social behavior encountered in Myxococcota genomes and displayed a significantly smaller genome size and a smaller number of genes encoding biosynthetic gene clusters, peptidases, signal transduction systems, and transcriptional regulators. Such perceived lack of social capacity was confirmed through detailed comparative genomic analysis of 13 pathways associated with Myxococcota social behavior, as well as the implementation of machine learning approaches to predict social behavior based on genome composition. Metabolically, these novel Myxococcota are predicted to be strict anaerobes, utilizing fermentation, nitrate reduction, and dissimilarity sulfate reduction for energy acquisition. Our results highlight the broad patterns of metabolic diversity within the yet-uncultured Myxococcota and suggest that the evolution of predation and fruiting body formation in the Myxococcota has occurred in response to soil formation as a distinct habitat on Earth.
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16
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McLoon AL, Boeck ME, Bruckskotten M, Keyel AC, Søgaard-Andersen L. Transcriptomic analysis of the Myxococcus xanthus FruA regulon, and comparative developmental transcriptomic analysis of two fruiting body forming species, Myxococcus xanthus and Myxococcus stipitatus. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:784. [PMID: 34724903 PMCID: PMC8561891 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08051-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Myxococcales are well known for their predatory and developmental social processes, and for the molecular complexity of regulation of these processes. Many species within this order have unusually large genomes compared to other bacteria, and their genomes have many genes that are unique to one specific sequenced species or strain. Here, we describe RNAseq based transcriptome analysis of the FruA regulon of Myxococcus xanthus and a comparative RNAseq analysis of two Myxococcus species, M. xanthus and Myxococcus stipitatus, as they respond to starvation and begin forming fruiting bodies. RESULTS We show that both species have large numbers of genes that are developmentally regulated, with over half the genome showing statistically significant changes in expression during development in each species. We also included a non-fruiting mutant of M. xanthus that is missing the transcriptional regulator FruA to identify the direct and indirect FruA regulon and to identify transcriptional changes that are specific to fruiting and not just the starvation response. We then identified Interpro gene ontologies and COG annotations that are significantly up- or down-regulated during development in each species. Our analyses support previous data for M. xanthus showing developmental upregulation of signal transduction genes, and downregulation of genes related to cell-cycle, translation, metabolism, and in some cases, DNA replication. Gene expression in M. stipitatus follows similar trends. Although not all specific genes show similar regulation patterns in both species, many critical developmental genes in M. xanthus have conserved expression patterns in M. stipitatus, and some groups of otherwise unstudied orthologous genes share expression patterns. CONCLUSIONS By identifying the FruA regulon and identifying genes that are similarly and uniquely regulated in two different species, this work provides a more complete picture of transcription during Myxococcus development. We also provide an R script to allow other scientists to mine our data for genes whose expression patterns match a user-selected gene of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L McLoon
- Biology Department, Siena College, Loudonville, NY, USA
| | - Max E Boeck
- Biology Department, Regis University, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Marc Bruckskotten
- Center of Medical Genetics and Human Genetics, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexander C Keyel
- Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Lotte Søgaard-Andersen
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.
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17
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Myxobacterial Genomics and Post-Genomics: A Review of Genome Biology, Genome Sequences and Related 'Omics Studies. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102143. [PMID: 34683464 PMCID: PMC8538405 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxobacteria are fascinating and complex microbes. They prey upon other members of the soil microbiome by secreting antimicrobial proteins and metabolites, and will undergo multicellular development if starved. The genome sequence of the model myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 was published in 2006 and 15 years later, 163 myxobacterial genome sequences have now been made public. This explosion in genomic data has enabled comparative genomics analyses to be performed across the taxon, providing important insights into myxobacterial gene conservation and evolution. The availability of myxobacterial genome sequences has allowed system-wide functional genomic investigations into entire classes of genes. It has also enabled post-genomic technologies to be applied to myxobacteria, including transcriptome analyses (microarrays and RNA-seq), proteome studies (gel-based and gel-free), investigations into protein–DNA interactions (ChIP-seq) and metabolism. Here, we review myxobacterial genome sequencing, and summarise the insights into myxobacterial biology that have emerged as a result. We also outline the application of functional genomics and post-genomic approaches in myxobacterial research, highlighting important findings to emerge from seminal studies. The review also provides a comprehensive guide to the genomic datasets available in mid-2021 for myxobacteria (including 24 genomes that we have sequenced and which are described here for the first time).
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18
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Abstract
Hsp70 proteins are among the most ubiquitous chaperones and play important roles in maintaining proteostasis and resisting environmental stress. Multiple copies of Hsp70s are widely present in eukaryotic cells with redundant and divergent functions, but they have been less well investigated in prokaryotes. Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 is annotated as having many hsp70 genes. In this study, we performed a bioinformatic analysis of Hsp70 proteins and investigated the functions of six hsp70 genes in DK1622, including two genes that encode proteins with the conserved PRK00290 domain (MXAN_3192 and MXAN_6671) and four genes that encode proteins with the cl35085 or cd10170 domain. We found that only MXAN_3192 is essential for cell survival and heat shock induction. MXAN_3192, compared with the other hsp70 genes, has a high transcriptional level, far exceeding that of any other hsp70 gene, which, however, is not the reason for its essentiality. Deletion of MXAN_6671 (sglK) led to multiple deficiencies in development, social motility, and oxidative resistance, while deletion of each of the other four hsp70 genes decreased sporulation and oxidative resistance. MXAN_3192 or sglK, but not the other genes, restored the growth deficiency of the E. colidnaK mutant. Our results demonstrated that the PRK00290 proteins play a central role in the complex cellular functions of M. xanthus, while the other diverse Hsp70 superfamily homologues probably evolved as helpers with some unknown specific functions. IMPORTANCE Hsp70 proteins are highly conserved chaperones that occur in all kingdoms of life. Multiple copies of Hsp70s are often present in genome-sequenced prokaryotes, especially taxa with complex life cycles, such as myxobacteria. We investigated the functions of six hsp70 genes in Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 and demonstrated that the two Hsp70 proteins with the PRK00290 domain play a central role in complex cellular functions in M. xanthus, while other Hsp70 proteins probably evolved as helpers with some unknown specific functions.
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19
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Zhang H, Venkatesan S, Nan B. Myxococcus xanthus as a Model Organism for Peptidoglycan Assembly and Bacterial Morphogenesis. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9050916. [PMID: 33923279 PMCID: PMC8144978 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9050916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental question in biology is how cell shapes are genetically encoded and enzymatically generated. Prevalent shapes among walled bacteria include spheres and rods. These shapes are chiefly determined by the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall. Bacterial division results in two daughter cells, whose shapes are predetermined by the mother. This makes it difficult to explore the origin of cell shapes in healthy bacteria. In this review, we argue that the Gram-negative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus is an ideal model for understanding PG assembly and bacterial morphogenesis, because it forms rods and spheres at different life stages. Rod-shaped vegetative cells of M. xanthus can thoroughly degrade their PG and form spherical spores. As these spores germinate, cells rebuild their PG and reestablish rod shape without preexisting templates. Such a unique sphere-to-rod transition provides a rare opportunity to visualize de novo PG assembly and rod-like morphogenesis in a well-established model organism.
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20
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Vos M. Myxococcus xanthus. Trends Microbiol 2021; 29:562-563. [PMID: 33795155 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michiel Vos
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
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21
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Sharma G, Yao AI, Smaldone GT, Liang J, Long M, Facciotti MT, Singer M. Global gene expression analysis of the Myxococcus xanthus developmental time course. Genomics 2020; 113:120-134. [PMID: 33276008 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
To accurately identify the genes and pathways involved in the initiation of the Myxococcus xanthus multicellular developmental program, we have previously reported a method of growing vegetative populations as biofilms within a controllable environment. Using a modified approach to remove up to ~90% rRNAs, we report a comprehensive transcriptional analysis of the M. xanthus developmental cycle while comparing it with the vegetative biofilms grown in rich and poor nutrients. This study identified 1522 differentially regulated genes distributed within eight clusters during development. It also provided a comprehensive overview of genes expressed during a nutrient-stress response, specific development time points, and during development initiation and regulation. We identified several differentially expressed genes involved in key central metabolic pathways suggesting their role in regulating myxobacterial development. Overall, this study will prove an important resource for myxobacterial researchers to delineate the regulatory and functional pathways responsible for development from those of the general nutrient stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Sharma
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California - Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America; Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Electronic City, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Andrew I Yao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America; Genome Center, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis CA 95616 Zymergen, Inc., Emeryville, CA, United States of America
| | - Gregory T Smaldone
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California - Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Liang
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California - Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Matt Long
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California - Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Marc T Facciotti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America; Genome Center, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis CA 95616 Zymergen, Inc., Emeryville, CA, United States of America
| | - Mitchell Singer
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California - Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
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22
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Whitworth DE, Zwarycz A. A Genomic Survey of Signalling in the Myxococcaceae. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111739. [PMID: 33171896 PMCID: PMC7694542 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As prokaryotes diverge by evolution, essential 'core' genes required for conserved phenotypes are preferentially retained, while inessential 'accessory' genes are lost or diversify. We used the recently expanded number of myxobacterial genome sequences to investigate the conservation of their signalling proteins, focusing on two sister genera (Myxococcus and Corallococcus), and on a species within each genus (Myxococcus xanthus and Corallococcus exiguus). Four new C. exiguus genome sequences are also described here. Despite accessory genes accounting for substantial proportions of each myxobacterial genome, signalling proteins were found to be enriched in the core genome, with two-component system genes almost exclusively so. We also investigated the conservation of signalling proteins in three myxobacterial behaviours. The linear carotenogenesis pathway was entirely conserved, with no gene gain/loss observed. However, the modular fruiting body formation network was found to be evolutionarily plastic, with dispensable components in all modules (including components required for fruiting in the model myxobacterium M. xanthus DK1622). Quorum signalling (QS) is thought to be absent from most myxobacteria, however, they generally appear to be able to produce CAI-I (cholerae autoinducer-1), to sense other QS molecules, and to disrupt the QS of other organisms, potentially important abilities during predation of other prokaryotes.
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23
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Pérez J, Contreras-Moreno FJ, Marcos-Torres FJ, Moraleda-Muñoz A, Muñoz-Dorado J. The antibiotic crisis: How bacterial predators can help. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:2547-2555. [PMID: 33033577 PMCID: PMC7522538 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Discovery of antimicrobials in the past century represented one of the most important advances in public health. Unfortunately, the massive use of these compounds in medicine and other human activities has promoted the selection of pathogens that are resistant to one or several antibiotics. The current antibiotic crisis is creating an urgent need for research into new biological weapons with the ability to kill these superbugs. Although a proper solution requires this problem to be addressed in a variety of ways, the use of bacterial predators is emerging as an excellent strategy, especially when used as whole cell therapeutic agents, as a source of new antimicrobial agents by awakening silent metabolic pathways in axenic cultures, or as biocontrol agents. Moreover, studies on their prey are uncovering mechanisms of resistance that can be shared by pathogens, representing new targets for novel antimicrobial agents. In this review we discuss potential of the studies on predator-prey interaction to provide alternative solutions to the problem of antibiotic resistance.
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Key Words
- AR, antibiotic resistance
- ARB, antibiotic-resistant bacteria
- ARG, antibiotic-resistant gene
- Antibiotic crisis
- BALOs
- BALOs, Bdellovibrio and like organisms
- BGC, biosynthetic gene cluster
- Bacterial predators
- HGT, horizontal gene transfer
- MDRB, multi-drug resistant bacteria
- Myxobacteria
- NRPS, nonribosomal peptide synthetase
- OMV, outer membrane vesicle
- OSMAC, one strain many compounds
- PKS, polyketide synthase
- SM, secondary metabolite
- WHO, World Health Organization
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Affiliation(s)
- Juana Pérez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | | | | | - Aurelio Moraleda-Muñoz
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - José Muñoz-Dorado
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
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24
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Islam ST, Vergara Alvarez I, Saïdi F, Guiseppi A, Vinogradov E, Sharma G, Espinosa L, Morrone C, Brasseur G, Guillemot JF, Benarouche A, Bridot JL, Ravicoularamin G, Cagna A, Gauthier C, Singer M, Fierobe HP, Mignot T, Mauriello EMF. Modulation of bacterial multicellularity via spatio-specific polysaccharide secretion. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000728. [PMID: 32516311 PMCID: PMC7310880 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of multicellularity is a key evolutionary transition allowing for differentiation of physiological functions across a cell population that confers survival benefits; among unicellular bacteria, this can lead to complex developmental behaviors and the formation of higher-order community structures. Herein, we demonstrate that in the social δ-proteobacterium Myxococcus xanthus, the secretion of a novel biosurfactant polysaccharide (BPS) is spatially modulated within communities, mediating swarm migration as well as the formation of multicellular swarm biofilms and fruiting bodies. BPS is a type IV pilus (T4P)-inhibited acidic polymer built of randomly acetylated β-linked tetrasaccharide repeats. Both BPS and exopolysaccharide (EPS) are produced by dedicated Wzx/Wzy-dependent polysaccharide-assembly pathways distinct from that responsible for spore-coat assembly. While EPS is preferentially produced at the lower-density swarm periphery, BPS production is favored in the higher-density swarm interior; this is consistent with the former being known to stimulate T4P retraction needed for community expansion and a function for the latter in promoting initial cell dispersal. Together, these data reveal the central role of secreted polysaccharides in the intricate behaviors coordinating bacterial multicellularity. A study of the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus reveals that the bacteria preferentially secrete specific polysaccharides within distinct zones of a swarm to facilitate spreading across a surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salim T. Islam
- Armand Frappier Health & Biotechnology Research Centre, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Québec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
- * E-mail: (STI); (EMFM)
| | - Israel Vergara Alvarez
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
| | - Fares Saïdi
- Armand Frappier Health & Biotechnology Research Centre, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Québec, Canada
- PROTEO, the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
| | - Annick Guiseppi
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
| | - Evgeny Vinogradov
- Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gaurav Sharma
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California–Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Electronic City, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Leon Espinosa
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
| | - Castrese Morrone
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
| | - Gael Brasseur
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
| | | | | | | | - Gokulakrishnan Ravicoularamin
- Armand Frappier Health & Biotechnology Research Centre, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Alain Cagna
- Teclis Scientific, Civrieux d’Azergue, France
| | - Charles Gauthier
- Armand Frappier Health & Biotechnology Research Centre, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université du Québec, Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Mitchell Singer
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California–Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Henri-Pierre Fierobe
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
| | - Tâm Mignot
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
| | - Emilia M. F. Mauriello
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS–Université Aix-Marseille UMR, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
- * E-mail: (STI); (EMFM)
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