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Imler JL, Cai H, Meignin C, Martins N. Evolutionary immunology to explore original antiviral strategies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230068. [PMID: 38497262 PMCID: PMC10945398 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past 25 years, the field of evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) has used genomics and genetics to gain insight on the developmental mechanisms underlying the evolution of morphological diversity of animals. Evo-devo exploits the key insight that conserved toolkits of development (e.g. Hox genes) are used in animals to produce genetic novelties that provide adaptation to a new environment. Like development, immunity is forged by interactions with the environment, namely the microbial world. Yet, when it comes to the study of immune defence mechanisms in invertebrates, interest primarily focuses on evolutionarily conserved molecules also present in humans. Here, focusing on antiviral immunity, we argue that immune genes not conserved in humans represent an unexplored resource for the discovery of new antiviral strategies. We review recent findings on the cGAS-STING pathway and explain how cyclic dinucleotides produced by cGAS-like receptors may be used to investigate the portfolio of antiviral genes in a broad range of species. This will set the stage for evo-immuno approaches, exploiting the investment in antiviral defences made by metazoans over hundreds of millions of years of evolution. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sculpting the microbiome: how host factors determine and respond to microbial colonization'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Imler
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, Strasbourg 67070, France
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Cai
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Carine Meignin
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, Strasbourg 67070, France
| | - Nelson Martins
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, Strasbourg 67070, France
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2
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Cao X, Xiao Y, Huiting E, Cao X, Li D, Ren J, Fedorova I, Wang H, Guan L, Wang Y, Li L, Bondy-Denomy J, Feng Y. Phage anti- CBASS protein simultaneously sequesters cyclic trinucleotides and dinucleotides. Mol Cell 2024; 84:375-385.e7. [PMID: 38103556 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Cyclic-oligonucleotide-based anti-phage signaling system (CBASS) is a common immune system that uses cyclic oligonucleotide signals to limit phage replication. In turn, phages encode anti-CBASS (Acb) proteins such as Acb2, which can sequester some cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) and limit downstream effector activation. Here, we identified that Acb2 sequesters many CDNs produced by CBASS systems and inhibits stimulator of interferon genes (STING) activity in human cells. Surprisingly, the Acb2 hexamer also binds with high affinity to CBASS cyclic trinucleotides (CTNs) 3'3'3'-cyclic AMP-AMP-AMP and 3'3'3'-cAAG at a distinct site from CDNs. One Acb2 hexamer can simultaneously bind two CTNs and three CDNs. Phage-encoded Acb2 provides protection from type III-C CBASS that uses cA3 signaling molecules. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis of >2,000 Acb2 homologs encoded by diverse phages and prophages revealed that most are expected to bind both CTNs and CDNs. Altogether, Acb2 sequesters nearly all known CBASS signaling molecules through two distinct binding pockets and therefore serves as a broad-spectrum inhibitor of cGAS-based immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Cao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yu Xiao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Erin Huiting
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xujun Cao
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Sarafan ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Arc Institute, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Dong Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jie Ren
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Iana Fedorova
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Linlin Guan
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Lingyin Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Sarafan ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Arc Institute, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Joseph Bondy-Denomy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Yue Feng
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
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3
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Jenson JM, Chen ZJ. cGAS goes viral: A conserved immune defense system from bacteria to humans. Mol Cell 2024; 84:120-130. [PMID: 38181755 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
To survive, all organisms need the ability to accurately recognize and neutralize pathogens. As a result, many of the fundamental strategies that our innate immune system uses to fight infection have deep evolutionary roots. The innate immune sensor cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), an enzyme that plays a critical role in our bodies by sensing and signaling in response to microbial infection, is broadly conserved and has functional homologs in many vertebrates, invertebrates, and even bacteria. In this review, we will provide an overview of cGAS and cGAS-like signaling in eukaryotes before discussing cGAS-like homologs in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Jenson
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA; Center for Inflammation Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA.
| | - Zhijian J Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA; Center for Inflammation Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA.
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4
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Abstract
Pathogens have fueled the diversification of intracellular defense strategies that collectively define cell-autonomous innate immunity. In bacteria, innate immunity is manifested by a broad arsenal of defense systems that provide protection against bacterial viruses, called phages. The complexity of the bacterial immune repertoire has only been realized recently and is now suggesting that innate immunity has commonalities across the tree of life: many components of eukaryotic innate immunity are found in bacteria where they protect against phages, including the cGAS-STING pathway, gasdermins, and viperins. Here, I summarize recent findings on the conservation of innate immune pathways between prokaryotes and eukaryotes and hypothesize that bacterial defense mechanisms can catalyze the discovery of novel molecular players of eukaryotic innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Rousset
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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5
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Abstract
Host defense against viral pathogens is an essential function for all living organisms. In cell-intrinsic innate immunity, dedicated sensor proteins recognize molecular signatures of infection and communicate to downstream adaptor or effector proteins to activate immune defense. Remarkably, recent evidence demonstrates that much of the core machinery of innate immunity is shared across eukaryotic and prokaryotic domains of life. Here, we review a pioneering example of evolutionary conservation in innate immunity: the animal cGAS-STING (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes) signaling pathway and its ancestor in bacteria, CBASS (cyclic nucleotide-based antiphage signaling system) antiphage defense. We discuss the unique mechanism by which animal cGLRs (cGAS-like receptors) and bacterial CD-NTases (cGAS/dinucleotide-cyclase in Vibrio (DncV)-like nucleotidyltransferases) in these pathways link pathogen detection with immune activation using nucleotide second messenger signals. Comparing the biochemical, structural, and mechanistic details of cGAS-STING, cGLR signaling, and CBASS, we highlight emerging questions in the field and examine evolutionary pressures that may have shaped the origins of nucleotide second messenger signaling in antiviral defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailey M Slavik
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Philip J Kranzusch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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6
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Rousset F, Yirmiya E, Nesher S, Brandis A, Mehlman T, Itkin M, Malitsky S, Millman A, Melamed S, Sorek R. A conserved family of immune effectors cleaves cellular ATP upon viral infection. Cell 2023; 186:3619-3631.e13. [PMID: 37595565 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
During viral infection, cells can deploy immune strategies that deprive viruses of molecules essential for their replication. Here, we report a family of immune effectors in bacteria that, upon phage infection, degrade cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP) by cleaving the N-glycosidic bond between the adenine and sugar moieties. These ATP nucleosidase effectors are widely distributed within multiple bacterial defense systems, including cyclic oligonucleotide-based antiviral signaling systems (CBASS), prokaryotic argonautes, and nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR)-like proteins, and we show that ATP and dATP degradation during infection halts phage propagation. By analyzing homologs of the immune ATP nucleosidase domain, we discover and characterize Detocs, a family of bacterial defense systems with a two-component phosphotransfer-signaling architecture. The immune ATP nucleosidase domain is also encoded within diverse eukaryotic proteins with immune-like architectures, and we show biochemically that eukaryotic homologs preserve the ATP nucleosidase activity. Our findings suggest that ATP and dATP degradation is a cell-autonomous innate immune strategy conserved across the tree of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois Rousset
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
| | - Erez Yirmiya
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Shahar Nesher
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Alexander Brandis
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Tevie Mehlman
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Maxim Itkin
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Sergey Malitsky
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Adi Millman
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Sarah Melamed
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Rotem Sorek
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
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7
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Wang L, Zhang L. The arms race between bacteria CBASS and bacteriophages. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1224341. [PMID: 37575224 PMCID: PMC10419184 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1224341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Bacterial Cyclic oligonucleotide-Based Anti-phage Signaling System (CBASS) is an innate immune system that induces cell suicide to defend against phage infections. This system relies on cGAS/DncV-like nucleotidyltransferases (CD-NTase) to synthesize cyclic oligonucleotides (cOs) and CD-NTase-associated proteins (Caps) to execute cell death through DNA cleavage, membrane damage, and NAD depletion, thereby inhibiting phage replication. Ancillary proteins expressed in CBASS, in combination with CD-NTase, ensure the normal synthesis of cOs and prepare CD-NTase for full activation by binding to phage genomes, proteins, or other unknown products. To counteract cell death induced by CBASS, phage genes encode immune evasion proteins that curb Cap recognition of cOs, allowing for phage replication, assembly, and propagation in bacterial cells. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of CBASS immunity, comparing it with different bacterial immune systems and highlighting the interplay between CBASS and phage. Additionally, it explores similar immune escape methods based on shared proteins and action mechanisms between prokaryotic and eukaryotic viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Leiliang Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Clinical and Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
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8
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Tak U, Walth P, Whiteley AT. Bacterial cGAS-like enzymes produce 2',3'-cGAMP to activate an ion channel that restricts phage replication. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.24.550367. [PMID: 37546940 PMCID: PMC10402079 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.24.550367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian innate immune system uses cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) to synthesize the cyclic dinucleotide 2',3'-cGAMP during antiviral and antitumor immune responses. 2',3'-cGAMP is a nucleotide second messenger that initiates inflammatory signaling by binding to and activating the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) receptor. Bacteria also encode cGAS/DncV-like nucleotidyltransferases (CD-NTases) that produce nucleotide second messengers to initiate antiviral (antiphage) signaling. Bacterial CD-NTases produce a wide range of cyclic oligonucleotides but have not been documented to produce 2',3'-cGAMP. Here we discovered bacterial CD-NTases that produce 2',3'-cGAMP to restrict phage replication. Bacterial 2',3'-cGAMP binds to CD-NTase associated protein 14 (Cap14), a transmembrane protein of unknown function. Using electrophysiology, we show that Cap14 is a chloride-selective ion channel that is activated by 2',3'-cGAMP binding. Cap14 adopts a modular architecture, with an N-terminal transmembrane domain and a C-terminal nucleotide-binding SAVED domain. Domain-swapping experiments demonstrated the Cap14 transmembrane region could be substituted with a nuclease, thereby generating a biosensor that is selective for 2',3'-cGAMP. This study reveals that 2',3'-cGAMP signaling extends beyond metazoa to bacteria. Further, our findings suggest that transmembrane proteins of unknown function in bacterial immune pathways may broadly function as nucleotide-gated ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uday Tak
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Peace Walth
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Aaron T. Whiteley
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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9
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Richmond-Buccola D, Kranzusch PJ. Viral sponges sequester nucleotide signals to inactivate immunity. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:552-553. [PMID: 37100632 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria synthesize specialized nucleotide signals to control anti-phage defense. Two papers - by Huiting et al. and Jenson et al. - now reveal that bacteriophages encode protein 'sponges' that sequester cyclic oligonucleotide immune signals and inactivate host antiviral immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desmond Richmond-Buccola
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Philip J Kranzusch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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10
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Hengge R, Pruteanu M, Stülke J, Tschowri N, Turgay K. Recent advances and perspectives in nucleotide second messenger signaling in bacteria. Microlife 2023; 4:uqad015. [PMID: 37223732 PMCID: PMC10118264 DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqad015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Nucleotide second messengers act as intracellular 'secondary' signals that represent environmental or cellular cues, i.e. the 'primary' signals. As such, they are linking sensory input with regulatory output in all living cells. The amazing physiological versatility, the mechanistic diversity of second messenger synthesis, degradation, and action as well as the high level of integration of second messenger pathways and networks in prokaryotes has only recently become apparent. In these networks, specific second messengers play conserved general roles. Thus, (p)ppGpp coordinates growth and survival in response to nutrient availability and various stresses, while c-di-GMP is the nucleotide signaling molecule to orchestrate bacterial adhesion and multicellularity. c-di-AMP links osmotic balance and metabolism and that it does so even in Archaea may suggest a very early evolutionary origin of second messenger signaling. Many of the enzymes that make or break second messengers show complex sensory domain architectures, which allow multisignal integration. The multiplicity of c-di-GMP-related enzymes in many species has led to the discovery that bacterial cells are even able to use the same freely diffusible second messenger in local signaling pathways that can act in parallel without cross-talking. On the other hand, signaling pathways operating with different nucleotides can intersect in elaborate signaling networks. Apart from the small number of common signaling nucleotides that bacteria use for controlling their cellular "business," diverse nucleotides were recently found to play very specific roles in phage defense. Furthermore, these systems represent the phylogenetic ancestors of cyclic nucleotide-activated immune signaling in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regine Hengge
- Corresponding author. Institut für Biologie/Mikrobiologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13 – Haus 22, 10115 Berlin, Germany. Tel: +49-30-2093-49686; Fax: +49-30-2093-49682; E-mail:
| | | | - Jörg Stülke
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Natalia Tschowri
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz-Universität Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Kürşad Turgay
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz-Universität Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
- Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, 10115 Berlin, Germany
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11
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Huiting E, Cao X, Ren J, Athukoralage JS, Luo Z, Silas S, An N, Carion H, Zhou Y, Fraser JS, Feng Y, Bondy-Denomy J. Bacteriophages inhibit and evade cGAS-like immune function in bacteria. Cell 2023; 186:864-876.e21. [PMID: 36750095 PMCID: PMC9975087 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental strategy of eukaryotic antiviral immunity involves the cGAS enzyme, which synthesizes 2',3'-cGAMP and activates the effector STING. Diverse bacteria contain cGAS-like enzymes that produce cyclic oligonucleotides and induce anti-phage activity, known as CBASS. However, this activity has only been demonstrated through heterologous expression. Whether bacteria harboring CBASS antagonize and co-evolve with phages is unknown. Here, we identified an endogenous cGAS-like enzyme in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that generates 3',3'-cGAMP during phage infection, signals to a phospholipase effector, and limits phage replication. In response, phages express an anti-CBASS protein ("Acb2") that forms a hexamer with three 3',3'-cGAMP molecules and reduces phospholipase activity. Acb2 also binds to molecules produced by other bacterial cGAS-like enzymes (3',3'-cUU/UA/UG/AA) and mammalian cGAS (2',3'-cGAMP), suggesting broad inhibition of cGAS-based immunity. Upon Acb2 deletion, CBASS blocks lytic phage replication and lysogenic induction, but rare phages evade CBASS through major capsid gene mutations. Altogether, we demonstrate endogenous CBASS anti-phage function and strategies of CBASS inhibition and evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Huiting
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xueli Cao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jie Ren
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Januka S Athukoralage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Zhaorong Luo
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Sukrit Silas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Na An
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Héloïse Carion
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yu Zhou
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - James S Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yue Feng
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Joseph Bondy-Denomy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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12
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Patel DJ, Yu Y, Jia N. Bacterial origins of cyclic nucleotide-activated antiviral immune signaling. Mol Cell 2022; 82:4591-4610. [PMID: 36460008 PMCID: PMC9772257 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Second-messenger-mediated signaling by cyclic oligonucleotides (cOs) composed of distinct base, ring size, and 3'-5'/2'-5' linkage combinations constitutes the initial trigger resulting in activation of signaling pathways that have an impact on immune-mediated antiviral defense against invading viruses and phages. Bacteria and archaea have evolved CRISPR, CBASS, Pycsar, and Thoeris surveillance complexes that involve cO-mediated activation of effectors resulting in antiviral defense through either targeted nuclease activity, effector oligomerization-mediated depletion of essential cellular metabolites or disruption of host cell membrane functions. Notably, antiviral defense capitalizes on an abortive infection mechanism, whereby infected cells die prior to completion of the phage replication cycle. In turn, phages have evolved small proteins that target and degrade/sequester cOs, thereby suppressing host immunity. This review presents a structure-based mechanistic perspective of recent advances in the field of cO-mediated antiviral defense, in particular highlighting the ancient evolutionary adaptation by metazoans of bacterial cell-autonomous innate immune mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinshaw J Patel
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - You Yu
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ning Jia
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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13
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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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14
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Liang Q, Richey ST, Ur SN, Ye Q, Lau RK, Corbett KD. Structure and activity of a bacterial defense-associated 3'-5' exonuclease. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4374. [PMID: 35762727 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The widespread CBASS (cyclic oligonucleotide-based anti-phage signaling system) immune systems in bacteria protect their hosts from bacteriophage infection by triggering programmed cell death. CBASS systems all encode a cyclic oligonucleotide synthase related to eukaryotic cGAS but use diverse regulators and effector proteins including nucleases, phospholipases, and membrane-disrupting proteins to effect cell death. Cap18 is a predicted 3'-5' exonuclease associated with hundreds of CBASS systems, whose structure, biochemical activities, and biological roles remain unknown. Here we show that Cap18 is a DEDDh-family exonuclease related to the bacterial exonucleases RNase T and Orn and has nonspecific 3'-5' DNA exonuclease activity. Cap18 is commonly found in CBASS systems with associated CapW or CapH+CapP transcription factors, suggesting that it may coordinate with these proteins to regulate CBASS transcription in response to DNA damage. These data expand the repertoire of enzymatic activities associated with bacterial CBASS systems and provide new insights into the regulation of these important bacterial immune systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qishan Liang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Sara T Richey
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Sarah N Ur
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Qiaozhen Ye
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Rebecca K Lau
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kevin D Corbett
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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15
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Duncan-Lowey B, McNamara-Bordewick NK, Tal N, Sorek R, Kranzusch PJ. Effector-mediated membrane disruption controls cell death in CBASS antiphage defense. Mol Cell 2021; 81:5039-5051.e5. [PMID: 34784509 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic oligonucleotide-based antiphage signaling systems (CBASS) are antiviral defense operons that protect bacteria from phage replication. Here, we discover a widespread class of CBASS transmembrane (TM) effector proteins that respond to antiviral nucleotide signals and limit phage propagation through direct membrane disruption. Crystal structures of the Yersinia TM effector Cap15 reveal a compact 8-stranded β-barrel scaffold that forms a cyclic dinucleotide receptor domain that oligomerizes upon activation. We demonstrate that activated Cap15 relocalizes throughout the cell and specifically induces rupture of the inner membrane. Screening for active effectors, we identify the function of distinct families of CBASS TM effectors and demonstrate that cell death via disruption of inner-membrane integrity is a common mechanism of defense. Our results reveal the function of the most prominent class of effector protein in CBASS immunity and define disruption of the inner membrane as a widespread strategy of abortive infection in bacterial phage defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Duncan-Lowey
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Nitzan Tal
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Rotem Sorek
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Philip J Kranzusch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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16
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Abstract
Bacteriophages or phages are viruses that infect bacterial cells (for the scope of this review we will also consider viruses that infect Archaea). The constant threat of phage infection is a major force that shapes evolution of microbial genomes. To withstand infection, bacteria had evolved numerous strategies to avoid recognition by phages or to directly interfere with phage propagation inside the cell. Classical molecular biology and genetic engineering had been deeply intertwined with the study of phages and host defenses. Nowadays, owing to the rise of phage therapy, broad application of CRISPR-Cas technologies, and development of bioinformatics approaches that facilitate discovery of new systems, phage biology experiences a revival. This review describes variety of strategies employed by microbes to counter phage infection. In the first part defense associated with cell surface, roles of small molecules, and innate immunity systems relying on DNA modification were discussed. The second part focuses on adaptive immunity systems, abortive infection mechanisms, defenses associated with mobile genetic elements, and novel systems discovered in recent years through metagenomic mining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem B Isaev
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow, 143028, Russia.
| | - Olga S Musharova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow, 143028, Russia. .,Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Konstantin V Severinov
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow, 143028, Russia. .,Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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17
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Abstract
Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) functions in the cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway of innate immunity in mammals. It is activated upon binding the cyclic dinucleotide 2′3′-cGAMP, a second messenger produced by the enzyme cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS), which acts as the receptor for DNA in this pathway, and triggers the expression of interferons and other viral stress-induced genes. The ancient origin of STING in the evolution of animals had been noted, but its primitive function was speculative. We review here recent advances in the remarkable history of cGAS-STING signaling, which establish that cGAS is a member of the family of cGAS/DncV-like nucleotidyltransferases (CD-NTases). In bacteria, CD-NTases synthesize a wide range of cyclic oligonucleotide second messengers in response to bacteriophage infections, which in turn activate a variety of effector proteins to abort phage infection. Among these effectors, some are related to STING, revealing an ancestral function for the cGAS-STING cassette in antiviral host defense. Study of STING signaling in invertebrate animals is consistent with an early acquisition in the history of metazoans of CD-NTase- and STING-encoding genes to counter the universal threat of viruses. In particular, STING-dependent immunity appears to play a previously unsuspected important role in some insects. These discoveries open up interesting perspectives for the use of model organisms to decipher emerging aspects of cGAS-STING biology in mammals, such as the activation of interferon-independent responses or the function and regulation of cGAS in the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Cai
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jean-Luc Imler
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
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18
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Govande AA, Duncan-Lowey B, Eaglesham JB, Whiteley AT, Kranzusch PJ. Molecular basis of CD-NTase nucleotide selection in CBASS anti-phage defense. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109206. [PMID: 34077735 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
cGAS/DncV-like nucleotidyltransferase (CD-NTase) enzymes are signaling proteins that initiate antiviral immunity in animal cells and cyclic-oligonucleotide-based anti-phage signaling system (CBASS) phage defense in bacteria. Upon phage recognition, bacterial CD-NTases catalyze synthesis of cyclic-oligonucleotide signals, which activate downstream effectors and execute cell death. How CD-NTases control nucleotide selection to specifically induce defense remains poorly defined. Here, we combine structural and nucleotide-analog interference-mapping approaches to identify molecular rules controlling CD-NTase specificity. Structures of the cyclic trinucleotide synthase Enterobacter cloacae CdnD reveal coordinating nucleotide interactions and a possible role for inverted nucleobase positioning during product synthesis. We demonstrate that correct nucleotide selection in the CD-NTase donor pocket results in the formation of a thermostable-protein-nucleotide complex, and we extend our analysis to establish specific patterns governing selectivity for each of the major bacterial CD-NTase clades A-H. Our results explain CD-NTase specificity and enable predictions of nucleotide second-messenger signals within diverse antiviral systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apurva A Govande
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Brianna Duncan-Lowey
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James B Eaglesham
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aaron T Whiteley
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Philip J Kranzusch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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19
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Abstract
Facing frequent phage challenges, bacteria have evolved numerous mechanisms to resist phage infection. A commonly used phage resistance strategy is abortive infection (Abi), in which the infected cell commits suicide before the phage can complete its replication cycle. Abi prevents the phage epidemic from spreading to nearby cells, thus protecting the bacterial colony. The Abi strategy is manifested by a plethora of mechanistically diverse defense systems that are abundant in bacterial genomes. In turn, phages have developed equally diverse mechanisms to overcome bacterial Abi. This review summarizes the current knowledge on bacterial defense via cell suicide. It describes the principles of Abi, details how these principles are implemented in a variety of natural defense systems, and discusses phage counter-defense mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lopatina
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel;
| | - Nitzan Tal
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel;
| | - Rotem Sorek
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel;
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20
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Abstract
Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) have emerged as ubiquitous signaling molecules in all domains of life. In eukaryotes, CDN signaling systems are evolutionarily ancient and have developed to sense and respond to pathogen infection. On the other hand, dysregulation of these pathways has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Thus, CDNs have garnered major interest over recent years for their ability to elicit potent immune responses in the eukaryotic host. Similarly, ancestral CDN-based signaling systems also appear to confer immunological protection against infection in prokaryotes. Therefore, a better understanding of the host processes regulated by CDNs will be of tremendous value in many areas of research. Here, we aim to review the latest discoveries and recent trends in CDN research with a particular focus on the molecular mechanisms by which these small molecules mediate innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivam A Zaver
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Joshua J Woodward
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
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