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Flores Ramos S, Brugger SD, Escapa IF, Skeete CA, Cotton SL, Eslami SM, Gao W, Bomar L, Tran TH, Jones DS, Minot S, Roberts RJ, Johnston CD, Lemon KP. Genomic Stability and Genetic Defense Systems in Dolosigranulum pigrum, a Candidate Beneficial Bacterium from the Human Microbiome. mSystems 2021; 6:e0042521. [PMID: 34546072 PMCID: PMC8547433 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00425-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dolosigranulum pigrum is positively associated with indicators of health in multiple epidemiological studies of human nasal microbiota. Knowledge of the basic biology of D. pigrum is a prerequisite for evaluating its potential for future therapeutic use; however, such data are very limited. To gain insight into D. pigrum's chromosomal structure, pangenome, and genomic stability, we compared the genomes of 28 D. pigrum strains that were collected across 20 years. Phylogenomic analysis showed closely related strains circulating over this period and closure of 19 genomes revealed highly conserved chromosomal synteny. Gene clusters involved in the mobilome and in defense against mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were enriched in the accessory genome versus the core genome. A systematic analysis for MGEs identified the first candidate D. pigrum prophage and insertion sequence. A systematic analysis for genetic elements that limit the spread of MGEs, including restriction modification (RM), CRISPR-Cas, and deity-named defense systems, revealed strain-level diversity in host defense systems that localized to specific genomic sites, including one RM system hot spot. Analysis of CRISPR spacers pointed to a wealth of MGEs against which D. pigrum defends itself. These results reveal a role for horizontal gene transfer and mobile genetic elements in strain diversification while highlighting that in D. pigrum this occurs within the context of a highly stable chromosomal organization protected by a variety of defense mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Dolosigranulum pigrum is a candidate beneficial bacterium with potential for future therapeutic use. This is based on its positive associations with characteristics of health in multiple studies of human nasal microbiota across the span of human life. For example, high levels of D. pigrum nasal colonization in adults predicts the absence of Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization. Also, D. pigrum nasal colonization in young children is associated with healthy control groups in studies of middle ear infections. Our analysis of 28 genomes revealed a remarkable stability of D. pigrum strains colonizing people in the United States across a 20-year span. We subsequently identified factors that can influence this stability, including genomic stability, phage predators, the role of MGEs in strain-level variation, and defenses against MGEs. Finally, these D. pigrum strains also lacked predicted virulence factors. Overall, these findings add additional support to the potential for D. pigrum as a therapeutic bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvio D. Brugger
- The Forsyth Institute (Microbiology), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Isabel Fernandez Escapa
- The Forsyth Institute (Microbiology), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Sean L. Cotton
- The Forsyth Institute (Microbiology), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sara M. Eslami
- The Forsyth Institute (Microbiology), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- The Forsyth Institute (Microbiology), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lindsey Bomar
- The Forsyth Institute (Microbiology), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tommy H. Tran
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Dakota S. Jones
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Samuel Minot
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Christopher D. Johnston
- The Forsyth Institute (Microbiology), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Katherine P. Lemon
- The Forsyth Institute (Microbiology), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Texas Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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