The genome of the virulent phage Lc-Nu of probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and comparative genomics with Lactobacillus casei phages

Genome Mining and Characterization of Two Novel Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probiotic Candidates with Bile Salt Hydrolase Activity

Bile salt hydrolase (BSH; EC 3.5.1.24) is the microbial enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of primary bile acids (BAs) into secondary ones, promoting microbial adaptation and modulating several host's biological functions. Probiotics with BSH activity are supposed to survive harsh intestinal conditions and exert a cholesterol-lowering effect. Here, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strains (VB4 and VB1), isolated from the vaginal ecosystem, were submitted to a genomic survey, in vitro BSH activity, and BAs tolerance assay to unravel their probiotic potential as BAs modulators. The draft genomes of Lcb. rhamnosus VB4 and VB1 strains comprised 2769 and 2704 CDSs, respectively. Gene annotation revealed numerous strain-specific genes involved in metabolism and transport, as well as in DNA recombination. Each strain harbors a single bsh gene, encoding a C-N amide hydrolase, which conserved the essential residues required in the BSH core site. According to the results, compared to VB1, the VB4 strain tolerated better BAs stress and was more active in deconjugating BAs. However, BAs stress increased the bsh gene transcription in the VB1 strain but not in the VB4 strain, suggesting a partially nonlinear relationship between BSH activity and gene expression. In conclusion, despite the complexity of the BSH transcriptional system, the results support the VB4 strain as a promising BAs-deconjugating probiotic candidate.

Occurrence and genetic diversity of prophage sequences identified in the genomes of L. casei group bacteria

It is widely believed that microorganisms belonging to L. casei group can have positive effects on the human body. Therefore, these bacteria are used in many industrial processes, including the production of dietary supplements and probiotic preparations. When using live microorganisms in technological processes, it is important to use those without phage sequences within their genomes that can ultimately lead to lysis of the bacteria. It has been shown that many prophages have a benign nature, meaning that they don't directly lead to lysis or inhibit microbial growth. Moreover, the presence of phage sequences in the genomes of these bacteria increases their genetic diversity, which may contribute to easier colonization of new ecological niches. In the 439 analyzed genomes of the L. casei group, 1509 sequences of prophage origin were detected. The average length of intact prophage sequences analyzed was just under 36 kb. GC content of tested sequences was similar for all analyzed species (44.6 ± 0.9%). Analyzing the protein coding sequences collectively, it was found that there was an average of 44 putative ORFs per genome, while the ORF density of all phage genomes varied from 0.5 to 2.1. The average nucleotide identity calculated on sequence alignments for analyzed sequences was 32.7%. Of the 56 L. casei strains used in the next part of the study, 32 did not show culture growth above the OD600 value of 0.5, even at a mitomycin C concentration of 0.25 μg/ml. Primers used for this study allowed for the detection of prophage sequences for over 90% of tested bacterial strains. Finally, prophages of selected strains were induced using mitomycin C, phage particles were isolated and then genomes of viruses obtained were sequenced and analyzed.

Longitudinal transkingdom gut microbial approach towards decompensation in outpatients with cirrhosis

OBJECTIVE

First decompensation development is a critical milestone that needs to be predicted. Transkingdom gut microbial interactions, including archaeal methanogens, may be important targets and predictors but a longitudinal approach is needed.

DESIGN

Cirrhosis outpatients who provided stool twice were included. Group 1: compensated, group 2: 1 decompensation (decomp), group 3: >1 decompensationwere followed and divided into those who remained stable or decompensated. Bacteria, viral and archaeal presence, α/β diversity and taxa changes over time adjusted for clinical variables were analysed. Correlation networks between kingdoms were analysed.

RESULTS

157 outpatients (72 group 1, 33 group 2 and 52 group 3) were followed and 28%-47% developed outcomes. Baseline between those who remained stable/developed outcome: While no α/β diversity differences were seen, commensals were lower and pathobionts were higher in those who decompensated. After decompensation: those experiencing their first decompensation showed greater decrease in α/β-diversity, bacterial change (↑Lactobacillus spp, Streptococcus parasanguinis and ↓ beneficial Lachnospiraceae and Eubacterium hallii) and viral change (↑Siphoviridae, ↓ Myoviridae) versus those with further decompensation. Archaea: 19% had Methanobacter brevii, which was similar between/within groups. Correlation networks: Baseline archaeal-viral-bacterial networks were denser and more homogeneous in those who decompensated versus the rest. Archaea-bacterial correlations collapsed post first decompensation. Lactobacillus phage Lc Nu and C2-like viruses were negatively linked with beneficial bacteria.

CONCLUSION

In this longitudinal study of cirrhosis outpatients, the greatest transkingdom gut microbial changes were seen in those reaching the first decompensation, compared with subsequent decompensating events. A transkingdom approach may refine prediction and provide therapeutic targets to prevent cirrhosis progression.

Characterization of Prophages in Leuconostoc Derived from Kimchi and Genomic Analysis of the Induced Prophage in Leuconostoc lactis

Leuconostoc has been used as a principal starter in natural kimchi fermentation, but limited research has been conducted on its phages. In this study, prophage distribution and characterization in kimchi-derived Leuconostoc strains were investigated, and phage induction was performed. Except for one strain, 16 Leuconostoc strains had at least one prophage region with questionable and incomplete regions, which comprised 0.5-6.0% of the bacterial genome. Based on major capsid protein analysis, ten intact prophages and an induced incomplete prophage of Leu. lactis CBA3626 belonged to the Siphoviridae family and were similar to Lc-Nu-like, sha1-like, phiMH1-like, and TPA_asm groups. Bacterial immunology genes, such as superinfection exclusion proteins and methylase, were found on several prophages. One prophage of Leu. lactis CBA3626 was induced using mitomycin C and was confirmed as belonging to the Siphoviridae family. Homology of the induced prophage with 21 reported prophages was not high (< 4%), and 47% identity was confirmed only with TPA_asm from Siphoviridae sp. isolate ct3pk4. Therefore, it is suggested that Leuconostoc from kimchi had diverse prophages with less than 6% genome proportion and some immunological genes. Interestingly, the induced prophage was very different from the reported prophages of other Leuconostoc species.

The role of probiotics on the roadmap to a healthy microbiota: a symposium report

The ninth International Yakult Symposium was held in Ghent, Belgium in April 2018. Keynote lectures were from Professor Wijmenga on using biobanks to understand the relationship between the gut microbiota and health; and Professor Hill on phage-probiotic interactions. Session one included talks from Professor Plӧsch on epigenetic programming by nutritional and environmental factors; Professor Wilmes on the use of "omics" methodologies in microbiome research and Professor Rescigno on the gut vascular barrier. Session two explored the evidence behind Lactobacillus casei Shirota with Dr Nanno explaining the plasticity in immunomodulation that enables the strain to balance immune functions; Dr Macnaughtan outlining its potential therapeutic use in cirrhosis and Professor Nishida detailing effects in subjects under stress. The third session saw Professor Marchesi describing that both the host genes and the gut microbiota can play a role in cancer; Professor Bergheim highlighting crosstalk between the gut and the liver and Professor Cani describing the relationship between the gut microbiota and the endocrine system. The final session explored probiotic mechanisms, with Professor Lebeer dissecting the challenges in conducting mechanistic studies; Professor Wehkamp describing the mucosal defence system and Professor Van de Wiele detailing methods for modelling the gut microbiota in vitro.

Identification, characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of eight new inducible prophages in Lactobacillus

Lysogenic bacterial strains abound in the Lactobacillus genus and contain dormant prophages inserted within their genomes. To evaluate the prophage-induction potential of the Lactobacillus strains of six species, 142 randomly selected strains from these species were induced with Mitomycin C. Eight newly-induced phages were identified and found to be diverse in morphology. Among the six species assessed, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains were generally insensitive to induction. The genomic characterizations of eight phages were performed via whole genome sequencing and protein prediction. Meanwhile, genome comparison of the induced phages and predicted prophages demonstrated that the prediction software PHASTER can accurately locate major prophage regions in Lactobacillus. A phylogenetic tree of the Lactobacillus phage population was constructed to obtain further insights into the clustering of individuals, two major groups were found, one of which consisted mostly of L. plantarum virulent phages, the other was represented by Lactobacillus casei/paracasei temperate phages. Finally, it was confirmed via genomic collinear analysis, which seven of the eight Lactobacillus temperate phages were newly discovered, and two Lactobacillus brevis temperate phages belonged to a novel lineage.

Effects of underfeeding and oral vancomycin on gut microbiome and nutrient absorption in humans

Direct evidence in humans for the impact of the microbiome on nutrient absorption is lacking. We conducted an extended inpatient study using two interventions that we hypothesized would alter the gut microbiome and nutrient absorption. In each, stool calorie loss, a direct proxy of nutrient absorption, was measured. The first phase was a randomized cross-over dietary intervention in which all participants underwent in random order 3 d of over- and underfeeding. The second was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pharmacologic intervention using oral vancomycin or matching placebo (NCT02037295). Twenty-seven volunteers (17 men and 10 women, age 35.1 ± 7.3, BMI 32.3 ± 8.0), who were healthy other than having impaired glucose tolerance and obesity, were enrolled and 25 completed the entire trial. The primary endpoints were the effects of dietary and pharmacological intervention on stool calorie loss. We hypothesized that stool calories expressed as percentage of caloric intake would increase with underfeeding compared with overfeeding and increase during oral vancomycin treatment. Both primary endpoints were met. Greater stool calorie loss was observed during underfeeding relative to overfeeding and during vancomycin treatment compared with placebo. Key secondary endpoints were to evaluate the changes in gut microbial community structure as evidenced by amplicon sequencing and metagenomics. We observed only a modest perturbation of gut microbial community structure with under- versus overfeeding but a more widespread change in community structure with reduced diversity with oral vancomycin. Increase in Akkermansia muciniphila was common to both interventions that resulted in greater stool calorie loss. These results indicate that nutrient absorption is sensitive to environmental perturbations and support the translational relevance of preclinical models demonstrating a possible causal role for the gut microbiome in dietary energy harvest.

Genomic and Proteomic Characterization of Bacteriophage BH1 Spontaneously Released from Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus Pen

Lactobacillus rhamnosus Pen is a human endogenous strain used for the production of probiotic formula, which is effective in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Our study showed that this probiotic strain releases bacteriophage BH1 without the addition of any inducing agent. Our research revealed that phage BH1 has a circular genome with a length of 40721 nt and a GC content of 44.8%. The genome of phage BH1 possesses 57 open reading frames which could be divided into functional modules associated with DNA packaging, morphogenesis, lysis, integration, genetic switch, and replication. In spite of similarity in morphology and genomic organization, comparative analysis revealed substantial genetic diversity and mosaic genomic architecture among phages described for the Lactobacillus casei group. Additionally, qPCR and ddPCR analysis confirmed earlier microscopic observations indicating that L. rhamnosus Pen liberates bacteriophage particles during growth. This occurs spontaneously, and is not a result of external inducing factors. For samples collected after 4 and 24 h of L. rhamnosus Pen culture, the number of attB and attP copies increased 2.5 and 12 times, respectively. This phenomenon, by introducing resistance to other phages or enhancing the biofilm-forming capabilities, may increase the survivability of microorganisms in their natural ecological niche. Conversely, spontaneous phage induction may be an important virulence factor for bacteria, posing a potential threat for the human host.

Isolation and Characterization of Lactobacillus brevis Phages

Lactobacillus brevis has been widely used in industry for fermentation purposes. However, it is also associated with the spoilage of foods and beverages, in particular, beer. There is an increasing demand for natural food preservation methods, and in this context, bacteriophages possess the potential to control such spoilage bacteria. Just a few studies on phages infecting Lactobacillus brevis have been performed to date and in the present study, we report the isolation and characterization of five virulent phages capable of infecting Lb. brevis strains. The analysis reveals a high diversity among the isolates, with members belonging to both, the Myoviridae and Siphoviridae families. One isolate, designated phage 3-521, possesses a genome of 140.8 kb, thus representing the largest Lb. brevis phage genome sequenced to date. While the isolated phages do not propagate on Lb. brevis beer-spoiling strains, phages showed activity against these strains, impairing the growth of some Lb. brevis strains. The results highlight the potential of bacteriophage-based treatments as an effective approach to prevent bacterial spoilage of beer.

Complete genome sequence of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Pen, a probiotic component of a medicine used in prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in children

Background

Lactobacillus rhamnosus Pen is a human endogenous strain with well-documented health promoting properties that is used for production of probiotics. It has a long safety history of application, and its effectiveness in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea has also been confirmed in clinical trials.

Results

Here we present the complete genome sequence of L. rhamnosus Pen, which consists of a circular 2,884,4966-bp chromosome with a GC content of 46.8%. Within 2907 open reading frames (ORFs), genes involved with probiotic properties were identified. A CRISPR locus, consisting of a 1092-nt region with 16 spacers, was also detected. Finally, an intact prophage of ~ 40.7 kb, 57 ORFs, GC content 44.8% was identified.

Conclusions

Genomic analysis confirmed the probiotic properties of L. rhamnosus Pen and may indicate new biotechnological applications of this industrially important strain.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13099-018-0235-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A fast PCR-based method for the characterization of prophage profiles in strains of the Lactobacillus casei group

Lysogeny is widespread among Lactobacillus strains of the casei group (L. casei, L. paracasei and L. rhamnosus), and prophages account for most strain-specific DNA. Numerous PCR based methods have been developed to detect free phages of lactic acid bacteria, but they do not take in consideration prophages. In this study, a new PCR method for the detection of lysogeny was developed using genome sequences of L. casei group strains (including BL23) and bacteriophages. Nine pairs of primers were designed to selectively amplify the highly conserved prophage iA2 (pairs #1-#3) and fragments of two groups phages of temperate origin: C_L1/C_L2/iLp1308/iLp84 (pairs #4 and #5) and Lrm1/J-1/PL-1/A2/AT3/Lc-Nu (pairs #6 to #9). Forty-nine strains of the casei group were subjected to PCR. Strains containing remnants of lytic phages outnumbered those containing iA2-related prophages. The combination of pair #2, annealing on the terminase large subunit (TLS), and pair #3, annealing on the helicase (forward) and a non-coding region (reverse), showed the best diagnostic performance for iA2-like prophages. For the assessment of remnants of phages C_L1/C_L2/iLp1308/iLp84, pair #4 (annealing on the TLS) was preferred over pair #5 (portal protein). Detection of phages Lrm1/J-1/PL-1/A2/AT3/Lc-Nu was optimal with primers of pair #6, designed on non-coding regions of phage genomes; pair #6 also evidenced a high conservation of certain prophage remnants. Overall, our PCR-based method successfully detected and discriminated groups of prophages or remnants in L. casei group strains.

Characterization of prophages containing "evolved" Dit/Tal modules in the genome of Lactobacillus casei BL23

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have many applications in food and industrial fermentations. Prophage induction and generation of new virulent phages is a risk for the dairy industry. We identified three complete prophages (PLE1, PLE2, and PLE3) in the genome of the well-studied probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei BL23. All of them have mosaic architectures with homologous sequences to Streptococcus, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, and Listeria phages or strains. Using a combination of quantitative real-time PCR, genomics, and proteomics, we showed that PLE2 and PLE3 can be induced-but with different kinetics-in the presence of mitomycin C, although PLE1 remains as a prophage. A structural analysis of the distal tail (Dit) and tail associated lysin (Tal) baseplate proteins of these prophages and other L. casei/paracasei phages and prophages provides evidence that carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM) located within these "evolved" proteins may replace receptor binding proteins (RBPs) present in other well-studied LAB phages. The detailed study of prophage induction in this prototype strain in combination with characterization of the proteins involved in host recognition will facilitate the design of new strategies for avoiding phage propagation in the dairy industry.

The Variable Regions of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Genomes Reveal the Dynamic Evolution of Metabolic and Host-Adaptation Repertoires

Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a diverse Gram-positive species with strains isolated from different ecological niches. Here, we report the genome sequence analysis of 40 diverse strains of L. rhamnosus and their genomic comparison, with a focus on the variable genome. Genomic comparison of 40 L. rhamnosus strains discriminated the conserved genes (core genome) and regions of plasticity involving frequent rearrangements and horizontal transfer (variome). The L. rhamnosus core genome encompasses 2,164 genes, out of 4,711 genes in total (the pan-genome). The accessory genome is dominated by genes encoding carbohydrate transport and metabolism, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) biosynthesis, bacteriocin production, pili production, the cas system, and the associated clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) loci, and more than 100 transporter functions and mobile genetic elements like phages, plasmid genes, and transposons. A clade distribution based on amino acid differences between core (shared) proteins matched with the clade distribution obtained from the presence–absence of variable genes. The phylogenetic and variome tree overlap indicated that frequent events of gene acquisition and loss dominated the evolutionary segregation of the strains within this species, which is paralleled by evolutionary diversification of core gene functions. The CRISPR-Cas system could have contributed to this evolutionary segregation. Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains contain the genetic and metabolic machinery with strain-specific gene functions required to adapt to a large range of environments. A remarkable congruency of the evolutionary relatedness of the strains’ core and variome functions, possibly favoring interspecies genetic exchanges, underlines the importance of gene-acquisition and loss within the L. rhamnosus strain diversification.

Novel phage group infecting Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis, as revealed by genomic and proteomic analysis of bacteriophage Ldl1

Ldl1 is a virulent phage infecting the dairy starter Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis LdlS. Electron microscopy analysis revealed that this phage exhibits a large head and a long tail and bears little resemblance to other characterized phages infecting Lactobacillus delbrueckii. In vitro propagation of this phage revealed a latent period of 30 to 40 min and a burst size of 59.9 +/- 1.9 phage particles. Comparative genomic and proteomic analyses showed remarkable similarity between the genome of Ldl1 and that of Lactobacillus plantarum phage ATCC 8014-B2. The genomic and proteomic characteristics of Ldl1 demonstrate that this phage does not belong to any of the four previously recognized L. delbrueckii phage groups, necessitating the creation of a new group, called group e, thus adding to the knowledge on the diversity of phages targeting strains of this industrially important lactic acid bacterial species.

Genomic Diversity of Phages Infecting Probiotic Strains of Lactobacillus paracasei

Strains of the Lactobacillus casei group have been extensively studied because some are used as probiotics in foods. Conversely, their phages have received much less attention. We analyzed the complete genome sequences of five L. paracasei temperate phages: CL1, CL2, iLp84, iLp1308, and iA2. Only phage iA2 could not replicate in an indicator strain. The genome lengths ranged from 34,155 bp (iA2) to 39,474 bp (CL1). Phages iA2 and iLp1308 (34,176 bp) possess the smallest genomes reported, thus far, for phages of the L. casei group. The GC contents of the five phage genomes ranged from 44.8 to 45.6%. As observed with many other phages, their genomes were organized as follows: genes coding for DNA packaging, morphogenesis, lysis, lysogeny, and replication. Phages CL1, CL2, and iLp1308 are highly related to each other. Phage iLp84 was also related to these three phages, but the similarities were limited to gene products involved in DNA packaging and structural proteins. Genomic fragments of phages CL1, CL2, iLp1308, and iLp84 were found in several genomes of L. casei strains. Prophage iA2 is unrelated to these four phages, but almost all of its genome was found in at least four L. casei strains. Overall, these phages are distinct from previously characterized Lactobacillus phages. Our results highlight the diversity of L. casei phages and indicate frequent DNA exchanges between phages and their hosts.

Exposing the secrets of two well-known Lactobacillus casei phages, J-1 and PL-1, by genomic and structural analysis

Bacteriophage J-1 was isolated in 1965 from an abnormal fermentation of Yakult using Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, and a related phage, PL-1, was subsequently recovered from a strain resistant to J-1. Complete genome sequencing shows that J-1 and PL-1 are almost identical, but PL-1 has a deletion of 1.9 kbp relative to J-1, resulting in the loss of four predicted gene products involved in immunity regulation. The structural proteins were identified by mass spectrometry analysis. Similarly to phage A2, two capsid proteins are generated by a translational frameshift and undergo proteolytic processing. The structure of gene product 16 (gp16), a putative tail protein, was modeled based on the crystal structure of baseplate distal tail proteins (Dit) that form the baseplate hub in other Siphoviridae. However, two regions of the C terminus of gp16 could not be modeled using this template. The first region accounts for the differences between J-1 and PL-1 gp16 and showed sequence similarity to carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs). J-1 and PL-1 GFP-gp16 fusions bind specifically to Lactobacillus casei/paracasei cells, and the addition of l-rhamnose inhibits binding. J-1 gp16 exhibited a higher affinity than PL-1 gp16 for cell walls of L. casei ATCC 27139 in phage adsorption inhibition assays, in agreement with differential adsorption kinetics observed for both phages in this strain. The data presented here provide insights into how Lactobacillus phages interact with their hosts at the first steps of infection.

Characterization of two virulent phages of Lactobacillus plantarum

We characterized two Lactobacillus plantarum virulent siphophages, ATCC 8014-B1 (B1) and ATCC 8014-B2 (B2), previously isolated from corn silage and anaerobic sewage sludge, respectively. Phage B2 infected two of the eight L. plantarum strains tested, while phage B1 infected three. Phage adsorption was highly variable depending on the strain used. Phage defense systems were found in at least two L. plantarum strains, LMG9211 and WCSF1. The linear double-stranded DNA genome of the pac-type phage B1 had 38,002 bp, a G+C content of 47.6%, and 60 open reading frames (ORFs). Surprisingly, the phage B1 genome has 97% identity with that of Pediococcus damnosus phage clP1 and 77% identity with that of L. plantarum phage JL-1; these phages were isolated from sewage and cucumber fermentation, respectively. The double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genome of the cos-type phage B2 had 80,618 bp, a G+C content of 36.9%, and 127 ORFs with similarities to those of Bacillus and Lactobacillus strains as well as phages. Some phage B2 genes were similar to ORFs from L. plantarum phage LP65 of the Myoviridae family. Additionally, 6 tRNAs were found in the phage B2 genome. Protein analysis revealed 13 (phage B1) and 9 (phage B2) structural proteins. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing such high identity between phage genomes infecting different genera of lactic acid bacteria.

A modular view of the bacteriophage genomic space: identification of host and lifestyle marker modules

Bacteriophage genomes can be regarded as an ensemble of modules which are accessible to the whole phage population via recombination. The time spent by prophages in the bacterial host provides them with the opportunity to exchange modules with other prophages or infecting phages. Here we analyze the modular structure of a set of 457 phages and 760 prophages extracted from completely sequenced bacterial genomes using the ACLAME database and its associated tools. We identified 91 modules of proteins with similar phylogenetic profiles. Of these, 25 and 6 are associated with temperate and virulent phages, respectively; 57 are restricted to a host or small group of hosts; and 55 could be annotated with a phage function. We use the transposable phages as a study case and show how the inclusion of prophages allows us to unveil new types of genome organization (i.e. novel module combinations) and obtain insight into the host range for this particular group, highlighting the utility of prophage prediction to better characterize phage diversity.

Genome analysis of Lactobacillus fermentum temperate bacteriophage ФPYB5

The complete genomic sequence of Lactobacillus fermentum temperate bacteriophage ФPYB5 was determined. The phage possesses a linear, double-stranded DNA genome of 32,847 bp with a G+C content of 45.21%. A total of 46 putative open reading frames (ORFs) were identified. On the basis of homology comparisons, 25 ORFs could be assigned putative functions. The genome of bacteriophage ФPYB5 is highly modular with functionally related genes clustered together. Genome DNA of temperate bacteriophage ФPYB5, induced from heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria, showed to be closely related to that of the prophage of heterofermentative Lactobacillus reuteri 100-23 and heterofermetative Leuconostoc oenos bacteriophage 10MC in an evolutionary aspect.

Genome of a virulent bacteriophage Lb338-1 that lyses the probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei cheese strain

There is a lack of fundamental knowledge about the influence of bacteriophage on probiotic bacteria and other commensals in the gut. Here, we present the isolation and morphological and genetic characterization of a virulent narrow-host-range bacteriophage, phiLb338-1. This phage was isolated from fresh sewage and was shown to infect the probiotic cheese strain Lactobacillus paracasei NFBC 338. Electron microscopy studies revealed that phiLb338-1 is a member of the Myoviridae family, with an isometric head, a medium-sized contractile tail, and a complex base plate. Genome sequencing revealed a 142-kb genome with 199 open reading frames. Putative functions could be assigned to 22% of the open reading frames; these had significant homology to genes found in the broad-host-range SPO1-like group of phages which includes the Enterococcus faecalis phage phiEF24C, Listeria phage A511, and Lactobacillus plantarum phage LP65. Interestingly, no significant genomic similarity was observed between the phage and the probiotic host strain. Future studies will determine if the presence of bacteriophage phiLb338-1 or others in the human or animal gut plays an antagonistic role against the probiotic effect of beneficial bacteria.

Genome sequence and characteristics of Lrm1, a prophage from industrial Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain M1

Prophage Lrm1 was induced with mitomycin C from an industrial Lactobacillus rhamnosus starter culture, M1. Electron microscopy of the lysate revealed relatively few intact bacteriophage particles among empty heads and disassociated tails. The defective Siphoviridae phage had an isometric head of approximately 55 nm and noncontractile tail of about 275 nm with a small baseplate. In repeated attempts, the prophage could not be cured from L. rhamnosus M1, nor could a sensitive host be identified. Sequencing of the phage Lrm1 DNA revealed a genome of 39,989 bp and a G+C content of 45.5%. A similar genomic organization and mosaic pattern of identities align Lrm1 among the closely related Lactobacillus casei temperate phages A2, PhiAT3, and LcaI and with L. rhamnosus virulent phage Lu-Nu. Of the 54 open reading frames (ORFs) identified, all but 8 shared homology with other phages of this group. Five unknown ORFs were identified that had no homologies in the databases nor predicted functions. Notably, Lrm1 encodes a putative endonuclease and a putative DNA methylase with homology to a methylase in Lactococcus lactis phage Tuc2009. Possibly, the DNA methylase, endonuclease, or other Lrm1 genes provide a function crucial to L. rhamnosus M1 survival, resulting in the stability of the defective prophage in its lysogenic state. The presence of a defective prophage in an industrial strain could provide superinfection immunity to the host but could also contribute DNA in recombination events to produce new phages potentially infective for the host strain in a large-scale fermentation environment.

Genome classification by gene distribution: an overlapping subspace clustering approach

BACKGROUND

Genomes of lower organisms have been observed with a large amount of horizontal gene transfers, which cause difficulties in their evolutionary study. Bacteriophage genomes are a typical example. One recent approach that addresses this problem is the unsupervised clustering of genomes based on gene order and genome position, which helps to reveal species relationships that may not be apparent from traditional phylogenetic methods.

RESULTS

We propose the use of an overlapping subspace clustering algorithm for such genome classification problems. The advantage of subspace clustering over traditional clustering is that it can associate clusters with gene arrangement patterns, preserving genomic information in the clusters produced. Additionally, overlapping capability is desirable for the discovery of multiple conserved patterns within a single genome, such as those acquired from different species via horizontal gene transfers. The proposed method involves a novel strategy to vectorize genomes based on their gene distribution. A number of existing subspace clustering and biclustering algorithms were evaluated to identify the best framework upon which to develop our algorithm; we extended a generic subspace clustering algorithm called HARP to incorporate overlapping capability. The proposed algorithm was assessed and applied on bacteriophage genomes. The phage grouping results are consistent overall with the Phage Proteomic Tree and showed common genomic characteristics among the TP901-like, Sfi21-like and sk1-like phage groups. Among 441 phage genomes, we identified four significantly conserved distribution patterns structured by the terminase, portal, integrase, holin and lysin genes. We also observed a subgroup of Sfi21-like phages comprising a distinctive divergent genome organization and identified nine new phage members to the Sfi21-like genus: Staphylococcus 71, phiPVL108, Listeria A118, 2389, Lactobacillus phi AT3, A2, Clostridium phi3626, Geobacillus GBSV1, and Listeria monocytogenes PSA.

CONCLUSION

The method described in this paper can assist evolutionary study through objectively classifying genomes based on their resemblance in gene order, gene content and gene positions. The method is suitable for application to genomes with high genetic exchange and various conserved gene arrangement, as demonstrated through our application on phages.

Curated list of prokaryote viruses with fully sequenced genomes

Genome sequencing is of enormous importance for classification of prokaryote viruses and for understanding the evolution of these viruses. This survey covers 284 sequenced viruses for which a full description has been published and for which the morphology is known. This corresponds to 219 (4%) of tailed and 75 (36%) of tailless viruses of prokaryotes. The number of sequenced tailless viruses almost doubles if viruses of unknown morphology are counted. The sequences are from representatives of 15 virus families and three groups without family status, including eight taxa of archaeal viruses. Tailed phages, especially those with large genomes and hosts other than enterobacteria or lactococci, mycobacteria and pseudomonads, are vastly under investigated.