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Li XL, Megdadi M, Quadri HS. Interaction between gut virome and microbiota on inflammatory bowel disease. World J Methodol 2025; 15:100332. [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v15.i3.100332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2024] [Revised: 12/31/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2025] [Indexed: 03/06/2025] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic condition marked by recurring gastrointestinal inflammation. While immune, genetic, and environmental factors are well-studied, the gut virome has received less attention. This editorial highlights the work which investigates the gut virome’s role in IBD and its interactions with the bacterial microbiome and host immune system. The gut virome consists of bacteriophages, eukaryotic viruses, and endogenous retroviruses. Among these, Caudovirales bacteriophages are predominant and influence bacterial communities via lysogenic and lytic cycles. Eukaryotic viruses infect host cells directly, while endogenous retroviruses impact gene regulation and immune responses. In IBD, the virome shows distinct alterations, including an increased abundance of Caudovirales phages and reduced Microviridae diversity, suggesting a pro-inflammatory viral environment. Dysbiosis, chronic inflammation, and aberrant immune responses contribute to these changes by disrupting microbial communities and modifying virome composition. Phages affect bacterial dynamics through lysis, lysogeny, and horizontal gene transfer, shaping microbial adaptability and resilience. Understanding these interactions is crucial for identifying novel therapeutic targets and restoring microbial balance in IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Long Li
- Department of Surgery, Ascension St Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21009, United States
| | - Mueen Megdadi
- Department of Surgery, Ascension St Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21009, United States
| | - Humair S Quadri
- Department of Surgery, Ascension St Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21009, United States
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Alsaadi A, Imam M, Alghamdi AA, Aljedani SS, Alsari A, Aljami H, Bosaeed M. Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi Arabia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2025; 15:1563781. [PMID: 40357396 PMCID: PMC12066637 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1563781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2025] [Accepted: 03/27/2025] [Indexed: 05/15/2025] Open
Abstract
Prophages are bacteriophages that integrate their genomes into the bacterial chromosome. This research aimed to analyze and characterize prophages integrated into 44 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia. A total of 97 intact prophages were identified among clinical strains, with 16 prophages found present in more than one strain simultaneously. All prophages were found to have lengths ranging from 7.7 kb to 74.1 kb, and their GC content was found to be between 49.91% and 64.9%. Our findings show that prophages are present in the majority of the isolated P. aeruginosa strains (41 out of 44). Additionally, several proteins related to viral defense (toxin/antitoxin modules and proteins against restriction-modification enzymes) were identified, supporting the idea that prophages influence bacterial pathogenesis and anti-phage defenses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahlam Alsaadi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Imam
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Qunfudah College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Qunfudah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahman A. Alghamdi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Safia S. Aljedani
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amal Alsari
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Haya Aljami
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Bosaeed
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Du S, Lin H, Luo Q, Man CL, Lai SH, Ho KF, Leung KMY, Lee PKH. House dust microbiome differentiation and phage-mediated antibiotic resistance and virulence dissemination in the presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and pharmaceuticals. MICROBIOME 2025; 13:96. [PMID: 40205515 PMCID: PMC11980161 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-025-02081-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2025] [Indexed: 04/11/2025]
Abstract
BACKGROUND House dust serves as a reservoir of a diverse array of microbial life and anthropogenic chemicals, both of which can potentially influence the health of occupants, particularly those who spend significant amounts of time at home. However, the effects of anthropogenic chemicals on dust microbiomes remain poorly understood. This study investigated the presence of anthropogenic chemicals in the dust of homes occupied by elderly occupants and explored those chemicals' relationships with dust microbiomes. RESULTS We detected 69 out of 76 analyzed anthropogenic chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals, non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals, and antibiotics, in at least one house dust sample from 32 residential homes, with concentrations ranging from 2720 to 89,300 ng/g. Some of these detected compounds were pharmaceuticals regularly consumed by the occupants. The dust microbiomes were associated with varying levels of anthropogenic chemicals, forming two distinct clusters, each with unique diversity, taxonomy, metabolic functions, and resistome profiles. Higher concentrations and a greater variety of these chemicals were associated with an increased co-occurrence of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes, as well as an enhanced potential for their transfer through mobile genetic elements. Under these conditions, phages, especially phage-plasmids, facilitated the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and virulence among bacterial populations. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that everyday anthropogenic chemicals are important factors associated with the microbes in indoor environments. This underscores the importance of improving household chemical stewardship to reduce the health risks associated with exposure to these chemicals and their effects on indoor microbiomes. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shicong Du
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huiju Lin
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Qiong Luo
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chung Ling Man
- The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sze Han Lai
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kin Fai Ho
- The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kenneth M Y Leung
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Patrick K H Lee
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Low-Carbon and Climate Impact Research Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Pothineni BK, Probst R, Kiefer D, Dobretzberger V, Barišić I, Grundmeier G, Keller A. Monitoring phage infection and lysis of surface-immobilized bacteria by QCM-D. Anal Bioanal Chem 2025; 417:2143-2153. [PMID: 39998644 PMCID: PMC11961536 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-025-05803-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2025] [Revised: 02/12/2025] [Accepted: 02/13/2025] [Indexed: 02/27/2025]
Abstract
While being a promising approach for the treatment of infections caused by drug-resistant, pathogenic bacteria, the clinical implementation of phage therapy still faces several challenges. One of these challenges lies in the high strain-specificity of most bacteriophages, which makes it necessary to screen large phage collections against the target pathogens in order to identify suitable candidates for the formulations of personalized therapeutic phage cocktails. In this work, we evaluate the potential of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) to identify and detect phage infection and subsequent lysis of bacteria immobilized on the surfaces of the QCM-D sensors. Using lytic Escherichia coli phage T7 as a model, we show that phage infection of E. coli cells results in various unique alterations in the behaviors of the frequency (Δf) and dissipation (ΔD) signals, which are not observed during exposure of the E. coli strain to non-infectious Bacillus subtilis phage phi29 at similar concentration. To aid future phage screening campaigns, we furthermore identify a single measurement parameter, i.e., the spread between the different overtones of ΔD, that can be used to detect phage-induced lysis. For T7 infection of E. coli, this is achieved within 4 h after inoculation, including immobilization and growth of the bacteria on the sensor surface, as well as the completed phage propagation cycle. Given the commercial availability of highly automated multichannel systems and the fact that this approach does not require any sensor modifications, QCM-D has the potential to become a valuable tool for screening medium-sized phage collections against target pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhanu K Pothineni
- Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098, Paderborn, Germany
| | - René Probst
- Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Dorothee Kiefer
- Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, 190h, Garbenstr. 30, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Verena Dobretzberger
- Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology Gmbh, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivan Barišić
- Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology Gmbh, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Guido Grundmeier
- Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Adrian Keller
- Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098, Paderborn, Germany.
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Karampatakis T, Tsergouli K, Behzadi P. Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa's Resistome: Pan-Genomic Plasticity, the Impact of Transposable Elements and Jumping Genes. Antibiotics (Basel) 2025; 14:353. [PMID: 40298491 PMCID: PMC12024412 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics14040353] [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: 02/13/2025] [Revised: 03/23/2025] [Accepted: 03/26/2025] [Indexed: 04/30/2025] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative, motile bacterium, may cause significant infections in both community and hospital settings, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. This opportunistic pathogen can thrive in various environments, making it a public health concern worldwide. P. aeruginosa's genomic pool is highly dynamic and diverse, with a pan-genome size ranging from 5.5 to 7.76 Mbp. This versatility arises from its ability to acquire genes through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via different genetic elements (GEs), such as mobile genetic elements (MGEs). These MGEs, collectively known as the mobilome, facilitate the spread of genes encoding resistance to antimicrobials (ARGs), resistance to heavy metals (HMRGs), virulence (VGs), and metabolic functions (MGs). Of particular concern are the acquired carbapenemase genes (ACGs) and other β-lactamase genes, such as classes A, B [metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs)], and D carbapenemases, which can lead to increased antimicrobial resistance. This review emphasizes the importance of the mobilome in understanding antimicrobial resistance in P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros Karampatakis
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Kerry, V92 NX94 Tralee, Ireland; (T.K.); (K.T.)
| | - Katerina Tsergouli
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Kerry, V92 NX94 Tralee, Ireland; (T.K.); (K.T.)
| | - Payam Behzadi
- Department of Microbiology, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 37541-374, Iran
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Cadamuro RD, Elois MA, Pilati GVT, Savi BP, Pessi L, Jempierre YFSH, Rodríguez-Lázaro D, Fongaro G. Role of Lysogenic Phages in the Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Applied in the Food Chain. Foods 2025; 14:1082. [PMID: 40238219 PMCID: PMC11989040 DOI: 10.3390/foods14071082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2025] [Revised: 03/13/2025] [Accepted: 03/19/2025] [Indexed: 04/18/2025] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages, first discovered in 1915, have re-emerged as critical players in microbial ecosystems, particularly in food production. Their ability to lysogenize bacterial hosts raises concerns about their role in the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factors, contributing to the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. Key studies reveal that ARG-carrying phages are prevalent across various stages of the food chain, including soil, vegetables, meat, dairy, and wastewater associated with food production. These findings demonstrate the potential for lysogenic phages to act as vectors for resistance gene dissemination, posing risks to public health. The review also explores emerging genetic elements, such as phage-inducible chromosomal islands and gene transfer agents, that further enhance the mobility of resistance and virulence genes. Advancements in metagenomic tools have improved our understanding of phage-mediated gene transfer, but significant knowledge gaps remain. Future research should aim to quantify these processes in real-world settings and develop strategies to mitigate the risks associated with lysogenic phages in food systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Dorighello Cadamuro
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil; (M.A.E.); (G.V.T.P.); (B.P.S.); (L.P.); (Y.F.S.H.J.); (G.F.)
- Microbiology Division, Faculty of Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Mariana Alves Elois
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil; (M.A.E.); (G.V.T.P.); (B.P.S.); (L.P.); (Y.F.S.H.J.); (G.F.)
- Microbiology Division, Faculty of Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Giulia Von Tönnemann Pilati
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil; (M.A.E.); (G.V.T.P.); (B.P.S.); (L.P.); (Y.F.S.H.J.); (G.F.)
| | - Beatriz Pereira Savi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil; (M.A.E.); (G.V.T.P.); (B.P.S.); (L.P.); (Y.F.S.H.J.); (G.F.)
| | - Leonardo Pessi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil; (M.A.E.); (G.V.T.P.); (B.P.S.); (L.P.); (Y.F.S.H.J.); (G.F.)
| | - Yasmin Ferreira Souza Hoffmann Jempierre
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil; (M.A.E.); (G.V.T.P.); (B.P.S.); (L.P.); (Y.F.S.H.J.); (G.F.)
| | - David Rodríguez-Lázaro
- Microbiology Division, Faculty of Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
- Research Centre for Emerging Pathogens and Global Health, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Gislaine Fongaro
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil; (M.A.E.); (G.V.T.P.); (B.P.S.); (L.P.); (Y.F.S.H.J.); (G.F.)
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Lee MM, O'Neil CA, Vogt L, Kwon JH. Environmental hygiene strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings. ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP & HEALTHCARE EPIDEMIOLOGY : ASHE 2025; 5:e71. [PMID: 40109919 PMCID: PMC11920907 DOI: 10.1017/ash.2025.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2024] [Revised: 01/11/2025] [Accepted: 01/14/2025] [Indexed: 03/22/2025]
Abstract
In this manuscript, we highlight current literature on environmental hygiene techniques to combat reservoirs of antibiotic resistant organisms in the healthcare environment. We discuss several topics for each strategy, including mechanism of action, assessment of effectiveness based on studies, cost, and real-world translatability. The techniques and topics summarized here are not inclusive of all available environmental hygiene techniques but highlight some of the more popular and investigated strategies. We focus on the following: Ultraviolet radiation, hydrogen peroxide vapor, copper-coated surfaces, phages, interventions involving sinks, and educational initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Morgan Lee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, John T. Milliken Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Caroline A O'Neil
- Division of Infectious Diseases, John T. Milliken Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lucy Vogt
- Division of Infectious Diseases, John T. Milliken Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jennie H Kwon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, John T. Milliken Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
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Mahamud SMI, Oishy SH, Roy S, Pal K, Rubaiyat RN, Ansary MM. Comparative Genomic Analysis of 66 Bacteriophages Infecting Morganella morganii Strains. Curr Microbiol 2025; 82:137. [PMID: 39955358 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-025-04110-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2025] [Indexed: 02/17/2025]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically target bacteria and play a crucial role in influencing bacterial evolution and the transmission of antibiotic resistance. In this study, we explored the genomic profiles of 66 bacteriophages that infect Morganella morganii, an opportunistic pathogen associated with difficult-to-treat nosocomial and urinary tract infections. Our findings highlight the extraordinary diversity within this phage population, reflected in their genomic features, evolutionary relationships, and potential contributions to bacterial pathogenicity. The 66 phage genomes exhibited diversity in size, spanning from 6 to 115 kilobase pairs, reflecting a heterogeneous genetic material and coding potential. Their guanine-cytosine (G+C) content varied widely, from 43.3% to 64.6%, suggesting diverse evolutionary origins and adaptive strategies. Phylogenetic analysis identified ten distinct evolutionary clusters, some classified as singletons, highlighting unique evolutionary pathways. Several clusters included phages capable of infecting multiple M. morganii strains, indicating a broader host range and the potential for horizontal gene transfer. Genomic analysis also determined a substantial number of hypothetical proteins, underscoring the need for further investigation to clarify their functions. Importantly, we identified a wide array of antibiotic resistance and virulence-associated genes within these phage genomes, illuminating their potential to impact the treatment of M. morganii infections and develop new, more virulent strains. These findings highlight the critical role of phage-mediated gene transfer in shaping bacterial evolution and facilitating the transmission of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Iqbal Mahamud
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| | - Sumaiya Hossain Oishy
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sattajith Roy
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kowshik Pal
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rafid Nahian Rubaiyat
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mahfuja Maisha Ansary
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Wei N, Lu L, Li Y, Ding B, Cai L, Yang Y. A novel roseosiphovirus infecting dinoroseobacter shibae DFL12 T represents a new genus. BMC Genomics 2025; 26:121. [PMID: 39923004 PMCID: PMC11806900 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-025-11274-w] [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: 09/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2025] [Indexed: 02/10/2025] Open
Abstract
Bacteria belonging to the Roseobacter clade are key players in marine ecosystems, contributing significantly to carbon and sulfur cycles. Marine viruses, particularly those targeting Roseobacter, play crucial roles in regulating microbial communities and biogeochemical processes. Despite their importance, phages infecting organisms of the Roseobacter clade remain poorly understood. In this study, a novel roseophage, vB_DshS-R26L (R26L), infecting Dinoroseobacter shibae DFL12T, was isolated and characterized in terms of physiological and genomic properties. R26L has siphovirus morphology with an elongated head and a long, non-flexible tail. The phage has a narrow host range and demonstrates a long infection cycle with a latent period of 3.5 h and a burst size of 22 plaque-forming units (PFU cell- 1). R26L possesses a circular, double-stranded DNA genome of 79,534 bp with a G + C content of 62.6%, encoding a total of 116 open reading frames. Notably, seven auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), including those related to phosphate metabolism and queuosine biosynthesis, were identified. Phylogenetic and taxonomic analyses revealed that R26L represents a new genus, with its highest intergenomic similarities being 54.7% to another roseophage (R5C). By elucidating the unique characteristics of R26L, this study highlights the complexity of phage infections and the genomic diversity of roseophages, offering valuable insights into the ecological significance of Roseobacter-phage interactions in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
- Archaeal Biology Center, Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Longfei Lu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Ecosystem and Bioresource, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, 536000, China
| | - Yingying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Bo Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Lanlan Cai
- Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Thrust, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yunlan Yang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Synthetic Biology Research Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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Bandoo RA, Kraberger S, Ozturk C, Lund MC, Zhu Q, Cook C, Smith B, Varsani A. Identification of Diverse Bacteriophages Associated with Bees and Hoverflies. Viruses 2025; 17:201. [PMID: 40006956 PMCID: PMC11860568 DOI: 10.3390/v17020201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2024] [Revised: 01/24/2025] [Accepted: 01/27/2025] [Indexed: 02/27/2025] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are the most numerous, ubiquitous, and diverse biological entities on the planet. Prior studies have identified bacteriophages associated with pathogenic and commensal microbiota of honeybees. In this study we expand on what is known about bacteriophages from the lineages Caudoviricetes, Inoviridae, and Microviridae, which are associated with honeybees (Apidae, Apis mellifera), solitary bees of the genus Nomia (Halictidae, Nomia), and hoverflies (Syrphidae). The complete genomes of seven caudoviruses, seven inoviruses, and 288 microviruses were assembled from honeybees (n = 286) and hoverflies in Arizona (n = 2). We used bacterial host predictive software and sequence read mapping programs to infer the commensal and transient bacterial hosts of pollinating insects. Lastly, this study explores the phylogenetic relationships of microviruses sampled from bees, opportunistically sampled pollinating insects such as hoverflies, and blackflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan A. Bandoo
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; (R.A.B.); (C.O.); (Q.Z.); (B.S.)
| | - Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA;
| | - Cahit Ozturk
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; (R.A.B.); (C.O.); (Q.Z.); (B.S.)
| | - Michael C. Lund
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA;
| | - Qiyun Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; (R.A.B.); (C.O.); (Q.Z.); (B.S.)
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA;
| | - Chelsea Cook
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA;
| | - Brian Smith
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; (R.A.B.); (C.O.); (Q.Z.); (B.S.)
| | - Arvind Varsani
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; (R.A.B.); (C.O.); (Q.Z.); (B.S.)
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA;
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
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Fei X, Yuan Z, Wellner SM, Ma Y, Olsen JE. A sequencing-based method for quantifying gene-deletion mutants of bacteria in the intracellular environment. Front Microbiol 2025; 15:1487724. [PMID: 39981033 PMCID: PMC11841384 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1487724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 12/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2025] Open
Abstract
Advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) have significantly accelerated the development of innovative methodologies in microbiological research. In this study, we present a novel method to quantify the net survival of gene-deletion mutants within the intracellular environment. Based on standardized Illumina short-read sequencing of genomic DNA, the method eliminates the need for specific selective markers on each deletion mutant. For validation, the method was shown to accurately quantify mutants in spiked pools of mixed mutants, showing no statistically significant differences compared to the expected values based on CFU determination (p > 0.05). Further, the method was used to quantify mutants of S. Gallinarum in macrophages. Six mutants and one control strain were mixed in a pool and allowed to infect HD11 cells for 2 h. The results align with prior research results, providing evidence of the feasibility of mixed mutant infections in functional gene identification. Notably, the simplicity and standardization of the method, rooted in standard whole-genome sequencing protocols, make it easily implementable across various laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Fei
- Key Laboratory of Animal Pathogen Infection and Immunology of Fujian Province, College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Zengzhi Yuan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, Tianjin, China
- College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Sandra Marina Wellner
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yibing Ma
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - John Elmerdahl Olsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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12
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Nocera FP, De Martino L. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius: epidemiological changes, antibiotic resistance, and alternative therapeutic strategies. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:3505-3515. [PMID: 39167258 PMCID: PMC11538175 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10508-8] [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: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a major opportunistic bacterial pathogen that belongs to the skin and mucosal microbiota of the dog. Since its global emergence around 2006, multidrug - methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) clones have become endemic worldwide. MRSP strains pose a significant threat to animal health and make antimicrobial therapy difficult due to their typical multidrug resistance phenotypes. The difficulty to treat MRSP infections using the current antimicrobials licensed for veterinary use has intensified research efforts to develop new treatment strategies and alternative anti-infective approaches to conventional antimicrobial therapy. The present narrative review outlines the latest changes in the epidemiology of MRSP with focus on the geographical distribution variability and antimicrobial resistance profiles in the main MRSP lineages. It also provides an overview of the effectiveness of currently available antimicrobials and the status of anti-infective alternatives to conventional antimicrobials.Recent studies have reported notable changes in the population structure of MRSP, with the emergence of new epidemic lineages, such as ST258, ST123, ST496, and ST551 in European countries and ST45, ST181, ST258, ST496 in non-European countries, which partly or totally replaced those that were initially prevalent, such as ST71 in Europe and ST68 in the US. Due to methicillin resistance often associated with the resistance to a broader number of antimicrobials, treating canine MRSP skin infection is challenging. Several alternative or supplementary treatment options to conventional antibiotics, especially for topical treatment, such as a novel water-soluble hydroxypyridinone-containing iron-chelating 9 kDa polymer (DIBI), antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), nanoparticles, and bacteriophages seem to be particularly interesting from a clinical perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Paola Nocera
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
| | - Luisa De Martino
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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13
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Zhao F, Wang J. Another piece of puzzle for the human microbiome: the gut virome under dietary modulation. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:983-996. [PMID: 38710286 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The virome is the most abundant and highly variable microbial consortium in the gut. Because of difficulties in isolating and culturing gut viruses and the lack of reference genomes, the virome has remained a relatively elusive aspect of the human microbiome. In recent years, studies on the virome have accumulated growing evidence showing that the virome is diet-modulated and widely involved in regulating health. Here, we review the responses of the gut virome to dietary intake and the potential health implications, presenting changes in the gut viral community and preferences of viral members to particular diets. We further discuss how viral-bacterial interactions and phage lifestyle shifts shape the gut microbiota. We also discuss the specific functions conferred by diet on the gut virome and bacterial community in the context of horizontal gene transfer, as well as the import of new viral members along with the diet. Collating these studies will expand our understanding of the dietary regulation of the gut virome and inspire dietary interventions and health maintenance strategies targeting the gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengxiang Zhao
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jinfeng Wang
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China.
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14
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Liao H, Liu C, Zhou S, Liu C, Eldridge DJ, Ai C, Wilhelm SW, Singh BK, Liang X, Radosevich M, Yang QE, Tang X, Wei Z, Friman VP, Gillings M, Delgado-Baquerizo M, Zhu YG. Prophage-encoded antibiotic resistance genes are enriched in human-impacted environments. Nat Commun 2024; 15:8315. [PMID: 39333115 PMCID: PMC11437078 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52450-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) poses a substantial threat to human health. Phage-mediated transduction could exacerbate ARG transmission. While several case studies exist, it is yet unclear to what extent phages encode and mobilize ARGs at the global scale and whether human impacts play a role in this across different habitats. Here, we combine 38,605 bacterial genomes, 1432 metagenomes, and 1186 metatranscriptomes across 12 contrasting habitats to explore the distribution of prophages and their cargo ARGs in natural and human-impacted environments. Worldwide, we observe a significant increase in the abundance, diversity, and activity of prophage-encoded ARGs in human-impacted habitats linked with relatively higher risk of past antibiotic exposure. This effect was driven by phage-encoded cargo ARGs that could be mobilized to provide increased resistance in heterologous E. coli host for a subset of analyzed strains. Our findings suggest that human activities have altered bacteria-phage interactions, enriching ARGs in prophages and making ARGs more mobile across habitats globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanpeng Liao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chen Liu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shungui Zhou
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Chunqin Liu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - David J Eldridge
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Chaofan Ai
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Steven W Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Brajesh K Singh
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Xiaolong Liang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Mark Radosevich
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Qiu-E Yang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiang Tang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhong Wei
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | | | - Michael Gillings
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Seville, Spain.
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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15
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Zhou Z, Keiblinger KM, Huang Y, Bhople P, Shi X, Yang S, Yu F, Liu D. Virome and metagenomic sequencing reveal the impact of microbial inoculants on suppressions of antibiotic resistome and viruses during co-composting. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 477:135355. [PMID: 39068883 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Co-composting with exogenous microbial inoculant, presents an effective approach for the harmless utilization of livestock manure and agroforestry wastes. However, the impact of inoculant application on the variations of viral and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) remains poorly understood, particularly under varying manure quantity (low 10 % vs. high 20 % w/w). Thus, employing virome and metagenomic sequencing, we examined the influence of Streptomyces-Bacillus Inoculants (SBI) on viral communities, phytopathogen, ARGs, mobile genetic elements, and their interrelations. Our results indicate that SBI shifted dominant bacterial species from Phenylobacterium to thermotropic Bordetella, and the quantity of manure mediates the effect of SBI on whole bacterial community. Major ARGs and genetic elements experienced substantial changes with SBI addition. There was a higher ARGs elimination rate in the composts with low (∼76 %) than those with high manure (∼70 %) application. Virus emerged as a critical factor influencing ARG dynamics. We observed a significant variation in virus community, transitioning from Gemycircularvirus- (∼95 %) to Chlamydiamicrovirus-dominance. RDA analysis revealed that Gemycircularvirus was the most influential taxon in shaping ARGs, with its abundance decreased approximately 80 % after composting. Collectively, these findings underscore the role of microbial inoculants in modulating virus communities and ARGs during biowaste co-composting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyan Zhou
- The Germplasm Bank of Wild Species & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Katharina Maria Keiblinger
- Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Life-Sciences, Vienna 1190, Austria
| | - Yimei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and The Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Parag Bhople
- Crops, Environment, and Land Use Department, Environment Research Centre, Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Wexford Y35TC98, Ireland
| | - Xiaofei Shi
- The Germplasm Bank of Wild Species & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Shimei Yang
- The Germplasm Bank of Wild Species & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Fuqiang Yu
- The Germplasm Bank of Wild Species & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
| | - Dong Liu
- The Germplasm Bank of Wild Species & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
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16
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Li FY, Tan XE, Shimamori Y, Kiga K, Veeranarayanan S, Watanabe S, Nishikawa Y, Aiba Y, Sato'o Y, Miyanaga K, Sasahara T, Hossain S, Thitiananpakorn K, Kawaguchi T, Nguyen HM, Yeo Syin Lian A, Sultana S, Alessa O, Kumwenda G, Sarangi J, Revilleza JEC, Baranwal P, Faruk MO, Hidaka Y, Thu M, Arbaah M, Batbold A, Maniruzzaman, Liu Y, Duyen HTM, Sugano T, Tergel N, Shimojyo T, Cui L. Phagemid-based capsid system for CRISPR-Cas13a antimicrobials targeting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Commun Biol 2024; 7:1129. [PMID: 39271957 PMCID: PMC11399120 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06754-w] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
In response to the escalating antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant pathogens, we propose an innovative phagemid-based capsid system to generate CRISPR-Cas13a-loaded antibacterial capsids (AB-capsids) for targeted therapy against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Our optimized phagemid system maximizes AB-capsid yield and purity, showing a positive correlation with phagemid copy number. Notably, an 8.65-fold increase in copy number results in a 2.54-fold rise in AB-capsid generation. Phagemids carrying terL-terS-rinA-rinB (prophage-encoded packaging site genes) consistently exhibit high packaging efficiency, and the generation of AB-capsids using lysogenized hosts with terL-terS deletion resulted in comparatively lower level of wild-type phage contamination, with minimal compromise on AB-capsid yield. These generated AB-capsids selectively eliminate S. aureus strains carrying the target gene while sparing non-target strains. In conclusion, our phagemid-based capsid system stands as a promising avenue for developing sequence-specific bactericidal agents, offering a streamlined approach to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens within the constraints of efficient production and targeted efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Yu Li
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Xin-Ee Tan
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Yuzuki Shimamori
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Kotaro Kiga
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
| | - Srivani Veeranarayanan
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Shinya Watanabe
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Yutaro Nishikawa
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
- EIKEN CHEMICAL CO.,LTD., Shimotsuga District, Tochigi, 329-0114, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Aiba
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Yusuke Sato'o
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Miyanaga
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Teppei Sasahara
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Sarah Hossain
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Kanate Thitiananpakorn
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Tomofumi Kawaguchi
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Huong Minh Nguyen
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Adeline Yeo Syin Lian
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Sharmin Sultana
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Ola Alessa
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Geoffrey Kumwenda
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Jayathilake Sarangi
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Jastin Edrian Cocuangco Revilleza
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Priyanka Baranwal
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Mohammad Omar Faruk
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Yuya Hidaka
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Myat Thu
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Mahmoud Arbaah
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Anujin Batbold
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Maniruzzaman
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Yi Liu
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Ho Thi My Duyen
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Takashi Sugano
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Nayanjin Tergel
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Takayuki Shimojyo
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
| | - Longzhu Cui
- Division of Bacteriology, Department of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan.
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17
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Ikpe F, Williams T, Orok E, Ikpe A. Antimicrobial resistance: use of phage therapy in the management of resistant infections. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:925. [PMID: 39167154 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09870-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
The emergence and increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is now widely recognized as a major public health challenge. Traditional antimicrobial drugs are becoming increasingly ineffective, while the development of new antibiotics is waning. As a result, alternative treatments for infections are garnering increased interest. Among these alternatives, bacteriophages, also known as phages, are gaining renewed attention and are reported to offer a promising solution to alleviate the burden of bacterial infections. This review discusses the current successes of phage therapy (PT) against multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), such as Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Enterobacter spp. The review also compares the efficacy of PT with that of chemical antibiotics, reporting on its benefits and limitations, while highlighting its impact on the human gut microbiome and immune system. Despite its potential, phage therapy is reported to face challenges such as the narrow antibacterial range, the complexity of developing phage cocktails, and the need for precise dosing and duration protocols. Nevertheless, continued research, improved regulatory frameworks, and increased public awareness are essential to realize its full potential and integration into standard medical practice, paving the way for innovative treatments that can effectively manage infections in an era of rising antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Favour Ikpe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
| | - Tonfamoworio Williams
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
| | - Edidiong Orok
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Public Health, College of Pharmacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.
| | - Augustine Ikpe
- Department of Sciences, Champion Group of Schools, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria
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18
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Wiafe-Kwakye CS, Fournier A, Maurais H, Southworth KJ, Molloy SD, Neely MN. Comparative Genomic Analysis of Prophages in Human Vaginal Isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae. Pathogens 2024; 13:610. [PMID: 39204211 PMCID: PMC11357604 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13080610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Prophages, viral genomes integrated into bacterial genomes, are known to enhance bacterial colonization, adaptation, and ecological fitness, providing a better chance for pathogenic bacteria to disseminate and cause infection. Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus or GBS) is a common bacterium found colonizing the genitourinary tract of humans. However, GBS-colonized pregnant women are at risk of passing the organism to the neonate, where it can cause severe infections. GBS typically encode one or more prophages in their genomes, yet their role in pathogen fitness and virulence has not yet been described. Sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of the genomic content of GBS human isolates identified 42 complete prophages present in their genomes. Comparative genomic analyses of the prophage sequences revealed that the prophages could be classified into five distinct clusters based on their genomic content, indicating significant diversity in their genetic makeup. Prophage diversity was also identified across GBS capsule serotypes, sequence types (STs), and clonal clusters (CCs). Comprehensive genomic annotation revealed that all GBS strains encode paratox, a protein that prevents the uptake of DNA in Streptococcus, either on the chromosome, on the prophage, or both, and each prophage genome has at least one toxin-antitoxin system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin S. Wiafe-Kwakye
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA (S.D.M.)
| | - Andrew Fournier
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA (S.D.M.)
| | - Hannah Maurais
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA (S.D.M.)
| | - Katie J. Southworth
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA (S.D.M.)
| | - Sally D. Molloy
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA (S.D.M.)
- The Honors College, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Melody N. Neely
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA (S.D.M.)
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19
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Wolput S, Lood C, Fillol-Salom A, Casters Y, Albasiony A, Cenens W, Vanoirbeek K, Kerremans A, Lavigne R, Penadés J, Aertsen A. Phage-host co-evolution has led to distinct generalized transduction strategies. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:7780-7791. [PMID: 38884209 PMCID: PMC11260489 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Generalized transduction is pivotal in bacterial evolution but lacks comprehensive understanding regarding the facilitating features and variations among phages. We addressed this gap by sequencing and comparing the transducing particle content of three different Salmonella Typhimurium phages (i.e. Det7, ES18 and P22) that share a headful packaging mechanism that is typically initiated from a cognate pac site within the phage chromosome. This revealed substantial disparities in both the extent and content of transducing particles among these phages. While Det7 outperformed ES18 in terms of relative number of transducing particles, both phages contrasted with P22 in terms of content. In fact, we found evidence for the presence of conserved P22 pac-like sequences in the host chromosome that direct tremendously increased packaging and transduction frequencies of downstream regions by P22. More specifically, a ca. 561 kb host region between oppositely oriented pac-like sequences in the purF and minE loci was identified as highly packaged and transduced during both P22 prophage induction and lytic infection. Our findings underscore the evolution of phage transducing capacity towards attenuation, promiscuity or directionality, and suggest that pac-like sequences in the host chromosome could become selected as sites directing high frequency of transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Wolput
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
| | - Cédric Lood
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Alfred Fillol-Salom
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, Greater London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Yorben Casters
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
| | - Alaa Albasiony
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
| | - William Cenens
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
| | - Kristof Vanoirbeek
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
| | - Alison Kerremans
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
| | - José R Penadés
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, Greater London SW7 2AZ, UK
- School of Health Sciences, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, 46115, Spain
| | - Abram Aertsen
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant 3000, Belgium
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20
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Asakereh I, Rutbeek NR, Singh M, Davidson D, Prehna G, Khajehpour M. The Streptococcus phage protein paratox is an intrinsically disordered protein. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5037. [PMID: 38801244 PMCID: PMC11129628 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5037] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The bacteriophage protein paratox (Prx) blocks quorum sensing in its streptococcal host by directly binding the signal receptor and transcription factor ComR. This reduces the ability of Streptococcus to uptake environmental DNA and protects phage DNA from damage by recombination. Past work characterizing the Prx:ComR molecular interaction revealed that paratox adopts a well-ordered globular fold when bound to ComR. However, solution-state biophysical measurements suggested that Prx may be conformationally dynamic. To address this discrepancy, we investigated the stability and dynamic properties of Prx in solution using circular dichroism, nuclear magnetic resonance, and several fluorescence-based protein folding assays. Our work shows that under dilute buffer conditions Prx is intrinsically disordered. We also show that the addition of kosmotropic salts or protein stabilizing osmolytes induces Prx folding. However, the solute stabilized fold is different from the conformation Prx adopts when it is bound to ComR. Furthermore, we have characterized Prx folding thermodynamics and folding kinetics through steady-state fluorescence and stopped flow kinetic measurements. Our results show that Prx is a highly dynamic protein in dilute solution, folding and refolding within the 10 ms timescale. Overall, our results demonstrate that the streptococcal phage protein Prx is an intrinsically disordered protein in a two-state equilibrium with a solute-stabilized folded form. Furthermore, the solute-stabilized fold is likely the predominant form of Prx in a solute-crowded bacterial cell. Finally, our work suggests that Prx binds and inhibits ComR, and thus quorum sensing in Streptococcus, by a combination of conformational selection and induced-fit binding mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Asakereh
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | - Nicole R. Rutbeek
- Department of MicrobiologyUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | - Manvir Singh
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | - David Davidson
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | - Gerd Prehna
- Department of MicrobiologyUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
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21
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Zaer-Anaqz Z, Khakvar R, Mohammadi SA, Bannazadeh Baghi H, Koolivand D. Physicochemical Characterization of Novel Bacteriophages of Pseudomonas syringe from Northwest Iran. PHAGE (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2024; 5:99-106. [PMID: 39119206 PMCID: PMC11304830 DOI: 10.1089/phage.2023.0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial canker, caused by Pseudomonas syringae, is a devastating disease of stone fruit trees worldwide. The bacterium has a broad host range and a high capacity for adaptation and dissemination, owing to its high mutation rate and horizontal gene transfer. Traditional control methods based on copper compounds and antibiotics have resulted in the development of resistance in the bacterial population. Thus, alternative approaches are needed, such as phage therapy. This study aimed to characterize the physicochemical and biological properties of novel Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss)-specific phages isolated from the soils of northwestern Iran. Seventy-five phage isolates were obtained, and their host range was determined against various bacterial pathogens. Five phages exhibiting the highest lytic activity against Pss and a narrow host range were selected for subsequent analysis. The stability of the selected phages was assessed under different conditions such as ultraviolet irradiation, temperature, pH, NaCl concentration, and chloroform exposure. The selected phages demonstrated significant effectiveness in vivo, exerting substantial suppression on the population of Pss. This reduction was observed for both individual phages and when the phages were utilized as a mixture. The findings indicate that phages have the potential to be used as biocontrol agents in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Zaer-Anaqz
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Reza Khakvar
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Seyed Abolghasem Mohammadi
- Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Davoud Koolivand
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
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22
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Maier JL, Gin C, Callahan B, Sheriff EK, Duerkop BA, Kleiner M. Pseudo-pac site sequences used by phage P22 in generalized transduction of Salmonella. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012301. [PMID: 38913753 PMCID: PMC11226127 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium (Salmonella) and its bacteriophage P22 are a model system for the study of horizontal gene transfer by generalized transduction. Typically, the P22 DNA packaging machinery initiates packaging when a short sequence of DNA, known as the pac site, is recognized on the P22 genome. However, sequences similar to the pac site in the host genome, called pseudo-pac sites, lead to erroneous packaging and subsequent generalized transduction of Salmonella DNA. While the general genomic locations of the Salmonella pseudo-pac sites are known, the sequences themselves have not been determined. We used visualization of P22 sequencing reads mapped to host Salmonella genomes to define regions of generalized transduction initiation and the likely locations of pseudo-pac sites. We searched each genome region for the sequence with the highest similarity to the P22 pac site and aligned the resulting sequences. We built a regular expression (sequence match pattern) from the alignment and used it to search the genomes of two P22-susceptible Salmonella strains-LT2 and 14028S-for sequence matches. The final regular expression successfully identified pseudo-pac sites in both LT2 and 14028S that correspond with generalized transduction initiation sites in mapped read coverages. The pseudo-pac site sequences identified in this study can be used to predict locations of generalized transduction in other P22-susceptible hosts or to initiate generalized transduction at specific locations in P22-susceptible hosts with genetic engineering. Furthermore, the bioinformatics approach used to identify the Salmonella pseudo-pac sites in this study could be applied to other phage-host systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie L. Maier
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Craig Gin
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Callahan
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Emma K. Sheriff
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Breck A. Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Manuel Kleiner
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
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23
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Schmid N, Brandt D, Walasek C, Rolland C, Wittmann J, Fischer D, Müsken M, Kalinowski J, Thormann K. An autonomous plasmid as an inovirus phage satellite. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0024624. [PMID: 38597658 PMCID: PMC11107163 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00246-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial viruses (phages) are potent agents of lateral gene transfer and thus are important drivers of evolution. A group of mobile genetic elements, referred to as phage satellites, exploits phages to disseminate their own genetic material. Here, we isolated a novel member of the family Inoviridae, Shewanella phage Dolos, along with an autonomously replicating plasmid, pDolos. Dolos causes a chronic infection in its host Shewanella oneidensis by phage production with only minor effects on the host cell proliferation. When present, plasmid pDolos hijacks Dolos functions to be predominantly packaged into phage virions and released into the environment and, thus, acts as a phage satellite. pDolos can disseminate further genetic material encoding, e.g., resistances or fluorophores to host cells sensitive to Dolos infection. Given the rather simple requirements of a plasmid for takeover of an inovirus and the wide distribution of phages of this group, we speculate that similar phage-satellite systems are common among bacteria.IMPORTANCEPhage satellites are mobile genetic elements, which hijack phages to be transferred to other host cells. The vast majority of these phage satellites integrate within the host's chromosome, and they all carry remaining phage genes. Here, we identified a novel phage satellite, pDolos, which uses an inovirus for dissemination. pDolos (i) remains as an autonomously replicating plasmid within its host, (ii) does not carry recognizable phage genes, and (iii) is smaller than any other phage satellites identified so far. Thus, pDolos is the first member of a new class of phage satellites, which resemble natural versions of phagemids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Schmid
- Institute for Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - David Brandt
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Claudia Walasek
- Institute for Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Clara Rolland
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Johannes Wittmann
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dorian Fischer
- Institute for Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Mathias Müsken
- Central Facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Kai Thormann
- Institute for Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
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24
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Li X, Chen T, Ren Q, Lu J, Cao S, Liu C, Li Y. Phages in sludge from the A/O wastewater treatment process play an important role in the transmission of ARGs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:172111. [PMID: 38565354 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Phages can influence the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through transduction, but their profiles and effects on the transmission of ARGs are unclear, especially in complex swine sludge. In this study, we investigated the characterization of phage and ARG profiles in sludge generated from anoxic/oxic (A/O) wastewater treatment processes on swine farms using metagenomes and viromes. The results demonstrated that 205-221 subtypes of ARGs could be identified in swine sludge, among which sul1, tet(M), and floR were the dominant ARGs, indicating that sludge is an important reservoir of ARGs, especially in sludge (S) tanks. The greater abundance of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in the S tank could significantly contribute to the greater abundance of ARGs there compared to the anoxic (A) and oxic (O) tanks (P < 0.05). However, when we compared the abundances of ARGs and MGEs in the A and O tanks, we observed opposite significant differences (P < 0.05), suggesting that MGEs are not the only factor influencing the abundance of ARGs. The high proportion of lysogenic phages in sludge from the S tank can also have a major impact on the ARG profile. Siphoviridae, Myoviridae, and Podoviridae were the dominant phage families in sludge, and a network diagram of bacteria-ARG-phages revealed that dominant phages and bacteria acted simultaneously as potential hosts for ARGs, which may have led to phage-mediated HGT of ARGs. Therefore, the risk of phage-mediated HGT of ARGs cannot be overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Li
- Phage Research Center, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Tao Chen
- College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Qinghai Ren
- Phage Research Center, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Jianbiao Lu
- Phage Research Center, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Shengliang Cao
- Phage Research Center, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Cheng Liu
- Phage Research Center, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China
| | - Yubao Li
- Phage Research Center, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, China.
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25
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Chen T, Mo C, Yuan Y, Li S, Wu Y, Liao X, Yang Y. Short-, long-read metagenome and virome reveal the profile of phage-mediated ARGs in anoxic-oxic processes for swine wastewater treatment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 468:133789. [PMID: 38394893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Phages are among the most widely spread viruses, but their profiles and the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) they carry in swine wastewater remain underexplored. The present study investigated the distribution characteristics of phages and their ARG risk in anoxic/oxic (A/O) wastewater treatment processes of swine farms using short- and long-read metagenome and virome. The results demonstrated that the virome could extract more phage sequences than the total metagenome; thus, it was more suited for studying phages in wastewater settings. Intriguingly, phages had significantly lower abundance of ARG than ARGs harbored by total microorganisms (P < 0.01). Eleven ARGs co-occurred with phages and bacteria (R > 0.6 and P < 0.05), with Siphoviridae being the phage co-occurring with the most ARGs (5). Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events were observed between Proteobacteria and the major phyla except for Bacteroidota. Furthermore, there were prophage sequences and ARGs on the same contig in bacterial MAGs. These data strongly demonstrate that phages promote horizontal transfer of ARG between bacterial hosts in A/O processes for swine wastewater treatment. Therefore, the risk of phage-mediated horizontal transfer of ARGs cannot be overlooked despite the low abundance of phage ARGs (pARG).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunhao Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yilin Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shengjie Li
- Department of Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Yinbao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xindi Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiwen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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26
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Liu F, Luo Y, Xu T, Lin H, Qiu Y, Li B. Current examining methods and mathematical models of horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1371388. [PMID: 38638913 PMCID: PMC11025395 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1371388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment has garnered significant attention due to their health risk to human beings. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is considered as an important way for ARG dissemination. There are four general routes of HGT, including conjugation, transformation, transduction and vesiduction. Selection of appropriate examining methods is crucial for comprehensively understanding characteristics and mechanisms of different HGT ways. Moreover, combined with the results obtained from different experimental methods, mathematical models could be established and serve as a powerful tool for predicting ARG transfer dynamics and frequencies. However, current reviews of HGT for ARG spread mainly focus on its influencing factors and mechanisms, overlooking the important roles of examining methods and models. This review, therefore, delineated four pathways of HGT, summarized the strengths and limitations of current examining methods, and provided a comprehensive summing-up of mathematical models pertaining to three main HGT ways of conjugation, transformation and transduction. Finally, deficiencies in current studies were discussed, and proposed the future perspectives to better understand and assess the risks of ARG dissemination through HGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Liu
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqiu Luo
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Tiansi Xu
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hai Lin
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Qiu
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Li
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
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27
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Wu Y, Liu P, Mehrjou B, Chu PK. Interdisciplinary-Inspired Smart Antibacterial Materials and Their Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2305940. [PMID: 37469232 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of antibiotics has saved millions of lives, but the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become another problem in modern medicine. To avoid or reduce the overuse of antibiotics in antibacterial treatments, stimuli-responsive materials, pathogen-targeting nanoparticles, immunogenic nano-toxoids, and biomimetic materials are being developed to make sterilization better and smarter than conventional therapies. The common goal of smart antibacterial materials (SAMs) is to increase the antibiotic efficacy or function via an antibacterial mechanism different from that of antibiotics in order to increase the antibacterial and biological properties while reducing the risk of drug resistance. The research and development of SAMs are increasingly interdisciplinary because new designs require the knowledge of different fields and input/collaboration from scientists in different fields. A good understanding of energy conversion in materials, physiological characteristics in cells and bacteria, and bactericidal structures and components in nature are expected to promote the development of SAMs. In this review, the importance of multidisciplinary insights for SAMs is emphasized, and the latest advances in SAMs are categorized and discussed according to the pertinent disciplines including materials science, physiology, and biomimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzheng Wu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Pei Liu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Babak Mehrjou
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Paul K Chu
- Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
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28
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Beck C, Krusche J, Elsherbini AMA, Du X, Peschel A. Phage susceptibility determinants of the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 78:102434. [PMID: 38364502 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common member of the human skin and nose microbiomes and a frequent cause of invasive infections. Transducing phages accomplish the horizontal transfer of resistance and virulence genes by mispackaging of mobile-genetic elements, contributing to severe, therapy-refractory S. epidermidis infections. Lytic phages on the other hand can be interesting candidates for new anti-S. epidermidis phage therapies. Despite the importance of phages, we are only beginning to unravel S. epidermidis phage interactions. Recent studies shed new light on S. epidermidis phage diversity, host range, and receptor specificities. Modulation of cell wall teichoic acids, the major phage receptor structures, along with other phage defense mechanisms, are crucial determinants for S. epidermidis susceptibility to different phage groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Beck
- Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Janes Krusche
- Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ahmed M A Elsherbini
- Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Xin Du
- Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Cluster of Excellence "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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29
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Maier JL, Gin C, Callahan B, Sheriff EK, Duerkop BA, Kleiner M. Pseudo-pac site sequences used by phage P22 in generalized transduction of Salmonella. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586692. [PMID: 38585963 PMCID: PMC10996546 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium (Salmonella) and its bacteriophage P22 are a model system for the study of horizontal gene transfer by generalized transduction. Typically, the P22 DNA packaging machinery initiates packaging when a short sequence of DNA, known as the pac site, is recognized on the P22 genome. However, sequences similar to the pac site in the host genome, called pseudo-pac sites, lead to erroneous packaging and subsequent generalized transduction of Salmonella DNA. While the general genomic locations of the Salmonella pseudo-pac sites are known, the sequences themselves have not been determined. We used visualization of P22 sequencing reads mapped to host Salmonella genomes to define regions of generalized transduction initiation and the likely locations of pseudo-pac sites. We searched each genome region for the sequence with the highest similarity to the P22 pac site and aligned the resulting sequences. We built a regular expression (sequence match pattern) from the alignment and used it to search the genomes of two P22-susceptible Salmonella strains- LT2 and 14028S- for sequence matches. The final regular expression successfully identified pseudo-pac sites in both LT2 and 14028S that correspond with generalized transduction initiation sites in mapped read coverages. The pseudo-pac site sequences identified in this study can be used to predict locations of generalized transduction in other P22-susceptible hosts or to initiate generalized transduction at specific locations in P22-susceptible hosts with genetic engineering. Furthermore, the bioinformatics approach used to identify the Salmonella pseudo-pac sites in this study could be applied to other phage-host systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie L. Maier
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Craig Gin
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Ben Callahan
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Emma K. Sheriff
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO
| | - Breck A. Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO
| | - Manuel Kleiner
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
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30
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Tarakanov RI, Evseev PV, Vo HTN, Troshin KS, Gutnik DI, Ignatov AN, Toshchakov SV, Miroshnikov KA, Jafarov IH, Dzhalilov FSU. Xanthomonas Phage PBR31: Classifying the Unclassifiable. Viruses 2024; 16:406. [PMID: 38543771 PMCID: PMC10975493 DOI: 10.3390/v16030406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability of bacteriophages to destroy bacteria has made them the subject of extensive research. Interest in bacteriophages has recently increased due to the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, although genomic research has not kept pace with the growth of genomic data. Genomic analysis and, especially, the taxonomic description of bacteriophages are often difficult due to the peculiarities of the evolution of bacteriophages, which often includes the horizontal transfer of genes and genomic modules. The latter is particularly pronounced for temperate bacteriophages, which are capable of integration into the bacterial chromosome. Xanthomonas phage PBR31 is a temperate bacteriophage, which has been neither described nor classified previously, that infects the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. Genomic analysis, including phylogenetic studies, indicated the separation of phage PBR31 from known classified bacteriophages, as well as its distant relationship with other temperate bacteriophages, including the Lederbervirus group. Bioinformatic analysis of proteins revealed distinctive features of PBR31, including the presence of a protein similar to the small subunit of D-family DNA polymerase and advanced lysis machinery. Taxonomic analysis showed the possibility of assigning phage PBR31 to a new taxon, although the complete taxonomic description of Xanthomonas phage PBR31 and other related bacteriophages is complicated by the complex evolutionary history of the formation of its genome. The general biological features of the PBR31 phage were analysed for the first time. Due to its presumably temperate lifestyle, there is doubt as to whether the PBR31 phage is appropriate for phage control purposes. Bioinformatics analysis, however, revealed the presence of cell wall-degrading enzymes that can be utilised for the treatment of bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashit I. Tarakanov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
| | - Peter V. Evseev
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovityanova 1, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ha T. N. Vo
- Faculty of Agronomy, Nong Lam University, Quarter 6, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City 721400, Vietnam
| | - Konstantin S. Troshin
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
| | - Daria I. Gutnik
- Limnological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033 Irkutsk, Russia;
| | - Aleksandr N. Ignatov
- Agrobiotechnology Department, Agrarian and Technological Institute, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya Str. 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Stepan V. Toshchakov
- Center for Genome Research, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq., 1, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin A. Miroshnikov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ibrahim H. Jafarov
- Azerbaijan Scientific Research Institute for Plant Protection and Industrial Crops, AZ 4200 Ganja, Azerbaijan
| | - Fevzi S.-U. Dzhalilov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
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Fang GY, Liu XQ, Jiang YJ, Mu XJ, Huang BW. Horizontal gene transfer in activated sludge enhances microbial antimicrobial resistance and virulence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168908. [PMID: 38013098 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Activated sludge (AS) plays a vital role in removing organic pollutants and nutrients from wastewater. However, the risks posed by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between bacteria in AS are still unclear. Here, a total of 478 high-quality non-redundant metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were obtained. >50 % and 5 % of MAGs were involved in at least one HGT and recent HGT, respectively. Most of the transfers (82.4 %) of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) occurred among the classes of Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria. The bacteria involved in the transfers of virulence factor genes (VFGs) mainly include Alphaproteobacteria (42.3 %), Bacteroidia (19.2 %), and Gammaproteobacteria (11.5 %). Moreover, the number of ARGs and VFGs in the classes of Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria was higher than that in other bacteria (P < 0.001). Mobile genetic elements were important contributors to ARGs and VFGs in AS bacteria. These results have implications for the management of antimicrobial resistance and virulence in activated sludge microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Yu Fang
- College of Food and Health, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, PR China; National Grain Industry (High-Quality Rice Storage in Temperate and Humid Region) Technology Innovation Center, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, PR China.
| | - Xing-Quan Liu
- College of Food and Health, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, PR China; National Grain Industry (High-Quality Rice Storage in Temperate and Humid Region) Technology Innovation Center, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, PR China
| | - Yu-Jian Jiang
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
| | - Xiao-Jing Mu
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
| | - Bing-Wen Huang
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
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Hyde JR, Armond T, Herring JA, Hope S, Grose JH, Breakwell DP, Pickett BE. Diversity and conservation of the genome architecture of phages infecting the Alphaproteobacteria. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0282723. [PMID: 37991376 PMCID: PMC10783043 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02827-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This study reports the results of the largest analysis of genome sequences from phages that infect the Alphaproteobacteria class of bacterial hosts. We analyzed over 100 whole genome sequences of phages to construct dotplots, categorize them into genetically distinct clusters, generate a bootstrapped phylogenetic tree, compute protein orthologs, and predict packaging strategies. We determined that the phage sequences primarily cluster by the bacterial host family, phage morphotype, and genome size. We expect that the findings reported in this seminal study will facilitate future analyses that will improve our knowledge of the phages that infect these hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R. Hyde
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Thomas Armond
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Jacob A. Herring
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Sandra Hope
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Julianne H. Grose
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Donald P. Breakwell
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Brett E. Pickett
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
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Iwamoto M, Takahashi M, Maeda H, Takeuchi H, Uchiyama J, Ujihara T, Nagasaki K, Hanazaki K, Seo S, Kitamura N, Yamamoto T, Matsuzaki S. Analysis of the life cycle of Helicobacter pylori bacteriophage KHP40 belonging to the genus Schmidvirus. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2024; 371:fnae082. [PMID: 39380139 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnae082] [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: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 10/07/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage (phage) KHP40 was previously isolated from the supernatant of a culture of Helicobacter pylori KMT83 cells. In this study, we analysed the infection characteristics of KHP40, phage release pattern from KMT83 cells, and state of KHP40 DNA in KMT83 cells. The findings revealed that KHP40 phage showed varied adsorption efficiencies for different strains, long latent periods, and small burst sizes. Additionally, KHP40 activity was maintained at pH 2.5-12. KHP40 phages were released during the vegetative growth phase of the KMT83 cells. PCR analysis demonstrated that KHP40 DNA was stably maintained in KMT83 clones. Next-generation sequencing analysis revealed the presence of two distinct types of circular double-stranded DNA in H. pylori KMT83 cells. One was an H. pylori-specific DNA consisting of 1 578 403 bp, and the other was a 26 412-bp sequence that represented the episomal form of phage KHP40 DNA. Furthermore, defective KHP40-lysogenic DNA was detected in the H. pylori-specific DNA, the deleted portion of which appeared to have been transferred to another location in the bacterial genome. These findings indicate that KHP40 DNA exists in both episomal and defectively lysogenized states in KMT83 cells, and active phages are produced from KHP40-episomal DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Iwamoto
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kochi Gakuen University, Kochi, Kochi 780-0955, Japan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Michiko Takahashi
- Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Hiromichi Maeda
- Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Takeuchi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Health and Sciences, International University of Health and Welfare Graduate School, Narita, Chiba 286-8686, Japan
| | - Jumpei Uchiyama
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Takako Ujihara
- Science Research Center, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Keizo Nagasaki
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
- Faculty of Agriculture and Marine Science, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Hanazaki
- Kochi Medical School Hospital, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Satoru Seo
- Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Naoya Kitamura
- Department of Comprehensive Dentistry, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8504, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Yamamoto
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Shigenobu Matsuzaki
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kochi Gakuen University, Kochi, Kochi 780-0955, Japan
- Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
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Wang H, Chao S, Yan Q, Zhang S, Chen G, Mao C, Hu Y, Yu F, Wang S, Lv L, Yang B, He J, Zhang S, Zhang L, Simmonds P, Feng G. Genetic diversity of RNA viruses infecting invertebrate pests of rice. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:175-187. [PMID: 37946067 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2398-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Invertebrate species are a natural reservoir of viral genetic diversity, and invertebrate pests are widely distributed in crop fields. However, information on viruses infecting invertebrate pests of crops is limited. In this report, we describe the deep metatranscriptomic sequencing of 88 invertebrate samples covering all major invertebrate pests in rice fields. We identified 296 new RNA viruses and 13 known RNA viruses. These viruses clustered within 31 families, with many highly divergent viruses constituting potentially new families and genera. Of the identified viruses, 13 RNA viruses clustered within the Fiersviridae family of bacteriophages, and 48 RNA viruses clustered within families and genera of mycoviruses. We detected known rice viruses in novel invertebrate hosts at high abundances. Furthermore, some novel RNA viruses have genome structures closely matching to known plant viruses and clustered within genera of several plant virus species. Forty-five potential insect pathogenic RNA viruses were detected in invertebrate species. Our analysis revealed that host taxonomy plays a major role and geographical location plays an important role in structuring viral diversity. Cross-species transmission of RNA viruses was detected between invertebrate hosts. Newly identified viral genomes showed extensive variation for invertebrate viral families or genera. Together, the large-scale metatranscriptomic analysis greatly expands our understanding of RNA viruses in rice invertebrate species, the results provide valuable information for developing efficient strategies to manage insect pests and virus-mediated crop diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311400, China
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Shufen Chao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311400, China
| | - Qing Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311400, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection & Soil Fertilizer, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430064, China
| | - Guoqing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311400, China
| | - Chonghui Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311400, China
| | - Yang Hu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, 550000, China
| | - Fengquan Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Sanya Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Centre, Sanya, 572000, China
| | - Liang Lv
- Institute of Plant Protection & Soil Fertilizer, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430064, China
| | - Baojun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311400, China
| | - Jiachun He
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311400, China
| | - Songbai Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434000, China
| | - Liangsheng Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- Genomics and Genetic Engineering Laboratory of Ornamental Plants, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Peter Simmonds
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3SY, UK
| | - Guozhong Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311400, China.
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Magness LH, Delesalle VA, Vill AC, Strine MS, Chaudhry BE, Lichty KB, Guffey AA, DeCurzio JM, Krukonis GP. Bacillus subtilis Phages Related to SIOphi from Desert Soils of the Southwest United States. PHAGE (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2023; 4:165-172. [PMID: 40134792 PMCID: PMC11932521 DOI: 10.1089/phage.2023.0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2025]
Abstract
Background Phages impact Bacillus subtilis microbial dynamics, but our understanding of the diversity of phages that can lyse this model organism is limited. Materials and Methods Phages were isolated from soil collected from two Southwest United States desert sites on wild B. subtilis strains. Phage genomes were assembled and bioinformatically characterized, and phage host range was assessed. Results Four myoviruses with high nucleotide and amino acid similarity to each other (>97%) and to three phages in GenBank (>82%), including SIOphi, were isolated. These phages have double-stranded DNA genomes (153,882-156,577 bp), low GC content, and 256-270 putative protein coding genes (28-30% with predicted functions). Comparative genomics revealed differences in putative lysis and replication genes. Conclusions Comparative approaches provide insight into phage evolution, identifying unique genes shared within phage clusters. Better characterization of Bacillus phages will aid in linking genetic differences among phages (e.g., lysin genes) to phenotype (e.g., host range).
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh H. Magness
- Department of Biology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Albert C. Vill
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Madison S. Strine
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Katherine B. Lichty
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | | | - Jenna M. DeCurzio
- Research and Development, Montera, Inc., DBA Forta, San Francisco, USA
| | - Greg P. Krukonis
- Department of Biology, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas, USA
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Petrosino A, Saporetti R, Starinieri F, Sarti E, Ulfo L, Boselli L, Cantelli A, Morini A, Zadran SK, Zuccheri G, Pasquini Z, Di Giosia M, Prodi L, Pompa PP, Costantini PE, Calvaresi M, Danielli A. A modular phage vector platform for targeted photodynamic therapy of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. iScience 2023; 26:108032. [PMID: 37822492 PMCID: PMC10563061 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108032] [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: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing antibiotic resistance has encouraged the revival of phage-inspired antimicrobial approaches. On the other hand, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered a very promising research domain for the protection against infectious diseases. Yet, very few efforts have been made to combine the advantages of both approaches in a modular, retargetable platform. Here, we foster the M13 bacteriophage as a multifunctional scaffold, enabling the selective photodynamic killing of bacteria. We took advantage of the well-defined molecular biology of M13 to functionalize its capsid with hundreds of photo-activable Rose Bengal sensitizers and contemporarily target this light-triggerable nanobot to specific bacterial species by phage display of peptide targeting moieties fused to the minor coat protein pIII of the phage. Upon light irradiation of the specimen, the targeted killing of diverse Gram(-) pathogens occurred at subnanomolar concentrations of the phage vector. Our findings contribute to the development of antimicrobials based on targeted and triggerable phage-based nanobiotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annapaola Petrosino
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Saporetti
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Giacomo Ciamician” – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Starinieri
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Edoardo Sarti
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Ulfo
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Boselli
- Nanobiointeractions and Nanodiagnostics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Andrea Cantelli
- CNR Institute of Molecular Genetics "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza" Unit of Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Morini
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Suleman Khan Zadran
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Zuccheri
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- CIRI SDV – Centro Interdipartimentale Scienze della Vita - Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 41/E - 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Zeno Pasquini
- Infectious Diseases Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Di Giosia
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Giacomo Ciamician” – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Prodi
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Giacomo Ciamician” – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- CIRI SDV – Centro Interdipartimentale Scienze della Vita - Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 41/E - 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Pompa
- Nanobiointeractions and Nanodiagnostics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Paolo Emidio Costantini
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Calvaresi
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Giacomo Ciamician” – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- CIRI SDV – Centro Interdipartimentale Scienze della Vita - Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 41/E - 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Alberto Danielli
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie (FaBiT) – Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Francesco Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- CIRI SDV – Centro Interdipartimentale Scienze della Vita - Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 41/E - 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
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Huang J, Dai X, Wu Z, Hu X, Sun J, Tang Y, Zhang W, Han P, Zhao J, Liu G, Wang X, Mao S, Wang Y, Call DR, Liu J, Wang L. Conjugative transfer of streptococcal prophages harboring antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1467-1481. [PMID: 37369704 PMCID: PMC10432423 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01463-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Prophages play important roles in the transduction of various functional traits, including virulence factors, but remain debatable in harboring and transmitting antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Herein we characterize a prevalent family of prophages in Streptococcus, designated SMphages, which harbor twenty-five ARGs that collectively confer resistance to ten antimicrobial classes, including vanG-type vancomycin resistance locus and oxazolidinone resistance gene optrA. SMphages integrate into four chromosome attachment sites by utilizing three types of integration modules and undergo excision in response to phage induction. Moreover, we characterize four subtypes of Alp-related surface proteins within SMphages, the lethal effects of which are extensively validated in cell and animal models. SMphages transfer via high-frequency conjugation that is facilitated by integrative and conjugative elements from either donors or recipients. Our findings explain the widespread of SMphages and the rapid dissemination of ARGs observed in members of the Streptococcus genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhu Huang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xingyang Dai
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zuowei Wu
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Junjie Sun
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yijun Tang
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Wanqiu Zhang
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Peizhao Han
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhao
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Guangjin Liu
- Key Lab of Animal Bacteriology, Ministry of Agriculture, OIE Reference Lab for Swine Streptococcosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shengyong Mao
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Douglas R Call
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Jinxin Liu
- Ruminant Nutrition and Feed Engineering Technology Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Liping Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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Wang Y, Zhang P, Wu J, Chen S, Jin Y, Long J, Duan G, Yang H. Transmission of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus between animals, environment, and humans in the farm. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:86521-86539. [PMID: 37418185 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28532-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a fearsome bacterial pathogen that can colonize and infect humans and animals. Depending on the different sources, MRSA is classified as hospital-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA), community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), and livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA). LA-MRSA is initially associated with livestock, and clonal complexes (CCs) were almost always 398. However, the continued development of animal husbandry, globalization, and the widespread use of antibiotics have increased the spread of LA-MRSA among humans, livestock, and the environment, and other clonal complexes such as CC9, CC5, and CC8 have gradually emerged in various countries. This may be due to frequent host switching between humans and animals, as well as between animals. Host-switching is typically followed by subsequent adaptation through acquisition and/or loss of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as phages, pathogenicity islands, and plasmids as well as further host-specific mutations allowing it to expand into new host populations. This review aimed to provide an overview of the transmission characteristics of S. aureus in humans, animals, and farm environments, and also to describe the main prevalent clones of LA-MRSA and the changes in MGEs during host switching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 of Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Peihua Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 of Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jian Wu
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 of Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Shuaiyin Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 of Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yuefei Jin
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 of Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jinzhao Long
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 of Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Guangcai Duan
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 of Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Haiyan Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 of Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
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Ibarra‐Chávez R, Reboud J, Penadés JR, Cooper JM. Phage-Inducible Chromosomal Islands as a Diagnostic Platform to Capture and Detect Bacterial Pathogens. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2301643. [PMID: 37358000 PMCID: PMC10460865 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Phage-inducible chromosomal islands (PICIs) are a family of phage satellites that hijack phage components to facilitate their mobility and spread. Recently, these genetic constructs are repurposed as antibacterial drones, enabling a new toolbox for unorthodox applications in biotechnology. To illustrate a new suite of functions, the authors have developed a user-friendly diagnostic system, based upon PICI transduction to selectively enrich bacteria, allowing the detection and sequential recovery of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The system enables high transfer rates and sensitivities in comparison with phages, with detection down to ≈50 CFU mL-1 . In contrast to conventional detection strategies, which often rely on nucleic acid molecular assays, and cannot differentiate between dead and live organisms, this approach enables visual sensing of viable pathogens only, through the expression of a reporter gene encoded in the PICI. The approach extends diagnostic sensing mechanisms beyond cell-free synthetic biology strategies, enabling new synthetic biology/biosensing toolkits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Ibarra‐Chávez
- Department of BiologySection of MicrobiologyUniversity of CopenhagenUniversitetsparken 15, bldg. 1CopenhagenDK2100Denmark
- Institute of InfectionImmunity and InflammationCollege of MedicalVeterinary and Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8TAUK
- Division of Biomedical EngineeringJames Watt School of EngineeringUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
| | - Julien Reboud
- Division of Biomedical EngineeringJames Watt School of EngineeringUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
| | - José R. Penadés
- Institute of InfectionImmunity and InflammationCollege of MedicalVeterinary and Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8TAUK
- Departamento de Ciencias BiomédicasUniversidad CEU Cardenal HerreraMoncada46113Spain
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance BiologyImperial College LondonSouth KensingtonSW7 2AZUK
| | - Jonathan M. Cooper
- Division of Biomedical EngineeringJames Watt School of EngineeringUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
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Cobián Güemes AG, Le T, Rojas MI, Jacobson NE, Villela H, McNair K, Hung SH, Han L, Boling L, Octavio JC, Dominguez L, Cantú VA, Archdeacon S, Vega AA, An MA, Hajama H, Burkeen G, Edwards RA, Conrad DJ, Rohwer F, Segall AM. Compounding Achromobacter Phages for Therapeutic Applications. Viruses 2023; 15:1665. [PMID: 37632008 PMCID: PMC10457797 DOI: 10.3390/v15081665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Achromobacter species colonization of Cystic Fibrosis respiratory airways is an increasing concern. Two adult patients with Cystic Fibrosis colonized by Achromobacter xylosoxidans CF418 or Achromobacter ruhlandii CF116 experienced fatal exacerbations. Achromobacter spp. are naturally resistant to several antibiotics. Therefore, phages could be valuable as therapeutics for the control of Achromobacter. In this study, thirteen lytic phages were isolated and characterized at the morphological and genomic levels for potential future use in phage therapy. They are presented here as the Achromobacter Kumeyaay phage collection. Six distinct Achromobacter phage genome clusters were identified based on a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Kumeyaay collection as well as the publicly available Achromobacter phages. The infectivity of all phages in the Kumeyaay collection was tested in 23 Achromobacter clinical isolates; 78% of these isolates were lysed by at least one phage. A cryptic prophage was induced in Achromobacter xylosoxidans CF418 when infected with some of the lytic phages. This prophage genome was characterized and is presented as Achromobacter phage CF418-P1. Prophage induction during lytic phage preparation for therapy interventions require further exploration. Large-scale production of phages and removal of endotoxins using an octanol-based procedure resulted in a phage concentrate of 1 × 109 plaque-forming units per milliliter with an endotoxin concentration of 65 endotoxin units per milliliter, which is below the Food and Drugs Administration recommended maximum threshold for human administration. This study provides a comprehensive framework for the isolation, bioinformatic characterization, and safe production of phages to kill Achromobacter spp. in order to potentially manage Cystic Fibrosis (CF) pulmonary infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Georgina Cobián Güemes
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Tram Le
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Maria Isabel Rojas
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Nicole E. Jacobson
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Helena Villela
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- Marine Microbiomes Lab, Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Building 2, Level 3, Room 3216 WS03, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Katelyn McNair
- Computational Sciences Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Shr-Hau Hung
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Lili Han
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Lance Boling
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Jessica Claire Octavio
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Lorena Dominguez
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Vito Adrian Cantú
- Computational Sciences Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Sinéad Archdeacon
- College of Biological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alejandro A. Vega
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA
| | - Michelle A. An
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Hamza Hajama
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Gregory Burkeen
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Robert A. Edwards
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- Computational Sciences Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration, Flinders University, Sturt Road, Bedford Park 5042, Australia
| | - Douglas J. Conrad
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 9500, USA
| | - Forest Rohwer
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Anca M. Segall
- Department of Biology, Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
- Computational Sciences Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
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Mayorga-Ramos A, Zúñiga-Miranda J, Carrera-Pacheco SE, Barba-Ostria C, Guamán LP. CRISPR-Cas-Based Antimicrobials: Design, Challenges, and Bacterial Mechanisms of Resistance. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1283-1302. [PMID: 37347230 PMCID: PMC10353011 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains is a source of public health concern across the globe. As the discovery of new conventional antibiotics has stalled significantly over the past decade, there is an urgency to develop novel approaches to address drug resistance in infectious diseases. The use of a CRISPR-Cas-based system for the precise elimination of targeted bacterial populations holds promise as an innovative approach for new antimicrobial agent design. The CRISPR-Cas targeting system is celebrated for its high versatility and specificity, offering an excellent opportunity to fight antibiotic resistance in pathogens by selectively inactivating genes involved in antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, pathogenicity, virulence, or bacterial viability. The CRISPR-Cas strategy can enact antimicrobial effects by two approaches: inactivation of chromosomal genes or curing of plasmids encoding antibiotic resistance. In this Review, we provide an overview of the main CRISPR-Cas systems utilized for the creation of these antimicrobials, as well as highlighting promising studies in the field. We also offer a detailed discussion about the most commonly used mechanisms for CRISPR-Cas delivery: bacteriophages, nanoparticles, and conjugative plasmids. Lastly, we address possible mechanisms of interference that should be considered during the intelligent design of these novel approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Mayorga-Ramos
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias
de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad
UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
| | - Johana Zúñiga-Miranda
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias
de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad
UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
| | - Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias
de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad
UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
| | - Carlos Barba-Ostria
- Escuela
de Medicina, Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud Quito, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito 170902, Ecuador
| | - Linda P. Guamán
- Centro
de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias
de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad
UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
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42
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Jędrusiak A, Fortuna W, Majewska J, Górski A, Jończyk-Matysiak E. Phage Interactions with the Nervous System in Health and Disease. Cells 2023; 12:1720. [PMID: 37443756 PMCID: PMC10341288 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system manages all of our activities (e.g., direct thinking and decision-making processes). It receives information from the environment and responds to environmental stimuli. Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages, phages) are the most numerous structures occurring in the biosphere and are also found in the human organism. Therefore, understanding how phages may influence this system is of great importance and is the purpose of this review. We have focused on the effect of natural bacteriophages in the central nervous system, linking them to those present in the gut microbiota, creating the gut-brain axis network, as well as their interdependence. Importantly, based on the current knowledge in the field of phage application (e.g., intranasal) in the treatment of bacterial diseases associated with the brain and nervous system, bacteriophages may have significant therapeutic potential. Moreover, it was indicated that bacteriophages may influence cognitive processing. In addition, phages (via phage display technology) appear promising as a targeted therapeutic tool in the treatment of, among other things, brain cancers. The information collected and reviewed in this work indicates that phages and their impact on the nervous system is a fascinating and, so far, underexplored field. Therefore, the aim of this review is not only to summarize currently available information on the association of phages with the nervous system, but also to stimulate future studies that could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches potentially useful in treating bacterial and non-bacterial neural diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Jędrusiak
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.J.); (J.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Wojciech Fortuna
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 213, 54-427 Wroclaw, Poland;
- Phage Therapy Unit, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Majewska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.J.); (J.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.J.); (J.M.); (A.G.)
- Phage Therapy Unit, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
- Infant Jesus Hospital, The Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.J.); (J.M.); (A.G.)
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Ibekwe AM, Bhattacharjee AS, Phan D, Ashworth D, Schmidt MP, Murinda SE, Obayiuwana A, Murry MA, Schwartz G, Lundquist T, Ma J, Karathia H, Fanelli B, Hasan NA, Yang CH. Potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance in livestock waste and treated wastewater that can be disseminated to agricultural land. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162194. [PMID: 36781130 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Livestock manure, dairy lagoon effluent, and treated wastewater are known reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and virulence factor genes (VFGs), and their application to agricultural farmland could be a serious public health threat. However, their dissemination to agricultural lands and impact on important geochemical pathways such as the nitrogen (N) cycle have not been jointly explored. In this study, shotgun metagenomic sequencing and analyses were performed to examine the diversity and composition of microbial communities, ARGs, VFGs, and N cycling genes in different livestock manure/lagoon and treated wastewater collected from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and a municipal wastewater treatment plant along the west coast of the United States. Multivariate analysis showed that diversity indices of bacterial taxa from the different microbiomes were not significantly different based on InvSimpson (P = 0.05), but differences in ARG mechanisms were observed between swine manure and other microbiome sources. Comparative resistome profiling showed that ARGs in microbiome samples belonged to four core resistance classes: aminoglycosides (40-55 %), tetracyclines (30-45 %), beta-lactam-resistance (20-35 %), macrolides (18-30 %), and >50 % of the VFGs that the 24 microbiomes harbored were phyletically affiliated with two bacteria, Bacteroidetes fragilis and Enterobacter aerogenes. Network analysis based on Spearman correlation showed co-occurrence patterns between several genes such as transporter-gene and regulator, efflux pump and involved-in-polymyxin- resistance, aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, and macrolide with VFGs and bacterial taxa such as Firmicutes, Candidatus Themoplasmatota, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Metabolic reconstruction of metagenome-assembled genome (MAGs) analysis showed that the most prevalent drug resistance mechanisms were associated with carbapenem resistance, multidrug resistance (MDR), and efflux pump. Bacteroidales was the main taxa involved in dissimilatory nitrate reduction (DNRA) in dairy lagoon effluent. This study demonstrates that the dissemination of waste from these sources can increase the spread of ARGs, ARB, and VFGs into agricultural lands, negatively impacting both soil and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abasiofiok M Ibekwe
- US Salinity Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 450 W. Big Springs Rd., Riverside, CA 92507, USA.
| | - Ananda S Bhattacharjee
- US Salinity Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 450 W. Big Springs Rd., Riverside, CA 92507, USA; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92507, USA
| | - Duc Phan
- US Salinity Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 450 W. Big Springs Rd., Riverside, CA 92507, USA; Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, 92507, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Ashworth
- US Salinity Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 450 W. Big Springs Rd., Riverside, CA 92507, USA
| | - Michael P Schmidt
- US Salinity Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 450 W. Big Springs Rd., Riverside, CA 92507, USA
| | - Shelton E Murinda
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA 91768, USA
| | - Amarachukwu Obayiuwana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Augustine University Ilara-Epe, Lagos State 106101, Nigeria
| | - Marcia A Murry
- Biological Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA 91768, USA
| | - Gregory Schwartz
- BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department, College of Agriculture, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
| | - Tryg Lundquist
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, College of Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
| | - Jincai Ma
- College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | | | | | - Nur A Hasan
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; EzBiome Inc, MD, USA
| | - Ching-Hong Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
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44
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George NA, Hug LA. CRISPR-resolved virus-host interactions in a municipal landfill include non-specific viruses, hyper-targeted viral populations, and interviral conflicts. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5611. [PMID: 37019939 PMCID: PMC10076291 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32078-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are the most abundant microbial guild on the planet, impacting microbial community structure and ecosystem services. Viruses are specifically understudied in engineered environments, including examinations of their host interactions. We examined host-virus interactions via host CRISPR spacer to viral protospacer mapping in a municipal landfill across two years. Viruses comprised ~ 4% of both the unassembled reads and assembled basepairs. A total of 458 unique virus-host connections captured hyper-targeted viral populations and host CRISPR array adaptation over time. Four viruses were predicted to infect across multiple phyla, suggesting that some viruses are far less host-specific than is currently understood. We detected 161 viral elements that encode CRISPR arrays, including one with 187 spacers, the longest virally-encoded CRISPR array described to date. Virally-encoded CRISPR arrays targeted other viral elements in interviral conflicts. CRISPR-encoding proviruses integrated into host chromosomes were latent examples of CRISPR-immunity-based superinfection exclusion. The bulk of the observed virus-host interactions fit the one-virus-one-host paradigm, but with limited geographic specificity. Our networks highlight rare and previously undescribed complex interactions influencing the ecology of this dynamic engineered system. Our observations indicate landfills, as heterogeneous contaminated sites with unique selective pressures, are key locations for atypical virus-host dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil A George
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Laura A Hug
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
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Smith L, Goldobina E, Govi B, Shkoporov AN. Bacteriophages of the Order Crassvirales: What Do We Currently Know about This Keystone Component of the Human Gut Virome? Biomolecules 2023; 13:584. [PMID: 37189332 PMCID: PMC10136315 DOI: 10.3390/biom13040584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The order Crassvirales comprises dsDNA bacteriophages infecting bacteria in the phylum Bacteroidetes that are found in a variety of environments but are especially prevalent in the mammalian gut. This review summarises available information on the genomics, diversity, taxonomy, and ecology of this largely uncultured viral taxon. With experimental data available from a handful of cultured representatives, the review highlights key properties of virion morphology, infection, gene expression and replication processes, and phage-host dynamics.
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46
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Isolation and characterization of Aeromonas hydrophila lytic phage, and evaluation of a phage cocktail against A. hydrophila contamination in fish fillet. Food Control 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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47
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Karczewska M, Strzelecki P, Szalewska-Pałasz A, Nowicki D. How to Tackle Bacteriophages: The Review of Approaches with Mechanistic Insight. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054447. [PMID: 36901878 PMCID: PMC10003480 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage-based applications have a renaissance today, increasingly marking their use in industry, medicine, food processing, biotechnology, and more. However, phages are considered resistant to various harsh environmental conditions; besides, they are characterized by high intra-group variability. Phage-related contaminations may therefore pose new challenges in the future due to the wider use of phages in industry and health care. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the current knowledge of bacteriophage disinfection methods, as well as highlight new technologies and approaches. We discuss the need for systematic solutions to improve bacteriophage control, taking into account their structural and environmental diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Karczewska
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Patryk Strzelecki
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
- Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR7504, 23 rue du Loess, CEDEX 2, F-67034 Strasbourg, France
| | - Agnieszka Szalewska-Pałasz
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dariusz Nowicki
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-58-523-6065
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Haag AF, Liljeroos L, Donato P, Pozzi C, Brignoli T, Bottomley MJ, Bagnoli F, Delany I. In Vivo Gene Expression Profiling of Staphylococcus aureus during Infection Informs Design of Stemless Leukocidins LukE and -D as Detoxified Vaccine Candidates. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0257422. [PMID: 36688711 PMCID: PMC9927290 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02574-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a clinically important bacterial pathogen that has become resistant to treatment with most routinely used antibiotics. Alternative strategies, such as vaccination and phage therapy, are therefore actively being investigated to prevent or combat staphylococcal infections. Vaccination requires that vaccine targets are expressed at sufficient quantities during infection so that they can be targeted by the host's immune system. While our knowledge of in vitro expression levels of putative vaccine candidates is comprehensive, crucial in vivo expression data are scarce and promising vaccine candidates during in vitro assessment often prove ineffective in preventing S. aureus infection. Here, we show how a newly developed high-throughput quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay monitoring the expression of 84 staphylococcal genes encoding mostly virulence factors can inform the selection and design of effective vaccine candidates against staphylococcal infections. We show that this assay can accurately quantify mRNA expression levels of these genes in several host organs relying only on very limited amounts of bacterial mRNA in each sample. We selected two highly expressed genes, lukE and lukD, encoding pore-forming leukotoxins, to inform the design of detoxified recombinant proteins and showed that immunization with recombinant genetically detoxified LukED antigens conferred protection against staphylococcal skin infection in mice. Consequently, knowledge of in vivo-expressed virulence determinants can be successfully deployed to identify and select promising candidates for optimized design of effective vaccine antigens against S. aureus. Notably, this approach should be broadly applicable to numerous other pathogens. IMPORTANCE Vaccination is an attractive strategy for preventing bacterial infections in an age of increased antimicrobial resistance. However, vaccine development frequently suffers significant setbacks when candidate antigens that show promising results in in vitro experimentation fail to protect from disease. An alluring strategy is to focus resources on developing bacterial virulence factors that are expressed during disease establishment or maintenance and are critical for bacterial in-host survival as vaccine targets. While expression profiles of many virulence factors have been characterized in detail in vitro, our knowledge of their in vivo expression profiles is still scarce. Here, using a high-throughput qRT-PCR approach, we identified two highly expressed leukotoxins in a murine infection model and showed that genetically detoxified derivatives of these elicited a protective immune response in a murine skin infection model. Therefore, in vivo gene expression can inform the selection of promising candidates for the design of effective vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas F. Haag
- GSK, Siena, Italy
- School of Medicine, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Tarcisio Brignoli
- GSK, Siena, Italy
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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Tung CW, Alvarado-Martínez Z, Tabashsum Z, Aditya A, Biswas D. A Highly Effective Bacteriophage-1252 to Control Multiple Serovars of Salmonella enterica. Foods 2023; 12:foods12040797. [PMID: 36832872 PMCID: PMC9955900 DOI: 10.3390/foods12040797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) is the most common foodborne pathogen worldwide, leading to massive economic loss and a significant burden on the healthcare system. The primary source of S. enterica remains contaminated or undercooked poultry products. Considering the number of foodborne illnesses with multiple antibiotic resistant S. enterica, new controlling approaches are necessary. Bacteriophage (phage) therapies have emerged as a promising alternative to controlling bacterial pathogens. However, the limitation on the lysis ability of most phages is their species-specificity to the bacterium. S. enterica has various serovars, and several major serovars are involved in gastrointestinal diseases in the USA. In this study, Salmonella bacteriophage-1252 (phage-1252) was isolated and found to have the highest lytic activity against multiple serovars of S. enterica, including Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Newport, Heidelberg, Kentucky, and Gallinarum. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed phage-1252 is a novel phage strain that belongs to the genus Duplodnaviria in the Myoviridae family, and consists of a 244,421 bp dsDNA, with a G + C content of 48.51%. Its plaque diameters are approximately 2.5 mm to 0.5 mm on the agar plate. It inhibited Salmonella Enteritidis growth after 6 h. The growth curve showed that the latent and rise periods were approximately 40 min and 30 min, respectively. The burst size was estimated to be 56 PFU/cell. It can stabilize and maintain original activity between 4 °C and 55 °C for 1 h. These results indicate that phage-1252 is a promising candidate for controlling multiple S. enterica serovars in food production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-Wei Tung
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Zabdiel Alvarado-Martínez
- Biological Sciences Program-Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Zajeba Tabashsum
- Biological Sciences Program-Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Arpita Aditya
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Debabrata Biswas
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Biological Sciences Program-Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Correspondence:
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Michaelis C, Grohmann E. Horizontal Gene Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Biofilms. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020328. [PMID: 36830238 PMCID: PMC9952180 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Most bacteria attach to biotic or abiotic surfaces and are embedded in a complex matrix which is known as biofilm. Biofilm formation is especially worrisome in clinical settings as it hinders the treatment of infections with antibiotics due to the facilitated acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Environmental settings are now considered as pivotal for driving biofilm formation, biofilm-mediated antibiotic resistance development and dissemination. Several studies have demonstrated that environmental biofilms can be hotspots for the dissemination of ARGs. These genes can be encoded on mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as conjugative and mobilizable plasmids or integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs). ARGs can be rapidly transferred through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) which has been shown to occur more frequently in biofilms than in planktonic cultures. Biofilm models are promising tools to mimic natural biofilms to study the dissemination of ARGs via HGT. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art of biofilm studies and the techniques that visualize the three main HGT mechanisms in biofilms: transformation, transduction, and conjugation.
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