1
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Yamada M. Molecular basis and functional development of membrane-based microbial metabolism. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2024; 88:461-474. [PMID: 38366612 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbae018] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
My research interest has so far been focused on metabolisms related to the "membrane" of microorganisms, such as the respiratory chain, membrane proteins, sugar uptake, membrane stress and cell lysis, and fermentation. These basic metabolisms are important for the growth and survival of cell, and their knowledge can be used for efficient production of useful materials. Notable achievements in research on metabolisms are elucidation of the structure and function of membrane-bound glucose dehydrogenase as a primary enzyme in the respiratory chain, elucidation of ingenious expression regulation of several operons or by divergent promoters, elucidation of stress-induced programed-cell lysis and its requirement for survival during a long-term stationary phase, elucidation of molecular mechanism of survival at a critical high temperature, elucidation of thermal adaptation and its limit, isolation of thermotolerant fermenting yeast strains, and development of high-temperature fermentation and green energy production technologies. These achievements are described together in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamoru Yamada
- Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, and Research Center for Thermotolerant Microbial Resources, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
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2
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Behringer MG, Ho WC, Miller SF, Worthan SB, Cen Z, Stikeleather R, Lynch M. Trade-offs, trade-ups, and high mutational parallelism underlie microbial adaptation during extreme cycles of feast and famine. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1403-1413.e5. [PMID: 38460514 PMCID: PMC11066936 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Microbes are evolutionarily robust organisms capable of rapid adaptation to complex stress, which enables them to colonize harsh environments. In nature, microbes are regularly challenged by starvation, which is a particularly complex stress because resource limitation often co-occurs with changes in pH, osmolarity, and toxin accumulation created by metabolic waste. Often overlooked are the additional complications introduced by eventual resource replenishment, as successful microbes must withstand rapid environmental shifts before swiftly capitalizing on replenished resources to avoid invasion by competing species. To understand how microbes navigate trade-offs between growth and survival, ultimately adapting to thrive in environments with extreme fluctuations, we experimentally evolved 16 Escherichia coli populations for 900 days in repeated feast/famine conditions with cycles of 100-day starvation before resource replenishment. Using longitudinal population-genomic analysis, we found that evolution in response to extreme feast/famine is characterized by narrow adaptive trajectories with high mutational parallelism and notable mutational order. Genetic reconstructions reveal that early mutations result in trade-offs for biofilm and motility but trade-ups for growth and survival, as these mutations conferred positively correlated advantages during both short-term and long-term culture. Our results demonstrate how microbes can navigate the adaptive landscapes of regularly fluctuating conditions and ultimately follow mutational trajectories that confer benefits across diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan G Behringer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 21st Avenue S, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pathology Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 21st Avenue S, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Wei-Chin Ho
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, S McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, University Blvd., Tyler, TX 75799, USA.
| | - Samuel F Miller
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, S McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Sarah B Worthan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 21st Avenue S, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Zeer Cen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 21st Avenue S, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Ryan Stikeleather
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, S McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Michael Lynch
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, S McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
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3
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Worthan SB, McCarthy RDP, Delaleau M, Stikeleather R, Bratton BP, Boudvillain M, Behringer MG. Evolution of pH-sensitive transcription termination during adaptation to repeated long-term starvation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.01.582989. [PMID: 38464051 PMCID: PMC10925284 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.01.582989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Fluctuating environments that consist of regular cycles of co-occurring stress are a common challenge faced by cellular populations. For a population to thrive in constantly changing conditions, an ability to coordinate a rapid cellular response is essential. Here, we identify a mutation conferring an arginine-to-histidine (Arg to His) substitution in the transcription terminator Rho. The rho R109H mutation frequently arose in E. coli populations experimentally evolved under repeated long-term starvation conditions, during which feast and famine result in drastic environmental pH fluctuations. Metagenomic sequencing revealed that populations containing the rho mutation also possess putative loss-of-function mutations in ydcI, which encodes a recently characterized transcription factor associated with pH homeostasis. Genetic reconstructions of these mutations show that the rho allele confers a plastic alkaline-induced reduction of Rho function that, when found in tandem with a ΔydcI allele, leads to intracellular alkalinization and genetic assimilation of Rho mutant function. We further identify Arg to His substitutions at analogous sites in rho alleles from species originating from fluctuating alkaline environments. Our results suggest that Arg to His substitutions in global regulators of gene expression can serve to rapidly coordinate complex responses through pH sensing and shed light on how cellular populations across the tree of life use environmental cues to coordinate rapid responses to complex, fluctuating environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah B Worthan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Nashville, TN
| | | | - Mildred Delaleau
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, affiliated with Université d'Orléans, rue Charles Sadron, 45071 Orléans cedex 2, France
| | - Ryan Stikeleather
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | - Benjamin P Bratton
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Nashville, TN
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Marc Boudvillain
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, affiliated with Université d'Orléans, rue Charles Sadron, 45071 Orléans cedex 2, France
| | - Megan G Behringer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Nashville, TN
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
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4
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Maffei E, Woischnig AK, Burkolter MR, Heyer Y, Humolli D, Thürkauf N, Bock T, Schmidt A, Manfredi P, Egli A, Khanna N, Jenal U, Harms A. Phage Paride can kill dormant, antibiotic-tolerant cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by direct lytic replication. Nat Commun 2024; 15:175. [PMID: 38168031 PMCID: PMC10761892 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44157-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are ubiquitous viral predators that have primarily been studied using fast-growing laboratory cultures of their bacterial hosts. However, microbial life in nature is mostly in a slow- or non-growing, dormant state. Here, we show that diverse phages can infect deep-dormant bacteria and suspend their replication until the host resuscitates ("hibernation"). However, a newly isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage, named Paride, can directly replicate and induce the lysis of deep-dormant hosts. While non-growing bacteria are notoriously tolerant to antibiotic drugs, the combination with Paride enables the carbapenem meropenem to eradicate deep-dormant cultures in vitro and to reduce a resilient bacterial infection of a tissue cage implant in mice. Our work might inspire new treatments for persistent bacterial infections and, more broadly, highlights two viral strategies to infect dormant bacteria (hibernation and direct replication) that will guide future studies on phage-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enea Maffei
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, D-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Kathrin Woischnig
- Laboratory of Infection Biology, Department of Biomedicine, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marco R Burkolter
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, D-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yannik Heyer
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dorentina Humolli
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, D-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Thomas Bock
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Adrian Egli
- Division of Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Applied Microbiology Research, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nina Khanna
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, D-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Infection Biology, Department of Biomedicine, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Urs Jenal
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Harms
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, D-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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5
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Gonzalez JM, Aranda B. Microbial Growth under Limiting Conditions-Future Perspectives. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1641. [PMID: 37512814 PMCID: PMC10383181 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms rule the functioning of our planet and each one of the individual macroscopic living creature. Nevertheless, microbial activity and growth status have always been challenging tasks to determine both in situ and in vivo. Microbial activity is generally related to growth, and the growth rate is a result of the availability of nutrients under adequate or adverse conditions faced by microbial cells in a changing environment. Most studies on microorganisms have been carried out under optimum or near-optimum growth conditions, but scarce information is available about microorganisms at slow-growing states (i.e., near-zero growth and maintenance metabolism). This study aims to better understand microorganisms under growth-limiting conditions. This is expected to provide new perspectives on the functions and relevance of the microbial world. This is because (i) microorganisms in nature frequently face conditions of severe growth limitation, (ii) microorganisms activate singular pathways (mostly genes remaining to be functionally annotated), resulting in a broad range of secondary metabolites, and (iii) the response of microorganisms to slow-growth conditions remains to be understood, including persistence strategies, gene expression, and cell differentiation both within clonal populations and due to the complexity of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan M Gonzalez
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, IRNAS-CSIC, E-41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Beatriz Aranda
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, IRNAS-CSIC, E-41012 Sevilla, Spain
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6
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Opalek M, Tutaj H, Pirog A, Smug BJ, Rutkowska J, Wloch-Salamon D. A Systematic Review on Quiescent State Research Approaches in S. cerevisiae. Cells 2023; 12:1608. [PMID: 37371078 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Quiescence, the temporary and reversible arrest of cell growth, is a fundamental biological process. However, the lack of standardization in terms of reporting the experimental details of quiescent cells and populations can cause confusion and hinder knowledge transfer. We employ the systematic review methodology to comprehensively analyze the diversity of approaches used to study the quiescent state, focusing on all published research addressing the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We group research articles into those that consider all cells comprising the stationary-phase (SP) population as quiescent and those that recognize heterogeneity within the SP by distinguishing phenotypically distinct subpopulations. Furthermore, we investigate the chronological age of the quiescent populations under study and the methods used to induce the quiescent state, such as gradual starvation or abrupt environmental change. We also assess whether the strains used in research are prototrophic or auxotrophic. By combining the above features, we identify 48 possible experimental setups that can be used to study quiescence, which can be misleading when drawing general conclusions. We therefore summarize our review by proposing guidelines and recommendations pertaining to the information included in research articles. We believe that more rigorous reporting on the features of quiescent populations will facilitate knowledge transfer within and between disciplines, thereby stimulating valuable scientific discussion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Opalek
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Hanna Tutaj
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Adrian Pirog
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Bogna J Smug
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Joanna Rutkowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Dominika Wloch-Salamon
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
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7
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Schink S, Ammar C, Chang Y, Zimmer R, Basan M. Analysis of proteome adaptation reveals a key role of the bacterial envelope in starvation survival. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 18:e11160. [PMID: 36479616 PMCID: PMC9728487 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202211160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria reorganize their physiology upon entry to stationary phase. What part of this reorganization improves starvation survival is a difficult question because the change in physiology includes a global reorganization of the proteome, envelope, and metabolism of the cell. In this work, we used several trade-offs between fast growth and long survival to statistically score over 2,000 Escherichia coli proteins for their global correlation with death rate. The combined ranking allowed us to narrow down the set of proteins that positively correlate with survival and validate the causal role of a subset of proteins. Remarkably, we found that important survival genes are related to the cell envelope, i.e., periplasm and outer membrane, because the maintenance of envelope integrity of E. coli plays a crucial role during starvation. Our results uncover a new protective feature of the outer membrane that adds to the growing evidence that the outer membrane is not only a barrier that prevents abiotic substances from reaching the cytoplasm but also essential for bacterial proliferation and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severin Schink
- Systems Biology DepartmentHarvard Medical SchoolMABostonUSA
| | - Constantin Ammar
- Systems Biology DepartmentHarvard Medical SchoolMABostonUSA,Institute of InformaticsLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunichGermany,Department of Proteomics and Signal TransductionMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMartinsriedGermany
| | - Yu‐Fang Chang
- Systems Biology DepartmentHarvard Medical SchoolMABostonUSA
| | - Ralf Zimmer
- Institute of InformaticsLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunichGermany
| | - Markus Basan
- Systems Biology DepartmentHarvard Medical SchoolMABostonUSA
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8
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Cesar S, Sun J, Huang KC. Cellular memory of rapid growth is sensitive to nutrient depletion during starvation. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1016371. [DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1016371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria frequently encounter nutrient fluctuations in natural environments, yet we understand little about their ability to maintain physiological memory of previous food sources. Starvation is a particularly acute case, in which cells must balance adaptation to stresses with limited nutrient supply. Here, we show that Escherichia coli cells immediately accelerate and decelerate in growth upon transitions from spent to fresh media and vice versa, respectively, and memory of rapid growth can be maintained for many hours under constant flow of spent medium. However, after transient exposure of stationary-phase cells to fresh medium, subsequent aerobic incubation in increasingly spent medium led to lysis and limited growth when rejuvenated in fresh medium. Growth defects were avoided by incubation in anaerobic spent medium or water, suggesting that defects were caused by respiration during the process of nutrient depletion in spent medium. These findings highlight the importance of respiration for stationary phase survival and underscore the broad range of starvation outcomes depending on environmental history.
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9
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Abstract
Ecotypic diversification and its associated cooperative behaviors are frequently observed in natural microbial populations whose access to resources is often sporadic. However, the extent to which fluctuations in resource availability influence the emergence of cooperative ecotypes is not fully understood. To determine how exposure to repeated resource limitation affects the establishment and long-term maintenance of ecotypes in a structured environment, we followed 32 populations of Escherichia coli evolving to either 1-day or 10-day feast/famine cycles for 900 days. Population-level analysis revealed that compared to populations evolving to 1-day cycles, 10-day populations evolved increased biofilm density, higher parallelism in mutational targets, and increased mutation rates. As previous investigations of evolution in structured environments have identified biofilm formation as the earliest observable phenotype associated with diversification of ecotypes, we revived cultures midway through the evolutionary process and conducted additional genomic, transcriptional, and phenotypic analyses of clones isolated from these evolving populations. We found not only that 10-day feast/famine cycles support multiple ecotypes but also that these ecotypes exhibit cooperative behavior. Consistent with the black queen hypothesis, or evolution of cooperation by gene loss, transcriptomic evidence suggests the evolution of bidirectional cross-feeding behaviors based on essential resources. These results provide insight into how analogous cooperative relationships may emerge in natural microbial communities. IMPORTANCE Despite regular feast and famine conditions representing an environmental pressure that is commonly encountered by microbial communities, the evolutionary outcomes of repeated cycles of feast and famine have been less studied. By experimentally evolving initially isogenic Escherichia coli populations to 10-day feast/famine cycles, we observed rapid diversification into ecotypes with evidence of bidirectional cross-feeding on costly resources and frequency-dependent fitness. Although unidirectional cross-feeding has been repeatedly observed to evolve in laboratory culture, most investigations of bidirectional cooperative behaviors in microbial populations have been conducted in engineered communities. This work demonstrates the de novo evolution of black queen relationships in a microbial population originating from a single ancestor, providing a model for investigation of the eco-evolutionary processes leading to mutualistic cooperation.
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10
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Nandy P. The role of sigma factor competition in bacterial adaptation under prolonged starvation. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168. [PMID: 35594140 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The study of adaptive microbial evolution in the laboratory can illuminate the genetic mechanisms of gaining fitness under a pre-defined set of selection factors. Laboratory evolution of bacteria under long-term starvation has gained importance in recent years because of its ability to uncover adaptive strategies that overcome prolonged nutrient limitation, a condition often encountered by natural microbes. In this evolutionary paradigm, bacteria are maintained in an energy-restricted environment in a growth phase called long-term stationary phase (LTSP). This phase is characterized by a stable, viable population size and highly dynamic genetic changes. Multiple independent iterations of LTSP evolution experiments have given rise to mutants that are slow-growing compared to the ancestor. Although the antagonistic regulation between rapid growth and the stress response is well-known in bacteria (especially Escherichia coli), the growth deficit of many LTSP-adapted mutants has not been explored in detail. In this review, I pinpoint the trade-off between growth and stress response as a dominant driver of evolutionary strategies under prolonged starvation. Focusing on mainly E. coli-based research, I discuss the various affectors and regulators of the competition between sigma factors to occupy their targets on the genome, and assess its effect on growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP). Finally, I comment on some crucial issues that hinder the progress of the field, including identification of novel metabolites in nutrient-depleted media, and the importance of using multidisciplinary research to resolve them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pabitra Nandy
- National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS-TIFR), Bangalore, India.,Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plӧn, Germany
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11
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Cesar S, Willis L, Huang KC. Bacterial respiration during stationary phase induces intracellular damage that leads to delayed regrowth. iScience 2022; 25:103765. [PMID: 35243217 PMCID: PMC8858994 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Spencer Cesar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lisa Willis
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Corresponding author
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12
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Smakman F, Hall AR. Exposure to lysed bacteria can promote or inhibit growth of neighbouring live bacteria depending on local abiotic conditions. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6524834. [PMID: 35138381 PMCID: PMC8902688 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial death is extremely common in nature, yet the ecological role of dead bacteria is unclear. Dead cells are assumed to provide nutrients to surrounding microbes, but may also affect them in other ways. We found adding lysate prepared from dead bacteria to cultures of E. coli in nutrient-rich conditions suppressed their final population density. This is in stark contrast with the notion that the primary role of dead cells is nutritional, although we also observed this type of effect when we added dead bacteria to cultures that were not supplied with other nutrients. We only observed the growth-suppressive effect of our dead-bacteria treatment after they had undergone significant lysis, suggesting a key role for cellular contents released during lysis. Transcriptomic analysis indicated changes in gene expression in response to dead cells in growing populations, particularly in genes involved in motility. This was supported by experiments with genetic knockouts and copy-number manipulation. Because lysis is commonplace in natural and clinical settings, the growth-suppressive effect of dead cells we describe here may be a widespread and previously unrecognized constraint on bacterial population growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fokko Smakman
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16 8092 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Alex R Hall
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16 8092 Zürich Switzerland
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13
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On the Ecological Significance of Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Microbial Populations Undergoing Starvation. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0045021. [PMID: 35019773 PMCID: PMC8754142 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00450-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To persist in variable environments, populations of microorganisms have to survive periods of starvation and be able to restart cell division in nutrient-rich conditions. Typically, starvation signals initiate a transition to a quiescent state in a fraction of individual cells, while the rest of the cells remain nonquiescent. It is widely believed that, while quiescent (Q) cells help the population to survive long starvation, the nonquiescent (NQ) cells are a side effect of imperfect transition. We analyzed the regrowth of starved monocultures of Q and NQ cells compared to that of mixed, heterogeneous cultures from simple and complex starvation environments. Our experiments, as well as mathematical modeling, demonstrate that Q monocultures benefit from better survival during long starvation and from a shorter lag phase after resupply of rich medium. However, when the starvation period is very short, the NQ monocultures outperform Q and mixed cultures due to their short lag phase. In addition, only NQ monocultures benefit from complex starvation environments, where nutrient recycling is possible. Our study suggests that phenotypic heterogeneity in starved populations could be a form of bet hedging that is adaptive when environmental determinants, such as the length of the starvation period, the length of the regrowth phase, and the complexity of the starvation environment, vary over time. IMPORTANCE Nongenetic cell heterogeneity is present in glucose-starved yeast populations in the form of quiescent (Q) and nonquiescent (NQ) phenotypes. There is evidence that Q cells help the population survive long starvation. However, the role of the NQ cell type is not known, and it has been speculated that the NQ phenotype is just a side effect of the imperfect transition to the Q phenotype. Here, we show that, in contrast, there are ecological scenarios in which NQ cells perform better than monocultures of Q cells or naturally occurring mixed populations containing both Q and NQ cells. NQ cells benefit when the starvation period is very short and environmental conditions allow nutrient recycling during starvation. Our experimental and mathematical modeling results suggest a novel hypothesis: the presence of both Q and NQ phenotypes within starved yeast populations may reflect a form of bet hedging where different phenotypes provide fitness advantages depending on the environmental conditions.
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14
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Shoemaker WR, Polezhaeva E, Givens KB, Lennon JT. Molecular Evolutionary Dynamics of Energy Limited Microorganisms. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:4532-4545. [PMID: 34255090 PMCID: PMC8476154 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms have the unique ability to survive extended periods of time in environments with extremely low levels of exploitable energy. To determine the extent that energy limitation affects microbial evolution, we examined the molecular evolutionary dynamics of a phylogenetically diverse set of taxa over the course of 1,000 days. We found that periodic exposure to energy limitation affected the rate of molecular evolution, the accumulation of genetic diversity, and the rate of extinction. We then determined the degree that energy limitation affected the spectrum of mutations as well as the direction of evolution at the gene level. Our results suggest that the initial depletion of energy altered the direction and rate of molecular evolution within each taxon, though after the initial depletion the rate and direction did not substantially change. However, this consistent pattern became diminished when comparisons were performed across phylogenetically distant taxa, suggesting that while the dynamics of molecular evolution under energy limitation are highly generalizable across the microbial tree of life, the targets of adaptation are specific to a given taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R Shoemaker
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USACurrent affiliation
| | | | - Kenzie B Givens
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.,Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47408, USACurrent affiliation
| | - Jay T Lennon
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
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15
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Abstract
Environmental fluctuations are a common challenge for single-celled organisms; enteric bacteria such as Escherichia coli experience dramatic changes in nutrient availability, pH, and temperature during their journey into and out of the host. While the effects of altered nutrient availability on gene expression and protein synthesis are well known, their impacts on cytoplasmic dynamics and cell morphology have been largely overlooked. Here, we discover that depletion of utilizable nutrients results in shrinkage of E. coli's inner membrane from the cell wall. Shrinkage was accompanied by an ∼17% reduction in cytoplasmic volume and a concurrent increase in periplasmic volume. Inner membrane retraction after sudden starvation occurred almost exclusively at the new cell pole. This phenomenon was distinct from turgor-mediated plasmolysis and independent of new transcription, translation, or canonical starvation-sensing pathways. Cytoplasmic dry-mass density increased during shrinkage, suggesting that it is driven primarily by loss of water. Shrinkage was reversible: upon a shift to nutrient-rich medium, expansion started almost immediately at a rate dependent on carbon source quality. A robust entry into and recovery from shrinkage required the Tol-Pal system, highlighting the importance of envelope coupling during shrinkage and recovery. Klebsiella pneumoniae also exhibited shrinkage when shifted to carbon-free conditions, suggesting a conserved phenomenon. These findings demonstrate that even when Gram-negative bacterial growth is arrested, cell morphology and physiology are still dynamic.
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16
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Qiu GW, Lis H, Qiu BS, Keren N. Long-term iron deprivation and subsequent recovery uncover heterogeneity in the response of cyanobacterial populations. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:1793-1804. [PMID: 33615658 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are globally important primary producers and nitrogen fixers. They are frequently limited by iron bioavailability in natural environments that often fluctuate due to rapid consumption and irregular influx of external Fe. Here we identify a succession of physiological changes in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 occurring over 14-16 days of iron deprivation and subsequent recovery. We observe several adaptive strategies that allow cells to push their metabolic limits under the restriction of declining intracellular Fe quotas. Interestingly, cyanobacterial populations exposed to prolonged iron deprivation showed discernible heterogeneity in cellular auto-fluorescence during the recovery process. Using FACS and microscopy techniques we revealed that only cells with high auto-fluorescence were able to grow and reconstitute thylakoid membranes. We propose that ROS-mediated damage is likely to be associated with the emergence of the two subpopulations, and, indeed, a rapid increase in intracellular ROS content was observed during the first hours following iron addition to Fe-starved cultures. These results suggest that an increasing iron supply is a double-edged sword - posing both an opportunity and a risk. Therefore, phenotypic heterogeneity within populations is crucial for the survival and proliferation of organisms facing iron fluctuations within natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Wei Qiu
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190402, Israel.,School of Life Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Hagar Lis
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190402, Israel
| | - Bao-Sheng Qiu
- School of Life Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Nir Keren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190402, Israel
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17
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Ohtsuka H, Shimasaki T, Aiba H. Genes affecting the extension of chronological lifespan in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast). Mol Microbiol 2020; 115:623-642. [PMID: 33064911 PMCID: PMC8246873 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
So far, more than 70 genes involved in the chronological lifespan (CLS) of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast) have been reported. In this mini‐review, we arrange and summarize these genes based on the reported genetic interactions between them and the physical interactions between their products. We describe the signal transduction pathways that affect CLS in S. pombe: target of rapamycin complex 1, cAMP‐dependent protein kinase, Sty1, and Pmk1 pathways have important functions in the regulation of CLS extension. Furthermore, the Php transcription complex, Ecl1 family proteins, cyclin Clg1, and the cyclin‐dependent kinase Pef1 are important for the regulation of CLS extension in S. pombe. Most of the known genes involved in CLS extension are related to these pathways and genes. In this review, we focus on the individual genes regulating CLS extension in S. pombe and discuss the interactions among them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hokuto Ohtsuka
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Department of Basic Medicinal Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takafumi Shimasaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Department of Basic Medicinal Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Aiba
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Department of Basic Medicinal Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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18
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Guerreiro DN, Wu J, Dessaux C, Oliveira AH, Tiensuu T, Gudynaite D, Marinho CM, Boyd A, García-Del Portillo F, Johansson J, O'Byrne CP. Mild Stress Conditions during Laboratory Culture Promote the Proliferation of Mutations That Negatively Affect Sigma B Activity in Listeria monocytogenes. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:e00751-19. [PMID: 32094160 PMCID: PMC7148139 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00751-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In Listeria monocytogenes, the full details of how stress signals are integrated into the σB regulatory pathway are not yet available. To help shed light on this question, we investigated a collection of transposon mutants that were predicted to have compromised activity of the alternative sigma factor B (σB). These mutants were tested for acid tolerance, a trait that is known to be under σB regulation, and they were found to display increased acid sensitivity, similar to a mutant lacking σB (ΔsigB). The transposon insertions were confirmed by whole-genome sequencing, but in each case, the strains were also found to carry a frameshift mutation in the sigB operon. The changes were predicted to result in premature stop codons, with negative consequences for σB activation, independently of the transposon location. Reduced σB activation in these mutants was confirmed. Growth measurements under conditions similar to those used during the construction of the transposon library revealed that the frameshifted sigB operon alleles conferred a growth advantage at higher temperatures, during late exponential phase. Mixed-culture experiments at 42°C demonstrated that the loss of σB activity allowed mutants to take over a population of parental bacteria. Together, our results suggest that mutations affecting σB activity can arise during laboratory culture because of the growth advantage conferred by these mutations under mild stress conditions. The data highlight the significant cost of stress protection in this foodborne pathogen and emphasize the need for whole-genome sequence analysis of newly constructed strains to confirm the expected genotype.IMPORTANCE In the present study, we investigated a collection of Listeria monocytogenes strains that all carried sigB operon mutations. The mutants all had reduced σB activity and were found to have a growth advantage under conditions of mild heat stress (42°C). In mixed cultures, these mutants outcompeted the wild type when mild heat stress was present but not at an optimal growth temperature. An analysis of 22,340 published L. monocytogenes genome sequences found a high rate of premature stop codons present in genes positively regulating σB activity. Together, these findings suggest that the occurrence of mutations that attenuate σB activity can be favored under conditions of mild stress, probably highlighting the burden on cellular resources that stems from deploying the general stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duarte N Guerreiro
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Jialun Wu
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Charlotte Dessaux
- Laboratory of Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens, National Center for Biotechnology (CNB)-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana H Oliveira
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå Center of Microbial Research, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Teresa Tiensuu
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå Center of Microbial Research, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Diana Gudynaite
- Molecular Microbiology Department, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Catarina M Marinho
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Conté, Dijon, France
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR Agroécologie, Dijon, France
| | - Aoife Boyd
- Pathogenic Mechanisms Research Group, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | | | - Jörgen Johansson
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå Center of Microbial Research, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Conor P O'Byrne
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
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19
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Moens E, Bolca S, Possemiers S, Verstraete W. A Wake-Up Call for the Efficient Use of the Bacterial Resting Cell Process, with Focus on Low Solubility Products. Curr Microbiol 2020; 77:1349-1362. [PMID: 32270205 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-020-01959-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Micro-organisms are often subjected to stressful conditions. Owing to their capacity to adapt, they try to rapidly cope with the unfavorable conditions by lowering their growth rate, changing their morphology, and developing altered metabolite production and other stress-related metabolism. The stress-related metabolism of the cells which interrupted their growth is often referred to as resting metabolism and can be exploit for specific and high rate production of secondary metabolites. Although the bacterial resting cell process has been described decades ago, we find it worthwhile to bring the process under renewed attention and refer to this type of processes as non-growing metabolically active (NGMA) cell processes. Despite their use may sound counterproductive, NGMA cells can be of interest to increase substrate conversion rates or enable conversion of certain substrates, not accessible to growing cells due to their bacteriostatic nature or requirement of resistance to a multitude of different stress mechanisms. Biomass reuse is an interesting feature to improve the economics of NGMA cell processes. Yet, for lipophilic compounds or compounds with low solubility, biomass separation can be delicate. This review draws the attention on existing examples of NGMA cell processes, summarizing some developmental tools and highlighting drawbacks and opportunities, to answer the research question if NGMA cells can have a distinct added value in industry. Particular elaboration is made on a novel and more broadly applicable strategy to enable biomass reuse for conversions of compounds with low solubility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Moens
- ProDigest BVBA, Technol Pk 82, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Selin Bolca
- ProDigest BVBA, Technol Pk 82, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
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20
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Abstract
Until now, bacterial cells facing nutrient deprivation were shown to enter dormancy as a strategy to survive prolonged stress, with the most established examples being sporulation, stationary phase, and persistence. Here, we uncovered an opposing strategy for long-term bacterial survival, in which mutant subpopulations cope with a challenging niche by proliferating rather than by stalling division. We show that this feature stems from mutations in genes disturbing the capability of the cells to differentiate into a quiescent state, enabling them to divide under restrictive conditions. Our study challenges the dogma of bacterial aging by highlighting an additional survival strategy resembling that of cancerous cells in animal organs. Bacteria in nature are known to survive for long periods under restricting conditions, mainly by reducing their growth rate and metabolic activity. Here, we uncover a novel strategy utilized by bacterial cells to resist aging by propagating rather than halting division. Bacterial aging was monitored by inspecting colonies of the Gram-positive soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis, which is capable of differentiating into various cell types under nutrient exhaustion. We revealed that after days of incubation, rejuvenating subpopulations, arrayed over the mother colony, emerged. These subpopulations were found to harbor mutations in a variety of genes, restricting the ability of the cells to differentiate. Surprisingly, even mutations that are not classically designated to developmental pathways, concluded in differentiation deficiency, indicating that multiple paths can reach this same outcome. We provide evidence that the evolved mutants continue to divide under conditions that favor entry into quiescence, hence becoming abundant within the aging population. The occurrence of such nondifferentiating mutants could impact bacterial population dynamics in natural niches.
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21
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Aouizerat T, Gelman D, Szitenberg A, Gutman I, Glazer S, Reich E, Schoemann M, Kaplan R, Saragovi A, Hazan R, Klutstein M. Eukaryotic Adaptation to Years-Long Starvation Resembles that of Bacteria. iScience 2019; 19:545-558. [PMID: 31470363 PMCID: PMC6722386 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Growth Advantage in Stationary Phase (GASP) phenomenon, described in bacteria, reflects the genetic adaptation of bacteria to stress, including starvation, for a long time. Unlike in stationary phase where no cell division occurs, GASP harbors active cell division, concurrent with genetic adaptation. Here we show that GASP occurs also in eukaryotes. Two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc404 and Sc424) have been isolated from 2-year-old sealed bottles of beer. These strains presented advantage in survival and growth over the parent during stress. The differences between the strains are irreversible and therefore genetic in origin rather than epigenetic. Direct competition assays show that Sc404 and Sc424 outcompete the parent in direct competition. DNA sequencing shows changes of the genome: the TOR complexes are mutated, and DNA repair gene mutations confer a mutator phenotype. The differences between the strains are reflected in a difference in taste between beers brewed from them. Yeast genetically adapts to long-term starvation in a similar way to bacteria Adaptation to long-term starvation in yeast includes multi-stress tolerance Adaptation to long-term starvation in yeast includes mutations in TORC Adaptation to long-term starvation in yeast includes a mutator phenotype
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzemach Aouizerat
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Daniel Gelman
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Amir Szitenberg
- Microbial and Metagenomics Division, Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Masada 8698000, Israel
| | - Itay Gutman
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Shunit Glazer
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Eli Reich
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Miriam Schoemann
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Rachel Kaplan
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Amijai Saragovi
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Ronen Hazan
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
| | - Michael Klutstein
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12272, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
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22
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Boteva E, Mironova R. Maillard reaction and aging: can bacteria shed light on the link? BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2019.1590160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elitsa Boteva
- Department of Gene Regulation, Institute of Molecular Biology ‘Roumen Tsanev’, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Roumyana Mironova
- Department of Gene Regulation, Institute of Molecular Biology ‘Roumen Tsanev’, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
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23
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Westphal LL, Lau J, Negro Z, Moreno IJ, Ismail Mohammed W, Lee H, Tang H, Finkel SE, Kram KE. Adaptation of Escherichia coli to long-term batch culture in various rich media. Res Microbiol 2018; 169:145-156. [PMID: 29454026 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Experimental evolution studies have characterized the genetic strategies microbes utilize to adapt to their environments, mainly focusing on how microbes adapt to constant and/or defined environments. Using a system that incubates Escherichia coli in different complex media in long-term batch culture, we have focused on how heterogeneity and environment affects adaptive landscapes. In this system, there is no passaging of cells, and therefore genetic diversity is lost only through negative selection, without the experimentally-imposed bottlenecking common in other platforms. In contrast with other experimental evolution systems, because of cycling of nutrients and waste products, this is a heterogeneous environment, where selective pressures change over time, similar to natural environments. We determined that incubation in each environment leads to different adaptations by observing the growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP) phenotype. Re-sequencing whole genomes of populations identified both mutant alleles in a conserved set of genes and differences in evolutionary trajectories between environments. Reconstructing identified mutations in the parental strain background confirmed the adaptive advantage of some alleles, but also identified a surprising number of neutral or even deleterious mutations. This result indicates that complex epistatic interactions may be under positive selection within these heterogeneous environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lacey L Westphal
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, RRI 303, 1050 Child's Way, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-2910, USA.
| | - Jasmine Lau
- Department of Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills, NSM A-137, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA, 90747, USA.
| | - Zuly Negro
- Department of Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills, NSM A-137, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA, 90747, USA.
| | - Ivan J Moreno
- Department of Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills, NSM A-137, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA, 90747, USA.
| | - Wazim Ismail Mohammed
- School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, 150 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
| | - Heewook Lee
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, GHC 7719, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
| | - Haixu Tang
- School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, 150 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
| | - Steven E Finkel
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, RRI 303, 1050 Child's Way, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-2910, USA.
| | - Karin E Kram
- Department of Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills, NSM A-137, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA, 90747, USA.
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24
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Jaishankar J, Srivastava P. Molecular Basis of Stationary Phase Survival and Applications. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2000. [PMID: 29085349 PMCID: PMC5650638 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Stationary phase is the stage when growth ceases but cells remain metabolically active. Several physical and molecular changes take place during this stage that makes them interesting to explore. The characteristic proteins synthesized in the stationary phase are indispensable as they confer viability to the bacteria. Detailed knowledge of these proteins and the genes synthesizing them is required to understand the survival in such nutrient deprived conditions. The promoters, which drive the expression of these genes, are called stationary phase promoters. These promoters exhibit increased activity in the stationary phase and less or no activity in the exponential phase. The vectors constructed based on these promoters are ideal for large-scale protein production due to the absence of any external inducers. A number of recombinant protein production systems have been developed using these promoters. This review describes the stationary phase survival of bacteria, the promoters involved, their importance, regulation, and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jananee Jaishankar
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Preeti Srivastava
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
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25
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Bhattacharjee A, Datta R, Gratton E, Hochbaum AI. Metabolic fingerprinting of bacteria by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3743. [PMID: 28623341 PMCID: PMC5473825 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04032-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial populations exhibit a range of metabolic states influenced by their environment, intra- and interspecies interactions. The identification of bacterial metabolic states and transitions between them in their native environment promises to elucidate community behavior and stochastic processes, such as antibiotic resistance acquisition. In this work, we employ two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to create a metabolic fingerprint of individual bacteria and populations. FLIM of autofluorescent reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate), NAD(P)H, has been previously exploited for label-free metabolic imaging of mammalian cells. However, NAD(P)H FLIM has not been established as a metabolic proxy in bacteria. Applying the phasor approach, we create FLIM-phasor maps of Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis at the single cell and population levels. The bacterial phasor is sensitive to environmental conditions such as antibiotic exposure and growth phase, suggesting that observed shifts in the phasor are representative of metabolic changes within the cells. The FLIM-phasor approach represents a powerful, non-invasive imaging technique to study bacterial metabolism in situ and could provide unique insights into bacterial community behavior, pathology and antibiotic resistance with sub-cellular resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunima Bhattacharjee
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Rupsa Datta
- Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Enrico Gratton
- Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Allon I Hochbaum
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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26
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Finn TJ, Shewaramani S, Leahy SC, Janssen PH, Moon CD. Dynamics and genetic diversification of Escherichia coli during experimental adaptation to an anaerobic environment. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3244. [PMID: 28480139 PMCID: PMC5419217 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Many bacteria are facultative anaerobes, and can proliferate in both anoxic and oxic environments. Under anaerobic conditions, fermentation is the primary means of energy generation in contrast to respiration. Furthermore, the rates and spectra of spontaneous mutations that arise during anaerobic growth differ to those under aerobic growth. A long-term selection experiment was undertaken to investigate the genetic changes that underpin how the facultative anaerobe, Escherichia coli, adapts to anaerobic environments. Methods Twenty-one populations of E. coli REL4536, an aerobically evolved 10,000th generation descendent of the E. coli B strain, REL606, were established from a clonal ancestral culture. These were serially sub-cultured for 2,000 generations in a defined minimal glucose medium in strict aerobic and strict anaerobic environments, as well as in a treatment that fluctuated between the two environments. The competitive fitness of the evolving lineages was assessed at approximately 0, 1,000 and 2,000 generations, in both the environment of selection and the alternative environment. Whole genome re-sequencing was performed on random colonies from all lineages after 2,000-generations. Mutations were identified relative to the ancestral genome, and based on the extent of parallelism, traits that were likely to have contributed towards adaptation were inferred. Results There were increases in fitness relative to the ancestor among anaerobically evolved lineages when tested in the anaerobic environment, but no increases were found in the aerobic environment. For lineages that had evolved under the fluctuating regime, relative fitness increased significantly in the anaerobic environment, but did not increase in the aerobic environment. The aerobically-evolved lineages did not increase in fitness when tested in either the aerobic or anaerobic environments. The strictly anaerobic lineages adapted more rapidly to the anaerobic environment than did the fluctuating lineages. Two main strategies appeared to predominate during adaptation to the anaerobic environment: modification of energy generation pathways, and inactivation of non-essential functions. Fermentation pathways appeared to alter through selection for mutations in genes such as nadR, adhE, dcuS/R, and pflB. Mutations were frequently identified in genes for presumably dispensable functions such as toxin-antitoxin systems, prophages, virulence and amino acid transport. Adaptation of the fluctuating lineages to the anaerobic environments involved mutations affecting traits similar to those observed in the anaerobically evolved lineages. Discussion There appeared to be strong selective pressure for activities that conferred cell yield advantages during anaerobic growth, which include restoring activities that had previously been inactivated under long-term continuous aerobic evolution of the ancestor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Finn
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Ltd, Palmerston North, New Zealand.,New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sonal Shewaramani
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Ltd, Palmerston North, New Zealand.,New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States of America
| | - Sinead C Leahy
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Ltd, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Peter H Janssen
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Ltd, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Christina D Moon
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Ltd, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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27
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Density-Dependent Recycling Promotes the Long-Term Survival of Bacterial Populations during Periods of Starvation. mBio 2017; 8:mBio.02336-16. [PMID: 28174316 PMCID: PMC5296608 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02336-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The amount of natural resources in the Earth’s environment is in flux, which can trigger catastrophic collapses of ecosystems. How populations survive under nutrient-poor conditions is a central question in ecology. Curiously, some bacteria persist for a long time in nutrient-poor environments. Although this survival may be accomplished through cell death and the recycling of dead cells, the importance of these processes and the mechanisms underlying the survival of the populations have not been quantitated. Here, we use microbial laboratory experiments and mathematical models to demonstrate that death and recycling are essential activities for the maintenance of cell survival. We also show that the behavior of the survivors is governed by population density feedback, wherein growth is limited not only by the available resources but also by the population density. The numerical simulations suggest that population density-dependent recycling could be an advantageous behavior under starvation conditions. How organisms survive after exhaustion of resources is a central question in ecology. Starving Escherichia coli constitute a model system to understand survival mechanisms during long-term starvation. Although death and the recycling of dead cells might play a key role in the maintenance of long-term survival, their mechanisms and importance have not been quantitated. Here, we verified the significance of social recycling of dead cells for long-term survival. We also show that the survivors restrained their recycling and did not use all available nutrients released from dead cells, which may be advantageous under starvation conditions. These results indicate that not only the utilization of dead cells but also restrained recycling coordinate the effective utilization of limited resources for long-term survival under starvation.
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Strain Library Imaging Protocol for high-throughput, automated single-cell microscopy of large bacterial collections arrayed on multiwell plates. Nat Protoc 2017; 12:429-438. [PMID: 28125106 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2016.181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Single-cell microscopy is a powerful tool for studying gene functions using strain libraries, but it suffers from throughput limitations. Here we describe the Strain Library Imaging Protocol (SLIP), which is a high-throughput, automated microscopy workflow for large strain collections that requires minimal user involvement. SLIP involves transferring arrayed bacterial cultures from multiwell plates onto large agar pads using inexpensive replicator pins and automatically imaging the resulting single cells. The acquired images are subsequently reviewed and analyzed by custom MATLAB scripts that segment single-cell contours and extract quantitative metrics. SLIP yields rich data sets on cell morphology and gene expression that illustrate the function of certain genes and the connections among strains in a library. For a library arrayed on 96-well plates, image acquisition can be completed within 4 min per plate.
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Liu B, Eydallin G, Maharjan RP, Feng L, Wang L, Ferenci T. Natural Escherichia coli isolates rapidly acquire genetic changes upon laboratory domestication. Microbiology (Reading) 2017; 163:22-30. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, 23 Hongda Street, Tianjin 300457, PR China
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, 23 Hongda Street, Tianjin 300457, PR China
| | - Gustavo Eydallin
- School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Ram P. Maharjan
- School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Lu Feng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, 23 Hongda Street, Tianjin 300457, PR China
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, 23 Hongda Street, Tianjin 300457, PR China
| | - Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, 23 Hongda Street, Tianjin 300457, PR China
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, 23 Hongda Street, Tianjin 300457, PR China
| | - Thomas Ferenci
- School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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Genomewide Dam Methylation in Escherichia coli during Long-Term Stationary Phase. mSystems 2016; 1:mSystems00130-16. [PMID: 27981240 PMCID: PMC5155068 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00130-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation in prokaryotes is widespread. The most common modification of the genome is the methylation of adenine at the N-6 position. In Escherichia coli K-12 and many gammaproteobacteria, this modification is catalyzed by DNA adenine methyltransferase (Dam) at the GATC consensus sequence and is known to modulate cellular processes including transcriptional regulation of gene expression, initiation of chromosomal replication, and DNA mismatch repair. While studies thus far have focused on the motifs associated with methylated adenine (meA), the frequency of meA across the genome, and temporal dynamics during early periods of incubation, here we conduct the first study on the temporal dynamics of adenine methylation in E. coli by Dam throughout all five phases of the bacterial life cycle in the laboratory. Using single-molecule real-time sequencing, we show that virtually all GATC sites are significantly methylated over time; nearly complete methylation of the chromosome was confirmed by mass spectroscopy analysis. However, we also detect 66 sites whose methylation patterns change significantly over time within a population, including three sites associated with sialic acid transport and catabolism, suggesting a potential role for Dam regulation of these genes; differential expression of this subset of genes was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. Further, we show significant growth defects of the dam mutant during long-term stationary phase (LTSP). Together these data suggest that the cell places a high premium on fully methylating the chromosome and that alterations in methylation patterns may have significant impact on patterns of transcription, maintenance of genetic fidelity, and cell survival. IMPORTANCE While it has been shown that methylation remains relatively constant into early stationary phase of E. coli, this study goes further through death phase and long-term stationary phase, a unique time in the bacterial life cycle due to nutrient limitation and strong selection for mutants with increased fitness. The absence of methylation at GATC sites can influence the mutation frequency within a population due to aberrant mismatch repair. Therefore, it is important to investigate the methylation status of GATC sites in an environment where cells may not prioritize methylation of the chromosome. This study demonstrates that chromosome methylation remains a priority even under conditions of nutrient limitation, indicating that continuous methylation at GATC sites could be under positive selection.
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Bryan D, El-Shibiny A, Hobbs Z, Porter J, Kutter EM. Bacteriophage T4 Infection of Stationary Phase E. coli: Life after Log from a Phage Perspective. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1391. [PMID: 27660625 PMCID: PMC5014867 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Virtually all studies of phage infections investigate bacteria growing exponentially in rich media. In nature, however, phages largely encounter non-growing cells. Bacteria entering stationary phase often activate well-studied stress defense mechanisms that drastically alter the cell, facilitating its long-term survival. An understanding of phage-host interactions in such conditions is of major importance from both an ecological and therapeutic standpoint. Here, we show that bacteriophage T4 can efficiently bind to, infect and kill E. coli in stationary phase, both in the presence and absence of a functional stationary-phase sigma factor, and explore the response of T4-infected stationary phase cells to the addition of fresh nutrients 5 or 24 h after that infection. An unexpected new mode of response has been identified. "Hibernation" mode is a persistent but reversible dormant state in which the infected cells make at least some phage enzymes, but halt phage development until appropriate nutrients become available before producing phage particles. Our evidence indicates that the block in hibernation mode occurs after the middle-mode stage of phage development; host DNA breakdown and the incorporation of the released nucleotides into phage DNA indicate that the enzymes of the nucleotide synthesizing complex, under middle-mode control, have been made and assembled into a functional state. Once fresh glucose and amino acids become available, the standard lytic infection process rapidly resumes and concentrations of up to 10(11) progeny phage (an average of about 40 phage per initially present cell) are produced. All evidence is consistent with the hibernation-mode control point lying between middle mode and late mode T4 gene expression. We have also observed a "scavenger" response, where the infecting phage takes advantage of whatever few nutrients are available to produce small quantities of progeny within 2 to 5 h after infection. The scavenger response seems able to produce no more than an average of one phage per originally available cell, and few if any further progeny are produced by cells in this mode even if fresh nutrients are made available later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bryan
- Kutter Bacteriophage Lab, The Evergreen State College Olympia, WA, USA
| | - Ayman El-Shibiny
- Kutter Bacteriophage Lab, The Evergreen State CollegeOlympia, WA, USA; Biomedical Sciences, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and TechnologyGiza, Egypt; Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish UniversityArish, Egypt
| | - Zack Hobbs
- Kutter Bacteriophage Lab, The Evergreen State College Olympia, WA, USA
| | - Jillian Porter
- Kutter Bacteriophage Lab, The Evergreen State College Olympia, WA, USA
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Gagliardi A, Lamboglia E, Bianchi L, Landi C, Armini A, Ciolfi S, Bini L, Marri L. Proteomics analysis of a long-term survival strain of Escherichia coli K-12 exhibiting a growth advantage in stationary-phase (GASP) phenotype. Proteomics 2016; 16:963-72. [PMID: 26711811 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201500314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this work was the functional and proteomic analysis of a mutant, W3110 Bgl(+) /10, isolated from a batch culture of an Escherichia coli K-12 strain maintained at room temperature without addition of nutrients for 10 years. When the mutant was evaluated in competition experiments in co-culture with the wild-type, it exhibited the growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP) phenotype. Proteomes of the GASP mutant and its parental strain were compared by using a 2DE coupled with MS approach. Several differentially expressed proteins were detected and many of them were successful identified by mass spectrometry. Identified expression-changing proteins were grouped into three functional categories: metabolism, protein synthesis, chaperone and stress responsive proteins. Among them, the prevalence was ascribable to the "metabolism" group (72%) for the GASP mutant, and to "chaperones and stress responsive proteins" group for the parental strain (48%).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laura Bianchi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Claudia Landi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Ciolfi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Luca Bini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Laura Marri
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Abstract
The classical experiments of Luria and Delbrück showed convincingly that mutations exist before selection and do not contribute to the creation of mutations when selection is lethal. In contrast, when nonlethal selections are used,measuring mutation rates and separating the effects of mutation and selection are difficult and require methods to fully exclude growth after selection has been applied. Although many claims of stress-induced mutagenesis have been made, it is difficult to exclude the influence of growth under nonlethal selection conditions in accounting for the observed increases in mutant frequency. Instead, for many of the studied experimental systems the increase in mutant frequency can be explainedbetter by the ability of selection to detect small differences in growth rate caused by common small effect mutations. A verycommon mutant class,found in response to many different types of selective regimensin which increased gene dosage can resolve the problem, is gene amplification. In the well-studiedlac system of Cairns and Foster, the apparent increase in Lac+revertants can be explained by high-level amplification of the lac operon and the increased probability for a reversion mutation to occur in any one of the amplified copies. The associated increase in general mutation rate observed in revertant cells in that system is an artifact caused by the coincidental co-amplification of the nearby dinB gene (encoding the error-prone DNA polymerase IV) on the particular plasmid used for these experiments. Apart from the lac system, similar gene amplification processes have been described for adaptation to toxic drugs, growth in host cells, and various nutrient limitations.
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Harwani D. Regulation of gene expression: cryptic β-glucoside (bgl) operon of Escherichia coli as a paradigm. Braz J Microbiol 2015; 45:1139-44. [PMID: 25763016 PMCID: PMC4323285 DOI: 10.1590/s1517-83822014000400003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved various mechanisms to extract utilizable substrates from available resources and consequently acquire fitness advantage over competitors. One of the strategies is the exploitation of cryptic cellular functions encoded by genetic systems that are silent under laboratory conditions, such as the bgl (β-glucoside) operon of E. coli. The bgl operon of Escherichia coli, involved in the uptake and utilization of aromatic β-glucosides salicin and arbutin, is maintained in a silent state in the wild type organism by the presence of structural elements in the regulatory region. This operon can be activated by mutations that disrupt these negative elements. The fact that the silent bgl operon is retained without accumulating deleterious mutations seems paradoxical from an evolutionary view point. Although this operon appears to be silent, specific physiological conditions might be able to regulate its expression and/or the operon might be carrying out function(s) apart from the utilization of aromatic β-glucosides. This is consistent with the observations that the activated operon confers a Growth Advantage in Stationary Phase (GASP) phenotype to Bgl+ cells and exerts its regulation on at least twelve downstream target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharmesh Harwani
- Department of Microbiology Maharaja Ganga Singh University Bikaner India Department of Microbiology, Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Bikaner, India
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35
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Soufi B, Krug K, Harst A, Macek B. Characterization of the E. coli proteome and its modifications during growth and ethanol stress. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:103. [PMID: 25741329 PMCID: PMC4332353 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We set out to provide a resource to the microbiology community especially with respect to systems biology based endeavors. To this end, we generated a comprehensive dataset monitoring the changes in protein expression, copy number, and post translational modifications in a systematic fashion during growth and ethanol stress in E. coli. We utilized high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) combined with the Super-SILAC approach. In a single experiment, we have identified over 2300 proteins, which represent approximately 88% of the estimated expressed proteome of E. coli and estimated protein copy numbers using the Intensity Based Absolute Quantitation (iBAQ). The dynamic range of protein expression spanned up to six orders of magnitude, with the highest protein copy per cell estimated at approximately 300,000. We focused on the proteome dynamics involved during stationary phase growth. A global up-regulation of proteins related to stress response was detected in later stages of growth. We observed the down-regulation of the methyl directed mismatch repair system containing MutS and MutL of E. coli growing in long term growth cultures, confirming that higher incidence of mutations presents an important mechanism in the increase in genetic diversity and stationary phase survival in E. coli. During ethanol stress, known markers such as alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase were induced, further validating the dataset. Finally, we performed unbiased protein modification detection and revealed changes of many known and unknown protein modifications in both experimental conditions. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001648.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boumediene Soufi
- Proteome Center Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Karsten Krug
- Proteome Center Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Harst
- Proteome Center Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Boris Macek
- Proteome Center Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen Tuebingen, Germany
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36
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Soufi B, Krug K, Harst A, Macek B. Characterization of the E. coli proteome and its modifications during growth and ethanol stress. Front Microbiol 2015. [PMID: 25741329 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We set out to provide a resource to the microbiology community especially with respect to systems biology based endeavors. To this end, we generated a comprehensive dataset monitoring the changes in protein expression, copy number, and post translational modifications in a systematic fashion during growth and ethanol stress in E. coli. We utilized high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) combined with the Super-SILAC approach. In a single experiment, we have identified over 2300 proteins, which represent approximately 88% of the estimated expressed proteome of E. coli and estimated protein copy numbers using the Intensity Based Absolute Quantitation (iBAQ). The dynamic range of protein expression spanned up to six orders of magnitude, with the highest protein copy per cell estimated at approximately 300,000. We focused on the proteome dynamics involved during stationary phase growth. A global up-regulation of proteins related to stress response was detected in later stages of growth. We observed the down-regulation of the methyl directed mismatch repair system containing MutS and MutL of E. coli growing in long term growth cultures, confirming that higher incidence of mutations presents an important mechanism in the increase in genetic diversity and stationary phase survival in E. coli. During ethanol stress, known markers such as alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase were induced, further validating the dataset. Finally, we performed unbiased protein modification detection and revealed changes of many known and unknown protein modifications in both experimental conditions. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001648.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boumediene Soufi
- Proteome Center Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Karsten Krug
- Proteome Center Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Harst
- Proteome Center Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Boris Macek
- Proteome Center Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen Tuebingen, Germany
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37
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Arunasri K, Adil M, Khan PAA, Shivaji S. Global gene expression analysis of long-term stationary phase effects in E. coli K12 MG1655. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96701. [PMID: 24858919 PMCID: PMC4032248 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Global gene expression was monitored in long-term stationary phase (LSP) cells of E. coli K12 MG1655 and compared with stationary phase (SP) cells that were sub-cultured without prolonged delay to get an insight into the survival strategies of LSP cells. The experiments were carried out using both LB medium and LB supplemented with 10% of glycerol. In both the media the LSP cells showed decreased growth rate compared to SP cells. DNA microarray analysis of LSP cells in both the media resulted in the up- and down-regulation of several genes in LSP cells compared to their respective SP cells in the corresponding media. In LSP cells grown in LB 204 genes whereas cells grown in LB plus glycerol 321 genes were differentially regulated compared to the SP cells. Comparison of these differentially regulated genes indicated that irrespective of the medium used for growth in LSP cells expression of 95 genes (22 genes up-regulated and 73 down-regulated) were differentially regulated. These 95 genes could be associated with LSP status of the cells and are likely to influence survival and growth characteristics of LSP cells. This is indeed so since the up- and down-regulated genes include genes that protect E. coli LSP cells from stationary phase stress and genes that would help to recover from stress when transferred into fresh medium. The growth phenotype in LSP cells could be attributed to up-regulation of genes coding for insertion sequences that confer beneficial effects during starvation, genes coding for putative transposases and simultaneous down-regulation of genes coding for ribosomal protein synthesis, transport-related genes, non-coding RNA genes and metabolic genes. As yet we still do not know the role of several unknown genes and genes coding for hypothetical proteins which are either up- or down-regulated in LSP cells compared to SP cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammed Adil
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Sisinthy Shivaji
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
- * E-mail:
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38
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Fux CA, Stoodley P, Hall-Stoodley L, Costerton JW. Bacterial biofilms: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2014; 1:667-83. [PMID: 15482163 DOI: 10.1586/14787210.1.4.667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria have traditionally been regarded as individual organisms growing in homogeneous planktonic populations. However, bacteria in natural environments usually form communities of surface-adherent organisms embedded in an extracellular matrix, called biofilms. Current antimicrobial strategies often fail to control bacteria in the biofilm mode of growth. Treatment failure is particularly frequent in association with intracorporeal or transcutaneous medical devices and compromised host immunity. The rising prevalence of these risk factors over the last decades has paralleled the increase in biofilm infections. This review discusses the shortcomings of current therapies against biofilms both in theory and with clinical examples. Biofilm characteristics are described with a focus on new diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph A Fux
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, USA.
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39
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Mirisola MG, Braun RJ, Petranovic D. Approaches to study yeast cell aging and death. FEMS Yeast Res 2013; 14:109-18. [DOI: 10.1111/1567-1364.12112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Revised: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ralf J. Braun
- Institut für Zellbiologie; Universität Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
| | - Dina Petranovic
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Systems and Synthetic Biology; Chalmers University of Technology; Göteborg Sweden
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40
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Eydallin G, Ryall B, Maharjan R, Ferenci T. The nature of laboratory domestication changes in freshly isolated Escherichia coli strains. Environ Microbiol 2013; 16:813-28. [PMID: 23889812 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Revised: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Adaptation of environmental bacteria to laboratory conditions can lead to modification of important traits, what we term domestication. Little is known about the rapidity and reproducibility of domestication changes, the uniformity of these changes within a species or how diverse these are in a single culture. Here, we analysed phenotypic changes in nutrient-rich liquid media or on agar of four Escherichia coli strains newly isolated through minimal steps from different sources. The laboratory-cultured populations showed changes in metabolism, morphotype, fitness and in some phenotypes associated with the sigma factor RpoS. Domestication events and phenotypic diversity started to emerge within 2-3 days in replicate subcultures of the same ancestor. In some strains, increased amino acid usage and higher fitness under nutrient limitation resembled those in mutants with the GASP (growth advantage in stationary phase) phenotype. The domestication changes are not uniform across a species or even within a single domesticated population. However, some parallelism in adaptation within repeat cultures was observed. Differences in the laboratory environment also determine domestication effects, which differ between liquid and solid media or with extended stationary phase. Important lessons for the handling and storage of organisms can be based on these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Eydallin
- School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
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41
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Nagamitsu H, Murata M, Kosaka T, Kawaguchi J, Mori H, Yamada M. Crucial roles of MicA and RybB as vital factors for σ-dependent cell lysis in Escherichia coli long-term stationary phase. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol 2013; 23:227-32. [PMID: 23594456 DOI: 10.1159/000350370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
σ(E)-dependent cell lysis has been proposed to eliminate damaged cells in the stationary phase in Escherichia coli. In order to explore the relationship of this process to long-term stationary phase existence, we considered that micA and rybB could be important small regulatory RNA (sRNA) genes for σ(E)-dependent cell lysis. A long-term stationary phase was observed at temperatures of <37°C, but not >38°C, and was found even in an rpoS knock-out background. Strains with disrupted micA or rybB were incapable of long-term stationary phase existence. Both strains drastically lost survivability accompanied by a dramatic accumulation of mutations. These findings allow us to speculate that σ(E)-dependent cell lysis plays a key role in the establishment of the long-term stationary phase, presumably by eliminating damaged cells and thus preventing the over-accumulation of mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Nagamitsu
- Applied Molecular Bioscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Ube, Japan
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42
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Lemarchand K, Lebaron P. Influence of mutation frequency on the persistence of Salmonella enterica serotypes in natural waters. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2012; 41:125-31. [PMID: 19709246 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2002.tb00973.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract In aquatic environments, the survival of pathogenic microorganisms, such as Salmonella spp., may represent a risk to public health. The mutation frequency was hypothesized to influence the persistence of Salmonella serotypes in environmental waters. The mean mutation frequency to rifampin resistance of the 11 major serotypes of Salmonella enterica isolated from the Tech River (Pyrénées-Orientales, France) was determined. Then, a comparison of the survival of three serotypes holding different mutation frequencies showed no significant differences, suggesting that a high mutation rate was not directly linked to increased persistence of Salmonella cells under stressful conditions. However, we demonstrated, via controlled experiments, that long-term starvation in natural water could influence the mutation frequency of the Salmonella Typhimurium serotype. This effect, which was not observed for the serotypes Virchow and Infantis, could be a way of adapting to stressful conditions for the serotype Typhimurium and could explain its recurrence in aquatic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Lemarchand
- Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls, Laboratoire ARAGO, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers (INSU), CNRS-UMR-7621, P.O. Box 44, 66651 Banyuls-sur-Mer Cedex, France
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43
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Role of rpoS in Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain H32 biofilm development and survival. Appl Environ Microbiol 2012; 78:8331-9. [PMID: 23001657 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02149-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The protein RpoS is responsible for mediating cell survival during the stationary phase by conferring cell resistance to various stressors and has been linked to biofilm formation. In this study, the role of the rpoS gene in Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilm formation and survival in water was investigated. Confocal scanning laser microscopy of biofilms established on coverslips revealed a nutrient-dependent role of rpoS in biofilm formation, where the biofilm biomass volume of the rpoS mutant was 2.4- to 7.5-fold the size of its rpoS(+) wild-type counterpart in minimal growth medium. The enhanced biofilm formation of the rpoS mutant did not, however, translate to increased survival in sterile double-distilled water (ddH(2)O), filter-sterilized lake water, or unfiltered lake water. The rpoS mutant had an overall reduction of 3.10 and 5.30 log(10) in sterile ddH(2)O and filter-sterilized lake water, respectively, while only minor reductions of 0.53 and 0.61 log(10) in viable counts were observed for the wild-type form in the two media over a 13-day period, respectively. However, the survival rates of the detached biofilm-derived rpoS(+) and rpoS mutant cells were comparable. Under the competitive stress conditions of unfiltered lake water, the advantage conferred by the presence of rpoS was lost, and both the wild-type and knockout forms displayed similar declines in viable counts. These results suggest that rpoS does have an influence on both biofilm formation and survival of E. coli O157:H7 and that the advantage conferred by rpoS is contingent on the environmental conditions.
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44
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Ryall B, Eydallin G, Ferenci T. Culture history and population heterogeneity as determinants of bacterial adaptation: the adaptomics of a single environmental transition. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2012; 76:597-625. [PMID: 22933562 PMCID: PMC3429624 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.05028-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Diversity in adaptive responses is common within species and populations, especially when the heterogeneity of the frequently large populations found in environments is considered. By focusing on events in a single clonal population undergoing a single transition, we discuss how environmental cues and changes in growth rate initiate a multiplicity of adaptive pathways. Adaptation is a comprehensive process, and stochastic, regulatory, epigenetic, and mutational changes can contribute to fitness and overlap in timing and frequency. We identify culture history as a major determinant of both regulatory adaptations and microevolutionary change. Population history before a transition determines heterogeneities due to errors in translation, stochastic differences in regulation, the presence of aged, damaged, cheating, or dormant cells, and variations in intracellular metabolite or regulator concentrations. It matters whether bacteria come from dense, slow-growing, stressed, or structured states. Genotypic adaptations are history dependent due to variations in mutation supply, contingency gene changes, phase variation, lateral gene transfer, and genome amplifications. Phenotypic adaptations underpin genotypic changes in situations such as stress-induced mutagenesis or prophage induction or in biofilms to give a continuum of adaptive possibilities. Evolutionary selection additionally provides diverse adaptive outcomes in a single transition and generally does not result in single fitter types. The totality of heterogeneities in an adapting population increases the chance that at least some individuals meet immediate or future challenges. However, heterogeneity complicates the adaptomics of single transitions, and we propose that subpopulations will need to be integrated into future population biology and systems biology predictions of bacterial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Ryall
- School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Abstract
In their stressful natural environments, bacteria often are in stationary phase and use their limited resources for maintenance and stress survival. Underlying this activity is the general stress response, which in Escherichia coli depends on the σS (RpoS) subunit of RNA polymerase. σS is closely related to the vegetative sigma factor σ70 (RpoD), and these two sigmas recognize similar but not identical promoter sequences. During the postexponential phase and entry into stationary phase, σS is induced by a fine-tuned combination of transcriptional, translational, and proteolytic control. In addition, regulatory "short-cuts" to high cellular σS levels, which mainly rely on the rapid inhibition of σS proteolysis, are triggered by sudden starvation for various nutrients and other stressful shift conditons. σS directly or indirectly activates more than 500 genes. Additional signal input is integrated by σS cooperating with various transcription factors in complex cascades and feedforward loops. Target gene products have stress-protective functions, redirect metabolism, affect cell envelope and cell shape, are involved in biofilm formation or pathogenesis, or can increased stationary phase and stress-induced mutagenesis. This review summarizes these diverse functions and the amazingly complex regulation of σS. At the molecular level, these processes are integrated with the partitioning of global transcription space by sigma factor competition for RNA polymerase core enzyme and signaling by nucleotide second messengers that include cAMP, (p)ppGpp, and c-di-GMP. Physiologically, σS is the key player in choosing between a lifestyle associated with postexponential growth based on nutrient scavenging and motility and a lifestyle focused on maintenance, strong stress resistance, and increased adhesiveness. Finally, research with other proteobacteria is beginning to reveal how evolution has further adapted function and regulation of σS to specific environmental niches.
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Ecological and temporal constraints in the evolution of bacterial genomes. Genes (Basel) 2011; 2:804-28. [PMID: 24710293 PMCID: PMC3927597 DOI: 10.3390/genes2040804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Revised: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 10/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on the experimental evolution of microorganisms, on their in vivo evolution (mainly in the case of bacteria producing chronic infections), as well as the availability of multiple full genomic sequences, are placing bacteria in the playground of evolutionary studies. In the present article we review the differential contribution to the evolution of bacterial genomes that processes such as gene modification, gene acquisition and gene loss may have when bacteria colonize different habitats that present characteristic ecological features. In particular, we review how the different processes contribute to evolution in microbial communities, in free-living bacteria or in bacteria living in isolation. In addition, we discuss the temporal constraints in the evolution of bacterial genomes, considering bacterial evolution from the perspective of processes of short-sighted evolution and punctual acquisition of evolutionary novelties followed by long stasis periods.
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Phenotypic diversity caused by differential RpoS activity among environmental Escherichia coli isolates. Appl Environ Microbiol 2011; 77:7915-23. [PMID: 21948830 DOI: 10.1128/aem.05274-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Enteric bacteria deposited into the environment by animal hosts are subject to diverse selective pressures. These pressures may act on phenotypic differences in bacterial populations and select adaptive mutations for survival in stress. As a model to study phenotypic diversity in environmental bacteria, we examined mutations of the stress response sigma factor, RpoS, in environmental Escherichia coli isolates. A total of 2,040 isolates from urban beaches and nearby fecal pollution sources on Lake Ontario (Canada) were screened for RpoS function by examining growth on succinate and catalase activity, two RpoS-dependent phenotypes. The rpoS sequence was determined for 45 isolates, including all candidate RpoS mutants, and of these, six isolates were confirmed as mutants with the complete loss of RpoS function. Similarly to laboratory strains, the RpoS expression of these environmental isolates was stationary phase dependent. However, the expression of RpoS regulon members KatE and AppA had differing levels of expression in several environmental isolates compared to those in laboratory strains. Furthermore, after plating rpoS+ isolates on succinate, RpoS mutants could be readily selected from environmental E. coli. Naturally isolated and succinate-selected RpoS mutants had lower generation times on poor carbon sources and lower stress resistance than their rpoS+ isogenic parental strains. These results show that RpoS mutants are present in the environment (with a frequency of 0.003 among isolates) and that, similarly to laboratory and pathogenic strains, growth on poor carbon sources selects for rpoS mutations in environmental E. coli. RpoS selection may be an important determinant of phenotypic diversification and, hence, the survival of E. coli in the environment.
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Stevens KE, Sebert ME. Frequent beneficial mutations during single-colony serial transfer of Streptococcus pneumoniae. PLoS Genet 2011; 7:e1002232. [PMID: 21876679 PMCID: PMC3158050 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2011] [Accepted: 06/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The appearance of new mutations within a population provides the raw material for evolution. The consistent decline in fitness observed in classical mutation accumulation studies has provided support for the long-held view that deleterious mutations are more common than beneficial mutations. Here we present results of a study using a mutation accumulation design with the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae in which the fitness of the derived populations increased. This rise in fitness was associated specifically with adaptation to survival during brief stationary phase periods between single-colony population bottlenecks. To understand better the population dynamics behind this unanticipated adaptation, we developed a maximum likelihood model describing the processes of mutation and stationary-phase selection in the context of frequent population bottlenecks. Using this model, we estimate that the rate of beneficial mutations may be as high as 4.8×10−4 events per genome for each time interval corresponding to the pneumococcal generation time. This rate is several orders of magnitude higher than earlier estimates of beneficial mutation rates in bacteria but supports recent results obtained through the propagation of small populations of Escherichia coli. Our findings indicate that beneficial mutations may be relatively frequent in bacteria and suggest that in S. pneumoniae, which develops natural competence for transformation, a steady supply of such mutations may be available for sampling by recombination. Beneficial mutations have long been considered extremely rare events and were thought to occur with a frequency of approximately one out of a billion times that a bacterium replicates its genome. Rare beneficial mutations would then be amplified by natural selection from the more frequent background of harmful mutations. Mutation accumulation experiments probe the nature of these spontaneous mutations by monitoring changes in fitness of model organisms propagated in the laboratory through numerous generations under conditions where the effects of selection are minimal. Previous mutation accumulation experiments have shown that organisms under study have declined in fitness as random mutations accrue in their genomes, consistent with a predominance of deleterious mutations. We conducted a mutation accumulation study with the bacterial pathogen S. pneumoniae in which a broad measure of fitness instead rose. We demonstrate that this unexpected adaptation was due to frequent beneficial mutations that were further amplified by selection in stationary-phase bacterial colonies. Together with recent work using E. coli, these results demonstrate that beneficial mutations can be common in bacteria and may contribute to our understanding of the evolution of traits such as antibiotic resistance and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E. Stevens
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael E. Sebert
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Growth advantage in stationary phase phenomenon in Gram-positive bacteria. J Hosp Infect 2011; 78:73-5. [PMID: 21316120 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2010.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2010] [Accepted: 12/22/2010] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Abstract
The two paradigms to study aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are the chronological life span (CLS) and the replicative life span (RLS). The chronological life span is a measure of the mean and maximum survival time of non-dividing yeast populations while the replicative life span is based on the mean and maximum number of daughter cells generated by an individual mother cell before cell division stops irreversibly. Here we review the principal discoveries associated with yeast chronological aging and how they are contributing to the understanding of the aging process and of the molecular mechanisms that may lead to healthy aging in mammals. We will focus on the mechanisms of life span regulation by the Tor/Sch9 and the Ras/adenylate Ras/adenylate cyclase/PKA pathways with particular emphasis on those implicating age-dependent oxidative oxidative stress stress and DNA damage/repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valter D Longo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0191, USA,
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