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Waidner LA, Potdukhe TV. Tools to Enumerate and Predict Distribution Patterns of Environmental Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2502. [PMID: 37894160 PMCID: PMC10609196 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) are water- and foodborne bacteria that can cause several distinct human diseases, collectively called vibriosis. The success of oyster aquaculture is negatively impacted by high Vibrio abundances. Myriad environmental factors affect the distribution of pathogenic Vibrio, including temperature, salinity, eutrophication, extreme weather events, and plankton loads, including harmful algal blooms. In this paper, we synthesize the current understanding of ecological drivers of Vv and Vp and provide a summary of various tools used to enumerate Vv and Vp in a variety of environments and environmental samples. We also highlight the limitations and benefits of each of the measurement tools and propose example alternative tools for more specific enumeration of pathogenic Vv and Vp. Improvement of molecular methods can tighten better predictive models that are potentially important for mitigation in more controlled environments such as aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A. Waidner
- Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering, University of West Florida, 11000 University Pkwy, Building 58, Room 108, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
| | - Trupti V. Potdukhe
- GEMS Program, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, 1853 W. Polk St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
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D’Souza C, Prithvisagar KS, Deekshit VK, Karunasagar I, Karunasagar I, Kumar BK. Exploring the Pathogenic Potential of Vibrio vulnificus Isolated from Seafood Harvested along the Mangaluru Coast, India. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8070999. [PMID: 32635463 PMCID: PMC7409051 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8070999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been observed that not all strains of Vibrio vulnificus are virulent. Determining the virulence of strains that are frequently present in seafood is of significance for ensuring seafood safety. This study is an attempt to predict the virulence of seafood-borne V. vulnificus isolated along the Mangaluru Coast, India. The isolates tested possessed a vcgC gene sequence with high similarity to that in the clinical strain. Transcriptional analysis of core virulence genes in seafood isolate E4010 showed the phenomenon of contact-mediated expression of rtxA1 which correlated well with the actin disintegration and cytotoxicity. These results suggest that the seafood isolates tested in this study possess a functional RtxA1 which could help in initiating the infection. However, other putative virulence genes such as vvpE encoding an extracellular protease, vvhA encoding hemolysin, flp encoding tad pilin and ompU encoding fibronectin-binding protein were also constitutively expressed. Virulence-associated attributes such as cytotoxicity and adherence matched the response of the clinical strain (p > 0.05). On the other hand, the environmental strains showed higher serum sensitivity compared with the clinical strain. These findings show that the part of virulence attributes required for the disease process might be intact in these isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline D’Souza
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India; (C.D.); (K.S.P.); (V.K.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Kattapuni Suresh Prithvisagar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India; (C.D.); (K.S.P.); (V.K.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Vijay Kumar Deekshit
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India; (C.D.); (K.S.P.); (V.K.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Indrani Karunasagar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India; (C.D.); (K.S.P.); (V.K.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Iddya Karunasagar
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), University Enclave, Medical Sciences Complex, Deralakatte, Mangaluru 575018, India;
| | - Ballamoole Krishna Kumar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India; (C.D.); (K.S.P.); (V.K.D.); (I.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +91-824-220-4292 (ext. 201)
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Guerrero A, Licea-Navarro AF, González-Sánchez R, Lizárraga-Partida ML. Whole-genome comparison between reference sequences and oyster Vibrio vulnificus C-genotype strains. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220385. [PMID: 31361763 PMCID: PMC6667273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome sequences of Vibrio vulnificus clinical genotype (C-genotype) from the CICESE Culture Collection, isolated from oysters, were compared with reference sequences of CMCP6 and YJ016 V. vulnificus C-genotype strains of clinical origin. The RAST web server estimated the whole genome to be ~4.8 Mb in CICESE strain 316 and ~4.7 Mb in CICESE strain 325. No plasmids were detected in the CICESE strains. Based on a phylogenetic tree that was constructed with the whole-genome results, we observed high similarity between the reference sequences and oyster C-genotype isolates and a sharp contrast with environmental genotype (E-genotype) reference sequences, indicating that the differences between the C- and E-genotypes do not necessarily correspond to their isolation origin. The CICESE strains share 3488 genes (63.2%) with the YJ016 strain and 3500 genes (63.9%) with the CMCP6 strain. A total of 237 pathogenicity associated genes were selected from reference clinical strains, where—92 genes were from CMCP6, 126 genes from YJ016, and 19 from MO6-24/O; the presence or absence of these genes was recorded for the CICESE strains. Of the 92 genes that were selected for CMCP6, 67 were present in both CICESE strains, as were as 86 of the 126 YJ016 genes and 13 of the 19 MO6-24/O genes. The detection of elements that are related to virulence in CICESE strains—such as the RTX gene cluster, vvhA and vvpE, the type IV pili cluster, the XII genomic island, and the viuB genes, suggests that environmental isolates with the C-genotype, have significant potential for infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Guerrero
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada Baja California, México, CICESE, Ensenada Baja California, México
| | - Alexei Fedorovish Licea-Navarro
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada Baja California, México, CICESE, Ensenada Baja California, México
| | - Ricardo González-Sánchez
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada Baja California, México, CICESE, Ensenada Baja California, México
| | - Marcial Leonardo Lizárraga-Partida
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada Baja California, México, CICESE, Ensenada Baja California, México
- * E-mail:
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Phippen BL, Oliver JD. Impact of hypoxia on gene expression patterns by the human pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus, and bacterial community composition in a North Carolina estuary. GEOHEALTH 2017; 1:37-50. [PMID: 32158978 PMCID: PMC7007117 DOI: 10.1002/2016gh000024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Estuarine environments are continuously being shaped by both natural and anthropogenic sources which directly/indirectly influence the organisms that inhabit these important niches on both individual and community levels. Human infections caused by pathogenic Vibrio species are continuing to rise, and factors associated with global climate change have been suggested to be impacting their abundance and geographical range. Along with temperature, hypoxia has also increased dramatically in the last 40 years, which has led to persistent dead zones worldwide in areas where these infections are increasing. Thus, utilizing membrane diffusion chambers, we investigated the impact of in situ hypoxia on the gene expression of one such bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus, which is an inhabitant of these vulnerable areas worldwide. By coupling these data with multiple abiotic factors, we were able to demonstrate that genes involved in numerous functions, including those involved in virulence, environmental persistence, and stressosome production, were negatively correlated with dissolved oxygen. Furthermore, comparing 16S ribosomal RNA, we found similar overall community compositions during both hypoxia and normoxia. However, unweighted beta diversity analyses revealed that although certain classes of bacteria dominate in both low- and high-oxygen environments, there is the potential for quantitative shifts in lower abundant species, which may be important for effective risk assessment in areas that are becoming increasingly more hypoxic. This study emphasizes the importance of investigating hypoxia as a trigger for gene expression changes by marine Vibrio species and highlights the need for more in depth community analyses during estuarine hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britney L. Phippen
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotteNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - James D. Oliver
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotteNorth CarolinaUSA
- Duke University Marine LaboratoryDuke UniversityBeaufortNorth CarolinaUSA
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Phippen BL, Oliver JD. Clinical and environmental genotypes of Vibrio vulnificus display distinct, quorum-sensing-mediated, chitin detachment dynamics. Pathog Dis 2015; 73:ftv072. [PMID: 26377182 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftv072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability for bacteria to attach to and detach from various substrata is important for colonization, survival and transitioning to new environments. An opportunistic human pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus, can cause potentially fatal septicemia after ingestion of undercooked seafood. Based on genetic polymorphisms, strains of this species are subtyped into clinical (C) and environmental (E) genotypes. Vibrio vulnificus readily associates with chitin, thus we investigated chitin detachment dynamics in these disparate genotypes. We found that C-genotypes detach significantly more than E-genotypes after 24 hours in aerobic as well as anaerobic conditions. Furthermore, expression of genes involved in type IV pilin production was significantly downregulated in C-genotypes compared to E-genotypes, suggesting an importance in detachment. Interestingly, gbpA, a gene that has been shown to be important in host colonization in V. cholerae, was upregulated in the C-genotypes during detachment. Additionally, we found that C-genotypes detached to a greater extent, and produced more quorum-sensing (QS) autoinducer-2 molecules relative to E-genotypes, which suggests a role for QS in detachment. These findings suggest that for V. vulnificus, QS-mediated detachment may be a potential mechanism for transitioning into a human host for C-genotypes, while facilitating E-genotype maintenance in the estuarine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britney L Phippen
- Biological Sciences, UNCC, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - James D Oliver
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
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Role of anaerobiosis in capsule production and biofilm formation in Vibrio vulnificus. Infect Immun 2014; 83:551-9. [PMID: 25404024 DOI: 10.1128/iai.02559-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Vibrio vulnificus, a pervasive human pathogen, can cause potentially fatal septicemia after consumption of undercooked seafood. Biotype 1 strains of V. vulnificus are most commonly associated with human infection and are separated into two genotypes, clinical (C) and environmental (E), based on the virulence-correlated gene. For ingestion-based vibriosis to occur, this bacterium must be able to withstand multiple conditions as it traverses the gastrointestinal tract and ultimately gains entry into the bloodstream. One such condition, anoxia, has yet to be extensively researched in V. vulnificus. We investigated the effect of oxygen availability on capsular polysaccharide (CPS) production and biofilm formation in this bacterium, both of which are thought to be important for disease progression. We found that lack of oxygen elicits a reduction in both CPS and biofilm formation in both genotypes. This is further supported by the finding that pilA, pilD, and mshA genes, all of which encode type IV pilin proteins that aid in attachment to surfaces, were downregulated during anaerobiosis. Surprisingly, E-genotypes exhibited distinct differences in gene expression levels of capsule and attachment genes compared to C-genotypes, both aerobically and anaerobically. The importance of understanding these disparities may give insight into the observed differences in environmental occurrence and virulence potential between these two genotypes of V. vulnificus.
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Frans I, Busschaert P, Dierckens K, Michiels CW, Willems KA, Lievens B, Bossier P, Rediers H. Are type IV pili involved in <i>Vibrio anguillarum</i> virulence towards sea bass (<i>Dicentrarchus labrax</i> L.) larvae? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.4236/as.2013.46a005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Aagesen AM, Häse CC. Sequence analyses of type IV pili from Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2012; 64:509-524. [PMID: 22383120 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-012-0021-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2011] [Accepted: 02/03/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial surface structures called pili have been studied extensively for their role as possible colonization factors. Most sequenced Vibrio genomes predict a variety of pili genes in these organisms, including several types of type IV pili. In particular, the mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (MSHA) and the PilA pili, also known as the chitin-regulated pilus (ChiRP), are type IVa pili commonly found in Vibrio genomes and have been shown to play a role in the colonization of Vibrio species in the environment and/or host tissue. Here, we report sequence comparisons of two type IVa pilin subunit genes, mshA and pilA, and their corresponding amino acid sequences, for several strains from the three main human pathogenic Vibrio species, V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus. We identified specific groupings of these two genes in V. cholerae, whereas V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus strains had no apparent allelic clusters, and these genes were strikingly divergent. These results were compared with other genes from the MSHA and PilA operons as well as another Vibrio pili from the type IVb group, the toxin co-regulated pilus (TCP) from V. cholerae. Our data suggest that a selective pressure exists to cause these strains to vary their MSHA and PilA pilin subunits. Interestingly, V. cholerae strains possessing TCP have the same allele for both mshA and pilA. In contrast, V. cholerae isolates without TCP have polymorphisms in their mshA and pilA sequences similar to what was observed for both V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus. This data suggests a possible linkage between host interactions and maintaining a highly conserved type IV pili sequence in V. cholerae. Although the mechanism underlying this intriguing diversity has yet to be elucidated, our analyses are an important first step towards gaining insights into the various aspects of Vibrio ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisha M Aagesen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
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Rosche TM, Binder EA, Oliver JD. Vibrio vulnificus genome suggests two distinct ecotypes. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2010; 2:128-132. [PMID: 23766007 DOI: 10.1111/j.1758-2229.2009.00119.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The genus Vibrio contains several of the most important pathogens known. One member of this group, Vibrio vulnificus, is an estuarine bacterium which is the causative agent of both food-borne disease and wound infection. Vibrio vulnificus is ubiquitous in estuarine waters and occurs in molluscan shellfish in high numbers. However, the incidence of disease is relatively low and it has been suggested that not all strains of V. vulnificus are equally virulent. We have previously shown that there is a dimorphism present in the vcg (virulence correlated gene) locus of V. vulnificus, with the vcgC (clinical) and vcgE (environmental) alleles strongly correlating with either clinical or environmental isolation source. In this study, an examination of eight V. vulnificus genes for which there is sufficient data showed that such a C/E dimorphism is present in each gene examined, including housekeeping genes. Additionally, we found that the C and E genotypes of V. vulnificus respond in markedly different ways to environmental conditions. These findings lead us to hypothesize that the C and E genotypes also represent different ecotypes, possibly in the process of diverging into separate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Rosche
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
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