Not all Pseudomonas aeruginosa are equal: strains from industrial sources possess uniquely large multireplicon genomes

Genomic and metabolic versatility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to its inter-kingdom transmission and survival

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most versatile bacteria with renowned pathogenicity and extensive drug resistance. The diverse habitats of this bacterium include fresh, saline and drainage waters, soil, moist surfaces, taps, showerheads, pipelines, medical implants, nematodes, insects, plants, animals, birds and humans. The arsenal of virulence factors produced by P. aeruginosa includes pyocyanin, rhamnolipids, siderophores, lytic enzymes, toxins and polysaccharides. All these virulent elements coupled with intrinsic, adaptive and acquired antibiotic resistance facilitate persistent colonization and lethal infections in different hosts. To date, treating pulmonary diseases remains complicated due to the chronic secondary infections triggered by hospital-acquired P. aeruginosa. On the contrary, this bacterium can improve plant growth by suppressing phytopathogens and insects. Notably, P. aeruginosa is one of the very few bacteria capable of trans-kingdom transmission and infection. Transfer of P. aeruginosa strains from plant materials to hospital wards, animals to humans, and humans to their pets occurs relatively often. Recently, we have identified that plant-associated P. aeruginosa strains could be pathologically similar to clinical isolates. In this review, we have highlighted the genomic and metabolic factors that facilitate the dominance of P. aeruginosa across different biological kingdoms and the varying roles of this bacterium in plant and human health.

Eco-evolutionary dynamics of experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations under oxidative stress

Within-host environments are likely to present a challenging and stressful environment for opportunistic pathogenic bacteria colonizing from the external environment. How populations of pathogenic bacteria respond to such environmental challenges and how this varies between strains is not well understood. Oxidative stress is one of the defences adopted by the human immune system to confront invading bacteria. In this study, we show that strains of the opportunistic pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa vary in their eco-evolutionary responses to hydrogen peroxide stress. By quantifying their 24 h growth kinetics across hydrogen peroxide gradients we show that a transmissible epidemic strain isolated from a chronic airway infection of a cystic fibrosis patient, LESB58, is much more susceptible to hydrogen peroxide than either of the reference strains, PA14 or PAO1, with PAO1 showing the lowest susceptibility. Using a 12 day serial passaging experiment combined with a mathematical model, we then show that short-term susceptibility controls the longer-term survival of populations exposed to subinhibitory levels of hydrogen peroxide, but that phenotypic evolutionary responses can delay population extinction. Our model further suggests that hydrogen peroxide driven extinctions are more likely with higher rates of population turnover. Together, these findings suggest that hydrogen peroxide is likely to be an effective defence in host niches where there is high population turnover, which may explain the counter-intuitively high susceptibility of a strain isolated from chronic lung infection, where such ecological dynamics may be slower.

A loophole in soap dispensers mediates contamination with Gram-negative bacteria

Liquid soap dispensers are widely used in domestic and clinical settings. In previous studies, the risk of bacterial contamination of refillable systems was pointed out and a bacterial contamination rate of 25%, with values of up to 108  colony-forming units/mL (CFU/mL), was reported. However, the route of contamination remains elusive. To address this point, we determined the microbial contamination of refillable standard pump dispensers and nonrefillable press-dispenser systems. Following the collection of 104 liquid soap dispensers from hotel rooms across Germany, bacterial counts were determined. Isolates of samples containing nonfastidious Gram-negative(lac-) bacteria were further analyzed by the Vitek 2 system for the determination of species. 70.2% of the refillable pump dispensers (mean total bacterial count = 2.2 × 105  CFU/mL) but only 10.6% of the nonrefillable press dispensers, were contaminated (mean total bacterial count = 1.5 × 101  CFU/mL). Of samples containing nonfastidious Gram-negative(lac-) bacteria, Pluralibacter gergoviae was present in 41.7%, Pseudomonads (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida) in 25%, Serratia marcescens in 16.7%, and Klebsiella oxytoca and Pasteurella testudinis in 8.3%. After the initial assessment, we contaminated different dispensing systems with P. aeruginosa/P. gergoviae, to reveal the route of contamination and identied the pressure release of standard pump dispensers as the loophole for microbial contamination.

Identification of two distinct phylogenomic lineages and model strains for the understudied cystic fibrosis lung pathogen Burkholderia multivorans

Burkholderia multivorans is the dominant Burkholderia pathogen recovered from lung infection in people with cystic fibrosis. However, as an understudied pathogen there are knowledge gaps in relation to its population biology, phenotypic traits and useful model strains. A phylogenomic study of B. multivorans was undertaken using a total of 283 genomes, of which 73 were sequenced and 49 phenotypically characterized as part of this study. Average nucleotide identity analysis (ANI) and phylogenetic alignment of core genes demonstrated that the B. multivorans population separated into two distinct evolutionary clades, defined as lineage 1 (n=58 genomes) and lineage 2 (n=221 genomes). To examine the population biology of B. multivorans, a representative subgroup of 77 B. multivorans genomes (28 from the reference databases and the 49 novel short-read genome sequences) were selected based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST), isolation source and phylogenetic placement criteria. Comparative genomics was used to identify B. multivorans lineage-specific genes - ghrB_1 in lineage 1 and glnM_2 in lineage 2 - and diagnostic PCRs targeting them were successfully developed. Phenotypic analysis of 49 representative B. multivorans strains showed considerable inter-strain variance, but the majority of the isolates tested were motile and capable of biofilm formation. A striking absence of B. multivorans protease activity in vitro was observed, but no lineage-specific phenotypic differences were demonstrated. Using phylogenomic and phenotypic criteria, three model B. multivorans CF strains were identified, BCC0084 (lineage 1), BCC1272 (lineage 2a) and BCC0033 lineage 2b, and their complete genome sequences determined. B. multivorans CF strains BCC0033 and BCC0084, and the environmental reference strain, ATCC 17616, were all capable of short-term survival within a murine lung infection model. By mapping the population biology, identifying lineage-specific PCRs and model strains, we provide much needed baseline resources for future studies of B. multivorans.

Architecture of the biofilm-associated archaic Chaperone-Usher pilus CupE from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Chaperone-Usher Pathway (CUP) pili are major adhesins in Gram-negative bacteria, mediating bacterial adherence to biotic and abiotic surfaces. While classical CUP pili have been extensively characterized, little is known about so-called archaic CUP pili, which are phylogenetically widespread and promote biofilm formation by several human pathogens. In this study, we present the electron cryomicroscopy structure of the archaic CupE pilus from the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We show that CupE1 subunits within the pilus are arranged in a zigzag architecture, containing an N-terminal donor β-strand extending from each subunit into the next, where it is anchored by hydrophobic interactions, with comparatively weaker interactions at the rest of the inter-subunit interface. Imaging CupE pili on the surface of P. aeruginosa cells using electron cryotomography shows that CupE pili adopt variable curvatures in response to their environment, which might facilitate their role in promoting cellular attachment. Finally, bioinformatic analysis shows the widespread abundance of cupE genes in isolates of P. aeruginosa and the co-occurrence of cupE with other cup clusters, suggesting interdependence of cup pili in regulating bacterial adherence within biofilms. Taken together, our study provides insights into the architecture of archaic CUP pili, providing a structural basis for understanding their role in promoting cellular adhesion and biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa.

Selection of Relevant Bacterial Strains for Novel Therapeutic Testing: a Guidance Document for Priority Cystic Fibrosis Lung Pathogens

Purpose of Review

People with cystic fibrosis (CF) suffer chronic lung infections with a range of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens. There is an urgent need for researchers to develop novel anti-infectives to treat these problematic infections, but how can we select bacterial strains which are relevant for robust testing and comparative research?

Recent Findings

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioli, Mycobacterium abscessus complex, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, and several multidrug-resistant Gram-negative species were selected as key CF infections that urgently require new therapeutics. Reference isolates and strain panels were identified, and a summary of the known genotypic diversity of each pathogen was provided.

Summary

Here, we summarise the current strain resources available for priority CF bacterial pathogens and highlight systematic selection criteria that researchers can use to select strains for use in therapeutic testing.

The identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa persisters using flow cytometry

Pseudomonas aeruginosa persisters are a rare and poorly characterized subpopulation of cells that are responsible for many recurrent infections. The lack of knowledge on the mechanisms that lead to persister cell development is mainly a result of the difficulty in isolating and characterizing this rare population. Flow cytometry is an ideal method for identifying such subpopulations because it allows for high-content single-cell analysis. However, there are fewer established protocols for bacterial flow cytometry compared to mammalian cell work. Herein, we describe and propose a flow cytometry protocol to identify and isolate P. aeruginosa persister cells. Additionally, we show that the percentage of potential persister cells increases with increasing antibiotic concentrations above the MIC.

Comparative analysis reveals the modular functional structure of conjugative megaplasmid pTTS12 of Pseudomonas putida S12: A paradigm for transferable traits, plasmid stability, and inheritance?

Originating from various environmental niches, large numbers of bacterial plasmids have been found carrying heavy metal and antibiotic resistance genes, degradation pathways and specific transporter genes for organic solvents or aromatic compounds. Such genes may constitute promising candidates for novel synthetic biology applications. Our systematic analysis of gene clusters encoded on megaplasmid pTTS12 from Pseudomonas putida S12 underscores that a large portion of its genes is involved in stress response to increase survival under harsh conditions like the presence of heavy metal and organic solvent. We investigated putative roles of genes encoded on pTTS12 and further elaborated on their roles in the establishment and maintenance under several stress conditions, specifically focusing on solvent tolerance in P. putida strains. The backbone of pTTS12 was found to be closely related to that of the carbapenem-resistance plasmid pOZ176, member of the IncP-2 incompatibility group, although the carbapenem resistance cassette is absent from pTTS12. Megaplasmid pTTS12 contains multiple transposon-flanked cassettes mediating resistance to various heavy metals such as tellurite, chromate (Tn7), and mercury (Tn5053 and Tn5563). Additionally, pTTS12 also contains a P-type, Type IV secretion system (T4SS) supporting self-transfer to other P. putida strains. This study increases our understanding in the modular structure of pTTS12 as a member of IncP-2 plasmid family and several promising exchangeable gene clusters to construct robust microbial hosts for biotechnology applications.

Bacterial genome reductions: Tools, applications, and challenges

Bacterial cells are widely used to produce value-added products due to their versatility, ease of manipulation, and the abundance of genome engineering tools. However, the efficiency of producing these desired biomolecules is often hindered by the cells’ own metabolism, genetic instability, and the toxicity of the product. To overcome these challenges, genome reductions have been performed, making strains with the potential of serving as chassis for downstream applications. Here we review the current technologies that enable the design and construction of such reduced-genome bacteria as well as the challenges that limit their assembly and applicability. While genomic reductions have shown improvement of many cellular characteristics, a major challenge still exists in constructing these cells efficiently and rapidly. Computational tools have been created in attempts at minimizing the time needed to design these organisms, but gaps still exist in modelling these reductions in silico. Genomic reductions are a promising avenue for improving the production of value-added products, constructing chassis cells, and for uncovering cellular function but are currently limited by their time-consuming construction methods. With improvements to and the creation of novel genome editing tools and in silico models, these approaches could be combined to expedite this process and create more streamlined and efficient cell factories.

Emergence of Carbapenem-Resistant ST244, ST292, and ST2446 Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clones in Burn Patients in Yunnan Province

Introduction

The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa is increasing persistently, particularly in burn ward isolates. Here, we investigate the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a burn ward of a provincial-level hospital at Kunming, Yunnan province, China.

Methods

A total of 118 P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from 57 hospitalized patients, and their MICs were measured. Carbapenem-resistant isolates were selected for multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Carbapenem-resistance mechanisms were identified by examining carbapenemase genes and OprD protein and Carba-NP testing. Representative isolates were further characterized by de novo sequencing for carbapenemase molecular background.

Results

Among 118 P. aeruginosa isolates, 54 (54/118,45.8%) were carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 3 genotypes were found (ST292, ST244, and ST2446). Non-carbapenemase-producing ST292 was the most prevalent ST, followed by ST2446 and ST244. A novel 13-bp oprD deletion was found in the ST292 clone, which formed the truncated outer membrane protein and may cause carbapenem resistance. ST244 and ST2446 harbored blaIMP-45 and blaIMP-87, respectively. blaIMP-45 is located in a megaplasmid, together with aac(6’)-Ib3, blaOXA-1, catB3, qnrVC6, armA, msr(E), mph(E), aph(3’)-Ia, tetC/tetR, aac(6’)-Ib3, floR, mexC-mexD-oprJ, fosA and lead to extensive drug resistance. ST2446 contains a carbapenem-resistant gene blaIMP-87 on the chromosome and is acquired by a novel gene cassette array (blaIMP-87-ant(2”)-Ia-blaOXA-10-aac(6’)-Ib3) of class 1 integron.

Discussion

For the first time, ST244, ST292 and ST2446 are reported emerging in burn patients, with distinctive carbapenem-resistance mechanisms, respectively. The obtained results highlight the need to surveillance carbapenem-resistant isolates in burn patients.

Characterization of a Conjugative Multidrug Resistance IncP-2 Megaplasmid, pPAG5, from a Clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolate

The spread of resistance genes via horizontal plasmid transfer plays a significant role in the formation of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Here, we identified a megaplasmid (ca. 513 kb), designated pPAG5, which was recovered from a clinical multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa PAG5 strain. The pPAG5 plasmid belonged to the IncP-2 incompatibility group. Two large multidrug resistance regions (MDR-1 and MDR-2) and two heavy metal resistance operons (merEDACPTR and terZABCDE) were identified in the pPAG5 plasmid. Genetic analysis demonstrated that the formation of MDR regions was mediated by several homologous recombination events. Further conjugation assays identified that pPAG5 could be transferred to P. aeruginosa but not Escherichia coli. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing on transconjugants demonstrated that pPAG5 was capable of transferring resistance genes to transconjugants and producing a multidrug-resistant phenotype. Comparative analysis revealed that pPAG5 and related plasmids shared an overall similar backbone, including genes essential for replication (repA), partition (par), and conjugal transfer (tra). Further phylogenetic analysis showed that pPAG5 was closely related to plasmids pOZ176 and pJB37, both of which are members of the IncP-2-type plasmid group.

IMPORTANCE The emergence and spread of plasmid-associated multidrug resistance in bacterial pathogens is a key global threat to public health. It is important to understand the mechanisms of the formation and evolution of these plasmids in patients, hospitals, and the environment. In this study, we detailed the genetic characteristics of a multidrug resistance IncP-2 megaplasmid, pPAG5, and investigated the formation of its MDR regions and evolution. To the best of our knowledge, plasmid pPAG5 is the largest multidrug resistance plasmid ever sequenced in the Pseudomonas genus. Our results may provide further insight into the formation of multidrug resistance plasmids in bacteria and the molecular evolution of plasmids.

Non-Canonical Host Intracellular Niche Links to New Antimicrobial Resistance Mechanism

Globally, infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of death among people of all ages. The development of antimicrobials to treat infectious diseases has been one of the most significant advances in medical history. Alarmingly, antimicrobial resistance is a widespread phenomenon that will, without intervention, make currently treatable infections once again deadly. In an era of widespread antimicrobial resistance, there is a constant and pressing need to develop new antibacterial drugs. Unraveling the underlying resistance mechanisms is critical to fight this crisis. In this review, we summarize some emerging evidence of the non-canonical intracellular life cycle of two priority antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The bacterial factors that modulate this unique intracellular niche and its implications in contributing to resistance are discussed. We then briefly discuss some recent research that focused on the promises of boosting host immunity as a combination therapy with antimicrobials to eradicate these two particular pathogens. Finally, we summarize the importance of various strategies, including surveillance and vaccines, in mitigating the impacts of antimicrobial resistance in general.

What makes a megaplasmid?

Naturally occurring plasmids come in different sizes. The smallest are less than a kilobase of DNA, while the largest can be over three orders of magnitude larger. Historically, research has tended to focus on smaller plasmids that are usually easier to isolate, manipulate and sequence, but with improved genome assemblies made possible by long-read sequencing, there is increased appreciation that very large plasmids—known as megaplasmids—are widespread, diverse, complex, and often encode key traits in the biology of their host microorganisms. Why are megaplasmids so big? What other features come with large plasmid size that could affect bacterial ecology and evolution? Are megaplasmids 'just' big plasmids, or do they have distinct characteristics? In this perspective, we reflect on the distribution, diversity, biology, and gene content of megaplasmids, providing an overview to these large, yet often overlooked, mobile genetic elements.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements’.

Potential Therapeutic Targets for Combination Antibody Therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections

Despite advances in antimicrobial therapy and even the advent of some effective vaccines, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) remains a significant cause of infectious disease, primarily due to antibiotic resistance. Although P. aeruginosa is commonly treatable with readily available therapeutics, these therapies are not always efficacious, particularly for certain classes of patients (e.g., cystic fibrosis (CF)) and for drug-resistant strains. Multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa infections are listed on both the CDC’s and WHO’s list of serious worldwide threats. This increasing emergence of drug resistance and prevalence of P. aeruginosa highlights the need to identify new therapeutic strategies. Combinations of monoclonal antibodies against different targets and epitopes have demonstrated synergistic efficacy with each other as well as in combination with antimicrobial agents typically used to treat these infections. Such a strategy has reduced the ability of infectious agents to develop resistance. This manuscript details the development of potential therapeutic targets for polyclonal antibody therapies to combat the emergence of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa infections. In particular, potential drug targets for combinational immunotherapy against P. aeruginosa are identified to combat current and future drug resistance.

Construction and evaluation of a bioluminescent Pseudomonas aeruginosa reporter for use in preservative efficacy testing

Preservative efficacy testing (PET) is a fundamental practice in industrial microbiology used to ensure product shelf-life and quality. To improve on current growth-based PET, bioluminescence was evaluated as a real-time bacterial viability indicator using Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Random mutagenesis of an industrial P. aeruginosa strain with a promoter-less luxCDABE mini-Tn5 was used to select a stable reporter (LUX12H5) with an un-altered growth and preservative susceptibility phenotype. Bioluminescence and viability were measured with and without preservatives (isothiazolinones, phenoxyethanol, and dimethyl dimethylol hydantoin) and an antibiotic comparator (ciprofloxacin). In the absence of antimicrobials, a good correlation between bioluminescence and viability (r2=0.92) was established. However, metabolic inhibition by isothiazolinone preservatives caused a rapid decline in light output that did not correlate to a reduced viability. Conversely, after ciprofloxacin exposure, the decline in viability was greater than that of bioluminescence. A positive attribute of the bioluminescence was the early detection of metabolic recovery and re-growth of preservative injured bacteria. Overall, while initial bioluminescence read-outs were less suited to current PET requirements, it shows promise as an early, direct indicator of bacterial regrowth in the context of long-term evaluation of preservative efficacy.

Epidemic Territorial Spread of IncP-2-Type VIM-2 Carbapenemase-Encoding Megaplasmids in Nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa Populations

In 2003 to 2004, the first five VIM-2 metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MPPA) isolates with an In4-like integron, In461 (aadB-blaVIM-2-aadA6), on conjugative plasmids were identified in three hospitals in Poland. In 2005 to 2015, MPPA expanded much in the country, and as many as 80 isolates in a collection of 454 MPPA (∼18%) had In461, one of the two most common MBL-encoding integrons. The organisms occurred in 49 hospitals in 33 cities of 11/16 main administrative regions. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) classified them into 55 pulsotypes and 35 sequence types (STs), respectively, revealing their remarkable genetic diversity overall, with only a few small clonal clusters. S1 nuclease/hybridization assays and mating of 63 representative isolates showed that ∼85% of these had large In461-carrying plasmids, ∼350 to 550 kb, usually self-transmitting with high efficiency (∼10-1 to 10-2 per donor cell). The plasmids from 19 isolates were sequenced and subjected to structural and single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP)-based phylogenetic analysis. These formed a subgroup within a family of IncP-2-type megaplasmids, observed worldwide in pseudomonads from various environments and conferring resistance/tolerance to multiple stress factors, including antibiotics. Their microdiversity in Poland arose mainly from acquisition of different accessory fragments, as well as new resistance genes and multiplication of these. Short-read sequence and/or PCR mapping confirmed the In461-carrying plasmids in the remaining isolates to be the IncP-2 types. The study demonstrated a large-scale epidemic spread of multidrug resistance plasmids in P. aeruginosa populations, creating an epidemiological threat. It contributes to the knowledge on IncP-2 types, which are interesting research objects in resistance epidemiology, environmental microbiology, and biotechnology.

Genomic context of the two integrons of ST-111 Pseudomonas aeruginosa AG1: A VIM-2-carrying old-acquaintance and a novel IMP-18-carrying integron

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunist and versatile organism responsible for infections mainly in immunocompromised hosts. This pathogen has high intrinsic resistance to most antimicrobials. P. aeruginosa AG1 (PaeAG1) is a Costa Rican high-risk ST-111 strain with resistance to multiple antibiotics, including carbapenems, due to the activity of VIM-2 and IMP-18 metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs). These genes are harbored in two class 1 integrons located inone out of the 57 PaeAG1 genomic islands. However, the genomic context associated to these determinants in PaeAG1 and other P. aeruginosa strains is unclear. Thus, we first assessed the transcriptional activity of VIM-2 and IMP-18 genes when exposed to imipenem (a carbapenem) by RT-qPCR. To select related genomes to PaeAG1, we implemented a pan-genome analysis to define and up-date the phylogenetic relationship among complete P. aeruginosa genomes. We also studied the PaeAG1 genomic islands content in the related strains and finally we described the architecture and possible evolutionary steps of the genomic regions around the VIM-2- and IMP-18-carrying integrons. Expression of VIM-2 and IMP-18 genes was demonstrated to be induced after imipenem exposure. In a subsequent comparative genomics analysis with 211 strains, the P. aeruginosa pan-genome revealed that complete genome sequences are able to separate clones by MLST profile, including a clear ST-111 cluster with PaeAG1. The PaeAG1 genomic islands were found to define a diverse presence/absence pattern among related genomes. Finally, landscape reconstruction of genomic regions showed that VIM-2-carrying integron (In59-like) is an old-acquaintance element harbored in the same known region found in other two ST-111 strains. Also, PaeAG1 has an exclusive genomic region containing a novel IMP-18-carrying integron (registered as In1666), with an arrangement never reported before. Altogether, we provide new insights about the genomic determinants associated with the resistance to carbapenems in this high-risk P. aeruginosa using comparative genomics.

Genomic Features of a Food-Derived Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain PAEM and Biofilm-Associated Gene Expression under a Marine Bacterial α-Galactosidase

The biofilm-producing strains of P. aeruginosa colonize various surfaces, including food products and industry equipment that can cause serious human and animal health problems. The biofilms enable microorganisms to evolve the resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants. Analysis of the P. aeruginosa strain (serotype O6, sequence type 2502), isolated from an environment of meat processing (PAEM) during a ready-to-cook product storage (−20 °C), showed both the mosaic similarity and differences between free-living and clinical strains by their coding DNA sequences. Therefore, a cold shock protein (CspA) has been suggested for consideration of the evolution probability of the cold-adapted P. aeruginosa strains. In addition, the study of the action of cold-active enzymes from marine bacteria against the food-derived pathogen could contribute to the methods for controlling P. aeruginosa biofilms. The genes responsible for bacterial biofilm regulation are predominantly controlled by quorum sensing, and they directly or indirectly participate in the synthesis of extracellular polysaccharides, which are the main element of the intercellular matrix. The levels of expression for 14 biofilm-associated genes of the food-derived P. aeruginosa strain PAEM in the presence of different concentrations of the glycoside hydrolase of family 36, α-galactosidase α-PsGal, from the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. KMM 701 were determined. The real-time PCR data clustered these genes into five groups according to the pattern of positive or negative regulation of their expression in response to the action of α-galactosidase. The results revealed a dose-dependent mechanism of the enzymatic effect on the PAEM biofilm synthesis and dispersal genes.

Salicylate UV-Filters in Sunscreen Formulations Compromise the Preservative System Efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia

Contamination of personal-care products are a serious health concern and therefore, preservative solutions are necessary for the costumers’ safety. High sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen formulations are known to be difficult to preserve, due to their high ratio of organic phase containing the UV-filters. Salicylate esters such as octyl salicylate (OS) and homosalate (HS) are among the most common UV-filters currently used in the market, and can undergo hydrolysis by esterase molecules produced by contaminant microorganisms. The hydrolysis product, salicylic acid (SA) can be assimilated by certain bacteria that contain the chorismate pathway, in which its final product is pyochelin, an iron-chelating siderophore. Here, we show that OS and HS can compromise the preservative efficacy against two pathogenic important bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia. Challenge tests of formulations containing the UV-filters demonstrated that only bacteria with the chorismate pathway failed to be eradicated by the preservation system. mRNA expression levels of the bacterial pchD gene, which metabolizes SA to produce pyochelin, indicate a significant increase that was in correlation with increasing concentrations of both OS and HS. These data suggest that certain UV-filters can provide a source for bacterial resistance against common preservatives in sunscreen formulations.

Comparative Analysis of the Core Proteomes among the Pseudomonas Major Evolutionary Groups Reveals Species-Specific Adaptations for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas chlororaphis

The Pseudomonas genus includes many species living in diverse environments and hosts. It is important to understand which are the major evolutionary groups and what are the genomic/proteomic components they have in common or are unique. Towards this goal, we analyzed 494 complete Pseudomonas proteomes and identified 297 core-orthologues. The subsequent phylogenomic analysis revealed two well-defined species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas chlororaphis) and four wider phylogenetic groups (Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas syringae, Pseudomonas putida) with a sufficient number of proteomes. As expected, the genus-level core proteome was highly enriched for proteins involved in metabolism, translation, and transcription. In addition, between 39–70% of the core proteins in each group had a significant presence in each of all the other groups. Group-specific core proteins were also identified, with P. aeruginosa having the highest number of these and P. fluorescens having none. We identified several P. aeruginosa-specific core proteins (such as CntL, CntM, PlcB, Acp1, MucE, SrfA, Tse1, Tsi2, Tse3, and EsrC) that are known to play an important role in its pathogenicity. Finally, a holin family bacteriocin and a mitomycin-like biosynthetic protein were found to be core-specific for P. cholororaphis and we hypothesize that these proteins may confer a competitive advantage against other root-colonizers.

A Novel Inducible Prophage from Burkholderia Vietnamiensis G4 is Widely Distributed across the Species and Has Lytic Activity against Pathogenic Burkholderia

Burkholderia species have environmental, industrial and medical significance, and are important opportunistic pathogens in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). Using a combination of existing and newly determined genome sequences, this study investigated prophage carriage across the species B. vietnamiensis, and also isolated spontaneously inducible prophages from a reference strain, G4. Eighty-one B. vietnamiensis genomes were bioinformatically screened for prophages using PHASTER (Phage Search Tool Enhanced Release) and prophage regions were found to comprise up to 3.4% of total genetic material. Overall, 115 intact prophages were identified and there was evidence of polylysogeny in 32 strains. A novel, inducible Mu-like phage (vB_BvM-G4P1) was isolated from B. vietnamiensis G4 that had lytic activity against strains of five Burkholderia species prevalent in CF infections, including the Boston epidemic B. dolosa strain SLC6. The cognate prophage to vB_BvM-G4P1 was identified in the lysogen genome and was almost identical (>93.5% tblastx identity) to prophages found in 13 other B. vietnamiensis strains (17% of the strain collection). Phylogenomic analysis determined that the G4P1-like prophages were widely distributed across the population structure of B. vietnamiensis. This study highlights how genomic characterization of Burkholderia prophages can lead to the discovery of novel bacteriophages with potential therapeutic or biotechnological applications.

A megaplasmid family driving dissemination of multidrug resistance in Pseudomonas

Multidrug resistance (MDR) represents a global threat to health. Here, we used whole genome sequencing to characterise Pseudomonas aeruginosa MDR clinical isolates from a hospital in Thailand. Using long-read sequence data we obtained complete sequences of two closely related megaplasmids (>420 kb) carrying large arrays of antibiotic resistance genes located in discrete, complex and dynamic resistance regions, and revealing evidence of extensive duplication and recombination events. A comprehensive pangenomic and phylogenomic analysis indicates that: 1) these large plasmids comprise an emerging family present in different members of the Pseudomonas genus, and associated with multiple sources (geographical, clinical or environmental); 2) the megaplasmids encode diverse niche-adaptive accessory traits, including multidrug resistance; 3) the accessory genome of the megaplasmid family is highly flexible and diverse. The history of the megaplasmid family, inferred from our analysis of the available database, suggests that members carrying multiple resistance genes date back to at least the 1970s.

Genome Sequence of Pluralibacter gergoviae ECO77, a Multireplicon Isolate of Industrial Origin

In order to expand the limited understanding of the genomics of antimicrobial-resistant industrial bacteria, we report the genome sequence of Pluralibacter gergoviae ECO77, a historical contaminant strain of industrial origin. The multireplicon 6.16-Mbp genome of ECO77 consists of a 5.37-Mbp main chromosome, a megaplasmid (605,666 bp), and a large plasmid (182,007 bp).

In order to expand the limited understanding of the genomics of antimicrobial-resistant industrial bacteria, we report the genome sequence of Pluralibacter gergoviae ECO77, a historical contaminant strain of industrial origin. The multireplicon 6.16-Mbp genome of ECO77 consists of a 5.37-Mbp main chromosome, a megaplasmid (605,666 bp), and a large plasmid (182,007 bp).