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Kalalah AA, Koenig SSK, Bono JL, Bosilevac JM, Eppinger M. Pathogenomes and virulence profiles of representative big six non-O157 serogroup Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1364026. [PMID: 38562479 PMCID: PMC10982417 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1364026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) of non-O157:H7 serotypes are responsible for global and widespread human food-borne disease. Among these serogroups, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 account for the majority of clinical infections and are colloquially referred to as the "Big Six." The "Big Six" strain panel we sequenced and analyzed in this study are reference type cultures comprised of six strains representing each of the non-O157 STEC serogroups curated and distributed by the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) as a resource to the research community under panel number ATCC MP-9. The application of long- and short-read hybrid sequencing yielded closed chromosomes and a total of 14 plasmids of diverse functions. Through high-resolution comparative phylogenomics, we cataloged the shared and strain-specific virulence and resistance gene content and established the close relationship of serogroup O26 and O103 strains featuring flagellar H-type 11. Virulence phenotyping revealed statistically significant differences in the Stx-production capabilities that we found to be correlated to the strain's individual stx-status. Among the carried Stx1a, Stx2a, and Stx2d phages, the Stx2a phage is by far the most responsive upon RecA-mediated phage mobilization, and in consequence, stx2a + isolates produced the highest-level of toxin in this panel. The availability of high-quality closed genomes for this "Big Six" reference set, including carried plasmids, along with the recorded genomic virulence profiles and Stx-production phenotypes will provide a valuable foundation to further explore the plasticity in evolutionary trajectories in these emerging non-O157 STEC lineages, which are major culprits of human food-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwar A. Kalalah
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Sara S. K. Koenig
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - James L. Bono
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE, United States
| | - Joseph M. Bosilevac
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE, United States
| | - Mark Eppinger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, United States
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2
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Goddard C, Nejman-Faleńczyk B, Donaldson LW. The NMR structure of the Ea22 lysogenic developmental protein from lambda bacteriophage. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2685. [PMID: 38302537 PMCID: PMC10834534 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52996-3] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The ea22 gene resides in a relatively uncharacterized region of the lambda bacteriophage genome between the exo and xis genes and is among the earliest genes transcribed upon infection. In lambda and Shiga toxin-producing phages found in enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) associated with food poisoning, Ea22 favors a lysogenic over lytic developmental state. The Ea22 protein may be considered in terms of three domains: a short amino-terminal domain, a coiled-coiled domain, and a carboxy-terminal domain (CTD). While the full-length protein is tetrameric, the CTD is dimeric when expressed individually. Here, we report the NMR solution structure of the Ea22 CTD that is described by a mixed alpha-beta fold with a dimer interface reinforced by salt bridges. A conserved mobile loop may serve as a ligand for an unknown host protein that works with Ea22 to promote bacterial survival and the formation of new lysogens. From sequence and structural comparisons, the CTD distinguishes lambda Ea22 from homologs encoded by Shiga toxin-producing bacteriophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Goddard
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J1P3, Canada
| | | | - Logan W Donaldson
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J1P3, Canada.
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3
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Milani G, Belloso Daza MV, Cortimiglia C, Bassi D, Cocconcelli PS. Genome engineering of Stx1-and Stx2-converting bacteriophages unveils the virulence of the dairy isolate Escherichia coli O174:H2 strain UC4224. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1156375. [PMID: 37426006 PMCID: PMC10326431 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1156375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The past decade witnessed the emergence in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections linked to the consumption of unpasteurized milk and raw milk cheese. The virulence of STEC is primarily attributed to the presence of Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2) carried by Stx-converting bacteriophages, along with the intimin gene eae. Most of the available information pertains to the "Top 7" serotypes associated with STEC infections. The objectives of this study were to characterize and investigate the pathogenicity potential of E. coli UC4224, a STEC O174:H2 strain isolated from semi-hard raw milk cheese and to develop surrogate strains with reduced virulence for use in food-related studies. Complete genome sequence analysis of E. coli UC4224 unveiled the presence of a Stx1a bacteriophage, a Stx2a bacteriophage, the Locus of Adhesion and Autoaggregation (LAA) pathogenicity island, plasmid-encoded virulence genes, and other colonization facilitators. In the Galleria mellonella animal model, E. coli UC4224 demonstrated high pathogenicity potential with an LD50 of 6 CFU/10 μL. Upon engineering E. coli UC4224 to generate single and double mutant derivatives by inactivating stx1a and/or stx2a genes, the LD50 increased by approximately 1 Log-dose in the single mutants and 2 Log-doses in the double mutants. However, infectivity was not completely abolished, suggesting the involvement of other virulence factors contributing to the pathogenicity of STEC O174:H2. Considering the possibility of raw milk cheese serving as a reservoir for STEC, cheesemaking model was developed to evaluate the survival of UC4224 and the adequacy of the respective mutants as reduced-virulence surrogates. All tested strains exhibited the ability to survive the curd cooking step at 48°C and multiplied (3.4 Log CFU) in cheese within the subsequent 24 h. These findings indicate that genomic engineering did not exert any unintended effect on the double stx1-stx2 mutant behaviour, making it as a suitable less-virulent surrogate for conducting studies during food processing.
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Morales G, Abelson B, Reasoner S, Miller J, Earl AM, Hadjifrangiskou M, Schmitz J. The Role of Mobile Genetic Elements in Virulence Factor Carriage from Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Cases of Escherichia coli Bacteriuria. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0471022. [PMID: 37195213 PMCID: PMC10269530 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04710-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is extremely diverse genotypically and phenotypically. Individual strains can variably carry diverse virulence factors, making it challenging to define a molecular signature for this pathotype. For many bacterial pathogens, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) constitute a major mechanism of virulence factor acquisition. For urinary E. coli, the total distribution of MGEs and their role in the acquisition of virulence factors is not well defined, including in the context of symptomatic infection versus asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB). In this work, we characterized 151 isolates of E. coli, derived from patients with either urinary tract infection (UTI) or ASB. For both sets of E. coli, we catalogued the presence of plasmids, prophage, and transposons. We analyzed MGE sequences for the presence of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes. These MGEs were associated with only ~4% of total virulence associated genes, while plasmids contributed to ~15% of antimicrobial resistance genes under consideration. Our analyses suggests that, across strains of E. coli, MGEs are not a prominent driver of urinary tract pathogenesis and symptomatic infection. IMPORTANCE Escherichia coli is the most common etiological agent of urinary tract infections (UTIs), with UTI-associated strains designated "uropathogenic" E. coli or UPEC. Across urinary strains of E. coli, the global landscape of MGEs and its relationship to virulence factor carriage and clinical symptomatology require greater clarity. Here, we demonstrate that many of the putative virulence factors of UPEC are not associated with acquisition due to MGEs. The current work enhances our understanding of the strain-to-strain variability and pathogenic potential of urine-associated E. coli and points toward more subtle genomic differences distinguishing ASB from UTI isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Morales
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Benjamin Abelson
- Department of Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Seth Reasoner
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jordan Miller
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ashlee M. Earl
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maria Hadjifrangiskou
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jonathan Schmitz
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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5
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The Prophage and Us-Shiga Toxin Phages Revisited. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020232. [PMID: 36839504 PMCID: PMC9960153 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The authors first met in 1998 at the University of Würzburg, Germany, at the Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, in Helge Karch's lab, where Herbert Schmidt worked as a PostDoc and Maite Muniesa visited the lab for a postdoctoral research stay to work on phages encoding Shiga toxin 2e (Stx2e) [...].
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6
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Miyata T, Taniguchi I, Nakamura K, Gotoh Y, Yoshimura D, Itoh T, Hirai S, Yokoyama E, Ohnishi M, Iyoda S, Ogura Y, Hayashi T. Alteration of a Shiga toxin-encoding phage associated with a change in toxin production level and disease severity in Escherichia coli. Microb Genom 2023; 9:mgen000935. [PMID: 36821793 PMCID: PMC9997748 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the nine clades of Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7, clade 8 is thought to be highly pathogenic, as it causes severe disease more often than other clades. Two subclades have been proposed, but there are conflicting reports on intersubclade differences in Stx2 levels, although Stx2 production is a risk factor for severe disease development. The global population structure of clade 8 has also yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we present genome analyses of a global clade 8 strain set (n=510), including 147 Japanese strains sequenced in this study. The complete genome sequences of 18 of the 147 strains were determined to perform detailed clade-wide genome analyses together with 17 publicly available closed genomes. Intraclade variations in Stx2 production level and disease severity were also re-evaluated within the phylogenetic context. Based on phylogenomic analysis, clade 8 was divided into four lineages corresponding to the previously proposed SNP genotypes (SGs): SG8_30, SG8_31A, SG8_31B and SG8_32. SG8_30 and the common ancestor of the other SGs were first separated, with SG8_31A and SG8_31B emerging from the latter and SG8_32 emerging from SG8_31B. Comparison of 35 closed genomes revealed the overall structure of chromosomes and pO157 virulence plasmids and the prophage contents to be well conserved. However, Stx2a phages exhibit notable genomic diversity, even though all are integrated into the argW locus, indicating that subtype changes in Stx2a phage occurred from the γ subtype to its variant (γ_v1) in SG8_31A and from γ to δ in SG8_31B and SG8_32 via replacement of parts or almost entire phage genomes, respectively. We further show that SG8_30 strains (all carrying γ Stx2a phages) produce significantly higher levels of Stx2 and cause severe disease more frequently than SG8_32 strains (all carrying δ Stx2a phages). Clear conclusions on SG8_31A and SG8_31B cannot be made due to the small number of strains available, but as SG8_31A (carrying γ_v1 Stx2a phages) contains strains that produce much more Stx2 than SG8_30 strains, attention should also be paid to this SG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Miyata
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Itsuki Taniguchi
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Keiji Nakamura
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Gotoh
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Dai Yoshimura
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Takehiko Itoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Hirai
- Division of Bacteriology, Chiba Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Chiba 260-8715, Japan.,Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Musashi-Murayama, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan
| | - Eiji Yokoyama
- Division of Bacteriology, Chiba Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Chiba 260-8715, Japan
| | - Makoto Ohnishi
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Sunao Iyoda
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Yoshitoshi Ogura
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.,Division of Microbiology, Department of Infectious Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
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7
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Evans S, Cobbley H, Davis K, Divis T, Eberhard N, Flor S, Harris EB, Gordon JB, Hyer M, Larson W, Suorsa AR, Sharma R, Sork C, Thompson DW, Wells L, Casjens SR, Grose JH. Complete Genome Sequences of Five Bacteriophages That Infect Enterobacteriales Hosts. Microbiol Resour Announc 2022; 11:e0122321. [PMID: 35343780 PMCID: PMC9022592 DOI: 10.1128/mra.01223-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Full genome sequences of five bacteriophages that were isolated from raw sewage samples and infect Enterobacteriales hosts are presented. Brookers is a P22-like Proteus phage, OddieOddie is a 9g-like Escherichia coli phage, Diencephelon is a Kp3-like Klebsiella phage, and Rgz1 and Lilpapawes are classic T4-like and T7-like virulent Proteus phages, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Evans
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Hunter Cobbley
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Kye Davis
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Tyler Divis
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Nathaniel Eberhard
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Samuel Flor
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Evan B. Harris
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - J. Ben Gordon
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Matthew Hyer
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Weston Larson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Aurora R. Suorsa
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Ruchira Sharma
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Carson Sork
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Daniel W. Thompson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Lauren Wells
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
| | - Sherwood R. Casjens
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Julianne H. Grose
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
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Allué-Guardia A, Koenig SSK, Martinez RA, Rodriguez AL, Bosilevac JM, Feng† P, Eppinger M. Pathogenomes and variations in Shiga toxin production among geographically distinct clones of Escherichia coli O113:H21. Microb Genom 2022; 8. [PMID: 35394418 PMCID: PMC9453080 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections with globally disseminated Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) of the O113:H21 serotype can progress to severe clinical complications, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Two phylogeographically distinct clonal complexes have been established by multi locus sequence typing (MLST). Infections with ST-820 isolates circulating exclusively in Australia have caused severe human disease, such as HUS. Conversely, ST-223 isolates prevalent in the US and outside Australia seem to rarely cause severe human disease but are frequent contaminants. Following a genomic epidemiology approach, we wanted to gain insights into the underlying cause for this disparity. We examined the plasticity in the genome make-up and Shiga toxin production in a collection of 20 ST-820 and ST-223 strains isolated from produce, the bovine reservoir, and clinical cases. STEC are notorious for assembly into fragmented draft sequences when using short-read sequencing technologies due to the extensive and partly homologous phage complement. The application of long-read technology (LRT) sequencing yielded closed reference chromosomes and plasmids for two representative ST-820 and ST-223 strains. The established high-resolution framework, based on whole genome alignments, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-typing and MLST, includes the chromosomes and plasmids of other publicly available O113:H21 sequences and allowed us to refine the phylogeographical boundaries of ST-820 and ST-223 complex isolates and to further identify a historic non-shigatoxigenic strain from Mexico as a quasi-intermediate. Plasmid comparison revealed strong correlations between the strains' featured pO113 plasmid genotypes and chromosomally inferred ST, which suggests coevolution of the chromosome and virulence plasmids. Our pathogenicity assessment revealed statistically significant differences in the Stx2a-production capabilities of ST-820 as compared to ST-223 strains under RecA-induced Stx phage mobilization, a condition that mimics Stx-phage induction. These observations suggest that ST-820 strains may confer an increased pathogenic potential in line with the strain-associated epidemiological metadata. Still, some of the tested ST-223 cultures sourced from contaminated produce or the bovine reservoir also produced Stx at levels comparable to those of ST-820 isolates, which calls for awareness and for continued surveillance of this lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Allué-Guardia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sara S. K. Koenig
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ricardo A. Martinez
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Armando L. Rodriguez
- University of Texas at San Antonio, Research Computing Support Group, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Joseph M. Bosilevac
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE, USA
| | - Peter Feng†
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), College Park, MD, USA
| | - Mark Eppinger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), San Antonio, TX, USA
- *Correspondence: Mark Eppinger,
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9
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Zuppi M, Hendrickson HL, O’Sullivan JM, Vatanen T. Phages in the Gut Ecosystem. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:822562. [PMID: 35059329 PMCID: PMC8764184 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.822562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Phages, short for bacteriophages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria and are the most abundant biological entities on earth found in every explored environment, from the deep sea to the Sahara Desert. Phages are abundant within the human biome and are gaining increasing recognition as potential modulators of the gut ecosystem. For example, they have been connected to gastrointestinal diseases and the treatment efficacy of Fecal Microbiota Transplant. The ability of phages to modulate the human gut microbiome has been attributed to the predation of bacteria or the promotion of bacterial survival by the transfer of genes that enhance bacterial fitness upon infection. In addition, phages have been shown to interact with the human immune system with variable outcomes. Despite the increasing evidence supporting the importance of phages in the gut ecosystem, the extent of their influence on the shape of the gut ecosystem is yet to be fully understood. Here, we discuss evidence for phage modulation of the gut microbiome, postulating that phages are pivotal contributors to the gut ecosystem dynamics. We therefore propose novel research questions to further elucidate the role(s) that they have within the human ecosystem and its impact on our health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Zuppi
- The Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Heather L. Hendrickson
- The School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Justin M. O’Sullivan
- The Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Maurice Wilkins Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Tommi Vatanen
- The Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
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10
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Rodríguez-Rubio L, Haarmann N, Schwidder M, Muniesa M, Schmidt H. Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Their Contribution to Pathogenicity. Pathogens 2021; 10:404. [PMID: 33805526 PMCID: PMC8065619 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Shiga toxins (Stx) of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are generally encoded in the genome of lambdoid bacteriophages, which spend the most time of their life cycle integrated as prophages in specific sites of the bacterial chromosome. Upon spontaneous induction or induction by chemical or physical stimuli, the stx genes are co-transcribed together with the late phase genes of the prophages. After being assembled in the cytoplasm, and after host cell lysis, mature bacteriophage particles are released into the environment, together with Stx. As members of the group of lambdoid phages, Stx phages share many genetic features with the archetypical temperate phage Lambda, but are heterogeneous in their DNA sequences due to frequent recombination events. In addition to Stx phages, the genome of pathogenic STEC bacteria may contain numerous prophages, which are either cryptic or functional. These prophages may carry foreign genes, some of them related to virulence, besides those necessary for the phage life cycle. Since the production of one or more Stx is considered the major pathogenicity factor of STEC, we aim to highlight the new insights on the contribution of Stx phages and other STEC phages to pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (L.R.-R.); (M.M.)
| | - Nadja Haarmann
- Department of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (N.H.); (M.S.)
| | - Maike Schwidder
- Department of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (N.H.); (M.S.)
| | - Maite Muniesa
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (L.R.-R.); (M.M.)
| | - Herbert Schmidt
- Department of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (N.H.); (M.S.)
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11
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Topka-Bielecka G, Dydecka A, Necel A, Bloch S, Nejman-Faleńczyk B, Węgrzyn G, Węgrzyn A. Bacteriophage-Derived Depolymerases against Bacterial Biofilm. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:175. [PMID: 33578658 PMCID: PMC7916357 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10020175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to specific antibiotic resistance, the formation of bacterial biofilm causes another level of complications in attempts to eradicate pathogenic or harmful bacteria, including difficult penetration of drugs through biofilm structures to bacterial cells, impairment of immunological response of the host, and accumulation of various bioactive compounds (enzymes and others) affecting host physiology and changing local pH values, which further influence various biological functions. In this review article, we provide an overview on the formation of bacterial biofilm and its properties, and then we focus on the possible use of phage-derived depolymerases to combat bacterial cells included in this complex structure. On the basis of the literature review, we conclude that, although these bacteriophage-encoded enzymes may be effective in destroying specific compounds involved in the formation of biofilm, they are rarely sufficient to eradicate all bacterial cells. Nevertheless, a combined therapy, employing depolymerases together with antibiotics and/or other antibacterial agents or factors, may provide an effective approach to treat infections caused by bacteria able to form biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gracja Topka-Bielecka
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland; (G.T.-B.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (B.N.-F.); (G.W.)
| | - Aleksandra Dydecka
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland; (G.T.-B.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (B.N.-F.); (G.W.)
| | - Agnieszka Necel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland; (G.T.-B.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (B.N.-F.); (G.W.)
| | - Sylwia Bloch
- Laboratory of Phage Therapy, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kładki 24, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Bożena Nejman-Faleńczyk
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland; (G.T.-B.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (B.N.-F.); (G.W.)
| | - Grzegorz Węgrzyn
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland; (G.T.-B.); (A.D.); (A.N.); (B.N.-F.); (G.W.)
| | - Alicja Węgrzyn
- Laboratory of Phage Therapy, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kładki 24, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland;
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