scholarly journals How do temperate bacteriophages affect the fitness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa?

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (7A) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Plahe ◽  
Heather E. Alison ◽  
Ian Goodhead ◽  
Chloe James
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Host Bacterium ◽  
Epidemic Strain ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity

The Liverpool Epidemic Strain(LES) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a key opportunistic bacterium and a major cause of mortality and morbidity in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. It has been established to carry distinctive prophages within its genome, providing the host bacterium with advantages through horizontal gene transfer. Several well-known partnerships between prophage and their bacterial hosts have been characterised, however, very little is known about other phage-host systems. This project explores the dynamics between Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and its phage, determining whether they confer an advantage in the CF lung.

PCR-Based Detection of a Cystic Fibrosis Epidemic Strain of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

2003 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stavroula Panagea ◽  
Craig Winstanley ◽  
Yasmin N Parsons ◽  
Martin J Walshaw ◽  
Martin J Ledson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Epidemic Strain

scholarly journals Within-Host Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals Adaptation toward Iron Acquisition from Hemoglobin

mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasmus Lykke Marvig ◽  
Søren Damkiær ◽  
S. M. Hossein Khademi ◽  
Trine M. Markussen ◽  
Søren Molin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Iron Acquisition ◽  
Chronic Infections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Airway Infections ◽  
Host Evolution ◽  
Promoter Mutations

ABSTRACTPseudomonas aeruginosaairway infections are a major cause of mortality and morbidity of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In order to persist,P. aeruginosadepends on acquiring iron from its host, and multiple different iron acquisition systems may be active during infection. This includes the pyoverdine siderophore and thePseudomonasheme utilization (phu) system. While the regulation and mechanisms of several iron-scavenging systems are well described, it is not clear whether such systems are targets for selection during adaptation ofP. aeruginosato the host environment. Here we investigated the within-host evolution of the transmissibleP. aeruginosaDK2 lineage. We found positive selection for promoter mutations leading to increased expression of thephusystem. By mimicking conditions of the CF airwaysin vitro, we experimentally demonstrate that increased expression ofphuRconfers a growth advantage in the presence of hemoglobin, thus suggesting thatP. aeruginosaevolves toward iron acquisition from hemoglobin. To rule out that this adaptive trait is specific to the DK2 lineage, we inspected the genomes of additionalP. aeruginosalineages isolated from CF airways and found similar adaptive evolution in two distinct lineages (DK1 and PA clone C). Furthermore, in all three lineages,phuRpromoter mutations coincided with the loss of pyoverdine production, suggesting that within-host adaptation toward heme utilization is triggered by the loss of pyoverdine production. Targeting heme utilization might therefore be a promising strategy for the treatment ofP. aeruginosainfections in CF patients.IMPORTANCEMost bacterial pathogens depend on scavenging iron within their hosts, which makes the battle for iron between pathogens and hosts a hallmark of infection. Accordingly, the ability of the opportunistic pathogenPseudomonas aeruginosato cause chronic infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients also depends on iron-scavenging systems. While the regulation and mechanisms of several such iron-scavenging systems have been well described, not much is known about how the within-host selection pressures act on the pathogens’ ability to acquire iron. Here, we investigated the within-host evolution ofP. aeruginosa, and we found evidence thatP. aeruginosaduring long-term infections evolves toward iron acquisition from hemoglobin. This adaptive strategy might be due to a selective loss of other iron-scavenging mechanisms and/or an increase in the availability of hemoglobin at the site of infection. This information is relevant to the design of novel CF therapeutics and the development of models of chronic CF infections.

scholarly journals Stand-alone ClpG disaggregase confers superior heat tolerance to bacteria

2017 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. E273-E282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changhan Lee ◽  
Kamila B. Franke ◽  
Shady Mansour Kamal ◽  
Hyunhee Kim ◽  
Heinrich Lünsdorf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Atpase Activity ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Virulence Factor ◽  
Heat Tolerance ◽  
Molecular Features ◽  
Partner Proteins

AAA+ disaggregases solubilize aggregated proteins and confer heat tolerance to cells. Their disaggregation activities crucially depend on partner proteins, which target the AAA+ disaggregases to protein aggregates while concurrently stimulating their ATPase activities. Here, we report on two potent ClpG disaggregase homologs acquired through horizontal gene transfer by the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa and subsequently abundant P. aeruginosa clone C. ClpG exhibits high, stand-alone disaggregation potential without involving any partner cooperation. Specific molecular features, including high basal ATPase activity, a unique aggregate binding domain, and almost exclusive expression in stationary phase distinguish ClpG from other AAA+ disaggregases. Consequently, ClpG largely contributes to heat tolerance of P. aeruginosa primarily in stationary phase and boosts heat resistance 100-fold when expressed in Escherichia coli. This qualifies ClpG as a potential persistence and virulence factor in P. aeruginosa.

scholarly journals 154* Assessing the role of lysogenic bacteriophages in a cystic fibrosis epidemic strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. S39
Author(s):  
J.L. Fothergill ◽  
A.-A. Lemieux ◽  
C.E. James ◽  
I. Kukavica-Ibrulj ◽  
G. Filion ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Epidemic Strain

scholarly journals Genome Signature Difference between Deinococcus radiodurans and Thermus thermophilus

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiromi Nishida ◽  
Reina Abe ◽  
Taishi Nagayama ◽  
Kentaro Yano
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Common Ancestor ◽  
Deinococcus Radiodurans ◽  
Thermophilic Bacteria ◽  
Thermus Thermophilus ◽  
Genomic Signatures ◽  
Genome Signature ◽  
Gc Contents

The extremely radioresistant bacteria of the genus Deinococcus and the extremely thermophilic bacteria of the genus Thermus belong to a common taxonomic group. Considering the distinct living environments of Deinococcus and Thermus, different genes would have been acquired through horizontal gene transfer after their divergence from a common ancestor. Their guanine-cytosine (GC) contents are similar; however, we hypothesized that their genomic signatures would be different. Our findings indicated that the genomes of Deinococcus radiodurans and Thermus thermophilus have different tetranucleotide frequencies. This analysis showed that the genome signature of D. radiodurans is most similar to that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, whereas the genome signature of T. thermophilus is most similar to that of Thermanaerovibrio acidaminovorans. This difference in genome signatures may be related to the different evolutionary backgrounds of the 2 genera after their divergence from a common ancestor.

scholarly journals Identification of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa O17 and O15 O-Specific Antigen Biosynthesis Loci Reveals an ABC Transporter-Dependent Synthesis Pathway and Mechanisms of Genetic Diversity

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M. Huszczynski ◽  
Youai Hao ◽  
Joseph S. Lam ◽  
Cezar M. Khursigara
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Abc Transporter ◽  
Specific Antigen ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Content Type ◽  
O Antigen ◽  
O Antigens ◽  
Dependent Pathway

ABSTRACT Many bacterial cell surface glycans, such as the O antigen component of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), are produced via the so-called Wzx/Wzy- or ABC transporter-dependent pathways. O antigens are highly diverse polysaccharides that protect bacteria from their environment and engage in important host-pathogen interactions. The specific structure and composition of O antigens are the basis of classifying bacteria into O serotypes. In the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, there are currently 20 known O-specific antigen (OSA) structures. The clusters of genes responsible for 18 of these O antigens have been identified, all of which follow the Wzx/Wzy-dependent pathway and are located at a common locus. In this study, we located the two unidentified O antigen biosynthesis clusters responsible for the synthesis of the O15 and the O17 OSA structures by analyzing published whole-genome sequence data. Intriguingly, these clusters were found outside the conserved OSA biosynthesis locus and were likely acquired through multiple horizontal gene transfer events. Based on data from knockout and overexpression studies, we determined that the synthesis of these O antigens follows an ABC transporter-dependent rather than a Wzx/Wzy-dependent pathway. In addition, we collected evidence to show that the O15 and O17 polysaccharide chain lengths are regulated by molecular rulers with distinct and variable domain architectures. The findings in this report are critical for a comprehensive understanding of O antigen biosynthesis in P. aeruginosa and provide a framework for future studies. IMPORTANCE P. aeruginosa is a problematic opportunistic pathogen that causes diseases in those with compromised host defenses, such as those suffering from cystic fibrosis. This bacterium produces a number of virulence factors, including a serotype-specific O antigen. Here, we identified and characterized the gene clusters that produce the O15 and O17 O antigens and show that they utilize a pathway for synthesis that is distinct from that of the 18 other known serotypes. We also provide evidence that these clusters have acquired mutations in specific biosynthesis genes and have undergone extensive horizontal gene transfer within the P. aeruginosa population. These findings expand on our understanding of O antigen biosynthesis in Gram-negative bacteria and the mechanisms that drive O antigen diversity.

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