From iron to antibiotics: Identification of conserved bacterial-fungal interactions across diverse partners

ABSTRACTMicrobial interactions are major determinants in shaping microbiome structure and function. Although fungi are found across diverse microbiomes, the mechanisms through which fungi interact with other species remain largely uncharacterized. In this work, we explore the diversity of ways in which fungi can impact bacteria by characterizing interaction mechanisms across 16 different bacterial-fungal pairs, involving 8 different fungi and 2 bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas psychrophila). Using random barcode transposon-site sequencing (RB-TnSeq), we identified a large number of bacterial genes and pathways important in fungal interaction contexts. Within each interaction, fungal partners elicit both antagonistic and beneficial effects. Using a panel of phylogenetically diverse fungi allowed us to identify interactions that were conserved across all species. Our data show that all fungi modulate the availability of iron and biotin, suggesting that these may represent conserved bacterial-fungal interactions. Several fungi also appear to produce previously uncharacterized antibiotic compounds. Generating a mutant in a master regulator of fungal secondary metabolite production showed that fungal metabolites are key shapers of bacterial fitness profiles during interactions. This work demonstrates a diversity of mechanisms through which fungi are able to interact with bacterial species. In addition to many species-specific effects, there appear to be conserved interaction mechanisms which may be important across microbiomes.

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Bacterial Species-Specific Modulatory Effects on Phenotype and Function of Camel Blood Leukocytes

10.21203/rs.3.rs-90316/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jamal Hussen

Keyword(s):

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Monocyte Subset ◽

Ros Production ◽

Blood Leukocytes ◽

E Coli ◽

Mhc Ii ◽

Bacterial Stimulation ◽

Species Specific ◽

And Function

Abstract Background: Recent studies have reported pathogen-species-specific modulating effects on the innate immune system. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae are important pathogenic bacteria responsible for different infectious diseases in several animal species. In the present study, a whole blood culture and flow cytometry were used to investigate, whether stimulation with different bacterial species induces different immunomodulation patterns in camel leukocytes. Results: Stimulation with either of the bacterial species resulted in the expansion of the camel CD14highMHCIIhigh monocyte subset with a reduced fraction of CD14highMHCIIlow monocytes. For the CD14highMHCIIlow monocytes, however, only stimulation with S. aureus or S. agalactiae increased their fractions in blood. Although all bacterial species elicited the upregulation of cell surface MHC-II molecules on granulocytes, the increase was, however, highest on cells stimulated with S. aureus. The expression levels of the two adhesion molecules, CD11a and CD18, on neutrophils and monocytes were differently affected by bacterial stimulation. Functionally, E. coli failed to stimulate ROS production in monocytes, while induced a strong ROS production response in granulocytes. S. agalactiae elicited a week ROS production in granulocytes when compared to the other two pathogens. Conclusions: The different responsiveness of monocytes and granulocytes toward different bacterial species indicates different host-pathogen interaction mechanisms for the two cell populations. In addition, the phenotypic and functional differences between cells stimulated with E. coli, S. aureus, or S. agalactiae suggests pathogen-species-specific modulating effects of the bacterial pathogens on the camel innate myeloid cells.

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Species-Specific Effects of Microplastics On Juvenile Fishes

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1057867/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Chaonan Zhang ◽

Qiujie Wang ◽

Zhiheng Zuo ◽

Zhengkun Pan ◽

Shaodan Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Specific Effects ◽

Legacy Effect ◽

Intestinal Pathology ◽

Jian Carp ◽

The Difference ◽

Organism Model ◽

Immune Related Genes ◽

Species Specific ◽

And Function ◽

Multiple Abnormalities

Abstract Microplastics contamination have been extensively reported in aquatic ecosystem and organisms. It is wildly acknowledged that the ingestion, accumulation and elimination of microplastics in fishes are species-specific, which mainly depending on the feeding behavior. This study aims to investigate the effects of microplastics on the morphology and inflammatory response in intestines of fishes with different feeding types. Largemouth bass (carnivorous fish), grass carp (herbivorous fish) and Jian carp (omnivorous fish) were used as organism model. The contributing concentration and size of microplastics are explored as well as the response time and legacy effect in fishes. Two different sizes of polystyrene microplastics (8 μm and 80 nm) were set at three concentrations. And samples were analyzed at different exposure times and depuration times. Histological analysis indicated that multiple abnormalities in intestines are presented in three species fishes after acute exposure microplastics. The mRNA abundance of immune-related genes in the intestine tissues of fishes were significantly induced or restrained. There were differential expressions of genes coping with differential sizes and concentrations of microplastics exposure in different fishes. The reason for the difference effects of microplastics on fishes was still unclear but could be due to the difference in the structure and function of the digestive system. These results provide a theoretical basis to further analysis of the mechanism of fish intestinal pathology caused by microplastics.

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Evaluation of Tetracycline Resistance and Determination of the Tentative Microbiological Cutoff Values in Lactic Acid Bacterial Species

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9102128 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 2128

Author(s):

Qingqing Ma ◽

Zhangming Pei ◽

Zhifeng Fang ◽

Hongchao Wang ◽

Jinlin Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lactic Acid ◽

Resistance Genes ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Acquired Resistance ◽

Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽

Tetracycline Resistance ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Tetracycline Resistance Genes ◽

Cutoff Values ◽

Species Specific

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely used as probiotics in the food industry owing to their beneficial effects on human health. However, numerous antibiotic resistance genes have been found in LAB strains, especially tetracycline resistance genes. Notably, the potential transferability of these genes poses safety risks. To comprehensively evaluate tetracycline resistance in LAB, we determined the tetracycline susceptibility patterns of 478 LAB strains belonging to four genera and eight species. By comparing phenotypes with genotypes based on genome-wide annotations, five tetracycline resistance genes, tet(M), tet(W/N/W), tet(L), tet(S), and tet(45), were detected in LAB. Multiple LAB strains without tetracycline resistance genes were found to be resistant to tetracycline at the currently recommended cutoff values. Thus, based on the minimum inhibitory concentrations of tetracycline for these LAB strains, the species-specific microbiological cutoff values for Lactobacillus (para)gasseri, Lactobacillus johnsonii, and Lactobacillus crispatus to tetracycline were first developed using the Turnidge, Kronvall, and eyeball methods. The cutoff values for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum were re-established and could be used to better distinguish susceptible strains from strains with acquired resistance. Finally, we verified that these five genes play a role in tetracycline resistance and found that tet(M) and tet(W/N/W) are the most widely distributed tetracycline resistance genes in LAB.

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Bacterial species-specific modulatory effects on phenotype and function of camel blood leukocytes

BMC Veterinary Research ◽

10.1186/s12917-021-02939-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jamal Hussen

Keyword(s):

Cell Surface ◽

Adhesion Molecules ◽

Mhc Class Ii ◽

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Monocyte Subset ◽

Ros Production ◽

Blood Leukocytes ◽

Species Specific ◽

And Function

Abstract Background Recent studies have reported pathogen-species-specific modulating effects on the innate immune system. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae are important pathogenic bacteria responsible for different infectious diseases in several animal species. In the present study, a whole blood culture with S. aureus, E. coli, or S. agalactiae and flow cytometry were used to investigate, whether stimulation with different bacterial species induces different immunomodulation patterns in camel leukocytes. The expression of different cell surface myeloid markers and cell adhesion molecules on monocytes and neutrophils was investigated. In addition, the capacity of monocytes and neutrophils to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) was analyzed. Results Stimulation with either of the bacterial species resulted in the expansion of the camel CD14highMHCIIhigh monocyte subset with a reduced fraction of CD14highMHCIIlow monocytes. For the CD14lowMHCIIhigh monocytes, however, only stimulation with S. aureus or S. agalactiae increased their fractions in blood. Although all bacterial species elicited the upregulation of cell surface MHC class II molecules on granulocytes, the increase was, however, highest on cells stimulated with S. aureus. The expression levels of the two adhesion molecules, CD11a and CD18, on neutrophils and monocytes were differently affected by bacterial stimulation. Functionally, E. coli failed to stimulate ROS production in monocytes, while induced a strong ROS production response in granulocytes. S. agalactiae elicited a week ROS production in granulocytes when compared to the other two pathogens. Conclusions The different responsiveness of monocytes and granulocytes toward different bacterial species indicates different host-pathogen interaction mechanisms for the two cell populations. In addition, the phenotypic and functional differences between cells stimulated with E. coli, S. aureus, or S. agalactiae suggests pathogen-species-specific modulating effects of the bacterial pathogens on the camel innate myeloid cells.

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Density-dependent and species-specific effects on self-organization modulate the resistance of mussel bed ecosystems to hydrodynamic stress

The American Naturalist ◽

10.1086/713738 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gerardo I. Zardi ◽

Katy Rebecca Nicastro ◽

Christopher D. McQuaid ◽

Monique de Jager ◽

Johan van de Koppel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Self Organization ◽

Mussel Bed ◽

Hydrodynamic Stress ◽

Density Dependent ◽

Specific Effects ◽

Species Specific

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Can Ultrasound Therapy Be an Environmental-Friendly Alternative to Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment?

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma14112715 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (11) ◽

pp. 2715

Author(s):

Rodica Ana Ungur ◽

Viorela Mihaela Ciortea ◽

Laszlo Irsay ◽

Alina Deniza Ciubean ◽

Bogdana Adriana Năsui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ultrasound Therapy ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Knee Oa ◽

Environmental Friendly ◽

Chemical Pollutants ◽

Osteoarthritis Treatment ◽

Inflammatory Drugs ◽

Anti Inflammatory ◽

And Function

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most used drugs in knee OA (osteoarthritis) treatment. Despite their efficiency in pain and inflammation alleviation, NSAIDs accumulate in the environment as chemical pollutants and have numerous genetic, morphologic, and functional negative effects on plants and animals. Ultrasound (US) therapy can improve pain, inflammation, and function in knee OA, without impact on environment, and with supplementary metabolic beneficial effects on cartilage compared to NSAIDs. These features recommend US therapy as alternative for NSAIDs use in knee OA treatment.

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Molecular and phenotypic analysis of rodent models reveals conserved and species-specific modulators of human sarcopenia

Communications Biology ◽

10.1038/s42003-021-01723-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anastasiya Börsch ◽

Daniel J. Ham ◽

Nitish Mittal ◽

Lionel A. Tintignac ◽

Eugenia Migliavacca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Muscle Mass ◽

Inflammatory Responses ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Model Organisms ◽

Sequencing Data ◽

Phenotypic Analysis ◽

Age Related ◽

Analogous Data ◽

Species Specific ◽

And Function

AbstractSarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, affects 5–13% of individuals aged over 60 years. While rodents are widely-used model organisms, which aspects of sarcopenia are recapitulated in different animal models is unknown. Here we generated a time series of phenotypic measurements and RNA sequencing data in mouse gastrocnemius muscle and analyzed them alongside analogous data from rats and humans. We found that rodents recapitulate mitochondrial changes observed in human sarcopenia, while inflammatory responses are conserved at pathway but not gene level. Perturbations in the extracellular matrix are shared by rats, while mice recapitulate changes in RNA processing and autophagy. We inferred transcription regulators of early and late transcriptome changes, which could be targeted therapeutically. Our study demonstrates that phenotypic measurements, such as muscle mass, are better indicators of muscle health than chronological age and should be considered when analyzing aging-related molecular data.

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Codon harmonization reduces amino acid misincorporation in bacterially expressed P. falciparum proteins and improves their immunogenicity

AMB Express ◽

10.1186/s13568-019-0890-6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Neeraja Punde ◽

Jennifer Kooken ◽

Dagmar Leary ◽

Patricia M. Legler ◽

Evelina Angov

Keyword(s):

Protein Structure ◽

Amino Acid ◽

Codon Usage ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Structural Integrity ◽

Host Cells ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Species Specific ◽

And Function ◽

The Impact

Abstract Codon usage frequency influences protein structure and function. The frequency with which codons are used potentially impacts primary, secondary and tertiary protein structure. Poor expression, loss of function, insolubility, or truncation can result from species-specific differences in codon usage. “Codon harmonization” more closely aligns native codon usage frequencies with those of the expression host particularly within putative inter-domain segments where slower rates of translation may play a role in protein folding. Heterologous expression of Plasmodium falciparum genes in Escherichia coli has been a challenge due to their AT-rich codon bias and the highly repetitive DNA sequences. Here, codon harmonization was applied to the malarial antigen, CelTOS (Cell-traversal protein for ookinetes and sporozoites). CelTOS is a highly conserved P. falciparum protein involved in cellular traversal through mosquito and vertebrate host cells. It reversibly refolds after thermal denaturation making it a desirable malarial vaccine candidate. Protein expressed in E. coli from a codon harmonized sequence of P. falciparum CelTOS (CH-PfCelTOS) was compared with protein expressed from the native codon sequence (N-PfCelTOS) to assess the impact of codon usage on protein expression levels, solubility, yield, stability, structural integrity, recognition with CelTOS-specific mAbs and immunogenicity in mice. While the translated proteins were expected to be identical, the translated products produced from the codon-harmonized sequence differed in helical content and showed a smaller distribution of polypeptides in mass spectra indicating lower heterogeneity of the codon harmonized version and fewer amino acid misincorporations. Substitutions of hydrophobic-to-hydrophobic amino acid were observed more commonly than any other. CH-PfCelTOS induced significantly higher antibody levels compared with N-PfCelTOS; however, no significant differences in either IFN-γ or IL-4 cellular responses were detected between the two antigens.

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Impact of Dietary Flavanols on Microbiota, Immunity and Inflammation in Metabolic Diseases

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13030850 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 850

Author(s):

María Ángeles Martín ◽

Sonia Ramos

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Metabolic Diseases ◽

Nuclear Factor Κb ◽

Low Grade ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Health And Disease ◽

Immunological Reactions ◽

And Function ◽

Positive Properties

Flavanols are natural occurring polyphenols abundant in fruits and vegetables to which have been attributed to beneficial effects on health, and also against metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome. These positive properties have been associated to the modulation of different molecular pathways, and importantly, to the regulation of immunological reactions (pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, nuclear factor-κB [NF-κB], inducible enzymes), and the activity of cells of the immune system. In addition, flavanols can modulate the composition and function of gut microbiome in a prebiotic-like manner, resulting in the positive regulation of metabolic pathways and immune responses, and reduction of low-grade chronic inflammation. Moreover, the biotransformation of flavanols by gut bacteria increases their bioavailability generating a number of metabolites with potential to affect human metabolism, including during metabolic diseases. However, the exact mechanisms by which flavanols act on the microbiota and immune system to influence health and disease remain unclear, especially in humans where these connections have been scarcely explored. This review seeks to summarize recent advances on the complex interaction of flavanols with gut microbiota, immunity and inflammation focus on metabolic diseases.

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Contribution of Infectious Agents to the Development of Celiac Disease

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9030547 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 547

Author(s):

Daniel Sánchez ◽

Iva Hoffmanová ◽

Adéla Szczepanková ◽

Věra Hábová ◽

Helena Tlaskalová-Hogenová

Keyword(s):

Celiac Disease ◽

Intestinal Mucosa ◽

Wheat Gluten ◽

Small Intestinal Mucosa ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Immune Mediated ◽

Healthy State ◽

Food Antigens ◽

Small Intestinal ◽

And Function

The ingestion of wheat gliadin (alcohol-soluble proteins, an integral part of wheat gluten) and related proteins induce, in genetically predisposed individuals, celiac disease (CD), which is characterized by immune-mediated impairment of the small intestinal mucosa. The lifelong omission of gluten and related grain proteins, i.e., a gluten-free diet (GFD), is at present the only therapy for CD. Although a GFD usually reduces CD symptoms, it does not entirely restore the small intestinal mucosa to a fully healthy state. Recently, the participation of microbial components in pathogenetic mechanisms of celiac disease was suggested. The present review provides information on infectious diseases associated with CD and the putative role of infections in CD development. Moreover, the involvement of the microbiota as a factor contributing to pathological changes in the intestine is discussed. Attention is paid to the mechanisms by which microbes and their components affect mucosal immunity, including tolerance to food antigens. Modulation of microbiota composition and function and the potential beneficial effects of probiotics in celiac disease are discussed.

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