scholarly journals Covert Cross-Feeding Revealed by Genome-Wide Analysis of Fitness Determinants in a Synthetic Bacterial Mutualism

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Breah LaSarre ◽  
Adam M. Deutschbauer ◽  
Crystal E. Love ◽  
James B. McKinlay
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Rhodopseudomonas Palustris ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Fermentation Products ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Genome Wide

ABSTRACT Microbial interactions abound in natural ecosystems and shape community structure and function. Substantial attention has been given to cataloging mechanisms by which microbes interact, but there is a limited understanding of the genetic landscapes that promote or hinder microbial interactions. We previously developed a mutualistic coculture pairing Escherichia coli and Rhodopseudomonas palustris, wherein E. coli provides carbon to R. palustris in the form of glucose fermentation products and R. palustris fixes N2 gas and provides nitrogen to E. coli in the form of NH4+. The stable coexistence and reproducible trends exhibited by this coculture make it ideal for interrogating the genetic underpinnings of a cross-feeding mutualism. Here, we used random barcode transposon sequencing (RB-TnSeq) to conduct a genome-wide search for E. coli genes that influence fitness during cooperative growth with R. palustris. RB-TnSeq revealed hundreds of genes that increased or decreased E. coli fitness in a mutualism-dependent manner. Some identified genes were involved in nitrogen sensing and assimilation, as expected given the coculture design. The other identified genes were involved in diverse cellular processes, including energy production and cell wall and membrane biogenesis. In addition, we discovered unexpected purine cross-feeding from R. palustris to E. coli, with coculture rescuing growth of an E. coli purine auxotroph. Our data provide insight into the genes and gene networks that can influence a cross-feeding mutualism and underscore that microbial interactions are not necessarily predictable a priori. IMPORTANCE Microbial communities impact life on Earth in profound ways, including driving global nutrient cycles and influencing human health and disease. These community functions depend on the interactions that resident microbes have with the environment and each other. Thus, identifying genes that influence these interactions will aid the management of natural communities and the use of microbial consortia as biotechnology. Here, we identified genes that influenced Escherichia coli fitness during cooperative growth with a mutualistic partner, Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Although this mutualism centers on the bidirectional exchange of essential carbon and nitrogen, E. coli fitness was positively and negatively affected by genes involved in diverse cellular processes. Furthermore, we discovered an unexpected purine cross-feeding interaction. These results contribute knowledge on the genetic foundation of a microbial cross-feeding interaction and highlight that unanticipated interactions can occur even within engineered microbial communities.

scholarly journals Genome-wide analysis of Escherichia coli fitness determinants in a cross-feeding mutualism with Rhodopseudomonas palustris

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Breah LaSarre ◽  
Adam M. Deutschbauer ◽  
Crystal E. Love ◽  
James B. McKinlay
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Rhodopseudomonas Palustris ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Fermentation Products ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome

ABSTRACTMicrobial interactions abound in natural ecosystems and shape community structure and function. Substantial attention has been given to cataloging mechanisms by which microbes interact, but there is a limited understanding of the genetic landscapes that promote or hinder microbial interactions. We previously developed a mutualistic coculture pairing Escherichia coli and Rhodopseudomonas palustris, wherein E. coli provides carbon to R. palustris in the form of glucose fermentation products and R. palustris fixes N2 gas and provides nitrogen to E. coli in the form of NH4+. The stable coexistence and reproducible trends exhibited by this coculture make it ideal for interrogating the genetic underpinnings of a cross-feeding mutualism. Here, we used random barcode transposon sequencing (RB-TnSeq) to conduct a genome-wide search for E. coli genes that influence fitness during cooperative growth with R. palustris. RB-TnSeq revealed hundreds of genes that increased or decreased E. coli fitness in a mutualism-dependent manner. Some identified genes were involved in nitrogen sensing and assimilation, as expected given the coculture design. The other identified genes were involved in diverse cellular processes, including energy production and cell wall and membrane biogenesis. Additionally, we discovered unexpected purine cross-feeding from R. palustris to E. coli, with coculture rescuing growth of an E. coli purine auxotroph. Our data provide insight into the genes and gene networks that can influence a cross-feeding mutualism and underscore that microbial interactions are not necessarily predictable a priori.IMPORTANCEMicrobial communities impact life on earth in profound ways, including driving global nutrient cycles and influencing human health and disease. These community functions depend on the interactions that resident microbes have with the environment and each other. Thus, identifying genes that influence these interactions will aid the management of natural communities and the use of microbial consortia as biotechnology. Here, we identified genes that influenced Escherichia coli fitness during cooperative growth with a mutualistic partner, Rhodospeudomonas palustris. Although this mutualism centers on the bidirectional exchange of essential carbon and nitrogen, E. coli fitness was positively and negatively affected by genes involved in diverse cellular processes. Furthermore, we discovered an unexpected purine cross-feeding interaction. These results contribute knowledge on the genetic foundation of a microbial cross-feeding interaction and highlight that unanticipated interactions can occur even within engineered microbial communities.

scholarly journals Enhanced nutrient uptake is sufficient to drive emergent cross-feeding between bacteria in a synthetic community

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan K Fritts ◽  
Jordan T Bird ◽  
Megan G Behringer ◽  
Anna Lipzen ◽  
Joel Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Nutrient Uptake ◽  
Rhodopseudomonas Palustris ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fermentation Products ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Constitutive Activation ◽  
Host Health ◽  
Nitrogen Scavenging

ABSTRACTInteractive microbial communities are ubiquitous, influencing biogeochemical cycles and host health. One widespread interaction is nutrient exchange, or cross-feeding, wherein metabolites are transferred between microbes. Some cross-fed metabolites, such as vitamins, amino acids, and ammonium (NH4+), are communally valuable and impose a cost on the producer. The mechanisms that enforce cross-feeding of communally valuable metabolites are not fully understood. Previously we engineered mutualistic cross-feeding between N2-fixing Rhodopseudomonas palustris and fermentative Escherichia coli. Engineered R. palustris excreted essential nitrogen as NH4+ to E. coli while E. coli excreted essential carbon as fermentation products to R. palustris. Here, we enriched for nascent cross-feeding in cocultures with wild-type R. palustris, not known to excrete NH4+. Emergent NH4+ cross-feeding was driven by adaptation of E. coli alone. A missense mutation in E. coli NtrC, a regulator of nitrogen scavenging, resulted in constitutive activation of an NH4+ transporter. This activity likely allowed E. coli to subsist on the small amount of leaked NH4+ and better reciprocate through elevated excretion of organic acids from a larger E. coli population. Our results indicate that enhanced nutrient uptake by recipients, rather than increased excretion by producers, is an underappreciated yet possibly prevalent mechanism by which cross-feeding can emerge.

scholarly journals A Toxic Environment: a Growing Understanding of How Microbial Communities Affect Escherichia coli O157:H7 Shiga Toxin Expression

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin M. Nawrocki ◽  
Hillary M. Mosso ◽  
Edward G. Dudley
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Lambdoid Prophage

ABSTRACT Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains, including E. coli O157:H7, cause severe illness in humans due to the production of Shiga toxin (Stx) and other virulence factors. Because Stx is coregulated with lambdoid prophage induction, its expression is especially susceptible to environmental cues. Infections with Stx-producing E. coli can be difficult to model due to the wide range of disease outcomes: some infections are relatively mild, while others have serious complications. Probiotic organisms, members of the gut microbiome, and organic acids can depress Stx production, in many cases by inhibiting the growth of EHEC strains. On the other hand, the factors currently known to amplify Stx act via their effect on the stx-converting phage. Here, we characterize two interactive mechanisms that increase Stx production by O157:H7 strains: first, direct interactions with phage-susceptible E. coli, and second, indirect amplification by secreted factors. Infection of susceptible strains by the stx-converting phage can expand the Stx-producing population in a human or animal host, and phage infection has been shown to modulate virulence in vitro and in vivo. Acellular factors, particularly colicins and microcins, can kill O157:H7 cells but may also trigger Stx expression in the process. Colicins, microcins, and other bacteriocins have diverse cellular targets, and many such molecules remain uncharacterized. The identification of additional Stx-amplifying microbial interactions will improve our understanding of E. coli O157:H7 infections and help elucidate the intricate regulation of pathogenicity in EHEC strains.

scholarly journals Intracellular Free Iron and Its Potential Role in Ultrahigh-Pressure-Induced Inactivation of Escherichia coli

2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 722-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Yan ◽  
Joy G. Waite-Cusic ◽  
Periannan Kuppusamy ◽  
Ahmed E. Yousef
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Iron Chelator ◽  
Ultrahigh Pressure ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Free Iron ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Electron Paramagnetic ◽  
Dose Dependent

ABSTRACTIntracellular free iron ofEscherichia coliwas determined by whole-cell electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry. Ultrahigh pressure (UHP) increased both intracellular free iron and cell lethality in a pressure-dose-dependent manner. The iron chelator 2,2′-dipyridyl protected cells against UHP treatments. A mutation that produced iron overload conditions sensitizedE. colito UHP treatment.

scholarly journals Transcriptome Analysis of Escherichia coli during dGTP Starvation

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (11) ◽  
pp. 1631-1644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Itsko ◽  
Roel M. Schaaper
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Replication Stress ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Final Cause ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Genome Wide

ABSTRACTOur laboratory recently discovered thatEscherichia colicells starved for the DNA precursor dGTP are killed efficiently (dGTP starvation) in a manner similar to that described for thymineless death (TLD). Conditions for specific dGTP starvation can be achieved by depriving anE. colioptA1 gptstrain of the purine nucleotide precursor hypoxanthine (Hx). To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying dGTP starvation, we conducted genome-wide gene expression analyses of actively growingoptA1 gptcells subjected to hypoxanthine deprivation for increasing periods. The data show that upon Hx withdrawal, theoptA1 gptstrain displays a diminished ability to derepress thede novopurine biosynthesis genes, likely due to internal guanine accumulation. The impairment in fully inducing thepurRregulon may be a contributing factor to the lethality of dGTP starvation. At later time points, and coinciding with cell lethality, strong induction of the SOS response was observed, supporting the concept of replication stress as a final cause of death. No evidence was observed in the starved cells for the participation of other stress responses, including therpoS-mediated global stress response, reinforcing the lack of feedback of replication stress to the global metabolism of the cell. The genome-wide expression data also provide direct evidence for increased genome complexity during dGTP starvation, as a markedly increased gradient was observed for expression of genes located near the replication origin relative to those located toward the replication terminus.IMPORTANCEControl of the supply of the building blocks (deoxynucleoside triphosphates [dNTPs]) for DNA replication is important for ensuring genome integrity and cell viability. When cells are starved specifically for one of the four dNTPs, dGTP, the process of DNA replication is disturbed in a manner that can lead to eventual death. In the present study, we investigated the transcriptional changes in the bacteriumE. coliduring dGTP starvation. The results show increasing DNA replication stress with an increased time of starvation, as evidenced by induction of the bacterial SOS system, as well as a notable lack of induction of other stress responses that could have saved the cells from cell death by slowing down cell growth.

scholarly journals Gut Symbionts from Distinct Hosts Exhibit Genotoxic Activity via Divergent Colibactin Biosynthesis Pathways

2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 1502-1512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Engel ◽  
Maria I. Vizcaino ◽  
Jason M. Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Dna Damage ◽  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Tumor Formation ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Bacterial Symbionts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli

ABSTRACTSecondary metabolites produced by nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) or polyketide synthase (PKS) pathways are chemical mediators of microbial interactions in diverse environments. However, little is known about their distribution, evolution, and functional roles in bacterial symbionts associated with animals. A prominent example is colibactin, a largely unknown family of secondary metabolites produced byEscherichia colivia a hybrid NRPS-PKS biosynthetic pathway that inflicts DNA damage upon eukaryotic cells and contributes to colorectal cancer and tumor formation in the mammalian gut. Thus far, homologs of this pathway have only been found in closely relatedEnterobacteriaceae, while a divergent variant of this gene cluster was recently discovered in a marine alphaproteobacterialPseudovibriostrain. Herein, we sequenced the genome ofFrischella perraraPEB0191, a bacterial gut symbiont of honey bees and identified a homologous colibactin biosynthetic pathway related to those found inEnterobacteriaceae. We show that the colibactin genomic island (GI) has conserved gene synteny and biosynthetic module architecture acrossF. perrara,Enterobacteriaceae, and thePseudovibriostrain. Comparative metabolomics analyses ofF. perraraandE. colifurther reveal that these two bacteria produce related colibactin pathway-dependent metabolites. Finally, we demonstrate thatF. perrara, likeE. coli, causes DNA damage in eukaryotic cellsin vitroin a colibactin pathway-dependent manner. Together, these results support that divergent variants of the colibactin biosynthetic pathway are widely distributed among bacterial symbionts, producing related secondary metabolites and likely endowing its producer with functional capabilities important for diverse symbiotic associations.

scholarly journals Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Virulence Regulation by Two Bacterial Adrenergic Kinases, QseC and QseE

2011 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 688-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Njoroge ◽  
Vanessa Sperandio
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Response Regulator ◽  
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Virulence Regulation ◽  
Sensor Kinases ◽  
Virulence Factor Gene ◽  
Enterocyte Effacement

ABSTRACTThe human pathogen enterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli(EHEC) O157:H7 has two histidine sensor kinases, QseC and QseE, which respond to the mammalian adrenergic hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine by increasing their autophosphorylation. Although QseC and QseE are present in nonpathogenic strains ofE. coli, EHEC exploits these kinases for virulence regulation. To further investigate the full extent of epinephrine and its sensors' impact on EHEC virulence, we performed transcriptomic and phenotypic analyses of single and double deletions ofqseCandqseEgenes in the absence or presence of epinephrine. We showed that in EHEC, epinephrine sensing seems to occur primarily through QseC and QseE. We also observed that QseC and QseE regulate expression of the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) genes positively and negatively, respectively. LEE activation, which is required for the formation of the characteristic attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions by EHEC on epithelial cells, is epinephrine dependent. Regulation of the LEE and the non-LEE-contained virulence factor genenleAby QseE is indirect, through transcription inhibition of the RcsB response regulator. Finally, we show that coincubation of HeLa cells with epinephrine increases EHEC infectivity in a QseC- and QseE-dependent manner. These results genetically and phenotypically map the contributions of the two adrenergic sensors QseC and QseE to EHEC pathogenesis.

scholarly journals Pirated Siderophores Promote Sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle M. Grandchamp ◽  
Lews Caro ◽  
Elizabeth A. Shank
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Iron Acquisition ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Mineral Nutrient ◽  
Cell Physiology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Esterase Gene

ABSTRACT In microbial communities, bacteria chemically and physically interact with one another. Some of these interactions are mediated by secreted specialized metabolites that act as either intraspecies or interspecies signals to alter gene expression and to change cell physiology. Bacillus subtilis is a well-characterized soil microbe that can differentiate into multiple cell types, including metabolically dormant endospores. We were interested in identifying microbial interactions that affected sporulation in B. subtilis. Using a fluorescent transcriptional reporter, we observed that coculturing B. subtilis with Escherichia coli promoted sporulation gene expression via a secreted metabolite. To identify the active compound, we screened the E. coli Keio Collection and identified the sporulation-accelerating cue as the siderophore enterobactin. B. subtilis has multiple iron acquisition systems that are used to take up the B. subtilis-produced siderophore bacillibactin, as well as to pirate exogenous siderophores such as enterobactin. While B. subtilis uses a single substrate binding protein (FeuA) to take up both bacillibactin and enterobactin, we discovered that it requires two distinct genes to sporulate in response to these siderophores (the esterase gene besA for bacillibactin and a putative esterase gene, ybbA, for enterobactin). In addition, we found that siderophores from a variety of other microbial species also promote sporulation in B. subtilis. Our results thus demonstrate that siderophores can act not only as bacterial iron acquisition systems but also as interspecies cues that alter cellular development and accelerate sporulation in B. subtilis. IMPORTANCE While much is known about the genetic regulation of Bacillus subtilis sporulation, little is understood about how other bacteria influence this process. This work describes an interaction between Escherichia coli and B. subtilis that accelerates sporulation in B. subtilis. The interaction is mediated by the E. coli siderophore enterobactin; we show that other species' siderophores also promote sporulation gene expression in B. subtilis. These results suggest that siderophores not only may supply bacteria with the mineral nutrient iron but also may play a role in bacterial interspecies signaling, providing a cue for sporulation. Siderophores are produced by many bacterial species and thus potentially play important roles in altering bacterial cell physiology in diverse environments.

scholarly journals Influence of Vacuum Cooling on Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infiltration in Fresh Leafy Greens via a Multiphoton-Imaging Approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Vonasek ◽  
Nitin Nitin
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Multiphoton Imaging ◽  
Moisture Condition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Leafy Greens ◽  
Vacuum Cooling ◽  
Increased Risk

ABSTRACTMicrobial pathogen infiltration in fresh leafy greens is a significant food safety risk factor. In various postharvest operations, vacuum cooling is a critical process for maintaining the quality of fresh produce. The overall goal of this study was to evaluate the risk of vacuum cooling-induced infiltration ofEscherichia coliO157:H7 into lettuce using multiphoton microscopy. Multiphoton imaging was chosen as the method to locateE. coliO157:H7 within an intact lettuce leaf due to its high spatial resolution, low background fluorescence, and near-infrared (NIR) excitation source compared to those of conventional confocal microscopy. The variables vacuum cooling, surface moisture, and leaf side were evaluated in a three-way factorial study withE. coliO157:H7 on lettuce. A total of 188 image stacks were collected. The images were analyzed forE. coliO157:H7 association with stomata andE. coliO157:H7 infiltration. The quantitative imaging data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicate that the low-moisture condition led to an increased risk of microbial association with stomata (P < 0.05). Additionally, the interaction between vacuum cooling levels and moisture levels led to an increased risk of infiltration (P < 0.05). This study also demonstrates the potential of multiphoton imaging for improving sensitivity and resolution of imaging-based measurements of microbial interactions with intact leaf structures, including infiltration.

scholarly journals Genome placement of alpha-haemolysin cluster is associated with alpha-haemolysin sequence variation, adhesin and iron acquisition factor profile of Escherichia coli

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafał Kolenda ◽  
Katarzyna Sidorczuk ◽  
Mateusz Noszka ◽  
Adrianna Aleksandrowicz ◽  
Muhammad Moman Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Sequence Variation ◽  
Iron Acquisition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Type 3

Since the discovery of haemolysis, many studies focused on a deeper understanding of this phenotype in Escherichia coli and its association with other virulence genes, diseases and pathogenic attributes/functions in the host. Our virulence-associated factor profiling and genome-wide association analysis of genomes of haemolytic and nonhaemolytic E. coli unveiled high prevalence of adhesins, iron acquisition genes and toxins in haemolytic bacteria. In the case of fimbriae with high prevalence, we analysed sequence variation of FimH, EcpD and CsgA, and showed that different adhesin variants were present in the analysed groups, indicating altered adhesive capabilities of haemolytic and nonhaemolytic E. coli . Analysis of over 1000 haemolytic E. coli genomes revealed that they are pathotypically, genetically and antigenically diverse, but their adhesin and iron acquisition repertoire is associated with genome placement of hlyCABD cluster. Haemolytic E. coli with chromosome-encoded alpha-haemolysin had high frequency of P, S, Auf fimbriae and multiple iron acquisition systems such as aerobactin, yersiniabactin, salmochelin, Fec, Sit, Bfd and hemin uptake systems. Haemolytic E. coli with plasmid-encoded alpha-haemolysin had similar adhesin profile to nonpathogenic E. coli, with high prevalence of Stg, Yra, Ygi, Ycb, Ybg, Ycf, Sfm, F9 fimbriae, Paa, Lda, intimin and type 3 secretion system encoding genes. Analysis of HlyCABD sequence variation revealed presence of variants associated with genome placement and pathotype.

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