scholarly journals Prophage-Mediated Disruption of Genetic Competence in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius

mSystems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Brooks ◽  
Lyan Padilla-Vélez ◽  
Tarannum A. Khan ◽  
Azaan A. Qureshi ◽  
Jason B. Pieper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
North America ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Fluoroquinolone Resistance ◽  
Genetic Competence ◽  
Staphylococcus Pseudintermedius ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is a major cause of soft tissue infections in dogs and occasionally infects humans. Hypervirulent multidrug-resistant (MDR) MRSP clones have emerged globally. The sequence types ST71 and ST68, the major epidemic clones of Europe and North America, respectively, have spread to other regions. The genetic factors underlying the success of these clones have not been investigated thoroughly. Here, we performed a comprehensive genomic analysis of 371 S. pseudintermedius isolates to dissect the differences between major clonal lineages. We show that the prevalence of genes associated with antibiotic resistance, virulence, prophages, restriction-modification (RM), and CRISPR/Cas systems differs significantly among MRSP clones. The isolates with GyrA+GrlA mutations, conferring fluoroquinolone resistance, carry more of these genes than those without GyrA+GrlA mutations. ST71 and ST68 clones carry lineage-specific prophages with genes that are likely associated with their increased fitness and virulence. We have discovered that a prophage, SpST71A, is inserted within the comGA gene of the late competence operon comG in the ST71 lineage. A functional comG is essential for natural genetic competence, which is one of the major modes of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in bacteria. The RM and CRISPR/Cas systems, both major genetic barriers to HGT, are also lineage specific. Clones harboring CRISPR/Cas or a prophage-disrupted comG exhibited less genetic diversity and lower rates of recombination than clones lacking these systems. After Listeria monocytogenes, this is the second example of prophage-mediated competence disruption reported in any bacteria. These findings are important for understanding the evolution and clonal expansion of MDR MRSP clones. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a bacterium responsible for clinically important infections in dogs and can infect humans. In this study, we performed genomic analysis of 371 S. pseudintermedius isolates to understand the evolution of antibiotic resistance and virulence in this organism. The analysis covered significant reported clones, including ST71 and ST68, the major epidemic clones of Europe and North America, respectively. We show that the prevalence of genes associated with antibiotic resistance, virulence, prophages, and horizontal gene transfer differs among clones. ST71 and ST68 carry prophages with novel virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. Importantly, site-specific integration of a prophage, SpST71A, has led to the disruption of the genetic competence operon comG in ST71 clone. A functional comG is essential for the natural uptake of foreign DNA and thus plays an important role in the evolution of bacteria. This study provides insight into the emergence and evolution of antibiotic resistance and virulence in S. pseudintermedius, which may help in efforts to combat this pathogen.

scholarly journals Identification of a Novel Conjugative Plasmid in Mycobacteria That Requires Both Type IV and Type VII Secretion

mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy Ummels ◽  
Abdallah M. Abdallah ◽  
Vincent Kuiper ◽  
Anouar Aâjoud ◽  
Marion Sparrius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conjugative Plasmids ◽  
Type Vii Secretion ◽  
Type Iv ◽  
Slow Growing

ABSTRACTConjugative plasmids have been identified in a wide variety of different bacteria, ranging from proteobacteria to firmicutes, and conjugation is one of the most efficient routes for horizontal gene transfer. The most widespread mechanism of plasmid conjugation relies on different variants of the type IV secretion pathway. Here, we describe the identification of a novel type of conjugative plasmid that seems to be unique for mycobacteria. Interestingly, while this plasmid is efficiently exchanged between different species of slow-growing mycobacteria, includingMycobacterium tuberculosis, it could not be transferred to any of the fast-growing mycobacteria tested. Genetic analysis of the conjugative plasmid showed the presence of a locus containing homologues of three type IV secretion system components and a relaxase. In addition, a new type VII secretion locus was present. Using transposon insertion mutagenesis, we show that in fact both these secretion systems are essential for conjugation, indicating that this plasmid represents a new class of conjugative plasmids requiring two secretion machineries. This plasmid could form a useful new tool to exchange or introduce DNA in slow-growing mycobacteria.IMPORTANCEConjugative plasmids play an important role in horizontal gene transfer between different bacteria and, as such, in their adaptation and evolution. This effect is most obvious in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. Thus far, conjugation of natural plasmids has been described only rarely for mycobacterial species. In fact, it is generally accepted thatM. tuberculosisdoes not show any recent sign of horizontal gene transfer. In this study, we describe the identification of a new widespread conjugative plasmid that can also be efficiently transferred toM. tuberculosis. This plasmid therefore poses both a threat and an opportunity. The threat is that, through the acquisition of antibiotic resistance markers, this plasmid could start a rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes between pathogenic mycobacteria. The opportunity is that we could use this plasmid to generate new tools for the efficient introduction of foreign DNA in slow-growing mycobacteria.

scholarly journals Horizontal Gene Transfer Clarifies Taxonomic Confusion and Promotes the Genetic Diversity and Pathogenicity of Plesiomonas shigelloides

mSystems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiu Yin ◽  
Si Zhang ◽  
Yi Wei ◽  
Meng Wang ◽  
Shuangshuang Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Evolutionary Dynamics ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pan Genome ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Taxonomic Confusion

The taxonomic position of P. shigelloides has been the subject of debate for a long time, and until now, the evolutionary dynamics and pathogenesis of P. shigelloides were unclear. In this study, pan-genome analysis indicated extensive genetic diversity and the presence of large and variable gene repertoires. Our results revealed that horizontal gene transfer was the focal driving force for the genetic diversity of the P. shigelloides pan-genome and might have contributed to the emergence of novel properties. Vibrionaceae and Aeromonadaceae were found to be the predominant donor taxa for horizontal genes, which might have caused the taxonomic confusion historically. Comparative genomic analysis revealed the potential of P. shigelloides to cause intestinal and invasive diseases. Our results could advance the understanding of the evolution and pathogenesis of P. shigelloides, particularly in elucidating the role of horizontal gene transfer and investigating virulence-related elements.

scholarly journals Synthetic Fatty Acids Prevent Plasmid-Mediated Horizontal Gene Transfer

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
María Getino ◽  
David J. Sanabria-Ríos ◽  
Raúl Fernández-López ◽  
Javier Campos-Gómez ◽  
José M. Sánchez-López ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Aliphatic Chain ◽  
Bacterial Conjugation ◽  
Human Pathogens

ABSTRACT Bacterial conjugation constitutes a major horizontal gene transfer mechanism for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes among human pathogens. Antibiotic resistance spread could be halted or diminished by molecules that interfere with the conjugation process. In this work, synthetic 2-alkynoic fatty acids were identified as a novel class of conjugation inhibitors. Their chemical properties were investigated by using the prototype 2-hexadecynoic acid and its derivatives. Essential features of effective inhibitors were the carboxylic group, an optimal long aliphatic chain of 16 carbon atoms, and one unsaturation. Chemical modification of these groups led to inactive or less-active derivatives. Conjugation inhibitors were found to act on the donor cell, affecting a wide number of pathogenic bacterial hosts, including Escherichia, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter spp. Conjugation inhibitors were active in inhibiting transfer of IncF, IncW, and IncH plasmids, moderately active against IncI, IncL/M, and IncX plasmids, and inactive against IncP and IncN plasmids. Importantly, the use of 2-hexadecynoic acid avoided the spread of a derepressed IncF plasmid into a recipient population, demonstrating the feasibility of abolishing the dissemination of antimicrobial resistances by blocking bacterial conjugation. IMPORTANCE Diseases caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria are taking an important toll with respect to human morbidity and mortality. The most relevant antibiotic resistance genes come to human pathogens carried by plasmids, mainly using conjugation as a transmission mechanism. Here, we identified and characterized a series of compounds that were active against several plasmid groups of clinical relevance, in a wide variety of bacterial hosts. These inhibitors might be used for fighting antibiotic-resistance dissemination by inhibiting conjugation. Potential inhibitors could be used in specific settings (e.g., farm, fish factory, or even clinical settings) to investigate their effect in the eradication of undesired resistances.

scholarly journals Horizontal Gene Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance from Acinetobacter baylyi to Escherichia coli on Lettuce and Subsequent Antibiotic Resistance Transmission to the Gut Microbiome

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlène Maeusli ◽  
Bosul Lee ◽  
Sarah Miller ◽  
Zeferino Reyna ◽  
Peggy Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Acinetobacter Baylyi ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Plant Foods ◽  
Link Type

ABSTRACT Agricultural use of antibiotics is recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a major contributor to antibiotic-resistant infections. While most One Health attention has been on the potential for antibiotic resistance transmission from livestock and contaminated meat products to people, plant foods are fundamental to the food chain for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. We hypothesized that environmental bacteria that colonize plant foods may serve as platforms for the persistence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and for horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes. Donor Acinetobacter baylyi and recipient Escherichia coli were cocultured in vitro, in planta on lettuce, and in vivo in BALB/c mice. We showed that nonpathogenic, environmental A. baylyi is capable of transferring plasmids conferring antibiotic resistance to E. coli clinical isolates on lettuce leaf discs. Furthermore, transformant E. coli from the in planta assay could then colonize the mouse gut microbiome. The target antibiotic resistance plasmid was identified in mouse feces up to 5 days postinfection. We specifically identified in vivo transfer of the plasmid to resident Klebsiella pneumoniae in the mouse gut. Our findings highlight the potential for environmental bacteria exposed to antibiotics to transmit resistance genes to mammalian pathogens during ingestion of leafy greens. IMPORTANCE Previous efforts have correlated antibiotic-fed livestock and meat products with respective antibiotic resistance genes, but virtually no research has been conducted on the transmission of antibiotic resistance from plant foods to the mammalian gut (C. S. Hölzel, J. L. Tetens, and K. Schwaiger, Pathog Dis 15:671–688, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2018.2501; C. M. Liu et al., mBio 9:e00470-19, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00470-18; B. Spellberg et al., NAM Perspectives, 2016, https://doi.org/10.31478/201606d; J. O’Neill, Antimicrobials in agriculture and the environment, 2015; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States, 2019). Here, we sought to determine if horizontal transmission of antibiotic resistance genes can occur between lettuce and the mammalian gut microbiome, using a mouse model. Furthermore, we have created a new model to study horizontal gene transfer on lettuce leaves using an antibiotic-resistant transformant of A. baylyi (AbzeoR).

scholarly journals Mobilome and Resistome Reconstruction from Genomes Belonging to Members of the Bifidobacterium Genus

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Mancino ◽  
Gabriele Andrea Lugli ◽  
Douwe van Sinderen ◽  
Marco Ventura ◽  
Francesca Turroni
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Host Health ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Bacitracin A ◽  
In Silico Analyses ◽  
Growth Experiments

Specific members of the genus Bifidobacterium are among the first colonizers of the human/animal gut, where they act as important intestinal commensals associated with host health. As part of the gut microbiota, bifidobacteria may be exposed to antibiotics, used in particular for intrapartum prophylaxis, especially to prevent Streptococcus infections, or in the very early stages of life after the birth. In the current study, we reconstructed the in silico resistome of the Bifidobacterium genus, analyzing a database composed of 625 bifidobacterial genomes, including partial assembled strains with less than 100 genomic sequences. Furthermore, we screened bifidobacterial genomes for mobile genetic elements, such as transposases and prophage-like elements, in order to investigate the correlation between the bifido-mobilome and the bifido-resistome, also identifying genetic insertion hotspots that appear to be prone to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events. These insertion hotspots were shown to be widely distributed among analyzed bifidobacterial genomes, and suggest the acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes through HGT events. These data were further corroborated by growth experiments directed to evaluate bacitracin A resistance in Bifidobacterium spp., a property that was predicted by in silico analyses to be part of the HGT-acquired resistome.

scholarly journals Comparative Genomic Analysis of Closely Related Acetobacter pasteurianus Strains Provides Evidence of Horizontal Gene Transfer and Reveals Factors Necessary for Thermotolerance

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minenosuke Matsutani ◽  
Nami Matsumoto ◽  
Hideki Hirakawa ◽  
Yuh Shiwa ◽  
Hirofumi Yoshikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Comparative Genomic Analysis ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Acetobacter Pasteurianus ◽  
Respiratory Chains

ABSTRACT Acetobacter pasteurianus is an industrial strain used for the vinegar production. Many A. pasteurianus strains with different phenotypic characteristics have been isolated so far. To understand the genetic background underpinning these phenotypes, a comparative genomic analysis of A. pasteurianus strains was conducted. Based on bioinformatics and experimental results, we report the following. (i) The gene repertoire related to the respiratory chains showed that several horizontal gene transfer events occurred after the divergence of these strains, indicating that the respiratory chain in A. pasteurianus has the diversity to adapt to its environment. (ii) There is a clear difference in thermotolerance even between 12 closely related strains. NBRC 3279, NBRC 3284, and NBRC 3283, in particular, which have only 55 mutations in total, showed differences in thermotolerance. The Na+/H+ antiporter gene nhaK2 was mutated in the thermosensitive NBRC 3279 and NBRC 3284 strains and not in the thermotolerant NBRC 3283 strain. The Na+/H+ antiporter activity of the three strains and expression of nhaK2 gene from NBRC 3283 in the two thermosensitive strains showed that these mutations are critical for thermotolerance. These results suggested that horizontal gene transfer events and several mutations have affected the phenotypes of these closely related strains. IMPORTANCE Acetobacter pasteurianus, an industrial vinegar-producing strain, exhibits diverse phenotypic differences such as respiratory activity related to acetic acid production, acetic acid resistance, or thermotolerance. In this study, we investigated the correlations between genome sequences and phenotypes among closely related A. pasteurianus strains. The gene repertoire related to the respiratory chains showed that the respiratory components of A. pasteurianus has a diversity caused by several horizontal gene transfers and mutations. In three closely related strains with clear differences in their thermotolerances, we found that the insertion or deletion that occurred in the Na+/H+ antiporter gene nhaK2 is directly related to their thermotolerance. Our study suggests that a relatively quick mutation has occurred in the closely related A. pasteurianus due to its genetic instability and that this has largely affected its phenotype.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document