scholarly journals Extensive Horizontal Gene Transfer in Cheese-Associated Bacteria

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin S. Bonham ◽  
Benjamin E. Wolfe ◽  
Rachel J. Dutton
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Associated Bacteria ◽  
The Us ◽  
Selective Forces ◽  
Genomic Regions ◽  
Microbiome Assembly ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractAcquisition of genes through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows microbes to rapidly gain new capabilities and adapt to new or changing environments. Identifying widespread HGT regions within multispecies microbiomes can pinpoint the molecular mechanisms that play key roles in microbiome assembly. We sought to identify horizontally transferred genes within a model microbiome, the cheese rind. Comparing 31 newly-sequenced and 134 previously sequenced bacterial isolates from cheese rinds, we identified over 200 putative horizontally transferred genomic regions containing 4,733 protein coding genes. The largest of these regions are enriched for genes involved in siderophore acquisition, and are widely distributed in cheese rinds in both Europe and the US. These results suggest that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is prevalent in cheese rind microbiomes, and the identification of genes that are frequently transferred in a particular environment may provide insight into the selective forces shaping microbial communities.

scholarly journals Extensive horizontal gene transfer in cheese-associated bacteria

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin S Bonham ◽  
Benjamin E Wolfe ◽  
Rachel J Dutton
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Associated Bacteria ◽  
The Us ◽  
Selective Forces ◽  
Genomic Regions ◽  
Microbiome Assembly ◽  
Insight Into

Acquisition of genes through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows microbes to rapidly gain new capabilities and adapt to new or changing environments. Identifying widespread HGT regions within multispecies microbiomes can pinpoint the molecular mechanisms that play key roles in microbiome assembly. We sought to identify horizontally transferred genes within a model microbiome, the cheese rind. Comparing 31 newly sequenced and 134 previously sequenced bacterial isolates from cheese rinds, we identified over 200 putative horizontally transferred genomic regions containing 4733 protein coding genes. The largest of these regions are enriched for genes involved in siderophore acquisition, and are widely distributed in cheese rinds in both Europe and the US. These results suggest that HGT is prevalent in cheese rind microbiomes, and that identification of genes that are frequently transferred in a particular environment may provide insight into the selective forces shaping microbial communities.

scholarly journals Genome analysis and gene nblA identification of Microcystis aeruginosa myovirus (MaMV-DC) reveal the evidence for horizontal gene transfer events between cyanomyovirus and host

2015 ◽  
Vol 96 (12) ◽  
pp. 3681-3697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tong Ou ◽  
Xiao-Chan Gao ◽  
San-Hua Li ◽  
Qi-Ya Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Microcystis Aeruginosa ◽  
Trna Gene ◽  
Genetic Characterization ◽  
Significant Decline ◽  
Lake Dianchi ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Efficient Expression ◽  
Insight Into

The genome sequence, genetic characterization and nblA gene function of Microcystis aeruginosa myovirus isolated from Lake Dianchi in China (MaMV-DC) have been analysed. The genome DNA is 169 223 bp long, with 170 predicted protein-coding genes (001L–170L) and a tRNA gene. About one-sixth of these genes have homologues in the host cyanobacteria M. aeruginosa. The genome carries a gene homologous to host nblA, which encodes a protein involved in the degradation of cyanobacterial phycobilisome. Its expression during MaMV-DC infection was confirmed by reverse transcriptase PCR and Western blot detection and abundant expression was companied by the significant decline of phycocyanin content and massive release of progeny MaMV-DC. In addition, expressing MaMV-DC nblA reduced the phycocyanin peak and the phycocyanin to chlorophyll ratio in model cyanobacteria. These results confirm that horizontal gene transfer events have occurred between cyanobacterial host and cyanomyovirus and suggest that MaMV-DC carrying host-derived genes (such as 005L, that codes for NblA) is responsible for more efficient expression of cyanophage genes and release of progeny cyanophage. This study provides novel insight into the horizontal gene transfer in cyanophage and the interactions between cyanophage and their host.

scholarly journals panRGP: a pangenome-based method to predict genomic islands and explore their diversity

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. i651-i658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelme Bazin ◽  
Guillaume Gautreau ◽  
Claudine Médigue ◽  
David Vallenet ◽  
Alexandra Calteau
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Genomic Islands ◽  
Genome Plasticity ◽  
Reference Dataset ◽  
Prokaryotic Genomes ◽  
Ideal Approach ◽  
Genomic Regions

Abstract Motivation Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major source of variability in prokaryotic genomes. Regions of genome plasticity (RGPs) are clusters of genes located in highly variable genomic regions. Most of them arise from HGT and correspond to genomic islands (GIs). The study of those regions at the species level has become increasingly difficult with the data deluge of genomes. To date, no methods are available to identify GIs using hundreds of genomes to explore their diversity. Results We present here the panRGP method that predicts RGPs using pangenome graphs made of all available genomes for a given species. It allows the study of thousands of genomes in order to access the diversity of RGPs and to predict spots of insertions. It gave the best predictions when benchmarked along other GI detection tools against a reference dataset. In addition, we illustrated its use on metagenome assembled genomes by redefining the borders of the leuX tRNA hotspot, a well-studied spot of insertion in Escherichia coli. panRPG is a scalable and reliable tool to predict GIs and spots making it an ideal approach for large comparative studies. Availability and implementation The methods presented in the current work are available through the following software: https://github.com/labgem/PPanGGOLiN. Detailed results and scripts to compute the benchmark metrics are available at https://github.com/axbazin/panrgp_supdata.

scholarly journals Conjugative plasmids: vessels of the communal gene pool

2009 ◽  
Vol 364 (1527) ◽  
pp. 2275-2289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Norman ◽  
Lars H. Hansen ◽  
Søren J. Sørensen
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Prokaryotic Genome ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Adaptive Traits ◽  
Conjugative Plasmids ◽  
Environmental Setting ◽  
Genome Analyses ◽  
Insight Into

Comparative whole-genome analyses have demonstrated that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) provides a significant contribution to prokaryotic genome innovation. The evolution of specific prokaryotes is therefore tightly linked to the environment in which they live and the communal pool of genes available within that environment. Here we use the term supergenome to describe the set of all genes that a prokaryotic ‘individual’ can draw on within a particular environmental setting. Conjugative plasmids can be considered particularly successful entities within the communal pool, which have enabled HGT over large taxonomic distances. These plasmids are collections of discrete regions of genes that function as ‘backbone modules’ to undertake different aspects of overall plasmid maintenance and propagation. Conjugative plasmids often carry suites of ‘accessory elements’ that contribute adaptive traits to the hosts and, potentially, other resident prokaryotes within specific environmental niches. Insight into the evolution of plasmid modules therefore contributes to our knowledge of gene dissemination and evolution within prokaryotic communities. This communal pool provides the prokaryotes with an important mechanistic framework for obtaining adaptability and functional diversity that alleviates the need for large genomes of specialized ‘private genes’.

scholarly journals Emerging Novel GII.P16 Noroviruses Associated with Multiple Capsid Genotypes

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Barclay ◽  
Jennifer L. Cannon ◽  
Mary E. Wikswo ◽  
Annie R. Phillips ◽  
Hannah Browne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Severe Case ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Antigenic Drift ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Structural Protein ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Recombinant Viruses ◽  
The Us ◽  
Genomic Regions

Noroviruses evolve by antigenic drift and recombination, which occurs most frequently at the junction between the non-structural and structural protein coding genomic regions. In 2015, a novel GII.P16-GII.4 Sydney recombinant strain emerged, replacing the predominance of GII.Pe-GII.4 Sydney among US outbreaks. Distinct from GII.P16 polymerases detected since 2010, this novel GII.P16 was subsequently detected among GII.1, GII.2, GII.3, GII.10 and GII.12 viruses, prompting an investigation on the unique characteristics of these viruses. Norovirus positive samples (n = 1807) were dual-typed, of which a subset (n = 124) was sequenced to yield near-complete genomes. CaliciNet and National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) records were matched to link outbreak characteristics and case outcomes to molecular data and GenBank was mined for contextualization. Recombination with the novel GII.P16 polymerase extended GII.4 Sydney predominance and increased the number of GII.2 outbreaks in the US. Introduction of the novel GII.P16 noroviruses occurred without unique amino acid changes in VP1, more severe case outcomes, or differences in affected population. However, unique changes were found among NS1/2, NS4 and VP2 proteins, which have immune antagonistic functions, and the RdRp. Multiple polymerase-capsid combinations were detected among GII viruses including 11 involving GII.P16. Molecular surveillance of protein sequences from norovirus genomes can inform the functional importance of amino acid changes in emerging recombinant viruses and aid in vaccine and antiviral formulation.

scholarly journals CryoEM structure of the type IVa pilus secretin required for natural competence in Vibrio cholerae

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara J. Weaver ◽  
Davi R. Ortega ◽  
Matthew H. Sazinsky ◽  
Triana N. Dalia ◽  
Ankur B. Dalia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Vibrio Cholerae ◽  
Natural Transformation ◽  
Domain Architecture ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Surface Binding ◽  
Exogenous Dna ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract Natural transformation is the process by which bacteria take up genetic material from their environment and integrate it into their genome by homologous recombination. It represents one mode of horizontal gene transfer and contributes to the spread of traits like antibiotic resistance. In Vibrio cholerae, a type IVa pilus (T4aP) is thought to facilitate natural transformation by extending from the cell surface, binding to exogenous DNA, and retracting to thread this DNA through the outer membrane secretin, PilQ. Here, we use a functional tagged allele of VcPilQ purified from native V. cholerae cells to determine the cryoEM structure of the VcPilQ secretin in amphipol to ~2.7 Å. We use bioinformatics to examine the domain architecture and gene neighborhood of T4aP secretins in Proteobacteria in comparison with VcPilQ. This structure highlights differences in the architecture of the T4aP secretin from the type II and type III secretion system secretins. Based on our cryoEM structure, we design a series of mutants to reversibly regulate VcPilQ gate dynamics. These experiments support the idea of VcPilQ as a potential druggable target and provide insight into the channel that DNA likely traverses to promote the spread of antibiotic resistance via horizontal gene transfer by natural transformation.

scholarly journals Lifestyle and Horizontal Gene Transfer-Mediated Evolution of Mucispirillum schaedleri, a Core Member of the Murine Gut Microbiota

mSystems ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Loy ◽  
Carina Pfann ◽  
Michaela Steinberger ◽  
Buck Hanson ◽  
Simone Herp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Intestinal Inflammation ◽  
Effector Proteins ◽  
Secretion Systems ◽  
Associated Bacteria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gut Microbiota Composition

ABSTRACT Shifts in gut microbiota composition have been associated with intestinal inflammation, but it remains unclear whether inflammation-associated bacteria are commensal or detrimental to their host. Here, we studied the lifestyle of the gut bacterium Mucispirillum schaedleri, which is associated with inflammation in widely used mouse models. We found that M. schaedleri has specialized systems to handle oxidative stress during inflammation. Additionally, it expresses secretion systems and effector proteins and can modify the mucosal gene expression of its host. This suggests that M. schaedleri undergoes intimate interactions with its host and may play a role in inflammation. The insights presented here aid our understanding of how commensal gut bacteria may be involved in altering susceptibility to disease. Mucispirillum schaedleri is an abundant inhabitant of the intestinal mucus layer of rodents and other animals and has been suggested to be a pathobiont, a commensal that plays a role in disease. In order to gain insights into its lifestyle, we analyzed the genome and transcriptome of M. schaedleri ASF 457 and performed physiological experiments to test traits predicted by its genome. Although described as a mucus inhabitant, M. schaedleri has limited capacity for degrading host-derived mucosal glycans and other complex polysaccharides. Additionally, M. schaedleri reduces nitrate and expresses systems for scavenging oxygen and reactive oxygen species in vivo, which may account for its localization close to the mucosal tissue and expansion during inflammation. Also of note, M. schaedleri harbors a type VI secretion system and putative effector proteins and can modify gene expression in mucosal tissue, suggesting intimate interactions with its host and a possible role in inflammation. The M. schaedleri genome has been shaped by extensive horizontal gene transfer, primarily from intestinal Epsilon- and Deltaproteobacteria, indicating that horizontal gene transfer has played a key role in defining its niche in the gut ecosystem. IMPORTANCE Shifts in gut microbiota composition have been associated with intestinal inflammation, but it remains unclear whether inflammation-associated bacteria are commensal or detrimental to their host. Here, we studied the lifestyle of the gut bacterium Mucispirillum schaedleri, which is associated with inflammation in widely used mouse models. We found that M. schaedleri has specialized systems to handle oxidative stress during inflammation. Additionally, it expresses secretion systems and effector proteins and can modify the mucosal gene expression of its host. This suggests that M. schaedleri undergoes intimate interactions with its host and may play a role in inflammation. The insights presented here aid our understanding of how commensal gut bacteria may be involved in altering susceptibility to disease.

scholarly journals Parasitism-evoked horizontal gene transfer between plants as a novel trigger for specialized metabolism evolution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiichiro Ono ◽  
Kohki Shimizu ◽  
Jun Murata ◽  
Akira Shiraishi ◽  
Ryusuke Yokoyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Metabolic Evolution ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
Cuscuta Campestris ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
Biological Impacts

Abstract Recent genomic studies of parasitic plants have revealed that there are numerous footprints indicative of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) to the parasites from their host plants. However, the molecular mechanisms and biological impacts of this phenomenon have remained largely unknown. Here, we made the striking observation that two parasitic dodders, Cuscuta campestris and C. australis, have functional homologues of Si_CYP81Q1, which encodes piperitol/sesamin synthase (PSS) in the phylogenetically remote plant Sesamum indicum (sesame). The apparent lack of sequence similarity between the regions flanking PSS in Sesamum and Cuscuta spp. suggests the occurrence of HGT tightly associated with the PSS gene. Upon parasitism, C. campestris induced expression of the host Si_CYP81Q1 at the parasitic interface and mature and intron-retained Si_CYP81Q1 mRNA was transferred to C. campestris, suggesting that CYP81Q1 was translocated via RNA-mediated HGT. Thus, parasitism-evoked HGT might have had an unexpected role in the metabolic evolution of plants.

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