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Probing prokaryotic social behaviors with bacterial "lobster traps".

ABSTRACT: Bacteria are social organisms that display distinct behaviors/phenotypes when present in groups. These behaviors include the abilities to construct antibiotic-resistant sessile biofilm communities and to communicate with small signaling molecules (quorum sensing [QS]). Our understanding of biofilms and QS arises primarily from in vitro studies of bacterial communities containing large numbers of cells, often greater than 10(8) bacteria; however, in nature, bacteria often reside in dense clusters (aggregates) consisting of significantly fewer cells. Indeed, bacterial clusters containing 10(1) to 10(5) cells are important for transmission of many bacterial pathogens. Here, we describe a versatile strategy for conducting mechanistic studies to interrogate the molecular processes controlling antibiotic resistance and QS-mediated virulence factor production in high-density bacterial clusters. This strategy involves enclosing a single bacterium within three-dimensional picoliter-scale microcavities (referred to as bacterial "lobster traps") defined by walls that are permeable to nutrients, waste products, and other bioactive small molecules. Within these traps, bacteria divide normally into extremely dense (10(12) cells/ml) clonal populations with final population sizes similar to that observed in naturally occurring bacterial clusters. Using these traps, we provide strong evidence that within low-cell-number/high-density bacterial clusters, QS is modulated not only by bacterial density but also by population size and flow rate of the surrounding medium. We also demonstrate that antibiotic resistance develops as cell density increases, with as few as ~150 confined bacteria exhibiting an antibiotic-resistant phenotype similar to biofilm bacteria. Together, these findings provide key insights into clinically relevant phenotypes in low-cell-number/high-density bacterial populations.

SUBMITTER: Connell JL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2975351 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Probing prokaryotic social behaviors with bacterial "lobster traps".

Connell Jodi L JL Wessel Aimee K AK Parsek Matthew R MR Ellington Andrew D AD Whiteley Marvin M Shear Jason B JB

mBio 20101012 4

Bacteria are social organisms that display distinct behaviors/phenotypes when present in groups. These behaviors include the abilities to construct antibiotic-resistant sessile biofilm communities and to communicate with small signaling molecules (quorum sensing [QS]). Our understanding of biofilms and QS arises primarily from in vitro studies of bacterial communities containing large numbers of cells, often greater than 10(8) bacteria; however, in nature, bacteria often reside in dense clusters ...[more]

PMID: 21060734

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Project description:Full title: Probing the pan genome of a foodborne bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes: Implications for its niche adaptation, pathogenesis, and evolution Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne bacterial pathogen well known for adaptability to diverse environmental and host niches, and a high fatality rate among infected, immuno-compromised individuals. Three genetic lineages have been identified within this species. Strains of genetic lineages I and II account for more than ninety percent of foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide, whereas strains from genetic lineage III are rarely implicated in human infectious for unknown, yet intriguing, reasons. Here we have probed the genomic diversity of 26 L. monocytogenes strains using both whole-genome sequences and a novel 385,000 probe pan-genome microarray, fully tiling the genomes of 20 representative strains. Using these methods to identify genes highly conserved in lineages I and II but rare in lineage III, we have identified 86 genes and 8 small RNAs that play roles in bacterial stress resistance, pathogenicity, and niche, potentially explaining the predominance of L. monocytogenes lineages I and II in foodborne disease outbreaks. Extending gene content analysis to all lineages revealed a L. monocytogenes core genome of approximately 2,350 genes (80% of each individual genome) and a pan-genomic reservoir of >4,000 unique genes. Combined gene content data from both sequences and arrays was used to reconstruct an informative phylogeny for the L. monocytogenes species that confirms three distinct lineages and describes the relationship of 9 new lineage III genomes. Comparative analysis of 18 fully sequenced L. monocytogenes lineage I and II genomes shows a high level of genomic conservation and synteny, indicative of a closed pan-genome, with moderate domain shuffling and sequence drift associated with bacteriophages is present in all lineages. In contrast with lineages I and II, notable genomic diversity and characteristics of an open pan-genome were observed in the lineage III genomes, including many strain-specific genes and a more complex conservation pattern. This indicates that the L. monocytogenes pan-genome has not yet been fully sampled by genome sequencing, and additional sequencing of lineage III genomes is necessary to survey the full diversity of this intriguing species and reveal its mechanisms for adaptability and virulence. This is a Listeria monocytogenes pan-genome tilling array designed using PanArray algorithm. 9 experimental strains (F2-569, M1-002, F2-208, J2-071, J1-208, W1-111, W1-110, F2-524, F2-501) vs reference (EGD-e) strain.

Dataset Information

Probing prokaryotic social behaviors with bacterial "lobster traps".

Publications

Probing prokaryotic social behaviors with bacterial "lobster traps".

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