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Prevalence of SOS-mediated control of integron integrase expression as an adaptive trait of chromosomal and mobile integrons.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Integrons are found in hundreds of environmental bacterial species, but are mainly known as the agents responsible for the capture and spread of antibiotic-resistance determinants between Gram-negative pathogens. The SOS response is a regulatory network under control of the repressor protein LexA targeted at addressing DNA damage, thus promoting genetic variation in times of stress. We recently reported a direct link between the SOS response and the expression of integron integrases in Vibrio cholerae and a plasmid-borne class 1 mobile integron. SOS regulation enhances cassette swapping and capture in stressful conditions, while freezing the integron in steady environments. We conducted a systematic study of available integron integrase promoter sequences to analyze the extent of this relationship across the Bacteria domain. RESULTS:Our results showed that LexA controls the expression of a large fraction of integron integrases by binding to Escherichia coli-like LexA binding sites. In addition, the results provide experimental validation of LexA control of the integrase gene for another Vibrio chromosomal integron and for a multiresistance plasmid harboring two integrons. There was a significant correlation between lack of LexA control and predicted inactivation of integrase genes, even though experimental evidence also indicates that LexA regulation may be lost to enhance expression of integron cassettes. CONCLUSIONS:Ancestral-state reconstruction on an integron integrase phylogeny led us to conclude that the ancestral integron was already regulated by LexA. The data also indicated that SOS regulation has been actively preserved in mobile integrons and large chromosomal integrons, suggesting that unregulated integrase activity is selected against. Nonetheless, additional adaptations have probably arisen to cope with unregulated integrase activity. Identifying them may be fundamental in deciphering the uneven distribution of integrons in the Bacteria domain.

SUBMITTER: Cambray G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3108266 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Prevalence of SOS-mediated control of integron integrase expression as an adaptive trait of chromosomal and mobile integrons.

Cambray Guillaume G Sanchez-Alberola Neus N Campoy Susana S Guerin Émilie É Da Re Sandra S González-Zorn Bruno B Ploy Marie-Cécile MC Barbé Jordi J Mazel Didier D Erill Ivan I

Mobile DNA 20110430 1

<h4>Background</h4>Integrons are found in hundreds of environmental bacterial species, but are mainly known as the agents responsible for the capture and spread of antibiotic-resistance determinants between Gram-negative pathogens. The SOS response is a regulatory network under control of the repressor protein LexA targeted at addressing DNA damage, thus promoting genetic variation in times of stress. We recently reported a direct link between the SOS response and the expression of integron inte ...[more]

PMID: 21529368

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Project description:The integron platform allows the acquisition, expression, and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes within gene cassettes. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contain abundant resistance genes; however, knowledge about the impacts of wastewater treatment on integrons and their gene cassettes is limited. In this study, by using clone library analysis and high-throughput sequencing, we investigated the abundance of class 1, 2, and 3 integrons and their corresponding gene cassettes in three urban WWTPs. Our results showed that class 1 integrons were most abundant in WWTPs and that wastewater treatment significantly reduced the abundance of all integrons. The WWTP influents harbored the highest diversity of class 1 integron gene cassettes, whereas class 3 integron gene cassettes exhibited highest diversity in activated sludge. Most of the gene cassette arrays detected in class 1 integrons were novel. Aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, and trimethoprim resistance genes were highly prevalent in class 1 integron gene cassettes, while class 3 integrons mainly carried beta-lactam resistance gene cassettes. A core class 1 integron resistance gene cassette pool persisted during wastewater treatment, implying that these resistance genes could have high potential to spread into environments through WWTPs. These data provide new insights into the impact of wastewater treatment on integron pools and highlight the need for surveillance of resistance genes within both class 1 and 3 integrons.IMPORTANCE Wastewater treatment plants represent a significant sink and transport medium for antibiotic resistance bacteria and genes spreading into environments. Integrons are important genetic elements involved in the evolution of antibiotic resistance. To better understand the impact of wastewater treatment on integrons and their gene cassette contexts, we conducted clone library construction and high-throughput sequencing to analyze gene cassette contexts for class 1 and class 3 integrons during the wastewater treatment process. This study comprehensively profiled the distribution of integrons and their gene cassettes (especially class 3 integrons) in influents, activated sludge, and effluents of conventional municipal wastewater treatment plants. We further demonstrated that while wastewater treatment significantly reduced the abundance of integrons and the diversity of associated gene cassettes, a large fraction of integrons persisted in wastewater effluents and were consequentially discharged into downstream natural environments.

Dataset Information

Prevalence of SOS-mediated control of integron integrase expression as an adaptive trait of chromosomal and mobile integrons.

Publications

Prevalence of SOS-mediated control of integron integrase expression as an adaptive trait of chromosomal and mobile integrons.

Similar Datasets

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