Dataset Information

Phenotypic diversity of multicellular filamentation in oral Streptococci.

ABSTRACT: Filamentous multicellular bacteria are among the most ancient multicellular organisms. They inhabit a great variety of environments and are present in the human body, including the oral cavity. Beside the selective advantages related to the larger size achieved through filamentation, the development of multicellular bacteria can be also driven by simple ecological factors such as birth and death rates at the cellular level. In order to extend earlier results obtained in aquatic species, we investigate the filamentation process of four different strains of oral streptococci, namely S. mutans, S. salivarius, S. oralis and S. anginosus. The results indicate differences in the capacities of different streptococcus species to form filaments, manifested in terms of length and the time-scale of filament elongation. The filamentation pattern of these oral streptococci resembles that of aquatic bacteria, whereby filaments reach a peak length during exponential growth and become short when the population reaches a steady state. Hence, this study validates that multicellularity can be an emergent property of filamentous bacteria of different ecological niches, and that phenotypic differences in filamentation can occur within species of the same genus, in this case oral streptococci. Moreover, given the role that specific oral streptococci can play in the etiology of oral diseases, these results can possibly open new perspectives in the study of the virulence properties of these species.

SUBMITTER: Rossetti V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3785443 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Phenotypic diversity of multicellular filamentation in oral Streptococci.

Rossetti Valentina V Ammann Thomas W TW Thurnheer Thomas T Bagheri Homayoun C HC Belibasakis Georgios N GN

PloS one 20130927 9

Filamentous multicellular bacteria are among the most ancient multicellular organisms. They inhabit a great variety of environments and are present in the human body, including the oral cavity. Beside the selective advantages related to the larger size achieved through filamentation, the development of multicellular bacteria can be also driven by simple ecological factors such as birth and death rates at the cellular level. In order to extend earlier results obtained in aquatic species, we inves ...[more]

PMID: 24086713

Similar Datasets

Project description:Health-associated oral Streptococcus species are promising probiotic candidates to protect against dental caries. Ammonia production through the arginine deiminase system (ADS), which can increase the pH of oral biofilms, and direct antagonism of caries-associated bacterial species are desirable properties for oral probiotic strains. ADS and antagonistic activities can vary dramatically among individuals, but the genetic basis for these differences is unknown. We sequenced whole genomes of a diverse set of clinical oral Streptococcus isolates and examined the genetic basis of variability in ADS and antagonistic activities. A total of 113 isolates were included and represented 10 species: Streptococcus australis, A12-like, S. cristatus, S. gordonii, S. intermedius, S. mitis, S. oralis including S. oralis subsp. dentisani, S. parasanguinis, S. salivarius, and S. sanguinis. Mean ADS activity and antagonism on Streptococcus mutans UA159 were measured for each isolate, and each isolate was whole genome shotgun sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq. Phylogenies were built of genes known to be involved in ADS activity and antagonism. Several approaches to correlate the pan-genome with phenotypes were performed. Phylogenies of genes previously identified in ADS activity and antagonism grouped isolates by species, but not by phenotype. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified additional genes potentially involved in ADS activity or antagonism across all the isolates we sequenced as well as within several species. Phenotypic heterogeneity in oral streptococci is not necessarily reflected by genotype and is not species specific. Probiotic strains must be carefully selected based on characterization of each strain and not based on inclusion within a certain species. IMPORTANCE Representative type strains are commonly used to characterize bacterial species, yet species are phenotypically and genotypically heterogeneous. Conclusions about strain physiology and activity based on a single strain therefore may be inappropriate and misleading. When selecting strains for probiotic use, the assumption that all strains within a species share the same desired probiotic characteristics may result in selection of a strain that lacks the desired traits, and therefore makes a minimally effective or ineffective probiotic. Health-associated oral streptococci are promising candidates for anticaries probiotics, but strains need to be carefully selected based on observed phenotypes. We characterized the genotypes and anticaries phenotypes of strains from 10 species of oral streptococci and demonstrate poor correlation between genotype and phenotype across all species.

Project description:Phenotypic plasticity is a common strategy adopted by fungal pathogens to adapt to diverse host environments. Candida haemulonii is an emerging multidrug-resistant human pathogen that is closely related to Candida auris. Until recently, it was assumed that C. haemulonii is incapable of phenotypic switching or filamentous growth. In this study, we report the identification of three distinct phenotypes in C. haemulonii: white, pink, and filament. The white and pink phenotypes differ in cellular size, colony morphology, and coloration on phloxine B- or CuSO4-containing agar. Switching between the white and pink cell types is heritable and reversible and is referred to as "the primary switching system." The additional switch phenotype, filament, has been identified and exhibits obviously filamentous morphology when grown on glycerol-containing medium. Several unique characteristics of the filamentous phenotype suggest that switching from or to this phenotype poses as a second yeast-filament switching system. The yeast-filament switch is nonheritable and temperature-dependent. Low temperatures favor the filamentous phenotype, whereas high temperatures promote filament-yeast transition. We further demonstrated that numerous aspects of the distinct cell types differ in numerous biological aspects, including their high temperature response, specific gene expression, CuSO4 tolerance, secreted aspartyl protease (SAP) activity, and virulence. Therefore, transition among the three phenotypes could enable C. haemulonii to rapidly adapt to, survive, and thrive in certain host niches, thereby contributing to its virulence. IMPORTANCE The capacity to switch between distinct cell types, known as phenotypic switching, is a common strategy adopted by Candida species to adapt to diverse environments. Despite considerable studies on phenotypic plasticity of various Candida species, Candida haemulonii is considered to be incapable of phenotypic switching or filamentous growth. Here, we report and describe filamentation and three distinct phenotypes (white, pink, and filament) in C. haemulonii. The three cell types differ in cellular and colony appearance, gene expression profiles, CuSO4 tolerance, and virulence. C. haemulonii cells switch heritably and reversibly between white and pink cell types, which is referred to as the "primary switching system." Switching between pink and filamentous phenotypes is nonheritable and temperature-dependent, representing a second switching system. As in other Candida species, switching among distinct morphological types may provide C. haemulonii with phenotypic plasticity for rapid responses to the changing host environment, and may contribute to its virulence.

Dataset Information

Phenotypic diversity of multicellular filamentation in oral Streptococci.

Publications

Phenotypic diversity of multicellular filamentation in oral Streptococci.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets