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Genomics Reveals a Unique Clone of Burkholderia cenocepacia Harboring an Actively Excising Novel Genomic Island.

ABSTRACT: Burkholderia cenocepacia is a clinically dominant form among the other virulent species of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). In the present study, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of seven nosocomial Bcc isolates, five of which were isolated from the bloodstream infections and two isolates were recovered from the hospital setting during the surveillance. Genome-based species identification of the Bcc isolates using a type strain explicitly identified the species as B. cenocepacia. Moreover, single nucleotide polymorphism analysis revealed that the six isolates were clonal and phylogenetically distinct from the other B. cenocepacia. Comparative genomics distinctly revealed the larger genome size of six clonal isolates as well as the presence of a novel 107 kb genomic island named as BcenGI15, which encodes putative pathogenicity-associated genes. We have shown that the BcenGI15 has an ability to actively excise from the genome and forming an extrachromosomal circular form suggesting its mobile nature. Surprisingly, a homolog of BcenGI15 was also present in the genome of a clinical isolate named Burkholderia pseudomallei strain EY1. This novel genetic element is present only in the variants of B. cenocepacia and B. pseudomallei isolates suggesting its interspecies existence in the main pathogenic species of the genus Burkholderia. In conclusion, the whole genome analysis of the genomically distinct B. cenocepacia clinical isolates has advanced our understanding of the epidemiology and evolution of this important nosocomial pathogen as well as its relatives.

SUBMITTER: Patil PP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5382208 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genomics Reveals a Unique Clone of Burkholderia cenocepacia Harboring an Actively Excising Novel Genomic Island.

Patil Prashant P PP Mali Swapna S Midha Samriti S Gautam Vikas V Dash Lona L Kumar Sunil S Shastri Jayanthi J Singhal Lipika L Patil Prabhu B PB

Frontiers in microbiology 20170406

Burkholderia cenocepacia is a clinically dominant form among the other virulent species of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). In the present study, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of seven nosocomial Bcc isolates, five of which were isolated from the bloodstream infections and two isolates were recovered from the hospital setting during the surveillance. Genome-based species identification of the Bcc isolates using a type strain explicitly identified the species as B. cen ...[more]

PMID: 28428775

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Project description:Burkholderia cenocepacia causes severe pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Since the bacterium is virtually untreatable by antibiotics, chronic infections persist for years and might develop into fatal septic pneumonia (cepacia syndrome, CS). To devise new strategies to combat chronic B. cenocepacia infections, it is essential to obtain comprehensive knowledge about their pathogenesis. We conducted a comparative genomic analysis of 32 Czech isolates of epidemic clone B. cenocepacia ST32 isolated from various stages of chronic infection in 8 CF patients. High numbers of large-scale deletions were found to occur during chronic infection, affecting preferentially genomic islands and nonessential replicons. Recombination between insertion sequences (IS) was inferred as the mechanism behind deletion formation; the most numerous IS group was specific for the ST32 clone and has undergone transposition burst since its divergence. Genes functionally related to transition metal metabolism were identified as hotspots for deletions and IS insertions. This functional category was also represented among genes where nonsynonymous point mutations and indels occurred parallelly among patients. Another category exhibiting parallel mutations was oxidative stress protection; mutations in catalase KatG resulted in impaired detoxification of hydrogen peroxide. Deep sequencing revealed substantial polymorphism in genes of both categories within the sputum B. cenocepacia ST32 populations, indicating extensive adaptive evolution. Neither oxidative stress response nor transition metal metabolism genes were previously reported to undergo parallel evolution during chronic CF infection. Mutations in katG and copper metabolism genes were overrepresented in patients where chronic infection developed into CS. Among professional phagocytes, macrophages use both hydrogen peroxide and copper for their bactericidal activity; our results thus tentatively point to macrophages as suspects in pathogenesis towards the fatal CS.

Project description:BackgroundAs is true for many other antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative pathogens, members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) are currently being assessed for their susceptibility to phage therapy as an antimicrobial treatment. The objective of this study was to perform genomic and limited functional characterization of the novel BCC phage JG068 (vB_BceP_JG068).ResultsJG068 is a podovirus that forms large, clear plaques on Burkholderia cenocepacia K56-2. Host range analysis indicates that this phage can infect environmental, clinical, and epidemic isolates of Burkholderia multivorans, B. cenocepacia, Burkholderia stabilis, and Burkholderia dolosa, likely through interaction with the host lipopolysaccharide as a receptor. The JG068 chromosome is 41,604 base pairs (bp) in length and is flanked by 216 bp short direct terminal repeats. Gene expression originates from both host and phage promoters and is in the forward direction for all 49 open reading frames. The genome sequence shows similarity to Ralstonia phage ϕRSB1, Caulobacter phage Cd1, and uncharacterized genetic loci of blood disease bacterium R229 and Burkholderia pseudomallei 1710b. CoreGenesUniqueGenes analysis indicates that JG068 belongs to the Autographivirinae subfamily and ϕKMV-like phages genus. Modules within the genome encode proteins involved in DNA-binding, morphogenesis, and lysis, but none associated with pathogenicity or lysogeny. Similar to the signal-arrest-release (SAR) endolysin of ϕKMV, inducible expression of the JG068 SAR endolysin causes lysis of Escherichia coli that is dependent on the presence of an N-terminal signal sequence. In an in vivo assay using the Galleria mellonella infection model, treatment of B. cenocepacia K56-2-infected larvae with JG068 results in a significant increase in larval survival.ConclusionsAs JG068 has a broad host range, does not encode virulence factors, is obligately lytic, and has activity against an epidemic B. cenocepacia strain in vivo, this phage is a highly promising candidate for BCC phage therapy development.

Project description:Burkholderia pseudomallei is a soil-dwelling saprophyte and the cause of melioidosis. Horizontal gene transfer contributes to the genetic diversity of this pathogen and may be an important determinant of virulence potential. The genome contains genomic island (GI) regions that encode a broad array of functions. Although there is some evidence for the variable distribution of genomic islands in B. pseudomallei isolates, little is known about the extent of variation between related strains or their association with disease or environmental survival.Five islands from B. pseudomallei strain K96243 were chosen as representatives of different types of genomic islands present in this strain, and their presence investigated in other B. pseudomallei. In silico analysis of 10 B. pseudomallei genome sequences provided evidence for the variable presence of these regions, together with micro-evolutionary changes that generate GI diversity. The diversity of GIs in 186 isolates from NE Thailand (83 environmental and 103 clinical isolates) was investigated using multiplex PCR screening. The proportion of all isolates positive by PCR ranged from 12% for a prophage-like island (GI 9), to 76% for a metabolic island (GI 16). The presence of each of the five GIs did not differ between environmental and disease-associated isolates (p > 0.05 for all five islands). The cumulative number of GIs per isolate for the 186 isolates ranged from 0 to 5 (median 2, IQR 1 to 3). The distribution of cumulative GI number did not differ between environmental and disease-associated isolates (p = 0.27). The presence of GIs was defined for the three largest clones in this collection (each defined as a single sequence type, ST, by multilocus sequence typing); these were ST 70 (n = 15 isolates), ST 54 (n = 11), and ST 167 (n = 9). The rapid loss and/or acquisition of gene islands was observed within individual clones. Comparisons were drawn between isolates obtained from the environment and from patients with melioidosis in order to examine the role of genomic islands in virulence and clinical associations. There was no reproducible association between the individual or cumulative presence of five GIs and a range of clinical features in 103 patients with melioidosis.Horizontal gene transfer of mobile genetic elements can rapidly alter the gene repertoire of B. pseudomallei. This study confirms the utility of a range of approaches in defining the presence and significance of genomic variation in natural populations of B. pseudomallei.

Project description:The study of the minimum set of genes required to sustain life is a fundamental question in biological research. Recent studies on bacterial essential genes suggested that between 350 and 700 genes are essential to support autonomous bacterial cell growth. Essential genes are of interest as potential new antimicrobial drug targets; hence, our aim was to identify the essential genome of the cystic fibrosis (CF) isolate Burkholderia cenocepacia H111. Using a transposon sequencing (Tn-Seq) approach, we identified essential genes required for growth in rich medium under aerobic and microoxic conditions as well as in a defined minimal medium with citrate as a sole carbon source. Our analysis suggests that 398 genes are required for autonomous growth in rich medium, a number that represents only around 5% of the predicted genes of this bacterium. Five hundred twenty-six genes were required to support growth in minimal medium, and 434 genes were essential under microoxic conditions (0.5% O2). A comparison of these data sets identified 339 genes that represent the minimal set of essential genes required for growth under all conditions tested and can be considered the core essential genome of B. cenocepacia H111. The majority of essential genes were found to be located on chromosome 1, and few such genes were located on chromosome 2, where most of them were clustered in one region. This gene cluster is fully conserved in all Burkholderia species but is present on chromosome 1 in members of the closely related genus Ralstonia, suggesting that the transfer of these essential genes to chromosome 2 in a common ancestor contributed toward the separation of the two genera.IMPORTANCE Transposon sequencing (Tn-Seq) is a powerful method used to identify genes that are essential for autonomous growth under various conditions. In this study, we have identified a set of "core essential genes" that are required for growth under multiple conditions, and these genes represent potential antimicrobial targets. We also identified genes specifically required for growth under low-oxygen and nutrient-limited environments. We generated conditional mutants to verify the results of our Tn-Seq analysis and demonstrate that one of the identified genes was not essential per se but was an artifact of the construction of the mutant library. We also present verified examples of genes that were not truly essential but, when inactivated, showed a growth defect. These examples have identified so-far-underestimated shortcomings of this powerful method.

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Genomics Reveals a Unique Clone of Burkholderia cenocepacia Harboring an Actively Excising Novel Genomic Island.

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Genomics Reveals a Unique Clone of <i>Burkholderia cenocepacia</i> Harboring an Actively Excising Novel Genomic Island.

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