FtsZ-mediated fission of a cuboid bacterial symbiont.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Weber PM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8760462 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:Many insect species, such as aphids, leafhoppers, planthoppers, and whiteflies harbor obligate bacterial symbionts that can be transovarially transmitted to offspring through the oocytes of female insects. Whether obligate bacterial symbionts can carry important molecules/resources to the embryos to support egg development is still unknown. Here, we show that the vitellogenin (Vg) precursor of rice leafhopper Nephotettix cincticeps is biosynthesized by the fat body, secreted into the hemolymph and subsequently cleaved into the 35- and 178-kDa subunits, whereas only the 178-kDa subunit is taken up by the leading end of oocytes in a receptor-dependent manner or moves into the posterior pole of the terminal oocyte in association with obligate bacterial symbiont "Candidatus Nasuia deltocephalinicola" (hereafter Nasuia) in a receptor-independent manner. Furthermore, the 178-kDa Vg subunit can directly interact with a surface channel molecule (porin) on the envelope of Nasuia, allowing Vg to enter bacterial cytoplasm. Thus, Vg can hitchhike the ancient oocyte entry path of Nasuia, the common obligate symbiont of leafhoppers. Knocking down a Nasuia growth-related protein expression or treatment with porin antibody strongly prevents the ability of Nasuia to carry Vgs into oocytes and impair insect egg development. Nasuia-carried Vgs provide at least 20% of the total Vgs in the developing eggs. We anticipate that the bacterial symbiont-mediated Vg uptake into oocytes to support efficient egg development may be a common pattern shared by many insects.IMPORTANCE Many insects harbor obligate bacterial symbionts that can be vertically transmitted to offspring by female insects through eggs. Here, we report that leafhopper vitellogenin (Vg) recognizes and binds a surface channel molecule (porin) on the envelope of obligate bacterial symbiont Nasuia, which potentially induces the opening of porin channels for Vg to access the cytoplasm of Nasuia Thus, Vg can exploit bacterial symbionts as the independent carriers into the oocytes. Such Nasuia-carried Vg contents support efficient insect egg development. Thus, our findings indicate that insects have evolved strategies to exploit the symbionts for carrying additional Vgs to guarantee optimal insect reproduction.
| S-EPMC7667026 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Development of insecticide resistance has been a serious concern worldwide, whose mechanisms have been attributed to evolutionary changes in pest insect genomes such as alteration of drug target sites, up-regulation of degrading enzymes, and enhancement of drug excretion. Here, we report a previously unknown mechanism of insecticide resistance: Infection with an insecticide-degrading bacterial symbiont immediately establishes insecticide resistance in pest insects. The bean bug Riptortus pedestris and allied stinkbugs harbor mutualistic gut symbiotic bacteria of the genus Burkholderia, which are acquired by nymphal insects from environmental soil every generation. In agricultural fields, fenitrothion-degrading Burkolderia strains are present at very low densities. We demonstrated that the fenitrothion-degrading Burkholderia strains establish a specific and beneficial symbiosis with the stinkbugs and confer a resistance of the host insects against fenitrothion. Experimental applications of fenitrothion to field soils drastically enriched fenitrothion-degrading bacteria from undetectable levels to >80% of total culturable bacterial counts in the field soils, and >90% of stinkbugs reared with the enriched soil established symbiosis with fenitrothion-degrading Burkholderia. In a Japanese island where fenitrothion has been constantly applied to sugarcane fields, we identified a stinkbug population wherein the insects live on sugarcane and ≈8% of them host fenitrothion-degrading Burkholderia. Our finding suggests the possibility that the symbiont-mediated insecticide resistance may develop even in the absence of pest insects, quickly establish within a single insect generation, and potentially move around horizontally between different pest insects and other organisms.
| S-EPMC3365206 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Cuboid-navicular synchondrosis is a rare pathology that has historically been treated with open surgery. Open surgery poses complications and precludes satisfactory visibility during the operative treatment of these lesions. Arthroscopic portals typically limit the risk of complications and provide better visibility in small joints. We describe here an original technique of arthroscopic resection followed by cuboid-navicular arthrodesis.
| S-EPMC9244640 | biostudies-literature
Project description:RNA interference (RNAi) methods for insects are often limited by problems with double-stranded (ds) RNA delivery, which restricts reverse genetics studies and the development of RNAi-based biocides. We therefore delegated to insect symbiotic bacteria the task of: (i) constitutive dsRNA synthesis and (ii) trauma-free delivery. RNaseIII-deficient, dsRNA-expressing bacterial strains were created from the symbionts of two very diverse pest species: a long-lived blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus, and a short-lived globally invasive polyphagous agricultural pest, western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis). When ingested, the manipulated bacteria colonized the insects, successfully competed with the wild-type microflora, and sustainably mediated systemic knockdown phenotypes that were horizontally transmissible. This represents a significant advance in the ability to deliver RNAi, potentially to a large range of non-model insects.
| S-EPMC4810840 | biostudies-other
Project description:In horizontally transmitted mutualisms between marine animals and their bacterial partners, the host environment promotes the initial colonization by specific symbionts that it harvests from the surrounding bacterioplankton. Subsequently, the host must develop long-term tolerance to immunogenic bacterial molecules, such as peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccaride derivatives. We describe the characterization of the activity of a host peptidoglycan recognition protein (EsPGRP2) during establishment of the symbiosis between the squid Euprymna scolopes and its luminous bacterial symbiont Vibrio fischeri. Using confocal immunocytochemistry, we localized EsPGRP2 to all epithelial surfaces of the animal, and determined that it is exported in association with mucus shedding. Most notably, EsPGRP2 was released by the crypt epithelia into the extracellular spaces housing the symbionts. This translocation occurred only after the symbionts had triggered host morphogenesis, a process that is induced by exposure to the peptidoglycan monomer tracheal cytotoxin (TCT), a bacterial 'toxin' that is constitutively exported by V. fischeri. Enzymatic analyses demonstrated that, like many described PGRPs, EsPGRP2 has a TCT-degrading amidase activity. The timing of EsPGRP2 export into the crypts provides evidence that the host does not export this protein until after TCT induces morphogenesis, and thereafter EsPGRP2 is constantly present in the crypts ameliorating the effects of V. fischeri TCT.
| S-EPMC2889240 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Forces are important in biological systems for accomplishing key cell functions, such as motility, organelle transport, and cell division. Currently, known force generation mechanisms typically involve motor proteins. In bacterial cells, no known motor proteins are involved in cell division. Instead, a division ring (Z-ring) consists of mostly FtsZ, FtsA, and ZipA is used to exerting a contractile force. The mechanism of force generation in bacterial cell division is unknown. Using computational modeling, we show that Z-ring formation results from the colocalization of FtsZ and FtsA mediated by the favorable alignment of FtsZ polymers. The model predicts that the Z-ring undergoes a condensation transition from a low-density state to a high-density state and generates a sufficient contractile force to achieve division. FtsZ GTP hydrolysis facilitates monomer turnover during the condensation transition, but does not directly generate forces. In vivo fluorescence measurements show that FtsZ density increases during division, in accord with model results. The mechanism is akin to van der Waals picture of gas-liquid condensation, and shows that organisms can exploit microphase transitions to generate mechanical forces.
| S-EPMC2629247 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Escherichia coli is one of the most common Gram-negative pathogens and is responsible for infection leading to neonatal meningitis and sepsis. The FtsZ protein is a bacterial tubulin homolog required for cell division in most species, including E. coli. Several agents that block cell division have been shown to mislocalise FtsZ, including the bacteriophage λ-encoded Kil peptide, resulting in defective cell division and a filamentous phenotype, making FtsZ an attractive target for antimicrobials. In this study, we have used an in vitro meningitis model system for studying the effect of bacteriophages on FtsZ using fluorescent E. coli EV36/FtsZ-mCherry and K12/FtsZ-mNeon strains. We show localisation of FtsZ to the bacterial cell midbody as a single ring during normal growth conditions, and mislocalisation of FtsZ producing filamentous multi-ringed bacterial cells upon addition of the known inhibitor Kil peptide. We also show that when bacteriophages K1F-GFP and T7-mCherry were applied to their respective host strains, these phages can inhibit FtsZ and block bacterial cell division leading to a filamentous multi-ringed phenotype, potentially delaying lysis and increasing progeny number. This occurs in the exponential growth phase, as actively dividing hosts are needed. We present that ZapA protein is needed for phage inhibition by showing a phenotype recovery with a ZapA mutant strain, and we show that FtsI protein is also mislocalised upon phage infection. Finally, we show that the T7 peptide gp0.4 is responsible for the inhibition of FtsZ in K12 strains by observing a phenotype recovery with a T7Δ0.4 mutant.
| S-EPMC9372555 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Serratia proteamaculans synthesizes the intracellular metalloprotease protealysin. This work was aimed at searching for bacterial substrates of protealysin among the proteins responsible for replication and cell division. We have shown that protealysin unlimitedly cleaves the SOS response protein RecA. Even 20% of the cleaved RecA in solution appears to be incorporated into the polymer of uncleaved monomers, preventing further polymerization and inhibiting RecA ATPase activity. Transformation of Escherichia coli with a plasmid carrying the protealysin gene reduces the bacterial UV survival up to 10 times. In addition, the protealysin substrate is the FtsZ division protein, found in both E. coli and Acholeplasma laidlawii, which is only 51% identical to E. coli FtsZ. Protealysin cleaves FtsZ at the linker between the globular filament-forming domain and the C-terminal peptide that binds proteins on the bacterial membrane. Thus, cleavage of the C-terminal segment by protealysin can lead to the disruption of FtsZ's attachment to the membrane, and thereby inhibit bacterial division. Since the protealysin operon encodes not only the protease, but also its inhibitor, which is typical for the system of interbacterial competition, we assume that in the case of penetration of protealysin into neighboring bacteria that do not synthesize a protealysin inhibitor, cleavage of FtsZ and RecA by protealysin may give S. proteamaculans an advantage in interbacterial competition.
| S-EPMC9505478 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundLateral column lengthening (LCL) for flexible flatfoot is an effective surgery with powerful correction of deformity because it tightens only the lateral third of the long plantar ligament (LPL). However, LCL has been associated with joint damage at the osteotomy site and loss of foot flexibility owing to joint fixation. We focused on the cuboid and investigate a novel anatomical LCL osteotomy site that effectively tightens the LPL without damaging any joints.MethodsWe studied 24 feet of 12 cadavers (mean age, 80.8 years). The lengths of the LPL and short plantar ligament, locations of the attachments, and shape and location of the cuneocuboid joint on the medial side of the cuboid were studied. ImageJ software was used to measure the osteotomy angle.ResultsThe lateral cuboid attachment of the LPL on average was located 4.6 mm from the calcaneocuboid joint, and the cuneocuboid joint on average was located 6.7 mm from the cuboid-metatarsal joint on the medial surface of the cuboid. The direct line connecting the anterior cuneocuboid joint and the oblique crest of the cuboid on average was at a 10.3-degree inclination posterior to the cuboid-metatarsal joint.ConclusionA straight line must be selected between a point 4 mm from the calcaneocuboid joint laterally and 6 mm from the cuboid-metatarsal joint medially at a 10-degree posterior tilt to the cuboid-metatarsal joint to perform a cuboid osteotomy LCL without damaging the articular surface.Clinical relevanceWe investigated a potential novel cuboid osteotomy method for LCL.
| S-EPMC8702912 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The low quantum efficiency of silicon (Si) has been a long-standing challenge for scientists. Although improvement of quantum efficiency has been achieved in porous Si or Si quantum dots, highly efficient Si-based light sources prepared by using the current fabrication technooloy of Si chips are still being pursued. Here, we proposed a strategy, which exploits the intrinsic excitation of carriers at high temperatures, to modify the carrier dynamics in Si nanoparticles. We designed a Si/SiO2 cuboid supporting a quasi-bound state in the continuum (quasi-BIC) and demonstrated the injection of dense electron-hole plasma via two-photon-induced absorption by resonantly exciting the quasi-BIC with femtosecond laser pulses. We observed a significant improvement in quantum efficiency by six orders of magnitude to ~13%, which is manifested in the ultra-bright hot electron luminescence emitted from the Si/SiO2 cuboid. We revealed that femtosecond laser light with transverse electric polarization (i.e., the electric field perpendicular to the length of a Si/SiO2 cuboid) is more efficient for generating hot electron luminescence in Si/SiO2 cuboids as compared with that of transverse magnetic polarization (i.e., the magnetic field perpendicular to the length of a Si/SiO2 cuboid). Our findings pave the way for realizing on-chip nanoscale Si light sources for photonic integrated circuits and open a new avenue for manipulating the luminescence properties of semiconductors with indirect bandgaps.
| S-EPMC9117321 | biostudies-literature