Project description:During infection, phages manipulate bacteria to redirect metabolism towards viral proliferation. To counteract phages, some bacteria employ CRISPR-Cas systems that provide adaptive immunity. While CRISPR-Cas mechanisms have been studied extensively, their effects on both the phage and the host during phage infection remains poorly understood. Here, we analysed the infection of Serratia by a siphovirus (JS26) and the transcriptomic response with, or without type I-E or I-F CRISPR-Cas immunity. In non-immune Serratia, phage infection altered bacterial metabolism by upregulating anaerobic respiration and amino acid biosynthesis genes, while flagella production was suppressed. Furthermore, phage proliferation required a late-expressed viral Cas4, which did not influence CRISPR adaptation. While type I-E and I-F immunity provided robust defence against phage infection, phage development still impacted the bacterial host. Moreover, DNA repair and SOS response pathways were upregulated during type I immunity. We also discovered that the type I-F system is controlled by a positive autoregulatory feedback loop that is activated upon phage targeting during type I-F immunity, leading to a controlled anti-phage response. Overall, our results provide new insight into phage-host dynamics and the impact of CRISPR immunity within the infected cell.
Project description:Bacteria protect themselves from infection by bacteriophages (phages) using different defence systems, such as CRISPR-Cas. Although CRISPR-Cas provides phage resistance, fitness costs are incurred, such as through autoimmunity. CRISPR-Cas regulation can optimise defence and minimise these costs. We recently developed a genome-wide functional genomics approach (SorTn-seq) for high-throughput discovery of regulators of bacterial gene expression. Here, we applied SorTn-seq to identify loci influencing expression of the two type III-A Serratia CRISPR arrays. Multiple genes affected CRISPR expression, including those involved in outer membrane and lipopolysaccharide synthesis. By comparing loci affecting type III CRISPR arrays and cas operon expression, we identified PigU (LrhA) as a repressor that co-ordinately controls both arrays and cas genes. By repressing type III-A CRISPR-Cas expression, PigU shuts off CRISPR-Cas interference against plasmids and phages. PigU also represses interference and CRISPR adaptation by the type I-F system, which is also present in Serratia. RNA sequencing demonstrated that PigU is a global regulator that controls secondary metabolite production and motility, in addition to CRISPR-Cas immunity. Increased PigU also resulted in elevated expression of three Serratia prophages, indicating their likely induction upon sensing PigU-induced cellular changes. In summary, PigU is a major regulator of CRISPR-Cas immunity in Serratia.
Project description:The human gut microbiota is a metabolic organ whose cellular composition is determined by a dynamic process of selection and competition. To identify microbial genes required for establishment of human symbionts in the gut, we developed an approach (insertion-sequencing, or INSeq) based on a mutagenic transposon that allows capture of adjacent chromosomal DNA to define its genomic location. We used massively parallel sequencing to monitor the relative abundance of tens of thousands of transposon mutants of a saccharolytic human gut bacterium, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, as they established themselves in wild-type and immunodeficient gnotobiotic mice, in the presence or absence of other human gut commensals. In vivo selection transforms this population, revealing functions necessary for survival in the gut: we show how this selection is influenced by community composition and competition for nutrients (vitamin B12). INSeq provides a broadly applicable platform to explore microbial adaptation to the gut and other ecosystems. Keywords: Other 57 samples analyzed, 1 of these is the reference (input) sample
Project description:CRISPR-Cas immune systems function to defend prokaryotes against potentially harmful mobile genetic elements including viruses and plasmids. The multiple CRISPR-Cas systems (Types I, II, III) each recognize and target destruction of foreign invader nucleic acids via structurally and functionally diverse effector complexes (crRNPs). CRISPR-Cas effector complexes are comprised of CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) that contain sequences homologous to the invading nucleic acids and Cas proteins specific to each immune system type. We have previously characterized a crRNP in Pyrococcus furiosus (Pfu) that contains Cmr proteins (Type III-B) associated with one of two primary size forms of crRNAs and functions through homology-dependent cleavage of target RNAs. In the current study, we have isolated and characterized two additional native Pfu CRISPR-Cas complexes containing either Csa (Type I-A) or Cst (Type I-G) proteins and distinct profiles of associated crRNAs. For each complex, the Cas proteins were identified by tandem mass spectrometry and immunoblotting and the crRNAs by RNA deep sequencing and Northern blot analysis. The crRNAs associated with both the Csa and Cst complexes originate from each of seven total CRISPR loci and contain identical 5’ ends (8-nt CRISPR RNA repeat-derived 5’ tag sequences) but heterogeneous 3’ ends (containing variable amounts of downstream repeat sequences). These crRNA forms are distinct from Cmr-associated crRNAs, indicating different 3’ end processing pathways following primary cleavage of common pre-crRNAs. We predict that the newly identified Pfu Type I-A (Csa) and Type I-G (Cst)-containing crRNPs, like other previously characterized Type I CRISPR-Cas effector complexes, each function by carrying out crRNA-guided DNA targeting of invading mobile genetic elements. Taken together, our in-depth characterization of the three isolated native complexes provides clear evidence for three compositionally distinct crRNPs containing either Cmr, Csa, or Cst Cas proteins that together make up an impressive arsenal of CRISPR-Cas defense for a single organism. 4 Samples: Protein-associated small RNAs
Project description:A whole transcriptome study was performed on Sulfolobus islandicus REY15A actively undergoing CRISPR spacer acquisition from the crenarchaeal monocaudavirus STSV2 in rich (TYS) and basal (SCV) media over a 6 day period. Spacer acquisition preceded strong host growth retardation, and changes in viral transcript abundance and virus copy numbers showed significant differences between the two media. Results showed that rich medium favoured CRISPR-Cas immunity generation.
Project description:The human gut microbiota is a metabolic organ whose cellular composition is determined by a dynamic process of selection and competition. To identify microbial genes required for establishment of human symbionts in the gut, we developed an approach (insertion-sequencing, or INSeq) based on a mutagenic transposon that allows capture of adjacent chromosomal DNA to define its genomic location. We used massively parallel sequencing to monitor the relative abundance of tens of thousands of transposon mutants of a saccharolytic human gut bacterium, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, as they established themselves in wild-type and immunodeficient gnotobiotic mice, in the presence or absence of other human gut commensals. In vivo selection transforms this population, revealing functions necessary for survival in the gut: we show how this selection is influenced by community composition and competition for nutrients (vitamin B12). INSeq provides a broadly applicable platform to explore microbial adaptation to the gut and other ecosystems. Keywords: Other
Project description:In this study, the minimal consortium Oligo-Mouse Microbiota (OMM)12 was used to study the function of Coriobacteriia under defined conditions in gnotobiotic mice. OMM12 mice with or without adding the dominant gut bacterium Eggerthella lenta were fed with diets varying in fat content or supplemented with primary bile acids. Changes in the host liver proteomes were studied using untargeted proteomics.
Project description:The CRISPR-Cas universe continues to expand. The type II CRISPR-Cas system from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpyCas9) is most widely used for genome editing due to its high efficiency in cells and organisms. However, concentrating on a single CRISPR-Cas system imposes limits on target selection and multiplexed genome engineering. We hypothesized that CRISPR-Cas systems originating from different bacterial species could operate simultaneously and independently due to their distinct single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) or CRISPR-RNAs (crRNAs), and protospacer adjacent motifs (PAMs). Additionally, we hypothesized that CRISPR-Cas activity in zebrafish could be regulated through the expression of inhibitory anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins. Here, we use a simple mutagenesis approach to demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas systems from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpyCas9), Streptococcus aureus (SauCas9), Lachnospiraceae bacterium (LbaCas12a, previously known as LbCpf1), Acidaminococcus sp. (AspCas12a, previously known as AsCpf1) and Neisseria meningitidis (Nme2Cas9) are orthogonal systems capable of operating simultaneously in zebrafish. We implemented multichannel CRISPR recording using up to three CRISPR systems, and show that LbaCas12a may provide superior information density compared to previous methods. We also demonstrate that type II Acrs (anti-CRISPRs) are effective inhibitors of SpyCas9 in zebrafish. These results indicate that at least five CRISPR-Cas systems and two anti-CRISPR proteins are functional in zebrafish embryos. These orthogonal CRISPR-Cas systems and Acr proteins will enable combinatorial and intersectional strategies for spatiotemporal control of genome editing and genetic recording in animals.