Project description:Listeria monocytogenes strains classify into at least three distinct phylogenetic lineages. Correlations exist between lineage classification and source of bacterial isolation, e.g., human clinical and food isolates usually classify into either lineage I or II, however, human clinical isolates are over-represented in lineage I while food isolates are over-represented in lineage II. σB, a transcriptional regulator previously demonstrated to contribute to environmental stress response and virulence in L. monocytogenes lineage II strains, was hypothesized to provide differential capabilities for L. monocytogenes survival in various niches (e.g., food vs. human clinical). To determine if σB contributions to stress response and virulence differ across diverse L. monocytogenes strains, ΔsigB mutations were created in strains from lineages I, II, IIIA, and IIIB. Paired parent and ΔsigB mutant strains were tested for acid and oxidative stress survival, Caco-2 cell invasion efficiency, and virulence using the guinea pig listeriosis infection model. Parent and ΔsigB mutant strain transcriptomes were compared using whole-genome expression microarrays. σB contributed to virulence in each strain. However, while σB contributed significantly to acid and oxidative stress survival and Caco-2 cell invasion in lineage I, II, and IIIB strains, σB contributions were not significant for these phenotypes in the lineage IIIA strain. A core set of 63 genes was positively regulated by σB in all four strains; different total numbers of genes were positively regulated by σB in each strain. Our results suggest that σB universally contributes to L. monocytogenes virulence, but specific σB-regulated stress response phenotypes vary among strains.
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes strains classify into at least three distinct phylogenetic lineages. Correlations exist between lineage classification and source of bacterial isolation, e.g., human clinical and food isolates usually classify into either lineage I or II, however, human clinical isolates are over-represented in lineage I while food isolates are over-represented in lineage II. σB, a transcriptional regulator previously demonstrated to contribute to environmental stress response and virulence in L. monocytogenes lineage II strains, was hypothesized to provide differential capabilities for L. monocytogenes survival in various niches (e.g., food vs. human clinical). To determine if σB contributions to stress response and virulence differ across diverse L. monocytogenes strains, ΔsigB mutations were created in strains from lineages I, II, IIIA, and IIIB. Paired parent and ΔsigB mutant strains were tested for acid and oxidative stress survival, Caco-2 cell invasion efficiency, and virulence using the guinea pig listeriosis infection model. Parent and ΔsigB mutant strain transcriptomes were compared using whole-genome expression microarrays. σB contributed to virulence in each strain. However, while σB contributed significantly to acid and oxidative stress survival and Caco-2 cell invasion in lineage I, II, and IIIB strains, σB contributions were not significant for these phenotypes in the lineage IIIA strain. A core set of 63 genes was positively regulated by σB in all four strains; different total numbers of genes were positively regulated by σB in each strain. Our results suggest that σB universally contributes to L. monocytogenes virulence, but specific σB-regulated stress response phenotypes vary among strains.
Project description:Although the major food-borne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni has been isolated from diverse animal, human and environmental sources, our knowledge of genomic diversity in C. jejuni is based exclusively on human or human food-chain-associated isolates. Studies employing multilocus sequence typing have indicated that some clonal complexes are more commonly associated with particular sources. Using comparative genomic hybridization on a collection of 80 isolates representing diverse sources and clonal complexes, we identified a separate clade comprising a group of water/wildlife isolates of C. jejuni with multilocus sequence types uncharacteristic of human food-chain-associated isolates. By genome sequencing one representative of this diverse group (C. jejuni 1336), and a representative of the bank-vole niche specialist ST-3704 (C. jejuni 414), we identified deletions of genomic regions normally carried by human food-chain-associated C. jejuni. Several of the deleted regions included genes implicated in chicken colonization or in virulence. Novel genomic insertions contributing to the accessory genomes of strains 1336 and 414 were identified. Comparative analysis using PCR assays indicated that novel regions were common but not ubiquitous among the water/wildlife group of isolates, indicating further genomic diversity among this group, whereas all ST-3704 isolates carried the same novel accessory regions. While strain 1336 was able to colonize chicks, strain 414 was not, suggesting that regions specifically absent from the genome of strain 414 may play an important role in this common route of Campylobacter infection of humans. We suggest that the genomic divergence observed constitutes evidence of adaptation leading to niche specialization. Data is also available from <ahref=http://bugs.sgul.ac.uk/E-BUGS-95 target=_blank>BuG@Sbase</a>
Project description:Because antibiotics have been widely used to prevent severe losses due to infectious fishery diseases, the liberal application and overuse of antibiotics has led to the spread and evolution of bacterial resistance, food safety hazards, and environmental issues. The use of some antibiotics, including florfenicol and enrofloxacin, is allowed in aquaculture in China. Accordingly, to better address the concerns and questions associated with the impact of administered enrofloxacin and florfenicol to grass carp, here we investigated the immune response, bacterial diversity, and transcriptome of the intestine of C. idella treated with these oral antibiotics. The aim of this study was to provide an in-depth evaluation of the antibiotic-induced patterns and dynamics of the microbiota grass carp and the potential mechanism involved.
Project description:Comparative genomic hybridization between Escherichia coli strains to determine core and pan genome content of clinical and environmental isolates
Project description:We compare the transcriptome of gnotobiotic Ae. aegypti generated by contaminating axenic (bacteria-free) larvae with bacterial isolates found in natural mosquito breeding sites. We focused on four bacterial isolates (Lysobacter, Flavobacterium, Paenibacillus and Enterobacteriaceae) and found that different gnotobiotic treatments resulted in massive transcriptomic changes throughout the mosquito development.
Project description:Legionella pneumophila are important opportunistic pathogens for which environmental reservoirs such as protists are crucial for the infection of humans. Free-living amoebae are considered key hosts providing nutrients and shelter for highly efficient intracellular proliferation of L. pneumophila, which eventually leads to lysis of the amoeba host cell. Yet, the significance of other bacterial players for L. pneumophila ecology is poorly understood. In this study we used a ubiquitous amoeba and their bacterial endosymbiont to investigate the impact of this common association on L. pneumophila infection. We demonstrate that Acanthamoeba castellanii harboring the chlamydial symbiont Protochlamydia amoebophila were able to erase L. pneumophila and, in contrast to symbiont-free amoebae, survived the infection and were able to resume growth. Environmental amoeba isolates harboring P. amoebophila were equally well-protected, and fresh environmental isolates of L. pneumophila were equally well-erased, suggesting ecological relevance of this symbiont-mediated protection. We further show that protection was not mediated by impaired L. pneumophila uptake. Instead, we observed reduced virulence of L. pneumophila released from symbiont-containing amoebae that is strongly supported by transcriptome data. Interference with transition to the transmissive phase is thus likely the basis for this protection. Finally, our data indicate that the defensive response of amoebae harboring P. amoebophila leaves the amoebae with superior fitness reminiscent of immunological memory. Given that mutualistic associations between bacteria and amoebae are widely distributed, P. amoebophila and potentially other amoeba endosymbionts could be key elements in shaping environmental survival, abundance and virulence of this important pathogen thereby affecting frequency of human infection.
2019-04-14 | GSE125876 | GEO
Project description:Environmental and wastewater treatment plant discharge bacterial isolates