Análisis genómico comparativo de dos nuevos plásmidos de la cepa PQ33 de Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans

Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans is a psychrotolerant acidophile capable of growing and oxidizing ferrous and sulphide substrates at low temperatures. To date, six genomes of this organism have been characterized; however, evidence of a plasmid in this species has been reported only once, whereby there is no conclusive role of the plasmids in the species. Herein, two novel plasmids of A. ferrivorans PQ33 were molecularly characterized and compared at a genomic scale. The genomes of two plasmids (12 kbp and 10 kbp) from A. ferrivorans PQ33 (NZ_LVZL01000000) were sequenced and annotated. The plasmids, named pAfPQ33-1 (NZ_CP021414.1) and pAfPQ33-2 (NZ_CP021415.1), presented 9 CDS and 13 CDS, respectively. In silico analysis showed proteins involved in conjugation (TraD, MobA, Eep and XerD), toxin-antitoxin systems (HicA and HicB), replication (RepA and DNA binding protein), transcription regulation (CopG), chaperone DnaJ, and a virulence gene (vapD). Furthermore, the plasmids contain sequences similar to phosphate-selective porins O and P and a diguanylate cyclase-phosphodiesterase protein. The presence of these genes suggests the possibility of horizontal transfer, a regulatory system of plasmid maintenance, and adhesion to substrates for A. ferrivorans species and PQ33. This is the first report of plasmids in this strain.Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans es un acidófilo psicrotolerante capaz de hacer crecer y oxidar sustratos ferrosos y sulfurosos a bajas temperaturas. Hasta la fecha se han caracterizado seis genomas de este organismo; sin embargo, la evidencia de un plásmido en esta especie ha sido informado solo una vez, por lo que no hay un rol concluyente de los plásmidos en la especie. Aquí, dos plásmidos novedosos de A. ferrivorans PQ33 se caracterizaron molecularmente y se compararon a escala genómica. Se secuenciaron y anotaron los genomas de dos plásmidos (12 kpb y 10 kpb) de A. ferrivorans PQ33 (NZ_LVZL01000000). Los plásmidos, denominados pAfPQ33-1 (NZ_CP021414.1) y pAfPQ33-2 (NZ_CP021415.1), presentaron 9 CDS y 13 CDS, respectivamente. El análisis in silico mostró proteínas involucradas en la conjugación (TraD, MobA, Eep y XerD), sistemas de toxina-antitoxina (HicA y HicB), replicación (RepA y proteína de unión al ADN), regulación de la transcripción (CopG), chaperona DnaJ y un gen de virulencia (vapD). Además, los plásmidos contienen secuencias similares a las porinas selectivas de fosfato O y P y una proteína diguanilato ciclasa-fosfodiesterasa. La presencia de estos genes sugiere la posibilidad de transferencia horizontal, un sistema regulador de mantenimiento de plásmidos y adhesión a sustratos para especies de A. ferrivorans y PQ33. Este es el primer informe de plásmidos en esta cepa

RASTA-Bacteria: a web-based tool for identifying toxin-antitoxin loci in prokaryotes

RASTA-Bacteria is an automated method that allows quick and reliable identification of toxin/antitoxin loci in sequenced prokaryotic genomes, whether they are annotated Open Reading Frames or not

The HicA toxin from Burkholderia pseudomallei has a role in persister cell formation

© 2014 The Authors Journal compilation. ©2014 Biochemical Society.This is an open access article that is freely available in ORE or from the publisher's website. Please cite the published version.Published by Portland Press on behalf of the Biochemical SocietyTA (toxin-antitoxin) systems are widely distributed amongst bacteria and are associated with the formation of antibiotic tolerant (persister) cells that may have involvement in chronic and recurrent disease. We show that overexpression of the Burkholderia pseudomallei HicA toxin causes growth arrest and increases the number of persister cells tolerant to ciprofloxacin or ceftazidime. Furthermore, our data show that persistence towards ciprofloxacin or ceftazidime can be differentially modulated depending on the level of induction of HicA expression. Deleting the hicAB locus from B. pseudomallei K96243 significantly reduced persister cell frequencies following exposure to ciprofloxacin, but not ceftazidime. The structure of HicA(H24A) was solved by NMR and forms a dsRBD-like (dsRNA-binding domain-like) fold, composed of a triple-stranded β-sheet, with two helices packed against one face. The surface of the protein is highly positively charged indicative of an RNA-binding protein and His24 and Gly22 were functionality important residues. This is the first study demonstrating a role for the HicAB system in bacterial persistence and the first structure of a HicA protein that has been experimentally characterized.Wellcome Trus

Diversity of bacterial type II toxin–antitoxin systems: a comprehensive search and functional analysis of novel families

Type II toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems are generally composed of two genes organized in an operon, encoding a labile antitoxin and a stable toxin. They were first discovered on plasmids where they contribute to plasmid stability by a phenomenon denoted as ‘addiction’, and subsequently in bacterial chromosomes. To discover novel families of antitoxins and toxins, we developed a bioinformatics approach based on the ‘guilt by association’ principle. Extensive experimental validation in Escherichia coli of predicted antitoxins and toxins increased significantly the number of validated systems and defined novel toxin and antitoxin families. Our data suggest that toxin families as well as antitoxin families originate from distinct ancestors that were assembled multiple times during evolution. Toxin and antitoxin families found on plasmids tend to be promiscuous and widespread, indicating that TA systems move through horizontal gene transfer. We propose that due to their addictive properties, TA systems are likely to be maintained in chromosomes even though they do not necessarily confer an advantage to their bacterial hosts. Therefore, addiction might play a major role in the evolutionary success of TA systems both on mobile genetic elements and in bacterial chromosomes

Comprehensive comparative-genomic analysis of Type 2 toxin-antitoxin systems and related mobile stress response systems in prokaryotes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prokaryotic toxin-antitoxin systems (TAS, also referred to as TA loci) are widespread, mobile two-gene modules that can be viewed as selfish genetic elements because they evolved mechanisms to become addictive for replicons and cells in which they reside, but also possess "normal" cellular functions in various forms of stress response and management of prokaryotic population. Several distinct TAS of type 1, where the toxin is a protein and the antitoxin is an antisense RNA, and numerous, unrelated TAS of type 2, in which both the toxin and the antitoxin are proteins, have been experimentally characterized, and it is suspected that many more remain to be identified.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We report a comprehensive comparative-genomic analysis of Type 2 toxin-antitoxin systems in prokaryotes. Using sensitive methods for distant sequence similarity search, genome context analysis and a new approach for the identification of mobile two-component systems, we identified numerous, previously unnoticed protein families that are homologous to toxins and antitoxins of known type 2 TAS. In addition, we predict 12 new families of toxins and 13 families of antitoxins, and also, predict a TAS or TAS-like activity for several gene modules that were not previously suspected to function in that capacity. In particular, we present indications that the two-gene module that encodes a minimal nucleotidyl transferase and the accompanying HEPN protein, and is extremely abundant in many archaea and bacteria, especially, thermophiles might comprise a novel TAS. We present a survey of previously known and newly predicted TAS in 750 complete genomes of archaea and bacteria, quantitatively demonstrate the exceptional mobility of the TAS, and explore the network of toxin-antitoxin pairings that combines plasticity with selectivity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The defining properties of the TAS, namely, the typically small size of the toxin and antitoxin genes, fast evolution, and extensive horizontal mobility, make the task of comprehensive identification of these systems particularly challenging. However, these same properties can be exploited to develop context-based computational approaches which, combined with exhaustive analysis of subtle sequence similarities were employed in this work to substantially expand the current collection of TAS by predicting both previously unnoticed, derived versions of known toxins and antitoxins, and putative novel TAS-like systems. In a broader context, the TAS belong to the resistome domain of the prokaryotic mobilome which includes partially selfish, addictive gene cassettes involved in various aspects of stress response and organized under the same general principles as the TAS. The "selfish altruism", or "responsible selfishness", of TAS-like systems appears to be a defining feature of the resistome and an important characteristic of the entire prokaryotic pan-genome given that in the prokaryotic world the mobilome and the "stable" chromosomes form a dynamic continuum.</p> <p>Reviewers</p> <p>This paper was reviewed by Kenn Gerdes (nominated by Arcady Mushegian), Daniel Haft, Arcady Mushegian, and Andrei Osterman. For full reviews, go to the Reviewers' Reports section.</p

Toxin-Antitoxin Systems in Pathogenic Bacteria

Bacterial toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems, which are ubiquitously present in bacterial genomes, are not essential for normal cell proliferation. The TA systems regulate fundamental cellular processes, facilitate survival under stress conditions, have essential roles in virulence and represent potential therapeutic targets. These genetic TA loci are also shown to be involved in the maintenance of successful multidrug-resistant mobile genetic elements. The TA systems are classified as types I to VI, according to the nature of the antitoxin and to the mode of toxin inhibition. Type II TA systems encode a labile antitoxin and its stable toxin; degradation of the antitoxin renders a free toxin, which is bacteriostatic by nature. A free toxin generates a reversible state with low metabolic activity (quiescence) by affecting important functions of bacterial cells such as transcription, translation, DNA replication, replication and cell-wall synthesis, biofilm formation, phage predation, the regulation of nucleotide pool, etc., whereas antitoxins are toxin inhibitors. Under stress conditions, the TA systems might form networks. To understand the basis of the unique response of TA systems to stress, the prime causes of the emergence of drug-resistant strains, and their contribution to therapy failure and the development of chronic and recurrent infections, must be known in order to grasp how TA systems contribute to the mechanisms of phenotypic heterogeneity and pathogenesis that will enable the rational development of new treatments for infections caused by pathogens

Indigenous Toxin Affects Cell Viability, While an Artificial Proteolytic Queueing Causes the Upregulation of Specific Genes

Studying bacterial physiology is crucial to understand the fundamental mechanisms that govern bacterial growth, survival, and adaptation. This thesis combines two chapters investigating bacterial physiology by studying important cellular processes like bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems and proteolytic pathways. The first chapter involves studying bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems to understand the regulation and function of hypothetical toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems of bacteria and the effects of these TA systems on bacterial growth and survival. The emergence of these genetic modules in bacterial research and the unrevealing of some of their important roles in cell physiology in recent years has drawn much attention in scientific communities. This chapter looks for new TA systems using molecular techniques and conventional microbiology approaches. The results of this study show the effects of a toxin protein of the putative YfeD-YfeC TA system of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The second chapter utilizes a systems biology approach by using molecular biology, synthetic biology, and RNA-Seq techniques to understand the effect of artificial proteolytic queueing in E. coli by introducing synthetic degradation circuits into them. The goal of this project was to test if the formation of an artificial proteolytic queue alters gene regulation. Our results demonstrate that the artificial proteolytic queue causes a cellular burden. Furthermore, this burden does not slow growth because the cell mitigates the queueing effect by responding to it by upregulating specific genes; specifically, chaperones and proteases

Three Dimensional Structure of the MqsR:MqsA Complex: A Novel TA Pair Comprised of a Toxin Homologous to RelE and an Antitoxin with Unique Properties

One mechanism by which bacteria survive environmental stress is through the formation of bacterial persisters, a sub-population of genetically identical quiescent cells that exhibit multidrug tolerance and are highly enriched in bacterial toxins. Recently, the Escherichia coli gene mqsR (b3022) was identified as the gene most highly upregulated in persisters. Here, we report multiple individual and complex three-dimensional structures of MqsR and its antitoxin MqsA (B3021), which reveal that MqsR:MqsA form a novel toxin:antitoxin (TA) pair. MqsR adopts an α/β fold that is homologous with the RelE/YoeB family of bacterial ribonuclease toxins. MqsA is an elongated dimer that neutralizes MqsR toxicity. As expected for a TA pair, MqsA binds its own promoter. Unexpectedly, it also binds the promoters of genes important for E. coli physiology (e.g., mcbR, spy). Unlike canonical antitoxins, MqsA is also structured throughout its entire sequence, binds zinc and coordinates DNA via its C- and not N-terminal domain. These studies reveal that TA systems, especially the antitoxins, are significantly more diverse than previously recognized and provide new insights into the role of toxins in maintaining the persister state

Pseudomonas putida toksiin-antitoksiin süsteem GraTA: regulatsioon ja osalus stressitaluvuses

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsioone.Elu on stressirohke, eriti üheraksetel organismidel nagu bakterid. Sageli tundub, et parim viis stressiga toimetulekuks on rahulikult oodata tingimuste paranemist. Selline käitumismall on kasutust leidnud ka mikroobide maailmas. Bakteritel on palju erinevaid kasvu reguleerimise võimalusi, mille hulka on viimasel ajal arvatud ka toksiin-antitoksiin (TA) süsteemid. TA-süsteemid koosnevad kahest komponendist: rakule eluliselt olulisi protsesse või rakukesta kahjustavast toksiinist ja teda neutraliseerivast antitoksiinist. Selliste geenide olemasolu bakterite genoomis on esmapilgul mõistatuslik, sest miks peaks bakter tootma iseendale toksilist valku? Hiljutised uuringud mikroobide mudelorganismis Escherichia coli on näidanud, et toksiinid põhjustavad bakterite üleminekut uinuvasse olekusse, mida iseloomustab bakterite ainevahetuse aeglustumine ja peatunud kasv. Sellised mikroobid tekitavad suuri probleeme meditsiinis, kuna on väga paljude stressiolukordade, kaasa arvatud paljude antibiootikumide toime suhtes tundetumad ja võimelised üle elama tingimusi, mis kiirelt kasvavaid baktereid tapaks. Kui mudelorganismis E. coli on TA süsteemide osalus bakteri stressitaluvuses hästi kirjeldatud, siis teistes bakteriliikides ei ole neid potentsiaalselt toksilisi süsteeme nii süstemaatiliselt uuritud. Seetõttu ei ole ka selge, kas erinevates bakterites toimivad TA süsteemid erinevalt või mingi üldise mehhanismi alusel. Käesolev töö kirjeldab keskkonnabakteri Pseudomonas putida kasvukiirust mõjutavat GraTA süsteemi. Tavaliselt takistab antitoksiin GraA väga efektiivselt toksiini GraT aktiivsust, kuid antitoksiinist vabanenult suudab toksiin mõjutada selle bakteri stressitaluvust. Toksiini mõju on kahetine, sest olenevalt stressi tüübist võib toksiin nii suurendada kui ka vähendada bakteri stressitaluvust. Seetõttu on bakterile väga oluline, et potentsiaalselt kahjulik TA süsteem aktiveeruks vaid kindlatel stressitingimustel.Life is full of stress, especially for small unicellular organisms like bacteria. For bacteria, just like for us, the best option to survive harsh conditions is sometimes to just lie still and wait for things to get better. Bacteria have many mechanisms to regulate growth, among them also the intriguing toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems. These systems consist of two components: a toxic protein that can harm the vital functions or compartments of a cell, and an antitoxin that can inhibit the toxin’s action. The presence of the TA systems in bacterial chromosomes is puzzling at first sight: why should a bacterium waste energy and resources to produce a toxin against itself? Recent research in the model organism Escherichia coli has shown that the toxic proteins cause a dormant, hibernation-like state, which is characterized by reduced metabolism and ceased growth. These bacteria cause great medical concerns as they are highly persistent to different stresses, including antibiotics, and survive conditions that would kill rapidly growing bacteria. After the stress has passed, the antitoxins inactivate the toxins and bacteria can resume growth. So, TA systems contribute to stress survival of bacteria, at least of E. coli. The contribution of TA systems to stress tolerance has been studied less systematically in other bacteria and no universal mechanism for the TA-mediated stress management has emerged so far. The current work describes a growth-rate-affecting TA system GraTA in the environmental bacterium Pseudomonas putida and shows that the toxin is kept under strict regulation by the antitoxin. Yet, when toxin is freed from the antitoxin, it inhibits the protein production in a cold-sensitive manner. The GraT toxin plays a controversial role in stress tolerance as it can both increase and decrease the tolerance to certain chemicals. This vividly highlights both the benefits and costs that the TA systems can have for bacteria