Pseudomonas aeruginosa is capable of natural transformation in biofilms

Nolan, Laura M.; Turnbull, Lynne; Katrib, Marilyn; Osvath, Sarah R.; Losa, Davide; Lazenby, James; Whitchurch, Cynthia B.

doi:10.1099/mic.0.000956

Cited by 46 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…The absence of surface motility of the pilU mutant observed here for A. baumannii phenocopies that of P. aeruginosa ( 65 ). Despite this commonality between the two organisms, a recent study by Nolan et al demonstrated that TFP were dispensable for low levels of natural transformation of P. aeruginosa ( 29 ), which contrasted with our findings. Here, we demonstrated that apart from PilU, the pilus components were essential for A. baumannii ’s natural transformability ( Fig.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…There are different types of TFP regulatory systems which exist in both competent and noncompetent bacteria. A major TFP regulatory system that has been studied in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (a bacterium that was only recently reclassified as naturally transformable [ 29 ]) is the two-component system (TCS) PilSR ( 30 – 32 ). The current model of this TCS suggests that extended pili are sensed due to the lack of inner membrane-associated PilA subunits that would otherwise interact with the atypical sensor histidine kinase PilS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pilus Production in Acinetobacter baumannii Is Growth Phase Dependent and Essential for Natural Transformation

Vesel

Blokesch

2021

J Bacteriol

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Acinetobacter baumannii is a severe threat to human health as a frequently multidrug-resistant hospital-acquired pathogen. Part of the danger from this bacterium comes from its genome plasticity and ability to evolve quickly by taking up and recombining external DNA into its own genome in a process called natural competence for transformation. This mode of horizontal gene transfer is one of the major ways pathogens can acquire new antimicrobial resistances and toxic traits. Because these processes in A. baumannii are not well studied, we herein characterized new aspects of natural transformability in this species that include the species’ competence window. We uncovered a strong correlation with a growth–phase-dependent synthesis of a type IV pilus (TFP), which constitutes the central part of competence-induced DNA-uptake machinery. We used bacterial genetics and microscopy to demonstrate that the TFP is essential for the natural transformability and surface motility of A. baumannii, whereas pilus-unrelated proteins of the DNA-uptake complex do not impact the motility phenotype. Furthermore, TFP biogenesis and assembly is subject to input from two regulatory systems that are homologous to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, namely the PilSR two-component system and the Pil-Chp chemosensory system. We demonstrated that these systems not only impact the piliation status of cells but also their ability to take up DNA for transformation. Importantly, we report on discrepancies between TFP biogenesis and natural transformability within the same genus by comparing A. baumannii to data reported for A. baylyi, the latter of which served for decades as a model for natural competence. IMPORTANCE Rapid bacterial evolution has alarming negative impacts on animal and human health, which can occur when pathogens acquire antimicrobial resistance traits. As a major cause of antibiotic-resistant opportunistic infections, A. baumannii is a high priority health threat, which has motivated renewed interest in studying how this pathogen acquires new, dangerous traits. In this study, we deciphered a specific time window in which these bacteria can acquire new DNA, and correlated that with its ability to produce the external appendages that contribute to the DNA acquisition process. These cell appendages function doubly for motility on surfaces and for DNA uptake. Collectively, we showed that A. baumannii is similar in its TFP production to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, though differs from the well-studied species A. baylyi.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pilus Production in Acinetobacter baumannii Is Growth Phase Dependent and Essential for Natural Transformation

Vesel

Blokesch

2021

J Bacteriol

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“…The evolutionary process of natural selection, gene loss and acquisition [ 217 , 218 ], natural genetic transformation [ 219 ], horizontal gene transfer [ 220 ], and emergence of hypermutators during acute VAP and/or chronic CF lung infection can lead to changes in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence behavior of P. aeruginosa [ 210 , 221 ]. The P. aeruginosa pan-genome contains a collection of 3,010 putative and plasmids DNA genes obtained by horizontal gene transfer with 5% to 12% encoding AMR and virulence genes [ 222 ].…”

Section: Genetic Transfer Drug Resistance and Increased Virulencementioning

confidence: 99%

An Organ System-Based Synopsis ofPseudomonas aeruginosaVirulence

et al. 2021

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Driven in part by its metabolic versatility, high intrinsic antibiotic resistance, and a large repertoire of virulence factors, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is expertly adapted to thrive in a wide variety of environments, and in the process, making it a notorious opportunistic pathogen. Apart from the extensively studied chronic infection in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), P. aeruginosa also causes multiple serious infections encompassing essentially all organs of the human body, among others, lung infection in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, primary ciliary dyskinesia and ventilator-associated pneumonia; bacteremia and sepsis; soft tissue infection in burns, open wounds and postsurgery patients; urinary tract infection; diabetic foot ulcers; chronic suppurative otitis media and otitis externa; and keratitis associated with extended contact lens use. Although well characterized in the context of CF, pathogenic processes mediated by various P. aeruginosa virulence factors in other organ systems remain poorly understood. In this review, we use an organ system-based approach to provide a synopsis of disease mechanisms exerted by P. aeruginosa virulence determinants that contribute to its success as a versatile pathogen.

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“…Finally, the biofilm is an ideal environment for HGT events [8], which contribute to the spread of resistance determinants. Conjugation events are favored by close contact between cells of different strains and/or species [36]; moreover, it has recently been suggested that P. aeruginosa biofilms can achieve a natural competence to acquire both genomic and plasmid DNA [37]. This is a cause of particular concern for chronic CF patients, whose lungs are often colonized by different antibiotic-resistant strains, a condition that has the potential to give rise to multidrug resistance [38].…”

Section: P Aeruginosa Biofilms and Lung Infection In Cystic Fibrosis 21 P Aeruginosa Biofilms And Antibiotic Resistancementioning

confidence: 99%

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Lung Infection in Cystic Fibrosis: The Challenge of Persisters

Mangiaterra¹,

Amiri²,

Cedraro³

et al. 2021

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa - Biofilm Formation, Infections and Treatments

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection is difficult to eradicate due to the multiple (intrinsic and acquired) antibiotic resistance of bacteria and to their ability to produce a thick biofilm. Antibiotic treatment is hampered by poor antibiotic diffusion, efflux pump overexpression and the development of a persistent subpopulation with low metabolic activity. This is a cause for special concern in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients, where P. aeruginosa lung infection is the chief cause of morbidity and mortality. Combined tobramycin-ciprofloxacin treatment is routinely adopted due to the low frequency of resistant strains and its ostensible ability to control the infection. Nevertheless, symptoms usually recur, mainly due to the antibiotic persisters, which are difficult to detect in routine cultural microbiological assays. This chapter describes the issues involved in the microbiological diagnosis of P. aeruginosa lung infection in CF patients and the possible role of subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations in persister development and infection recurrence.

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa is capable of natural transformation in biofilms

Cited by 46 publications

References 41 publications

Pilus Production in Acinetobacter baumannii Is Growth Phase Dependent and Essential for Natural Transformation

Pilus Production in Acinetobacter baumannii Is Growth Phase Dependent and Essential for Natural Transformation

An Organ System-Based Synopsis ofPseudomonas aeruginosaVirulence

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Lung Infection in Cystic Fibrosis: The Challenge of Persisters

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