Urinary F plasmids reduce permissivity to coliphage infection

Abstract

The microbial community of the urinary tract (urinary microbiota or urobiota) has been associated with human health. Bacteriophages (phages) and plasmids present in the urinary tract, like in other niches, may shape urinary bacteria dynamics. While urinary E. coli, often associated with urinary tract infection (UTI), and their phages have been catalogued for the urobiome, the dynamics of their interactions have yet to be explored. In this study, we characterized urinary E. coli F plasmids and their ability to decrease permissivity to E. coli phage (coliphage) infection. Putative F plasmids were present in 47 of 67 urinary E. coli isolates, and most of these plasmids carry genes that encode for toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules, antibiotic resistance, and/or virulence. Two urinary E. coli F plasmids, from urinary microbiota (UMB) 0928 and 1284, were conjugated into E. coli K-12 strains; plasmids included genes for antibiotic resistance and virulence. These plasmids, pU0928 and pU1284, decreased permissivity to coliphage infection by the laboratory phage P1vir and the urinary phages Greed and Lust. Furthermore, pU0928 could be maintained in E. coli K-12 for up to ten days in the absence of antibiotic resistance selection; this included maintenance of the antibiotic resistance phenotype and decreased permissivity to phage. Finally, we discuss how F plasmids present in urinary E. coli could play a role in coliphage dynamics and maintenance of antibiotic resistance in urinary E. coli.