| 1. |
- Bao, Letian, et al.
(författare)
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Translational impacts of enzymes that modify ribosomal RNA around the peptidyl transferase centre
- 2024
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Ingår i: RNA Biology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1547-6286 .- 1555-8584. ; 21:1, s. 31-41
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Large ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) are modified heavily post-transcriptionally in functionally important regions but, paradoxically, individual knockouts (KOs) of the modification enzymes have minimal impact on Escherichia coli growth. Furthermore, we recently constructed a strain with combined KOs of five modification enzymes (RluC, RlmKL, RlmN, RlmM and RluE) of the ‘critical region’ of the peptidyl transferase centre (PTC) in 23S rRNA that exhibited only a minor growth defect at 37°C (although major at 20°C). However, our combined KO of modification enzymes RluC and RlmE (not RluE) resulted in conditional lethality (at 20°C). Although the growth rates for both multiple-KO strains were characterized, the molecular explanations for such deficits remain unclear. Here, we pinpoint biochemical defects in these strains. In vitro fast kinetics at 20°C and 37°C with ribosomes purified from both strains revealed, counterintuitively, the slowing of translocation, not peptide bond formation or peptidyl release. Elongation rates of protein synthesis in vivo, as judged by the kinetics of β-galactosidase induction, were also slowed. For the five-KO strain, the biggest deficit at 37°C was in 70S ribosome assembly, as judged by a dominant 50S peak in ribosome sucrose gradient profiles at 5 mM Mg2+. Reconstitution of this 50S subunit from purified five-KO rRNA and ribosomal proteins supported a direct role in ribosome biogenesis of the PTC region modifications per se, rather than of the modification enzymes. These results clarify the importance and roles of the enigmatic rRNA modifications.
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| 2. |
- Bartke, Katrin, et al.
(författare)
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Evolution of Bacterial Interspecies Hybrids with Enlarged Chromosomes
- 2022
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Ingår i: Genome Biology and Evolution. - : Oxford University Press. - 1759-6653. ; 14:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Conjugation driven by a chromosomally integrated F-plasmid (high frequency of recombination strain) can create bacteria with hybrid chromosomes. Previous studies of interspecies hybrids have focused on hybrids in which a region of donor chromosome replaces an orthologous region of recipient chromosome leaving chromosome size unchanged. Very little is known about hybrids with enlarged chromosomes, the mechanisms of their creation, or their subsequent trajectories of adaptative evolution. We addressed this by selecting 11 interspecies hybrids between Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium in which genome size was enlarged. In three cases, this occurred by the creation of an F '-plasmid while in the remaining eight, it was due to recombination of donor DNA into the recipient chromosome. Chromosome length increased by up to 33% and was associated in most cases with reduced growth fitness. Two hybrids, in which chromosome length was increased by the addition of 0.97 and 1.3 Mb, respectively, were evolved to study genetic pathways of fitness cost amelioration. In each case, relative fitness rapidly approached one and this was associated with large deletions involving recombination between repetitive DNA sequences. The locations of these repetitive sequences played a major role in determining the architecture of the evolved genotypes. Notably, in ten out of ten independent evolution experiments, deletions removed DNA of both species, creating high-fitness strains with hybrid chromosomes. In conclusion, we found that enlargement of a bacterial chromosome by acquisition of diverged orthologous DNA is followed by a period of rapid evolutionary adjustment frequently creating irreversibly hybrid chromosomes.
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| 3. |
- Bartke, Katrin, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic Architecture and Fitness of Bacterial Interspecies Hybrids
- 2021
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Ingår i: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press. - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 38:4, s. 1472-1481
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Integration of a conjugative plasmid into a bacterial chromosome can promote the transfer of chromosomal DNA to other bacteria. Intraspecies chromosomal conjugation is believed responsible for creating the global pathogens Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 and Escherichia coli ST1193. Interspecies conjugation is also possible but little is known about the genetic architecture or fitness of such hybrids. To study this, we generated by conjugation 14 hybrids of E. coli and Salmonella enterica. These species belong to different genera, diverged from a common ancestor >100 Ma, and share a conserved order of orthologous genes with similar to 15% nucleotide divergence. Genomic analysis revealed that all but one hybrid had acquired a contiguous segment of donor E. coli DNA, replacing a homologous region of recipient Salmonella chromosome, and ranging in size from similar to 100 to >4,000 kb. Recombination joints occurred in sequences with higher-than-average nucleotide identity. Most hybrid strains suffered a large reduction in growth rate, but the magnitude of this cost did not correlate with the length of foreign DNA. Compensatory evolution to ameliorate the cost of low-fitness hybrids pointed towards disruption of complex genetic networks as a cause. Most interestingly, 4 of the 14 hybrids, in which from 45% to 90% of the Salmonella chromosome was replaced with E. coli DNA, showed no significant reduction in growth fitness. These data suggest that the barriers to creating high-fitness interspecies hybrids may be significantly lower than generally appreciated with implications for the creation of novel species.
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| 4. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Antibiotic perseverance increases the risk of resistance development
- 2023
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 120:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections poses a global threat. Antibiotic resistance development is generally studied in batch cultures which conceals the heterogeneity in cellular responses. Using single-cell imaging, we studied the growth response of Escherichia coli to sub-inhibitory and inhibitory concentrations of nine antibiotics. We found that the heterogeneity in growth increases more than what is expected from growth rate reduction for three out of the nine antibiotics tested. For two antibiotics (rifampicin and nitrofurantoin), we found that sub-populations were able to maintain growth at lethal antibiotic concentrations for up to 10 generations. This perseverance of growth increased the population size and led to an up to 40-fold increase in the frequency of antibiotic resistance mutations in gram-negative and gram-positive species. We conclude that antibiotic perseverance is a common phenomenon that has the potential to impact antibiotic resistance development across pathogenic bacteria.
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| 5. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Autoregulation of the tufB operon in Salmonella
- 2016
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Ingår i: Molecular Microbiology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0950-382X .- 1365-2958. ; 100:6, s. 1004-1016
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Salmonella enterica and related species, translation elongation factor EF-Tu is encoded by two widely separated but near-identical genes, tufA and tufB. Two thirds of EF-Tu is expressed from tufA with the remaining one third coming from tufB. Inactivation of tufA is partly compensated by a doubling in the amount of EF-TuB but the mechanism of this up-regulation is unknown. By experimental evolution selecting for improved growth rate in a strain with an inactive tufA we selected six different noncoding or synonymous point mutations close to the tufB start codon. Based on these results we constructed a total of 161 different point mutations around the tufB start codon, as well as tufB 3′-truncations, and measured tufB expression using tufB-yfp transcriptional and translational fusions. The expression data support the presence of two competing stem-loop structures that can form in the 5′-end of the tufB mRNA. Formation of the ‘closed’ structure leads to Rho-dependent transcriptional termination of the tufB mRNA. We propose a model in which translational speed is used as a sensor for EF-Tu concentration and where the expression of tufB is post-transcriptionally regulated. This model describes for the first time how expression of the most abundant Salmonella protein is autoregulated.
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| 6. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-
(författare)
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Biased Evolution : Causes and Consequences
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In evolution alternative genetic trajectories can potentially lead to similar phenotypic outcomes. However, certain trajectories are preferred over others. These preferences bias the genomes of living organisms and the underlying processes can be observed in ongoing evolution.We have studied a variety of biases that can be found in bacterial chromosomes and determined the selective causes and functional consequences for the cell. We have quantified codon usage bias in highly expressed genes and shown that it is selected to optimise translational speed. We further demonstrated that the resulting differences in decoding speed can be used to regulate gene expression, and that the use of ‘non-optimal’ codons can be detrimental to reading frame maintenance. Biased gene location on the chromosome favours recombination between genes within gene families and leads to co-evolution. We have shown that such recombinational events can protect these gene families from inactivation by mobile genetic elements, and that chromosome organization can be selectively maintained because inversions can lead to the formation of unstable hybrid operons.We have used the development of antibiotic resistance to study how different bacterial lifestyles influence evolutionary trajectories. For this we used two distinct pairs of antibiotics and disease-causing bacteria, namely (i) Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is treated with rifampicin and (ii) Escherichia coli that is treated with ciprofloxacin. We have shown that in the slow-growing Mycobacterium tuberculosis, resistance mutations are selected for high-level resistance. Fitness is initially less important, and over time fitness costs can be ameliorated by compensatory mutations. The need for rapid growth causes the selection of ciprofloxacin resistance in Escherichia coli not only to be selected on the basis of high-level resistance but also on high fitness. Compensatory evolution is therefore not required and is not observed.Taken together, our results show that the evolution of a phenotype is the product of multiple steps and that many factors influence which trajectory is the most likely to occur and be most beneficial. Over time, selection will favour this particular trajectory and lead to biased evolution, affecting genome sequence and organization.
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| 7. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Co-evolution with recombination affects the stability of mobile genetic element insertions within gene families of Salmonella
- 2018
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Ingår i: Molecular Microbiology. - : WILEY. - 0950-382X .- 1365-2958. ; 108:6, s. 697-710
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bacteria can have multiple copies of a gene at separate locations on the same chromosome. Some of these gene families, including tuf (translation elongation factor EF-Tu) and rrl (ribosomal RNA), encode functions critically important for bacterial fitness. Genes within these families are known to evolve in concert using homologous recombination to transfer genetic information from one gene to another. This mechanism can counteract the detrimental effects of nucleotide sequence divergence over time. Whether such mechanisms can also protect against the potentially lethal effects of mobile genetic element insertion is not well understood. To address this we constructed two different length insertion cassettes to mimic mobile genetic elements and inserted these into various positions of the tuf and rrl genes. Wemeasured rates of recombinational repair that removed the inserted cassette and studied the underlying mechanism. Our results indicate that homologous recombination can protect the tuf and rrl genes from inactivation by mobile genetic elements, but forinsertions within shorter gene sequences the efficiency of repair is very low. Intriguingly, we found that physical distance separating genes on the chromosome directly affects the rate of recombinational repair suggesting that relative location will influence the ability of homologous recombination to maintain homogeneity.
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| 8. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Comprehensive phenotypic characterization of rifampicin resistance mutations in Salmonella provides insight into the evolution of resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. - : Oxford University Press. - 0305-7453 .- 1460-2091. ; 70:3, s. 680-685
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectivesMutations in the β-subunit of RNA polymerase (RNAP), encoded by rpoB, are responsible for rifampicin resistance (RifR). Although many mutations in rpoB can reduce susceptibility, only a few are frequent amongst RifR clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isolates. It has been suggested that there is a negative correlation between the fitness costs of RifR mutations and their respective clinical frequency, but so far comparable fitness cost measurements have only been conducted for a very limited number of RifR mutations. We tested this hypothesis using Salmonella and Mycobacterium smegmatis as model organisms.MethodsWe constructed 122 different RifR mutations in Salmonella. MICs and relative fitness costs in the presence and absence of rifampicin were determined for each mutant, including for a smaller number of RifRM. smegmatis strains. Results were compared with available mutation frequency data from clinical MTB isolates.Results(i) RifR mutations frequently found in MTB isolates have a fitness cost in Salmonella Typhimurium and M. smegmatis. (ii) Clinically frequent RifR mutations have a high rifampicin MIC. (iii) There is a strong correlation between the magnitude of the fitness cost of a RifR mutation in Salmonella Typhimurium or M. smegmatis and the frequency with which that mutation is associated with secondary (putative compensatory) mutations in RNAP of clinical MTB isolates.ConclusionsThis suggests that the success of RifR mutations in clinical MTB isolates may be dependent not only on a low initial fitness cost, but rather the results of three factors: (i) a high rifampicin MIC; (ii) a relatively low initial fitness cost; and (iii) the ability to additionally acquire compensatory mutations selected to further reduce fitness cost.
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| 9. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Expression of the qepA1 gene is induced under antibiotic exposure
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. - : Oxford University Press. - 0305-7453 .- 1460-2091. ; 76:6, s. 1433-1440
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundThe qepA1 gene encodes an efflux pump that reduces susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. Little is known about the regulation of qepA1 expression.ObjectivesTo assess the potential role of ciprofloxacin and other antibiotics in the regulation of qepA1 gene expression. To identify the promoter that drives qepA1 expression and other factors involved in expression regulation. To assess whether the identified features are universal among qepA alleles.MethodsA translational qepA1-yfp fusion under the control of the qepA1 upstream region was cloned into the Escherichia coli chromosome. Expression of the fusion protein was measured in the presence of various antibiotics. Deletions within the upstream region were introduced to identify regions involved in gene expression and regulation. The qepA1 coding sequence and upstream region were compared with all available qepA sequences.ResultsCellular stress caused by the presence of various antibiotics can induce qepA1 expression. The qepA1 gene is fused to a class I integron and gene expression is driven by the Pc promoter within the integrase gene. A segment within the integron belonging to a truncated dfrB4 gene is essential for the regulation of qepA1 expression. This genetic context is universal among all sequenced qepA alleles.ConclusionsThe fusion of the qepA1 gene to a class I integron has created a novel regulatory unit that enables qepA1 expression to be under the control of antibiotic exposure. This setup mitigates potential negative effects of QepA1 production on bacterial fitness by restricting high-level expression to environmental conditions in which QepA1 is beneficial.
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| 10. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Fitness-compensatory mutations in rifampicin-resistant RNA polymerase
- 2012
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Ingår i: Molecular Microbiology. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0950-382X .- 1365-2958. ; 85:1, s. 142-151
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mutations in rpoB (RNA polymerase β-subunit) can cause high-level resistance to rifampicin, an important first-line drug against tuberculosis. Most rifampicin-resistant (RifR) mutants selected in vitro have reduced fitness, and resistant clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis frequently carry multiple mutations in RNA polymerase genes. This supports a role for compensatory evolution in global epidemics of drug-resistant tuberculosis but the significance of secondary mutations outside rpoB has not been demonstrated or quantified. Using Salmonella as a model organism, and a previously characterized RifR mutation (rpoB R529C) as a starting point, independent lineages were evolved with selection for improved growth in the presence and absence of rifampicin. Compensatory mutations were identified in every lineage and were distributed between rpoA, rpoB and rpoC. Resistance was maintained in all strains showing that increased fitness by compensatory mutation was more likely than reversion. Genetic reconstructions demonstrated that the secondary mutations were responsible for increasing growth rate. Many of the compensatory mutations in rpoA and rpoC individually caused small but significant reductions in susceptibility to rifampicin, and some compensatory mutations in rpoB individually caused high-level resistance. These findings show that mutations in different components of RNA polymerase are responsible for fitness compensation of a RifR mutant.
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| 11. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic characterization of compensatory evolution in strains carrying rpoB Ser531Leu, the rifampicin resistance mutation most frequently found in clinical isolates
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. - : Oxford University Press. - 0305-7453 .- 1460-2091. ; 68:11, s. 2493-2497
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectivesThe evolution of rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major threat to effective tuberculosis therapy. Much is known about the initial emergence of rifampicin resistance, but the further evolution of these resistant strains has only lately been subject to investigation. Although resistance can be caused by many different mutations in rpoB, among clinical M. tuberculosis isolates the mutation rpoB S531L is overwhelmingly the most frequently found. Clinical isolates with rpoB S531L frequently carry additional mutations in genes for RNA polymerase subunits, and it has been speculated that these are fitness-compensatory mutations, ameliorating the fitness cost of the primary resistance mutation. We tested this hypothesis using Salmonella as a model organism.MethodsWe created the rpoB S531L mutation in Salmonella and then evolved independent lineages with selection for mutants with increased relative fitness. Relative fitness associated with putative compensatory mutations was measured after genetic reconstruction in isogenic strains.ResultsCompensatory mutations were identified in genes coding for different subunits of RNA polymerase: rpoA, rpoB and rpoC. Genetic reconstructions demonstrated that each of these secondary mutations reduced the fitness cost of the rpoB S531L resistance mutation.ConclusionsThe compensatory mutations identified in Salmonella cluster in similar locations to the additional mutations found in M. tuberculosis isolates. These new data strongly support the idea that many of the previously identified rpoA, rpoB and rpoC mutations in rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis (rpoB S531L) are indeed fitness-compensatory mutations.
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| 12. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Having your cake and eating it - Staphylococcus aureus small colony variants can evolve faster growth rate without losing their antibiotic resistance
- 2017
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Ingår i: MICROBIAL CELL. - : Shared Science Publishers OG. - 2311-2638. ; 4:8, s. 275-277
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Staphylococcus aureus can produce small colony variants (SCVs) during infections. These cause significant clinical problems because they are difficult to detect in standard microbiological screening and are associated with persistent infections. The major causes of the SCV phenotype are mutations that inhibit respiration by inactivation of genes of the menadione or hemin biosynthesis pathways. This reduces the production of ATP required to support fast growth. Importantly, it also decreases cross-membrane potential in SCVs, resulting in decreased uptake of cationic compounds, with reduced susceptibility to aminoglycoside antibiotics as a consequence. Because SCVs are slow-growing (mutations in men genes are associated with growth rates in rich medium similar to 30% of the wild-type growth rate) bacterial cultures are very susceptible to rapid takeover by faster-growing mutants (revertants or suppressors). In the case of reversion, the resulting fast growth is obviously associated with the loss of antibiotic resistance. However, direct reversion is relatively rare due to the very small genetic target size for such mutations. We explored the phenotypic consequences of SCVs evolving faster growth by routes other than direct reversion, and in particular whether any of those routes allowed for the maintenance of antibiotic resistance. In a recent paper (mBio 8: e00358-17) we demonstrated the existence of several different routes of SCV evolution to faster growth, one of which maintained the antibiotic resistance phenotype. This discovery suggests that SCVs might be more adaptable and problematic that previously thought. They are capable of surviving as a slow-growing persistent form, before evolving into a significantly faster-growing form without sacrificing their antibiotic resistance phenotype.
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| 13. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Measuring Homologous Recombination Rates between Chromosomal Locations in Salmonella
- 2019
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Ingår i: Bio-protocol. - : Bio-Protocol LLC. - 2331-8325. ; 9:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Homologous recombination between two similar DNA molecules, plays an important role in the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks. Recombination can occur between two sister chromosomes, or between two locations of similar sequence identity within the same chromosome. The assay described here is designed to measure the rate of homologous recombination between two locations with sequence similarity within the same bacterial chromosome. For this purpose, a selectable/counter-selectable genetic cassette is inserted into one of the locations and homologous recombination repair rates are measured as a function of recombinational removal of the inserted cassette. This recombinational repair process is called gene conversion, non-reciprocal recombination. We used this method to measure the recombination rates between genes within gene families and to study the stability of mobile genetic elements inserted into members of gene families.
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| 14. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Mechanisms of fitness cost reduction for rifampicin-resistant strains with deletion or duplication mutations in rpoB.
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rifampicin resistance (Rif(R)) is caused by mutations in rpoB, encoding the beta-subunit of RNA polymerase. Rif(R )mutations generally incur a fitness cost and in resistant isolates are frequently accompanied by compensatory mutations in rpoA, rpoB or rpoC. Previous studies of fitness compensation focused on Rif(R) caused by amino acid substitutions within rpoB. Rif(R) is also caused by deletion and duplication mutations in rpoB but it is not known whether or how such mutants can ameliorate their fitness costs. Using experimental evolution of Salmonella carrying Rif(R) deletion or duplication mutations we identified compensatory amino acid substitution mutations within rpoA, rpoB or rpoC in 16 of 21 evolved lineages. Additionally, we found one lineage where a large deletion was compensated by duplication of adjacent amino acids (possibly to fill the gap within the protein structure), two lineages where mutations occurred outside of rpoABC, and two lineages where a duplication mutant reverted to the wild-type sequence. All but the two revertant mutants maintained the Rif(R) phenotype. These data suggest that amino acid substitution mutations are the major compensatory mechanism regardless of the nature of the primary Rif(R) mutation.
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| 15. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Mutant RNA polymerase can reduce susceptibility to antibiotics via ppGpp-independent induction of a stringent-like response
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. - : Oxford University Press. - 0305-7453 .- 1460-2091. ; 76:3, s. 606-615
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundMutations in RNA polymerase (RNAP) can reduce susceptibility to ciprofloxacin in Escherichia coli, but the mechanism of transcriptional reprogramming responsible is unknown. Strains carrying ciprofloxacin-resistant (CipR) rpoB mutations have reduced growth fitness and their impact on clinical resistance development is unclear.ObjectivesTo assess the potential for CipRrpoB mutations to contribute to resistance development by estimating the number of distinct alleles. To identify fitness-compensatory mutations that ameliorate the fitness costs of CipRrpoB mutations. To understand how CipRrpoB mutations reprogramme RNAP.MethodsE. coli strains carrying five different CipRrpoB alleles were evolved with selection for improved fitness and characterized for acquired mutations, relative fitness and MICCip. The effects of dksA mutations and a ppGpp0 background on growth and susceptibility phenotypes associated with CipRrpoB alleles were determined.ResultsThe number of distinct CipRrpoB mutations was estimated to be >100. Mutations in RNAP genes and in dksA can compensate for the fitness cost of CipRrpoB mutations. Deletion of dksA reduced the MICCip for strains carrying CipRrpoB alleles. A ppGpp0 phenotype had no effect on drug susceptibility.ConclusionsCipRrpoB mutations induce an ppGpp-independent stringent-like response. Approximately half of the reduction in ciprofloxacin susceptibility is caused by an increased affinity of RNAP to DksA while the other half is independent of DksA. Stringent-like response activating mutations might be the most diverse class of mutations reducing susceptibility to antibiotics.
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| 16. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Operon Concatenation Is an Ancient Feature That Restricts the Potential to Rearrange Bacterial Chromosomes
- 2019
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Ingår i: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 36:9, s. 1990-2000
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The last common ancestor of the Gammaproteobacteria carried an important 40-kb chromosome section encoding 51 proteins of the transcriptional and translational machinery. These genes were organized into eight contiguous operons (rrnB-tufB-secE-rpoBC-str-S10-spc-alpha). Over 2 Gy of evolution, in different lineages, some of the operons became separated by multigene insertions. Surprisingly, in many Enterobacteriaceae, much of the ancient organization is conserved, indicating a strong selective force on the operons to remain colinear. Here, we show for one operon pair, tufB-secE in Salmonella, that an interruption of contiguity significantly reduces growth rate. Our data show that the tufB-secE operons are concatenated by an interoperon terminator-promoter overlap that plays a significant role regulating gene expression. Interrupting operon contiguity interferes with this regulation, reducing cellular fitness. Six operons of the ancestral chromosome section remain contiguous in Salmonella (tufB-secE-rpoBC and S10-spc-alpha) and, strikingly, each of these operon pairs is also connected by an interoperon terminator-promoter overlap. Accordingly, we propose that operon concatenation is an ancient feature that restricts the potential to rearrange bacterial chromosomes and can select for the maintenance of a colinear operon organization over billions of years.
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| 17. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-
(författare)
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Reconstructing the Evolutionary History of a Highly Conserved Operon Cluster in Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli
- 2021
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Ingår i: Genome Biology and Evolution. - : Oxford University Press. - 1759-6653. ; 13:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The evolution of gene order rearrangements within bacterial chromosomes is a fast process. Closely related species can have almost no conservation in long-range gene order. A prominent exception to this rule is a >40 kb long cluster of five core operons (secErpoBC-str-S10-spc-alpha) and three variable adjacent operons (cysS, tufB, and ecf) that together contain 57 genes of the transcriptional and translational machinery. Previous studies have indicated that at least part of this operon cluster might have been present in the last common ancestor of bacteria and archaea. Using 204 whole genome sequences, similar to 2Gy of evolution of the operon cluster were reconstructed back to the last common ancestors of the Gammaproteobacteria and of the Bacilli. A total of 163 independent evolutionary events were identified in which the operon cluster was altered. Further examination showed that the process of disconnecting two operons generally follows the same pattern. Initially, a small number of genes is inserted between the operons breaking the concatenation followed by a second event that fully disconnects the operons. While there is a general trend for loss of gene synteny over time, there are examples of increased alteration rates at specific branch points or within specific bacterial orders. This indicates the recurrence of relaxed selection on the gene order within bacterial chromosomes. The analysis of the alternation events indicates that segmental genome duplications and/or transposon-directed recombination play a crucial role in rearrangements of the operon cluster.
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| 18. |
- Brandis, Gerrit, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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The SNAP hypothesis : Chromosomal rearrangements could emerge from positive Selection during Niche Adaptation
- 2020
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Ingår i: PLOS Genetics. - : PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE. - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 16:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Author summary All life on earth has evolved from a universal common ancestor with a specific order of genes on the chromosome. This order is not maintained in modern species and the standard hypothesis is that changes reflect a lack of strong selection on gene order. Here, we propose an alternative hypothesis, SNAP. The occupation of a novel environment by bacteria is generally a trade-off situation. For example, while the bacteria may not be adapted to grow well under the new conditions, they may benefit by not having to share available resources with other microorganisms. Bacterial populations frequently acquire duplications of chromosomal segments containing genes that can help them adapt to a new environment. Other genes that are also duplicated are not required in two copies so that over time a superfluous copy can be lost. Eventually, the process of duplication and gene loss can lead to the rearrangement of the gene order in the chromosomal segment. The major benefit of this model over the standard hypothesis is that the process is driven by positive selection and can reach fixation rapidly. The relative linear order of most genes on bacterial chromosomes is not conserved over evolutionary timescales. One explanation is that selection is weak, allowing recombination to randomize gene order by genetic drift. However, most chromosomal rearrangements are deleterious to fitness. In contrast, we propose the hypothesis that rearrangements in gene order are more likely the result of selection during niche adaptation (SNAP). Partial chromosomal duplications occur very frequently by recombination between direct repeat sequences. Duplicated regions may contain tens to hundreds of genes and segregate quickly unless maintained by selection. Bacteria exposed to non-lethal selections (for example, a requirement to grow on a poor nutrient) can adapt by maintaining a duplication that includes a gene that improves relative fitness. Further improvements in fitness result from the loss or inactivation of non-selected genes within each copy of the duplication. When genes that are essential in single copy are lost from different copies of the duplication, segregation is prevented even if the original selection is lifted. Functional gene loss continues until a new genetic equilibrium is reached. The outcome is a rearranged gene order. Mathematical modelling shows that this process of positive selection to adapt to a new niche can rapidly drive rearrangements in gene order to fixation. Signature features (duplication formation and divergence) of the SNAP model were identified in natural isolates from multiple species showing that the initial two steps in the SNAP process can occur with a remarkably high frequency. Further bioinformatic and experimental analyses are required to test if and to which extend the SNAP process acts on bacterial genomes.
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| 19. |
- Cao, Sha, et al.
(författare)
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Alternative Evolutionary Pathways for Drug-Resistant Small Colony Variant Mutants in Staphylococcus aureus
- 2017
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Ingår i: mBio. - : AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY. - 2161-2129 .- 2150-7511. ; 8:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Staphylococcus aureus is known to generate small colony variants (SCVs) that are resistant to aminoglycoside antibiotics and can cause persistent and recurrent infections. The SCV phenotype is unstable, and compensatory mutations lead to restored growth, usually with loss of resistance. However, the evolution of improved growth, by mechanisms that avoid loss of antibiotic resistance, is very poorly understood. By selection with serial passaging, we isolated and characterized different classes of extragenic suppressor mutations that compensate for the slow growth of small colony variants. Compensation occurs by two distinct bypass mechanisms: (i) translational suppression of the initial SCV mutation by mutant tRNAs, ribosomal protein S5, or release factor 2 and (ii) mutations that cause the constitutive activation of the SrrAB global transcriptional regulation system. Although compensation by translational suppression increases growth rate, it also reduces antibiotic susceptibility, thus restoring a pseudo-wild-type phenotype. In contrast, an evolutionary pathway that compensates for the SCV phenotype by activation of SrrAB increases growth rate without loss of antibiotic resistance. RNA sequence analysis revealed that mutations activating the SrrAB pathway cause upregulation of genes involved in peptide transport and in the fermentation pathways of pyruvate to generate ATP and NAD(+), thus explaining the increased growth. By increasing the growth rate of SCVs without the loss of aminoglycoside resistance, compensatory evolution via the SrrAB activation pathway represents a threat to effective antibiotic therapy of staphylococcal infections. IMPORTANCE Small colony variants (SCVs) of Staphylococcus aureus are a significant clinical problem, causing persistent and antibiotic-resistant infections. However, SCVs are unstable and can rapidly evolve growth-compensated mutants. Previous data suggested that growth compensation only occurred with the loss of antibiotic resistance. We have used selection with serial passaging to uncover four distinct pathways of growth compensation accessible to SCVs. Three of these paths (reversion, intragenic suppression, and translational suppression) increase growth at the expense of losing antibiotic resistance. The fourth path activates an alternative transcriptional program and allows the bacteria to produce the extra ATP required to support faster growth, without losing antibiotic resistance. The importance of this work is that it shows that drug-resistant SCVs can evolve faster growth without losing antibiotic resistance.
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| 20. |
- Cao, Sha, et al.
(författare)
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Positive Selection during Niche Adaptation Results in Large-Scale and Irreversible Rearrangement of Chromosomal Gene Order in Bacteria
- 2022
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Ingår i: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 39:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Analysis of bacterial genomes shows that, whereas diverse species share many genes in common, their linear order on the chromosome is often not conserved. Whereas rearrangements in gene order could occur by genetic drift, an alternative hypothesis is rearrangement driven by positive selection during niche adaptation (SNAP). Here, we provide the first experimental support for the SNAP hypothesis. We evolved Salmonella to adapt to growth on malate as the sole carbon source and followed the evolutionary trajectories. The initial adaptation to growth in the new environment involved the duplication of 1.66 Mb, corresponding to one-third of the Salmonella chromosome. This duplication is selected to increase the copy number of a single gene, dctA, involved in the uptake of malate. Continuing selection led to the rapid loss or mutation of duplicate genes from either copy of the duplicated region. After 2000 generations, only 31% of the originally duplicated genes remained intact and the gene order within the Salmonella chromosome has been significantly and irreversibly altered. These results experientially validate predictions made by the SNAP hypothesis and show that SNAP can be a strong driving force for rearrangements in chromosomal gene order.
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| 21. |
- Garmendia, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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Chromosomal Location Determines the Rate of Intrachromosomal Homologous Recombination in Salmonella
- 2021
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Ingår i: mBio. - : American Society for Microbiology. - 2161-2129 .- 2150-7511. ; 12:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Homologous recombination is an important mechanism directly involved in the repair, organization, and evolution of prokaryotic and eukaryotic chromosomes. We developed a system, based on two genetic cassettes, that allows the measurement of recombinational repair rates between different locations on the chromosome. Using this system, we analyzed 81 different positional combinations throughout the chromosome to answer the question of how the position and orientation of sequences affect intrachromosomal homologous recombination. Our results show that recombination was possible between any two locations tested in this study and that recombinational repair rates varied by just above an order of magnitude. The observed differences in rate do not correlate with distance between the recombination cassettes or with distance from the origin of replication but could be explained if each location contributes individually to the recombination event. The relative levels of accessibility for recombination vary 5-fold between the various cassette locations, and we found that the nucleoid structure of the chromosome may be the major factor influencing the recombinational accessibility of each chromosomal site. Furthermore, we found that the orientation of the recombination cassettes had a significant impact on recombination. Recombinational repair rates for the cassettes inserted as direct repeats are, on average, 2.2-fold higher than those for the same sets inserted as inverted repeats. These results suggest that the bacterial chromosome is not homogenous with regard to homologous recombination, with regions that are more or less accessible, and that the orientation of genes affects recombination rates. IMPORTANCE Bacterial chromosomes frequently carry multiple copies of genes at separate chromosomal locations. In Salmonella, these include the 7 rrn operons and the duplicate tuf genes. Genes within these families coevolve by homologous recombination, but it is not obvious whether their rates of recombination reflect general rates of intrachromosomal recombination or are an evolved property particularly associated with these conserved genes and locations. Using a novel experimental system, we show that recombination is possible between all tested pairs of locations at rates that vary by just above 1 order of magnitude. Differences in rate do not correlate with distance between the sites or distance to the origin of replication but may be explained if each location contributes individually to the recombination event. Our results suggest the existence of bacterial chromosomal domains that are differentially available for recombination and that gene orientation affects recombination rates.
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| 22. |
- Garmendia, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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Transcriptional Regulation Buffers Gene Dosage Effects on a Highly Expressed Operon in Salmonella
- 2018
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Ingår i: mBio. - : AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY. - 2161-2129 .- 2150-7511. ; 9:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Highly expressed genes are commonly located close to the origin of replication of bacterial chromosomes (OriC). This location skew is thought to reflect selective advantages associated with gene dosage effects during the replication cycle. The expression of constitutively expressed genes can vary up to fivefold based on chromosomal location, but it is not clear what level of variation would occur in naturally regulated operons. We tested the magnitude of the chromosome location effect using EF-Tu (tufA, tufB), an abundant protein whose cellular level correlates with, and limits, the maximum growth rate. We translocated the Salmonella tufB operon to four locations across the chromosome. The distance from OriC had only a small effect on growth rate, consistent with this operon having the natural ability to upregulate expression and compensate for reduced gene dosage. In contrast, when the total EF-Tu concentration was limiting for the growth rate (tufA deleted), we observed a strong gene dosage effect when tufB was located further from OriC. However, only a short period of experimental evolution was required before the bacteria adapted to this EF-Tu starvation situation by acquiring genetic changes that increased expression levels from the translocated tufB gene, restoring growth rates. Our findings demonstrate that, at least for the tufB operon, gene dosage is probably not the dominant force selecting for a chromosomal location close to OriC. We suggest that the colocation of highly expressed genes close to OriC might instead be selected because it enhances their coregulation during various growth states, with gene dosage being a secondary benefit. IMPORTANCE A feature of bacterial chromosomes is that highly expressed essential genes are usually located close to the origin of replication. Because bacteria have overlapping cycles of replication, genes located close to the origin will often be present in multiple copies, and this is thought to be of selective benefit where high levels of expression support high growth rate. However, the magnitude of this selective effect and whether other forces could be at play are poorly understood. To study this, we translocated a highly expressed essential operon, tufB, to different locations and measured growth fitness. We found that transcriptional regulation buffered the effects of translocation and that even under conditions where growth rate was reduced, genetic changes that increased the expression of tufB were easily and rapidly selected. We conclude, at least for tufB, that forces other than gene dosage may be significant in selecting for chromosomal location.
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| 23. |
- Garoff, Linnéa, et al.
(författare)
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Population Bottlenecks Strongly Influence the Evolutionary Trajectory to Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Escherichia coli
- 2020
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Ingår i: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 37:6, s. 1637-1646
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Experimental evolution is a powerful tool to study genetic trajectories to antibiotic resistance under selection. A confounding factor is that outcomes may be heavily influenced by the choice of experimental parameters. For practical purposes (minimizing culture volumes), most experimental evolution studies with bacteria use transmission bottleneck sizes of 5 x 10(6) cfu. We currently have a poor understanding of how the choice of transmission bottleneck size affects the accumulation of deleterious versus high-fitness mutations when resistance requires multiple mutations, and how this relates outcome to clinical resistance. We addressed this using experimental evolution of resistance to ciprofloxacin in Escherichia coli. Populations were passaged with three different transmission bottlenecks, including single cell (to maximize genetic drift) and bottlenecks spanning the reciprocal of the frequency of drug target mutations (10(8) and 10(10)). The 10(10) bottlenecks selected overwhelmingly mutations in drug target genes, and the resulting genotypes corresponded closely to those found in resistant clinical isolates. In contrast, both the 10(8) and single-cell bottlenecks selected mutations in three different gene classes: 1) drug targets, 2) efflux pump repressors, and 3) transcription-translation genes, including many mutations with low fitness. Accordingly, bottlenecks smaller than the average nucleotide substitution rate significantly altered the experimental outcome away from genotypes observed in resistant clinical isolates. These data could be applied in designing experimental evolution studies to increase their predictive power and to explore the interplay between different environmental conditions, where transmission bottlenecks might vary, and resulting evolutionary trajectories.
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| 24. |
- Hughes, Diarmaid, 1956-, et al.
(författare)
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Rifampicin Resistance : Fitness Costs and the Significance of Compensatory Evolution
- 2013
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Ingår i: Antibiotics. - : MDPI. - 2079-6382. ; 2:2, s. 206-216
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seventy years after the introduction of antibiotic chemotherapy to treat tuberculosis, problems caused by drug-resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis have become greater than ever. The discovery and development of novel drugs and drug combination therapies will be critical to managing these problematic infections. However, to maintain effective therapy in the long-term and to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, it is essential that we understand how resistance to antibiotics evolves in M. tuberculosis. Recent studies in genomics and genetics, employing both clinical isolates and model organisms, have revealed that resistance to the frontline anti-tuberculosis drug, rifampicin, is very strongly associated with the selection of fitness compensatory mutations in the different subunits of RNA polymerase. This mode of resistance evolution may also apply to other drugs, and knowledge of the rates and mechanisms could be used to design improved diagnostics and by tracking the evolution of infectious strains, to inform the optimization of therapies.
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| 25. |
- Huseby, Douglas L, et al.
(författare)
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Antibiotic resistance by high-level intrinsic suppression of a frameshift mutation in an essential gene
- 2020
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : NATL ACAD SCIENCES. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 117:6, s. 3185-3191
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A fundamental feature of life is that ribosomes read the genetic code in messenger RNA (mRNA) as triplets of nucleotides in a single reading frame. Mutations that shift the reading frame generally cause gene inactivation and in essential genes cause loss of viability. Here we report and characterize a +1-nt frameshift mutation, centrally located in rpoB, an essential gene encoding the beta-subunit of RNA polymerase. Mutant Escherichia coli carrying this mutation are viable and highly resistant to rifampicin. Genetic and proteomic experiments reveal a very high rate (5%) of spontaneous frameshift suppression occurring on a heptanucleotide sequence downstream of the mutation. Production of active protein is stimulated to 61-71% of wild-type level by a feedback mechanism increasing translation initiation. The phenomenon described here could have broad significance for predictions of phenotype from genotype. Several frameshift mutations have been reported in rpoB in rifampicin-resistant clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). These mutations have never been experimentally validated, and no mechanisms of action have been proposed. This work shows that frameshift mutations in rpoB can be a mutational mechanism generating antibiotic resistance. Our analysis further suggests that genetic elements supporting productive frame-shifting could rapidly evolve de novo, even in essential genes.
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| 26. |
- Huseby, Douglas L., et al.
(författare)
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Mutation supply and relative fitness shape the genotypes of ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli
- 2017
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Ingår i: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 34:5, s. 1029-1039
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ciprofloxacin is an important antibacterial drug targeting Type II topoisomerases, highly active against Gram-negatives including Escherichia coli. The evolution of resistance to ciprofloxacin in E. coli always requires multiple genetic changes, usually including mutations affecting two different drug target genes, gyrA and parC. Resistant mutants selected in vitro or in vivo can have many different mutations in target genes and efflux regulator genes that contribute to resistance. Among resistant clinical isolates the genotype, gyrA S83L D87N, parC S80I is significantly overrepresented suggesting that it has a selective advantage. However, the evolutionary or functional significance of this high frequency resistance genotype is not fully understood. By combining experimental data and mathematical modeling, we addressed the reasons for the predominance of this specific genotype. The experimental data were used to model trajectories of mutational resistance evolution under different conditions of drug exposure and population bottlenecks. We identified the order in which specific mutations are selected in the clinical genotype, showed that the high frequency genotype could be selected over a range of drug selective pressures, and was strongly influenced by the relative fitness of alternative mutations and factors affecting mutation supply. Our data map for the first time the fitness landscape that constrains the evolutionary trajectories taken during the development of clinical resistance to ciprofloxacin and explain the predominance of the most frequently selected genotype. This study provides strong support for the use of in vitro competition assays as a tool to trace evolutionary trajectories, not only in the antibiotic resistance field.
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| 27. |
- Meftahi, Nedra, et al.
(författare)
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Evidence for the critical role of a secondary site rpoB mutation in the compensatory evolution and successful transmission of an MDR tuberculosis outbreak strain
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. - : Oxford University Press. - 0305-7453 .- 1460-2091. ; 71:2, s. 324-332
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical strains that cause large outbreaks, particularly among HIV-negative patients, are likely to have undergone the most successful compensatory evolution. Hence, mutations secondary to the acquisition of drug resistance are worthy of consideration in these highly transmissible strains. Here, we assessed the role of a mutation within rpoB, rpoB V615M, secondary to the rifampicin resistance-conferring mutation rpoB S531L, which is associated with a major MDR tuberculosis outbreak strain that evolved in an HIV-negative context in northern Tunisia.Methods Using BCG as a model organism, we engineered strains harbouring either the rpoB S531L mutation alone or the double mutation rpoB S531L, V615M. Individual and competitive in vitro growth assays were performed in order to assess the relative fitness of each BCG mutant.Results The rpoB V615M mutation was found to be invariably associated with rpoB S531L. Structural analysis mapped rpoB V615M to the same bridge helix region as rpoB compensatory mutations previously described in Salmonella. Compared with the rpoB single-mutant BCG, the double mutant displayed improved growth characteristics and fitness rates equivalent to WT BCG. Strikingly, the rpoB double mutation conferred high-level resistance to rifampicin.Conclusions Here, we demonstrated the fitness compensatory role of a mutation within rpoB, secondary to the rifampicin resistance mutation rpoB S531L, which is characteristic of an MDR M. tuberculosis major outbreak strain. The finding that this secondary mutation concomitantly increased the resistance level to rifampicin argues for its significant contribution to the successful transmission of the MDR-TB strain.
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| 28. |
- Pietsch, Franziska, et al.
(författare)
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Ciprofloxacin selects for RNA polymerase mutations with pleiotropic antibiotic resistance effects
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. - : Oxford University Press. - 0305-7453 .- 1460-2091. ; 72:1, s. 75-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectivesResistance to the fluoroquinolone drug ciprofloxacin is commonly linked to mutations that alter the drug target or increase drug efflux via the major AcrAB-TolC transporter. Very little is known about other mutations that might also reduce susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. We discovered that an Escherichia coli strain experimentally evolved for resistance to ciprofloxacin had acquired a mutation in rpoB, the gene coding for the β-subunit of RNA polymerase. The aim of this work was to determine whether this mutation, and other mutations in rpoB, contribute to ciprofloxacin resistance and, if so, by which mechanism.MethodsIndependent lineages of E. coli were evolved in the presence of ciprofloxacin and clones from endpoint cultures were screened for mutations in rpoB. Ciprofloxacin-selected rpoB mutations were identified and characterized in terms of effects on susceptibility and mode of action.ResultsMutations in rpoB were selected at a high frequency in 3 out of 10 evolved lineages, in each case arising after the occurrence of mutations affecting topoisomerases and drug efflux. All ciprofloxacin-selected rpoB mutations had a high fitness cost in the absence of drug, but conferred a competitive advantage in the presence of ciprofloxacin. RNA sequencing and quantitative RT–PCR analysis showed that expression of mdtK, encoding a multidrug efflux transporter, was significantly increased by the ciprofloxacin-selected rpoB mutations. The susceptibility phenotype was shown to depend on the presence of an active mdtK and a mutant rpoB allele.ConclusionsThese data identify mutations in RNA polymerase as novel contributors to the evolution of resistance to ciprofloxacin and show that the phenotype is mediated by increased MdtK-dependent drug efflux.
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| 29. |
- Praski Alzrigat, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Fitness cost constrains the spectrum of marR mutations in ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli : Multiple Antibiotic-Resistance, Gram-Negative Bacteria, Multidrug Efflux Pump, Urinary-Tract-Infections, Fluoroquinolone Resistance, Quinolone Resistance, Mechanisms, Expression, Sequence, Soxs
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0305-7453 .- 1460-2091. ; 2:11, s. 3016-3024
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To determine whether the spectrum of mutations in marR in ciprofloxacin-resistant clinical isolates of Escherichia coli shows evidence of selection bias, either to reduce fitness costs, or to increase drug resistance. MarR is a repressor protein that regulates, via MarA, expression of the Mar regulon, including the multidrug efflux pump AcrAB-TolC. Methods: Isogenic strains carrying 36 different marR alleles identified in resistant clinical isolates, or selected for resistance in vitro, were constructed. Drug susceptibility and relative fitness in growth competition assays were measured for all strains. The expression level of marA, and of various efflux pump components, as a function of specific mutations in marR, was measured by qPCR. Results: The spectrum of genetic alterations in marR in clinical isolates is strongly biased against inactivating mutations. In general, the alleles found in clinical isolates conferred a lower level of resistance and imposed a lower growth fitness cost than mutations selected in vitro. The level of expression of MarA correlated well with the MIC of ciprofloxacin. This supports the functional connection between mutations in marR and reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. Conclusions: Mutations in marR selected in ciprofloxacin-resistant clinical isolates are strongly biased against inactivating mutations. Selection favours mutant alleles that have the lowest fitness costs, even though these cause only modest reductions in drug susceptibility. This suggests that selection for high relative fitness is more important than selection for increased resistance in determining which alleles of marR will be selected in resistant clinical isolates.
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| 30. |
- Praski Alzrigat, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Resistance/fitness trade-off is a barrier to the evolution of MarR inactivation mutants in Escherichia coli
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. - : Oxford University Press. - 0305-7453 .- 1460-2091. ; 76:1, s. 77-83
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundMutations that inactivate MarR reduce susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and competitive growth fitness in Escherichia coli. Both phenotypes are caused by overexpression of the MarA regulon, which includes the AcrAB-TolC drug efflux pump.ObjectivesWe asked whether compensatory evolution could reduce the fitness cost of MarR-inactivating mutations without affecting resistance to ciprofloxacin.MethodsThe cost of overexpressing the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump was measured independently of MarA overexpression. Experimental evolution of MarR-inactive strains was used to select mutants with increased fitness. The acquired mutations were identified and their effects on drug susceptibility were measured.ResultsOverexpression of the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump was found not to contribute to the fitness cost of MarA regulon overexpression. Fitness-compensatory mutations were selected in marA and lon. The mutations reduced the level of MarA protein thus reducing expression of the MarA regulon. They restored growth fitness but also reduced resistance to ciprofloxacin.ConclusionsThe fitness cost caused by overexpression of the MarA regulon has multiple contributing factors. Experimental evolution did not identify any single pump-independent cost factor. Instead, efficient fitness compensation occurred only by mechanisms that reduce MarA concentration, which simultaneously reduce the drug resistance phenotype. This resistance/fitness trade-off is a barrier to the successful spread of MarR inactivation mutations in clinical isolates where growth fitness is essential.
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