Zavier A Carter, Christopher E O'Brien, Shonna M McBride
{"title":"Proline Stickland fermentation supports <i>C. difficile</i> spore maturation.","authors":"Zavier A Carter, Christopher E O'Brien, Shonna M McBride","doi":"10.1128/aem.00551-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00551-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Clostridioides difficile</i> is an anaerobic pathogen that thrives in the metabolically diverse intestinal environment. <i>C. difficile</i> is readily transmitted due to its transformation into a dormant spore form that is highly resistant to heat and disinfectants. Nutrient limitation is a key driver of spore formation; however, few metabolites have been directly shown to influence the regulation of <i>C. difficile</i> sporulation. A distinct aspect of <i>C. difficile</i> biology is the fermentation of amino acids through Stickland metabolism pathways, which are critical sources of energy for this pathogen. We hypothesized that as a preferred energy source, the amino acid proline may serve as a signal that regulates the initiation of sporulation or the development of spores. Using mutants in the proline reductase gene, <i>prdA</i>, and the proline-dependent regulator, <i>prdR,</i> we examined the impact of proline on <i>C. difficile</i> physiology and differentiation. Our results demonstrate that proline reductase is important for the development of mature spores and that excess proline can repress <i>C. difficile</i> sporulation through PrdR regulation. Furthermore, we discovered that the end product of proline reduction, 5-aminovalerate, can support the growth of <i>C. difficile</i> through an unidentified, PrdR-dependent mechanism.IMPORTANCE<i>C. difficile</i> is an anaerobic intestinal pathogen that disseminates in the environment as dormant, resilient spores. Nutrient limitation is known to stimulate spore production, but the contribution of specific nutrients to sporulation is poorly understood. In this study, we examined the contribution of proline and proline fermentation to spore formation. Our results demonstrate the effect of proline fermentation on spore quality and the importance of the proline reductase pathway on spore maturation.</p>","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0055125"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144214735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nan Xu, Wanyu Wang, Shuang Cheng, Jiaojiao Zuo, Minliang Guo
{"title":"Function and regulation of <i>pob</i> genes for 4-hydroxybenzoate catabolism in <i>Agrobacterium tumefaciens</i>.","authors":"Nan Xu, Wanyu Wang, Shuang Cheng, Jiaojiao Zuo, Minliang Guo","doi":"10.1128/aem.00255-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00255-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Agrobacterium tumefaciens</i> is a pathogen that causes tumors in plants. Phenolic acids present in the soil and rhizosphere may affect the interaction between <i>A. tumefaciens</i> and plants. An important pathway for microorganisms to degrade phenolic acids is the β-ketoadipate pathway, which has been annotated in the genome of <i>A. tumefaciens</i>. The ability of the PobA (atu4544) enzyme to catalyze the conversion of 4-hydroxybenzoate to protocatechuate was essential for cell growth using 4-hydroxybenzoate as the sole carbon source. The <i>pobA</i> gene is located upstream of <i>atu4545</i>, encoding an AraC transcription factor (PobR). Strains with deleted or supplemented <i>atu4545</i> exhibited similar growth characteristics on common and phenolic acid-containing carbon sources as strains with deleted or supplemented <i>atu4544</i>. Strains with a <i>pobA::lacZ</i> reporter fusion showed that PobR induced <i>pobA</i> expression. In addition, the use of a <i>pobR::lacZ</i> reporter fusion showed that PobR represses its expression. Electromobility shift assay revealed that the PobR regulator can bind specifically to DNA. The binding site was identified as CGTGCGATGGTGGATT. Deletions of <i>atu4544</i> (<i>pobA</i>) and <i>atu4545</i> (<i>pobR</i>) decreased <i>A. tumefaciens</i> pathogenicity by infecting carrot roots and kalanchoe leaves, with no effect on <i>virB</i> genes, and decreased bacterial biomass when phenolic acids were present. The collective findings demonstrate how transcriptional regulation by <i>A. tumefaciens</i> controls the metabolism of 4-hydroxybenzoate and imply that PobA and PobR aid in bacterial survival during host plant infection.IMPORTANCE<i>Agrobacterium tumefaciens</i> is a widely distributed environmental bacterium and a recognized phytopathogen. Phenolic acids influence the relationship between <i>A. tumefaciens</i> and plants. One of the most important phenolic acids found in soil is 4-hydroxybenzoate, which is generated by plants. Mutants defective in the <i>atu4544</i> and <i>atu4545</i> genes inhibit <i>A. tumefaciens</i> tumor development. The <i>atu4544</i>-encoded enzyme, PobA, can metabolize 4-hydroxybenzoate, and the expression of its gene is positively regulated by the transcription factor encoded by <i>atu4545</i>. The <i>atu4545</i> gene is subject to negative autoregulation. The binding site of atu4545 is CGTGCGATGGTCGGATT. Dual regulation of regulators for phenolic acid catabolism may aid in the maintenance of appropriate quantities of phenolic compounds. These results clarify the pathogenic mechanisms of <i>A. tumefaciens</i> and broaden the understanding of the metabolic control mechanisms of phenolic chemicals.</p>","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0025525"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144207421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ming-Xuan Tang, Peng-Fei Meng, Ruo-Lin Huang, Xin Zheng, Chen-Chen Liang, Xuepiao Pu, Chen Wang, Ying Zhao, Yi-Qiu Zhang, Jia-Xin Liang, Yu-Xi Yan, Yanyu Xiao, Ying An, Xiaoye Liang, Yi Song, Jiuxin Qu, Bo Yu, Yu Xia, Tao Dong
{"title":"<i>Aeromonas</i> spp. as a fast-growing high-performance chassis for protein production.","authors":"Ming-Xuan Tang, Peng-Fei Meng, Ruo-Lin Huang, Xin Zheng, Chen-Chen Liang, Xuepiao Pu, Chen Wang, Ying Zhao, Yi-Qiu Zhang, Jia-Xin Liang, Yu-Xi Yan, Yanyu Xiao, Ying An, Xiaoye Liang, Yi Song, Jiuxin Qu, Bo Yu, Yu Xia, Tao Dong","doi":"10.1128/aem.00780-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00780-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recombinant protein production is crucial for biotechnology and industrial processes. While <i>Escherichia coli</i> and other bacterial systems are effective, alternative systems can complement their limitations in specific applications. We introduce AMAX, a fast-growing high-performance bacterial chassis with target protein yields comprising 60-70% of total protein content. AMAX is compatible with common protein expression vectors, exhibits a growth rate comparable to <i>Vibrio natriegens</i>, and can adapt to diverse conditions, including co-production with <i>E. coli</i>, freshwater to seawater salinity, and contaminant phages. We also demonstrate the versatility of AMAX in producing several commercially valuable enzymes at high yield and purity. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses highlight its robust regulatory networks and potential for outer membrane vesicle (OMV)-mediated cargo delivery. Safety evaluation using multiple eukaryotic models indicates it is nontoxic. These results demonstrate AMAX as a valuable tool for recombinant protein production.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>AMAX complements current systems by addressing challenges such as phage contamination and high GC-content protein expression, while offering rapid growth, high protein yields, and adaptability to saline environments. Its favorable biosafety profile and potential for OMV-based protein delivery further enhance its application, making it a versatile platform for sustainable and efficient bioproduction.</p>","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0078025"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144207419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mirena Ivanova, Martin Laage Kragh, Judit Szarvas, Elif Seyda Tosun, Natacha Friis Holmud, Alexander Gmeiner, Corinne Amar, Claudia Guldimann, TuAnh N Huynh, Renáta Karpíšková, Carmen Rota, Diego Gomez, Eurydice Aboagye, Andrea Etter, Patrizia Centorame, Marina Torresi, Maria Elisabetta De Angelis, Francesco Pomilio, Anders Hauge Okholm, Yinghua Xiao, Sylvia Kleta, Stefanie Lüth, Ariane Pietzka, Jovana Kovacevic, Franco Pagotto, Kathrin Rychli, Irena Zdovc, Bojan Papić, Even Heir, Solveig Langsrud, Trond Møretrø, Phillip Brown, Sophia Kathariou, Roger Stephan, Taurai Tasara, Paw Dalgaard, Patrick Murigu Kamau Njage, Annette Fagerlund, Frank Aarestrup, Lisbeth Truelstrup Hansen, Pimlapas Leekitcharoenphon
{"title":"Erratum for Ivanova et al., \"Large-scale phenotypic and genomic analysis of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> reveals diversity in the sensitivity to quaternary ammonium compounds but not to peracetic acid\".","authors":"Mirena Ivanova, Martin Laage Kragh, Judit Szarvas, Elif Seyda Tosun, Natacha Friis Holmud, Alexander Gmeiner, Corinne Amar, Claudia Guldimann, TuAnh N Huynh, Renáta Karpíšková, Carmen Rota, Diego Gomez, Eurydice Aboagye, Andrea Etter, Patrizia Centorame, Marina Torresi, Maria Elisabetta De Angelis, Francesco Pomilio, Anders Hauge Okholm, Yinghua Xiao, Sylvia Kleta, Stefanie Lüth, Ariane Pietzka, Jovana Kovacevic, Franco Pagotto, Kathrin Rychli, Irena Zdovc, Bojan Papić, Even Heir, Solveig Langsrud, Trond Møretrø, Phillip Brown, Sophia Kathariou, Roger Stephan, Taurai Tasara, Paw Dalgaard, Patrick Murigu Kamau Njage, Annette Fagerlund, Frank Aarestrup, Lisbeth Truelstrup Hansen, Pimlapas Leekitcharoenphon","doi":"10.1128/aem.00956-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00956-25","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0095625"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144207420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pavel Demo, Filip Přeučil, Petra Tichá, Mária Domonkos, Eliška Lokajová, Jana Jirešová
{"title":"Modeling of mold inactivation via cold atmospheric plasma (CAP).","authors":"Pavel Demo, Filip Přeučil, Petra Tichá, Mária Domonkos, Eliška Lokajová, Jana Jirešová","doi":"10.1128/aem.02102-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/aem.02102-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During their reproduction cycles, the omnipresent pathogens produce a broad class of mycotoxins responsible for serious health problems in living organisms. To reduce (or even to eradicate) the microorganisms from the invaded system, various conventional methods are applied in practice, sometimes with counterproductive effects. To overcome these challenges, the cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is applied to terminate mold proliferation within the system. The paper presents a mathematical model for the elimination of microscopic filamentous types of fungi, specifically molds, by using the CAP. The evolution of mold population is described by a nonlinear logistic equation with a density-dependent inactivation rate. Exactly calculated growth curves are compared with experimental data for <i>Aspergillus brasiliensis</i> obtained for two plasma operating times. The results show that if the plasma inactivation rate is comparable to the maximum natural growth rate of the mycelium, the mold colony becomes extinct after a finite time. Otherwise, the mycelium may survive the plasma intervention. The model presented in the paper can be applied to other classes of microorganisms (e.g., bacteria and viruses), using different inactivation techniques (e.g., heating or high pressures with properly defined inactivation rates).</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>The novelty of this study is to model the extinction process of molds from an invaded system by using a nonlinear logistic equation with a density-dependent inactivation rate. The resulting analytical solution allows us to determine the coverage of the surface by mycelium at arbitrary times. The calculated growth curves are compared with data sets for <i>Aspergillus brasiliensis</i>. An advantage of this model is the possibility to obtain relevant information in a matter of minutes, compared to the highly time-consuming real experiments that can take weeks.</p>","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0210224"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12093983/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143778768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aijia Zhou, P S Ganesh Subramanian, Salma El-Naggar, Joanna L Shisler, Vishal Verma, Thanh H Nguyen
{"title":"Capsid and genome damage are the leading inactivation mechanisms of aerosolized porcine respiratory coronavirus at different relative humidities.","authors":"Aijia Zhou, P S Ganesh Subramanian, Salma El-Naggar, Joanna L Shisler, Vishal Verma, Thanh H Nguyen","doi":"10.1128/aem.02319-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/aem.02319-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Relative humidity (RH) varies widely in indoor environments based on temperature, outdoor humidity, heating systems, and other environmental conditions. This study explored how RH affects aerosolized porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV), a model for coronaviruses, over a time range from 0 min to a maximum of 1 h, and the molecular mechanism behind viral infectivity reduction. These questions were answered by quantifying: (i) viral-host receptor interactions, (ii) capsid integrity, (iii) viral genome integrity, and (iv) virus infectivity. We found RH did not alter PRCV-receptor interactions. RHs 45-55% and 65-75% damaged viral genomes (2 log<sub>10</sub> reduction and 1 log<sub>10</sub> reduction, respectively, in terms of median sample value), whereas RHs 55-65% decreased capsid integrity (2 log<sub>10</sub> reduction). No apparent virion damage was observed in RH 75-85%. Two assays were used to quantify virus presence: qPCR for detecting the viral genomes and plaque-forming unit assay for detecting the virus replication. Our results indicated that the qPCR assay overestimated the concentrations of infectious viruses, and RNase treatment with long-range RT-qPCR performed better than one-step RT-qPCR. We propose that understanding the influence of RH on the stability of aerosolized viruses provides critical information for detecting and preventing the indoor transmission of coronaviruses.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>Indoor environments can impact the stability of respiratory viruses, which can then affect the transmission rates. The mechanisms of how relative humidity (RH) affects virus infectivity still remain unclear. This study found RH inactivates porcine respiratory coronavirus by damaging its capsid and genome. The finding highlights the potential role of controlling indoor RH levels as a strategy to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0231924"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12094281/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143794620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emily Antoinette Kraus, Bharath Prithiviraj, Mark Hernandez
{"title":"Advancing transcriptomic profiling of airborne bacteria.","authors":"Emily Antoinette Kraus, Bharath Prithiviraj, Mark Hernandez","doi":"10.1128/aem.00148-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/aem.00148-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aerobiology research focusing on bioaerosol particle dynamics has catalogued the identity, distribution, and abundance of airborne microbes in a broad variety of indoor environments and, more recently, indoor disinfection methods for medically relevant microbes. Given their importance in environmental health and our constant exposure to airborne microbes in our daily lives, surprisingly little is known about the activity of live bioaerosols and their metabolic responses to aerosolization and suspension stress. In this context, microbial messenger RNA (mRNA) is a powerful information source of near-real-time organismal responses that cannot be attained through genomic, proteomic, or metabolomic studies. This review discusses current knowledge from transcriptomic studies describing airborne bacterial cellular activity in response to a myriad of environmental stresses imparted rapidly upon aerosolization and continued suspension as a microscopic bioaerosol. In the context of transcriptome profiling, potential artifacts associated with aerosolization/collection of bioaerosols are discussed from the perspective of preserving mRNA and maintaining its fidelity as it exists in airborne microbes. Recommendations for advancing live bioaerosol metabolic profiling through gene expression studies are presented to mitigate inherent artifacts and challenges with modern bioaerosol experiments. These recommendations include the use of larger experimental chambers, temperature control during aerosolization processes, and liquid capture bioaerosol sampling into a nucleic acid preservative to improve the fidelity of collected RNA and better capture the transcriptional activity of airborne microorganisms. Eventually, improvements in profiling bioaerosol activity can contribute toward answering fundamental questions on the aerobiome such as: is the atmosphere a temporary highway or a habitat for microorganisms?</p>","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0014825"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12093975/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143954199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Vietmeier, Michelle Valkanas, Natalie Lamagna, Samuel Flett, Djuna Gulliver, Nancy Trun
{"title":"Bacterial nitrite production oxidizes Fe(II) bioremediating acidic abandoned coal mine drainage.","authors":"Anna Vietmeier, Michelle Valkanas, Natalie Lamagna, Samuel Flett, Djuna Gulliver, Nancy Trun","doi":"10.1128/aem.00405-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/aem.00405-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Passive remediation systems (PRSs) treating either acidic or neutral abandoned coal mine drainage (AMD) are colonized by bacteria that can bioremediate iron (Fe) through chemical cycling. Due to the low pH in acidic AMD, iron oxidation from soluble Fe(II) to precipitated Fe(III) is mainly directed by microbial oxidation. Less well described are biotic reactions that lead to iron remediation through abiotic secondary reactions. We describe here iron oxidation in acidic AMD that is mediated by the bacterial reduction of nitrate to nitrite followed by the geochemical oxidation of Fe(II). Within an acidic PRS, 4,560 bacteria cultured from the microbial community were screened for their ability to oxidize iron and to perform nitrate-dependent iron oxidation (NDFO). Iron oxidation in the culturable community was observed in every pond of the system, ranging from 2.1% to 11.4%, and NDFO was observed in every pond, ranging from 1.4% to 6.0% of the culturable bacteria. Five NDFO isolates were purified and identified as <i>Paraburkholderia</i> spp. One of our isolates, <i>Paraburkholderia</i> sp. AV18 was shown to drive NDFO through the bacterial production of nitrite that in turn chemically oxidizes Fe(II) (nitrate reduction-iron oxidation; NRIO). AV18 expressed nitrate reductase, <i>napA</i>, concurrent to nitrite production. Burkholderiales are found by 16S rRNA gene sequencing in every pond of the PRS. The frequency of NDFO metabolism in the culturable microbial community and abundance of Burkholderiales in the PRS suggest nitrite producers contribute to the bioremediation of iron in acidic AMD and may be an unharnessed opportunity to increase iron bioremediation in acidic conditions.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>Our study sheds light on a poorly defined biogeochemical interaction, nitrate-dependent iron oxidation (NDFO), that has been described in several environments. We show that bacterial nitrate reduction produces nitrite, which can chemically oxidize ferrous iron, leading to insoluble ferric iron. We show that bacteria capable of the nitrate reduction-iron oxidation (NRIO) reactions are prevalent throughout multiple passive remediation systems that treat acidic coal mine drainage, indicating this may be a widespread mechanism for iron removal under acidic conditions. In acidic coal mine remediation, iron precipitation has been shown to be solely bacterially mediated, and NRIO provides a simple mechanism for aerobic oxidation of iron in these conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0040525"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12094003/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143957622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jordan D Zehr, Qi Sun, Kristina Ceres, Amy Merrill, Gregory H Tyson, Olgica Ceric, Jake Guag, Sarah Pauley, Holly C McQueary, Kelly Sams, Guillaume Reboul, Patrick K Mitchell, Renee Anderson, Rebecca Franklin-Guild, Cassandra Guarino, Brittany D Cronk, Claire R Burbick, Rebecca Wolking, Laura Peak, Yan Zhang, Rebeccah McDowall, Aparna Krishnamurthy, Durda Slavic, Prabhjot Kaur Sekhon, David Needle, Robert Gibson, Casey Cazer, Jennifer Rodriguez, Beth Harris, Michael J Stanhope, Laura B Goodman
{"title":"Population and pan-genomic analyses of <i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i> identify geographic distinctions in accessory gene content and novel loci associated with AMR.","authors":"Jordan D Zehr, Qi Sun, Kristina Ceres, Amy Merrill, Gregory H Tyson, Olgica Ceric, Jake Guag, Sarah Pauley, Holly C McQueary, Kelly Sams, Guillaume Reboul, Patrick K Mitchell, Renee Anderson, Rebecca Franklin-Guild, Cassandra Guarino, Brittany D Cronk, Claire R Burbick, Rebecca Wolking, Laura Peak, Yan Zhang, Rebeccah McDowall, Aparna Krishnamurthy, Durda Slavic, Prabhjot Kaur Sekhon, David Needle, Robert Gibson, Casey Cazer, Jennifer Rodriguez, Beth Harris, Michael J Stanhope, Laura B Goodman","doi":"10.1128/aem.00010-25","DOIUrl":"10.1128/aem.00010-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i> is a common representative of the normal skin microbiota of dogs and cats but is also a causative agent of a variety of infections. Although primarily a canine/feline bacterium, recent studies suggest an expanded host range including humans. This paper details population genomic analyses of the largest yet assembled and sequenced collection of <i>S. pseudintermedius</i> isolates from across the USA and Canada and assesses these isolates within a larger global population genetic context. We then employ a pan-genome-wide association study analysis of over 1,700 <i>S</i>. <i>pseudintermedius</i> isolates from sick dogs and cats, covering the period 2017-2020, correlating loci at a genome-wide level, with <i>in vitro</i> susceptibility data for 23 different antibiotics. We find no evidence from either core genome phylogenies or accessory genome content for separate lineages colonizing cats or dogs. Some core genome geographic clustering was evident on a global scale, and accessory gene content was noticeably different between various regions, some of which could be linked to known antimicrobial resistance (AMR) loci for certain classes of antibiotics (e.g., aminoglycosides). Analysis of genes correlated with AMR was divided into different categories, depending on whether they were known resistance mechanisms, on a plasmid, or a putatively novel resistance mechanism on the chromosome. We discuss several novel chromosomal candidates for follow-up laboratory experimentation, including, for example, a bacteriocin (subtilosin), for which the same protein from <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> has been shown to be active against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> infections, and for which the operon, present in closely related <i>Staphylococcus</i> species, is absent in <i>S. aureus</i>.IMPORTANCE<i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i> is an important causative agent of a variety of canine and feline infections, with recent studies suggesting an expanded host range, including humans. This paper presents global population genomic data and analysis of the largest set yet sequenced for this organism, covering the USA and Canada as well as more globally. It also presents analysis of <i>in vitro</i> antibiotic susceptibility testing results for the North American (NA) isolates, as well as genetic analysis for the global set. We conduct a pan-genome-wide association study analysis of over 1,700 S. <i>pseudintermedius</i> isolates from sick dogs and cats from NA to correlate loci at a genome-wide level with the <i>in vitro</i> susceptibility data for 23 different antibiotics. We discuss several chromosomal loci arising from this analysis for follow-up laboratory experimentation. This study should provide insight regarding the development of novel molecular treatments for an organism of both veterinary and, increasingly, human medical concern.</p>","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"e0001025"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12094015/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143967301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Articles of Significant Interest in This Issue.","authors":"","doi":"10.1128/aem.00972-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00972-25","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8002,"journal":{"name":"Applied and Environmental Microbiology","volume":"91 5","pages":"e0097225"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144109519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}