Interplay between the cell envelope and mobile genetic elements shapes gene flow in populations of the nosocomial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) drive genetic transfers between bacteria using mechanisms that require a physical interaction with the cellular envelope. In the high-priority multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogens (ESKAPE), the first point of contact between the cell and virions or conjugative pili is the capsule. While the capsule can be a barrier to MGEs, it also evolves rapidly by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Here, we aim at understanding this apparent contradiction by studying the covariation between the repertoire of capsule genes and MGEs in approximately 4,000 genomes of Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn). We show that capsules drive phage-mediated gene flow between closely related serotypes. Such serotype-specific phage predation also explains the frequent inactivation of capsule gene

SUBMITTER: Haudiquet M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8259999 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature