Dataset Information

Essential role of membrane vesicles for biological activity of the bacteriocin micrococcin P1.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial membrane vesicles (MVs) have recently gained much attention and have been shown to carry a wide diversity of secreted bacterial components. However, it is poorly understood whether MV carriage is an indispensable requirement for a cargo's function. Bacteriocins as weapons of bacterial warfare shape the composition of microbial communities. Many bacteriocins have pronounced hydrophobicity that is imposed by their mechanism of action, but how they diffuse through aqueous environments to reach their target competitors is not known. Here we show that antimicrobial competitive activity of an exemplary hydrophobic bacteriocin of the thiopeptide antibiotic family, micrococcin P1 (MP1), is dependent on incorporation into MVs, which were found to carry MP1 at high concentrations. In contrast, MP1 without MV association was poorly active due to low solubility. Furthermore, we provide previously unavailable evidence that MVs fuse with a Gram-positive bacterium's cytoplasmic membrane, in this case to deliver a bacteriocin to its intracellular target. Our findings demonstrate how bacteria overcome the problem associated with secreting hydrophobic small molecules and delivering them to their target and show that MVs have a key function in bacterial warfare. Furthermore, our study provides hitherto rare evidence that MVs provide an essential rather than merely accessory function in bacterial physiology.

SUBMITTER: Liu Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8982634 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Essential role of membrane vesicles for biological activity of the bacteriocin micrococcin P1.

Liu Yao Y Liu Qian Q Zhao Lu L Dickey Seth W SW Wang Hua H Xu Rui R Chen Tianchi T Jian Ying Y Wang Xi X Lv Huiying H Otto Michael M Li Min M

Journal of extracellular vesicles 20220401 4

Bacterial membrane vesicles (MVs) have recently gained much attention and have been shown to carry a wide diversity of secreted bacterial components. However, it is poorly understood whether MV carriage is an indispensable requirement for a cargo's function. Bacteriocins as weapons of bacterial warfare shape the composition of microbial communities. Many bacteriocins have pronounced hydrophobicity that is imposed by their mechanism of action, but how they diffuse through aqueous environments to ...[more]

PMID: 35384360

Similar Datasets

Project description:Analysis of the de novo assembled genome of Mammaliicoccus sciuri IMDO-S72 revealed the genetically encoded machinery behind its earlier reported antibacterial phenotype and gave further insight into the repertoire of putative virulence factors of this recently reclassified species. A plasmid-encoded biosynthetic gene cluster was held responsible for the antimicrobial activity of M. sciuri IMDO-S72, comprising genes involved in thiopeptide production. The compound encoded by this gene cluster was structurally identified as micrococcin P1. Further examination of its genome highlighted the ubiquitous presence of innate virulence factors mainly involved in surface colonization. Determinants contributing to aggressive virulence were generally absent, with the exception of a plasmid-associated ica cluster. The native antibiotic resistance genes sal(A) and mecA were detected within the genome, among others, but were not consistently linked with a resistance phenotype. While mobile genetic elements were identified within the genome, such as an untypeable staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) element, they proved to be generally free of virulence- and antibiotic-related genes. These results further suggest a commensal lifestyle of M. sciuri and indicate the association of antibiotic resistance determinants with mobile genetic elements as an important factor in conferring antibiotic resistance, in addition to their unilateral annotation. IMPORTANCE Mammaliicoccus sciuri has been put forward as an important carrier of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes, which can be transmitted to clinically important staphylococcal species such as Staphylococcus aureus. As a common inhabitant of mammal skin, this species is believed to have a predominant commensal lifestyle, although it has been reported as an opportunistic pathogen in some cases. This study provides an extensive genome-wide description of its putative virulence potential taking into consideration the genomic context in which these genes appear, an aspect that is often overlooked during virulence analysis. Additional genome and biochemical analysis linked M. sciuri with the production of micrococcin P1, gaining further insight into the extent to which these biosynthetic gene clusters are distributed among different related species. The frequent plasmid-associated character hints that these traits can be horizontally transferred and might confer a competitive advantage to its recipient within its ecological niche.

Dataset Information

Essential role of membrane vesicles for biological activity of the bacteriocin micrococcin P1.

Publications

Essential role of membrane vesicles for biological activity of the bacteriocin micrococcin P1.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets