IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-37600-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The F-pilus biomechanical adaptability accelerates conjugative dissemination of antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation

Author

Listed:
  • Jonasz B. Patkowski

    (Imperial College)

  • Tobias Dahlberg

    (Umeå University)

  • Himani Amin

    (Imperial College)

  • Dharmender K. Gahlot

    (Umeå University)

  • Sukhithasri Vijayrajratnam

    (Washington University School of Medicine)

  • Joseph P. Vogel

    (Washington University School of Medicine)

  • Matthew S. Francis

    (Umeå University)

  • Joseph L. Baker

    (The College of New Jersey)

  • Magnus Andersson

    (Umeå University)

  • Tiago R. D. Costa

    (Imperial College)

Abstract

Conjugation is used by bacteria to propagate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment. Central to this process are widespread conjugative F-pili that establish the connection between donor and recipient cells, thereby facilitating the spread of IncF plasmids among enteropathogenic bacteria. Here, we show that the F-pilus is highly flexible but robust at the same time, properties that increase its resistance to thermochemical and mechanical stresses. By a combination of biophysical and molecular dynamics methods, we establish that the presence of phosphatidylglycerol molecules in the F-pilus contributes to the structural stability of the polymer. Moreover, this structural stability is important for successful delivery of DNA during conjugation and facilitates rapid formation of biofilms in harsh environmental conditions. Thus, our work highlights the importance of F-pilus structural adaptations for the efficient spread of AMR genes in a bacterial population and for the formation of biofilms that protect against the action of antibiotics.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonasz B. Patkowski & Tobias Dahlberg & Himani Amin & Dharmender K. Gahlot & Sukhithasri Vijayrajratnam & Joseph P. Vogel & Matthew S. Francis & Joseph L. Baker & Magnus Andersson & Tiago R. D. Costa, 2023. "The F-pilus biomechanical adaptability accelerates conjugative dissemination of antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-37600-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37600-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-37600-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-37600-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiangan Liu & Pratick Khara & Matthew L. Baker & Peter J. Christie & Bo Hu, 2022. "Structure of a type IV secretion system core complex encoded by multi-drug resistance F plasmids," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Leticia C. Beltran & Virginija Cvirkaite-Krupovic & Jessalyn Miller & Fengbin Wang & Mark A. B. Kreutzberger & Jonasz B. Patkowski & Tiago R. D. Costa & Stefan Schouten & Ilya Levental & Vincent P. Co, 2023. "Archaeal DNA-import apparatus is homologous to bacterial conjugation machinery," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Himani Amin & Aravindan Ilangovan & Tiago R. D. Costa, 2021. "Architecture of the outer-membrane core complex from a conjugative type IV secretion system," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Alexey J. Merz & Magdalene So & Michael P. Sheetz, 2000. "Pilus retraction powers bacterial twitching motility," Nature, Nature, vol. 407(6800), pages 98-102, September.
    5. Jean-Marc Ghigo, 2001. "Natural conjugative plasmids induce bacterial biofilm development," Nature, Nature, vol. 412(6845), pages 442-445, July.
    6. Xiangan Liu & Pratick Khara & Matthew L. Baker & Peter J. Christie & Bo Hu, 2022. "Author Correction: Structure of a type IV secretion system core complex encoded by multi-drug resistance F plasmids," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-1, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Leticia C. Beltran & Virginija Cvirkaite-Krupovic & Jessalyn Miller & Fengbin Wang & Mark A. B. Kreutzberger & Jonasz B. Patkowski & Tiago R. D. Costa & Stefan Schouten & Ilya Levental & Vincent P. Co, 2023. "Archaeal DNA-import apparatus is homologous to bacterial conjugation machinery," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Fengxia Yang & Zulin Zhang & Zijun Li & Bingjun Han & Keqiang Zhang & Peng Yang & Yongzhen Ding, 2022. "Prevalence of High-Risk β-Lactam Resistance Genes in Family Livestock Farms in Danjiangkou Reservoir Basin, Central China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-15, May.
    3. Sara Rombouts & Anna Mas & Antoine Gall & Jean-Bernard Fiche & Tâm Mignot & Marcelo Nollmann, 2023. "Multi-scale dynamic imaging reveals that cooperative motility behaviors promote efficient predation in bacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Matthew C. Gaines & Shamphavi Sivabalasarma & Michail N. Isupov & Risat Ul Haque & Mathew McLaren & Cyril Hanus & Vicki A. M. Gold & Sonja-Verena Albers & Bertram Daum, 2024. "CryoEM reveals the structure of an archaeal pilus involved in twitching motility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Rebecca Conners & Rayén Ignacia León-Quezada & Mathew McLaren & Nicholas J. Bennett & Bertram Daum & Jasna Rakonjac & Vicki A. M. Gold, 2023. "Cryo-electron microscopy of the f1 filamentous phage reveals insights into viral infection and assembly," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    6. Xiangan Liu & Pratick Khara & Matthew L. Baker & Peter J. Christie & Bo Hu, 2022. "Structure of a type IV secretion system core complex encoded by multi-drug resistance F plasmids," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    7. Melisa Hendrata & Zhe Yang & Renate Lux & Wenyuan Shi, 2011. "Experimentally Guided Computational Model Discovers Important Elements for Social Behavior in Myxobacteria," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-11, July.
    8. Joaquín Bernal-Bayard & Jérôme Thiebaud & Marina Brossaud & Audrey Beaussart & Céline Caillet & Yves Waldvogel & Laetitia Travier & Sylvie Létoffé & Thierry Fontaine & Bachra Rokbi & Philippe Talaga &, 2023. "Bacterial capsular polysaccharides with antibiofilm activity share common biophysical and electrokinetic properties," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-37600-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.