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Wall teichoic acid structure governs horizontal gene transfer between major bacterial pathogens

Author

Listed:
  • Volker Winstel

    (Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen)

  • Chunguang Liang

    (Bioinformatik, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland)

  • Patricia Sanchez-Carballo

    (Research Center Borstel, Leibniz-Center for Medicine and Biosciences)

  • Matthias Steglich

    (Robert Koch Institute)

  • Marta Munar

    (Bioinformatik, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland
    Present address: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Genomics and Structural Bioinformatics, Campus du Solbosch, Batiment U, Porte D, Niveau 3, CP165/61, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium)

  • Barbara M. Bröker

    (Institute of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, F.-Sauerbruchstraße)

  • Jose R. Penadés

    (Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC))

  • Ulrich Nübel

    (Robert Koch Institute)

  • Otto Holst

    (Research Center Borstel, Leibniz-Center for Medicine and Biosciences)

  • Thomas Dandekar

    (Bioinformatik, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland)

  • Andreas Peschel

    (Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen)

  • Guoqing Xia

    (Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen)

Abstract

Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) encoding virulence and resistance genes are widespread in bacterial pathogens, but it has remained unclear how they occasionally jump to new host species. Staphylococcus aureus clones exchange MGEs such as S. aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPIs) with high frequency via helper phages. Here we report that the S. aureus ST395 lineage is refractory to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) with typical S. aureus but exchanges SaPIs with other species and genera including Staphylococcus epidermidis and Listeria monocytogenes. ST395 produces an unusual wall teichoic acid (WTA) resembling that of its HGT partner species. Notably, distantly related bacterial species and genera undergo efficient HGT with typical S. aureus upon ectopic expression of S. aureus WTA. Combined with genomic analyses, these results indicate that a ‘glycocode’ of WTA structures and WTA-binding helper phages permits HGT even across long phylogenetic distances thereby shaping the evolution of Gram-positive pathogens.

Suggested Citation

  • Volker Winstel & Chunguang Liang & Patricia Sanchez-Carballo & Matthias Steglich & Marta Munar & Barbara M. Bröker & Jose R. Penadés & Ulrich Nübel & Otto Holst & Thomas Dandekar & Andreas Peschel & G, 2013. "Wall teichoic acid structure governs horizontal gene transfer between major bacterial pathogens," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3345
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3345
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    Cited by:

    1. Pauline C. Göller & Tabea Elsener & Dominic Lorgé & Natasa Radulovic & Viona Bernardi & Annika Naumann & Nesrine Amri & Ekaterina Khatchatourova & Felipe Hernandes Coutinho & Martin J. Loessner & Elen, 2021. "Multi-species host range of staphylococcal phages isolated from wastewater," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.

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