PUBLICATION

The streptococcal phase-variable type I restriction modification system SsuCC20p dictates the methylome of Streptococcus suis impacting the transcriptome and virulence in a zebrafish larvae infection model

Authors
Roodsant, T.J., van der Putten, B., Brizuela, J., Coolen, J.P.M., Baltussen, T.J.H., Schipper, K., Pannekoek, Y., van der Ark, K.C.H., Schultsz, C.
ID
ZDB-PUB-231209-2
Date
2023
Source
mBio   15(1): e0225923 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
DNA methylation, Streptococcus suis, epigenetic regulation, phase-variation, transcriptome, type I restriction modification system, zoonosis
MeSH Terms
  • Streptococcal Infections*/microbiology
  • Animals
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Epigenome
  • Virulence
  • DNA Restriction-Modification Enzymes/genetics
  • Zebrafish/microbiology
  • Bacterial Proteins/genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins/metabolism
  • Larva/microbiology
  • Transcriptome
  • Streptococcus suis*/genetics
  • Streptococcus suis*/metabolism
PubMed
38063379 Full text @ MBio
Abstract
Phase variation allows a single strain to produce phenotypic diverse subpopulations. Phase-variable restriction modification (RM) systems are systems that allow for such phase variation via epigenetic regulation of gene expression levels. The phase-variable RM system SsuCC20p was found in multiple streptococcal species and was acquired by an emerging zoonotic lineage of Streptococcus suis. We show that the phase variability of SsuCC20p is dependent on a recombinase encoded within the SsuCC20p locus. We characterized the genome methylation profiles of the different phases of SsuCC20p and demonstrated the consequential impact on the transcriptome and virulence in a zebrafish infection model. Acquiring mobile genetic elements containing epigenetic regulatory systems, like phase-variable RM systems, enables bacterial pathogens to produce diverse phenotypic subpopulations that are better adapted to specific (host) environments encountered during infection.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping