Laboratory strains of Bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains.
The spore forming pathogen Bacillus anthracis is the etiologic agent of anthrax in humans and animals. It cycles through infected hosts as vegetative cells and is eventually introduced into the environment where it generates an endospore resistant to many harsh conditions. The endospores are subsequ...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2018-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209120 |
| _version_ | 1818924884004175872 |
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| author | Owen P Leiser Jason K Blackburn Ted L Hadfield Helen W Kreuzer David S Wunschel Cindy J Bruckner-Lea |
| author_facet | Owen P Leiser Jason K Blackburn Ted L Hadfield Helen W Kreuzer David S Wunschel Cindy J Bruckner-Lea |
| author_sort | Owen P Leiser |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The spore forming pathogen Bacillus anthracis is the etiologic agent of anthrax in humans and animals. It cycles through infected hosts as vegetative cells and is eventually introduced into the environment where it generates an endospore resistant to many harsh conditions. The endospores are subsequently taken up by another host to begin the next cycle. Outbreaks of anthrax occur regularly worldwide in wildlife and livestock, and the potential for human infection exists whenever humans encounter infected animals. It is also possible to encounter intentional releases of anthrax spores, as was the case in October 2001. Consequently, it is important to be able to rapidly establish the provenance of infectious strains of B. anthracis. Here, we compare protein expression in seven low-passage wild isolates and four laboratory strains of B. anthracis grown under identical conditions using LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis. Of the 1,023 total identified proteins, 96 had significant abundance differences between wild and laboratory strains. Of those, 28 proteins directly related to sporulation were upregulated in wild isolates, with expression driven by Spo0A, CodY, and AbrB/ScoC. In addition, we observed evidence of changes in cell division and fatty acid biosynthesis between the two classes of strains, despite being grown under identical experimental conditions. These results suggest wild B. anthracis cells are more highly tuned to sporulate than their laboratory cousins, and this difference should be exploited as a method to differentiate between laboratory and low passage wild strains isolated during an anthrax outbreak. This knowledge should distinguish between intentional releases and exposure to strains in nature, providing a basis for the type of response by public health officials and investigators. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T02:32:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7cabc7ab5c374a54b0b180061e8cbab4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T02:32:25Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-7cabc7ab5c374a54b0b180061e8cbab42022-12-21T19:56:32ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032018-01-011312e020912010.1371/journal.pone.0209120Laboratory strains of Bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains.Owen P LeiserJason K BlackburnTed L HadfieldHelen W KreuzerDavid S WunschelCindy J Bruckner-LeaThe spore forming pathogen Bacillus anthracis is the etiologic agent of anthrax in humans and animals. It cycles through infected hosts as vegetative cells and is eventually introduced into the environment where it generates an endospore resistant to many harsh conditions. The endospores are subsequently taken up by another host to begin the next cycle. Outbreaks of anthrax occur regularly worldwide in wildlife and livestock, and the potential for human infection exists whenever humans encounter infected animals. It is also possible to encounter intentional releases of anthrax spores, as was the case in October 2001. Consequently, it is important to be able to rapidly establish the provenance of infectious strains of B. anthracis. Here, we compare protein expression in seven low-passage wild isolates and four laboratory strains of B. anthracis grown under identical conditions using LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis. Of the 1,023 total identified proteins, 96 had significant abundance differences between wild and laboratory strains. Of those, 28 proteins directly related to sporulation were upregulated in wild isolates, with expression driven by Spo0A, CodY, and AbrB/ScoC. In addition, we observed evidence of changes in cell division and fatty acid biosynthesis between the two classes of strains, despite being grown under identical experimental conditions. These results suggest wild B. anthracis cells are more highly tuned to sporulate than their laboratory cousins, and this difference should be exploited as a method to differentiate between laboratory and low passage wild strains isolated during an anthrax outbreak. This knowledge should distinguish between intentional releases and exposure to strains in nature, providing a basis for the type of response by public health officials and investigators.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209120 |
| spellingShingle | Owen P Leiser Jason K Blackburn Ted L Hadfield Helen W Kreuzer David S Wunschel Cindy J Bruckner-Lea Laboratory strains of Bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains. PLoS ONE |
| title | Laboratory strains of Bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains. |
| title_full | Laboratory strains of Bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains. |
| title_fullStr | Laboratory strains of Bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Laboratory strains of Bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains. |
| title_short | Laboratory strains of Bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains. |
| title_sort | laboratory strains of bacillus anthracis exhibit pervasive alteration in expression of proteins related to sporulation under laboratory conditions relative to genetically related wild strains |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209120 |
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