Predator-Prey Interactions between Halobacteriovorax and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains: Geographical Considerations and Influence of Vibrio Hemolysins
ABSTRACT Halobacteriovorax is a genus of naturally occurring marine predatory bacteria that attack, replicate within, and lyse vibrios and other bacteria. This study evaluated the specificity of four Halobacteriovorax strains against important sequence types (STs) of clinically relevant Vibrio parah...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Microbiology Spectrum |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.02353-23 |
| _version_ | 1797741690737393664 |
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| author | Gary P. Richards Michael A. Watson Henry N. Williams Jessica L. Jones |
| author_facet | Gary P. Richards Michael A. Watson Henry N. Williams Jessica L. Jones |
| author_sort | Gary P. Richards |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Halobacteriovorax is a genus of naturally occurring marine predatory bacteria that attack, replicate within, and lyse vibrios and other bacteria. This study evaluated the specificity of four Halobacteriovorax strains against important sequence types (STs) of clinically relevant Vibrio parahaemolyticus, including pandemic strains ST3 and ST36. The Halobacteriovorax bacteria were previously isolated from seawater from the Mid-Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Hawaiian coasts of the United States. Specificity screening was performed using a double agar plaque assay technique on 23 well-characterized and genomically sequenced V. parahaemolyticus strains isolated from infected individuals from widely varying geographic locations within the United States. With few exceptions, results showed that Halobacteriovorax bacteria were excellent predators of the V. parahaemolyticus strains regardless of the origins of the predator or prey. Sequence types and serotypes of V. parahaemolyticus did not influence host specificity, nor did the presence or absence of genes for the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) or the TDH-related hemolysin, although faint (cloudy) plaques were present when one or both hemolysins were absent in three of the Vibrio strains. Plaque sizes varied depending on both the Halobacteriovorax and Vibrio strains evaluated, suggesting differences in Halobacteriovorax replication and/or growth rates. The very broad infectivity of Halobacteriovorax toward pathogenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus makes Halobacteriovorax a strong candidate for use in commercial processing applications to enhance the safety of seafoods. IMPORTANCE Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a formidable obstacle to seafood safety. Strains pathogenic to humans are numerous and difficult to control, especially within molluscan shellfish. The pandemic spread of ST3 and ST36 has caused considerable concern, but many other STs are also problematic. The present study demonstrates broad predatory activity of Halobacteriovorax strains obtained along U.S. coastal waters from the Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Hawaii toward strains of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus. This broad activity against clinically relevant V. parahaemolyticus strains suggests a role for Halobacteriovorax in mediating pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus levels in seafoods and their environment as well as the potential application of these predators in the development of new disinfection technologies to reduce pathogenic vibrios in molluscan shellfish and other seafoods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T14:31:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7dba20065c634ab4bcb0cc3d940fde67 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2165-0497 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T14:31:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microbiology Spectrum |
| spelling | doaj.art-7dba20065c634ab4bcb0cc3d940fde672023-08-17T13:04:15ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972023-08-0111410.1128/spectrum.02353-23Predator-Prey Interactions between Halobacteriovorax and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains: Geographical Considerations and Influence of Vibrio HemolysinsGary P. Richards0Michael A. Watson1Henry N. Williams2Jessica L. Jones3U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Delaware State University, Dover, Delaware, USAU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Delaware State University, Dover, Delaware, USASchool of the Environment, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, Florida, USAU.S. Food and Drug Administration, Division of Seafood Science and Technology, Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory, Dauphin Island, Alabama, USAABSTRACT Halobacteriovorax is a genus of naturally occurring marine predatory bacteria that attack, replicate within, and lyse vibrios and other bacteria. This study evaluated the specificity of four Halobacteriovorax strains against important sequence types (STs) of clinically relevant Vibrio parahaemolyticus, including pandemic strains ST3 and ST36. The Halobacteriovorax bacteria were previously isolated from seawater from the Mid-Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Hawaiian coasts of the United States. Specificity screening was performed using a double agar plaque assay technique on 23 well-characterized and genomically sequenced V. parahaemolyticus strains isolated from infected individuals from widely varying geographic locations within the United States. With few exceptions, results showed that Halobacteriovorax bacteria were excellent predators of the V. parahaemolyticus strains regardless of the origins of the predator or prey. Sequence types and serotypes of V. parahaemolyticus did not influence host specificity, nor did the presence or absence of genes for the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) or the TDH-related hemolysin, although faint (cloudy) plaques were present when one or both hemolysins were absent in three of the Vibrio strains. Plaque sizes varied depending on both the Halobacteriovorax and Vibrio strains evaluated, suggesting differences in Halobacteriovorax replication and/or growth rates. The very broad infectivity of Halobacteriovorax toward pathogenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus makes Halobacteriovorax a strong candidate for use in commercial processing applications to enhance the safety of seafoods. IMPORTANCE Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a formidable obstacle to seafood safety. Strains pathogenic to humans are numerous and difficult to control, especially within molluscan shellfish. The pandemic spread of ST3 and ST36 has caused considerable concern, but many other STs are also problematic. The present study demonstrates broad predatory activity of Halobacteriovorax strains obtained along U.S. coastal waters from the Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Hawaii toward strains of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus. This broad activity against clinically relevant V. parahaemolyticus strains suggests a role for Halobacteriovorax in mediating pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus levels in seafoods and their environment as well as the potential application of these predators in the development of new disinfection technologies to reduce pathogenic vibrios in molluscan shellfish and other seafoods.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.02353-23host specificityHalobacteriovoraxVibrio parahaemolyticuspredatorhemolysingeographical |
| spellingShingle | Gary P. Richards Michael A. Watson Henry N. Williams Jessica L. Jones Predator-Prey Interactions between Halobacteriovorax and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains: Geographical Considerations and Influence of Vibrio Hemolysins Microbiology Spectrum host specificity Halobacteriovorax Vibrio parahaemolyticus predator hemolysin geographical |
| title | Predator-Prey Interactions between Halobacteriovorax and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains: Geographical Considerations and Influence of Vibrio Hemolysins |
| title_full | Predator-Prey Interactions between Halobacteriovorax and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains: Geographical Considerations and Influence of Vibrio Hemolysins |
| title_fullStr | Predator-Prey Interactions between Halobacteriovorax and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains: Geographical Considerations and Influence of Vibrio Hemolysins |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predator-Prey Interactions between Halobacteriovorax and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains: Geographical Considerations and Influence of Vibrio Hemolysins |
| title_short | Predator-Prey Interactions between Halobacteriovorax and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains: Geographical Considerations and Influence of Vibrio Hemolysins |
| title_sort | predator prey interactions between halobacteriovorax and pathogenic vibrio parahaemolyticus strains geographical considerations and influence of vibrio hemolysins |
| topic | host specificity Halobacteriovorax Vibrio parahaemolyticus predator hemolysin geographical |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.02353-23 |
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