Epigenetic Control of Salmonella enterica O-Antigen Chain Length: A Tradeoff between Virulence and Bacteriophage Resistance

The Salmonella enterica opvAB operon is a horizontally-acquired locus that undergoes phase variation under Dam methylation control. The OpvA and OpvB proteins form intertwining ribbons in the inner membrane. Synthesis of OpvA and OpvB alters lipopolysaccharide O-antigen chain length and confers resi...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cota, I., Sánchez-Romero, M. A., Hernández, S. B., Pucciarelli Morrone, María Graciela, García-Del Portillo, F., Casadesús, J.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:España
Institución:Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Repositorio:Biblos-e Archivo. Repositorio Institucional de la UAM
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.uam.es:10486/676165
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10486/676165
https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1005667
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Animal tissue
Bacteriophage
Bacterium culture
Cell subpopulation
Epigenetics
Biología y Biomedicina / Biología
Descripción
Sumario:The Salmonella enterica opvAB operon is a horizontally-acquired locus that undergoes phase variation under Dam methylation control. The OpvA and OpvB proteins form intertwining ribbons in the inner membrane. Synthesis of OpvA and OpvB alters lipopolysaccharide O-antigen chain length and confers resistance to bacteriophages 9NA (Siphoviridae), Det7 (Myoviridae), and P22 (Podoviridae). These phages use the O-antigen as receptor. Because opvAB undergoes phase variation, S. enterica cultures contain subpopulations of opvABOFFand opvABONcells. In the presence of a bacteriophage that uses the O-antigen as receptor, the opvABOFFsubpopulation is killed and the opvABONsubpopulation is selected. Acquisition of phage resistance by phase variation of O-antigen chain length requires a payoff: opvAB expression reduces Salmonella virulence. However, phase variation permits resuscitation of the opvABOFFsubpopulation as soon as phage challenge ceases. Phenotypic heterogeneity generated by opvAB phase variation thus preadapts Salmonella to survive phage challenge with a fitness cost that is transient only