Social networks in the microbial world

微生物世界中的社交网络

• 批准号: BB/V009583/1
• 负责人: Jose R Penades
• 金额: $ 67.58万
• 依托单位: Imperial College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FV009583%2F1
• 关键词: Social; networks; microbial; world

Most natural environments harbour diverse communities of microbes. Within these complex communities, such as in the human gut microbiota, different species of bacteria can coexist. Thus, it is crucial that within bacterial populations the individuals communicate in order to regulate and coordinate their grouped behaviour. Amongst the different strategies, the most common is the use of quorum sensing. These systems provide bacteria with the capacity to 'talk' to each other. The predatory behaviour of bacteriophages, a type of virus that infects bacteria, also shapes bacterial communities. Bacteriophages are key regulators of bacterial populations, not only by their influence in population growth dynamics but also by their ability to transfer genetic material between bacteria, contributing to the diversification of the bacterial genomes. Until recently, phages were considered mere bystanders in microbial communication networks. However, this program will explore the idea that phages are in fact key participants. The discovery of a phage-encoded quorum sensing system that influences group decisions opens up a new research field that we intend to explore in this work: do phages communicate with their host or with other mobile genetic elements? How do these social interactions occur? How do these interactions affect population dynamics or bacterial virulence? This programme will make significant contributions to different scientific fields, from addressing the molecular basis of fundamental biological processes to understanding the evolution of virulence and the spread of antibiotic resistance in nature.

大多数自然环境都有不同的微生物群落。在这些复杂的群落中，例如在人类肠道微生物群中，不同种类的细菌可以共存。因此，在细菌种群内，个体之间的交流是至关重要的，以便调节和协调它们的群体行为。在不同的策略中，最常见的是使用群体感应。这些系统为细菌提供了相互“交谈”的能力。噬菌体是一种感染细菌的病毒，噬菌体的捕食行为也塑造了细菌群落。噬菌体是细菌种群的关键调节因子，不仅通过它们对种群生长动力学的影响，而且通过它们在细菌之间转移遗传物质的能力，有助于细菌基因组的多样化。直到最近，微生物还被认为是微生物通讯网络中的旁观者。然而，这个计划将探讨的想法，即企业家实际上是关键的参与者。噬菌体编码的群体感应系统的发现，影响群体决策开辟了一个新的研究领域，我们打算在这项工作中探索：做的沟通与他们的主机或其他移动的遗传元素？这些社会互动是如何发生的？这些相互作用如何影响种群动态或细菌毒力？该计划将为不同的科学领域做出重大贡献，从解决基本生物过程的分子基础到了解毒性的演变和自然界中抗生素耐药性的传播。

项目成果

Staphylococcal phages and pathogenicity islands drive plasmid evolution.

葡萄球菌噬菌体和致病岛驱动质粒进化。

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26101-5
• 发表时间: 2021-10-06
• 期刊: Nature communications
• 影响因子: 16.6
• 作者: Humphrey S;San Millán Á;Toll-Riera M;Connolly J;Flor-Duro A;Chen J;Ubeda C;MacLean RC;Penadés JR
• 通讯作者: Penadés JR

Phage-inducible chromosomal islands promote genetic variability by blocking phage reproduction and protecting transductants from phage lysis.

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010146
• 发表时间: 2022-03
• 期刊: PLoS genetics
• 影响因子: 4.5
• 作者: Ibarra-Chávez R;Brady A;Chen J;Penadés JR;Haag AF
• 通讯作者: Haag AF

A widespread family of phage-inducible chromosomal islands only steals bacteriophage tails to spread in nature

一个广泛存在的噬菌体诱导染色体岛家族仅窃取噬菌体尾巴以在自然界中传播

• DOI: 10.1101/2022.09.08.507074
• 发表时间: 2022
• 作者: Alqurainy N

Insights into the mechanism of action of the arbitrium communication system in SPbeta phages.

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31144-3
• 发表时间: 2022-06-24
• 期刊: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
• 影响因子: 16.6
• 作者: Gallego del Sol, Francisca;Quiles-Puchalt, Nuria;Brady, Aisling;Penades, Jose R.;Marina, Alberto
• 通讯作者: Marina, Alberto

The arbitrium system controls prophage induction.

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.072
• 发表时间: 2021-11-22
• 期刊: Current biology : CB
• 作者: Brady A;Quiles-Puchalt N;Gallego Del Sol F;Zamora-Caballero S;Felipe-Ruíz A;Val-Calvo J;Meijer WJJ;Marina A;Penadés JR
• 通讯作者: Penadés JR