title: The deletion of TonB-dependent receptor genes is part of the genome reduction process that occurs during adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the cystic fibrosis lung.
abstract: Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are the main cause of morbidity among patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) due to persistent lung inflammation caused by interaction between this bacterium and the immune system. Longitudinal studies of clonally related isolates of a dominant CF clone have indicated that genome reduction frequently occurs during adaptation of P. aeruginosa in the CF lung. In this study, we have evaluated the P. aeruginosa population structure of patients attending the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel) CF reference center using a combination of genotyping methods. Although the UZ Brussel P. aeruginosa CF population is characterized by the absence of a dominant CF clone, some potential interpatient transmissions could be detected. Interestingly, one of these clones showed deletion of the alternative type I ferripyoverdine receptor gene fpvB. Furthermore, we found that several other TonB-dependent receptors are deleted as well. The genome of one potentially transmissible CF clone was sequenced, revealing large deleted regions including all type III secretion system genes and several virulence genes. Remarkably, a large number of deleted genes are shared between the P. aeruginosa CF clone described in this study and isolates belonging to the dominant Copenhagen CF DK2 clone, suggesting parallel evolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Research Group Microbiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and VIB Structural Biology, Brussels, Belgium; Unit of Microbiology, Expert Group Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dingemans
authors.forename: Lumeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hildebrand
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tontodonati
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Craggs
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bilocq
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crabbé
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Houdt
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malfroot
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cornelis
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000172:deficiency*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C057616:tonB protein, Bacteria
keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; TonB-dependent receptors; cystic fibrosis; deletions; genomic islands; type III secretion