title: Tissue dual RNA-seq allows fast discovery of infection-specific functions and riboregulators shaping host-pathogen transcriptomes.
abstract: Pathogenic bacteria need to rapidly adjust their virulence and fitness program to prevent eradication by the host. So far, underlying adaptation processes that drive pathogenesis have mostly been studied in vitro, neglecting the true complexity of host-induced stimuli acting on the invading pathogen. In this study, we developed an unbiased experimental approach that allows simultaneous monitoring of genome-wide infection-linked transcriptional alterations of the host and colonizing extracellular pathogens. Using this tool for Yersinia pseudotuberculosis-infected lymphatic tissues, we revealed numerous alterations of host transcripts associated with inflammatory and acute-phase responses, coagulative activities, and transition metal ion sequestration, highlighting that the immune response is dominated by infiltrating neutrophils and elicits a mixed TH17/TH1 response. In consequence, the pathogen's response is mainly directed to prevent phagocytic attacks. Yersinia up-regulates the gene and expression dose of the antiphagocytic type III secretion system (T3SS) and induces functions counteracting neutrophil-induced ion deprivation, radical stress, and nutritional restraints. Several conserved bacterial riboregulators were identified that impacted this response. The strongest influence on virulence was found for the loss of the carbon storage regulator (Csr) system, which is shown to be essential for the up-regulation of the T3SS on host cell contact. In summary, our established approach provides a powerful tool for the discovery of infection-specific stimuli, induced host and pathogen responses, and underlying regulatory processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nuss
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beckstette
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pimenova
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmühl
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Wiebke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Opitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pisano
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ann Kathrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Heroven
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany petra.dersch@helmholtz-hzi.de.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8177-3280
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dersch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics*; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D059467:Transcriptome; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics; D015011:Yersinia pseudotuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015012:Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Yersinia; host-adapted metabolism; host–pathogen interaction; noncoding RNAs; tissue dual RNA-seq