Publication
Protocols for Visualizing Horizontal Gene Transfer in Gram-Negative Bacteria Through Natural Competence
Related publications (37)
Natural competence of the pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii: an elusive phenomenon
Natural competence for transformation is an important driver of horizontal DNA exchange between different organisms. This can result in accumulation of dangerous genetic features, such as antibiotic resistance genes, in a single organism. One example of an ...
EPFL2022Pilus production in Acinetobacter baumannii is growth phase dependent and essential for natural transformation
Acinetobacter baumannii is a severe threat to human health as a frequently multidrug-resistant hospital-acquired pathogen. Part of the danger from this bacterium comes from its genome plasticity and ability to evolve quickly by taking up and recombining ex ...
2021Growing Ungrowable Bacteria: Overview and Perspectives on Insect Symbiont Culturability
Bruno Lemaitre, Florent François Masson
Insects are often involved in endosymbiosis, that is, the housing of symbiotic microbes within their tissues or within their cells. Endosymbionts are a major driving force in insects' evolution, because they dramatically affect their host physiology and al ...
AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY2020Mechanisms of DNA Uptake by Naturally Competent Bacteria
Transformation is a widespread mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. DNA uptake to the periplasmic compartment requires a DNA-uptake pilus and the DNA-binding protein ComEA. In the gram-negative bacteria, DNA is first pulled toward the outer m ...
2019Two nanomachines drive evolution in diverse Vibrio species
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has a major impact on bacterial evolution, leading to acquisition or deletion of genes and gene clusters, including those encoding antibiotic resistances and virulence factors. HGT therefore contributes to pathogen emergence, ...
EPFL2019Neighbor predation linked to natural competence fosters the transfer of large genomic regions in Vibrio cholerae
Melanie Blokesch, Nicolas Jean Philippe Guex, Christian Iseli, Sandrine Stutzmann, Candice Stoudmann, Noémie Matthey
Natural competence for transformation is a primary mode of horizontal gene transfer. Competent bacteria are able to absorb free DNA from their surroundings and exchange this DNA against pieces of their own genome when sufficiently homologous. However, the ...
2019DNA-uptake pili of Vibrio cholerae are required for chitin colonization and capable of kin recognition via sequence-specific self-interaction
Melanie Blokesch, Sandrine Stutzmann, Candice Stoudmann, David William Adams
How bacteria colonize surfaces and how they distinguish the individuals around them are fundamental biological questions. Type IV pili are a widespread and multipurpose class of cell surface polymers. Here we directly visualize the DNA-uptake pilus of Vibr ...
2019Mechanism(s) of electron transfer and metabolic changes during iron reduction by Clostridium acetobutylicum
Microorganisms catalyze many of the redox transformations driving the iron cycle in the geosphere. For instance, iron cycling includes the reduction of solid-phase and soluble ferric iron (Fe(III)) to ferrous iron (Fe(II)). However, in order to reduce soli ...
EPFL2019DNA-uptake pilus of Vibrio cholerae capable of kin-discriminated auto-aggregation
Melanie Blokesch, Sandrine Stutzmann, Candice Stoudmann, David William Adams
Natural competence for transformation is a widely used and key mode of horizontal gene transfer that can foster rapid bacterial evolution. Competent bacteria take-up DNA from their environment using Type IV pili, a widespread and multi-purpose class of cel ...
2018Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics Linked to Horizontal Gene Transfer in Vibrios
Melanie Blokesch, Frédérique Marie Jeanne Le Roux
Vibrio is a genus of ubiquitous heterotrophic bacteria found in aquatic environments. Although they are a small percentage of the bacteria in these environments, vibrios can predominate during blooms. Vibrios also play important roles in the degradation of ...
2018