TY - JOUR
T1 - Acquisition of classical CTX prophage from Vibrio cholerae O141 by El Tor strains aided by lytic phages and chitin-induced competence
AU - Udden, S. M.Nashir
AU - Zahid, M. Shamim Hasan
AU - Biswas, Kuntal
AU - Ahmad, Qazi Shafi
AU - Cravioto, Alejandro
AU - Nair, G. Balakrish
AU - Mekalanos, John J.
AU - Faruque, Shah M.
PY - 2008/8/19
Y1 - 2008/8/19
N2 - The El Tor biotype of Vibrio cholerae O1, causing the current seventh pandemic of cholera, has replaced the classical biotype, which caused the sixth pandemic. The CTX prophages encoding cholera toxin in the two biotypes have distinct repressor (rstR) genes. Recently, new variants of El Tor strains that carry the classical type (CTXclass) prophage have emerged. These "hybrid" strains apparently originate through lateral gene transfer and recombination events. To explore possible donors of the CTXclass prophage and its mode of transfer, we tested environmental V. cholerae isolates for the presence of CTXclass prophage and mobility of the phage genome. Of the 272 environmental V. cholerae isolates tested, 6 were found to carry the CTXclass prophage; all of these belonged to the O141 serogroup. These O141 strains were unable to produce infectious CTX class phage or to transmit the prophage to recipient strains in the mouse model of infection; however, the CTXclass prophage was acquired by El Tor strains when cultured with the O141 strains in microcosms composed of filtered environmental water, a chitin substrate, and a V. cholerae O141-specific bacteriophage. The CTXclass prophage either coexisted with or replaced the resident CTXET prophage, resulting in El Tor strains with CTX genotypes similar to those of the naturally occurring hybrid strains. Our results support a model involving phages and natural chitin substrate in the emergence of new variants of pathogenic V. cholerae. Furthermore, the O141 strains apparently represent an alternative reservoir of the CTXclass phage genome, because the classical V. cholerae O1 strains are possibly extinct.
AB - The El Tor biotype of Vibrio cholerae O1, causing the current seventh pandemic of cholera, has replaced the classical biotype, which caused the sixth pandemic. The CTX prophages encoding cholera toxin in the two biotypes have distinct repressor (rstR) genes. Recently, new variants of El Tor strains that carry the classical type (CTXclass) prophage have emerged. These "hybrid" strains apparently originate through lateral gene transfer and recombination events. To explore possible donors of the CTXclass prophage and its mode of transfer, we tested environmental V. cholerae isolates for the presence of CTXclass prophage and mobility of the phage genome. Of the 272 environmental V. cholerae isolates tested, 6 were found to carry the CTXclass prophage; all of these belonged to the O141 serogroup. These O141 strains were unable to produce infectious CTX class phage or to transmit the prophage to recipient strains in the mouse model of infection; however, the CTXclass prophage was acquired by El Tor strains when cultured with the O141 strains in microcosms composed of filtered environmental water, a chitin substrate, and a V. cholerae O141-specific bacteriophage. The CTXclass prophage either coexisted with or replaced the resident CTXET prophage, resulting in El Tor strains with CTX genotypes similar to those of the naturally occurring hybrid strains. Our results support a model involving phages and natural chitin substrate in the emergence of new variants of pathogenic V. cholerae. Furthermore, the O141 strains apparently represent an alternative reservoir of the CTXclass phage genome, because the classical V. cholerae O1 strains are possibly extinct.
KW - Hybrid Vibrio cholerae strain
KW - Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=50149097239&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1073/pnas.0805560105
DO - 10.1073/pnas.0805560105
M3 - Article
C2 - 18689675
AN - SCOPUS:50149097239
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 105
SP - 11951
EP - 11956
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 33
ER -