冰川生态系统固碳微生物研究进展

[目的] 海南海口含有丰富的温泉资源,对温泉微生物多样性进行研究,有助于进一步开发和利用海南温泉微生物资源。[方法] 本文采用Illumina HiSeq高通量测序技术对海口3个温泉[海甸岛荣域温泉（S1）、火山口开心农场温泉（S2）和西海岸海长流温泉（S3）] 水样中微生物ITS序列和16S rRNA基因V3-V4区进行测序及生物信息学分析,探究海口市3个不同区域的温泉真菌多样性与细菌多样性。[结果] （1）α多样性分析表明,真菌群落中,S3 > S1 > S2,而在细菌群落中,S2 > S1 > S3。β多样性分析表明,3个温泉真菌群落和细菌群落组成差异皆显著。（2）分类分析表明,温泉真菌群落优势菌门为子囊菌门（Ascomycota）和担子菌门（Basidiomycota）,细菌群落优势菌门为变形菌门（Proteobacteria）、拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）、Thermi、硝化螺旋菌门（Nitrospirae）、绿菌门（Chlorobi）、厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）、绿弯菌门（Chloroflexi）、放线菌门（Actinobacteria）。（3）CCA（Canonical correspondence analysis）分析表明,3个温泉的真菌群落主要影响因子是温度,细菌群落主要影响因子是总磷。[结论] 海南省海口市温泉中含有丰富的微生物资源,其微生物群落组成受多种环境因子影响,且影响真菌和细菌的主要环境因子不同。     

森林母土异地迁播后的土壤真菌和细菌变化

【背景】森林土壤中携带了大量种子和微生物,已经被广泛用于各种退化生态系统的植被恢复。但是,关于土壤迁播到退化生态系统后的真菌和细菌群落变化研究较少。【目的】研究土壤迁播后真菌和细菌的组成和多样性,比对其与森林母土和受体土壤之间的物种组成与群落差异。【方法】通过Illumina HiSeq高通量测序,获取迁播15个月的土壤、森林母土及受体土壤中真菌和细菌特征值,比对其多样性和丰富度。【结果】3类样地真菌优势菌门为担子菌门和子囊菌门,细菌优势菌门为酸杆菌门、变形菌门、放线菌门和绿弯菌门,土壤迁播后显著改变了真菌和细菌优势菌门的相对丰度。主成分分析表明3类样地真菌和细菌群落组成存在显著差异。聚类分析表明迁播土壤与受体土壤聚类距离更近,物种组成更相似,真菌和细菌优势属与受体土壤无显著差异。迁播土壤的真菌和细菌丰富度和多样性与森林母土差异显著(P0.05)。【结论】森林土壤迁播15月后,其细菌和真菌物种组成逐步趋同于受体土壤。该结果为进一步研究石漠化微生物生态系统、改善和提升土壤迁播技术提供支撑。     

河南鲁山五大温泉水细菌多样性分析

【背景】位于河南中部的平顶山市含有丰富的温泉资源,对温泉水中的微生物多样性和群落结构进行研究有助于更好地开发利用温泉资源。【目的】探究河南鲁山五大温泉水中(上汤、中汤、下汤、温汤和神汤)细菌多样性。【方法】采用Illumina Hi Seq2500 PE250技术对鲁山五大温泉水细菌的16S r RNA基因V3-V4变异区序列进行测序,应用UPARSE、Mothur、Silva、MUSCLE和QIIME等软件整理和统计样品序列数目和操作分类单元(Operational taxonomic unit,OTU)数量,最后分析五大温泉水中细菌的丰度和多样性。【结果】上汤、中汤、下汤、温汤和神汤分别获得56 017、68 319、65 247、59 340、68 825条有效Tags,聚类为670、287、337、598、381个OTU。细菌分类分析表明,五大温泉水的细菌超过40个门,变形菌门(Proteobacteria)占84.12%,是优势菌;在属分类阶元上,五大温泉水的细菌超过239个属,上汤的优势菌是不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter),中汤的优势菌是Tepidimonas,下汤的优势菌是Vogesella和不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter),温汤的优势菌是Sphingopyxis和新鞘脂菌属(Novosphingobium),神汤的优势菌是Aquabacterium。【结论】鲁山五大温泉水中含有丰富的微生物资源,为后续五大温泉水中的微生物资源开发奠定了基础。     

汾河入黄口夏季微生物群落结构分析

【背景】河流交汇区日益成为流域生态治理的焦点和热点之一。【目的】探明汾河入黄口微生物群落结构及其主要环境影响因子。【方法】应用16S rRNA基因Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术,分析了汾河入黄口夏季微生物群落结构,并利用典范对应分析(Canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)了解影响微生物群落的主要环境因子。【结果】多样性指数分析表明该区域微生物群落多样性较高。微生物多样性分析发现优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria);在属分类水平上,相对丰度最高的菌属为芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus),其次为乳球菌属(Lactococcus)和hgcI_clade。Spearman相关性分析及典范对应分析表明环境因子对水体微生物群落结构具有显著影响。【结论】汾河与黄河微生物群落组成具有一定的差异,不同环境因子对不同微生物的影响程度不同,p H和溶解氧(Dissolved oxygen,DO)是汾河入黄口微生物群落结构的主要影响因子。     

枯草芽胞杆菌菌肥对有机冬瓜根区土壤微生态的影响

【背景】微生物肥料已广泛应用于我国有机作物的种植,其对有机种植土壤微生态的影响尚需科学评测。【目的】高通量测序技术可用于精确分析土壤微生物群落,从细菌、真菌群落结构和多样性的角度阐释枯草芽胞杆菌菌肥对有机农田根区土壤微生物群落的影响。【方法】在有机农田轮作种植条件下,施用枯草芽胞杆菌菌肥后提取冬瓜根区土壤基因组DNA,通过PCR扩增建立文库,利用IlluminaMiSeq高通量测序技术,并结合相关生物信息学方法分析土壤细菌16SrRNA基因V3-V4区和真菌ITS1区的多样性指数及群落结构;测定根区土壤化学性质及酶活性,分析有机冬瓜果实品质,并作相关分析。【结果】从6个有机冬瓜根区土壤样本中获得14199个细菌操作分类单元(OTU)和3378个真菌OTU,细菌和真菌文库测序覆盖率分别在98%、99%以上。枯草芽胞杆菌菌肥会在一定程度上提高土壤细菌种群多样性而降低真菌种群多样性,丰富了细菌群落结构,但显著降低了真菌群落丰富度(P0.05);并减少了根区土壤特有细菌和真菌物种。变形菌门、厚壁菌门和放线菌门是优势细菌,子囊菌门是优势真菌;枯草芽胞杆菌菌肥会提高绿弯菌门和子囊菌门的相对丰度,比例分别为46.23%、10.01%;降低变形菌门和担子菌门的相对丰度,比例分别为11.14%、74.72%。枯草芽胞杆菌菌肥显著降低了土壤pH,显著提高了有机冬瓜果实总氨基酸、可溶性固形物等营养成分含量(P0.05)。【结论】施用枯草芽胞杆菌菌肥改变有机冬瓜根区土壤细菌和真菌的丰富度和多样性,降低了土壤pH,提高了有机冬瓜果实品质。     

基于高通量测序的辐射污染区细菌群落特征分析

【目的】为了更加全面地揭示辐射污染区细菌种群多样性,了解辐射污染对辐射区土壤中细菌群落结构的影响。【方法】运用高通量测序方法,分别进行了土样细菌16S r RNA基因的V3可变区测序,进而对无辐射污染对照和不同辐射污染程度的土样中细菌群落组成和多样性进行分析。【结果】研究共获得110 348条有效序列,17 604个OTUs,共涉及细菌域的19个门和6个潜在菌门和其它未分类菌群的726个属。多样性分析表明,辐射污染会引起土壤样品中微生物群落的分布显著差异化,显著提高细菌群落种群多样性和微生物丰度。微生物群落组成分析发现,在辐射污染胁迫下,辐射污染区样品中变形杆菌门分布比例显著下降;随着辐射污染程度的提高,放线菌门所占比例逐步提高,未分类菌门、厚壁菌门和酸杆菌门也有明显的提高。同时,研究发现辐射污染区中存在着大量未分类菌属。【结论】研究揭示了辐射污染区极为丰富的细菌多样性,大量微生物新物种资源有待发掘。     

基于Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术分析硇洲岛海星共附生微生物多样性

【背景】海星作为海洋生物中的一类比较高级的棘皮类动物,其体内蕴藏着丰富且具有生物活性的共附生微生物资源。【目的】分析湛江硇洲岛海星中共附生微生物的多样性。【方法】采用IlluminaMiSeq高通量测序技术分别对硇洲岛海星进行共附生细菌16SrRNA基因V3-V4区和共附生真菌18S rRNA基因ITS1-ITS2区的测序,并根据测序结果进行OTU聚类分析、α多样性分析及物种分类分析等。【结果】高通量测序获得细菌和真菌Filtered的数目分别为61992和71196个,OTU数目分别为2384和529个。经物种分类分析,共附生细菌主要为变形菌门(Proteobacteria),其平均相对含量高达77.37%;其次是厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和梭杆菌门(Fusobacteria);其中优势细菌属为嗜冷杆菌属(Psychrobacter)和乳球菌属(Lactococcus)。共附生真菌主要为子囊菌门(Ascomycota),其相对含量高达92.33%;其次是霉菌门(Fungi)、担子菌门(Basidiomycota)、被孢菌门(Mortierellomycota)和罗兹菌门(Rozellomycota);优势真菌属以毕赤酵母属(Pichia)为主,未经分类的(unclassified)假丝酵母属(Candida)次之;【结论】硇洲岛海星体内蕴藏着丰富的共附生微生物资源,该研究为今后从事海星微生物资源持续开发和挖掘生物活性物质的研究提供一定的参考依据。     

基于高通量测序技术的不同年代公园绿地土壤细菌多样性

【背景】细菌多样性对绿地土壤生态功能有重要作用,但不同年代公园绿地土壤的细菌多样性尚未见相关报道。【目的】研究北京市不同年代公园绿地土壤细菌多样性和群落结构特征。【方法】利用IlluminaMiSeq测序技术,分别对北京市代表性古典公园和现代公园绿地土壤细菌群落多样性进行分析。【结果】北京市公园绿地土壤细菌群落共划分为45个已知的菌门,其中变形菌门、酸杆菌门、绿弯菌门和放线菌门为优势细菌群。土壤细菌群落α多样性分析结果表明,古典公园和现代公园的土壤细菌多样性存在差异,表现为古典公园的丰富度和多样性都高于现代公园。此外,土壤细菌群落相似性分析和主坐标分析都表明古典公园和现代公园的土壤细菌群落结构存在显著差异。冗余分析表明,对土壤微生物群落结构产生显著影响的环境因子分别为土壤含水量、有机质和全氮,其它土壤环境因子无统计学意义。首次引入公园年代作为影响因子进行冗余分析的研究结果表明,公园年代为影响公园细菌群落多样性的重要因子。【结论】不同年代公园绿地土壤细菌群落结构和物种多样性具有显著差异,随着公园年代的增加,土壤肥力和微生物多样性增加,绿地生态系统更稳定,可通过制定不同的绿地管理措施改变公园绿地土壤环境,进而优化土壤细菌群落结构,促进土壤碳氮养分循环,提高土壤肥力。     

高通量测序分析大兴安岭典型森林土壤细菌和真菌群落特征

【背景】大兴安岭地区是我国对气候变化响应最敏感的区域,而土壤微生物在维持寒区森林生态系统结构和功能中发挥重要作用。【目的】探究大兴安岭不同森林类型土壤微生物群落结构及与环境因子的关系。【方法】采用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术,分析3种典型森林(白桦林、落叶松林和樟子松林)土壤细菌和真菌群落组成和多样性。【结果】3种林型中共获得2 786个细菌操作分类单元(Operational Taxonomic Unit,OTU),隶属于38门531属,其中优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria, 31.45%-40.32%)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria, 14.24%-40.16%)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria,7.13%-22.15%);1803个真菌OTU隶属于8门263属,其中优势菌门为担子菌门(Basidiomycota,40.43%-62.75%)和子囊菌门(Ascomycota,35.81%-53.68%)。主坐标分析表明,3种林型中细菌和真菌群落组间差异远大于组内差异。Mantel检验结果显示:细菌群落结构与pH、总氮(Total Nitrogen,TN)、总磷(Total Phosphorus,TP)和含水量(Soil Water Content,SWC)具有显著相关性(P0.05),其中pH的相关性系数最大;真菌群落结构与SWC、TN和TP具有显著相关性(P0.05),其中TN的相关性系数最大。冗余分析结果发现,TP与变形菌门、担子菌门相对丰度呈显著正相关,TN和SWC与酸杆菌门、子囊菌门呈显著正相关,pH与放线菌门呈显著正相关(P0.05)。【结论】不同林型间土壤微生物群落结构存在显著差异,明晰其分布规律及主要环境驱动因子,是把握寒区森林生态系统过程的关键。     

海南东寨港红树林不同植被土壤微生物群落结构比较

【目的】比较不同植被下红树林土壤细菌和古菌的多样性及群落结构,认识红树林土壤微生物资源多样性。【方法】直接提取红树林土壤总DNA,采用细菌通用引物27F/1492R和古菌通用引物Arch21F/Arch958R进行PCR扩增,构建细菌和古菌16S rRNA基因文库,对海南东寨港自然保护区秋茄林、无瓣海桑林和无红树林裸滩土壤的细菌和古菌多样性和群落结构进行分析和比较。【结果】3种土壤样品的细菌类群包括变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)等16个类群,其中变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)与绿屈挠菌门(Chloroflexi)是优势类群;古菌包括6个嗜泉古菌界(Crenarchaeota)类群和7个广域古菌界(Euryarchaeota)类群,分别以Marine Benthic Group C、Marine Benthic Group D为优势类群。多样性指数(H’)和物种丰富度指数(Schao1)表明,本地种秋茄林下土壤细菌和古菌的多样性指数最高,外来种无瓣海桑显著低于秋茄林,甚至明显低于相邻无红树林裸滩沉积物;不同植被下土壤细菌和古菌群落结构存在显著差异,秋茄林土壤微生物群落结构和无红树林裸滩沉积物更相似。【结论】红树林土壤微生物类群丰富,不同植被下土壤细菌和古菌多样性和群落结构存在显著差异。     

Priming in the Type I-F CRISPR-Cas system triggers strand-independent spacer acquisition,bi-directionally from the primed protospacer

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), in combination with CRISPR associated (cas) genes, constitute CRISPR-Cas bacterial adaptive immune systems. To generate immunity, these systems acquire short sequences of nucleic acids from foreign invaders and incorporate these into their CRISPR arrays as spacers. This adaptation process is the least characterized step in CRISPR-Cas immunity. Here, we used Pectobacterium atrosepticum to investigate adaptation in Type I-F CRISPR-Cas systems. Pre-existing spacers that matched plasmids stimulated hyperactive primed acquisition and resulted in the incorporation of up to nine new spacers across all three native CRISPR arrays. Endogenous expression of the cas genes was sufficient, yet required, for priming. The new spacers inhibited conjugation and transformation, and interference was enhanced with increasing numbers of new spacers. We analyzed ∼350 new spacers acquired in priming events and identified a 5′-protospacer-GG-3′ protospacer adjacent motif. In contrast to priming in Type I-E systems, new spacers matched either plasmid strand and a biased distribution, including clustering near the primed protospacer, suggested a bi-directional translocation model for the Cas1:Cas2–3 adaptation machinery. Taken together these results indicate priming adaptation occurs in different CRISPR-Cas systems, that it can be highly active in wild-type strains and that the underlying mechanisms vary.     

Diversity of CRISPR-Cas-mediated mechanisms of adaptive immunity in prokaryotes and their application in biotechnology

CRISPR-Cas systems of adaptive immunity in prokaryotes consist of CRISPR arrays (clusters of short repeated genomic DNA fragments separated by unique spacer sequences) and cas (CRISPR-associated) genes that provide cells with resistance against bacteriophages and plasmids containing protospacers, i.e. sequences complementary to CRISPR array spacers. CRISPR-Cas systems are responsible for two different cellular phenomena: CRISPR adaptation and CRISPR interference. CRISPR adaptation is cell genome modification by integration of new spacers that represents a unique case of Lamarckian inheritance. CRISPR interference involves specific recognition of protospacers in foreign DNA followed by introduction of breaks into this DNA and its destruction. According to the mechanisms of action, CRISPR-Cas systems have been subdivided into two classes, five types, and numerous subtypes. The development of techniques based on CRISPR interference mediated by the Type II system Cas9 protein has revolutionized the field of genome editing because it allows selective, efficient, and relatively simple introduction of directed breaks into target DNA loci. However, practical applications of CRISPR-Cas systems are not limited only to genome editing. In this review, we focus on the variety of CRISPR interference and CRISPR adaptation mechanisms and their prospective use in biotechnology.     

副溶血性弧菌CRISPR的检测及其结构分析

【目的】检测副溶血性弧菌(Vibrio parahaemolyticus,简称VP)中规律成簇间隔的短回文序列(Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats,CRISPR),并对不同来源的VP中CRISPR位点的结构多样性进行分析。【方法】根据CRISPR DB数据库中公布的VP中确定的CRISPR结构序列CRISPR-1及文献中新发现的疑似CRISPR结构序列CRISPR-2设计引物,对不同来源的79株VP进行PCR扩增。利用CRISPR Finder分析CRISPR结构,采用生物信息学方法对不同来源VP的CRISPR位点结构多样性进行比较分析。【结果】79株VP中CRISPR-1的检出率为92.41%,CRISPR-2的检出率为96.20%,同时具有这2个位点的菌株占总数的89.87%,只有1株菌被检出不含有任何位点。分别比较不同来源的菌株CRISPR-1、CRISPR-2位点的重复序列发现不存在序列差异,而临床菌株的这2个CRISPR位点在间隔序列上比环境分离菌株存在更多的变异。2个CRISPR位点根据间隔序列的不同在VP中一共组成8种CRISPR谱型(编号A-H),除F谱型外,A-E、G谱型均只在临床分离菌株中发现,而在环境分离菌中还发现不含任何位点的H型。【结论】CRISPR在VP中普遍存在。环境分离菌株与临床分离菌株中CRISPR的结构存在差异。     

嗜热链球菌CRISPR-Cas系统的检测

【目的】CRISPR-Cas系统为嗜热链球菌抵抗噬菌体等外源基因元件提供获得性免疫,分析NCBI中已公开发表全基因组序列的9株嗜热链球菌所含CRISPR-Cas系统的数目和类型,对实验室相应菌株的CRISPR-Cas系统进行检测。【方法】利用生物信息学方法对NCBI中9株已测序嗜热链球菌所含CRISPR-Cas系统进行分析,根据其Cas基因序列设计引物,对实验室嗜热链球菌菌株的Cas基因进行扩增、测序,分析实验室6株嗜热链球菌的CRISPR-Cas系统情况。【结果】9株标准菌株均含不同数目的CRISPR-Cas系统,其类型主要为Ⅱ-A型、Ⅲ-A型和Ⅰ-E型,各类型的标志Cas基因高度保守。6株供试菌中,S4仅含Cas9基因,其它5株均含有Cas9基因、Cas10基因和Cas9*基因,79和KLDS3.0207还含有Cas3基因。【结论】可根据标准菌株高度保守的Cas基因设计引物,预测未知嗜热链球菌所含CRISPRCas系统的数目和类型。S4仅含1个Ⅱ-A型CRISPR-Cas系统,其它5株均含有2个Ⅱ-A型CRISPR-Cas系统和1个Ⅲ-A型CRISPR-Cas系统,此外,79和KLDS3.0207均含有1个Ⅰ-E型CRISPR-Cas系统。     

CRISPR Content Correlates with the Pathogenic Potential of Escherichia coli

Guide RNA molecules (crRNA) produced from clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) arrays, altogether with effector proteins (Cas) encoded by cognate cas (CRISPR associated) genes, mount an interference mechanism (CRISPR-Cas) that limits acquisition of foreign DNA in Bacteria and Archaea. The specificity of this action is provided by the repeat intervening spacer carried in the crRNA, which upon hybridization with complementary sequences enables their degradation by a Cas endonuclease. Moreover, CRISPR arrays are dynamic landscapes that may gain new spacers from infecting elements or lose them for example during genome replication. Thus, the spacer content of a strain determines the diversity of sequences that can be targeted by the corresponding CRISPR-Cas system reflecting its functionality. Most Escherichia coli strains possess either type I-E or I-F CRISPR-Cas systems. To evaluate their impact on the pathogenicity of the species, we inferred the pathotype and pathogenic potential of 126 strains of this and other closely related species and analyzed their repeat content. Our results revealed a negative correlation between the number of I-E CRISPR units in this system and the presence of pathogenicity traits: the median number of repeats was 2.5-fold higher for commensal isolates (with 29.5 units, range 0–53) than for pathogenic ones (12.0, range 0–42). Moreover, the higher the number of virulence factors within a strain, the lower the repeat content. Additionally, pathogenic strains of distinct ecological niches (i.e., intestinal or extraintestinal) differ in repeat counts. Altogether, these findings support an evolutionary connection between CRISPR and pathogenicity in E. coli.     

Analysis of CRISPR–Cas system and antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus coagulans isolates

CRISPR–Cas system contributes adaptive immunity to protect the bacterial and archaeal genome against invading mobile genetic elements. In this study, an attempt was made to characterize the CRISPR–Cas system in Staphylococcus coagulans, the second most prevalent coagulase positive staphylococci causing skin infections in dogs. Out of 45 S. coagulans isolates, 42/45 (93·33%) strains contained CRISPR–Cas system and 45 confirmed CRISPR system was identified in 42 S. coagulans isolates. The length of CRISPR loci ranged from 167 to 2477 bp, and the number of spacers in each CRISPR was varied from two spacers to as high as 37 numbers. Direct repeat (DR) sequences were between 30 and 37, but most (35/45) of the DRs contained 36 sequences. The predominant S. coagulans strains 29/45 did not possess any antimicrobial resistant genes (ARG); 26/29 strains contained Type IIC CRISPR–Cas system. Three isolates from Antarctica seals neither contain CRISPR–Cas system nor ARG. Only 15/45 S. coagulans strains (33·33%) harboured at least one ARG and 13/15 of them were having mecA gene. All the methicillin susceptible S. coagulans isolates contained Type IIC CRISPR–Cas system. In contrast, many (10/13) S. coagulans isolates which were methicillin resistant had Type IIIA CRISPR–Cas system, and this Type IIIA CRISPR–Cas system was present within the SCCmec mobile genetic element. Hence, this study suggests that Type II CRISPR–Cas in S. coagulans isolates might have played a possible role in preventing acquisition of plasmid/phage invasion and Type IIIA CRISPR–Cas system may have an insignificant role in the prevention of horizontal gene transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes in S. coagulans species.     

CRISPRs of Enterococcus faecalis and E. hirae Isolates from Pig Feces Have Species-Specific Repeats But Share Some Common Spacer Sequences

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) are currently a topic of interest in microbiology due to their role as a prokaryotic immune system. Investigations of CRISPR distribution and characterization to date have focused on pathogenic bacteria, while less is known about CRISPR in commensal bacteria, where they may have a significant role in the ecology of the microbiota of humans and other animals, and act as a recorder of interactions between bacteria and viruses. A combination of PCR and sequencing was used to determine prevalence and distribution of CRISPR arrays in Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus hirae isolates from the feces of healthy pigs. Both type II CRISPR–Cas and Orphan CRISPR (without Cas genes) were detected in the 195 isolates examined. CRISPR–Cas was detected in 52 (46/88) and 42 % (45/107) E. faecalis and E. hirae isolates, respectively. The prevalence of Orphan CRISPR arrays was higher in E. faecalis isolates (95 %, 84/88) compared with E. hirae isolates (49 %, 53/107). Species-specific repeat sequences were identified in Orphan CRISPR arrays, and 42 unique spacer sequences were identified. Only two spacers matched previously characterized pig virome sequences, and many were apparently derived from chromosomal sequences of enterococci. Surprisingly, 17 (40 %) of the spacers were detected in both species. Shared spacer sequences are evidence of a lack of species specificity in the agents and mechanisms responsible for integration of spacers, and the abundance of spacer sequences corresponding to bacterial chromosomal sequences reflects interspecific interactions within the intestinal microbiota.     

Lactobacillus buchneri Genotyping on the Basis of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) Locus Diversity

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) in combination with associated sequences (cas) constitute the CRISPR-Cas immune system, which uptakes DNA from invasive genetic elements as novel “spacers” that provide a genetic record of immunization events. We investigated the potential of CRISPR-based genotyping of Lactobacillus buchneri, a species relevant for commercial silage, bioethanol, and vegetable fermentations. Upon investigating the occurrence and diversity of CRISPR-Cas systems in Lactobacillus buchneri genomes, we observed a ubiquitous occurrence of CRISPR arrays containing a 36-nucleotide (nt) type II-A CRISPR locus adjacent to four cas genes, including the universal cas1 and cas2 genes and the type II signature gene cas9. Comparative analysis of CRISPR spacer content in 26 L. buchneri pickle fermentation isolates associated with spoilage revealed 10 unique locus genotypes that contained between 9 and 29 variable spacers. We observed a set of conserved spacers at the ancestral end, reflecting a common origin, as well as leader-end polymorphisms, reflecting recent divergence. Some of these spacers showed perfect identity with phage sequences, and many spacers showed homology to Lactobacillus plasmid sequences. Following a comparative analysis of sequences immediately flanking protospacers that matched CRISPR spacers, we identified a novel putative protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM), 5′-AAAA-3′. Overall, these findings suggest that type II-A CRISPR-Cas systems are valuable for genotyping of L. buchneri.     

CRISPR-Cas systems target a diverse collection of invasive mobile genetic elements in human microbiomes

Background

Bacteria and archaea develop immunity against invading genomes by incorporating pieces of the invaders'' sequences, called spacers, into a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) locus between repeats, forming arrays of repeat-spacer units. When spacers are expressed, they direct CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins to silence complementary invading DNA. In order to characterize the invaders of human microbiomes, we use spacers from CRISPR arrays that we had previously assembled from shotgun metagenomic datasets, and identify contigs that contain these spacers'' targets.

Results

We discover 95,000 contigs that are putative invasive mobile genetic elements, some targeted by hundreds of CRISPR spacers. We find that oral sites in healthy human populations have a much greater variety of mobile genetic elements than stool samples. Mobile genetic elements carry genes encoding diverse functions: only 7% of the mobile genetic elements are similar to known phages or plasmids, although a much greater proportion contain phage- or plasmid-related genes. A small number of contigs share similarity with known integrative and conjugative elements, providing the first examples of CRISPR defenses against this class of element. We provide detailed analyses of a few large mobile genetic elements of various types, and a relative abundance analysis of mobile genetic elements and putative hosts, exploring the dynamic activities of mobile genetic elements in human microbiomes. A joint analysis of mobile genetic elements and CRISPRs shows that protospacer-adjacent motifs drive their interaction network; however, some CRISPR-Cas systems target mobile genetic elements lacking motifs.

Conclusions

We identify a large collection of invasive mobile genetic elements in human microbiomes, an important resource for further study of the interaction between the CRISPR-Cas immune system and invaders.