Evolutionary selection of biofilm-mediated extended phenotypes in Yersinia pestis in response to a fluctuating environment

Yujun Cui, Boris V. Schmid, Hanli Cao, Xiang Dai, Zongmin Du, W. Ryan Easterday, Haihong Fang, Chenyi Guo, Shanqian Huang, Wanbing Liu, Zhizhen Qi, Yajun Song, Huaiyu Tian, Min Wang, Yarong Wu, Bing Xu, Chao Yang, Jing Yang, Xianwei Yang, Qingwen Zhang, Kjetill S. Jakobsen (), Yujiang Zhang (), Nils Chr. Stenseth () and Ruifu Yang ()
Additional contact information
Yujun Cui: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Boris V. Schmid: University of Oslo
Hanli Cao: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
Xiang Dai: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
Zongmin Du: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
W. Ryan Easterday: University of Oslo
Haihong Fang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Chenyi Guo: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Shanqian Huang: Beijing Normal University
Wanbing Liu: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Zhizhen Qi: Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control
Yajun Song: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Huaiyu Tian: Beijing Normal University
Min Wang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Yarong Wu: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Bing Xu: Beijing Normal University
Chao Yang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Jing Yang: Beijing Normal University
Xianwei Yang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology
Qingwen Zhang: Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control
Kjetill S. Jakobsen: University of Oslo
Yujiang Zhang: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
Nils Chr. Stenseth: University of Oslo
Ruifu Yang: Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Yersinia pestis is transmitted from fleas to rodents when the bacterium develops an extensive biofilm in the foregut of a flea, starving it into a feeding frenzy, or, alternatively, during a brief period directly after feeding on a bacteremic host. These two transmission modes are in a trade-off regulated by the amount of biofilm produced by the bacterium. Here by investigating 446 global isolated Y. pestis genomes, including 78 newly sequenced isolates sampled over 40 years from a plague focus in China, we provide evidence for strong selection pressures on the RNA polymerase ω-subunit encoding gene rpoZ. We demonstrate that rpoZ variants have an increased rate of biofilm production in vitro, and that they evolve in the ecosystem during colder and drier periods. Our results support the notion that the bacterium is constantly adapting—through extended phenotype changes in the fleas—in response to climate-driven changes in the niche.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14099-w

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