Analyses of Xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub-species that display intra-species variation due to prophages
Abstract Background Nematodes of the genus Steinernema and their Xenorhabdus bacterial symbionts are lethal entomopathogens that are useful in the biocontrol of insect pests, as sources of diverse natural products, and as research models for mutualism and parasitism. Xenorhabdus play a central role...
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BMC
2024-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Genomics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10858-2 |
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| author | Jennifer K. Heppert Ryan Musumba Awori Mengyi Cao Grischa Chen Jemma McLeish Heidi Goodrich-Blair |
| author_facet | Jennifer K. Heppert Ryan Musumba Awori Mengyi Cao Grischa Chen Jemma McLeish Heidi Goodrich-Blair |
| author_sort | Jennifer K. Heppert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Nematodes of the genus Steinernema and their Xenorhabdus bacterial symbionts are lethal entomopathogens that are useful in the biocontrol of insect pests, as sources of diverse natural products, and as research models for mutualism and parasitism. Xenorhabdus play a central role in all aspects of the Steinernema lifecycle, and a deeper understanding of their genomes therefore has the potential to spur advances in each of these applications. Results Here, we report a comparative genomics analysis of Xenorhabdus griffiniae, including the symbiont of Steinernema hermaphroditum nematodes, for which genetic and genomic tools are being developed. We sequenced and assembled circularized genomes for three Xenorhabdus strains: HGB2511, ID10 and TH1. We then determined their relationships to other Xenorhabdus and delineated their species via phylogenomic analyses, concluding that HGB2511 and ID10 are Xenorhabdus griffiniae while TH1 is a novel species. These additions to the existing X. griffiniae landscape further allowed for the identification of two subspecies within the clade. Consistent with other Xenorhabdus, the analysed X. griffiniae genomes each encode a wide array of antimicrobials and virulence-related proteins. Comparative genomic analyses, including the creation of a pangenome, revealed that a large amount of the intraspecies variation in X. griffiniae is contained within the mobilome and attributable to prophage loci. In addition, CRISPR arrays, secondary metabolite potential and toxin genes all varied among strains within the X. griffiniae species. Conclusions Our findings suggest that phage-related genes drive the genomic diversity in closely related Xenorhabdus symbionts, and that these may underlie some of the traits most associated with the lifestyle and survival of entomopathogenic nematodes and their bacteria: virulence and competition. This study establishes a broad knowledge base for further exploration of not only the relationships between X. griffiniae species and their nematode hosts but also the molecular mechanisms that underlie their entomopathogenic lifestyle. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-03bed6e5cc76472b9d2563dd2ac8b00f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2164 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Genomics |
| spelling | doaj-art-03bed6e5cc76472b9d2563dd2ac8b00f2024-11-17T12:11:24ZengBMCBMC Genomics1471-21642024-11-0125112610.1186/s12864-024-10858-2Analyses of Xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub-species that display intra-species variation due to prophagesJennifer K. Heppert0Ryan Musumba AworiMengyi Cao1Grischa Chen2Jemma McLeish3Heidi Goodrich-Blair4Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at KnoxvilleDivision of Biosphere Sciences Engineering, Carnegie Institute for ScienceDivision of Biosphere Sciences Engineering, Carnegie Institute for ScienceDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at KnoxvilleDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at KnoxvilleAbstract Background Nematodes of the genus Steinernema and their Xenorhabdus bacterial symbionts are lethal entomopathogens that are useful in the biocontrol of insect pests, as sources of diverse natural products, and as research models for mutualism and parasitism. Xenorhabdus play a central role in all aspects of the Steinernema lifecycle, and a deeper understanding of their genomes therefore has the potential to spur advances in each of these applications. Results Here, we report a comparative genomics analysis of Xenorhabdus griffiniae, including the symbiont of Steinernema hermaphroditum nematodes, for which genetic and genomic tools are being developed. We sequenced and assembled circularized genomes for three Xenorhabdus strains: HGB2511, ID10 and TH1. We then determined their relationships to other Xenorhabdus and delineated their species via phylogenomic analyses, concluding that HGB2511 and ID10 are Xenorhabdus griffiniae while TH1 is a novel species. These additions to the existing X. griffiniae landscape further allowed for the identification of two subspecies within the clade. Consistent with other Xenorhabdus, the analysed X. griffiniae genomes each encode a wide array of antimicrobials and virulence-related proteins. Comparative genomic analyses, including the creation of a pangenome, revealed that a large amount of the intraspecies variation in X. griffiniae is contained within the mobilome and attributable to prophage loci. In addition, CRISPR arrays, secondary metabolite potential and toxin genes all varied among strains within the X. griffiniae species. Conclusions Our findings suggest that phage-related genes drive the genomic diversity in closely related Xenorhabdus symbionts, and that these may underlie some of the traits most associated with the lifestyle and survival of entomopathogenic nematodes and their bacteria: virulence and competition. This study establishes a broad knowledge base for further exploration of not only the relationships between X. griffiniae species and their nematode hosts but also the molecular mechanisms that underlie their entomopathogenic lifestyle.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10858-2Xenorhabdus griffiniaeNematode-bacterium symbiosisProphageCRISPR lociPangenomeBacterial subspeciation |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer K. Heppert Ryan Musumba Awori Mengyi Cao Grischa Chen Jemma McLeish Heidi Goodrich-Blair Analyses of Xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub-species that display intra-species variation due to prophages BMC Genomics Xenorhabdus griffiniae Nematode-bacterium symbiosis Prophage CRISPR loci Pangenome Bacterial subspeciation |
| title | Analyses of Xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub-species that display intra-species variation due to prophages |
| title_full | Analyses of Xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub-species that display intra-species variation due to prophages |
| title_fullStr | Analyses of Xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub-species that display intra-species variation due to prophages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analyses of Xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub-species that display intra-species variation due to prophages |
| title_short | Analyses of Xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub-species that display intra-species variation due to prophages |
| title_sort | analyses of xenorhabdus griffiniae genomes reveal two distinct sub species that display intra species variation due to prophages |
| topic | Xenorhabdus griffiniae Nematode-bacterium symbiosis Prophage CRISPR loci Pangenome Bacterial subspeciation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10858-2 |
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