Type IV pili facilitated natural competence in Fusobacterium nucleatum.

Objectives: Many bacterial species naturally take up DNA from their surroundings and recombine it into their chromosome through homologous gene transfer (HGT) to aid in survival and gain advantageous functions. Herein we present the first characterization of Type IV pili facilitated natural competence in Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is a Gram-negative, anaerobic bacterium that participates in a range of infections and diseases including periodontitis, preterm birth, and cancer.

Methods: Here we used bioinformatics on multiple Fusobacterium species, as well as molecular genetics to characterize natural competence in strain F.

Enhanced Fusobacterium nucleatum Genetics Using Host DNA Methyltransferases To Bypass Restriction-Modification Systems.

Bacterial restriction-modification (R-M) systems are a first-line immune defense against foreign DNA from viruses and other bacteria. While R-M systems are critical in maintaining genome integrity, R-M nucleases unfortunately present significant barriers to targeted genetic modification. Bacteria of the genus are oral, Gram-negative, anaerobic, opportunistic pathogens that are implicated in the progression and severity of multiple cancers and tissue infections, yet our understanding of their direct roles in disease have been severely hindered by their genetic recalcitrance.

Fusobacterium and Colorectal Cancer: Important Association or Random Coincidence?

The role of the microbiome in human cancer has become an area of intensive research and controversy. Many reports have highlighted the physical association of Fusobacterium with colorectal cancer. This association has provided diagnostic and therapeutic promise but has also given rise to several controversies regarding the influence of Fusobacterium species on human colorectal cancer.

host-cell binding and invasion induces IL-8 and CXCL1 secretion that drives colorectal cancer cell migration.

is implicated in accelerating colorectal cancer (CRC) and is found within metastatic CRC cells in patient biopsies. Here, we found that bacterial invasion of CRC cells and cocultured immune cells induced a differential cytokine secretion that may contribute to CRC metastasis. We used a modified galactose kinase markerless gene deletion approach and found that invaded cultured HCT116 CRC cells through the bacterial surface adhesin Fap2.

Utilizing Whole Genomes To Identify, Correct, and Characterize Potential Virulence Protein Families.

spp. are Gram-negative, anaerobic, opportunistic pathogens involved in multiple diseases, including a link between the oral pathogen and the progression and severity of colorectal cancer. The identification and characterization of virulence factors in the genus has been greatly hindered by a lack of properly assembled and annotated genomes.

FusoPortal: an Interactive Repository of Hybrid MinION-Sequenced Genomes Improves Gene Identification and Characterization.

Here we present FusoPortal, an interactive repository of genomes that were sequenced using a hybrid MinION long-read sequencing pipeline, followed by assembly and annotation using a diverse portfolio of predominantly open-source software. Significant efforts were made to provide genomic and bioinformatic data as downloadable files, including raw sequencing reads, genome maps, gene annotations, protein functional analysis and classifications, and a custom BLAST server for FusoPortal genomes. FusoPortal has been initiated with eight complete genomes, of which seven were previously only drafts that ranged from 24 to 67 contigs.

Strain Types Have Diversified Regionally and Globally with Evidence for Recombination across Geographic Divides.

() is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. The Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme is effective in differentiating strain types (ST), deciphering transmission patterns and treatment failure, and identifying recombinant strains. Here, we analyzed 323 reference and clinical samples, including 58 samples from Russia, an area that has not previously been represented in typing schemes, to expand our knowledge of the global diversification of STs.