Browsing by Author "Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de"

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    Bioprospecção de bactérias de regiões de canga do Quadrilátero Ferrífero : estratégia de busca de alvos com potencial biotecnológico.
    (2018) Caneschi, Washington Luiz; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Silva, Cynthia Canêdo da; Teixeira, Mônica Cristina; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Silva, Silvana de Queiroz
    O extrativismo mineral na região do Quadrilátero Ferrífero brasileiro destruiu grandes áreas de terra, dizimando espécies vegetais e sua microbiota associada. Pouco se sabe sobre a microbiota da região. Assim bactérias cultiváveis associadas a plantas e de solos foram investigadas por seu potencial biotecnológico. Amostras foram coletadas de nove espécies de plantas e seis amostras de solos, sendo 65 isolados bacterianos cultiváveis obtidos. Estes representam predominantemente bacilos gram-positivos (70%) capazes de produzir amilases (55%), proteases (63%), celulases (47%), ácido indolacético (AIA) (46%), sideróforos (26%) e solubilizar fosfato (9%). Além disso, 65% destes foram resistentes à ampicilina, 100% eram sensíveis à tetraciclina e 97% tolerantes a altas concentrações de arsênio. Três isolados foram estudados ainda: o isolado FOB3 (Rosenbergiella sp.) produziu altas concentrações de AIA in vitro na ausência de triptofano, demonstrado pela melhora na germinação de planta e taxa de crescimento onde o isolado estava presente. Os isolados C25 (Acinetobacter sp.) e FG3 (Serratia sp.), tiveram plasmídeos extraídos e inseridos em células de E. coli, onde modificaram o perfil fisiológico das cepas transformadas. A cepa E. coli :: pFG3B apresentou a maior capacidade de produção de biofilme, além de aumento na taxa de replicação, tolerância ao arsênio e atividade de catalase, além de aumentar a integridade do DNA na presença de arsênio. A cepa Serratia sp. teve seu genoma completo sequenciado pela plataforma PacBio sendo identificada como Serratia liquefaciens cepa FG3 (SlFG3). Foi identificado um cromossomo de 5,7 Mpb (5398 genes) e dois plasmídeos com 159 Kbp (179 genes) e 125 Kpb (146 genes). A análise comparativa do genoma de SlFG3 foi realizada com 33 outras espécies de Serratia com genomas completos e revelou a presença de 18 supostas inserções de fagos, permitindo identificar 311 genes únicos para o SlFG3 e um core genome de 417 famílias de proteínas. A análise filogenômica baseada no core genome permitiu agrupar SlFG3 em um clado com outras três linhagens de S. liquefaciens (FDAARGOS125, HUMV21 e ATCC27592) e Serratia proteamaculans 568 (Sp568), que compartilham um core de 3998 famílias de proteínas ortólogas. Entre esses cinco genomas, 75 genes são compartilhados apenas em SlFG3 e S. protemaculans 568, ambos isolados de plantas, e 643 famílias de proteínas são exclusivas de SlFG3. A análise desses genes revelou a presença de uma via completa relacionada à degradação de protocatecuato e compostos cloroaromáticos. Além disso, SlFG3 possui um repertório diversificado de genes associados a NRPs / PKS, um conjunto completo de síntese de celulose e metabolismo oxidativo completo e reparo de DNA. Finalmente, SlFG3 ainda possui genes relacionados à tiolação de RNA e DNA, inserida em uma região de fago que pode proteger os ácidos nucléicos contra diferentes condições de estresse. Esses achados resumem que o SlFG3 parece estar bem adaptada à diferentes situações de estresse impostas por condições extremas além de ser extremamente interessante no estudo de mecanismos molecularese composição gênica que pode ser melhor explorado com alto potencial biotecnológico.
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    A comparative genomic analysis of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis strains reveal hallmarks of mobile genetic elements in the adaptation and accelerated evolution of virulence.
    (2021) Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Sagawa, Cintia Helena Duarte; Patané, José Salvatore Leister; Setubal, João Carlos; Uceda-Campos, Guillermo; Silva, Aline Maria da; Zaini, Paulo Adriano; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Dandekar, Abhaya M.
    Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) is the most significant aboveground walnut bacterial pathogen. Disease management uses copper-based pesticides which induce pathogen resistance. We examined the genetic reper- toire associated with adaptation and virulence evolution in Xaj. Comparative genomics of 32 Xaj strains reveal the possible acquisition and propagation of virulence factors via insertion sequences (IS). Fine-scale annotation revealed a Tn3 transposon (TnXaj417) encoding copper resistance genes acquired by horizontal gene transfer and associated with adaptation and tolerance to metal-based pesticides commonly used to manage pathogens in orchard ecosystems. Phylogenomic analysis reveals IS involvement in acquisition and diversification of type III effector proteins ranging from two to eight in non-pathogenic strains, 16 to 20 in pathogenic strains, besides six other putative effectors with a reduced identity degree found mostly among pathogenic strains. Yersiniabactin, xopK, xopAI, and antibiotic resistance genes are also located near ISs or inside genomic islands and structures resembling composite transposons.
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    Complete genome sequence and analysis of Alcaligenes faecalis strain Mc250, a new potential plant bioinoculant.
    (2020) Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Sanchez, Angelica Bianchini; Caneschi, Washington Luiz; Lemes, Camila Gracyelle de Carvalho; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Cordeiro, Isabella Ferreira; Fonseca, Natasha Peixoto; Villa, Morghana Marina; Vieira, Izadora Tabuso; Kamino, Luciana Hiromi Yoshino; Carmo, Flávio Fonseca do; Silva, Aline Maria da; Thomas, Andrew Maltez; Patané, José Salvatore Leister; Ferreira, Fernanda Carla; Freitas, Leandro Grassi de; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Silva, Robson Soares; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Garcia, Camila Carrião Machado; Setubal, João Carlos; Moreira, Leandro Marcio
    Here we present and analyze the complete genome of Alcaligenes faecalis strain Mc250 (Mc250), a bacterium isolated from the roots of Mimosa calodendron, an endemic plant growing in ferruginous rupestrian grasslands in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The genome has 4,159,911 bp and 3,719 predicted protein-coding genes, in a single chromosome. Comparison of the Mc250 genome with 36 other Alcaligenes faecalis genomes revealed that there is considerable gene content variation among these strains, with the core genome representing only 39% of the protein-coding gene repertoire of Mc250. Mc250 encodes a complete denitrification pathway, a network of pathways associated with phenolic compounds degradation, and genes associated with HCN and siderophores synthesis; we also found a repertoire of genes associated with metal internalization and metabolism, sulfate/sulfonate and cysteine metabolism, oxidative stress and DNA repair. These findings reveal the genomic basis for the adaptation of this bacterium to the harsh environmental conditions from where it was isolated. Gene clusters associated with ectoine, terpene, resorcinol, and emulsan biosynthesis that can confer some competitive advantage were also found. Experimental results showed that Mc250 was able to reduce (~60%) the virulence phenotype of the plant pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri when co-inoculated in Citrus sinensis, and was able to eradicate 98% of juveniles and stabilize the hatching rate of eggs to 4% in two species of agricultural nematodes. These results reveal biotechnological potential for the Mc250 strain and warrant its further investigation as a biocontrol and plant growth-promoting bacterium.
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    Detection and identification of Xanthomonas pathotypes associated with citrus diseases using comparative genomics and multiplex PCR.
    (2019) Fonseca, Natasha Peixoto; Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Caneschi, Washington Luiz; Sanchez, Angelica Bianchini; Cordeiro, Isabella Ferreira; Lemes, Camila Gracyelle de Carvalho; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Carvalho, Flávia Maria de Souza; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Belasque Junior, José; Setubal, João Carlos; Telles, Guilherme Pimentel; Aguena, Deiviston da Silva; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Moreira, Leandro Marcio
    Background. In Citrus cultures, three species of Xanthomonas are known to cause distinct diseases. X. citri subsp. citri patothype A, X. fuscans subsp. aurantifolii pathotypes B and C, and X. alfalfae subsp. citrumelonis, are the causative agents of cancrosis A, B, C, and citrus bacterial spots, respectively. Although these species exhibit different levels of virulence and aggressiveness, only limited alternatives are currently available for proper and early detection of these diseases in the fields. The present study aimed to develop a new molecular diagnostic method based on genomic sequences derived from the four species of Xanthomonas. Results. Using comparative genomics approaches, primers were synthesized for the identification of the four causative agents of citrus diseases. These primers were validated for their specificity to their target DNA by both conventional and multiplex PCR. Upon evaluation, their sensitivity was found to be 0.02 ng/µl in vitro and 1.5 × 104 CFU ml−1 in infected leaves. Additionally, none of the primers were able to generate amplicons in 19 other genomes of Xanthomonas not associated with Citrus and one species of Xylella, the causal agent of citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC). This denotes strong specificity of the primers for the different species of Xanthomonas investigated in this study. Conclusions. We demonstrated that these markers can be used as potential candidates for performing in vivo molecular diagnosis exclusively for citrus-associated Xanthomonas. The bioinformatics pipeline developed in this study to design specific genomic regions is capable of generating specific primers. It is freely available and can be utilized for any other model organism.
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    Identification and analysis of seven effector protein families with different adaptive and evolutionary histories in plant-associated members of the Xanthomonadaceae.
    (2017) Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Polloni, Lorraine Cristina; Patané, José Salvatore Leister; Thakur, Shalabh; Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Diaz Caballero, Julio; Digiampietri, Luciano Antonio; Goulart Filho, Luiz Ricardo; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Nascimento, Rafael; Dandekar, Abhaya M.; Zaini, Paulo Adriano; Setubal, João Carlos; Guttman, David S.; Moreira, Leandro Marcio
    The Xanthomonadaceae family consists of species of non-pathogenic and pathogenic γ-proteobacteria that infect different hosts, including humans and plants. In this study, we performed a comparative analysis using 69 fully sequenced genomes belonging to this family, with a focus on identifying proteins enriched in phytopathogens that could explain the lifestyle and the ability to infect plants. Using a computational approach, we identified seven phytopathogen-enriched protein families putatively secreted by type II secretory system: PheA (CM-sec), LipA/LesA, VirK, and four families involved in N-glycan degradation, NixE, NixF, NixL, and FucA1. In silico and phylogenetic analyses of these protein families revealed they all have orthologs in other phytopathogenic or symbiotic bacteria, and are involved in the modulation and evasion of the immune system. As a proof of concept, we performed a biochemical characterization of LipA from Xac306 and verified that the mutant strain lost most of its lipase and esterase activities and displayed reduced virulence in citrus. Since this study includes closely related organisms with distinct lifestyles and highlights proteins directly related to adaptation inside plant tissues, novel approaches might use these proteins as biotechnological targets for disease control, and contribute to our understanding of the coevolution of plant-associated bacteria.
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    Novel insights into the genomic basis of citrus canker based on the genome sequences of two strains of Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii.
    (2010) Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Potnis, Neha; Digiampietri, Luciano Antonio; Adi, Said Sadique; Bortolossi, Julio Cesar; Silva, Ana C.; Silva, Aline M. da; Moraes, Fabrício E. de; Oliveira, Julio Cezar Franco de; Souza, Robson Francisco de; Facincani, Agda Paula; Ferraz, André L.; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Furlan, Luiz Roberto; Gimenez, Daniele F.; Jones, Jeffrey B.; Kitajima, Elliot Watanabe; Laia, Marcelo Luiz de; Leite Junior, Rui P.; Nishyama, Milton Yutaka; Rodrigues Neto, Julio; Nociti, Letícia A.; Norman, David J.; Ostroski, Eric Hainer; Pereira Junior, Haroldo Alves; Staskawicz, Brian J.; Tezza, Renata Izabel; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Vinatzer, Boris A.; Setubal, João Carlos
    Background: Citrus canker is a disease that has severe economic impact on the citrus industry worldwide. There are three types of canker, called A, B, and C. The three types have different phenotypes and affect different citrus species. The causative agent for type A is Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, whose genome sequence was made available in 2002. Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain B causes canker B and Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain C causes canker C. Results: We have sequenced the genomes of strains B and C to draft status. We have compared their genomic content to X. citri subsp. citri and to other Xanthomonas genomes, with special emphasis on type III secreted effector repertoires. In addition to pthA, already known to be present in all three citrus canker strains, two additional effector genes, xopE3 and xopAI, are also present in all three strains and are both located on the same putative genomic island. These two effector genes, along with one other effector-like gene in the same region, are thus good candidates for being pathogenicity factors on citrus. Numerous gene content differences also exist between the three cankers strains, which can be correlated with their different virulence and host range. Particular attention was placed on the analysis of genes involved in biofilm formation and quorum sensing, type IV secretion, flagellum synthesis and motility, lipopolysacharide synthesis, and on the gene xacPNP, which codes for a natriuretic protein. Conclusion: We have uncovered numerous commonalities and differences in gene content between the genomes of the pathogenic agents causing citrus canker A, B, and C and other Xanthomonas genomes. Molecular genetics can now be employed to determine the role of these genes in plant-microbe interactions. The gained knowledge will be instrumental for improving citrus canker control.
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    Origin and diversification of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri pathotypes revealed by inclusive phylogenomic, dating, and biogeographic analyses.
    (2019) Patané, José Salvatore Leister; Martins Junior, Joaquim; Rangel, Luiz Thiberio; Belasque Junior, José; Digiampietri, Luciano Antonio; Facincani, Agda Paula; Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Jaciani, Fabrício José; Zhang, Yunzeng; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Wang, Nian; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Moreira, Leandro Marcio; Setubal, João Carlos
    Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri pathotypes cause bacterial citrus canker, being responsible for severe agricultural losses worldwide. The A pathotype has a broad host spectrum, while A* and Aw are more restricted both in hosts and in geography. Two previous phylogenomic studies led to contrasting well-supported clades for sequenced genomes of these pathotypes. No extensive biogeographical or divergence dating analytic approaches have been so far applied to available genomes. Results: Based on a larger sampling of genomes than in previous studies (including six new genomes sequenced by our group, adding to a total of 95 genomes), phylogenomic analyses resulted in different resolutions, though overall indicating that A + AW is the most likely true clade. Our results suggest the high degree of recombination at some branches and the fast diversification of lineages are probable causes for this phylogenetic blurring effect. One of the genomes analyzed, X. campestris pv. durantae, was shown to be an A* strain; this strain has been reported to infect a plant of the family Verbenaceae, though there are no reports of any X. citri subsp. citri pathotypes infecting any plant outside the Citrus genus. Host reconstruction indicated the pathotype ancestor likely had plant hosts in the family Fabaceae, implying an ancient jump to the current Rutaceae hosts. Extensive dating analyses indicated that the origin of X. citri subsp. citri occurred more recently than the main phylogenetic splits of Citrus plants, suggesting dispersion rather than host-directed vicariance as the main driver of geographic expansion. An analysis of 120 pathogenic-related genes revealed pathotype-associated patterns of presence/absence. Conclusions: Our results provide novel insights into the evolutionary history of X. citri subsp. citri as well as a sound phylogenetic foundation for future evolutionary and genomic studies of its pathotypes.
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    Serratia liquefaciens FG3 isolated from a metallophyte plant sheds light on the evolution and mechanisms of adaptive traits in extreme environments.
    (2019) Caneschi, Washington Luiz; Sanchez, Angelica Bianchini; Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Lemes, Camila Gracyelle de Carvalho; Cordeiro, Isabella Ferreira; Fonseca, Natasha Peixoto; Villa, Morghana Marina; Vieira, Izadora Tabuso; Moraes, Lauro Ângelo Gonçalves de; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Carmo, Flávio Fonseca do; Kamino, Luciana Hiromi Yoshino; Silva, Robson Soares; Ferro, Jesus Aparecido; Ferro, Maria Inês Tiraboschi; Ferreira, Rafael Marini; Santos, Vera Lúcia; Silva, Ubiana de Cássia Mourão; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Varani, Alessandro de Mello; Garcia, Camila Carrião Machado; Setubal, João Carlos; Moreira, Leandro Marcio
    Serratia liquefaciens strain FG3 (SlFG3), isolated from the flower of Stachytarpheta glabra in the Brazilian ferruginous fields, has distinctive genomic, adaptive, and biotechnological potential. Herein, using a combination of genomics and molecular approaches, we unlocked the evolution of the adaptive traits acquired by S1FG3, which exhibits the second largest chromosome containing the largest conjugative plasmids described for Serratia. Comparative analysis revealed the presence of 18 genomic islands and 311 unique protein families involved in distinct adaptive features. S1FG3 has a diversified repertoire of genes associated with Nonribosomal peptides (NRPs/PKS), a complete and functional cluster related to cellulose synthesis, and an extensive and functional repertoire of oxidative metabolism genes. In addition, S1FG3 possesses a complete pathway related to protocatecuate and chloroaromatic degradation, and a complete repertoire of genes related to DNA repair and protection that includes mechanisms related to UV light tolerance, redox process resistance, and a laterally acquired capacity to protect DNA using phosphorothioation. These findings summarize that SlFG3 is well-adapted to different biotic and abiotic stress situations imposed by extreme conditions associated with ferruginous fields, unlocking the impact of the lateral gene transfer to adjust the genome for extreme environments, and providing insight into the evolution of prokaryotes.
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    TabPath : interactive tables for metabolic pathway analysis.
    (2017) Moraes, Lauro Ângelo Gonçalves de; Felestrino, Érica Barbosa; Assis, Renata de Almeida Barbosa; Matos, Diogo; Lima, Joubert de Castro; Lima, Leandro de Araújo; Almeida Junior, Nalvo Franco de; Setubal, João Carlos; Garcia, Camila Carrião Machado; Moreira, Leandro Marcio
    Information about metabolic pathways in a comparative context is one of the most powerful tool to help the understanding of genome-based differences in phenotypes among organisms. Although several platforms exist that provide a wealth of information on metabolic pathways of diverse organisms, the comparison among organisms using metabolic pathways is still a difficult task. We present TabPath (Tables for Metabolic Pathway), a web-based tool to facilitate comparison of metabolic pathways in genomes based on KEGG. From a selection of pathways and genomes of interest on the menu, TabPath generates user-friendly tables that facilitate analysis of variations in metabolism among the selected organisms.