Quorum Sensing Controls Adaptive Immunity through the Regulation of Multiple CRISPR-Cas Systems
Authors
Patterson, AG
Jackson, SA
Taylor, C
Evans, GB
Przybilski, R
Staals, RHJ
Fineran, PC
Publication Date
2016-12-15Journal Title
Mol Cell
ISSN
1097-2765
Publisher
Elsevier (Cell Press)
Volume
64
Issue
6
Pages
1102-1108
Language
English
Type
Article
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Patterson, A., Jackson, S., Taylor, C., Evans, G., Salmond, G., Przybilski, R., Staals, R., & et al. (2016). Quorum Sensing Controls Adaptive Immunity through the Regulation of Multiple CRISPR-Cas Systems. Mol Cell, 64 (6), 1102-1108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2016.11.012
Abstract
Bacteria commonly exist in high cell density populations, making them prone to viral predation and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) through transformation and conjugation. To combat these invaders, bacteria possess an arsenal of defenses, such as CRISPR-Cas adaptive immunity. Many bacterial populations coordinate their behavior as cell density increases, using quorum sensing (QS) signaling. In this study, we demonstrate that QS regulation results in increased expression of the type I-E, I-F, and III-A CRISPR-Cas systems in $\textit{Serratia}$ cells in high-density populations. Strains unable to communicate via QS were less effective at defending against invaders targeted by any of the three CRISPR-Cas systems. Additionally, the acquisition of immunity by the type I-E and I-F systems was impaired in the absence of QS signaling. We propose that bacteria can use chemical communication to modulate the balance between community-level defense requirements in high cell density populations and host fitness costs of basal CRISPR-Cas activity.
Keywords
CRISPR-Cas, regulation, quorum sensing, bacterial communication, horizontal gene transfer, phage resistance
Sponsorship
This work was supported by a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship (P.C.F.) from the Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ) and the Marsden Fund, RSNZ. A.G.P. was supported by a University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship. G.P.C.S. is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, UK.
Funder references
BBSRC (BB/H013261/1)
BBSRC (BB/H002677/1)
Embargo Lift Date
2100-01-01
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2016.11.012
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/262186
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International, Attribution 4.0 International, Attribution 4.0 International, Attribution 4.0 International