The role of PemIK (PemK/PemI) type II TA system from Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical strains in lytic phage infection

Since their discovery, toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems have captivated the attention of many scientists. Recent studies have demonstrated that TA systems play a key role in phage inhibition. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the PemIK (PemK/PemI) type II TA system in phage inh...

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Published in:Scientific reports 2022-03, Vol.12 (1), p.4488-4488, Article 4488
Main Authors: Bleriot, Ines, Blasco, Lucia, Pacios, Olga, Fernández-García, Laura, Ambroa, Antón, López, María, Ortiz-Cartagena, Concha, Cuenca, Felipe Fernández, Oteo-Iglesias, Jesús, Pascual, Álvaro, Martínez-Martínez, Luis, Domingo-Calap, Pilar, Wood, Thomas K., Tomás, María
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/136
631/326
631/337
692/4017
Antitoxins
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Bacterial Proteins - metabolism
Bacteriophages - genetics
Bacteriophages - metabolism
Carbapenemase
Dormancy
Humanities and Social Sciences
Infections
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Klebsiella pneumoniae - metabolism
multidisciplinary
Phages
Plasmids - genetics
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Strains (organisms)
Toxin-Antitoxin Systems
Toxins
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Summary:Since their discovery, toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems have captivated the attention of many scientists. Recent studies have demonstrated that TA systems play a key role in phage inhibition. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the PemIK (PemK/PemI) type II TA system in phage inhibition by its intrinsic expression in clinical strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying the lncL plasmid, which harbours the carbapenemase OXA-48 and the PemK/PemI TA system. Furthermore, induced expression of the system in an IPTG-inducible plasmid in a reference strain of K. pneumoniae ATCC10031 was also studied. The results showed that induced expression of the whole TA system did not inhibit phage infection, whereas overexpression of the pemK toxin prevented early infection. To investigate the molecular mechanism involved in the PemK toxin-mediated inhibition of phage infection, assays measuring metabolic activity and viability were performed, revealing that overexpression of the PemK toxin led to dormancy of the bacteria. Thus, we demonstrate that the PemK/PemI TA system plays a role in phage infection and that the action of the free toxin induces a dormant state in the cells, resulting in inhibition of phage infections.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-08111-5