Pherotypes are driving genetic differentiation within Streptococcus pneumoniae

BackgroundThe boundaries of bacterial species and the mechanisms underlying bacterial speciation are matters of intense debate. Theoretical studies have shown that recombination acts as a strong cohesive force preventing divergence in bacterial populations. Streptococcus pneumoniae populations have the telltale signs of high recombination with competence implicated as the major driving force behind gene exchange. Competence in S. pneumoniae is triggered by a quorum-sensing mechanism controlled by the competence-stimulating peptide pheromone.ResultsWe studied the distribution of the two major pherotypes in the pneumococcal population and their association with serotype, antimicrobial resistance and genetic lineage. Using multilocus sequence data we evaluated pherotype influence on the dynamics of horizontal gene transfer. We show that pherotype is a clonal property of pneumococci. Standard population genetic analysis and multilocus infinite allele model simulations support the hypothesis that two genetically differentiated populations are defined by the major pherotypes.ConclusionSevere limitations to gene flow can therefore occur in bacterial species in the absence of geographical barriers and within highly recombinogenic populations. This departure from panmixia can have important consequences for our understanding of the response of pneumococci to human imposed selective pressures such as vaccination and antibiotic use.

• Publication year

  2009

• Venue

  BMC Microbiology

• Publication date

  2009-09-07

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1186/1471-2180-9-191PMID 19735561PMCID 2751782
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• Severe limitations to gene flow can occur in Streptococcus pneumoniae in the absence of geographical barriers and within highly recombinogenic populations.

  Confidence 0.92

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• Two genetically differentiated pneumococcal populations are defined by the major pherotypes.

  Confidence 0.94

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• Pherotype is a clonal property of pneumococci.

  Confidence 0.99

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review

• competence-stimulating peptide pheromone

  quorum-sensing signal

  The quorum-sensing peptide signal that triggers competence in pneumococci.

  Aliases: CSP, competence-stimulating peptide

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• gene flow

  evolutionary process

  Movement of genetic material between pneumococcal lineages through exchange and recombination.

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• genetic differentiation

  population genetic pattern

  Population-level divergence among pneumococcal groups assessed with sequence-based genetic comparisons.

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• geographical barriers

  ecological barrier

  Physical separation between populations that can restrict contact and exchange.

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• panmixia

  population structure

  A population state with random mixing and little or no structure.

  Aliases: panmictic

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• pherotype

  microbial subtype

  A competence-related strain subtype defined by the major competence-stimulating peptide variants in pneumococci.

  Aliases: pherotypes, major pherotypes

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• recombinogenic population

  population structure

  A pneumococcal population with frequent recombination and extensive DNA exchange.

  Aliases: highly recombinogenic populations

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review
• streptococcus pneumoniae

  bacterial species

  The bacterial species examined for pherotype distribution and population structure.

  Aliases: pneumococcus, pneumococci

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extractionB (s683577b42) reviewAK (4715169a40) review배휘동 (872fa5d2c9) review

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