TY - JOUR
T1 - Natural genetic transformation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus via pVA1 plasmid acquisition as a potential mechanism causing AHPND
AU - De Jesús Carrillo-Méndez, Gerardo
AU - Zermeño-Cervantes, Lina Angélica
AU - Venancio-Landeros, Alberto Antony
AU - Díaz, Sergio Francisco Martínez
AU - Cardona-Félix, César Salvador
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Inter-Research 2019.
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the causative bacterium of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. This bacterium secretes protein toxins whose genes are encoded in an auto-transmissible plasmid called pVA1. The presence of this plasmid in V. parahaemolyticus is determinant for disease development. Its propagation is not only linked to bacterial colonisation capacity but also to horizontal gene transfer mechanisms. Nevertheless, the active uptake of plasmid, which is known as natural genetic transformation (NGT), has not yet been proposed as a possible acquisition mechanism of the pVA1 plasmid among Vibrio species. Previous studies suggest that some Vibrio species have the ability to undergo NGT in the presence of chitin. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the induction of NGT mediated by chitin in V. parahaemolyticus (ATCC-17802) through its ability to incorporate and ex - press the pVA1 plasmid. The results showed that a reference strain that does not initially contain the plasmid can incorporate the plasmid under the appropriate transformation conditions, and cause mortality in white shrimp similar to that observed for pathogenic strains isolated from infectious outbreaks. Given the management and conditions of a shrimp farm with large amounts of chitinous exoskeletons, it is feasible that NGT could be a possible acquisition mechanism of plasmid pVA1 among Vibrio species, turning a non-causative strain of V. parahaemolyticus into a causative strain. With this study, we have expanded the knowledge of the pathogenesis process mediated by NGT and the understanding of the possible propagation mechanisms of emerging diseases in the aquaculture sector.
AB - Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the causative bacterium of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. This bacterium secretes protein toxins whose genes are encoded in an auto-transmissible plasmid called pVA1. The presence of this plasmid in V. parahaemolyticus is determinant for disease development. Its propagation is not only linked to bacterial colonisation capacity but also to horizontal gene transfer mechanisms. Nevertheless, the active uptake of plasmid, which is known as natural genetic transformation (NGT), has not yet been proposed as a possible acquisition mechanism of the pVA1 plasmid among Vibrio species. Previous studies suggest that some Vibrio species have the ability to undergo NGT in the presence of chitin. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the induction of NGT mediated by chitin in V. parahaemolyticus (ATCC-17802) through its ability to incorporate and ex - press the pVA1 plasmid. The results showed that a reference strain that does not initially contain the plasmid can incorporate the plasmid under the appropriate transformation conditions, and cause mortality in white shrimp similar to that observed for pathogenic strains isolated from infectious outbreaks. Given the management and conditions of a shrimp farm with large amounts of chitinous exoskeletons, it is feasible that NGT could be a possible acquisition mechanism of plasmid pVA1 among Vibrio species, turning a non-causative strain of V. parahaemolyticus into a causative strain. With this study, we have expanded the knowledge of the pathogenesis process mediated by NGT and the understanding of the possible propagation mechanisms of emerging diseases in the aquaculture sector.
KW - Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease
KW - AHPND
KW - Natural genetic transformation
KW - Vibrio parahaemolyticus
KW - Virulence factors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075715828&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3354/dao03420
DO - 10.3354/dao03420
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 31777397
AN - SCOPUS:85075715828
SN - 0177-5103
VL - 137
SP - 33
EP - 40
JO - Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
JF - Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
IS - 1
ER -