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Bacterial membrane vesicles transport their DNA cargo into host cells

Abstract:
Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are extracellular sacs containing biologically active products, such as proteins, cell wall components and toxins. OMVs are reported to contain DNA, however, little is known about the nature of this DNA, nor whether it can be transported into host cells. Our work demonstrates that chromosomal DNA is packaged into OMVs shed by bacteria during exponential phase. Most of this DNA was present on the external surfaces of OMVs, with smaller amounts located internally. The DNA within the internal compartments of Pseudomonas aeruginosa OMVs were consistently enriched in specific regions of the bacterial chromosome, encoding proteins involved in virulence, stress response, antibiotic resistance and metabolism. Furthermore, we demonstrated that OMVs carry DNA into eukaryotic cells, and this DNA was detectable by PCR in the nuclear fraction of cells. These findings suggest a role for OMV-associated DNA in bacterial-host cell interactions and have implications for OMV-based vaccines.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1038/s41598-017-07288-4

Authors

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Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0003-1202-6614
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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Pathology Dunn School
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-5334-557X


Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Journal:
Scientific Reports More from this journal
Volume:
7
Issue:
1
Pages:
7072
Publication date:
2017-08-01
Acceptance date:
2017-06-27
DOI:
EISSN:
2045-2322
ISSN:
2045-2322
Pmid:
28765539


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:896306
UUID:
uuid:03b0defe-9469-4b5c-ae36-07016c8e1a3f
Local pid:
pubs:896306
Source identifiers:
896306
Deposit date:
2018-11-07
ARK identifier:

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