Imipenem represses CRISPR-Cas interference of DNA acquisition through H-NS stimulation in Klebsiella pneumoniae

Sci Rep. 2016 Aug 17:6:31644. doi: 10.1038/srep31644.

Abstract

Analysis of the genome of Klebsiella pneumoniae NTUH-K2044 strain revealed the presence of two clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) arrays separated with CRISPR-associated (cas) genes. Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates were observed to be less likely to have CRISPR-Cas than sensitive strains (5/85 vs. 22/132). Removal of the transcriptional repressor, H-NS, was shown to prevent the transformation of plasmids carrying a spacer and putative proto-spacer adjacent motif (PAM). The CRISPR-Cas system also decreased pUC-4K plasmid stability, resulting in plasmid loss from the bacteria with acquisition of new spacers. Analysis of the acquired proto-spacers in pUC-4K indicated that 5'-TTN-3' was the preferred PAM in K. pneumoniae. Treatment of cells by imipenem induced hns expression, thereby decreasing cas3 expression and consequently repressed CRISPR-Cas activity resulted in increase of plasmid stability. In conclusion, NTUH-K2044 CRISPR-Cas contributes to decrease of plasmid transformation and stability. Through repression of CRISPR-Cas activity by induced H-NS, bacteria might be more able to acquire DNA to confront the challenge of imipenem.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems
  • Carbapenems / pharmacology
  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Imipenem / pharmacology*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / drug effects*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / genetics*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / pathogenicity
  • Plasmids / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carbapenems
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • H-NS protein, bacteria
  • Imipenem