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Antagonism between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes and its genomic basis.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Christensen, GJM; Scholz, CFP; Enghild, J; Rohde, H; Kilian, M; Thürmer, A; Brzuszkiewicz, E; Lomholt, HB; Brüggemann, H
Published in: BMC genomics
February 2016

Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis live in close proximity on human skin, and both bacterial species can be isolated from normal and acne vulgaris-affected skin sites. The antagonistic interactions between the two species are poorly understood, as well as the potential significance of bacterial interferences for the skin microbiota. Here, we performed simultaneous antagonism assays to detect inhibitory activities between multiple isolates of the two species. Selected strains were sequenced to identify the genomic basis of their antimicrobial phenotypes.First, we screened 77 P. acnes strains isolated from healthy and acne-affected skin, and representing all known phylogenetic clades (I, II, and III), for their antimicrobial activities against 12 S. epidermidis isolates. One particular phylogroup (I-2) exhibited a higher antimicrobial activity than other P. acnes phylogroups. All genomes of type I-2 strains carry an island encoding the biosynthesis of a thiopeptide with possible antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis. Second, 20 S. epidermidis isolates were examined for inhibitory activity against 25 P. acnes strains. The majority of S. epidermidis strains were able to inhibit P. acnes. Genomes of S. epidermidis strains with strong, medium and no inhibitory activities against P. acnes were sequenced. Genome comparison underlined the diversity of S. epidermidis and detected multiple clade- or strain-specific mobile genetic elements encoding a variety of functions important in antibiotic and stress resistance, biofilm formation and interbacterial competition, including bacteriocins such as epidermin. One isolate with an extraordinary antimicrobial activity against P. acnes harbors a functional ESAT-6 secretion system that might be involved in the antimicrobial activity against P. acnes via the secretion of polymorphic toxins.Taken together, our study suggests that interspecies interactions could potentially jeopardize balances in the skin microbiota. In particular, S. epidermidis strains possess an arsenal of different mechanisms to inhibit P. acnes. However, if such interactions are relevant in skin disorders such as acne vulgaris remains questionable, since no difference in the antimicrobial activity against, or the sensitivity towards S. epidermidis could be detected between health- and acne-associated strains of P. acnes.

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Published In

BMC genomics

DOI

EISSN

1471-2164

ISSN

1471-2164

Publication Date

February 2016

Volume

17

Start / End Page

152

Related Subject Headings

  • Staphylococcus epidermidis
  • Skin
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Propionibacterium acnes
  • Phylogeny
  • Humans
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Comparative Genomic Hybridization
  • Bioinformatics
 

Citation

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Christensen, G. J. M., Scholz, C. F. P., Enghild, J., Rohde, H., Kilian, M., Thürmer, A., … Brüggemann, H. (2016). Antagonism between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes and its genomic basis. BMC Genomics, 17, 152. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-016-2489-5
Christensen, Gitte J. M., Christian F. P. Scholz, Jan Enghild, Holger Rohde, Mogens Kilian, Andrea Thürmer, Elzbieta Brzuszkiewicz, Hans B. Lomholt, and Holger Brüggemann. “Antagonism between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes and its genomic basis.BMC Genomics 17 (February 2016): 152. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-016-2489-5.
Christensen GJM, Scholz CFP, Enghild J, Rohde H, Kilian M, Thürmer A, et al. Antagonism between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes and its genomic basis. BMC genomics. 2016 Feb;17:152.
Christensen, Gitte J. M., et al. “Antagonism between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes and its genomic basis.BMC Genomics, vol. 17, Feb. 2016, p. 152. Epmc, doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2489-5.
Christensen GJM, Scholz CFP, Enghild J, Rohde H, Kilian M, Thürmer A, Brzuszkiewicz E, Lomholt HB, Brüggemann H. Antagonism between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes and its genomic basis. BMC genomics. 2016 Feb;17:152.
Journal cover image

Published In

BMC genomics

DOI

EISSN

1471-2164

ISSN

1471-2164

Publication Date

February 2016

Volume

17

Start / End Page

152

Related Subject Headings

  • Staphylococcus epidermidis
  • Skin
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Propionibacterium acnes
  • Phylogeny
  • Humans
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Comparative Genomic Hybridization
  • Bioinformatics