An antimicrobial Staphylococcus sciuri with broad temperature and salt spectrum isolated from the surface of the African social spider, Stegodyphus dumicola

TY - JOUR

T1 - An antimicrobial Staphylococcus sciuri with broad temperature and salt spectrum isolated from the surface of the African social spider, Stegodyphus dumicola

AU - Nazipi, Seven

AU - Vangkilde, Sofie

AU - Busck, Mette Marie

AU - Lund, Dorthe Kirstine

AU - Marshall, Ian P.G.

AU - Bilde, Trine

AU - Lund, Marie Braad

AU - Schramm, Andreas

PY - 2021/3

Y1 - 2021/3

N2 - Some social arthropods engage in mutualistic symbiosis with antimicrobial compound-producing microorganisms that provide protection against pathogens. Social spiders live in communal nests and contain specific endosymbionts with unknown function. Bacteria are also found on the spiders' surface, including prevalent staphylococci, which may have protective potential. Here we present the genomic and phenotypic characterization of strain i1, isolated from the surface of the social spider Stegodyphus dumicola. Phylogenomic analysis identified i1 as novel strain of Staphylococcus sciuri within subgroup 2 of three newly defined genomic subgroups. Further phenotypic investigations showed that S. sciuri i1 is an extremophile that can grow at a broad range of temperatures (4°C-45°C), high salt concentrations (up to 27%), and has antimicrobial activity against closely related species. We identified a lactococcin 972-like bacteriocin gene cluster, likely responsible for the antimicrobial activity, and found it conserved in two of the three subgroups of S. sciuri. These features indicate that S. sciuri i1, though not a specific symbiont, is well-adapted to survive on the surface of social spiders and may gain a competitive advantage by inhibiting closely related species.

AB - Some social arthropods engage in mutualistic symbiosis with antimicrobial compound-producing microorganisms that provide protection against pathogens. Social spiders live in communal nests and contain specific endosymbionts with unknown function. Bacteria are also found on the spiders' surface, including prevalent staphylococci, which may have protective potential. Here we present the genomic and phenotypic characterization of strain i1, isolated from the surface of the social spider Stegodyphus dumicola. Phylogenomic analysis identified i1 as novel strain of Staphylococcus sciuri within subgroup 2 of three newly defined genomic subgroups. Further phenotypic investigations showed that S. sciuri i1 is an extremophile that can grow at a broad range of temperatures (4°C-45°C), high salt concentrations (up to 27%), and has antimicrobial activity against closely related species. We identified a lactococcin 972-like bacteriocin gene cluster, likely responsible for the antimicrobial activity, and found it conserved in two of the three subgroups of S. sciuri. These features indicate that S. sciuri i1, though not a specific symbiont, is well-adapted to survive on the surface of social spiders and may gain a competitive advantage by inhibiting closely related species.

KW - Bacteriocin

KW - Genomics

KW - Lactococcin

KW - S. sciuri subgroup

KW - Spider-associated staphylococcus

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100482338&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10482-021-01526-6

DO - 10.1007/s10482-021-01526-6

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 33543432

SN - 0003-6072

VL - 114

SP - 325

EP - 335

JO - Antonie van Leeuwenhoek: Journal of Microbiology

JF - Antonie van Leeuwenhoek: Journal of Microbiology

IS - 3

ER -