Methylation of foreign DNA overcomes the restriction barrier of <i>Flavobacterium psychrophilum</i> and allows efficient genetic manipulation
Bacterial cold-water disease (BCWD) caused by <i>Flavobacterium psychrophilum</i> is a problem for salmonid aquaculture worldwide, and current control measures are inadequate. An obstacle in understanding and controlling BCWD is that most <i>F. psychrophilum</i> strains resist DNA transfer, thus limiting genetic studies of their virulence mechanisms. <i>F. psychrophilum</i> restriction enzymes that destroy foreign DNA were suspected to contribute to this problem. Here, we used <i>F. psychrophilum</i> DNA methyltransferases to modify and protect foreign DNA from digestion. This allowed efficient conjugative DNA transfer into nine diverse <i>F. psychrophilum</i> strains that had previously resisted DNA transfer. Using this approach, we constructed a gene deletion mutant that failed to cause disease in rainbow trout. Further genetic studies could help determine the molecular factors involved in pathogenesis and may aid development of innovative BCWD control strategies.
Authors
- Xinwei Ge
- Christine A. Beveridge (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0878-3110)
- Éric Duchaud (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3353-4714)
- Daqing Jiang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7026-3127)
- Mark J. McBride (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3798-6761)
- Tatiana Rochat (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4533-1220)
- Gregory D. Wiens (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5478-7780)
- Yongtao Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3069-6518)
- Lin Su (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2610-8197)
- Seada Sloboda
Institutions
- Agricultural Research Service (US)
- Minnesota State University, Mankato (US)
- Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (FR)
- Université Paris-Saclay (FR)
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR)
- Virologie et Immunologie Moléculaires (FR)
- National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture (US)
- National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (US)
- University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (US)
- Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology
- Published
- 2025-01-10
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01448-24
- Primary Topic
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Agricultural Research Service
- Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences