Epigenetic cellular memory in <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> generates phenotypic variation in response to host environments
Phenotypic diversification within pathogen populations can enhance survival in stressful environments, broaden niche colonization, and expand the ecological range of infectious diseases due to emerging collective pathogenicity characteristics. We describe a gene regulatory network property in the opportunistic pathogen <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> that generates diversity of gene expression and pathogenicity behavior at the single-cell level and that is stabilized by epigenetic cellular memory. The resulting heterogeneity in the expression of the <i>glpD</i> gene-an indicator of host-derived glycerol metabolism and intra-host presence-shapes adaptive processes that are subject to natural selection. Our work on how epigenetics generates phenotypic variation in response to the environment and how these changes are inherited to the next generation provides insights into phenotypic diversity and the emergence of unique functionalities at higher levels of organization. These could be crucial for controlling infectious disease outcomes.
Authors
- Christian Boedeker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5230-4581)
- Gang Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2897-6633)
- Tim Rick
- Jelena Erdmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6928-3326)
- Susanne Häußler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6141-9102)
- Christian Sieben (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2836-2623)
- Arnab Bandyopadhyay (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5149-1714)
- Elisabeth Vatareck
- Anika Steffen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2933-0543)
- Kathrin Alpers
- Jürgen Tomasch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3914-2781)
- Nicolas Gomez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5723-886X)
- O Hartmann
- James M. Kramer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8975-5991)
- Dmytro Strunin
Institutions
- Copenhagen University Hospital (DK)
- Rigshospitalet (DK)
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (DE)
- Institute of Microbiology (BY)
- Biology of Infection (FR)
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (DE)
- Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research (DE)
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ – German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2025-07-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2415345122
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.63
Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Novo Nordisk Fonden
- European Research Council