Transcriptional landscape of the pMP7017 megaplasmid and its impact on the Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003...

The 190 kb megaplasmid pMP7017 of Bifidobacterium breve JCM7017 represents the first conjugative and largest plasmid characterised within this genus to date. In the current study, we adopted an integrated approach combining transcriptomics, whole genome comparative analysis and metagenomic data mining to understand the biology of pMP7017 and related megaplasmids, and to assess the impact of plasmid-carriage on the host strain. The data generated revealed variations within basic features of promoter elements which correlate with a high level of transcription on the plasmid and highlight the transcriptional activity of genes encoding both offensive and defensive adaptations, including a Type IIL restriction-modification system, an anti-restriction system and four Type II toxin-antitoxin systems. Furthermore, a highly transcribed tmRNA, which likely provides translational support to the host strain, was identified, making pMP7017 the first plasmid of the Bifidobacterium genus and the smallest plasmid known to express a tmRNA. Analyses of synteny and variability among pMP7017 and related plasmids indicate substantial diversity in gene organisation and accessory gene cargo highlighting diverse (co-)evolution and potential host-specific rearrangements and adaptations. Systematic analysis of the codon usage profile of transcriptionally active pMP7017-encoded genes suggests that pMP7017 originated from (sub)species of Bifidobacterium longum. Furthermore, mining of metagenomic data suggests the presence of pMP7017-homologues in ~10% of microbiome samples, mostly infants and/or mothers from various geographical locations. Comparative transcriptome analysis of the B. breve UCC2003 chromosome in the presence or absence of pMP7017 revealed differential expression of genes representing 8% of the total gene pool. Genes involved in genetic information processing were exclusively upregulated, while altered expression of genes involved in biofilm production and polysaccharide biosynthesis was also observed.