Bacterial Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Captures Biofilm Transcriptional Heterogeneity and Differential Responses to Immune Pressure

Authors

Lee E. Korshoj, University of Nebraska Medical CenterFollow
Tammy Kielian, University of Nebraska Medical CenterFollow

Document Type

Article

Journal Title

Nature Communications

Publication Date

2024

Volume

15

Abstract

Biofilm formation is an important mechanism of survival and persistence for many bacterial pathogens. These multicellular communities contain subpopulations of cells that display metabolic and transcriptional diversity along with recalcitrance to antibiotics and host immune defenses. Here, we present an optimized bacterial single-cell RNA sequencing method, BaSSSh-seq, to study Staphylococcus aureus diversity during biofilm growth and transcriptional adaptations following immune cell exposure. BaSSSh-seq captures extensive transcriptional heterogeneity during biofilm compared to planktonic growth. We quantify and visualize transcriptional regulatory networks across heterogeneous biofilm subpopulations and identify gene sets that are associated with a trajectory from planktonic to biofilm growth. BaSSSh-seq also detects alterations in biofilm metabolism, stress response, and virulence induced by distinct immune cell populations. This work facilitates the exploration of biofilm dynamics at single-cell resolution, unlocking the potential for identifying biofilm adaptations to environmental signals and immune pressure.

MeSH Headings

Biofilms, Staphylococcus aureus, Single-Cell Analysis, Sequence Analysis, RNA, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Gene Regulatory Networks, Animals, Virulence, Humans

DOI Link

10.1038/s41467-024-54581-8

ISSN

2041-1723

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Korshoj, Lee E. and Kielian, Tammy, "Bacterial Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Captures Biofilm Transcriptional Heterogeneity and Differential Responses to Immune Pressure" (2024). Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology. 111.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/com_pathmicro_articles/111