Functional amyloid proteins confer defence against predatory bacteria

Aaron Whiteley — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Functional amyloid proteins confer defence against predatory bacteria Aaron Whiteley Wed, 07/02/2025 - 09:00

Hannah Ledvina , Ryan Sayegh , Ricardo Carale , Burroughs AM , Alexa Macklin , Azadeh AL , Layla Borja , Aravind L , Aaron Whiteley

Nature (2025) PubMed PMID: 40604283

Abstract

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a predatory bacterium that non-selectively preys on Gram-negative bacteria by invading the prey-cell periplasm, leaching host nutrients and ultimately lysing the infected cell to exit and find a new host. The predatory life cycle of B. bacteriovorus is, in many ways, comparable to a bacteriophage. However, unlike phage defence, defence against B. bacteriovorus has not been widely investigated. Here we screened a collection of diverse Escherichia coli strains for resistance to B. bacteriovorus and identified that roughly one-third of strains robustly defended against predation by producing curli fibres. Curli fibres are oligomers of the functional amyloid protein CsgA, which is exceptionally durable3. Using genetics and microscopy, we demonstrate that curli fibres provide a barrier that protects susceptible cells independent of genes required for biofilm formation. This barrier further protected E. coli against attack by the predatory bacterium Myxococcus xanthus and select phages. Bioinformatic analysis of bacterial amyloids showed these systems are diverse and widespread in diderm bacteria (those with both inner and outer membranes). One of these, an evolutionarily distinct amyloid encoded by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, also protected against B. bacteriovorus. This work establishes that functional amyloids defend bacteria against a wide range of threats.

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Ledvina HE, Sayegh R, Carale RO, Burroughs AM, Macklin AR, Azadeh AL, Borja Najera LD, Aravind L, Whiteley AT. Functional amyloid proteins confer defence against predatory bacteria. Nature. 2025 Jul 2. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09204-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40604283.

Ledvina HE, Sayegh R, Carale RO, Burroughs AM, Macklin AR, Azadeh AL, Borja Najera LD, Aravind L, ➤Whiteley AT | Nature 2025

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Functional amyloid proteins confer defence against predatory bacteria

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