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Probiotic Enterococcus faecalis Symbioflor® down regulates virulence genes of EHEC in vitro and decrease pathogenicity in a Caenorhabditis elegans model

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Abstract

Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 (EHEC) shorten the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans compared to avirulent bacteria. Co-feeding EHEC with Enterococcus faecalis Symbioflor® significantly increased the worms’ lifespan. The transcriptome of EHEC grown in vitro with or without Symbioflor® was analyzed using RNA-seq. The analysis revealed downregulation of several virulence-associated genes in the presence of Symbioflor®, including virulence key genes (e.g., LEE, flagellum, quorum-sensing). The downregulation of the LEE genes was corroborated by lux-transposon mutants. Upregulated genes included acid response genes, due to a decrease in pH exerted by Symbioflor®. Further genes indicate cellular stress in EHEC (e.g. prophage/mobile elements involved in excision, cell lysis, and cell division inhibition). Thus, the observed protection of C. elegans during an EHEC infection by the probiotic Symbioflor® is suggested to be caused by triggering concomitant transcriptomic changes. To verify the biological relevance of this modulation, exemplary genes found to be influenced by Symbioflor® were knocked out (fliD, espB, Z3136, Z3917, and L7052). The lifespan of nematodes changed when using knock-outs as food source and the effect could be complemented in trans. In summary, Symbioflor® appears to be a protective probiotic in the nematode model.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under the grants GRK 1482 to M.C.L., SCHE316/3-1 to K.N. and R.L., and KE740/13-1 to S.Si.

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Correspondence to Rudi F. Vogel.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Communicated by Erko Stackebrandt.

Klaus Neuhaus and Marina C. Lamparter contributed equally to this work.

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Neuhaus, K., Lamparter, M.C., Zölch, B. et al. Probiotic Enterococcus faecalis Symbioflor® down regulates virulence genes of EHEC in vitro and decrease pathogenicity in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. Arch Microbiol 199, 203–213 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-016-1291-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-016-1291-8

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