Communications Biology (Feb 2024)
Genomic attributes of airway commensal bacteria and mucosa
- Leah Cuthbertson,
- Ulrike Löber,
- Jonathan S. Ish-Horowicz,
- Claire N. McBrien,
- Colin Churchward,
- Jeremy C. Parker,
- Michael T. Olanipekun,
- Conor Burke,
- Aisling McGowan,
- Gwyneth A. Davies,
- Keir E. Lewis,
- Julian M. Hopkin,
- Kian Fan Chung,
- Orla O’Carroll,
- John Faul,
- Joy Creaser-Thomas,
- Mark Andrews,
- Robin Ghosal,
- Stefan Piatek,
- Saffron A. G. Willis-Owen,
- Theda U. P. Bartolomaeus,
- Till Birkner,
- Sarah Dwyer,
- Nitin Kumar,
- Elena M. Turek,
- A. William Musk,
- Jennie Hui,
- Michael Hunter,
- Alan James,
- Marc-Emmanuel Dumas,
- Sarah Filippi,
- Michael J. Cox,
- Trevor D. Lawley,
- Sofia K. Forslund,
- Miriam F. Moffatt,
- William. O. C. Cookson
Affiliations
- Leah Cuthbertson
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Ulrike Löber
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
- Jonathan S. Ish-Horowicz
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Claire N. McBrien
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Colin Churchward
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Jeremy C. Parker
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Michael T. Olanipekun
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Conor Burke
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Connolly Hospital
- Aisling McGowan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Connolly Hospital
- Gwyneth A. Davies
- Population Data Science and Health Data Research UK BREATHE Hub, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University
- Keir E. Lewis
- College of Medicine, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University
- Julian M. Hopkin
- College of Medicine, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University
- Kian Fan Chung
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Orla O’Carroll
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Connolly Hospital
- John Faul
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Connolly Hospital
- Joy Creaser-Thomas
- College of Medicine, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University
- Mark Andrews
- Respiratory Medicine, Hywel Dda University Health Board
- Robin Ghosal
- Respiratory Medicine, Hywel Dda University Health Board
- Stefan Piatek
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Saffron A. G. Willis-Owen
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Theda U. P. Bartolomaeus
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
- Till Birkner
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
- Sarah Dwyer
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Nitin Kumar
- Host-Microbiota Interactions Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus
- Elena M. Turek
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- A. William Musk
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia
- Jennie Hui
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia
- Michael Hunter
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia
- Alan James
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia
- Marc-Emmanuel Dumas
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- Sarah Filippi
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London
- Michael J. Cox
- University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences, 150183, Institute of Microbiology and Infection
- Trevor D. Lawley
- Host-Microbiota Interactions Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus
- Sofia K. Forslund
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
- Miriam F. Moffatt
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- William. O. C. Cookson
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-05840-3
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 7,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 14
Abstract
Abstract Microbial communities at the airway mucosal barrier are conserved and highly ordered, in likelihood reflecting co-evolution with human host factors. Freed of selection to digest nutrients, the airway microbiome underpins cognate management of mucosal immunity and pathogen resistance. We show here the initial results of systematic culture and whole-genome sequencing of the thoracic airway bacteria, identifying 52 novel species amongst 126 organisms that constitute 75% of commensals typically present in heathy individuals. Clinically relevant genes encode antimicrobial synthesis, adhesion and biofilm formation, immune modulation, iron utilisation, nitrous oxide (NO) metabolism and sphingolipid signalling. Using whole-genome content we identify dysbiotic features that may influence asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We match isolate gene content to transcripts and metabolites expressed late in airway epithelial differentiation, identifying pathways to sustain host interactions with microbiota. Our results provide a systematic basis for decrypting interactions between commensals, pathogens, and mucosa in lung diseases of global significance.
