Genome Deletions and Rewiring of the Transcriptome Underlying High Antimonite Resistance in sp. SMAs-55.

Microbes have been shown to adapt to stressful or even lethal conditions through displaying genome plasticity. However, how bacteria utilize the ability of genomic plasticity to deal with high antimony (Sb) stress has remained unclear. In this study, the spontaneous mutant strain SMAs-55 of sp. As-55 was obtained under antimonite (Sb(III)) stress. SMAs-55 displayed significantly increased Sb(III) resistance, but it lost the ability to oxidize arsenite (As(III)) by deleting an entire gene island containing genes encoding functions involved in As(III) oxidation, arsenic (As)/Sb resistance and phosphate transport. This study suggests that genetic plasticity has played an important role in As-55 adaption to Sb(III) stress. Transcriptomic analysis found that genes encoding functions involved in capsule polysaccharide synthesis, as well as functions correlated to stress adaptation, ATP production, and metabolism were more strongly expressed in SMAs-55. In addition, a lower intracellular Sb(III) accumulation in SMAs-55 was observed. These findings indicate that reduced uptake through increased capsule biosynthesis was an effective way for SMAs-55 to adapt to an environment displaying high levels of Sb. This study helps us to better understand the evolutionary processes enabling survival of microbes and microbial community in contaminated environments.