Epigenetic changes induced by Bacteroides fragilis toxin

Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) is a gram negative, obligate anaerobe member of the gut microbial community in up to 40% of healthy individuals. This bacterium is found more frequently in people with colorectal cancer (CRC) and causes tumor formation in the distal colon of mice heterozygous for the adenomatous polyposis coli gene (Apc+/-); tumor formation is dependent on ETBF-secreted Bacteroides fragilis toxin (BFT). Though some of the immediate downstream effects of BFT on colon epithelial cells (CECs) are known, we still do not understand how this potent exotoxin causes changes in CECs that lead to tumor formation and growth. Because of the extensive data connecting alterations in the epigenome with tumor formation, initial experiments attempting to connect BFT-induced tumor formation with methylation in CECs have been performed, but the effect of BFT on other epigenetic processes, such as chromatin structure, remains unexplored. Here, the changes in chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq) and gene expression (RNA-seq) induced by treatment of HT29/C1 cells with BFT for 24 and 48 hours is examined. Our data show that several genes are differentially expressed after BFT treatment and these changes correlate with changes in chromatin accessibility. Also, sites of increased chromatin accessibility are associated with a lower frequency of common single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in CRC and with a higher frequency of common differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in CRC. These data provide insight into the mechanisms by which BFT induces tumor formation. Further understanding of how BFT impacts nuclear structure and function in vivo is needed.

Download data

• Downloaded 539 times
• Download rankings, all-time:
  • Site-wide: 42,720
  • In genomics: 3,538
• Year to date:
  • Site-wide: 25,541
• Since beginning of last month:
  • Site-wide: 61,446

Altmetric data

Downloads over time

Distribution of downloads per paper, site-wide