Considerations for the Analysis of Bacterial Membrane Vesicles: Methods of Vesicle Production and Quantification Can Influence Biological and Experimental Outcomes

Abstract

Recent years have seen a surge in interest in the roles of BMVs in host-microbe interactions and interbacterial communication. As a result of such rapid growth in the field, there is a lack of uniformity in BMV enumeration. Here, we reveal that the method used to enumerate BMVs can significantly alter experimental outcomes. Specifically, standardization of BMVs by protein amount reduced the ability to distinguish strain differences in the immunological functions of BMVs. In contrast, species-, strain-, and growth stage-dependent differences in BMV cargo content were evident when BMVs were enumerated by particle number, and this was reflected in differences in their ability to induce immune responses. These findings indicate that parameters critical to BMV function, including bacterial species, strain, growth conditions, and sample purity, should form the basis of standard reporting in BMV studies. This will ultimately bring uniformity to the field to advance our understanding of BMV functions.