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Al-Adham ISI, Jaber N, Ali Agha ASA, Al-Remawi M, Al-Akayleh F, Al-Muhtaseb N, Collier PJ. Sporadic regional re-emergent cholera: a 19th century problem in the 21st century. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae055. [PMID: 38449342 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Cholera, caused by Vibrio cholerae, is a severe diarrheal disease that necessitates prompt diagnosis and effective treatment. This review comprehensively examines various diagnostic methods, from traditional microscopy and culture to advanced nucleic acid testing like polymerase spiral reaction and rapid diagnostic tests, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Additionally, we explore evolving treatment strategies, with a focus on the challenges posed by antibiotic resistance due to the activation of the SOS response pathway in V. cholerae. We discuss promising alternative treatments, including low-pressure plasma sterilization, bacteriophages, and selenium nanoparticles. The paper emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary approaches combining novel diagnostics and treatments in managing and preventing cholera, a persistent global health challenge. The current re-emergent 7th pandemic of cholera commenced in 1961 and shows no signs of abeyance. This is probably due to the changing genetic profile of V. cholerae concerning bacterial pathogenic toxins. Given this factor, we argue that the disease is effectively re-emergent, particularly in Eastern Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon, Syria, etc. This review considers the history of the current pandemic, the genetics of the causal agent, and current treatment regimes. In conclusion, cholera remains a significant global health challenge that requires prompt diagnosis and effective treatment. Understanding the history, genetics, and current treatments is crucial in effectively addressing this persistent and re-emergent disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim S I Al-Adham
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman 961343, Jordan
| | - Nisrein Jaber
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Al Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | - Ahmed S A Ali Agha
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman 961343, Jordan
| | - Mayyas Al-Remawi
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman 961343, Jordan
| | - Faisal Al-Akayleh
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman 961343, Jordan
| | - Najah Al-Muhtaseb
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman 961343, Jordan
| | - Phillip J Collier
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman 961343, Jordan
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102
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Lusiastuti AM, Suhermanto A, Hastilestari BR, Suryanto S, Mawardi M, Sugiani D, Syahidah D, Sudaryatma PE, Caruso D. Impact of temperature on the virulence of Streptococcus agalactiae in Indonesian aquaculture: A better vaccine design is required. Vet World 2024; 17:682-689. [PMID: 38680157 PMCID: PMC11045521 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.682-689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to their poikilothermic nature, fish are very sensitive to changes in temperature. Due to climate change, the average global temperature has increased by 1.5°C in the last century, which may have caused an increase in farmed fish mortality recently. Predictions using the model estimate that a 1°C increase in temperature could cause 3%-4% and 4%-6% mortality due to infectious diseases in organisms living in warm and temperate waters, respectively. There is a need to determine whether there is a relationship between increasing environmental temperature and disease virulence. This review examines the influence and impact of increasing temperatures due to climate change on the physiology and pathogenicity of Streptococcus agalactiae, which causes streptococcosis in tilapia and causes significant economic losses. Changes in the pathogenicity of S. agalactiae, especially its virulence properties due to increasing temperature, require changes in the composition design of the fish vaccine formula to provide better protection through the production of protective antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Mariana Lusiastuti
- Research Center for Veterinary Sciences, National Research and Innovation Agency, KST BRIN Soekarno Cibinong Bogor, 16911, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
| | - Achmad Suhermanto
- The Marine and Fisheries Polytechnic Karawang, The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Indonesia
| | | | - Suryanto Suryanto
- Research Center for Fisheries, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia
| | - Mira Mawardi
- Main Center for Freshwater Aquaculture – The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Jl. Selabintana No. 37, Selabatu, Kec. Cikole, Kota Sukabumi, Jawa Barat 43114, Indonesia
| | - Desy Sugiani
- Research Center for Veterinary Sciences, National Research and Innovation Agency, KST BRIN Soekarno Cibinong Bogor, 16911, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
| | - Dewi Syahidah
- Research Center for Veterinary Sciences, National Research and Innovation Agency, KST BRIN Soekarno Cibinong Bogor, 16911, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
| | | | - Domenico Caruso
- ISEM, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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103
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Sun J, Zhao J, Liu M, Li J, Cheng J, Li W, Yuan M, Xiao S, Xue C. SreC-dependent adaption to host iron environments regulates the transition of trophic stages and developmental processes of Curvularia lunata. Mol Plant Pathol 2024; 25:e13444. [PMID: 38481338 PMCID: PMC10938068 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Plant pathogens are challenged by host-derived iron starvation or excess during infection, but the mechanism of plant pathogens rapidly adapting to the dynamic host iron environments to assimilate iron for invasion and colonization remains largely unexplored. Here, we found that the GATA transcription factor SreC in Curvularia lunata is required for virulence and adaption to the host iron excess environment. SreC directly binds to the ATGWGATAW element in an iron-dependent manner to regulate the switch between different iron assimilation pathways, conferring adaption to host iron environments in different trophic stages of C. lunata. SreC also regulates the transition of trophic stages and developmental processes in C. lunata. SreC-dependent adaption to host iron environments is essential to the infectious growth and survival of C. lunata. We also demonstrate that CgSreA (a SreC orthologue) plays a similar role in Colletotrichum graminicola. We conclude that Sre mediates adaption to the host iron environment during infection, and the function is conserved in hemibiotrophic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Sun
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Jiamei Zhao
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Miaomiao Liu
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Jiayang Li
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Jie Cheng
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Wenling Li
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Mingyue Yuan
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
- Section of Microbial Ecology, Department of BiologyLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Shuqin Xiao
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Chunsheng Xue
- College of Plant ProtectionShenyang Agriculture UniversityShenyangChina
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104
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Hewitt TC, Henningsen EC, Pereira D, McElroy K, Nazareno ES, Dugyala S, Nguyen-Phuc H, Li F, Miller ME, Visser B, Pretorius ZA, Boshoff WHP, Sperschneider J, Stukenbrock EH, Kianian SF, Dodds PN, Figueroa M. Genome-Enabled Analysis of Population Dynamics and Virulence-Associated Loci in the Oat Crown Rust Fungus Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 2024; 37:290-303. [PMID: 37955552 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-23-0126-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae (Pca) is an important fungal pathogen causing crown rust that impacts oat production worldwide. Genetic resistance for crop protection against Pca is often overcome by the rapid virulence evolution of the pathogen. This study investigated the factors shaping adaptive evolution of Pca using pathogen populations from distinct geographic regions within the United States and South Africa. Phenotypic and genome-wide sequencing data of these diverse Pca collections, including 217 isolates, uncovered phylogenetic relationships and established distinct genetic composition between populations from northern and southern regions from the United States and South Africa. The population dynamics of Pca involve a bidirectional movement of inoculum between northern and southern regions of the United States and contributions from clonality and sexuality. The population from South Africa is solely clonal. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) employing a haplotype-resolved Pca reference genome was used to define 11 virulence-associated loci corresponding to 25 oat differential lines. These regions were screened to determine candidate Avr effector genes. Overall, the GWAS results allowed us to identify the underlying genetic factors controlling pathogen recognition in an oat differential set used in the United States to assign pathogen races (pathotypes). Key GWAS findings support complex genetic interactions in several oat lines, suggesting allelism among resistance genes or redundancy of genes included in the differential set, multiple resistance genes recognizing genetically linked Avr effector genes, or potentially epistatic relationships. A careful evaluation of the composition of the oat differential set accompanied by the development or implementation of molecular markers is recommended. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim C Hewitt
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Eva C Henningsen
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Danilo Pereira
- Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Kerensa McElroy
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Eric S Nazareno
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Sheshanka Dugyala
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Hoa Nguyen-Phuc
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Marisa E Miller
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Botma Visser
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | - Zacharias A Pretorius
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | - Willem H P Boshoff
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | - Jana Sperschneider
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Eva H Stukenbrock
- Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Shahryar F Kianian
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
- USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Peter N Dodds
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Melania Figueroa
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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105
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Schuster M, Schweizer G, Reißmann S, Happel P, Aßmann D, Rössel N, Güldener U, Mannhaupt G, Ludwig N, Winterberg S, Pellegrin C, Tanaka S, Vincon V, Presti LL, Wang L, Bender L, Gonzalez C, Vranes M, Kämper J, Seong K, Krasileva K, Kahmann R. Novel Secreted Effectors Conserved Among Smut Fungi Contribute to the Virulence of Ustilago maydis. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 2024; 37:250-263. [PMID: 38416124 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-23-0139-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens deploy a set of molecules (proteins, specialized metabolites, and sRNAs), so-called effectors, to aid the infection process. In comparison to other plant pathogens, smut fungi have small genomes and secretomes of 20 Mb and around 500 proteins, respectively. Previous comparative genomic studies have shown that many secreted effector proteins without known domains, i.e., novel, are conserved only in the Ustilaginaceae family. By analyzing the secretomes of 11 species within Ustilaginaceae, we identified 53 core homologous groups commonly present in this lineage. By collecting existing mutants and generating additional ones, we gathered 44 Ustilago maydis strains lacking single core effectors as well as 9 strains containing multiple deletions of core effector gene families. Pathogenicity assays revealed that 20 of these 53 mutant strains were affected in virulence. Among the 33 mutants that had no obvious phenotypic changes, 13 carried additional, sequence-divergent, structurally similar paralogs. We report a virulence contribution of seven previously uncharacterized single core effectors and of one effector family. Our results help to prioritize effectors for understanding U. maydis virulence and provide genetic resources for further characterization. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Schuster
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Gabriel Schweizer
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Independent Data Lab UG, 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Reißmann
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Petra Happel
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Aßmann
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Rössel
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Güldener
- Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, 80636 München, Germany
| | - Gertrud Mannhaupt
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Ludwig
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sarah Winterberg
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Clément Pellegrin
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Shigeyuki Tanaka
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Volker Vincon
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Libera Lo Presti
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Lei Wang
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Lena Bender
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Phillips-University Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Carla Gonzalez
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Miroslav Vranes
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Genetics, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jörg Kämper
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Genetics, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Kyungyong Seong
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Ksenia Krasileva
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Regine Kahmann
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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106
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Pouillot R, Kiermeier A, Guillier L, Cadavez V, Sanaa M. Updated Parameters for Listeria monocytogenes Dose-Response Model Considering Pathogen Virulence and Age and Sex of Consumer. Foods 2024; 13:751. [PMID: 38472864 PMCID: PMC10931010 DOI: 10.3390/foods13050751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Better knowledge regarding the Listeria monocytogenes dose-response (DR) model is needed to refine the assessment of the risk of foodborne listeriosis. In 2018, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) derived a lognormal Poisson DR model for 14 different age-sex sub-groups, marginally to strain virulence. In the present study, new sets of parameters are developed by integrating the EFSA model for these sub-groups together with three classes of strain virulence characteristics ("less virulent", "virulent", and "more virulent"). Considering classes of virulence leads to estimated relative risks (RRs) of listeriosis following the ingestion of 1000 bacteria of "less virulent" vs. "more virulent" strains ranging from 21.6 to 24.1, depending on the sub-group. These relatively low RRs when compared with RRs linked to comorbidities described in the literature suggest that the influence of comorbidity on the occurrence of invasive listeriosis for a given exposure is much more important than the influence of the virulence of the strains. The updated model parameters allow better prediction of the risk of invasive listeriosis across a population of interest, provided the necessary data on population demographics and the proportional contribution of strain virulence classes in food products of interest are available. An R package is made available to facilitate the use of these dose-response models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Régis Pouillot
- Independent Researcher, 18 rue Mohamed Al Ghazi, Rabat 10170, Morocco
| | - Andreas Kiermeier
- Statistical Process Improvement Consulting and Training Pty Ltd., Gumeracha 5233, Australia;
| | - Laurent Guillier
- Risk Assessment Department, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses), 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 94701 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Vasco Cadavez
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Campus de Santa Apolónia, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal;
- Laboratório para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
| | - Moez Sanaa
- Nutrition and Food Safety Department, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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107
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Wang J, Zou Z, Hu M, Shan X, Zhang Y, Miao Y, Zhang X, Islam N, Hu Q. Riemerella anatipestifer UvrC is required for iron utilization, biofilm formation and virulence. Avian Pathol 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38420684 DOI: 10.1080/03079457.2024.2317431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Deletion of uvrC in R. anatipestfer Yb2 significantly reduced its biofilm formation.uvrC deletion led to reduced tolerance to H2O2- and HOCl-induced oxidative stress.The iron utilization of uvrC deleted mutant was significantly reduced.The uvrC deletion in R. anatipestifer Yb2 attenuated its virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialing Wang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zuocheng Zou
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengmeng Hu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinggen Shan
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiqin Miao
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - XiaoYing Zhang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Nazrul Islam
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghai Hu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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108
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Woo J, Jung S, Kim S, Li Y, Chung H, Roubtsova TV, Zhang H, Caseys C, Kliebenstein D, Kim KN, Bostock RM, Lee YH, Dickman MB, Choi D, Park E, Dinesh-Kumar SP. Attenuation of phytofungal pathogenicity of Ascomycota by autophagy modulators. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1621. [PMID: 38424448 PMCID: PMC10904834 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45839-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Autophagy in eukaryotes functions to maintain homeostasis by degradation and recycling of long-lived and unwanted cellular materials. Autophagy plays important roles in pathogenicity of various fungal pathogens, suggesting that autophagy is a novel target for development of antifungal compounds. Here, we describe bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based high-throughput screening (HTS) strategy to identify compounds that inhibit fungal ATG4 cysteine protease-mediated cleavage of ATG8 that is critical for autophagosome formation. We identified ebselen (EB) and its analogs ebselen oxide (EO) and 2-(4-methylphenyl)-1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one (PT) as inhibitors of fungal pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Magnaporthe oryzae ATG4-mediated ATG8 processing. The EB and its analogs inhibit spore germination, hyphal development, and appressorium formation in Ascomycota pathogens, B. cinerea, M. oryzae, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Monilinia fructicola. Treatment with EB and its analogs significantly reduced fungal pathogenicity. Our findings provide molecular insights to develop the next generation of antifungal compounds by targeting autophagy in important fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongchan Woo
- Department of Plant Biology and the Genome Center, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
- Plant Immunity Research Center, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungmee Jung
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Seongbeom Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yurong Li
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA, USA
| | - Hyunjung Chung
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tatiana V Roubtsova
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Honghong Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Celine Caseys
- Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Dan Kliebenstein
- Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kyung-Nam Kim
- Department of Bioindustry and Bioresource Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Sejong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Richard M Bostock
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Yong-Hwan Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Martin B Dickman
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Doil Choi
- Plant Immunity Research Center, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Eunsook Park
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.
| | - Savithramma P Dinesh-Kumar
- Department of Plant Biology and the Genome Center, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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109
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Greenspan NS. Historical Highlight: The Chemical Characterization of the Pneumococcal Transforming Principle. Pathog Immun 2024; 8:177-178. [PMID: 38434447 PMCID: PMC10906958 DOI: 10.20411/pai.v8i2.687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The editors of Pathogens and Immunity are commemorating this month, the 80th anniversary of the publication of the landmark article by Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty in the Journal of Experimental Medicine on February 1, 1944 [1]. The study by Avery et al determined with extraordinary rigor the chemical nature of the so-called transforming principle inferred to exist by Frederick Griffith based on experiments he published in 1928.
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110
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Liu X, Zhao H, Xie J, Fu Y, Li B, Yu X, Chen T, Lin Y, Jiang D, Cheng J. A Glycosyl Hydrolase 5 Family Protein Is Essential for Virulence of Necrotrophic Fungi and Can Suppress Plant Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2693. [PMID: 38473940 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Phytopathogenic fungi normally secrete large amounts of CWDEs to enhance infection of plants. In this study, we identified and characterized a secreted glycosyl hydrolase 5 family member in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (SsGH5, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Glycosyl Hydrolase 5). SsGH5 was significantly upregulated during the early stages of infection. Knocking out SsGH5 did not affect the growth and acid production of S. sclerotiorum but resulted in decreased glucan utilization and significantly reduced virulence. In addition, Arabidopsis thaliana expressing SsGH5 became more susceptible to necrotrophic pathogens and basal immune responses were inhibited in these plants. Remarkably, the lost virulence of the ΔSsGH5 mutants was restored after inoculating onto SsGH5 transgenic Arabidopsis. In summary, these results highlight that S. sclerotiorum suppresses the immune responses of Arabidopsis through secreting SsGH5, and thus exerts full virulence for successful infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Huihui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiatao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yanping Fu
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Bo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Daohong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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Dias SDC, de Brida AL, Jean-Baptiste MC, Leite LG, Ovruski SM, Lee JC, Garcia FRM. Compatibility of Entomopathogenic Nematodes with Chemical Insecticides for the Control of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:632. [PMID: 38475479 DOI: 10.3390/plants13050632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is a pest that reduces the productivity of small fruits. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and chemical insecticides can suppress this pest, but the compatibility of the two approaches together requires further examination. This laboratory study evaluated the compatibility of Steinernema brazilense IBCBn 06, S. carpocapsae IBCBn 02, Heterorhabditis amazonensis IBCBn 24, and H. bacteriophora HB with ten chemical insecticides registered for managing D. suzukii pupae. In the first study, most insecticides at the recommended rate did not reduce the viability (% of living infective juveniles (IJs)) of S. braziliense and both Heterorhabditis species. The viability of S. carpocapsae was lowered by exposure to spinetoram, malathion, abamectin, azadirachtin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, malathion, and spinetoram after 48 h. During infectivity bioassays, phosmet was compatible with all the EPNs, causing minimal changes in infectivity (% pupal mortality) and efficiency relative to EPN-only controls, whereas lambda-cyhalothrin generally reduced infectivity of EPNs on D. suzukii pupae the most, with a 53, 75, 57, and 13% reduction in infectivity efficiency among H. bacteriophora, H. amazonensis, S. carpocapsae, and S. brazilense, respectively. The second study compared pupal mortality caused by the two most compatible nematode species and five insecticides in various combinations. Both Heterorhabditis species caused 78-79% mortality among D. suzukii pupae when used alone, and were tested in combination with spinetoram, malathion, azadirachtin, phosmet, or novaluron at a one-quarter rate. Notably, H. bacteriophora caused 79% mortality on D. suzukii pupae when used alone, and 89% mortality when combined with spinetoram, showing an additive effect. Novaluron drastically reduced the number of progeny IJs when combined with H. amazonensis by 270 IJs and H. bacteriophora by 218. Any adult flies that emerged from EPN-insecticide-treated pupae had a shorter lifespan than from untreated pupae. The combined use of Heterorhabditis and compatible chemical insecticides was promising, except for novaluron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sérgio da Costa Dias
- Department of Ecology, Zoology and Genetics, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96010-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Andressa Lima de Brida
- Department of Ecology, Zoology and Genetics, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96010-900, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Luís Garrigós Leite
- Centro Experimental de Campinas, Instituto Bilógico, Rod. Heitor Penteado km 3, Campinas 13001-970, SP, Brazil
| | - Sergio M Ovruski
- IEMEN, Biological Pest Control Division, PROIMI Biotechnology, CCT NOA Sur-CONICET, Belgrano y Pje, Caseros Aveniew, San Miguel de Tucumán T4001MVB, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Jana C Lee
- Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit, USDA-ARS, 3420 NW Orchard Ave., Corvallis, OR 97330-5014, USA
| | - Flávio Roberto Mello Garcia
- Department of Ecology, Zoology and Genetics, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96010-900, RS, Brazil
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Groß M, Dika B, Loos E, Aliyeva-Schnorr L, Deising HB. The galactose metabolism genes UGE1 and UGM1 are novel virulence factors of the maize anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum graminicola. Mol Microbiol 2024. [PMID: 38400525 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Fungal cell walls represent the frontline contact with the host and play a prime role in pathogenesis. While the roles of the cell wall polymers like chitin and branched β-glucan are well understood in vegetative and pathogenic development, that of the most prominent galactose-containing polymers galactosaminogalactan and fungal-type galactomannan is unknown in plant pathogenic fungi. Mining the genome of the maize pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola identified the single-copy key galactose metabolism genes UGE1 and UGM1, encoding a UDP-glucose-4-epimerase and UDP-galactopyranose mutase, respectively. UGE1 is thought to be required for biosynthesis of both polymers, whereas UGM1 is specifically required for fungal-type galactomannan formation. Promoter:eGFP fusion strains revealed that both genes are expressed in vegetative and in pathogenic hyphae at all stages of pathogenesis. Targeted deletion of UGE1 and UGM1, and fluorescence-labeling of galactosaminogalactan and fungal-type galactomannan confirmed that Δuge1 mutants were unable to synthesize either of these polymers, and Δugm1 mutants did not exhibit fungal-type galactomannan. Appressoria of Δuge1, but not of Δugm1 mutants, were defective in adhesion, highlighting a function of galactosaminogalactan in the establishment of these infection cells on hydrophobic surfaces. Both Δuge1 and Δugm1 mutants showed cell wall defects in older vegetative hyphae and severely reduced appressorial penetration competence. On intact leaves of Zea mays, both mutants showed strongly reduced disease symptom severity, indicating that UGE1 and UGM1 represent novel virulence factors of C. graminicola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Groß
- Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute for Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Beate Dika
- Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute for Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Elisabeth Loos
- Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute for Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Lala Aliyeva-Schnorr
- Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute for Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Holger B Deising
- Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute for Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
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113
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Zhou Y, Tu T, Yao X, Luo Y, Yang Z, Ren M, Zhang G, Yu Y, Lu A, Wang Y. Pan-genome analysis of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 highlights genes associated with virulence and antibiotic resistance. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1362316. [PMID: 38450165 PMCID: PMC10915096 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1362316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) is a Gram-positive bacterium. It is a common and significant pathogen in pigs and a common cause of zoonotic meningitis in humans. It can lead to sepsis, endocarditis, arthritis, and pneumonia. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, it has a high mortality rate. The pan-genome of SS2 is open, and with an increasing number of genes, the core genome and accessory genome may exhibit more pronounced differences. Due to the diversity of SS2, the genes related to its virulence and resistance are still unclear. In this study, a strain of SS2 was isolated from a pig farm in Sichuan Province, China, and subjected to whole-genome sequencing and characterization. Subsequently, we conducted a Pan-Genome-Wide Association Study (Pan-GWAS) on 230 strains of SS2. Our analysis indicates that the core genome is composed of 1,458 genes related to the basic life processes of the bacterium. The accessory genome, consisting of 4,337 genes, is highly variable and a major contributor to the genetic diversity of SS2. Furthermore, we identified important virulence and resistance genes in SS2 through pan-GWAS. The virulence genes of SS2 are mainly associated with bacterial adhesion. In addition, resistance genes in the core genome may confer natural resistance of SS2 to fluoroquinolone and glycopeptide antibiotics. This study lays the foundation for further research on the virulence and resistance of SS2, providing potential new drug and vaccine targets against SS2.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Teng Tu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xueping Yao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zexiao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meishen Ren
- Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Research Platform for Aptamer-based Translational Medicine and Drug Discovery (HKAP), Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science (IBTS), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ge Zhang
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Research Platform for Aptamer-based Translational Medicine and Drug Discovery (HKAP), Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science (IBTS), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuanyuan Yu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Research Platform for Aptamer-based Translational Medicine and Drug Discovery (HKAP), Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science (IBTS), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Aiping Lu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases (TMBJ), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Research Platform for Aptamer-based Translational Medicine and Drug Discovery (HKAP), Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science (IBTS), School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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Tobin LA, Jarocki VM, Kenyon J, Drigo B, Donner E, Djordjevic SP, Hamidian M. Genomic analysis of diverse environmental Acinetobacter isolates identifies plasmids, antibiotic resistance genes, and capsular polysaccharides shared with clinical strains. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0165423. [PMID: 38206028 PMCID: PMC10885009 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01654-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii, an important pathogen known for its widespread antibiotic resistance, has been the focus of extensive research within its genus, primarily involving clinical isolates. Consequently, data on environmental A. baumannii and other Acinetobacter species remain limited. Here, we utilized Illumina and Nanopore sequencing to analyze the genomes of 10 Acinetobacter isolates representing 6 different species sourced from aquatic environments in South Australia. All 10 isolates were phylogenetically distinct compared to clinical and other non-clinical Acinetobacter strains, often tens of thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms from their nearest neighbors. Despite the genetic divergence, we identified pdif modules (sections of mobilized DNA) carrying clinically important antimicrobial resistance genes in species other than A. baumannii, including carbapenemase oxa58, tetracycline resistance gene tet(39), and macrolide resistance genes msr(E)-mph(E). These pdif modules were located on plasmids with high sequence identity to those circulating in globally distributed A. baumannii ST1 and ST2 clones. The environmental A. baumannii isolate characterized here (SAAb472; ST350) did not possess any native plasmids; however, it could capture two clinically important plasmids (pRAY and pACICU2) with high transfer frequencies. Furthermore, A. baumannii SAAb472 possessed virulence genes and a capsular polysaccharide type analogous to clinical strains. Our findings highlight the potential for environmental Acinetobacter species to acquire and disseminate clinically important antimicrobial resistance genes, underscoring the need for further research into the ecology and evolution of this important genus.IMPORTANCEAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human, animal, and environmental health. Studying AMR in environmental bacteria is crucial to understand the emergence and dissemination of resistance genes and pathogens, and to identify potential reservoirs and transmission routes. This study provides novel insights into the genomic diversity and AMR potential of environmental Acinetobacter species. By comparing the genomes of aquatic Acinetobacter isolates with clinical and non-clinical strains, we revealed that they are highly divergent yet carry pdif modules that encode resistance to antibiotics commonly used in clinical settings. We also demonstrated that an environmental A. baumannii isolate can acquire clinically relevant plasmids and carries virulence factors similar to those of hospital-associated strains. These findings suggest that environmental Acinetobacter species may serve as reservoirs and vectors of clinically important genes. Consequently, further research is warranted to comprehensively understand the ecology and evolution of this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam A. Tobin
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Veronica M. Jarocki
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
- The Australian Centre for Genomic Epidemiological Microbiology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Johanna Kenyon
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Barbara Drigo
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia
- UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia
| | - Erica Donner
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia
- Cooperative Research Centre for Solving Antimicrobial Resistance in Agribusiness, Food, and Environments (CRC SAAFE), Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Steven P. Djordjevic
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
- The Australian Centre for Genomic Epidemiological Microbiology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Mehrad Hamidian
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
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115
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Islam MS, Pramanik PK, Rana ML, Ramasamy S, Schreinemachers P, Oliva R, Rahman MT. Draft genome sequence of multidrug-resistant Citrobacter freundii MTR_GS_V1777 strain isolated from a spinach ( Spinacia oleracea) sample in Gazipur, Bangladesh. Microbiol Resour Announc 2024; 13:e0108223. [PMID: 38206022 PMCID: PMC10868219 DOI: 10.1128/mra.01082-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
We announce a genome sequence of Citrobacter freundii MTR_GS_V1777 strain isolated from a vegetable sample in Bangladesh. This strain had a genome size of 4,997,753 bp (58.7× genome coverage) and contained two plasmids, typed as sequence type ST124, 38 predicted antibiotic resistance genes, and 77 predicted virulence factor genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Saiful Islam
- Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of California—Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Pritom Kumar Pramanik
- Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Liton Rana
- Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | | | | | | | - Md. Tanvir Rahman
- Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
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116
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Gupta S. Darwin review: the evolution of virulence in human pathogens. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232043. [PMID: 38320607 PMCID: PMC10846939 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
By definition, all pathogens cause some level of harm to their hosts. If this harm occurs while the pathogen is transmitting, it can negatively affect the pathogen's fitness by shortening the duration over which transmission can occur. However, many of the factors that increase virulence (i.e. harm to host) also promote transmission, driving the pathogen population towards an optimal state of intermediate virulence. A wider spectrum of virulence may be maintained among pathogen populations which are structured into multiple discrete strains though direct resource and immune-mediated competition. These various evolutionary outcomes, and the effects of medical and public health interventions, are best understood within a framework that recognizes the complex relationship between transmission and virulence in the context of the antigenic diversity of the pathogen population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunetra Gupta
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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117
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Dao TH, Echlin H, McKnight A, Marr ES, Junker J, Jia Q, Hayden R, van Opijnen T, Isberg RR, Cooper VS, Rosch JW. Streptococcus pneumoniae favors tolerance via metabolic adaptation over resistance to circumvent fluoroquinolones. mBio 2024; 15:e0282823. [PMID: 38193698 PMCID: PMC10865975 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02828-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen of global health concern and the rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance poses a serious public health problem worldwide. Fluoroquinolone resistance in S. pneumoniae is an intriguing case because the prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance does not correlate with increasing usage and has remained rare. Our data indicate that deleterious fitness costs in the mammalian host constrain the emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance both by de novo mutation and recombination. S. pneumoniae was able to circumvent such deleterious fitness costs via the development of antibiotic tolerance through metabolic adaptation that reduced the production of reactive oxygen species, resulting in a fitness benefit during infection of mice treated with fluoroquinolones. These data suggest that the emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance is tightly constrained in S. pneumoniae by fitness tradeoffs and that mutational pathways involving metabolic networks to enable tolerance phenotypes are an important contributor to the evasion of antibiotic-mediated killing.IMPORTANCEThe increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a major global health concern. While many species have the potential to develop antibiotic resistance, understanding the barriers to resistance emergence in the clinic remains poorly understood. A prime example of this is fluroquinolone resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae, whereby, despite continued utilization, resistance to this class of antibiotic remains rare. In this study, we found that the predominant pathways for developing resistance to this antibiotic class severely compromised the infectious capacity of the pneumococcus, providing a key impediment for the emergence of resistance. Using in vivo models of experimental evolution, we found that S. pneumoniae responds to repeated fluoroquinolone exposure by modulating key metabolic pathways involved in the generation of redox molecules, which leads to antibiotic treatment failure in the absence of appreciable shifts in resistance levels. These data underscore the complex pathways available to pathogens to evade antibiotic mediating killing via antibiotic tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina H. Dao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Haley Echlin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Abigail McKnight
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Enolia S. Marr
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Julia Junker
- Nationales Referenzzentrum für Streptokokken Abteilung Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universitätsklinikum RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Qidong Jia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Randall Hayden
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Tim van Opijnen
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ralph R. Isberg
- Deptartment of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Vaughn S. Cooper
- Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jason W. Rosch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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de Oliveira LMA, Ribeiro RL, Ganda E. Editorial: Foodborne bacterial pathogens under the One Health perspective - antimicrobial resistance, epidemiology, virulence, and zoonotic impact. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1379188. [PMID: 38410725 PMCID: PMC10894975 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1379188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Maria Andrade de Oliveira
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rachel Leite Ribeiro
- Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Erika Ganda
- Department of Animal Science, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- The One Health Microbiome Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Kar A, Mukherjee SK, Barik S, Hossain ST. Antimicrobial Activity of Trigonelline Hydrochloride Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Its Quorum-Sensing Regulated Molecular Mechanisms on Biofilm Formation and Virulence. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:746-762. [PMID: 38232080 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a vivid biofilm-producing bacterium, is considered a dreadful opportunistic pathogen, and thus, management of biofilm-associated infections due to multidrug resistant strains by traditional drugs currently is of great concern. This study was aimed to assess the impact of trigonelline hydrochloride, a pyridine alkaloid, on P. aeruginosa PAO1, in search of an alternative therapeutant. The effect of trigonelline on colony morphology and motility was studied along with its role on biofilm and expression virulence factors. Trigonelline influenced the colony structure, motility, biofilm architecture, and the production of virulence factors in a dose-dependent manner. Alterations in quorum sending (QS)-regulated gene expression after treatment and molecular docking analysis for certain regulator proteins confirmed its effect on the QS-system network by affecting Las, Rhl, and Pqs signaling pathways and as possible molecular targets. Thus, trigonelline might be considered as a potential chemical lead to manage biofilm-associated pathogenesis or to develop other analogues with enhanced pharmacokinetic actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amiya Kar
- Department of Microbiology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, India
| | | | - Subhasis Barik
- Department of In Vitro Carcinogenesis and Cellular Chemotherapy, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700026, India
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Zheng R, Li W, Yin W, Qiao L, Song S, An Y, Ling Z, Bai L, Yang H, Shen J, Dong Y, Wang Y. PEtN-Modified O-Antigen Enhances Shigella Pathogenesis by Promoting Epithelial Cell Invasion and Inhibiting Complement Binding. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:377-383. [PMID: 38252850 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Shigellosis poses an ongoing global public health threat. The presence and length of the O-antigen in lipopolysaccharide play critical roles in Shigella pathogenesis. The plasmid-mediated opt gene encodes a phosphoethanolamine (PEtN) transferase that catalyzes the addition of PEtN to the O-antigen of Shigella flexneri serotype X and Y strains, converting them into serotype Xv and Yv strains, respectively. Since 2002, these modified strains have become prevalent in China. Here we demonstrate that PEtN-mediated O-antigen modification in S. flexneri increase the severity of corneal infection in guinea pigs without any adaptive cost. This heightened virulence is associated with epithelial cell adhesion and invasion, as well as an enhanced inflammatory response of macrophage. Notably, PEtN addition allow S. flexneri to attenuate the binding of complement C3 and better resist phagocytosis, potentially contributing to the retention of S. flexneri in the host environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruicheng Zheng
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wan Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Wenjuan Yin
- School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
| | - Lu Qiao
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shikai Song
- Poultry Institute, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Science, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China
| | - Yina An
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhuoren Ling
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Li Bai
- NHC Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Hui Yang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Jianzhong Shen
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yanjun Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yang Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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Pan X, Shen J, Hong Y, Wu Y, Guo D, Zhao L, Bu X, Ben L, Wang X. Comparative Analysis of Growth, Survival, and Virulence Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Imported Meat. Microorganisms 2024; 12:345. [PMID: 38399749 PMCID: PMC10891628 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen with worldwide prevalence. Understanding the variability in the potential pathogenicity among strains of different subtypes is crucial for risk assessment. In this study, the growth, survival, and virulence characteristics of 16 L. monocytogenes strains isolated from imported meat in China (2018-2020) were investigated. The maximum specific growth rate (μmax) and lag phase (λ) were evaluated using the time-to-detection (TTD) method and the Baranyi model at different temperatures (25, 30, and 37 °C). Survival characteristics were determined by D-values and population reduction after exposure to heat (60, 62.5, and 65 °C) and acid (HCl, pH = 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5). The potential virulence was evaluated via adhesion and invasion to Caco-2 cells, motility, and lethality to Galleria mellonella. The potential pathogenicity was compared among strains of different lineages and subtypes. The results indicate that the lineage I strains exhibited a higher growth rate than the lineage II strains at three growth temperatures, particularly serotype 4b within lineage I. At all temperatures tested, serotypes 1/2a and 1/2b consistently demonstrated higher heat resistance than the other subtypes. No significant differences in the log reduction were observed between the lineage I and lineage II strains at pH 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5. However, the serotype 1/2c strains exhibited significantly low acid resistance at pH 2.5. In terms of virulence, the lineage I strains outperformed the lineage II strains. The invasion rate to Caco-2 cells and lethality to G. mellonella exhibited by the serotype 4b strains were higher than those observed in the other serotypes. This study provides meaningful insights into the growth, survival, and virulence of L. monocytogenes, offering valuable information for understanding the correlation between the pathogenicity and subtypes of L. monocytogenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinye Pan
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (X.P.); (Y.H.); (X.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Jinling Shen
- Technology Center for Animal Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine of Shanghai Customs, Shanghai 200135, China; (J.S.); (D.G.); (L.Z.)
| | - Yi Hong
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (X.P.); (Y.H.); (X.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Yufan Wu
- Centre of Analysis and Test, School of Chemistry & Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China;
| | - Dehua Guo
- Technology Center for Animal Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine of Shanghai Customs, Shanghai 200135, China; (J.S.); (D.G.); (L.Z.)
| | - Lina Zhao
- Technology Center for Animal Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine of Shanghai Customs, Shanghai 200135, China; (J.S.); (D.G.); (L.Z.)
| | - Xiangfeng Bu
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (X.P.); (Y.H.); (X.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Leijie Ben
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (X.P.); (Y.H.); (X.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Xiang Wang
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (X.P.); (Y.H.); (X.B.); (L.B.)
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Li P, Zhang S, Wang J, Al-Shamiri MM, Luo K, Liu S, Mi P, Wu X, Liu H, Tian H, Han B, Lei J, Han S, Han L. The role of type VI secretion system genes in antibiotic resistance and virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1297818. [PMID: 38384301 PMCID: PMC10879597 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1297818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a crucial virulence factor in the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii. However, its association with drug resistance is less well known. Notably, the roles that different T6SS components play in the process of antimicrobial resistance, as well as in virulence, have not been systematically revealed. Methods The importance of three representative T6SS core genes involved in the drug resistance and virulence of A. baumannii, namely, tssB, tssD (hcp), and tssM was elucidated. Results A higher ratio of the three core genes was detected in drug-resistant strains than in susceptible strains among our 114 A. baumannii clinical isolates. Upon deletion of tssB in AB795639, increased antimicrobial resistance to cefuroxime and ceftriaxone was observed, alongside reduced resistance to gentamicin. The ΔtssD mutant showed decreased resistance to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, tetracycline, and doxycycline, but increased resistance to tobramycin and streptomycin. The tssM-lacking mutant showed an increased sensitivity to ofloxacin, polymyxin B, and furazolidone. In addition, a significant reduction in biofilm formation was observed only with the ΔtssM mutant. Moreover, the ΔtssM strain, followed by the ΔtssD mutant, showed decreased survival in human serum, with attenuated competition with Escherichia coli and impaired lethality in Galleria mellonella. Discussion The above results suggest that T6SS plays an important role, participating in the antibiotic resistance of A. baumannii, especially in terms of intrinsic resistance. Meanwhile, tssM and tssD contribute to bacterial virulence to a greater degree, with tssM being associated with greater importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Li
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Sirui Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jingdan Wang
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Mona Mohamed Al-Shamiri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kai Luo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shuyan Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peng Mi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaokang Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Haiping Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xi’an Daxing Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Huohuan Tian
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bei Han
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin’e Lei
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Shaoshan Han
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Lei Han
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
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Jiang M, Qiu X, Shui S, Zhao R, Lu W, Lin C, Tu Y, Wu Y, Li Q, Wu Q. Differences in molecular characteristics and expression of virulence genes in carbapenem-resistant and sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in Ningbo, China. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1356229. [PMID: 38389531 PMCID: PMC10881320 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1356229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, Klebsiella pneumoniae has attracted attention because of its increasing drug resistance. At the same time, the migration and pathogenicity caused by its virulence genes also bring many difficulties to the diagnosis and treatment of clinical infections. However, it is currently unclear whether there are differences in virulence and pathogenicity with changes in drug resistance. Objective To understand the differences in molecular characteristics and expression of virulence genes in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and carbapenem-sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae (CSKP). Methods Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we examined capsule polysaccharide-related genes and virulence genes in 150 clinical isolates of CRKP and 213 isolates of CSKP from the local area in Ningbo, China. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. Furthermore, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to analyze the expression differences of common virulence genes in CSKP and CRKP, and the virulence was further verified by the larval model of Galleria mellonella. Results The study found that the detection rates of genes rmpA, iroB, peg-344, magA, aerobactin, alls, kfu, and entB were significantly higher in CSKP compared to CRKP. The capsule gene types K1 and K2 were more common in CSKP, while K5 was more common in CRKP. Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) was predominantly from CSKP. CRKP strains exhibited noticeable homogeneity, with ST11 being the predominant sequence type among the strains. CSKP strains showed greater diversity in ST types, but ST23 was still the predominant sequence type. Carbapenem-sensitive hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CS-hvKP) had higher expression of rmpA and rmpA2 genes compared to carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP). In the wax moth virulence model, the survival rate of CS-hvKP was significantly lower than that of CR-hvKP. Conclusion There is a significant difference in the distribution of virulence genes between CSKP and CRKP, with CSKP carrying a significantly greater number of virulence genes. Furthermore, compared to CSKP, CRKP strains exhibit noticeable homogeneity, with ST11 being the predominant sequence type among the strains. Additionally, in terms of virulence gene expression efficiency and virulence, CSKP is significantly higher than CRKP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Xuedan Qiu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Siyi Shui
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Rongqing Zhao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Wenjun Lu
- Department of Intensive Care Units, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Chenyao Lin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yanye Tu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yifeng Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Qingcao Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Qiaoping Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Yousefi Nojookambari N, Eslami G, Sadredinamin M, Vaezjalali M, Nikmanesh B, Dehbanipour R, Yazdansetad S, Ghalavand Z. Sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of colistin on Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm formation potency, adherence, and invasion to epithelial host cells: an experimental study in an Iranian children's referral hospital. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0252323. [PMID: 38230925 PMCID: PMC10846280 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02523-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Here, we described the efficacy of colistin sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) on biofilm-forming activity, host epithelial cell adherence, and invasion capacity of Acinetobacter baumannii strains collected from children admitted to the Children's Medical Center Hospital. Biofilm formation potency of A. baumannii clinical isolates was measured using a 96-well microtiter plate assay. Distribution of biofilm-related genes, including bap, abaI, ompA, csuE, and blaPER-1, was detected by PCR. The mRNA expression level of ompA and csuE was measured by qPCR in the presence of ¼ and ½ MICs of colistin. A. baumannii adhesion and invasion to eukaryotic host cells were phenotypically assayed at sub-MICs of colistin. Eighty percent (56/70) and 35.7% (25/70) of A. baumannii isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) phenotypes, respectively. The strong, moderate, and weak biofilm producers of A. baumannii were 37.1% (26/70), 32.8%, (23/70), and 22.8% (16/70), respectively. The frequencies of biofilm-associated genes were 100% for abaI, ompA, and csuE, followed by 22.8% (16/70) and 24.3% (17/70) for bap and blaPER-1, respectively. The downregulation of csuE and ompA expression levels was observed in the sub-MIC of colistin. In vitro cell culture study showed a decreased capability of A. baumannii to adhere to the human epithelial cells at sub-inhibitory doses of colistin; however, none of the isolates could invade HEp-2 cells. Our study showed that the genes encoding biofilm-associated proteins undergo downregulation in expression levels after exposure to sub-MICs of colistin in A. baumannii. Longitudinal in vivo studies are needed to fully understand the clinical aspects of pathogenicity mechanisms and evolutionary dynamics of drug resistance.IMPORTANCESince the toxicity of colistin is dose dependent, there is a focus on strategies that reduce the dose while maintaining the therapeutic effect of the drug. Our findings about sub-inhibitory doses of colistin provide a novel insight into the logical use of colistin to treat and control Acinetobacter baumannii-related infections in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Yousefi Nojookambari
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gita Eslami
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrzad Sadredinamin
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Vaezjalali
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahram Nikmanesh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Razieh Dehbanipour
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Sajjad Yazdansetad
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Zohreh Ghalavand
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Cai Q, Tian L, Xie JT, Jiang DH. Two sirtuin proteins, Hst3 and Hst4, modulate asexual development, stress tolerance, and virulence by affecting global gene expression in Beauveria bassiana. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0313723. [PMID: 38193686 PMCID: PMC10846017 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03137-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Beauveria bassiana is a widely used entomopathogenic fungus in insect biological control applications. In this study, we investigated the role of two sirtuin homologs, BbHst3 and BbHst4, in the biological activities and pathogenicity of B. bassiana. Our results showed that deletion of BbHst3 and/or BbHst4 led to impaired sporulation, reduced (~50%) conidial production, and decreased tolerance to various stresses, including osmotic, oxidative, and cell wall-disturbing agents. Moreover, BbHst4 plays dominant roles in histone H3-K56 acetylation and DNA damage response, while BbHst3 is more responsible for maintaining cell wall integrity. Transcriptomic analyses revealed significant changes (>1,500 differentially expressed genes) in gene expression patterns in the mutant strains, particularly in genes related to secondary metabolism, detoxification, and transporters. Furthermore, the ΔBbHst3, ΔBbHst4, and ΔBbHst3ΔBbHst4 strains exhibited reduced virulence in insect bioassays, with decreased (~20%) abilities to kill insect hosts through topical application and intra-hemocoel injection. These findings highlight the crucial role of BbHst3 and BbHst4 in sporulation, DNA damage repair, cell wall integrity, and fungal infection in B. bassiana. Our study provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying the biological activities and pathogenicity of B. bassiana and emphasizes the potential of targeting sirtuins for improving the efficacy of fungal biocontrol agents.IMPORTANCESirtuins, as a class of histone deacetylases, have been shown to play important roles in various cellular processes in fungi, including asexual development, stress response, and pathogenicity. By investigating the functions of BbHst3 and BbHst4, we have uncovered their critical contributions to important phenotypes in Beauveria bassiana. Deletion of these sirtuin homologs led to reduced conidial yield, increased sensitivity to osmotic and oxidative stresses, impaired DNA damage repair processes, and decreased fungal virulence. Transcriptomic analyses showed differential expression of numerous genes involved in secondary metabolism, detoxification, transporters, and virulence-related factors, potentially uncovering new targets for manipulation and optimization of fungal biocontrol agents. Our study also emphasizes the significance of sirtuins as key regulators in fungal biology and highlights their potential as promising targets for the development of novel antifungal strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Cai
- College of Plant Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Li Tian
- Department of Bioengineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jia-Tao Xie
- College of Plant Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dao-Hong Jiang
- College of Plant Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Xie H, Zhang R, Guo R, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Li H, Fu Q, Wang X. Characterization of AI-2/LuxS quorum sensing system in biofilm formation, pathogenesis of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1339131. [PMID: 38379770 PMCID: PMC10876813 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1339131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (SEZ) is an opportunistic pathogen of both humans and animals. Quorum sensing (QS) plays an important role in the regulation of bacterial group behaviors. The aim of this study was to characterize the LuxS in SEZ and evaluate its impact on biofilm formation, pathogenesis and gene expression. The wild-type SEZ and its LuxS mutant (ΔluxS) were examined for growth, biofilm formation, virulence factors, and transcriptomic profiles. Our results showed that LuxS deficiency did not affect SEZ hemolytic activity, adhesion or capsule production. For biofilm assay demonstrated that mutation in the luxS gene significantly enhances biofilm formation, produced a denser biofilm and attached to a glass surface. RAW264.7 cell infection indicated that ΔluxS promoted macrophage apoptosis and pro-inflammatory responses. In mice infection, there was no significant difference in mortality between SEZ and ΔluxS. However, the bacterial load in the spleen of mice infected with ΔluxS was significantly higher than in those infected with SEZ. And the pathological analysis further indicated that spleen damage was more severe in the ΔluxS group. Moreover, transcriptomics analysis revealed significant alterations in carbon metabolism, RNA binding and stress response genes in ΔluxS. In summary, this study provides the first evidence of AI-2/LuxS QS system in SEZ and reveals its regulatory effects on biofilm formation, pathogenicity and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglin Xie
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Riteng Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ruhai Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yining Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jingya Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hui Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiang Fu
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Xinglong Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
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Örmälä-Tiznado AM, Allander L, Maatallah M, Kabir MH, Brisse S, Sandegren L, Patpatia S, Coorens M, Giske CG. Molecular characteristics, fitness, and virulence of high-risk and non-high-risk clones of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0403622. [PMID: 38205958 PMCID: PMC10845972 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04036-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae inflict a notable burden on healthcare worldwide. Of specific concern are strains producing carbapenem-hydrolyzing enzymes, as the therapeutic options for these strains are still very limited. Specific sequence types of K. pneumoniae have been noted for their epidemic occurrence globally, but the mechanisms behind the success of specific clones remain unclear. Herein, we have characterized 20 high-risk clones (HiRCs) and 10 non-HiRCs of XDR K. pneumoniae, exploring factors connected to the epidemiological success of some clones. Isolates were subjected to core genome multilocus sequence typing analysis to determine the clonal relationships of the isolates and subsequently characterized with regard to features known to be linked to overall bacterial fitness and virulence. The genomes were analyzed in silico for capsule types, O antigens, virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance genes, prophages, and CRISPR-Cas loci. In vitro growth experiments were conducted to retrieve proxies for absolute and relative fitness for 11 HiRC and 9 non-HiRC isolates selected based on the clonal groups they belonged to, and infections in a Galleria mellonella insect model were used to evaluate the virulence of the isolates in vivo. This study did not find evidence that virulence factors, prophages, CRISPR-Cas loci, or fitness measured in vitro alone would contribute to the global epidemiological success of specific clones of carbapenemase-producing XDR K. pneumoniae. However, this study did find the HiRC group to be more virulent than the non-HiRC group when measured in vivo in a model with G. mellonella. This suggests that the virulence and epidemiological success of certain clones of K. pneumoniae cannot be explained by individual traits investigated in this study and thus warrant further experiments in the future.IMPORTANCEHerein, we explored potential explanations for the successfulness of some epidemic or high-risk clones of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. We found differences in mortality in a larva model but found no clear genomic differences in known virulence markers. Most of the research on virulence in K. pneumoniae has been focused on hypervirulent strains, but here, we try to understand differences within the group of highly resistant strains. The results from the larva virulence model could be used to design experiments in higher animals. Moreover, the data could provide further support to a differentiated infection control approach against extensively drug-resistant strains, based on their classification as high-risk clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni-Maria Örmälä-Tiznado
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lisa Allander
- Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Makaoui Maatallah
- Laboratoire d’Analyse, Traitement et Valorisation des Polluants de l’Environnement et des Produits (LATVPEP: LR01ES16), Faculté de Pharmacie de Monastir, Université de Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Muhammad Humaun Kabir
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sylvain Brisse
- Biodiversity and Epidemiology of Bacterial Pathogens, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Linus Sandegren
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sheetal Patpatia
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maarten Coorens
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian G. Giske
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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AL-Busaidi B, AL-Muzahmi M, AL-Shabibi Z, Rizvi M, AL-Rashdi A, AL-Jardani A, Farzand R, AL-Jabri Z. Hypervirulent Capsular Serotypes K1 and K2 Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Demonstrate Resistance to Serum Bactericidal Activity and Galleria mellonella Lethality. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1944. [PMID: 38339222 PMCID: PMC10855873 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) is a variant that has been increasingly linked to severe, life-threatening infections including pyogenic liver abscess and bloodstream infections. HvKps belonging to the capsular serotypes K1 and K2 have been reported worldwide, however, very scarce studies are available on their genomics and virulence. In the current study, we report four hypermucoviscous extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing hvKp clinical strains of capsular serotype K1 and K2 isolated from pus and urine of critically ill patients in tertiary care hospitals in Oman. These strains belong to diverse sequence types (STs), namely ST-23(K1), ST-231(K2), ST-881(K2), and ST-14(K2). To study their virulence, a Galleria mellonella model and resistance to human serum killing were used. The G. mellonella model revealed that the K1/ST-23 isolate was the most virulent, as 50% of the larvae died in the first day, followed by isolate K2/ST-231 and K2/ST-14, for which 75% and 50% of the larvae died in the second day, respectively. Resistance to human serum killing showed there was complete inhibition of bacterial growth of all four isolates by the end of the first hour and up to the third hour. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) revealed that hvKp strains display a unique genetic arrangement of k-loci. Whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism-based phylogenetic analysis revealed that these hvKp isolates were phylogenetically distinct, belonging to diverse clades, and belonged to different STs in comparison to global isolates. For ST-23(K1), ST-231(K2), ST-881(K2), and ST-14(K2), there was a gradual decrease in the number of colonies up to the second to third hour, which indicates neutralization of bacterial cells by the serum components. However, this was followed by a sudden increase of bacterial growth, indicating possible resistance of bacteria against human serum bactericidal activity. This is the first report from Oman detailing the WGS of hvKp clinical isolates and assessing their resistance and virulence genomics, which reinforce our understanding of their epidemiology and dissemination in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basaier AL-Busaidi
- Microbiology and Immunology Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat 123, Oman;
| | | | - Zahra AL-Shabibi
- Department of Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat 123, Oman;
| | - Meher Rizvi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, Oman
| | - Azza AL-Rashdi
- Central Public Health Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ministry of Health, Muscat 100, Oman; (A.A.-R.); (A.A.-J.)
| | - Amina AL-Jardani
- Central Public Health Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ministry of Health, Muscat 100, Oman; (A.A.-R.); (A.A.-J.)
| | - Robeena Farzand
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK;
| | - Zaaima AL-Jabri
- Department of Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat 123, Oman;
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Amer MA, Darwish MM, Soliman NS, Amin HM. Resistome, mobilome, and virulome explored in clinical isolates derived from acne patients in Egypt: unveiling unique traits of an emerging coagulase-negative Staphylococcus pathogen. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1328390. [PMID: 38371297 PMCID: PMC10869526 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1328390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are a group of gram-positive staphylococcal species that naturally inhabit the healthy human skin and mucosa. The clinical impact of CoNS-associated infections has recently been regarded as a challenge for diagnosis and therapeutic options. CoNS-associated infections are primarily caused by bacterial resistance to antibiotics and biofilm formation. As antibiotics are still the most used treatment, this problem will likely persist in the future. The present study aimed to investigate the resistance and virulence of CoNS recovered from various acne lesions and explore their genetic basis. Skin swab samples were collected from participants with acne and healthy skin. All samples underwent conventional culture for the isolation of CoNS, MALDI-TOF confirmation, antibiotic susceptibility, and biofilm formation testing. A total of 85 CoNS isolates were recovered from the samples and preliminarily identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis. Isolates from the acne group (n = 60) showed the highest rates of resistance to penicillin (73%), cefoxitin (63%), clindamycin (53.3%), and erythromycin (48%), followed by levofloxacin (36.7%) and gentamycin (31.7%). The lowest rates of resistance were observed against tetracycline (28.3%), doxycycline (11.7%), and minocycline (8.3%). CoNS isolated from mild, moderate acne and healthy isolates did not show strong biofilm formation, whereas the isolates from the severe cases of the acne group showed strong biofilm formation (76.6%). Four extensively drug-resistant and strong biofilm-forming staphylococcal isolates recovered from patients with severe acne were selected for whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and their genomes were investigated using bioinformatics tools. Three of the sequenced genomes were identified as S. epidermidis; however, isolate 29AM was identified as Staphylococcus warneri, which is a newly emerging pathogen that is not commonly associated with acne and was not detected by MALDI-TOF. All the sequenced strains were multidrug-resistant and carried multiple resistance genes, including blaZ, mecA, tet(K), erm(C), lnuA, vgaA, dfrC, fusB, fosBx1, norA, and vanT, which were found to be located on plasmids and chromosomes. Virulence features were detected in all genomes in the presence of genes involved in adherence and biofilm formation (icaA, icaB, icaC, sdrG, sdrH, atl, ebh, and ebp). Only the S. warneri isolate 29AM contained immune evasion genes (capB, capC, acpXL, and manA), an anti-phagocytosis gene (cdsA), and other unique features. As a result of their potential pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance, CoNS must be monitored as an emerging pathogen associated with acne infections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to isolate, identify, and correlate S. warneri with severe acne infections among Egyptian patients using WGS and bioinformatic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai A. Amer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts, Giza, Egypt
| | - Manal M. Darwish
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts, Giza, Egypt
- Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Noha S. Soliman
- Clinical and Chemical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Heba M. Amin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts, Giza, Egypt
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130
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Addington E, Sandalli S, Roe AJ. Current understandings of colibactin regulation. Microbiology (Reading) 2024; 170:001427. [PMID: 38314762 PMCID: PMC10924459 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The biosynthetic machinery for the production of colibactin is encoded by 19 genes (clbA - S) within the pks pathogenicity island harboured by many E. coli of the B2-phylogroup. Colibactin is a potent genotoxic metabolite which causes DNA-damage and which has potential roles in microbial competition and fitness of pks+ bacteria. Colibactin has also been strongly implicated in the development of colorectal cancer. Given the genotoxicity of colibactin and the metabolic cost of its synthesis, the regulatory system governing the clb cluster is accordingly highly complex, and many of the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this review we summarise the current understanding of regulation of colibactin biosynthesis by internal molecular components and how these factors are modulated by signals from the external environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Addington
- School of Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Sofia Sandalli
- School of Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Andrew J. Roe
- School of Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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131
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Kürschner T, Scherer C, Radchuk V, Blaum N, Kramer‐Schadt S. Resource asynchrony and landscape homogenization as drivers of virulence evolution: The case of a directly transmitted disease in a social host. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11065. [PMID: 38380064 PMCID: PMC10877554 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Throughout the last decades, the emergence of zoonotic diseases and the frequency of disease outbreaks have increased substantially, fuelled by habitat encroachment and vectors overlapping with more hosts due to global change. The virulence of pathogens is one key trait for successful invasion. In order to understand how global change drivers such as habitat homogenization and climate change drive pathogen virulence evolution, we adapted an established individual-based model of host-pathogen dynamics. Our model simulates a population of social hosts affected by a directly transmitted evolving pathogen in a dynamic landscape. Pathogen virulence evolution results in multiple strains in the model that differ in their transmission capability and lethality. We represent the effects of global change by simulating environmental changes both in time (resource asynchrony) and space (homogenization). We found an increase in pathogenic virulence and a shift in strain dominance with increasing landscape homogenization. Our model further indicated that lower virulence is dominant in fragmented landscapes, although pulses of highly virulent strains emerged under resource asynchrony. While all landscape scenarios favoured co-occurrence of low- and high-virulent strains, the high-virulence strains capitalized on the possibility for transmission when host density increased and were likely to become dominant. With asynchrony likely to occur more often due to global change, our model showed that a subsequent evolution towards lower virulence could lead to some diseases becoming endemic in their host populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Kürschner
- Department of Ecological DynamicsLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Cédric Scherer
- Department of Ecological DynamicsLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Viktoriia Radchuk
- Department of Ecological DynamicsLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Niels Blaum
- Plant Ecology and Nature ConservationUniversity of PotsdamPotsdamGermany
| | - Stephanie Kramer‐Schadt
- Department of Ecological DynamicsLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Institute of EcologyTechnische Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
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132
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Graham CI, MacMartin TL, de Kievit TR, Brassinga AKC. Molecular regulation of virulence in Legionella pneumophila. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:167-195. [PMID: 37908155 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Legionella pneumophila is a gram-negative bacteria found in natural and anthropogenic aquatic environments such as evaporative cooling towers, where it reproduces as an intracellular parasite of cohabiting protozoa. If L. pneumophila is aerosolized and inhaled by a susceptible person, bacteria may colonize their alveolar macrophages causing the opportunistic pneumonia Legionnaires' disease. L. pneumophila utilizes an elaborate regulatory network to control virulence processes such as the Dot/Icm Type IV secretion system and effector repertoire, responding to changing nutritional cues as their host becomes depleted. The bacteria subsequently differentiate to a transmissive state that can survive in the environment until a replacement host is encountered and colonized. In this review, we discuss the lifecycle of L. pneumophila and the molecular regulatory network that senses nutritional depletion via the stringent response, a link to stationary phase-like metabolic changes via alternative sigma factors, and two-component systems that are homologous to stress sensors in other pathogens, to regulate differentiation between the intracellular replicative phase and more transmissible states. Together, we highlight how this prototypic intracellular pathogen offers enormous potential in understanding how molecular mechanisms enable intracellular parasitism and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher I Graham
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Teassa L MacMartin
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Teresa R de Kievit
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Ann Karen C Brassinga
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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133
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Zhang N, Hu J, Liu Z, Liang W, Song L. Sir2-mediated cytoplasmic deacetylation facilitates pathogenic fungi infection in host plants. New Phytol 2024; 241:1732-1746. [PMID: 38037458 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Lysine acetylation is an evolutionarily conserved and widespread post-translational modification implicated in the regulation of multiple metabolic processes, but its function remains largely unknown in plant pathogenic fungi. A comprehensive analysis combined with proteomic, molecular and cellular approaches was presented to explore the roles of cytoplasmic acetylation in Fusarium oxsysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol). The divergent cytoplasmic deacetylase FolSir2 was biochemically characterized, which is contributing to fungal virulence. Based on this, a total of 1752 acetylated sites in 897 proteins were identified in Fol via LC-MS/MS analysis. Further analyses of the quantitative acetylome revealed that 115 proteins representing two major pathways, translational and ribosome biogenesis, were hyperacetylated in the ∆Folsir2 strain. We experimentally examined the regulatory roles of FolSir2 on K271 deacetylation of FolGsk3, a serine/tyrosine kinase implicated in a variety of cellular functions, which was found to be crucial for the activation of FolGsk3 and thus modulated Fol pathogenicity. Cytoplasmic deacetylation by FolSir2 homologues has a similar function in Botrytis cinerea and likely other fungal pathogens. These findings reveal a conserved mechanism of silent information regulator 2-mediated cytoplasmic deacetylation that is involved in plant-fungal pathogenicity, providing a candidate target for designing broad-spectrum fungicides to control plant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhang
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Jicheng Hu
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Zhishan Liu
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Wenxing Liang
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Limin Song
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
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134
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Ambreetha S, Zincke D, Balachandar D, Mathee K. Genomic and metabolic versatility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to its inter-kingdom transmission and survival. J Med Microbiol 2024; 73. [PMID: 38362900 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most versatile bacteria with renowned pathogenicity and extensive drug resistance. The diverse habitats of this bacterium include fresh, saline and drainage waters, soil, moist surfaces, taps, showerheads, pipelines, medical implants, nematodes, insects, plants, animals, birds and humans. The arsenal of virulence factors produced by P. aeruginosa includes pyocyanin, rhamnolipids, siderophores, lytic enzymes, toxins and polysaccharides. All these virulent elements coupled with intrinsic, adaptive and acquired antibiotic resistance facilitate persistent colonization and lethal infections in different hosts. To date, treating pulmonary diseases remains complicated due to the chronic secondary infections triggered by hospital-acquired P. aeruginosa. On the contrary, this bacterium can improve plant growth by suppressing phytopathogens and insects. Notably, P. aeruginosa is one of the very few bacteria capable of trans-kingdom transmission and infection. Transfer of P. aeruginosa strains from plant materials to hospital wards, animals to humans, and humans to their pets occurs relatively often. Recently, we have identified that plant-associated P. aeruginosa strains could be pathologically similar to clinical isolates. In this review, we have highlighted the genomic and metabolic factors that facilitate the dominance of P. aeruginosa across different biological kingdoms and the varying roles of this bacterium in plant and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakthivel Ambreetha
- Developmental Biology and Genetics, Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560012, India
| | - Diansy Zincke
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Dananjeyan Balachandar
- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kalai Mathee
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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Wang B, Duan G, Liu L, Long Z, Bai X, Ou M, Wang P, Jiang D, Li D, Sun W. UvHOS3-mediated histone deacetylation is essential for virulence and negatively regulates ustilaginoidin biosynthesis in Ustilaginoidea virens. Mol Plant Pathol 2024; 25:e13429. [PMID: 38353606 PMCID: PMC10866089 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Ustilaginoidea virens is the causal agent of rice false smut, which has recently become one of the most important rice diseases worldwide. Ustilaginoidins, a major type of mycotoxins produced in false smut balls, greatly deteriorates grain quality. Histone acetylation and deacetylation are involved in regulating secondary metabolism in fungi. However, little is yet known on the functions of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in virulence and mycotoxin biosynthesis in U. virens. Here, we characterized the functions of the HDAC UvHOS3 in U. virens. The ΔUvhos3 deletion mutant exhibited the phenotypes of retarded growth, increased mycelial branches and reduced conidiation and virulence. The ΔUvhos3 mutants were more sensitive to sorbitol, sodium dodecyl sulphate and oxidative stress/H2 O2 . ΔUvhos3 generated significantly more ustilaginoidins. RNA-Seq and metabolomics analyses also revealed that UvHOS3 is a key negative player in regulating secondary metabolism, especially mycotoxin biosynthesis. Notably, UvHOS3 mediates deacetylation of H3 and H4 at H3K9, H3K18, H3K27 and H4K8 residues. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that UvHOS3 regulates mycotoxin biosynthesis, particularly for ustilaginoidin and sorbicillinoid production, by modulating the acetylation level of H3K18. Collectively, this study deepens the understanding of molecular mechanisms of the HDAC UvHOS3 in regulating virulence and mycotoxin biosynthesis in phytopathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- College of Plant Protection and the Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green ManagementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
- College of Plant ProtectionSanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversitySanyaChina
| | - Guohua Duan
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Ling Liu
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Zhaoyi Long
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Xiaolong Bai
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Mingming Ou
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Peiying Wang
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Du Jiang
- College of Plant Protection and the Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green ManagementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- College of Plant ProtectionSanya Institute of China Agricultural UniversitySanyaChina
| | - Dayong Li
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Wenxian Sun
- College of Plant Protection and the Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green ManagementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- College of Plant ProtectionJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunChina
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136
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Wang Y, Liao X, Shang W, Qin J, Xu X, Hu X. The secreted feruloyl esterase of Verticillium dahliae modulates host immunity via degradation of GhDFR. Mol Plant Pathol 2024; 25:e13431. [PMID: 38353627 PMCID: PMC10866084 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Feruloyl esterase (ferulic acid esterase, FAE) is an essential component of many biological processes in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. This research aimed to investigate the role of FAE and its regulation mechanism in plant immunity. We identified a secreted feruloyl esterase VdFAE from the hemibiotrophic plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae. VdFAE acted as an important virulence factor during V. dahliae infection, and triggered plant defence responses, including cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana. Deletion of VdFAE led to a decrease in the degradation of ethyl ferulate. VdFAE interacted with Gossypium hirsutum protein dihydroflavanol 4-reductase (GhDFR), a positive regulator in plant innate immunity, and promoted the degradation of GhDFR. Furthermore, silencing of GhDFR led to reduced resistance of cotton plants against V. dahliae. The results suggested a fungal virulence strategy in which a fungal pathogen secretes FAE to interact with host DFR and interfere with plant immunity, thereby promoting infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High‐Efficiency Production, Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Integrated Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Xiwen Liao
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High‐Efficiency Production, Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Integrated Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Wenjing Shang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High‐Efficiency Production, Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Integrated Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Jun Qin
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High‐Efficiency Production, Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Integrated Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Xiangming Xu
- Pest & Pathogen Ecology, NIAB East MallingWest MallingUK
| | - Xiaoping Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High‐Efficiency Production, Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Integrated Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
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137
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Mlynek KD, Toothman RG, Martinez EE, Qiu J, Richardson JB, Bozue JA. Mutation of wbtJ, a N-formyltransferase involved in O-antigen synthesis, results in biofilm formation, phase variation and attenuation in Francisella tularensis. Microbiology (Reading) 2024; 170:001437. [PMID: 38421161 PMCID: PMC10924466 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Two clinically important subspecies, Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis (type A) and F. tularensis subsp. holarctica (type B) are responsible for most tularaemia cases, but these isolates typically form a weak biofilm under in vitro conditions. Phase variation of the F. tularensis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been reported in these subspecies, but the role of variation is unclear as LPS is crucial for virulence. We previously demonstrated that a subpopulation of LPS variants can constitutively form a robust biofilm in vitro, but it is unclear whether virulence was affected. In this study, we show that biofilm-forming variants of both fully virulent F. tularensis subspecies were highly attenuated in the murine tularaemia model by multiple challenge routes. Genomic sequencing was performed on these strains, which revealed that all biofilm-forming variants contained a lesion within the wbtJ gene, a formyltransferase involved in O-antigen synthesis. A ΔwbtJ deletion mutant recapitulated the biofilm, O-antigen and virulence phenotypes observed in natural variants and could be rescued through complementation with a functional wbtJ gene. Since the spontaneously derived biofilm-forming isolates in this study were a subpopulation of natural variants, reversion events to the wbtJ gene were detected that eliminated the phenotypes associated with biofilm variants and restored virulence. These results demonstrate a role for WbtJ in biofilm formation, LPS variation and virulence of F. tularensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D. Mlynek
- Bacteriology Division, US ARMY Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Ronald G. Toothman
- Bacteriology Division, US ARMY Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Elsie E. Martinez
- Bacteriology Division, US ARMY Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Ju Qiu
- Regulated Research Administration Division, USAMRIID, Frederick, MD, USA
| | | | - Joel A. Bozue
- Bacteriology Division, US ARMY Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, USA
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Wang Y, Liu Z, Yin X, Liu S, Wang K, Wan R, Chen H, Li X, Huang B. Variation in Bombyx mori immune response against fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana with variability in cell wall β-1,3-glucan. Insect Sci 2024; 31:211-224. [PMID: 37350124 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi are protected by a cell wall with dynamic structure for adapting to various environmental conditions. β-1,3-Glucan recognition proteins activate the innate immune system of insects by recognizing surface molecules of fungi. However, the associations between pathogenicity and the different components of entomopathogenic fungal cell walls remain unclear. Three Beauveria bassiana strains were selected that have significantly differing virulence against Bombyx mori. The molecular mechanisms underlying the immune response in B. mori were investigated using RNA sequencing, which revealed differences in the immune response to different B. bassiana strains at 12 h post-infection. Immunofluorescence assays revealed that β-1,3-glucan content had an opposite trend to that of fungal virulence. β-1,3-Glucan injection upregulated BmβGRP4 expression and significantly reduced the virulence of the high-virulence strain but not that of the medium-virulence or low-virulence strains. BmβGRP4 silencing in B. mori with RNA interference resulted in the opposite virulence pattern, indicating that the virulence of B. bassiana was affected by the cell walls' content of β-1,3-glucan, which could be recognized by BmβGRP4. Furthermore, interference with the gene CnA (calcineurin catalytic A subunit) involved in β-1,3-glucan synthesis eliminated differences in virulence between B. bassiana strains. These results indicate that strains of a single species of pathogenic fungi that have differing cell wall components are recognized differently by the innate immune system of B. mori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Wang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xuebing Yin
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Shihong Liu
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Rongjie Wan
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Haoran Chen
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xinyang Li
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Bo Huang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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Proctor EJ, Frost HR, Satapathy S, Botquin G, Urbaniec J, Gorman J, De Oliveira DMP, McArthur J, Davies MR, Botteaux A, Smeesters P, Sanderson-Smith M. Molecular characterization of the interaction between human IgG and the M-related proteins from Streptococcus pyogenes. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105623. [PMID: 38176650 PMCID: PMC10844976 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Group A Streptococcal M-related proteins (Mrps) are dimeric α-helical-coiled-coil cell membrane-bound surface proteins. During infection, Mrp recruit the fragment crystallizable region of human immunoglobulin G via their A-repeat regions to the bacterial surface, conferring upon the bacteria enhanced phagocytosis resistance and augmented growth in human blood. However, Mrps show a high degree of sequence diversity, and it is currently not known whether this diversity affects the Mrp-IgG interaction. Herein, we report that diverse Mrps all bind human IgG subclasses with nanomolar affinity, with differences in affinity which ranged from 3.7 to 11.1 nM for mixed IgG. Using surface plasmon resonance, we confirmed Mrps display preferential IgG-subclass binding. All Mrps were found to have a significantly weaker affinity for IgG3 (p < 0.05) compared to all other IgG subclasses. Furthermore, plasma pulldown assays analyzed via Western blotting revealed that all Mrp were able to bind IgG in the presence of other serum proteins at both 25 °C and 37 °C. Finally, we report that dimeric Mrps bind to IgG with a 1:1 stoichiometry, enhancing our understanding of this important host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma-Jayne Proctor
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Hannah R Frost
- Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, European Plotkins Institute for Vaccinology (EPIV), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sandeep Satapathy
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia; The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gwenaëlle Botquin
- Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, European Plotkins Institute for Vaccinology (EPIV), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joanna Urbaniec
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Jody Gorman
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - David M P De Oliveira
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, QLD, Australia
| | - Jason McArthur
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Mark R Davies
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anne Botteaux
- Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, European Plotkins Institute for Vaccinology (EPIV), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Smeesters
- Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, European Plotkins Institute for Vaccinology (EPIV), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Martina Sanderson-Smith
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
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Johnson JMB, Kunkel BN. AefR, a TetR Family Transcriptional Repressor, Regulates Several Auxin Responses in Pseudomonas syringae Strain PtoDC3000. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 2024; 37:155-165. [PMID: 38079389 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-10-23-0170-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), also known as auxin, plays important roles in plant growth and development, as well as in several plant-microbe interactions. IAA also acts as a microbial signal and in many bacteria regulates metabolism, stress responses, and virulence. In the bacterial plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato strain DC3000 (PtoDC3000), exposure to IAA results in large-scale transcriptional reprogramming, including the differential expression of several known virulence genes. However, how PtoDC3000 senses and responds to IAA and what aspects of its biology are regulated by IAA is not understood. To investigate the mechanisms involved in perceiving and responding to IAA, we carried out a genetic screen for mutants with altered responses to IAA. One group of mutants of particular interest carried disruptions in the aefR gene encoding a TetR family transcriptional regulator. Gene expression analysis confirmed that the aefR mutants have altered responses to IAA. Thus, AefR is the first demonstrated auxin response regulator in PtoDC3000. We also investigated several aspects of PtoDC3000 biology that are regulated by both AefR and IAA, including antibiotic resistance, motility, and virulence. The observation that the aefR mutant has altered virulence on Arabidopsis, suggests that the sector of the IAA response regulated by aefR is important during pathogenesis. Our findings also provide evidence that AefR plays a role in coordinating changes in gene expression during the transition from early to late stages of infection. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M B Johnson
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, U.S.A
| | - Barbara N Kunkel
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, U.S.A
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Ning C, Li N, Wang L, Guo Y, Ji C, Li Z, Shang Y, Zhang X, Sun Y, Huang X, Leng Q, Cai X, Meng Q, Qiao J. STnc1280, a trans-coding sRNA is involved in virulence modulation via targeting gldA mRNA in Salmonella Typhimurium. J Med Microbiol 2024; 73. [PMID: 38353511 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Salmonella Typhimurium (STM) is a food-borne Gram-negative bacterium, which can infect humans and a wide range of livestock and poultry, causing a variety of diseases such as septicaemia, enteritis and abortion.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. We will decipher the impacts of sRNA STnc1280 on STM virulence and provide a theoretical basis to reveal the regulatory role and molecular mechanism of STnc1280.Aim. The main objective of this study was to clarify whether sRNA STnc1280 exerts regulatory roles on STM pathogenicity.Methodology. The STnc1280 gene was amplified and its molecular characteristics were analysed in this study. Then, STnc1280 gene deletion strain (STM-ΔSTnc1280) and the complementary strain (ΔSTnc1280/STnc1280) were constructed by λ-Red homologous recombination method, respectively, to analyse of adhesion and invasive ability and pathogenicity of different strains. Subsequently, the potential target gene regulated by STnc1280 was predicted using target RNA2 software, followed by the verification of the interaction between STnc1280 and target mRNA using the dual plasmid reporter system (DPRS). Furthermore, the mRNA and protein level of target gene was determined using qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.Results. The results revealed that the cell adhesion and invasive ability and pathogenicity of STM-ΔSTnc1280 were significantly reduced compared to STM-SL1344 strain, indicating that the deficiency of STnc1280 gene significantly influenced STM pathogenicity. The DPRS results showed that STnc1280 can interact with the mRNA of target gene gldA, thus suppressing the expression of lacZ gene. Furthermore, the level of gldA mRNA was not influenced in STM-ΔSTnc1280, but the expression of GldA protein decreased significantly.Conclusion. Combining the bioinformatic analysis, these findings suggested that STnc1280 may bind to the SD sequence of gldA mRNA, hindering the binding of ribosomes to gldA mRNA, thereby inhibiting the expression of GldA protein to modulate the virulence of STM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengcheng Ning
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Xinjiang Agricultural Vocational and Technical College, Changji, Xinjiang, 831100, PR China
| | - Na Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Lixia Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Yun Guo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Chunhui Ji
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Zhiyuan Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Yunxia Shang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Xingxing Zhang
- Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Research, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Science, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832000, PR China
| | - Yaoqiang Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Xiaoxing Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Qingwen Leng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Xuepeng Cai
- State Key Lab of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China
| | - Qingling Meng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
| | - Jun Qiao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832003, PR China
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Ruan Y, Li M, Wang D, Duan J, Zhang H, Zhou Y. Characteristics of non-carbapenemase producing carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae from a tertiary hospital in China. J Infect Dev Ctries 2024; 18:106-115. [PMID: 38377097 DOI: 10.3855/jidc.17779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The spread of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is a substantial severe global public health burden. Non-carbapenemase-producing CRKP (non-CP-CRKP) is increasingly recognized as the source of severe infections. METHODOLOGY We analyzed the genotypic, and phenotypic profiles of non-CP-CRKP strains with the whole-genome sequences isolated between 2017 and 2019 and the clinical characterization of non-CP-CRKP infection. RESULTS A total of 91 CRKP strains were collected, of which 5 (5.49%) strains were non-CP-CRKP. Four strains were from male patients; three strains were isolated from the bile of patients who underwent biliary interventional surgery and four had a history of antibiotic exposure. Three strains were sequence type (ST)11, one was ST1, and one was ST5523. The non-CP-CRKP strains were insusceptible to ertapenem. Three strains were susceptible to amikacin. All the strains were susceptible to imipenem, meropenem, tigecycline, ceftazidime/avibatam and polymyxin B. The β-lactamases of non-CP-CRKP predominantly included blaCTX-M, blaSHV, and blaTEM subtypes. Two site mutations in ompK36 (p.A217S and p.N218H) and four in ompK37 (p.I70M, p.I128M, p.N230G, and m233_None234insQ) were detected accounting for carbapenem resistance. Plasmids IncFI and IncFII were found in most strains. Genes encoding aerobactin, yersiniabactin and allantoin utilization were not detected in several isolates, and all non-CP-CRKP strains did not carry rmpA gene. CONCLUSIONS Non-CP-CRKP infected patients had a history of previous antibiotic exposure or invasive procedures. Non-CP-CRKP strains were insusceptible to ertapenem. The mechanism of resistance includes β-lactamases production and the site mutations in ompK36 and ompK37. Several virulence genes were not detected in non-CP-CRKP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchun Ruan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Minghui Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jinnan Duan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haiwang Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yiqing Zhou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
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143
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Altavas PJD, Amoranto MBC, Kim SH, Kang DK, Balolong MP, Dalmacio LMM. Safety assessment of five candidate probiotic lactobacilli using comparative genome analysis. Access Microbiol 2024; 6:000715.v4. [PMID: 38361650 PMCID: PMC10866033 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000715.v4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Micro-organisms belonging to the Lactobacillus genus complex are often used for oral consumption and are generally considered safe but can exhibit pathogenicity in rare and specific cases. Therefore, screening and understanding genetic factors that may contribute to pathogenicity can yield valuable insights regarding probiotic safety. Limosilactobacillus mucosae LM1, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SK151, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BS25, Limosilactobacillus fermentum SK152 and Lactobacillus johnsonii PF01 are current probiotics of interest; however, their safety profiles have not been explored. The genome sequences of LM1, SK151, SK152 and PF01 were downloaded from the NCBI GenBank, while that of L. plantarum BS25 was newly sequenced. These genomes were then annotated using the Rapid Annotation using Subsystem Technology tool kit pipeline. Subsequently, a command line blast was performed against the Virulence Factor Database (VFDB) and the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) to identify potential virulence factors and antibiotic resistance (AR) genes. Furthermore, ResFinder was used to detect acquired AR genes. The query against the VFDB identified genes that have a role in bacterial survivability, platelet aggregation, surface adhesion, biofilm formation and immunoregulation; and no acquired AR genes were detected using CARD and ResFinder. The study shows that the query strains exhibit genes identical to those present in pathogenic bacteria with the genes matched primarily having roles related to survival and surface adherence. Our results contribute to the overall strategies that can be employed in pre-clinical safety assessments of potential probiotics. Gene mining using whole-genome data, coupled with experimental validation, can be implemented in future probiotic safety assessment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Josemaria d.R Altavas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Ermita, Manila 1000, Philippines
| | - Mia Beatriz C. Amoranto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Ermita, Manila 1000, Philippines
| | - Sang Hoon Kim
- Department of Animal Resources Science, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Dankook University, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Kyung Kang
- Department of Animal Resources Science, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Dankook University, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Marilen P. Balolong
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila, Ermita, Manila 1000, Philippines
| | - Leslie Michelle M. Dalmacio
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Ermita, Manila 1000, Philippines
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144
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Ghosh D, Pal A, Mohapatra S, Raj S, Vivekanandan P. Distinct epigenetic signatures of classical and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae. mSphere 2024; 9:e0046423. [PMID: 38112443 PMCID: PMC10826340 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00464-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Emergence and spread of the hypervirulent pathotype of Klebsiella pneumoniae have significantly increased infection rates in community as well as healthcare settings. There is an increasing interest to identify discriminating features between classical K. pneumoniae (cKp) and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp) to facilitate our understanding of the rapid emergence and dissemination of the hypervirulent pathotype. Here, we sought to identify unique epigenetic signatures of hvKp pathotype that differ from its classical counterpart using single-base resolution methylome analysis of native DNA sequencing on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies platform. The overall global adenine methylation in GATC motifs (i.e., Dam methylation motif) and cytosine methylation in CCWGG motifs (i.e., Dcm methylation motif) were significantly higher in hvKp isolates compared to that in cKp isolates, irrespective of their position in chromosomes or putative extra-chromosomal genetic elements. Notably, we observed significant enrichment of hypermethylated GATC and CCWGG motifs in the virulome of hvKp compared to hvKp genes not directly associated with virulence. We also observed increased methylation of GATC and CCWGG motifs in the capsule synthesis locus of hvKp isolates compared to cKp isolates. Furthermore, we identified several differentially methylated genes (DMGs) between the two pathotypes; interestingly, these DMGs include metal ion transporters, multidrug efflux pumps, transcriptional regulators of stress response, and genes associated with biofilm formation. Our results highlight hypermethylation of GATC and CCWGG motifs as unique epigenetic signatures of hvKp isolates.IMPORTANCEHypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) is a more virulent and rapidly evolving hypermucoviscous pathotype of classical K. pneumoniae (cKp). The hypervirulent pathotype is a major public health concern and is associated with high infection rates in community as well as hospital settings. With the recent emergence of multidrug-resistant hvKp, it has become imperative to investigate non-classical mechanisms such as epigenetics in addition to canonical biochemical and genetic mechanisms that delineate and differentiate the hypervirulent pathotype from its classical counterpart. Here, we identify genome-wide differences in adenine and cytosine methylation marks at well-characterized motifs between the two pathotypes. Overall, significantly higher levels of methylation were observed across chromosomal DNA and extrachromosomal elements in hvKp compared to cKp. Among hvKp isolates, the genes associated with virulence are particularly enriched for methylation marks. Our findings shed light on how epigenetic signatures may help distinguish the pathogenic potential of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipannita Ghosh
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Arijit Pal
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Sarita Mohapatra
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Stephen Raj
- Department of Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Perumal Vivekanandan
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
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Sekulovic O, Gallagher C, Lee J, Hao L, Zinonos S, Tan CY, Anderson A, Kanevsky I. Evidence of Reduced Virulence and Increased Colonization among Pneumococcal Isolates of Serotype 3 Clade II Lineage in Mice. J Infect Dis 2024:jiae038. [PMID: 38284935 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent phylogenetic profiling of pneumococcal serotype 3 (Pn3) isolates revealed a dynamic interplay among major lineages with the emergence and global spread of a variant termed Clade II. The cause of Pn3 clade II dissemination along with epidemiological and clinical ramifications are currently unknown. Here, we sought to explore biological characteristics of dominant Pn3 clades in a mouse model of pneumococcal invasive disease and carriage. Carriage and virulence potential were strain dependent with marked differences among clades. We found that clinical isolates from Pn3 clade II are less virulent and less invasive in mice compared to clade I isolates. We also observed that clade II isolates are carried for longer and at higher bacterial densities in mice compared to clade I isolates. Taken together, our data suggest that the epidemiological success of Pn3 clade II could be related to alterations in the pathogen's ability to cause invasive disease and to establish a robust carriage episode.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Li Hao
- Pfizer Inc., Pearl River, New York, USA
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146
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Cohen DG, Wingert RA. Caught red feathered: infection from cockatoo to human and mice reveals genetic plasticity of Cryptococcus neoformans during mammalian passage. Tissue Barriers 2024:2309717. [PMID: 38282267 DOI: 10.1080/21688370.2024.2309717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is pervasive in our environment and causes the infectious disease cryptococcosis in humans, most commonly in immunocompromised patients. In addition to corroborating the avian origins of a case of cryptococcosis in an immunocompromised patient in 2000, a fascinating recent report has now characterized the genetic and phenotypic changes that occur in this C. neoformans during passage in mammalian hosts. Interestingly, mouse-passaged isolates showed differences in virulence factors ranging from capsule size, melanization, nonlytic macrophage exocytosis, and amoeba predation resistance as compared to the patient strain. Taken together, these results provide new insights about the relationship between mutations acquired during an infection and changes in virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorrian G Cohen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Rebecca A Wingert
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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147
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Henningsen E, Lewis D, Nguyen D, Sperschneider J, Kianian SF, Stone EA, Dodds P, Figueroa M. Virulence patterns of oat crown rust in Australia - season 2022. Plant Dis 2024. [PMID: 38277650 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-09-23-1973-sc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae (Pca) is an important foliar pathogen of oat which causes crown rust disease. The virulence profile of 48 Pca isolates derived from different locations in Australia was characterised using a collection of oat lines often utilised in rust surveys in the USA and Australia. This analysis indicates that Pca populations in Eastern Australia are broadly virulent, in contrast to the population in Western Australia (WA). Several oat lines/Pc genes are effective against all rust samples collected from WA, suggesting they may provide useful resistance in this region if deployed in combination. We identified 19 lines from the USA oat differential set that display disease resistance to Pca in WA, some in agreement with previous rust survey reports. We adopted the 10-letter nomenclature system to define oat crown rust races in Australia and compare the frequency of those virulence traits to published data from the USA. Based on this nomenclature, 42 unique races were detected among the 48 isolates, reflecting the high diversity of virulence phenotypes for Pca in Australia. Nevertheless, the Pca population in the USA is substantially more broadly virulent than that of Australia. Close examination of resistance profiles for the oat differential set lines after infection with Pca supports hypotheses of allelism or redundancy among Pc genes or the presence of several resistance genes in some oat differential lines. These findings illustrate the need to deconvolute the oat differential set using molecular tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Henningsen
- CSIRO, 2221, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Australian National University, 2219, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia;
| | - David Lewis
- CSIRO, 2221, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia;
| | - Duong Nguyen
- CSIRO, 2221, Agriculture and Food, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia;
| | - Jana Sperschneider
- CSIRO, 2221, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia;
| | - Shahryar F Kianian
- USDA ARS, 17123, Cereal Disease Laboratory, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States;
| | - Eric A Stone
- Australian National University, 2219, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Australian National University, 2219, Biological Data Science Institute, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia;
| | - Peter Dodds
- CSIRO, 2221, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia;
| | - Melania Figueroa
- CSIRO, 2221, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia;
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148
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Dabholkar A, Pandit S, Devkota R, Dhingra S, Lorber S, Puel O, Calvo AM. Role of the osaA Gene in Aspergillus fumigatus Development, Secondary Metabolism and Virulence. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:103. [PMID: 38392775 PMCID: PMC10890407 DOI: 10.3390/jof10020103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the leading cause of aspergillosis, associated with high mortality rates, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. In search of novel genetic targets against aspergillosis, we studied the WOPR transcription factor OsaA. The deletion of the osaA gene resulted in colony growth reduction. Conidiation is also influenced by osaA; both osaA deletion and overexpression resulted in a decrease in spore production. Wild-type expression levels of osaA are necessary for the expression of the conidiation regulatory genes brlA, abaA, and wetA. In addition, osaA is necessary for normal cell wall integrity. Furthermore, the deletion of osaA resulted in a reduction in the ability of A. fumigatus to adhere to surfaces, decreased thermotolerance, as well as increased sensitivity to oxidative stress. Metabolomics analysis indicated that osaA deletion or overexpression led to alterations in the production of multiple secondary metabolites, including gliotoxin. This was accompanied by changes in the expression of genes in the corresponding secondary metabolite gene clusters. These effects could be, at least in part, due to the observed reduction in the expression levels of the veA and laeA global regulators when the osaA locus was altered. Importantly, our study shows that osaA is indispensable for virulence in both neutropenic and corticosteroid-immunosuppressed mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apoorva Dabholkar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - Sandesh Pandit
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - Ritu Devkota
- Department of Biological Sciences and Eukaryotic Pathogen Innovation Center, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Sourabh Dhingra
- Department of Biological Sciences and Eukaryotic Pathogen Innovation Center, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Sophie Lorber
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31027 Toulouse, France
| | - Olivier Puel
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31027 Toulouse, France
| | - Ana M Calvo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
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149
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Guruceaga X, Perez-Cuesta U, Martin-Vicente A, Pelegri-Martinez E, Thorn HI, Cendon-Sanchez S, Xie J, Nywening AV, Ramirez-Garcia A, Fortwendel JR, Rementeria A. The Aspergillus fumigatus maiA gene contributes to cell wall homeostasis and fungal virulence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1327299. [PMID: 38343890 PMCID: PMC10853476 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1327299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, two distinct in vitro infection models of Aspergillus fumigatus, using murine macrophages (RAW264.7) and human lung epithelial cells (A549), were employed to identify the genes important for fungal adaptation during infection. Transcriptomic analyses of co-incubated A. fumigatus uncovered 140 fungal genes up-regulated in common between both models that, when compared with a previously published in vivo transcriptomic study, allowed the identification of 13 genes consistently up-regulated in all three infection conditions. Among them, the maiA gene, responsible for a critical step in the L-phenylalanine degradation pathway, was identified. Disruption of maiA resulted in a mutant strain unable to complete the Phe degradation pathway, leading to an excessive production of pyomelanin when this amino acid served as the sole carbon source. Moreover, the disruption mutant exhibited noticeable cell wall abnormalities, with reduced levels of β-glucans within the cell wall but did not show lack of chitin or mannans. The maiA-1 mutant strain induced reduced inflammation in primary macrophages and displayed significantly lower virulence in a neutropenic mouse model of infection. This is the first study linking the A. fumigatus maiA gene to fungal cell wall homeostasis and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Guruceaga
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Uxue Perez-Cuesta
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology, and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Adela Martin-Vicente
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Eduardo Pelegri-Martinez
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology, and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Harrison I. Thorn
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Science, College of Graduate Health Sciences, University of Tennessee Healths Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Saioa Cendon-Sanchez
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology, and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Jinhong Xie
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Science, College of Graduate Health Sciences, University of Tennessee Healths Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Ashley V. Nywening
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences, College of Graduate Health Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Andoni Ramirez-Garcia
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology, and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Jarrod R. Fortwendel
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Aitor Rementeria
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology, and Parasitology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
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150
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Cloeckaert A, Roop RM, Scholz HC, Whatmore AM, Zygmunt MS. Editorial: Pathogenomics of the genus Brucella and beyond, volume II. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1370330. [PMID: 38333583 PMCID: PMC10850559 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1370330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - R. Martin Roop
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Holger C. Scholz
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Adrian M. Whatmore
- Department of Bacteriology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, United Kingdom
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