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Deventer AT, Stevens CE, Stewart A, Hobbs JK. Antibiotic tolerance among clinical isolates: mechanisms, detection, prevalence, and significance. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024:e0010624. [PMID: 39364999 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00106-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYAntibiotic treatment failures in the absence of resistance are not uncommon. Recently, attention has grown around the phenomenon of antibiotic tolerance, an underappreciated contributor to recalcitrant infections first detected in the 1970s. Tolerance describes the ability of a bacterial population to survive transient exposure to an otherwise lethal concentration of antibiotic without exhibiting resistance. With advances in genomics, we are gaining a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind tolerance, and several studies have sought to examine the clinical prevalence of tolerance. Attempts have also been made to assess the clinical significance of tolerance through in vivo infection models and prospective/retrospective clinical studies. Here, we review the data available on the molecular mechanisms, detection, prevalence, and clinical significance of genotypic tolerance that span ~50 years. We discuss the need for standardized methodology and interpretation criteria for tolerance detection and the impact that methodological inconsistencies have on our ability to accurately assess the scale of the problem. In terms of the clinical significance of tolerance, studies suggest that tolerance contributes to worse outcomes for patients (e.g., higher mortality, prolonged hospitalization), but historical data from animal models are varied. Furthermore, we lack the necessary information to effectively treat tolerant infections. Overall, while the tolerance field is gaining much-needed traction, the underlying clinical significance of tolerance that underpins all tolerance research is still far from clear and requires attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley T Deventer
- School of Biology, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Claire E Stevens
- School of Biology, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Stewart
- School of Biology, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Joanne K Hobbs
- School of Biology, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
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2
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Kim NK, Baek JE, Lee YJ, Oh Y, Oh JI. Rel-dependent decrease in the expression of ribosomal protein genes by inhibition of the respiratory electron transport chain in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1448277. [PMID: 39188315 PMCID: PMC11345224 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1448277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we demonstrated that both the expression of most ribosomal protein genes and the amount of ribosomes were decreased in the Δaa 3 mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis, in which the major terminal oxidase (aa 3 cytochrome c oxidase) of the respiratory electron transport chain (ETC) is inactivated, compared to those in the wild-type strain. Deletion of the rel gene encoding the major (p)ppGpp synthetase in the background of the Δaa 3 mutant restored the reduced expression of ribosomal protein genes, suggesting that inhibition of the respiratory ETC leads to the Rel-dependent stringent response (SR) in this bacterium. Both a decrease in the expression of ribosomal protein genes by overexpression of rel and the increased expression of rel in the Δaa 3 mutant relative to the wild-type strain support the Rel-dependent induction of SR in the Δaa 3 mutant. We also demonstrated that the expression of ribosomal protein genes was decreased in M. smegmatis exposed to respiration-inhibitory conditions, such as KCN and bedaquiline treatment, null mutation of the cytochrome bcc 1 complex, and hypoxia. The MprBA-SigE-SigB regulatory pathway was implicated in both the increased expression of rel and the decreased expression of ribosomal protein genes in the Δaa 3 mutant of M. smegmatis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Kyeong Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Eun Baek
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye-Jin Lee
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuna Oh
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Il Oh
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Microbiological Resource Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
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3
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Al Fardan AA, Koestler BJ. FhlA is a Formate Binding Protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.24.604796. [PMID: 39091852 PMCID: PMC11291172 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.24.604796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Escherichia coli uses glycolysis and mixed acid fermentation and produces formate as by product. One system E. coli uses for formate oxidation is formate hydrogen lyase complex (FHL). The expression of the FHL complex is dependent on formate and regulated by the transcriptional regulator FhlA. The structure of FhlA is composed of three domains. The N-terminal domain is putatively responsible for formate binding and FhlA oligomerization as a tetramer, the central portion of FhlA contains a AAA+ domain that hydrolyzes ATP, and the C-terminal domain binds DNA. Formate enhances FhlA-mediated expression of FHL; however, FhlA direct interaction with formate has never been demonstrated. Formate-protein interactions are challenging to assess, due to the small and ubiquitous nature of the molecule. Here, we have developed three techniques to assess formate-protein interaction. We use these techniques to confirm that FhlA binds formate in the N-terminal domain in vitro , and that this interaction is partially dependent on residues E183 and E363, consistent with previous reports. This study is a proof of concept that these techniques can be used to assess other formate-protein interactions.
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Li L, Rybak MY, Lin J, Gagnon MG. The ribosome termination complex remodels release factor RF3 and ejects GDP. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024:10.1038/s41594-024-01360-0. [PMID: 39030416 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01360-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Translation termination involves release factors RF1, RF2 and the GTPase RF3 that recycles RF1 and RF2 from the ribosome. RF3 dissociates from the ribosome in the GDP-bound form and must then exchange GDP for GTP. The 70S ribosome termination complex (70S-TC) accelerates GDP exchange in RF3, suggesting that the 70S-TC can function as the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for RF3. Here, we use cryogenic-electron microscopy to elucidate the mechanism of GDP dissociation from RF3 catalyzed by the Escherichia coli 70S-TC. The non-rotated ribosome bound to RF1 remodels RF3 and induces a peptide flip in the phosphate-binding loop, efficiently ejecting GDP. Binding of GTP allows RF3 to dock at the GTPase center, promoting the dissociation of RF1 from the ribosome. The structures recapitulate the functional cycle of RF3 on the ribosome and uncover the mechanism by which the 70S-TC allosterically dismantles the phosphate-binding groove in RF3, a previously overlooked function of the ribosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Center for mRNA Translational Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mariia Yu Rybak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jinzhong Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Center for mRNA Translational Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Matthieu G Gagnon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
- Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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5
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Brissac T, Guyonnet C, Sadouni A, Hernández-Montoya A, Jacquemet E, Legendre R, Sismeiro O, Trieu-Cuot P, Lanotte P, Tazi A, Firon A. Coordinated regulation of osmotic imbalance by c-di-AMP shapes ß-lactam tolerance in Group B Streptococcus. MICROLIFE 2024; 5:uqae014. [PMID: 38993744 PMCID: PMC11238645 DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqae014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae is among the few pathogens that have not developed resistance to ß-lactam antibiotics despite decades of clinical use. The molecular basis of this long-lasting susceptibility has not been investigated, and it is not known whether specific mechanisms constrain the emergence of resistance. In this study, we first report ß-lactam tolerance due to the inactivation of the c-di-AMP phosphodiesterase GdpP. Mechanistically, tolerance depends on antagonistic regulation by the repressor BusR, which is activated by c-di-AMP and negatively regulates ß-lactam susceptibility through the BusAB osmolyte transporter and the AmaP/Asp23/GlsB cell envelope stress complex. The BusR transcriptional response is synergistic with the simultaneous allosteric inhibition of potassium and osmolyte transporters by c-di-AMP, which individually contribute to low-level ß-lactam tolerance. Genome-wide transposon mutagenesis confirms the role of GdpP and highlights functional interactions between a lysozyme-like hydrolase, the KhpAB RNA chaperone and the protein S immunomodulator in the response of GBS to ß-lactam. Overall, we demonstrate that c-di-AMP acts as a turgor pressure rheostat, coordinating an integrated response at the transcriptional and post-translational levels to cell wall weakening caused by ß-lactam activity, and reveal additional mechanisms that could foster resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry Brissac
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of Gram-positive Pathogens, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Guyonnet
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1016, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR8104, Team Bacteria and Perinatality, 75015, Paris, France
- Department of Bacteriology, French National Reference Center for Streptococci, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Centre, Hôpital Cochin, 75005, Paris, France
- Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire Fighting Prematurity, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Aymane Sadouni
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of Gram-positive Pathogens, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Ariadna Hernández-Montoya
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of Gram-positive Pathogens, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Elise Jacquemet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Rachel Legendre
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Odile Sismeiro
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of Gram-positive Pathogens, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Trieu-Cuot
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of Gram-positive Pathogens, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Lanotte
- Université de Tours, INRAE, UMR 1282 ISP, 3700, Tours, France
- CHRU de Tours, Service de Bactériologie-Virologie, 37044, Tours, France
| | - Asmaa Tazi
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1016, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR8104, Team Bacteria and Perinatality, 75015, Paris, France
- Department of Bacteriology, French National Reference Center for Streptococci, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Centre, Hôpital Cochin, 75005, Paris, France
- Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire Fighting Prematurity, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Firon
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of Gram-positive Pathogens, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015, Paris, France
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6
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Lejeune C, Cornu D, Sago L, Redeker V, Virolle MJ. The stringent response is strongly activated in the antibiotic producing strain, Streptomyces coelicolor. Res Microbiol 2024; 175:104177. [PMID: 38159786 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
S. lividans and S. coelicolor are phylogenetically closely related strains with different abilities to produce the same specialized metabolites. Previous studies revealed that the strong antibiotic producer, S. coelicolor, had a lower ability to assimilate nitrogen and phosphate than the weak producer, Streptomyces lividans, and this resulted into a lower growth rate. A comparative proteomic dataset was used to establish the consequences of these nutritional stresses on the abundance of proteins of the translational apparatus of these strains, grown in low and high phosphate availability. Our study revealed that most proteins of the translational apparatus were less abundant in S. coelicolor than in S. lividans whereas it was the opposite for ET-Tu 3 and a TrmA-like methyltransferase. The expression of the latter being known to be under the positive control of the stringent response whereas that of the other ribosomal proteins is under its negative control, this indicated the occurrence of a strong activation of the stringent response in S. coelicolor. Furthermore, in S. lividans, ribosomal proteins were more abundant in phosphate proficiency than in phosphate limitation suggesting that a limitation in phosphate, that was also shown to trigger RelA expression, contributes to the induction of the stringent response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Lejeune
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - David Cornu
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Laila Sago
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Virginie Redeker
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France; Institut Francois Jacob, Molecular Imaging Center (MIRCen), Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Marie-Joelle Virolle
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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7
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Zeden MS. mSphere of Influence: Targeting bacterial signaling and metabolism to overcome antimicrobial resistance. mSphere 2024; 9:e0063223. [PMID: 38305167 PMCID: PMC10900877 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00632-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Dr Merve Suzan Zeden works in the field of molecular bacteriology and antibiotic resistance. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how three papers, entitled "c-di-AMP modulates Listeria monocytogenes central metabolism to regulate growth, antibiotic resistance and osmoregulation," "Amino acid catabolism in Staphylococcus aureus and the function of carbon catabolite repression," and "Evolving MRSA: high-level β-lactam resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is associated with RNA polymerase alterations and fine tuning of gene expression," made an impact on her work on bacterial metabolism and antimicrobial resistance and how it shaped her research in understanding the link in between.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve S Zeden
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
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8
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Kago G, Turnbough CL, Salazar JC, Payne SM. (p)ppGpp is required for virulence of Shigella flexneri. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0033423. [PMID: 38099658 PMCID: PMC10790822 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00334-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Infection by the enteric pathogen Shigella flexneri requires transit through the gastrointestinal tract and invasion of and replication within the cells of the host colonic epithelium. This process exposes the pathogen to a range of diverse microenvironments. Furthermore, the unique composition and physical environment of the eukaryotic cell cytosol represents a stressful environment for S. flexneri, and extensive physiological adaptations are needed for the bacterium to thrive. In this work, we show that disrupting synthesis of the stringent response alarmone (p)ppGpp in S. flexneri diminished expression of key virulence genes, including ipaA, ipaB, ipaC, and icsA, and it reduced bacterial invasion and intercellular spread. Deletion of the (p)ppGpp synthase gene relA alone had no effect on S. flexneri virulence, but disruption of both relA and the (p)ppGpp synthase/hydrolase gene spoT resulted in loss of (p)ppGpp synthesis and virulence. While the relA spoT deletion mutant was able to invade a cultured human epithelial cell monolayer, albeit at reduced levels, it was unable to maintain the infection and spread to adjacent cells, as indicated by loss of plaque formation. Complementation with spoT on a plasmid vector restored plaque formation. Thus, SpoT alone is sufficient to provide the necessary level of (p)ppGpp for virulence. These results indicate that (p)ppGpp is required for S. flexneri virulence and adaptation to the intracellular environment, adding to the repertoire of signaling pathways that affect Shigella pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Kago
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Charles L. Turnbough
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Salazar
- Programa de Microbiología y Micología, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Shelley M. Payne
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- John Ring LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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9
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Zhou RW, Gordon IJ, Hei Y, Wang B. Synthetase and Hydrolase Specificity Collectively Excludes 2'-Deoxyguanosine from Bacterial Alarmone. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.06.574488. [PMID: 38260349 PMCID: PMC10802352 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.06.574488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
In response to starvation, virtually all bacteria pyrophosphorylate the 3'-hydroxy group of GTP or GDP to produce two messenger nucleotides collectively denoted as (p)ppGpp. Also known as alarmones, (p)ppGpp reprograms bacterial physiology to arrest growth and promote survival. Intriguingly, although cellular concentration of dGTP is two orders of magnitude lower than that of GTP, alarmone synthetases are highly selective against using 2'-deoxyguanosine (2dG) nucleotides as substrates. We thus hypothesize that production of 2dG alarmone, (p)pp(dG)pp, is highly deleterious, which drives a strong negative selection to exclude 2dG nucleotides from alarmone signaling. In this work, we show that the B. subtilis SasB synthetase prefers GDP over dGDP with 65,000-fold higher kcat/Km, a specificity stricter than RNA polymerase selecting against 2'-deoxynucleotides. Using comparative chemical proteomics, we found that although most known alarmone-binding proteins in Escherichia coli cannot distinguish ppGpp from pp(dG)pp, hydrolysis of pp(dG)pp by the essential hydrolase, SpoT, is 1,000-fold slower. This inability to degrade 2'-deoxy-3'-pyrophosphorylated substrate is a common feature of the alarmone hydrolase family. We further show that SpoT is a binuclear metallopyrophoshohydrolase and that hydrolysis of ppGpp and pp(dG)pp shares the same metal dependence. Our results support a model in which 2'-OH directly coordinates the Mn2+ at SpoT active center to stabilize the hydrolysis-productive conformation of ppGpp. Taken together, our study reveals a vital role of 2'-OH in alarmone degradation, provides new insight on the catalytic mechanism of alarmone hydrolases, and leads to the conclusion that 2dG nucleotides must be strictly excluded from alarmone synthesis because bacteria lack the key machinery to down-regulate such products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rich W Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Isis J Gordon
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Hei
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Boyuan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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10
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Ontai-Brenning A, Hamchand R, Crawford JM, Goodman AL. Gut microbes modulate (p)ppGpp during a time-restricted feeding regimen. mBio 2023; 14:e0190723. [PMID: 37971266 PMCID: PMC10746209 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01907-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Mammals do not eat continuously, instead concentrating their feeding to a restricted portion of the day. This behavior presents the mammalian gut microbiota with a fluctuating environment with consequences for host-microbiome interaction, infection risk, immune response, drug metabolism, and other aspects of health. We demonstrate that in mice, gut microbes elevate levels of an intracellular signaling molecule, (p)ppGpp, during the fasting phase of a time-restricted feeding regimen. Disabling this response in a representative human gut commensal species significantly reduces colonization during this host-fasting phase. This response appears to be general across species and conserved across mammalian gut communities, highlighting a pathway that allows healthy gut microbiomes to maintain stability in an unstable environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Ontai-Brenning
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Randy Hamchand
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Institute of Biomolecular Design & Discovery, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jason M. Crawford
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Institute of Biomolecular Design & Discovery, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Andrew L. Goodman
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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11
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Fung DK, Trinquier AE, Wang JD. Crosstalk between (p)ppGpp and other nucleotide second messengers. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 76:102398. [PMID: 37866203 PMCID: PMC10842992 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
In response to environmental cues, bacteria produce intracellular nucleotide messengers to regulate a wide variety of cellular processes and physiology. Studies on individual nucleotide messengers, such as (p)ppGpp or cyclic (di)nucleotides, have established their respective regulatory themes. As research on nucleotide signaling networks expands, recent studies have begun to uncover various crosstalk mechanisms between (p)ppGpp and other nucleotide messengers, including signal conversion, allosteric regulation, and target competition. The multiple layers of crosstalk implicate that (p)ppGpp is intricately linked to different nucleotide signaling pathways. From a physiological perspective, (p)ppGpp crosstalk enables fine-tuning and feedback regulation with other nucleotide messengers to achieve optimal adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny K Fung
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Aude E Trinquier
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jue D Wang
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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12
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Chen E, Shaffer MG, Bilodeau RE, West RE, Oberly PJ, Nolin TD, Culyba MJ. Clinical rel mutations in Staphylococcus aureus prime pathogen expansion under nutrient stress. mSphere 2023; 8:e0024923. [PMID: 37750686 PMCID: PMC10597345 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00249-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent infection by Staphylococcus aureus has been linked to the bacterial stringent response (SR), a conserved stress response pathway regulated by the Rel protein. Rel synthesizes (p)ppGpp "alarmones" in response to amino acid starvation, which enables adaptation to stress by modulating bacterial growth and virulence. We previously identified five novel protein-altering mutations in rel that arose in patients with persistent methicillin-resistant S. aureus bacteremia. The mutations mapped to both the enzymatic and regulatory protein domains of Rel. Here, we set out to characterize the phenotype of these mutations to understand how they may have been selected in vivo. After introducing each mutation into S. aureus strain JE2, we analyzed growth, fitness, and antibiotic profiles. Despite being located in different protein domains, we found that all of the mutations converged on the same phenotype. Each shortened the time of lag phase growth and imparted a fitness advantage in nutritionally depleted conditions. Through quantification of intracellular (p)ppGpp, we link this phenotype to increased SR activation, specifically during the stationary phase of growth. In contrast to two previously identified clinical rel mutations, we find that our rel mutations do not cause antibiotic tolerance. Instead, our findings suggest that in vivo selection was due to an augmented SR that primes cells for growth in nutrient-poor conditions, which may be a strategy for evading host-imposed nutritional immunity. Importance Host and pathogen compete for available nutrition during infection. For bacteria, the stringent response (SR) regulator Rel responds to amino acid deprivation by signaling the cell to modulate its growth rate, metabolism, and virulence. In this report, we characterize five rel mutations that arose during cases of persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. We find that all of the mutations augmented SR signaling specifically under nutrient-poor conditions, enabling the cell to more readily grow and survive. Our findings reveal a strategy used by bacterial pathogens to evade the nutritional immunity imposed by host tissues during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Chen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Marla G. Shaffer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Robert E. Bilodeau
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Raymond E. West
- Small Molecule Biomarker Core, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Patrick J. Oberly
- Small Molecule Biomarker Core, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Thomas D. Nolin
- Small Molecule Biomarker Core, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Matthew J. Culyba
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Gruffaz C, Smirnov A. GTPase Era at the heart of ribosome assembly. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1263433. [PMID: 37860580 PMCID: PMC10582724 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1263433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosome biogenesis is a key process in all organisms. It relies on coordinated work of multiple proteins and RNAs, including an array of assembly factors. Among them, the GTPase Era stands out as an especially deeply conserved protein, critically required for the assembly of bacterial-type ribosomes from Escherichia coli to humans. In this review, we bring together and critically analyze a wealth of phylogenetic, biochemical, structural, genetic and physiological data about this extensively studied but still insufficiently understood factor. We do so using a comparative and, wherever possible, synthetic approach, by confronting observations from diverse groups of bacteria and eukaryotic organelles (mitochondria and chloroplasts). The emerging consensus posits that Era intervenes relatively early in the small subunit biogenesis and is essential for the proper shaping of the platform which, in its turn, is a prerequisite for efficient translation. The timing of Era action on the ribosome is defined by its interactions with guanosine nucleotides [GTP, GDP, (p)ppGpp], ribosomal RNA, and likely other factors that trigger or delay its GTPase activity. As a critical nexus of the small subunit biogenesis, Era is subject to sophisticated regulatory mechanisms at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels. Failure of these mechanisms or a deficiency in Era function entail dramatic generalized consequences for the protein synthesis and far-reaching, pleiotropic effects on the organism physiology, such as the Perrault syndrome in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Gruffaz
- UMR7156- Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie (GMGM), University of Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexandre Smirnov
- UMR7156- Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie (GMGM), University of Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Strasbourg, France
- University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS), Strasbourg, France
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14
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Fernández-García L, Tomás M, Wood TK. Ribosome inactivation by Escherichia coli GTPase RsgA inhibits T4 phage. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1242163. [PMID: 37670987 PMCID: PMC10475562 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1242163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Bacteria must combat phages, and myriad bacterial anti-phage systems have been discovered that reduce host metabolism, for example, by depleting energetic compounds like ATP and NAD+. Hence, these systems indirectly inhibit protein production. Surprisingly, direct reduction of ribosome activity has not been demonstrated to thwart phage. Methods Here, by producing each of the 4,287 Escherichia coli proteins and selecting for anti-phage activity that leads to enhanced growth, we investigated the role of host proteins in phage inhibition. Results and discussion We identified that E. coli GTPase RsgA inhibits lytic phage T4 by inactivating ribosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fernández-García
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - María Tomás
- Microbiology Translational and Multidisciplinary (MicroTM)-Research Institute Biomedical A Coruña (INIBIC) and Microbiology Department of Hospital A Coruña (CHUAC), University of A Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Thomas K. Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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15
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Qiu D, Lange E, Haas TM, Prucker I, Masuda S, Wang YL, Felix G, Schaaf G, Jessen HJ. Bacterial Pathogen Infection Triggers Magic Spot Nucleotide Signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana Chloroplasts through Specific RelA/SpoT Homologues. J Am Chem Soc 2023. [PMID: 37437195 PMCID: PMC10375528 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Magic spot nucleotides (p)ppGpp are important signaling molecules in bacteria and plants. In the latter, RelA-SpoT homologue (RSH) enzymes are responsible for (p)ppGpp turnover. Profiling of (p)ppGpp is more difficult in plants than in bacteria due to lower concentrations and more severe matrix effects. Here, we report that capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry (CE-MS) can be deployed to study (p)ppGpp abundance and identity in Arabidopsis thaliana. This goal is achieved by combining a titanium dioxide extraction protocol and pre-spiking with chemically synthesized stable isotope-labeled internal reference compounds. The high sensitivity and separation efficiency of CE-MS enables monitoring of changes in (p)ppGpp levels in A. thaliana upon infection with the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (PstDC3000). We observed a significant increase of ppGpp post infection that is also stimulated by the flagellin peptide flg22 only. This increase depends on functional flg22 receptor FLS2 and its interacting kinase BAK1 indicating that pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) receptor-mediated signaling controls ppGpp levels. Transcript analyses showed an upregulation of RSH2 upon flg22 treatment and both RSH2 and RSH3 after PstDC3000 infection. Arabidopsis mutants deficient in RSH2 and RSH3 activity display no ppGpp accumulation upon infection and flg22 treatment, supporting the involvement of these synthases in PAMP-triggered innate immune responses to pathogens within the chloroplast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danye Qiu
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS─Centre for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Esther Lange
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Department of Plant Nutrition, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas M Haas
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Isabel Prucker
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Shinji Masuda
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Yan L Wang
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), Department of Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Georg Felix
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), Department of Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Gabriel Schaaf
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Department of Plant Nutrition, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Henning J Jessen
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS─Centre for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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16
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Brückner S, Müller F, Schadowski L, Kalle T, Weber S, Marino EC, Kutscher B, Möller AM, Adler S, Begerow D, Steinchen W, Bange G, Narberhaus F. (p)ppGpp and moonlighting RNases influence the first step of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. MICROLIFE 2023; 4:uqad031. [PMID: 37426605 PMCID: PMC10326835 DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqad031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) protects Gram-negative bacteria from harsh environmental conditions and provides intrinsic resistance to many antimicrobial compounds. The asymmetric OM is characterized by phospholipids in the inner leaflet and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the outer leaflet. Previous reports suggested an involvement of the signaling nucleotide ppGpp in cell envelope homeostasis in Escherichia coli. Here, we investigated the effect of ppGpp on OM biosynthesis. We found that ppGpp inhibits the activity of LpxA, the first enzyme of LPS biosynthesis, in a fluorometric in vitro assay. Moreover, overproduction of LpxA resulted in elongated cells and shedding of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) with altered LPS content. These effects were markedly stronger in a ppGpp-deficient background. We further show that RnhB, an RNase H isoenzyme, binds ppGpp, interacts with LpxA, and modulates its activity. Overall, our study uncovered new regulatory players in the early steps of LPS biosynthesis, an essential process with many implications in the physiology and susceptibility to antibiotics of Gram-negative commensals and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Brückner
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Fabian Müller
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Laura Schadowski
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Tyll Kalle
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sophia Weber
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Emily C Marino
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Blanka Kutscher
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Anna-Maria Möller
- Microbial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sabine Adler
- Evolution of Plants and Fungi, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dominik Begerow
- Evolution of Plants and Fungi, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, Bochum, Germany
- Organismische Botanik und Mykologie, Institut für Planzenwissenschaften und Mikrobiologie, Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Hamburg,Ohnhorststrasse 18, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wieland Steinchen
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 14, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 14, Marburg, Germany
| | - Franz Narberhaus
- Corresponding author. Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, NDEF 06/784, 44780 Bochum, Germany. Tel: +492343223100; Fax: +492343214620; E-mail:
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17
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Ortiz Camargo AR, van Mastrigt O, Bongers RS, Ben-Amor K, Knol J, Abee T, Smid EJ. Quantitative Physiology and Proteome Adaptations of Bifidobacterium breve NRBB57 at Near-Zero Growth Rates. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0256822. [PMID: 37184421 PMCID: PMC10269484 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02568-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In natural environments, nutrients are usually scarce, causing microorganisms to grow slowly while staying metabolically active. These natural conditions can be simulated using retentostat cultivations. The present study describes the physiological and proteome adaptations of the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve NRBB57 from high (0.4 h-1) to near-zero growth rates. Lactose-limited retentostat cultivations were carried out for 21 days in which the bacterial growth rate progressively reduced to 0.00092 h-1, leading to a 3.4-fold reduction of the maintenance energy requirement. Lactose was mainly converted into acetate, formate, and ethanol at high growth rates, while in the retentostat, lactate production increased. Interestingly, the consumption of several amino acids (serine, aspartic acid, and glutamine/arginine) and glycerol increased over time in the retentostat. Morphological changes and viable but nonculturable cells were also observed in the retentostat. Proteomes were compared for all growth rates, revealing a downregulation of ribosomal proteins at near-zero growth rates and an upregulation of proteins involved in the catabolism of alternative energy sources. Finally, we observed induction of the stringent response and stress defense systems. Retentostat cultivations were proven useful to study the physiology of B. breve, mimicking the nutrient scarcity of its complex habitat, the human gut. IMPORTANCE In natural environments, nutrients are usually scarce, causing microorganisms to grow slowly while staying metabolically active. In this study we used retentostat cultivation to investigate how the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve adapts its physiology and proteome under severe nutrient limitation resulting in near-zero growth rates (<0.001 h-1). We showed that the nutrient limitation induced a multifaceted response including stress defense and stringent response, metabolic shifts, and the activation of novel alternative energy-producing pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oscar van Mastrigt
- Food Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Jan Knol
- Danone Nutricia Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tjakko Abee
- Food Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eddy J. Smid
- Food Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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18
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Keller MR, Dörr T. Bacterial metabolism and susceptibility to cell wall-active antibiotics. Adv Microb Physiol 2023; 83:181-219. [PMID: 37507159 PMCID: PMC11024984 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial infections are increasingly resistant to antimicrobial therapy. Intense research focus has thus been placed on identifying the mechanisms that bacteria use to resist killing or growth inhibition by antibiotics and the ways in which bacteria share these traits with one another. This work has led to the advancement of new drugs, combination therapy regimens, and a deeper appreciation for the adaptability seen in microorganisms. However, while the primary mechanisms of action of most antibiotics are well understood, the more subtle contributions of bacterial metabolic state to repairing or preventing damage caused by antimicrobials (thereby promoting survival) are still understudied. Here, we review a modern viewpoint on a classical system: examining bacterial metabolism's connection to antibiotic susceptibility. We dive into the relationship between metabolism and antibiotic efficacy through the lens of growth rate, energy state, resource allocation, and the infection environment, focusing on cell wall-active antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Renee Keller
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Tobias Dörr
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
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19
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Leiva LE, Zegarra V, Bange G, Ibba M. At the Crossroad of Nucleotide Dynamics and Protein Synthesis in Bacteria. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0004422. [PMID: 36853029 PMCID: PMC10029340 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00044-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleotides are at the heart of the most essential biological processes in the cell, be it as key protagonists in the dogma of molecular biology or by regulating multiple metabolic pathways. The dynamic nature of nucleotides, the cross talk between them, and their constant feedback to and from the cell's metabolic state position them as a hallmark of adaption toward environmental and growth challenges. It has become increasingly clear how the activity of RNA polymerase, the synthesis and maintenance of tRNAs, mRNA translation at all stages, and the biogenesis and assembly of ribosomes are fine-tuned by the pools of intracellular nucleotides. With all aspects composing protein synthesis involved, the ribosome emerges as the molecular hub in which many of these nucleotides encounter each other and regulate the state of the cell. In this review, we aim to highlight intracellular nucleotides in bacteria as dynamic characters permanently cross talking with each other and ultimately regulating protein synthesis at various stages in which the ribosome is mainly the principal character.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Eugenio Leiva
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Victor Zegarra
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Michael Ibba
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
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20
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Sound the (Smaller) Alarm: The Triphosphate Magic Spot Nucleotide pGpp. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0043222. [PMID: 36920208 PMCID: PMC10112252 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00432-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It has recently become evident that the bacterial stringent response is regulated by a triphosphate alarmone (pGpp) as well as the canonical tetra- and pentaphosphate alarmones ppGpp and pppGpp [together, (p)ppGpp]. Often dismissed in the past as an artifact or degradation product, pGpp has been confirmed as a deliberate endpoint of multiple synthetic pathways utilizing GMP, (p)ppGpp, or GDP/GTP as precursors. Some early studies concluded that pGpp functionally mimics (p)ppGpp and that its biological role is to make alarmone metabolism less dependent on the guanine energy charge of the cell by allowing GMP-dependent synthesis to continue when GDP/GTP has been depleted. However, recent reports that pGpp binds unique potential protein receptors and is the only alarmone synthesized by the intestinal pathogen Clostridioides difficile indicate that pGpp is more than a stand-in for the longer alarmones and plays a distinct biological role beyond its functional overlap (p)ppGpp.
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21
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Carrilero L, Urwin L, Ward E, Choudhury NR, Monk IR, Turner CE, Stinear TP, Corrigan RM. Stringent Response-Mediated Control of GTP Homeostasis Is Required for Long-Term Viability of Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0044723. [PMID: 36877013 PMCID: PMC10101089 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00447-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that often results in difficult-to-treat infections. One mechanism used by S. aureus to enhance survival during infection is the stringent response. This is a stress survival pathway that utilizes the nucleotides (p)ppGpp to reallocate bacterial resources, shutting down growth until conditions improve. Small colony variants (SCVs) of S. aureus are frequently associated with chronic infections, and this phenotype has previously been linked to a hyperactive stringent response. Here, we examine the role of (p)ppGpp in the long-term survival of S. aureus under nutrient-restricted conditions. When starved, a (p)ppGpp-null S. aureus mutant strain ((p)ppGpp0) initially had decreased viability. However, after 3 days we observed the presence and dominance of a population of small colonies. Similar to SCVs, these small colony isolates (p0-SCIs) had reduced growth but remained hemolytic and sensitive to gentamicin, phenotypes that have been tied to SCVs previously. Genomic analysis of the p0-SCIs revealed mutations arising within gmk, encoding an enzyme in the GTP synthesis pathway. We show that a (p)ppGpp0 strain has elevated levels of GTP, and that the mutations in the p0-SCIs all lower Gmk enzyme activity and consequently cellular GTP levels. We further show that in the absence of (p)ppGpp, cell viability can be rescued using the GuaA inhibitor decoyinine, which artificially lowers the intracellular GTP concentration. Our study highlights the role of (p)ppGpp in GTP homeostasis and underscores the importance of nucleotide signaling for long-term survival of S. aureus in nutrient-limiting conditions, such as those encountered during infections. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen that upon invasion of a host encounters stresses, such as nutritional restriction. The bacteria respond by switching on a signaling cascade controlled by the nucleotides (p)ppGpp. These nucleotides function to shut down bacterial growth until conditions improve. Therefore, (p)ppGpp are important for bacterial survival and have been implicated in promoting chronic infections. Here, we investigate the importance of (p)ppGpp for long-term survival of bacteria in nutrient-limiting conditions similar to those in a human host. We discovered that in the absence of (p)ppGpp, bacterial viability decreases due to dysregulation of GTP homeostasis. However, the (p)ppGpp-null bacteria were able to compensate by introducing mutations in the GTP synthesis pathway that led to a reduction in GTP build-up and a rescue of viability. This study therefore highlights the importance of (p)ppGpp for the regulation of GTP levels and for long-term survival of S. aureus in restricted environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Carrilero
- The Florey Institute, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy Urwin
- The Florey Institute, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ezra Ward
- The Florey Institute, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Naznin R. Choudhury
- The Florey Institute, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ian R. Monk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claire E. Turner
- The Florey Institute, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy P. Stinear
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca M. Corrigan
- The Florey Institute, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Protein-Ligand Interactions in Scarcity: The Stringent Response from Bacteria to Metazoa, and the Unanswered Questions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043999. [PMID: 36835415 PMCID: PMC9965611 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The stringent response, originally identified in Escherichia coli as a signal that leads to reprogramming of gene expression under starvation or nutrient deprivation, is now recognized as ubiquitous in all bacteria, and also as part of a broader survival strategy in diverse, other stress conditions. Much of our insight into this phenomenon derives from the role of hyperphosphorylated guanosine derivatives (pppGpp, ppGpp, pGpp; guanosine penta-, tetra- and tri-phosphate, respectively) that are synthesized on starvation cues and act as messengers or alarmones. These molecules, collectively referred to here as (p)ppGpp, orchestrate a complex network of biochemical steps that eventually lead to the repression of stable RNA synthesis, growth, and cell division, while promoting amino acid biosynthesis, survival, persistence, and virulence. In this analytical review, we summarize the mechanism of the major signaling pathways in the stringent response, consisting of the synthesis of the (p)ppGpp, their interaction with RNA polymerase, and diverse factors of macromolecular biosynthesis, leading to differential inhibition and activation of specific promoters. We also briefly touch upon the recently reported stringent-like response in a few eukaryotes, which is a very disparate mechanism involving MESH1 (Metazoan SpoT Homolog 1), a cytosolic NADPH phosphatase. Lastly, using ppGpp as an example, we speculate on possible pathways of simultaneous evolution of alarmones and their multiple targets.
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Termination factor Rho mediates transcriptional reprogramming of Bacillus subtilis stationary phase. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010618. [PMID: 36735730 PMCID: PMC9931155 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription termination factor Rho is known for its ubiquitous role in suppression of pervasive, mostly antisense, transcription. In the model Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis, de-repression of pervasive transcription by inactivation of rho revealed the role of Rho in the regulation of post-exponential differentiation programs. To identify other aspects of the regulatory role of Rho during adaptation to starvation, we have constructed a B. subtilis strain (Rho+) that expresses rho at a relatively stable high level in order to compensate for its decrease in the wild-type cells entering stationary phase. The RNAseq analysis of Rho+, WT and Δrho strains (expression profiles can be visualized at http://genoscapist.migale.inrae.fr/seb_rho/) shows that Rho over-production enhances the termination efficiency of Rho-sensitive terminators, thus reducing transcriptional read-through and antisense transcription genome-wide. Moreover, the Rho+ strain exhibits global alterations of sense transcription with the most significant changes observed for the AbrB, CodY, and stringent response regulons, forming the pathways governing the transition to stationary phase. Subsequent physiological analyses demonstrated that maintaining rho expression at a stable elevated level modifies stationary phase-specific physiology of B. subtilis cells, weakens stringent response, and thereby negatively affects the cellular adaptation to nutrient limitations and other stresses, and blocks the development of genetic competence and sporulation. These results highlight the Rho-specific termination of transcription as a novel element controlling stationary phase. The release of this control by decreasing Rho levels during the transition to stationary phase appears crucial for the functionality of complex gene networks ensuring B. subtilis survival in stationary phase.
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25
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Mehrez M, Romand S, Field B. New perspectives on the molecular mechanisms of stress signalling by the nucleotide guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp), an emerging regulator of photosynthesis in plants and algae. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:1086-1099. [PMID: 36349398 PMCID: PMC10107265 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The nucleotides guanosine tetraphosphate and guanosine pentaphosphate (together (p)ppGpp) are found in a wide range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms where they are associated with stress signalling. In this review, we will discuss recent research highlighting the role of (p)ppGpp signalling as a conserved regulator of photosynthetic activity in the chloroplasts of plants and algae, and the latest discoveries that open up new perspectives on the emerging roles of (p)ppGpp in acclimation to environmental stress. We explore how rapid advances in the study of (p)ppGpp signalling in prokaryotes are now revealing large gaps in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of signalling by (p)ppGpp and related nucleotides in plants and algae. Filling in these gaps is likely to lead to the discovery of conserved as well as new plant- and algal-specific (p)ppGpp signalling mechanisms that will offer new insights into the taming of the chloroplast and the regulation of stress tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Mehrez
- Aix‐Marseille University, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, UMR726513009MarseilleFrance
- Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Immunology and BiotechnologyUniversity of Tunis El Manar2092TunisTunisia
| | - Shanna Romand
- Aix‐Marseille University, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, UMR726513009MarseilleFrance
| | - Ben Field
- Aix‐Marseille University, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, UMR726513009MarseilleFrance
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Phage transcription activator RinA regulates Staphylococcus aureus virulence by governing sarA expression. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:191-202. [PMID: 36520268 PMCID: PMC9867676 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-022-01352-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen, that can lead to various community- and hospital-acquired infections. RinA is a transcription activator of S. aureus phage φ 11 involved in phage packaging and virulence gene transfer. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of RinA in the regulation of virulence. OBJECTIVE We aimed to explore a novel contribution of RinA in the regulation of virulence and provide a new drug target in the treatment of S. aureus infections. METHODS The specific functions of RinA in S. aureus were analyzed by the methods of growth curve, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), subcellular localization, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), infection model of Galleria mellonella larvae and the mouse subcutaneous abscess model. RESULTS In this study, we demonstrated that RinA is a protein evenly distributed in the cytoplasm of S. aureus, and its deletion could cause the growth defects. RT-qPCR and EMSA determined that rinA could negatively regulate the expression of sarA by directly binding to its promoter, and vice versa. The Galleria mellonella larvae infection and mouse subcutaneous abscess models revealed that the rinA mutant strain exhibited obvious virulence defects. When sarA is knocked out, the virulence of S.aureus had no significantly changes whether rinA is knocked out or not. CONCLUSION Our fndings demonstrated that phage transcription activator RinA regulates S. aureus virulence by governing sarA expression.
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Han W, Peng B, Wang C, Townsend GE, Barry NA, Peske F, Goodman AL, Liu J, Rodnina MV, Groisman EA. Gut colonization by Bacteroides requires translation by an EF-G paralog lacking GTPase activity. EMBO J 2023; 42:e112372. [PMID: 36472247 PMCID: PMC9841332 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis is crucial for cell growth and survival yet one of the most energy-consuming cellular processes. How, then, do cells sustain protein synthesis under starvation conditions when energy is limited? To accelerate the translocation of mRNA-tRNAs through the ribosome, bacterial elongation factor G (EF-G) hydrolyzes energy-rich guanosine triphosphate (GTP) for every amino acid incorporated into a protein. Here, we identify an EF-G paralog-EF-G2-that supports translocation without hydrolyzing GTP in the gut commensal bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. EF-G2's singular ability to sustain protein synthesis, albeit at slow rates, is crucial for bacterial gut colonization. EF-G2 is ~10-fold more abundant than canonical EF-G1 in bacteria harvested from murine ceca and, unlike EF-G1, specifically accumulates during carbon starvation. Moreover, we uncover a 26-residue region unique to EF-G2 that is essential for protein synthesis, EF-G2 dissociation from the ribosome, and responsible for the absence of GTPase activity. Our findings reveal how cells curb energy consumption while maintaining protein synthesis to advance fitness in nutrient-fluctuating environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Han
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Microbial Sciences InstituteWest HavenCTUSA
| | - Bee‐Zen Peng
- Department of Physical BiochemistryMax Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
| | - Chunyan Wang
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Microbial Sciences InstituteWest HavenCTUSA
| | - Guy E Townsend
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Microbial Sciences InstituteWest HavenCTUSA
- Present address:
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyPenn State College of MedicineHersheyPAUSA
| | - Natasha A Barry
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Microbial Sciences InstituteWest HavenCTUSA
| | - Frank Peske
- Department of Physical BiochemistryMax Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
| | - Andrew L Goodman
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Microbial Sciences InstituteWest HavenCTUSA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Microbial Sciences InstituteWest HavenCTUSA
| | - Marina V Rodnina
- Department of Physical BiochemistryMax Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
| | - Eduardo A Groisman
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Microbial Sciences InstituteWest HavenCTUSA
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Stoll J, Zegarra V, Bange G, Graumann PL. Single-molecule dynamics suggest that ribosomes assemble at sites of translation in Bacillus subtilis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:999176. [PMID: 36406443 PMCID: PMC9670183 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.999176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells transcribe ribosomal RNA and largely assemble ribosomes in a structure called the nucleolus, where chromosomal regions containing rRNA operons are clustered. In bacteria, many rRNA operons cluster close to the origin regions that are positioned on the outer borders of nucleoids, close to polar areas, where translating 70S ribosomes are located. Because outer regions of the nucleoids contain the highest accumulation of RNA polymerase, it has been hypothesized that bacteria contain "nucleolus-like" structures. However, ribosome subunits freely diffuse through the entire cells, and could thus be assembled and matured throughout the non-compartmentalized cell. By tracking single molecules of two GTPases that play an essential role in ribosomal folding and processing in Bacillus subtilis, we show that this process takes place at sites of translation, i.e., predominantly at the cell poles. Induction of the stringent response led to a change in the population of GTPases assumed to be active in maturation, but did not abolish nucleoid occlusion of ribosomes or of GTPases. Our findings strongly support the idea of the conceptualization of nucleolus-like structures in bacteria, i.e., rRNA synthesis, ribosomal protein synthesis and subunit assembly occurring in close proximity at the cell poles, facilitating the efficiency of ribosome maturation even under conditions of transient nutrient deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Peter L. Graumann
- Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Fachbereich Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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Functional mgrA Influences Genetic Changes within a Staphylococcus aureus Cell Population over Time. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0013822. [PMID: 36154359 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00138-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prolonged survival in the host-bacteria microenvironment drives the selection of alternative cell types in Staphylococcus aureus, permitting quasi-dormant sub-populations to develop. These facilitate antibiotic tolerance, long-term growth, and relapse of infection. Small Colony Variants (SCV) are an important cell type associated with persistent infection but are difficult to study in vitro due to the instability of the phenotype and reversion to the normal cell type. We have previously reported that under conditions of growth in continuous culture over a prolonged culture time, SCVs dominated a heterogenous population of cell types and these SCVs harbored a mutation in the DNA binding domain of the gene for the transcription factor, mgrA. To investigate this specific cell type further, S. aureus WCH-SK2-ΔmgrA itself was assessed with continuous culture. Compared to the wild type, the mgrA mutant strain required fewer generations to select for SCVs. There was an increased rate of mutagenesis within the ΔmgrA strain compared to the wild type, which we postulate is the mechanism explaining the increased emergence of SCV selection. The mgrA derived SCVs had impeded metabolism, altered MIC to specific antibiotics and an increased biofilm formation compared to non-SCV strain. Whole genomic sequencing detected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in phosphoglucosamine mutase glmM and tyrosine recombinase xerC. In addition, several genomic rearrangements were detected which affected genes involved in important functions such as antibiotic and toxic metal resistance and pathogenicity. Thus, we propose a direct link between mgrA and the SCV phenotype. IMPORTANCE Within a bacterial population, a stochastically generated heterogeneity of phenotypes allows continual survival against current and future stressors. The generation of a sub-population of quasi-dormant Small Colony Variants (SCV) in Staphylococcus aureus is such a mechanism, allowing for persistent or relapse of infection despite initial intervention seemingly clearing the infection. The use of continuous culture under clinically relevant conditions has allowed us to introduce time to the growth system and selects SCV within the population. This study provides valuable insights into the generation of SCV which are not addressed in standard laboratory generated models and reveals new pathways for understanding persistent S. aureus infection which can potentially be targeted in future treatments of persistent S. aureus infection.
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30
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Das S, Datta PP. Effect of a single amino acid substitution G98D in a ribosome-associated essential GTPase, CgtA, on the growth and morphology of Vibrio cholerae. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:617. [PMID: 36097213 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-03233-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
CgtA, a highly conserved 50S ribosome-associated essential GTPase, acts as a repressor of the stringent stress response under nutrient-rich growth conditions to suppress basal levels of the alarmone ppGpp in V. cholerae. To further explore the in vivo functionality of CgtA, we introduced an amino acid substitution, i.e., Gly98Asp, in a conserved glycine residue in the N-terminal domain. The constructed V. cholerae mutant was designated CgtA(G98D). Comparison of cell sizes of the CgtA(G98D)mutant with its isogenic wild-type (Wt) strain N16961 under different phases of growth by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and statistical analysis suggests that CgtA may control the cell size of V. cholerae. The cell length is significantly reduced, corresponding to the delayed growth in the mid-logarithmic phase. The differences in the cell length of CgtA(G98D) and Wt are indistinguishable in the late logarithmic phase. During the stationary phase, marked by higher OD600, a sub-population of CgtA(G98D) cells outnumbered the Wt cells lengthwise. CgtA(G98D) cells appeared slenderer than Wt cells with significantly reduced cell width. However, the centerline curvature is preserved in CgtA(G98D) cells. We propose that in addition to its multitude of intracellular roles, CgtA may influence the cell size of V. cholerae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagarika Das
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohanpur, Nadia, Kolkata, 741246, West Bengal, India
| | - Partha Pratim Datta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohanpur, Nadia, Kolkata, 741246, West Bengal, India.
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31
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Bai K, Jiang N, Chen X, Xu X, Li J, Luo L. RNA-Seq Analysis Discovers the Critical Role of Rel in ppGpp Synthesis, Pathogenicity, and the VBNC State of Clavibacter michiganensis. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2022; 112:1844-1858. [PMID: 35341314 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-01-22-0023-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state is a unique survival strategy of bacteria in response to stress conditions. It was confirmed that Clavibacter michiganensis, the causal agent of bacterial canker in tomato, could be induced into the VBNC state by exposure to CuSO4 in an oligotrophic solution. RNA-sequencing analysis was used to monitor the mechanisms of the VBNC state during CuSO4 induction in C. michiganensis. The results identified that numerous genes involved in stringent response, copper resistance, and stress resistance were upregulated, and some involved in cell division were downregulated significantly. The study investigated the importance of Rel, which is an essential enzyme in the synthesis of the molecular alarmone ppGpp, via the generation of a Δrel mutant and its complementation strain. Biological characterization revealed that deficiency of rel reduced the bacterial growth, production of exopolysaccharides, and pathogenicity as well as ppGpp production. The Δrel mutant increased the sensitivity to environmental stress, exhibiting reduced growth on minimal media and a propensity to enter the VBNC state in response to CuSO4. These findings have important implications for the understanding of survival mechanism and management of C. michiganensis and other phytopathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihong Bai
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Na Jiang
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Xing Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoli Xu
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Jianqiang Li
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Laixin Luo
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
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32
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Takada H, Mandell ZF, Yakhnin H, Glazyrina A, Chiba S, Kurata T, Wu KJY, Tresco BIC, Myers AG, Aktinson GC, Babitzke P, Hauryliuk V. Expression of Bacillus subtilis ABCF antibiotic resistance factor VmlR is regulated by RNA polymerase pausing, transcription attenuation, translation attenuation and (p)ppGpp. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:6174-6189. [PMID: 35699226 PMCID: PMC9226507 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Since antibiotic resistance is often associated with a fitness cost, bacteria employ multi-layered regulatory mechanisms to ensure that expression of resistance factors is restricted to times of antibiotic challenge. In Bacillus subtilis, the chromosomally-encoded ABCF ATPase VmlR confers resistance to pleuromutilin, lincosamide and type A streptogramin translation inhibitors. Here we show that vmlR expression is regulated by translation attenuation and transcription attenuation mechanisms. Antibiotic-induced ribosome stalling during translation of an upstream open reading frame in the vmlR leader region prevents formation of an anti-antiterminator structure, leading to the formation of an antiterminator structure that prevents intrinsic termination. Thus, transcription in the presence of antibiotic induces vmlR expression. We also show that NusG-dependent RNA polymerase pausing in the vmlR leader prevents leaky expression in the absence of antibiotic. Furthermore, we demonstrate that induction of VmlR expression by compromised protein synthesis does not require the ability of VmlR to rescue the translational defect, as exemplified by constitutive induction of VmlR by ribosome assembly defects. Rather, the specificity of induction is determined by the antibiotic's ability to stall the ribosome on the regulatory open reading frame located within the vmlR leader. Finally, we demonstrate the involvement of (p)ppGpp-mediated signalling in antibiotic-induced VmlR expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiraku Takada
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University and Institute for Protein Dynamics, Kamigamo, Motoyama, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555, Japan
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Building 6K, 6L University Hospital Area, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Zachary F Mandell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Helen Yakhnin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Anastasiya Glazyrina
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Building 6K, 6L University Hospital Area, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Shinobu Chiba
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University and Institute for Protein Dynamics, Kamigamo, Motoyama, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555, Japan
| | - Tatsuaki Kurata
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Kelvin J Y Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ben I C Tresco
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrew G Myers
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gemma C Aktinson
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Paul Babitzke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Vasili Hauryliuk
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Building 6K, 6L University Hospital Area, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
- University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
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33
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Ichikawa S, Okazaki M, Okamura M, Nishimura N, Miyake H. Rare UV-resistant cells in clonal populations of Escherichia coli. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2022; 231:112448. [PMID: 35490545 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2022.112448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Water disinfection is one of the most important applications of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs), though bacterial regrowth remains a serious problem. In this study, we showed that UV-resistant cells, though rare, exist in an Escherichia coli clonal population. The UV-resistance of stationary phase cells was higher than that of exponential phase cells. Regrowth cell populations showed identical UV sensitivity before and after UV treatment, indicating that UV resistance is not acquired genetically, but is generated stochastically. The characteristics of these UV-resistant cells are similar to those of non-heritable antibiotic-resistant cells, termed persisters. The induction of persister formation increased the number of viable cells after UV treatment. The toxin-antitoxin system gene hipA (high persistence A) is a key factor in persister cell formation. We observed that hipA was strongly expressed in the stationary phase cells, while regrowth cells after UV treatment lost hipA expression, suggesting that the regrowth cells lost their persistence. Compared to UV batch radiation, we demonstrated that intermittent UV irradiation, which included the induction of regrowth between UV treatments, significantly reduced the number of viable E. coli cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Ichikawa
- Faculty of Education, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
| | - Mika Okazaki
- Strategic Planning Office for Regional Revitalization, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Mina Okamura
- Strategic Planning Office for Regional Revitalization, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Norihiro Nishimura
- Graduate School of Regional Innovation Studies, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
| | - Hideto Miyake
- Graduate School of Regional Innovation Studies, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
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Haas TM, Laventie B, Lagies S, Harter C, Prucker I, Ritz D, Saleem‐Batcha R, Qiu D, Hüttel W, Andexer J, Kammerer B, Jenal U, Jessen HJ. Photoaffinity Capture Compounds to Profile the Magic Spot Nucleotide Interactomes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202201731. [PMID: 35294098 PMCID: PMC9310846 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202201731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Magic Spot Nucleotides (MSN) regulate the stringent response, a highly conserved bacterial stress adaptation mechanism, enabling survival under adverse external challenges. In times of antibiotic crisis, a detailed understanding of stringent response is essential, as potentially new targets for pharmacological intervention could be identified. In this study, we delineate the MSN interactome in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium applying a family of trifunctional photoaffinity capture compounds. We introduce MSN probes covering a diverse phosphorylation pattern, such as pppGpp, ppGpp, and pGpp. Our chemical proteomics approach provides datasets of putative MSN receptors both from cytosolic and membrane fractions that unveil new MSN targets. We find that the activity of the non-Nudix hydrolase ApaH is potently inhibited by pppGpp, which itself is converted to pGpp by ApaH. The capture compounds described herein will be useful to identify MSN interactomes across bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Haas
- Institute of Organic ChemistryAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2179104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | | | - Simon Lagies
- Institute of Organic ChemistryAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2179104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | - Caroline Harter
- Institute of Organic ChemistryAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2179104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | - Isabel Prucker
- Institute of Organic ChemistryAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2179104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | - Danilo Ritz
- Proteomics Core FacilityBiozentrumUniversity of BaselSpitalstrasse 414056BaselSwitzerland
| | - Raspudin Saleem‐Batcha
- Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2579104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | - Danye Qiu
- Institute of Organic ChemistryAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2179104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | - Wolfgang Hüttel
- Institute of Organic ChemistryAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2179104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | - Jennifer Andexer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2579104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | - Bernd Kammerer
- Institute of Organic ChemistryAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2179104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
| | - Urs Jenal
- Infection BiologyBiozentrumUniversity of BaselSpitalstrasse 414056BaselSwitzerland
| | - Henning J. Jessen
- Institute of Organic ChemistryAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgAlbertstraße 2179104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
- CIBSS—The Center for Biological Signaling StudiesAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg79104Freiburg im BreisgauGermany
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35
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Diez S, Hydorn M, Whalen A, Dworkin J. Crosstalk between guanosine nucleotides regulates cellular heterogeneity in protein synthesis during nutrient limitation. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009957. [PMID: 35594298 PMCID: PMC9173625 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic heterogeneity of microbial populations can facilitate survival in dynamic environments by generating sub-populations of cells that may have differential fitness in a future environment. Bacillus subtilis cultures experiencing nutrient limitation contain distinct sub-populations of cells exhibiting either comparatively high or low protein synthesis activity. This heterogeneity requires the production of phosphorylated guanosine nucleotides (pp)pGpp by three synthases: SasA, SasB, and RelA. Here we show that these enzymes differentially affect this bimodality: RelA and SasB are necessary to generate the sub-population of cells exhibiting low protein synthesis whereas SasA is necessary to generate cells exhibiting comparatively higher protein synthesis. Previously, it was reported that a RelA product allosterically activates SasB and we find that a SasA product competitively inhibits this activation. Finally, we provide in vivo evidence that this antagonistic interaction mediates the observed heterogeneity in protein synthesis. This work therefore identifies the mechanism underlying phenotypic heterogeneity in protein synthesis. Upon encountering conditions unfavorable to growth such as nutrient limitation, bacteria enter a quiescent phenotype that is mediated by group of guanosine nucleotides collectively known as (pp)pGpp. These nucleotides direct the down-regulation of energy intensive processes and are essential for a striking heterogeneity in protein synthesis observed during exit from rapid growth. Here, we show that a network of (pp)pGpp synthases is responsible for this heterogeneity and describe a mechanism that allows for the integration of multiple signals into the decision to down regulate the most energy intensive process in a cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Diez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Molly Hydorn
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Abigail Whalen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Dworkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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36
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Ledger EVK, Mesnage S, Edwards AM. Human serum triggers antibiotic tolerance in Staphylococcus aureus. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2041. [PMID: 35440121 PMCID: PMC9018823 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29717-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus frequently causes infections that are challenging to treat, leading to high rates of persistent and relapsing infection. Here, to understand how the host environment influences treatment outcomes, we study the impact of human serum on staphylococcal antibiotic susceptibility. We show that serum triggers a high degree of tolerance to the lipopeptide antibiotic daptomycin and several other classes of antibiotic. Serum-induced daptomycin tolerance is due to two independent mechanisms. Firstly, the host defence peptide LL-37 induces tolerance by triggering the staphylococcal GraRS two-component system, leading to increased peptidoglycan accumulation. Secondly, GraRS-independent increases in membrane cardiolipin abundance are required for full tolerance. When both mechanisms are blocked, S. aureus incubated in serum is as susceptible to daptomycin as when grown in laboratory media. Our work demonstrates that host factors can significantly modulate antibiotic susceptibility via diverse mechanisms, and combination therapy may provide a way to mitigate this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth V K Ledger
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, Armstrong Rd, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Stéphane Mesnage
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Andrew M Edwards
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, Armstrong Rd, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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37
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Vogeleer P, Létisse F. Dynamic Metabolic Response to (p)ppGpp Accumulation in Pseudomonas putida. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:872749. [PMID: 35495732 PMCID: PMC9048047 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.872749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The stringent response is a ubiquitous bacterial reaction triggered by nutrient deprivation and mediated by the intracellular concentrations of ppGpp and pppGpp. These alarmones, jointly referred to as (p)ppGpp, control gene transcription, mRNA translation and protein activity to adjust the metabolism and growth rate to environmental changes. While the ability of (p)ppGpp to mediate cell growth slowdown and metabolism adaptation has been demonstrated in Escherichia coli, it’s role in Pseudomonas putida remains unclear. The aims of this study were therefore to determine which forms of (p)ppGpp are synthetized in response to severe growth inhibition in P. putida, and to decipher the mechanisms of (p)ppGpp-mediated metabolic regulation in this bacterium. We exposed exponentially growing cells of P. putida to serine hydroxamate (SHX), a serine analog known to trigger the stringent response, and tracked the dynamics of intra- and extracellular metabolites using untargeted quantitative MS and NMR-based metabolomics, respectively. We found that SHX promotes ppGpp and pppGpp accumulation few minutes after exposure and arrests bacterial growth. Meanwhile, central carbon metabolites increase in concentration while purine pathway intermediates drop sharply. Importantly, in a ΔrelA mutant and a ppGpp0 strain in which (p)ppGpp synthesis genes were deleted, SHX exposure inhibited cell growth but led to an accumulation of purine pathway metabolites instead of a decrease, suggesting that as observed in other bacteria, (p)ppGpp downregulates the purine pathway in P. putida. Extracellular accumulations of pyruvate and acetate were observed as a specific metabolic consequence of the stringent response. Overall, our results show that (p)ppGpp rapidly remodels the central carbon metabolism and the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway in P. putida. These data represent a hypothesis-generating resource for future studies on the stringent response.
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An Interplay of Multiple Positive and Negative Factors Governs Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2022; 86:e0015921. [PMID: 35420454 PMCID: PMC9199415 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00159-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics has made Staphylococcus aureus a clinical burden on a global scale. MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) is commonly known as a superbug. The ability of MRSA to proliferate in the presence of β-lactams is attributed to the acquisition of mecA, which encodes the alternative penicillin binding protein, PBP2A, which is insensitive to the antibiotics. Most MRSA isolates exhibit low-level β-lactam resistance, whereby additional genetic adjustments are required to develop high-level resistance. Although several genetic factors that potentiate or are required for high-level resistance have been identified, how these interact at the mechanistic level has remained elusive. Here, we discuss the development of resistance and assess the role of the associated components in tailoring physiology to accommodate incoming mecA.
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Maksimova E, Kravchenko O, Korepanov A, Stolboushkina E. Protein Assistants of Small Ribosomal Subunit Biogenesis in Bacteria. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040747. [PMID: 35456798 PMCID: PMC9032327 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosome biogenesis is a fundamental and multistage process. The basic steps of ribosome assembly are the transcription, processing, folding, and modification of rRNA; the translation, folding, and modification of r-proteins; and consecutive binding of ribosomal proteins to rRNAs. Ribosome maturation is facilitated by biogenesis factors that include a broad spectrum of proteins: GTPases, RNA helicases, endonucleases, modification enzymes, molecular chaperones, etc. The ribosome assembly factors assist proper rRNA folding and protein–RNA interactions and may sense the checkpoints during the assembly to ensure correct order of this process. Inactivation of these factors is accompanied by severe growth phenotypes and accumulation of immature ribosomal subunits containing unprocessed rRNA, which reduces overall translation efficiency and causes translational errors. In this review, we focus on the structural and biochemical analysis of the 30S ribosomal subunit assembly factors RbfA, YjeQ (RsgA), Era, KsgA (RsmA), RimJ, RimM, RimP, and Hfq, which take part in the decoding-center folding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alexey Korepanov
- Correspondence: (A.K.); (E.S.); Tel.: +7-925-7180670 (A.K.); +7-915-4791359 (E.S.)
| | - Elena Stolboushkina
- Correspondence: (A.K.); (E.S.); Tel.: +7-925-7180670 (A.K.); +7-915-4791359 (E.S.)
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Haas TM, Laventie B, Lagies S, Harter C, Prucker I, Ritz D, Saleem‐Batcha R, Qiu D, Hüttel W, Andexer J, Kammerer B, Jenal U, Jessen HJ. Photoaffinity Capture Compounds to Profile the Magic Spot Nucleotide Interactomes**. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202201731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Haas
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 21 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Benoît‐Joseph Laventie
- Infection Biology Biozentrum University of Basel Spitalstrasse 41 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Simon Lagies
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 21 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Caroline Harter
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 21 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Isabel Prucker
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 21 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Danilo Ritz
- Proteomics Core Facility Biozentrum University of Basel Spitalstrasse 41 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Raspudin Saleem‐Batcha
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 25 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Danye Qiu
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 21 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hüttel
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 21 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Jennifer Andexer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 25 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Bernd Kammerer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 21 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
| | - Urs Jenal
- Infection Biology Biozentrum University of Basel Spitalstrasse 41 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Henning J. Jessen
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Albertstraße 21 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
- CIBSS—The Center for Biological Signaling Studies Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
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How to save a bacterial ribosome in times of stress. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 136:3-12. [PMID: 35331628 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Biogenesis of ribosomes is one of the most cost- and resource-intensive processes in all living cells. In bacteria, ribosome biogenesis is rate-limiting for growth and must be tightly coordinated to yield maximum fitness of the cells. Since bacteria are continuously facing environmental changes and stress conditions, they have developed sophisticated systems to sense and regulate their nutritional status. Amino acid starvation leads to the synthesis and accumulation of the nucleotide-based second messengers ppGpp and pppGpp [(p)ppGpp], which in turn function as central players of a pleiotropic metabolic adaptation mechanism named the stringent response. Here, we review our current knowledge on the multiple roles of (p)ppGpp in the stress-related modulation of the prokaryotic protein biosynthesis machinery with the ribosome as its core constituent. The alarmones ppGpp/pppGpp act as competitors of their GDP/GTP counterparts, to affect a multitude of ribosome-associated P-loop GTPases involved in the translation cycle, ribosome biogenesis and hibernation. A similar mode of inhibition has been found for the GTPases of the proteins involved in the SRP-dependent membrane-targeting machinery present in the periphery of the ribosome. In this sense, during stringent conditions, binding of (p)ppGpp restricts the membrane insertion and secretion of proteins. Altogether, we highlight the enormously resource-intensive stages of ribosome biogenesis as a critical regulatory hub of the stringent response that ultimately tunes the protein synthesis capacity and consequently the survival of the cell.
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Antimicrobial Peptides as an Alternative for the Eradication of Bacterial Biofilms of Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030642. [PMID: 35336016 PMCID: PMC8950055 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial resistance is an emergency public health problem worldwide, compounded by the ability of bacteria to form biofilms, mainly in seriously ill hospitalized patients. The World Health Organization has published a list of priority bacteria that should be studied and, in turn, has encouraged the development of new drugs. Herein, we explain the importance of studying new molecules such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with potential against multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria and focus on the inhibition of biofilm formation. This review describes the main causes of antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation, as well as the main and potential AMP applications against these bacteria. Our results suggest that the new biomacromolecules to be discovered and studied should focus on this group of dangerous and highly infectious bacteria. Alternative molecules such as AMPs could contribute to eradicating biofilm proliferation by MDR/XDR bacteria; this is a challenging undertaking with promising prospects.
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Inhibition of SRP-dependent protein secretion by the bacterial alarmone (p)ppGpp. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1069. [PMID: 35217658 PMCID: PMC8881573 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28675-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The stringent response enables bacteria to respond to nutrient limitation and other stress conditions through production of the nucleotide-based second messengers ppGpp and pppGpp, collectively known as (p)ppGpp. Here, we report that (p)ppGpp inhibits the signal recognition particle (SRP)-dependent protein targeting pathway, which is essential for membrane protein biogenesis and protein secretion. More specifically, (p)ppGpp binds to the SRP GTPases Ffh and FtsY, and inhibits the formation of the SRP receptor-targeting complex, which is central for the coordinated binding of the translating ribosome to the SecYEG translocon. Cryo-EM analysis of SRP bound to translating ribosomes suggests that (p)ppGpp may induce a distinct conformational stabilization of the NG domain of Ffh and FtsY in Bacillus subtilis but not in E. coli. Bacterial responses to nutrient limitation and other stress conditions are often modulated by the nucleotide-based second messenger (p)ppGpp. Here, the authors show that (p)ppGpp inhibits the SRP membrane-protein insertion and secretion pathway by binding to GTPases Ffh and FtsY.
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Impact of the Stringent Stress Response on the Expression of Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcaceae Strains Carrying mecA, mecA1 and mecC. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11020255. [PMID: 35203858 PMCID: PMC8868139 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11020255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The acquisition of the resistance determinant mecA by Staphylococcus aureus is of major clinical importance, since it confers a resistant phenotype to virtually the entire large family of structurally diverse β-lactam antibiotics. While the common resistance determinant mecA is essential, the optimal expression of the resistance phenotype also requires additional factors. Previous studies showed that the great majority of clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) have a heterogeneous resistant phenotype, and we observed that strains carrying methicillin genetic determinants other than mecA also produce similar heterogeneous phenotypes. All these strains were able to express high and homogeneous levels of oxacillin resistance when sub-inhibitory concentrations of mupirocin, an effector of the stringent stress response, were added to growth media. Our studies show that the gene gmk, involved in guanine metabolism, was one of the first genes to exhibit mutations in homoresistant (H*R) derivatives obtained through serial passages (with increasing concentrations of oxacillin) of the prototype mecC-carrying MRSA strain LGA251. All these observations led us to propose that a common molecular mechanism for the establishment of high and homogeneous oxacillin resistance must be present among isolates carrying different methicillin resistance determinants. In this work, we tested this hypothesis using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to compare isogenic populations differing only in their degrees of oxacillin resistance and carrying various methicillin genetic determinants
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Kaushik V, Sharma S, Tiwari M, Tiwari V. Anti-persister strategies against stress induced bacterial persistence. Microb Pathog 2022; 164:105423. [PMID: 35092834 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The increase in antibiotic non-responsive bacteria is the leading concern in current research-oriented to eliminate pathogens. Nowadays, the excess use of antibiotics without specifically understanding the potentiality of killing pathogens and bacterial survival patterns has helped bacteria emerge indefatigably. Bacteria use various mechanisms such as resistance, persistence, and tolerance to ensure survival. Among these, persistence is a mechanism by which bacteria reside in their dormant state, bypassing the effects of treatments, making it crucial for bacterial survival. Persistent bacterial cells arise from the normal bacterial population as a slow-growing subset of bacteria with no metabolic flux. This behavior renders it to survive for a longer duration and at higher concentrations of antibiotics. They are one of the underlying causes of recurrence of bacterial infections. The present article explains the detailed molecular mechanisms and strategies of bacterial persistence, including the toxin-antitoxin modules, DNA damage, the formation of inactive ribosomal complexes, (p)ppGpp network, antibiotic-induced persistence, which are triggered by drug-induced stress. The article also comprehensively covers the epigenetic memory of persistence in bacteria, and anti-persistent therapeutics like antimicrobial molecules, synthetic peptides, acyldepsipeptide antibiotics, and endolysin therapy to reduce persister cell formation and control their frequency. These strategies could be utilized in combating the pathogenic bacteria undergoing persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Kaushik
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Saroj Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Monalisa Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Vishvanath Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, 305817, India.
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Anderson BW, Schumacher MA, Yang J, Turdiev A, Turdiev H, Schroeder J, He Q, Lee V, Brennan R, Wang J. The nucleotide messenger (p)ppGpp is an anti-inducer of the purine synthesis transcription regulator PurR in Bacillus. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:847-866. [PMID: 34967415 PMCID: PMC8789054 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleotide messenger (p)ppGpp allows bacteria to adapt to fluctuating environments by reprogramming the transcriptome. Despite its well-recognized role in gene regulation, (p)ppGpp is only known to directly affect transcription in Proteobacteria by binding to the RNA polymerase. Here, we reveal a different mechanism of gene regulation by (p)ppGpp in Firmicutes: (p)ppGpp directly binds to the transcription factor PurR to downregulate purine biosynthesis gene expression upon amino acid starvation. We first identified PurR as a receptor of (p)ppGpp in Bacillus anthracis. A co-structure with Bacillus subtilis PurR reveals that (p)ppGpp binds to a PurR pocket reminiscent of the active site of phosphoribosyltransferase enzymes that has been repurposed to serve a purely regulatory role, where the effectors (p)ppGpp and PRPP compete to allosterically control transcription. PRPP inhibits PurR DNA binding to induce transcription of purine synthesis genes, whereas (p)ppGpp antagonizes PRPP to enhance PurR DNA binding and repress transcription. A (p)ppGpp-refractory purR mutant in B. subtilis fails to downregulate purine synthesis genes upon amino acid starvation. Our work establishes the precedent of (p)ppGpp as an effector of a classical transcription repressor and reveals the key function of (p)ppGpp in regulating nucleotide synthesis through gene regulation, from soil bacteria to pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent W Anderson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | | | - Jin Yang
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Asan Turdiev
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Husan Turdiev
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Jeremy W Schroeder
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Qixiang He
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Vincent T Lee
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Jue D Wang
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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The Role of RelA and SpoT on ppGpp Production, Stress Response, Growth Regulation, and Pathogenicity in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0205721. [PMID: 34935430 PMCID: PMC8693919 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02057-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The alarmone ppGpp plays an important role in the survival of bacteria by triggering the stringent response when exposed to environmental stress. Although Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), which causes black rot disease in crucifers, is a representative species of Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria, relatively little is known regarding the factors influencing the stringent response in this species. However, previous studies in other Gram-negative bacteria have indicated that RelA and SpoT play a critical role in ppGpp synthesis. The current study found that these proteins also had an important role in Xcc, with a ΔrelAΔspoT double mutant being unable to produce ppGpp, resulting in changes to phenotype including reduced production of exopolysaccharides (EPS), exoenzymes, and biofilm, as well the loss of swarming motility and pathogenicity. The ppGpp-deficient mutant also exhibited greater sensitivity to environment stress, being almost incapable of growth on modified minimal medium (mMM) and having a much greater propensity to enter the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state in response to oligotrophic conditions (0.85% NaCl). These findings much advance our understanding of the role of ppGpp in the biology of Xcc and could have important implications for more effective management of this important pathogen. IMPORTANCEXanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a typical seedborne phytopathogenic bacterium that causes large economic losses worldwide, and this is the first original research article to investigate the role of ppGpp in this important species. Here, we revealed the function of RelA and SpoT in ppGpp production, physiology, pathogenicity, and stress resistance in Xcc. Most intriguingly, we found that ppGpp levels and downstream ppGpp-dependent phenotypes were mediated predominantly by SpoT, with RelA having only a supplementary role. Taken together, the results of the current study provide new insight into the role of ppGpp in the biology of Xcc, which could also have important implications for the role of ppGpp in the survival and pathogenicity of other pathogenic bacteria.
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In Mycobacterium abscessus, the stringent factor Rel regulates metabolism, but is not the only (p)ppGpp synthase. J Bacteriol 2021; 204:e0043421. [PMID: 34898264 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00434-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The stringent response is a broadly conserved stress response system that exhibits functional variability across bacterial clades. Here, we characterize the role of the stringent factor Rel in the non-tuberculous mycobacterial pathogen, Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab). We found that deletion of rel does not ablate (p)ppGpp synthesis, and that rel does not provide a survival advantage in several stress conditions, or in antibiotic treatment. Transcriptional data show that RelMab is involved in regulating expression of anabolism and growth genes in stationary phase. However, it does not activate transcription of stress response or antibiotic resistance genes, and actually represses transcription of many antibiotic resistance genes. This work shows that there is an unannotated (p)ppGpp synthetase in Mab. Importance In this study, we examined the functional roles of the stringent factor Rel in Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab). In most species, stringent factors synthesize the alarmone (p)ppGpp, which globally alters transcription to promote growth arrest and survival under stress and in antibiotic treatment. Our work shows that in Mab, an emerging pathogen which is resistant to many antibiotics, the stringent factor Rel is not solely responsible for synthesizing (p)ppGpp. We find that RelMab downregulates many metabolic genes under stress, but does not upregulate stress response genes and does not promote antibiotic tolerance. This study implies that there is another critical but unannotated (p)ppGpp synthetase in Mab, and suggests that RelMab inhibitors are unlikely to sensitize Mab infections to antibiotic treatment.
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Anderson BW, Fung DK, Wang JD. Regulatory Themes and Variations by the Stress-Signaling Nucleotide Alarmones (p)ppGpp in Bacteria. Annu Rev Genet 2021; 55:115-133. [PMID: 34416118 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-021821-025827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial stress-signaling alarmones are important components of a protective network against diverse stresses such as nutrient starvation and antibiotic assault. pppGpp and ppGpp, collectively (p)ppGpp, have well-documented regulatory roles in gene expression and protein translation. Recent work has highlighted another key function of (p)ppGpp: inducing rapid and coordinated changes in cellular metabolism by regulating enzymatic activities, especially those involved in purine nucleotide synthesis. Failure of metabolic regulation by (p)ppGpp results in the loss of coordination between metabolic and macromolecular processes, leading to cellular toxicity. In this review, we document how (p)ppGpp and newly characterized nucleotides pGpp and (p)ppApp directly regulate these enzymatic targets for metabolic remodeling. We examine targets' common determinants for alarmone interaction as well as their evolutionary diversification. We highlight classical and emerging themes in nucleotide signaling, including oligomerization and allostery along with metabolic interconversion and crosstalk, illustrating how they allow optimized bacterial adaptation to their environmental niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent W Anderson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA; , ,
| | - Danny K Fung
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA; , ,
| | - Jue D Wang
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA; , ,
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Pulschen AA, Fernandes AZN, Cunha AF, Sastre DE, Matsuguma BE, Gueiros-Filho FJ. Many birds with one stone: targeting the (p)ppGpp signaling pathway of bacteria to improve antimicrobial therapy. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:1039-1051. [DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00895-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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