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Yang X, Goodwin ZI, Bhagyaraj E, Hoffman C, Pascual DW. Parenteral Vaccination with a Live Brucella melitensis Mutant Protects against Wild-Type B. melitensis 16M Challenge. Microorganisms 2024; 12:169. [PMID: 38257995 PMCID: PMC10820470 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010169] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Susceptibility to brucellosis remains prevalent, even in herds vaccinated with conventional vaccines. Efforts are underway to develop an improved brucellosis vaccine, and possibly a universal vaccine, given that Brucella species are highly homologous. To this end, two B. melitensis mutants were developed, znBM-lacZ (znBMZ) and znBM-mCherry (znBM-mC), and were tested for their ability to confer systemic immunity against virulent B. melitensis challenge. To assess the extent of their attenuation, bone-marrow-derived macrophages and human TF-1 myeloid cells were infected with both mutants, and the inability to replicate within these cells was noted. Mice infected with varying doses of znBM-mC cleared the brucellae within 6-10 weeks. To test for efficacy against systemic disease, groups of mice were vaccinated once by the intraperitoneal route with either znBMZ or B. abortus S19 vaccine. Relative to the PBS-dosed mice, znBMZ vaccination greatly reduced splenic brucellae colonization by ~25,000-fold compared to 700-fold for S19-vaccinated mice. Not surprisingly, both znBMZ and S19 strains induced IFN-γ+ CD4+ T cells, yet only znBMZ induced IFN-γ+ CD8+ T cells. While both strains induced CD4+ effector memory T cells (Tems), only znBMZ induced CD8+ Tems. Thus, these results show that the described znBM mutants are safe, able to elicit CD4+ and CD8+ T cell immunity without a boost, and highly effective, rendering them promising vaccine candidates for livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - David W. Pascual
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (X.Y.); (Z.I.G.); (E.B.); (C.H.)
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2
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Tartilán-Choya B, Tejedor C, Conde-Álvarez R, Muñoz PM, Vizcaíno N. Characterization of three predicted zinc exporters in Brucella ovis identifies ZntR-ZntA as a powerful zinc and cadmium efflux system not required for virulence and unveils pathogenic Brucellae heterogeneity in zinc homeostasis. Front Vet Sci 2024; 10:1323500. [PMID: 38260206 PMCID: PMC10800456 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1323500] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Brucella ovis causes non-zoonotic ovine brucellosis of worldwide distribution and is responsible for important economic losses mainly derived from male genital lesions and reproductive fails. Studies about the virulence mechanisms of this rough species (lacking lipopolysaccharide O-chains) are underrepresented when compared to the main zoonotic Brucella species that are smooth (with O-chains). Zinc intoxication constitutes a defense mechanism of the host against bacterial pathogens, which have developed efflux systems to counterbalance toxicity. In this study, we have characterized three potential B. ovis zinc exporters, including the ZntA ortholog previously studied in B. abortus. Despite an in-frame deletion removing 100 amino acids from B. ovis ZntA, the protein retained strong zinc efflux properties. Only indirect evidence suggested a higher exporter activity for B. abortus ZntA, which, together with differences in ZntR-mediated regulation of zntA expression between B. ovis and B. abortus, could contribute to explaining why the ΔzntR mutant of B. abortus is attenuated while that of B. ovis is virulent. Additionally, B. ovis ZntA was revealed as a powerful cadmium exporter contributing to cobalt, copper, and nickel detoxification, properties not previously described for the B. abortus ortholog. Deletion mutants for BOV_0501 and BOV_A1100, also identified as potential zinc exporters and pseudogenes in B. abortus, behaved as the B. ovis parental strain in all tests performed. However, their overexpression in the ΔzntA mutant allowed the detection of discrete zinc and cobalt efflux activity for BOV_0501 and BOV_A1100, respectively. Nevertheless, considering their low expression levels and the stronger activity of ZntA as a zinc and cobalt exporter, the biological role of BOV_0501 and BOV_A1100 is questionable. Results presented in this study evidence heterogeneity among pathogenic Brucellae regarding zinc export and, considering the virulence of B. ovis ΔzntA, suggest that host-mediated zinc intoxication is not a relevant mechanism to control B. ovis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmen Tejedor
- Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Raquel Conde-Álvarez
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra and Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Pilar María Muñoz
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Nieves Vizcaíno
- Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
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3
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Nandini P, Jakka P, Murugan S, Mazumdar V, Kumar D, Prakash R, Barbuddhe SB, Radhakrishnan G. Immuno-profiling of Brucella proteins for developing improved vaccines and DIVA capable serodiagnostic assays for brucellosis. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1253349. [PMID: 37860136 PMCID: PMC10582347 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1253349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis remains a worldwide zoonotic disease with a serious impact on public health and livestock productivity. Controlling brucellosis in livestock is crucial for limiting human infections in the absence of effective human vaccines. Brucellosis control measures are majorly dependent on rigorous monitoring of disease outbreaks and mass vaccination of livestock. Live attenuated vaccines are available for livestock vaccination that play a vital role in brucellosis control programs in many countries. Even though the existing animal vaccines confer protection against brucellosis, they carry some drawbacks, including their infectivity to humans and interference with sero-monitoring. The available serodiagnostic assays for brucellosis depend on detecting anti-LPS antibodies in the serum. Since diagnosis plays a vital role in controlling brucellosis, developing improved serodiagnostic assays with enhanced specificity, sensitivity and DIVA capability is required. Therefore, it is essential to identify novel antigens for developing improved vaccines and serodiagnostic assays for brucellosis. In the present study, we performed a high throughput immunoprofiling of B. melitensis protein microarray using brucellosis-positive human and animal serum samples. The screening identified several serodominant proteins of Brucella that exhibited common or differential reactivity with sera from animals and humans. Subsequently, we cloned, expressed, and purified ten serodominant proteins, followed by analyzing their potential to develop next-generation vaccines and improved serodiagnostic assays for brucellosis. Further, we demonstrated the protective efficacy of one of the serodominant proteins against the B. melitensis challenge in mice. We found that the seroreactive protein, Dps (BMEI1980), strongly reacted with brucellosis-positive serum samples, but it did not react with sera from B. abortus S19-vaccinated cattle, indicating DIVA capability. A prototype lateral flow assay and indirect ELISA based on Dps protein exhibited high sensitivity, specificity, and DIVA capability. Thus, the present study identified promising candidates for developing improved vaccines and affordable, DIVA-capable serodiagnostic assays for animal and human brucellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prachita Nandini
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, India
| | - Padmaja Jakka
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, India
| | - Subathra Murugan
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, India
| | - Varadendra Mazumdar
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, India
| | - Deepak Kumar
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, India
| | - Richa Prakash
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, India
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Zhang H, Sun T, Cao X, Wang Y, Ma Z, Wang Y, Yang N, Xu M, Deng X, Li H, Wang B, Yi J, Wang Z, Zhang Q, Chen C. Scanning iron response regulator binding sites using Dap-seq in the Brucella genome. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011481. [PMID: 37459300 PMCID: PMC10374146 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is an essential element required for all organisms. Iron response regulator (Irr) is a crucial transcriptional regulator and can affect the growth and iron uptake of Brucella. The growth rate of Brucella melitensis M5-90 irr mutant was significantly lower than that of B. melitensis M5-90 under normal or iron-sufficient conditions, however, the growth rate of the B. melitensis M5-90 irr mutant was significantly higher than that of B. melitensis M5-90 under iron-limited conditions. In addition, irr mutation significantly reduced iron uptake under iron-limited conditions. Previous studies suggested that the Irr protein has multiple target genes in the Brucella genome that are involved in iron metabolism. Therefore, in the present study, a Dap-seq approach was used to investigate the other iron metabolism genes that are also regulated by the Irr protein in Brucella. A total of seven genes were identified as target genes for Irr in this study and the expression levels of these seven genes was identified using qRT-PCR. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay confirmed that six out of the seven genes, namely rirA (BME_RS13665), membrane protein (BME_RS01725), hypothetical protein (BME_RS09560), ftrA (BME_RS14525), cation-transporting P-type ATPase (zntA) (BME_RS10660), and 2Fe-2S binding protein (BME_RS13655), interact with the Irr protein. Furthermore, the iron utilization and growth assay experiments confirmed that rirA was involve in iron metabolism and growth of Brucella. In summary, our results identified six genes regulated by the Irr protein that may participate in iron metabolism, and the rirA was identified as a regulon of Irr and it also plays a role in iron metabolism of Brucella. Collectively, these results provide valuable insights for the exploration of Brucella iron metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhang
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Tianhao Sun
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xudong Cao
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- School of Medicine, HeXi University, Zhangye City, Gansu, China
| | - Yifan Wang
- State key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology/College of Veterinary Medicine Huazhong Agricultural University 1 Wuhan, China
| | - Zhongchen Ma
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yueli Wang
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ningning Yang
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Mingguo Xu
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Deng
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Honghuan Li
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Benben Wang
- School of Life Science, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jihai Yi
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- State Key Laboratory for Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production, Xinjiang Academy of Agriculture and Reclamation Science,Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Chuangfu Chen
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of High Incidence Zoonotic Infectious Diseases in Western China, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
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5
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Bahr G, González LJ, Vila AJ. Metallo-β-lactamases in the Age of Multidrug Resistance: From Structure and Mechanism to Evolution, Dissemination, and Inhibitor Design. Chem Rev 2021; 121:7957-8094. [PMID: 34129337 PMCID: PMC9062786 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major problems in current practical medicine. The spread of genes coding for resistance determinants among bacteria challenges the use of approved antibiotics, narrowing the options for treatment. Resistance to carbapenems, last resort antibiotics, is a major concern. Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) hydrolyze carbapenems, penicillins, and cephalosporins, becoming central to this problem. These enzymes diverge with respect to serine-β-lactamases by exhibiting a different fold, active site, and catalytic features. Elucidating their catalytic mechanism has been a big challenge in the field that has limited the development of useful inhibitors. This review covers exhaustively the details of the active-site chemistries, the diversity of MBL alleles, the catalytic mechanism against different substrates, and how this information has helped developing inhibitors. We also discuss here different aspects critical to understand the success of MBLs in conferring resistance: the molecular determinants of their dissemination, their cell physiology, from the biogenesis to the processing involved in the transit to the periplasm, and the uptake of the Zn(II) ions upon metal starvation conditions, such as those encountered during an infection. In this regard, the chemical, biochemical and microbiological aspects provide an integrative view of the current knowledge of MBLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Bahr
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda S/N, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
- Area Biofísica, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Lisandro J. González
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda S/N, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
- Area Biofísica, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Alejandro J. Vila
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda S/N, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
- Area Biofísica, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
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6
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Abstract
When attempting to propagate infections, bacterial pathogens encounter phagocytes that encase them in vacuoles called phagosomes. Within phagosomes, bacteria are bombarded with a plethora of stresses that often lead to their demise. However, pathogens have evolved numerous strategies to counter those host defenses and facilitate survival. Given the importance of phagosome-bacteria interactions to infection outcomes, they represent a collection of targets that are of interest for next-generation antibacterials. To facilitate such therapies, different approaches can be employed to increase understanding of phagosome-bacteria interactions, and these can be classified broadly as top down (starting from intact systems and breaking down the importance of different parts) or bottom up (developing a knowledge base on simplified systems and progressively increasing complexity). Here we review knowledge of phagosomal compositions and bacterial survival tactics useful for bottom-up approaches, which are particularly relevant for the application of reaction engineering to quantify and predict the time evolution of biochemical species in these death-dealing vacuoles. Further, we highlight how understanding in this area can be built up through the combination of immunology, microbiology, and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darshan M Sivaloganathan
- Program in Quantitative and Computational Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Mark P Brynildsen
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA;
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7
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Cai R, Gao F, Pan J, Hao X, Yu Z, Qu Y, Li J, Wang D, Wang Y, Shen X, Liu X, Yang Y. The transcriptional regulator Zur regulates the expression of ZnuABC and T6SS4 in response to stresses in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Microbiol Res 2021; 249:126787. [PMID: 33991717 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Zinc homeostasis is crucial for the development and stress resistance of bacteria in the environment. Serial zinc sensing transcriptional regulators, zinc transporters and zinc binding proteins were found to maintain the zinc homeostasis in bacteria. Zur is a zinc uptake regulator that is widely distributed in species, and ZnuABC, as well as the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS4) function in zinc acquisition. Here, we report that the regulator Zur inhibits the expression of the ZnuABC which inhibition could be eliminated at low zinc level, and upregulates the T6SS4 operon in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis to facilitate Zn2+ uptake and oxidative stress resistance. Zur regulates the expression of ZnuABC and T6SS4 by directly binding to their promoter regions. Zur senses the Zn2+ concentration and represses ZnuABC in a Zn2+-containing environment. Zur works as an auxiliary regular activator of T6SS4, facilitating oxidative stress resistance. This study revealed the dual function of regulator Zur on ZnuABC and T6SS4, and enriched the knowledge of Zn2+ homeostasis maintenance in Y. pseudotuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Cai
- Beijing Capital Co., LTD, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Fen Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Junfeng Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xinwei Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Zonglan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yichen Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Jialin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xihui Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xingyu Liu
- General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals, Beijing, 100088, China.
| | - Yantao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
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8
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Kandari D, Joshi H, Bhatnagar R. Zur: Zinc-Sensing Transcriptional Regulator in a Diverse Set of Bacterial Species. Pathogens 2021; 10:344. [PMID: 33804265 PMCID: PMC8000910 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) is the quintessential d block metal, needed for survival in all living organisms. While Zn is an essential element, its excess is deleterious, therefore, maintenance of its intracellular concentrations is needed for survival. The living organisms, during the course of evolution, developed proteins that can track the limitation or excess of necessary metal ions, thus providing survival benefits under variable environmental conditions. Zinc uptake regulator (Zur) is a regulatory transcriptional factor of the FUR superfamily of proteins, abundant among the bacterial species and known for its intracellular Zn sensing ability. In this study, we highlight the roles played by Zur in maintaining the Zn levels in various bacterial species as well as the fact that in recent years Zur has emerged not only as a Zn homeostatic regulator but also as a protein involved directly or indirectly in virulence of some pathogens. This functional aspect of Zur could be exploited in the ventures for the identification of newer antimicrobial targets. Despite extensive research on Zur, the insights into its overall regulon and its moonlighting functions in various pathogens yet remain to be explored. Here in this review, we aim to summarise the disparate functional aspects of Zur proteins present in various bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Kandari
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (D.K.); (H.J.)
| | - Hemant Joshi
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (D.K.); (H.J.)
| | - Rakesh Bhatnagar
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (D.K.); (H.J.)
- Banaras Hindu University, Banaras 221005, India
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9
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Roop RM, Barton IS, Hopersberger D, Martin DW. Uncovering the Hidden Credentials of Brucella Virulence. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2021; 85:e00021-19. [PMID: 33568459 PMCID: PMC8549849 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00021-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria in the genus Brucella are important human and veterinary pathogens. The abortion and infertility they cause in food animals produce economic hardships in areas where the disease has not been controlled, and human brucellosis is one of the world's most common zoonoses. Brucella strains have also been isolated from wildlife, but we know much less about the pathobiology and epidemiology of these infections than we do about brucellosis in domestic animals. The brucellae maintain predominantly an intracellular lifestyle in their mammalian hosts, and their ability to subvert the host immune response and survive and replicate in macrophages and placental trophoblasts underlies their success as pathogens. We are just beginning to understand how these bacteria evolved from a progenitor alphaproteobacterium with an environmental niche and diverged to become highly host-adapted and host-specific pathogens. Two important virulence determinants played critical roles in this evolution: (i) a type IV secretion system that secretes effector molecules into the host cell cytoplasm that direct the intracellular trafficking of the brucellae and modulate host immune responses and (ii) a lipopolysaccharide moiety which poorly stimulates host inflammatory responses. This review highlights what we presently know about how these and other virulence determinants contribute to Brucella pathogenesis. Gaining a better understanding of how the brucellae produce disease will provide us with information that can be used to design better strategies for preventing brucellosis in animals and for preventing and treating this disease in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Martin Roop
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ian S Barton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dariel Hopersberger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Daniel W Martin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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10
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Specificity of Interactions between Components of Two Zinc ABC Transporters in Paracoccus denitrificans. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239098. [PMID: 33265916 PMCID: PMC7731109 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters mediate the influx of numerous substrates. The cluster A-I ABC transporters are responsible for the specific uptake of the essential metals zinc, manganese or iron, making them necessary for survival in metal-limited environments, which for pathogens include the animal host. In Paracoccus denitrificans, there are two zinc ABC transporter systems: ZnuABC and AztABCD with apparently redundant functions under zinc-limited conditions. The unusual presence of two zinc ABC transporter systems in the same organism allowed for the investigation of specificity in the interaction between the solute binding protein (SBP) and its cognate permease. We also assessed the role of flexible loop features in the SBP in permease binding and zinc transport. The results indicate that the SBP–permease interaction is highly specific and does not require the flexible loop features of the SBP. We also present an expanded table of the properties of characterized cluster A-I SBPs and a multiple sequence alignment highlighting the conserved features. Through this analysis, an apparently new family of binding proteins associated with ABC transporters was identified. The presence of homologues in several human pathogens raises the possibility of using it as a target for the development of new antimicrobial therapies.
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11
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Wu A, Bai S, Ding X, Wang J, Zeng Q, Peng H, Wu B, Zhang K. The Systemic Zinc Homeostasis Was Modulated in Broilers Challenged by Salmonella. Biol Trace Elem Res 2020; 196:243-251. [PMID: 31641975 PMCID: PMC7289780 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-019-01921-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Salmonella challenge leads to systemic responses that induce the hypozincaemia in mice, which is considered a vital strategy against Salmonella invasion. However, it is not yet known if this phenomenon occurs in broilers. To investigate the change in zinc homeostasis of broilers against Salmonella challenge, 1-day-old male broilers were fed with the basal diet for 7 days. Afterwards, broilers were orally inoculated with either 0 or 0.5 × 108 CFU Salmonella Typhimurium (ST). The serum and selected tissues of Salmonella-challenged and non-challenged broilers were collected at 1, 3 and 7 days post-challenge for zinc homeostasis analysis. Our results showed that Salmonella challenge results in hypozincaemia (serum zinc decrease and liver zinc increase) via modulating the systemic zinc homeostasis of broilers. A profound, zinc transporter-mediated zinc absorption and redistribution affecting zinc homeostasis provided a mechanistic explanation for this phenomenon. In addition, we found that the zinc importers Zip5, Zip10, Zip11, Zip12, Zip13 and Zip14 were mainly downregulated in Salmonella-challenged broilers to reduce zinc absorption in the duodenum, while the Zip14 mRNA expression was upregulated to redistribute zinc into the liver. Collectively, these findings reveal that broilers counteract Salmonella infection via modulating their systemic zinc homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimin Wu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Shiping Bai
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuemei Ding
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Jianping Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiufeng Zeng
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Huanwei Peng
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Bing Wu
- Sichuan Chelota Group, Liangshui Village, Jinyu Town, Guanghan City, 618300, Sichuan, China
| | - Keying Zhang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Key Laboratory of Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Huimin Road 211, Chengdu, 611130, China.
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12
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Boughammoura S, Ben Mimouna S, Chemek M, Ostertag A, Cohen-Solal M, Messaoudi I. Disruption of Bone Zinc Metabolism during Postnatal Development of Rats after Early Life Exposure to Cadmium. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041218. [PMID: 32059372 PMCID: PMC7072778 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This current study was conducted to investigate whether bone tissue impairment induced by early life exposure to cadmium (Cd) during postnatal development could result from disruption to zinc (Zn) metabolism. For this reason, the offspring from mothers receiving either tap water, Cd, Zn or Cd + Zn during gestation and lactation periods were euthanized at PND21 and PND70. At the end of the lactation period (PND21), our results showed that exposure to Cd increased Cd accumulation and Zn depletion in the femur. Furthermore, calcium (Ca) level was reduced. At the molecular level, Cd induced an increase of MT-1 expression and caused an upregulation of ZIP2 accompanied with a down-regulation of ZnT5. Runx2, ALP, colα-1 and Oc mRNA levels were also decreased. In plasma, IGF-1 and osteocalcin concentrations were decreased. Further, Cd altered femoral growth by generating changes in the growth plate. Consequently, the toxic effect of Cd persisted at adult age (PND70) by decreasing bone volume (%BV/TV), bone mineral density (BMD) and Ca content and by increasing trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) in the distal femur. Interestingly, Zn supply provided total or partial corrections of several toxic effects of Cd. These data suggest that the increases of Zn bioavailability as well as the reduction of Cd accumulation in the femur following the changes in ZIP2 and ZnT5 expression are part of the mechanism involved in Zn protection against Cd toxicity on bone tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Boughammoura
- LR11ES41: Laboratoire de Recherche Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources, Institut de Biotechnologie, Université de Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; (S.B.M.); (M.C.); (I.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +21673465405; Fax: +21673465404
| | - Safa Ben Mimouna
- LR11ES41: Laboratoire de Recherche Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources, Institut de Biotechnologie, Université de Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; (S.B.M.); (M.C.); (I.M.)
| | - Marouen Chemek
- LR11ES41: Laboratoire de Recherche Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources, Institut de Biotechnologie, Université de Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; (S.B.M.); (M.C.); (I.M.)
| | - Agnes Ostertag
- Bioscar Inserm U1132 and université de Paris, hôpital Lariboisière, 75010 Paris, France; (A.O.); (M.C.-S.)
| | - Martine Cohen-Solal
- Bioscar Inserm U1132 and université de Paris, hôpital Lariboisière, 75010 Paris, France; (A.O.); (M.C.-S.)
| | - Imed Messaoudi
- LR11ES41: Laboratoire de Recherche Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources, Institut de Biotechnologie, Université de Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; (S.B.M.); (M.C.); (I.M.)
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13
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The Acinetobacter baumannii Znu System Overcomes Host-Imposed Nutrient Zinc Limitation. Infect Immun 2019; 87:IAI.00746-19. [PMID: 31548324 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00746-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen capable of causing a variety of infections, including pneumonia, sepsis, wound, and burn infections. A. baumannii is an increasing threat to public health due to the prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains, leading the World Health Organization to declare A. baumannii a "Priority 1: Critical" pathogen, for which the development of novel antimicrobials is desperately needed. Zinc (Zn) is an essential nutrient that pathogenic bacteria, including A. baumannii, must acquire from their hosts in order to survive. Consequently, vertebrate hosts have defense mechanisms to sequester Zn from invading bacteria through a process known as nutritional immunity. Here, we describe a Zn uptake (Znu) system that enables A. baumannii to overcome this host-imposed Zn limitation. The Znu system consists of an inner membrane ABC transporter and an outer membrane TonB-dependent receptor. Strains of A. baumannii lacking any individual Znu component are unable to grow in Zn-starved conditions, including in the presence of the host nutritional immunity protein calprotectin. The Znu system contributes to Zn-limited growth by aiding directly in the uptake of Zn into A. baumannii cells and is important for pathogenesis in murine models of A. baumannii infection. These results demonstrate that the Znu system allows A. baumannii to subvert host nutritional immunity and acquire Zn during infection.
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14
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Chung LK, Raffatellu M. G.I. pros: Antimicrobial defense in the gastrointestinal tract. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 88:129-137. [PMID: 29432952 PMCID: PMC6087682 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract is a complex environment in which the host immune system interacts with a diverse array of microorganisms, both symbiotic and pathogenic. As such, mobilizing a rapid and appropriate antimicrobial response depending on the nature of each stimulus is crucial for maintaining the balance between homeostasis and inflammation in the gut. Here we focus on the mechanisms by which intestinal antimicrobial peptides regulate microbial communities during dysbiosis and infection. We also discuss classes of bacterial peptides that contribute to reducing enteric pathogen outgrowth. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview on the interplay of diverse antimicrobial responses with enteric pathogens and the gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawton K Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0704, United States
| | - Manuela Raffatellu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0704, United States; Chiba University-UC San Diego Center for Mucosal Immunology, Allergy, and Vaccines (CU-UCSD cMAV), La Jolla CA, United States.
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15
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Kandari D, Gopalani M, Gupta M, Joshi H, Bhatnagar S, Bhatnagar R. Identification, Functional Characterization, and Regulon Prediction of the Zinc Uptake Regulator ( zur) of Bacillus anthracis - An Insight Into the Zinc Homeostasis of the Pathogen. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3314. [PMID: 30687290 PMCID: PMC6336718 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Zinc has an abounding occurrence in the prokaryotes and plays paramount roles including catalytic, structural, and regulatory. Zinc uptake regulator (Zur), a Fur family transcriptional regulator, is connoted in maintaining zinc homeostasis in the pathogenic bacteria by binding to zinc and regulating the genes involved in zinc uptake and mobilization. Zinc homeostasis has been marginally scrutinized in Bacillus anthracis, the top-rated bio-terror agent, with no decipherment of the role of Zur. Of the three Fur family regulators in B. anthracis, BAS4181 is annotated as a zinc-specific transcriptional regulator. This annotation was further substantiated by our stringent computational and experimental analyses. The residues critical for zinc and DNA binding were delineated by homology modeling and sequence/structure analysis. ba zur existed as a part of a three-gene operon. Purified BaZur prodigiously existed in the dimeric form, indicated by size exclusion chromatography and blue native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Computational and manual strategies were employed to decipher the putative regulon of ba zur, comprising of 11 genes, controlled by six promoters, each harboring at least one Zur box. The DNA binding capability of the purified BaZur to the upstream regions of the ba zur operon, yciC, rpmG, znuA, and genes encoding a GTPase cobalamine synthesis protein and a permease was ascertained by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. The regulon genes, implicated in zinc uptake and mobilization, were mostly negatively regulated by BaZur. The ba zur expression was downregulated upon exposure of cells to an excess of zinc. Conversely, it exhibited a marked upregulation under N, N, N', N'-Tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) mediated zinc-depleted environment, adding credence to its negative autoregulation. Moreover, an increase in the transcript levels of the regulon genes znuA, rpmG, and yciC upon exposure of cells to TPEN connoted their role in combating hypo-zincemic conditions by bringing about zinc uptake and mobilization. Thus, this study functionally characterizes Zur of B. anthracis and elucidates its role in maintaining zinc homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Kandari
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Monisha Gopalani
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Manish Gupta
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Hemant Joshi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Sonika Bhatnagar
- Computational and Structural Biology Laboratory, Division of Biotechnology, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Bhatnagar
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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16
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Neupane DP, Kumar S, Yukl ET. Two ABC Transporters and a Periplasmic Metallochaperone Participate in Zinc Acquisition in Paracoccus denitrificans. Biochemistry 2018; 58:126-136. [PMID: 30353723 PMCID: PMC6824839 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Bacteria must acquire the essential
element zinc from extremely
limited environments, and this function is performed largely by ATP
binding cassette (ABC) transporters. These systems rely on a periplasmic
or extracellular solute binding protein (SBP) to bind zinc specifically
with a high affinity and deliver it to the membrane permease for import
into the cytoplasm. However, zinc acquisition systems in bacteria
may be more complex, involving multiple transporters and other periplasmic
or extracellular zinc binding proteins. Here we describe the zinc
acquisition functions of two zinc SBPs (ZnuA and AztC) and a novel
periplasmic metallochaperone (AztD) in Paracoccus denitrificans. ZnuA was characterized in vitro and demonstrated
to bind as many as 5 zinc ions with a high affinity. It does not interact
with AztD, in contrast to what has been demonstrated for AztC, which
is able to acquire a single zinc ion through associative transfer
from AztD. Deletions of the corresponding genes singly and in combination
show that either AztC or ZnuA is sufficient and essential for robust
growth in zinc-limited media. Although AztD cannot support transport
of zinc into the cytoplasm, it likely functions to store zinc in the
periplasm for transfer through the AztABCD system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Durga P Neupane
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , New Mexico State University , Las Cruces , New Mexico 88003 , United States
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson , Texas 75080 , United States
| | - Erik T Yukl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , New Mexico State University , Las Cruces , New Mexico 88003 , United States
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17
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Budnick JA, Prado-Sanchez E, Caswell CC. Defining the regulatory mechanism of NikR, a nickel-responsive transcriptional regulator, in Brucella abortus. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2018; 164:1320-1325. [PMID: 30062985 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Metals are essential micronutrients for virtually all forms of life, but metal acquisition is a double-edged sword, because high concentrations of divalent cations can be toxic to the cell. Therefore, the genes involved in metal acquisition, storage and efflux are tightly regulated. The present study characterizes a nickel-responsive transcriptional regulator in the intracellular mammalian pathogen, Brucella abortus. Deletion of bab2_0432 (nikR) in B. abortus led to alterations in the nickel-responsive expression of the genes encoding the putative nickel importer NikABCDE and, moreover, NikR binds directly to a specific DNA sequence within the promoter region of nikA in a metal-dependent manner to control gene expression. While NikR is involved in controlling the expression of nikA, nikR is not required for the infection of macrophages or mice by B. abortus. Overall, this work characterizes the role of NikR in nickel-responsive gene expression, as well as the dispensability of nikR for Brucella virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Budnick
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Center for One Health Research, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Evymarie Prado-Sanchez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Center for One Health Research, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Clayton C Caswell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Center for One Health Research, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
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18
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Bobrov AG, Kirillina O, Fosso MY, Fetherston JD, Miller MC, VanCleave TT, Burlison JA, Arnold WK, Lawrenz MB, Garneau-Tsodikova S, Perry RD. Zinc transporters YbtX and ZnuABC are required for the virulence of Yersinia pestis in bubonic and pneumonic plague in mice. Metallomics 2018; 9:757-772. [PMID: 28540946 DOI: 10.1039/c7mt00126f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
A number of bacterial pathogens require the ZnuABC Zinc (Zn2+) transporter and/or a second Zn2+ transport system to overcome Zn2+ sequestration by mammalian hosts. Previously we have shown that in addition to ZnuABC, Yersinia pestis possesses a second Zn2+ transporter that involves components of the yersiniabactin (Ybt), siderophore-dependent iron transport system. Synthesis of the Ybt siderophore and YbtX, a member of the major facilitator superfamily, are both critical components of the second Zn2+ transport system. Here we demonstrate that a ybtX znu double mutant is essentially avirulent in mouse models of bubonic and pneumonic plague while a ybtX mutant retains high virulence in both plague models. While sequestration of host Zn is a key nutritional immunity factor, excess Zn appears to have a significant antimicrobial role in controlling intracellular bacterial survival. Here, we demonstrate that ZntA, a Zn2+ exporter, plays a role in resistance to Zn toxicity in vitro, but that a zntA zur double mutant retains high virulence in both pneumonic and bubonic plague models and survival in macrophages. We also confirm that Ybt does not directly bind Zn2+in vitro under the conditions tested. However, we detect a significant increase in Zn2+-binding ability of filtered supernatants from a Ybt+ strain compared to those from a strain unable to produce the siderophore, supporting our previously published data that Ybt biosynthetic genes are involved in the production of a secreted Zn-binding molecule (zincophore). Our data suggest that Ybt or a modified Ybt participate in or promote Zn-binding activity in culture supernatants and is involved in Zn acquisition in Y. pestis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G Bobrov
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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Guijarro JA, García-Torrico AI, Cascales D, Méndez J. The Infection Process of Yersinia ruckeri: Reviewing the Pieces of the Jigsaw Puzzle. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:218. [PMID: 29998086 PMCID: PMC6028603 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding the keys to understanding the infectious process of Yersinia ruckeri was not a priority for many years due to the prompt development of an effective biotype 1 vaccine which was used mainly in Europe and USA. However, the gradual emergence of outbreaks in vaccinated fish, which have been reported since 2003, has awakened interest in the mechanism of virulence in this pathogen. Thus, during the last two decades, a large number of studies have considerably enriched our knowledge of many aspects of the pathogen and its interaction with the host. By means of both conventional and a variety of novel strategies, such as cell GFP tagging, bioluminescence imaging and optical projection tomography, it has been possible to determine three putative Y. ruckeri infection routes, the main point of entry for the bacterium being the gill lamellae. Moreover, a wide range of potential virulence factors have been highlighted by specific gene mutagenesis strategies or genome-wide transposon/plasmid insertion-based screening approaches, such us in vivo expression technology (IVET) and signature tagged mutagenesis (STM). Finally, recent proteomic and whole genomic analyses have allowed many of the genes and systems that are potentially implicated in the organism's pathogenicity and its adaptation to the host environmental conditions to be elucidated. Altogether, these studies contribute to a better understanding of the infectious process of Y. ruckeri in fish, which is crucial for the development of more effective strategies for preventing or treating enteric redmouth disease (ERM).
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Guijarro
- Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Biología Funcional, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biotecnología de Asturias (IUBA), Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ana I García-Torrico
- Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Biología Funcional, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biotecnología de Asturias (IUBA), Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Desirée Cascales
- Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Biología Funcional, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biotecnología de Asturias (IUBA), Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jessica Méndez
- Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Biología Funcional, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biotecnología de Asturias (IUBA), Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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20
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Rahdar HA, Golmohammadi R, Mirnejad R, Ataee RA, Alishiri GH, Kazemian H. Diversity of virulence genes in Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus detected from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Microb Pathog 2018; 118:247-250. [PMID: 29578063 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The presence of Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus genomes were investigated in the synovial fluid (SF) samples from 90 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). DNA extraction and PCR assay were performed for simultaneous identification and discrimination of B. melitensis and B. abortus from the SF using three specific primers. After gel electrophoresis, the PCR products were confirmed by DNA sequencing. The cbg, omp31, manA, virB, and znuA virulence genes typing were performed by multiplex-PCR. Of the 90 samples, 14 were positive for B. melitensis (n = 9; 10%) and B. abortus (n = 5; 5.5%). The virulotyping of positive samples revealed the presence of all five virulence genes in B. melitensis. The virB, cbg, and om31 were detected in all five samples of B. abortus. In addition, zhuA and manA were detected in three (60%) and four (80%) samples, respectively, of the B. abortus-positive samples. Moreover, a total of 94.2% and 89.2% of the 14 positive samples were also found positive for manA and znuA, respectively. Our findings revealed that the Brucella spp. genomes can be detected in the SF of RA patients by the PCR-based method. We thus suggest that physicians should consider the Brucella spp. as indicators of potential RA for the timely diagnosis and treatment of RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Ali Rahdar
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Golmohammadi
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Mirnejad
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ramezan Ali Ataee
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gholam Hossein Alishiri
- Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Exercise Physiology Research Center, Life Style Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Kazemian
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
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21
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Just When We Thought We Knew Everything We Needed To Know about Zn Acquisition and Bacterial Pathogenesis. J Bacteriol 2018; 200:JB.00694-17. [PMID: 29180356 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00694-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well established that high-affinity zinc importers play essential roles in bacterial virulence, but the studies described by Moreau et al. in this issue (G. B. Moreau, A. Qin, and B. J. Mann, J Bacteriol 200:e00587-17, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00587-17) demonstrate that we probably still have much to learn about how these transporters function and how the genes that encode them are regulated in different bacterial pathogens.
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22
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Hop HT, Arayan LT, Huy TXN, Reyes AWB, Baek EJ, Min W, Lee HJ, Rhee MH, Watanabe K, Chang HH, Kim S. Lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) interferes with iron uptake by Brucella abortus and dampens immunoregulation during infection of RAW 264.7 macrophages. Cell Microbiol 2017; 20. [PMID: 29168343 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) is an important innate immunity component against bacterial pathogens. In this study, we report that Lcn2 is induced by Brucella (B.) abortus infection and significantly contributes to the restriction of intracellular survival of Brucella in macrophages. We found that Lcn2 prevented iron uptake by B. abortus through two distinct mechanisms. First, Lcn2 is secreted to capture bacterial siderophore(s) and abrogate iron import by Brucella. Second, Lcn2 decreases the intracellular iron levels during Brucella infection, which probably deprives the invading Brucella of the iron source needed for growth. Suppression of Lcn2 signalling resulted in a marked induction of anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 10, which was shown to play a major role in Lcn2-induced antibrucella immunity. Similarly, interleukin 6 was also found to be increased when Lcn2 signalling is abrogated; however, this induction was thought to be an alternative pathway that rescues the cell from infection when the effective Lnc2 pathway is repressed. Furthermore, Lcn2 deficiency also caused a marked decrease in brucellacidal effectors, such as reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide but not the phagolysosome fusion. Taken together, our results indicate that Lcn2 is required for the efficient restriction of intracellular B. abortus growth that is through limiting iron acquisition and shifting cells to pro-inflammatory brucellacidal activity in murine macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huynh Tan Hop
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Lauren Togonon Arayan
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Tran Xuan Ngoc Huy
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Eun Jin Baek
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Wongi Min
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hu Jang Lee
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Man Hee Rhee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Kenta Watanabe
- The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Hong Hee Chang
- Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk Kim
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea.,Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
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Hop HT, Arayan LT, Reyes AWB, Huy TXN, Min W, Lee HJ, Son JS, Kim S. Simultaneous RNA-seq based transcriptional profiling of intracellular Brucella abortus and B. abortus-infected murine macrophages. Microb Pathog 2017; 113:57-67. [PMID: 29054743 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2017.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 10/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Brucella is a zoonotic pathogen that survives within macrophages; however the replicative mechanisms involved are not fully understood. We describe the isolation of sufficient Brucella abortus RNA from primary host cell environment using modified reported methods for RNA-seq analysis, and simultaneously characterize the transcriptional profiles of intracellular B. abortus and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) from BALB/c mice at 24 h (replicative phase) post-infection. Our results revealed that 25.12% (801/3190) and 16.16% (515/3190) of the total B. abortus genes were up-regulated and down-regulated at >2-fold, respectively as compared to the free-living B. abortus. Among >5-fold differentially expressed genes, the up-regulated genes are mostly involved in DNA, RNA manipulations as well as protein biosynthesis and secretion while the down-regulated genes are mainly involved in energy production and metabolism. On the other hand, the host responses during B. abortus infection revealed that 14.01% (6071/43,346) of BMM genes were reproducibly transcribed at >5-fold during infection. Transcription of cytokines, chemokines and transcriptional factors, such as tumor necrosis factor (Tnf), interleukin-1α (Il1α), interleukin-1β (Il1β), interleukin-6 (Il6), interleukin-12 (Il12), chemokine C-X-C motif (CXCL) family, nuclear factor kappa B (Nf-κb), signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (Stat1), that may contribute to host defense were markedly induced while transcription of various genes involved in cell proliferation and metabolism were suppressed upon B. abortus infection. In conclusion, these data suggest that Brucella modulates gene expression in hostile intracellular environment while simultaneously alters the host pathways that may lead to the pathogen's intracellular survival and infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huynh Tan Hop
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Lauren Togonon Arayan
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Tran Xuan Ngoc Huy
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea
| | - WonGi Min
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Hu Jang Lee
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee Soo Son
- iNtRON Biotechnology, Inc., Room 903, JungAng Induspia, 137, Sagimakgol-ro, Jungwon-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do 13202, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk Kim
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea; Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea.
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Cirino Ruocco MA, Pacheco Cechinatti ED, Barbosa F, Navarro AM. Zinc and selenium status in critically ill patients according to severity stratification. Nutrition 2017; 45:85-89. [PMID: 29129241 DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2017.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of zinc and selenium in different biological materials and to associate them with the clinical severity score according to the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) III. METHODS The study was conducted in a 10-bed general intensive care unit of the Américo Brasiliense State Hospital/SP, with 95 patients stratified by the SAPS III score cutoff points (63.5 points) as less or more severe and by the diagnosis of sepsis. Analyses of zinc and selenium concentrations in plasma, erythrocytes, and urine were conducted. RESULTS Plasma concentrations were found to be lower than the reference values for both micronutrients (8.4 ± 4 and 0.18 ± 0.06 μmol/L, respectively, for zinc and selenium), and urinary zinc concentration was higher than the reference (38.6 ± 35.8 μmol/24 h). The mean selenium plasma concentration was significantly lower in patients with greater severity, which was not observed for zinc (P > 0.05). The mean selenium plasma and erythrocyte concentrations were significantly different between the groups diagnosed with sepsis, which was not observed in the analysis of zinc. Albumin levels (r = -0.26; P = 0.01) and C-reactive protein (r = 0.40; P < 0.001) correlated with the SAPS III severity score. CONCLUSION Plasma concentrations of zinc and selenium are low in critically ill patients upon admission to the intensive care unit and may make these patients more susceptible to oxidative stress. The low concentration of erythrocyte selenium may represent an inadequate intake by this population. Additional studies using new biomarkers should be performed with the objective of identifying values for the local population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Augusta Cirino Ruocco
- Department of Foods and Nutrition - Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University - UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil; Américo Brasiliense State Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | - Fernando Barbosa
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses and Bromatology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto - University of São Paulo - FCRP/USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anderson Marliere Navarro
- Department of Foods and Nutrition - Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University - UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil; Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, Brazil
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Bao Y, Tian M, Li P, Liu J, Ding C, Yu S. Characterization of Brucella abortus mutant strain Δ22915, a potential vaccine candidate. Vet Res 2017; 48:17. [PMID: 28376905 PMCID: PMC5381064 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-017-0422-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis, caused by Brucella spp., is an important zoonosis worldwide. Vaccination is an effective strategy for protection against Brucella infection in livestock in developing countries and in wildlife in developed countries. However, current vaccine strains including S19 and RB51 are pathogenic to humans and pregnant animals, limiting their use. In this study, we constructed the Brucella abortus (B. abortus) S2308 mutant strain Δ22915, in which the putative lytic transglycosylase gene BAB_RS22915 was deleted. The biological properties of mutant strain Δ22915 were characterized and protection of mice against virulent S2308 challenge was evaluated. The mutant strain Δ22915 showed reduced survival within RAW264.7 cells and survival in vivo in mice. In addition, the mutant strain Δ22915 failed to escape fusion with lysosomes within host cells, and caused no observable pathological damage. RNA-seq analysis indicated that four genes associated with amino acid/nucleotide transport and metabolism were significantly upregulated in mutant strain Δ22915. Furthermore, inoculation of ∆22915 at 105 colony forming units induced effective host immune responses and long-term protection of BALB/c mice. Therefore, mutant strain ∆22915 could be used as a novel vaccine candidate in the future to protect animals against B. abortus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqing Bao
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Mingxing Tian
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Jiameng Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Chan Ding
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Shengqing Yu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Shanghai, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
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26
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Mandal SK, Chandravanshi M, Gogoi P, Kanaujia SP. In silico characterization of TTHA0596: A potential Zn 2+ binding protein of ATP-binding cassette transporter. GENE REPORTS 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Ullah Z, Ullah MI, Hussain S, Kaul H, Lone KP. Determination of Serum Trace Elements (Zn, Cu, and Fe) in Pakistani Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Biol Trace Elem Res 2017; 175:10-16. [PMID: 27239678 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-016-0746-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease, which mainly involves the joints. RA is prevalent worldwide with increasing prevalence in elderly people. The mechanism of RA pathogenesis is still undefined, and it is interplaying between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Although risk factors for RA are not fully established, various studies have focused on the role of trace elements in association with RA. Trace elements act as co-factors for most of the enzymes, and their deficiency is associated with many untoward effects on human health. The homeostatic alterations in the metabolism of trace elements may partly be due to inflammatory response in RA. The objective of the present study was to determine the serum concentrations and correlation of zinc, copper, and iron in RA patients and healthy controls. The study comprised of 61 RA patients and 61 age- and sex-related healthy individuals of Pakistani population. Serum levels of Zn, Cu, and Fe were measured in all the participants by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Serum Zn and Fe were significantly reduced in the RA patients than those in the healthy controls. Serum Cu concentrations were found elevated in the RA patients. Correlation studies of trace elements determine that there was negative correlation between Zn and Cu in the RA patients and no correlation in the control group. It is very important to explore the deficiency of essential trace metals in biological samples of the RA patients in different populations which may be helpful for diagnosis and supplementary management of rheumatoid arthritis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zia Ullah
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ikram Ullah
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid i Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan.
- Research Laboratories, Shifa College of Medicine, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan.
| | - Shabbir Hussain
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Haiba Kaul
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Khalid P Lone
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
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The Two-Component System ArlRS and Alterations in Metabolism Enable Staphylococcus aureus to Resist Calprotectin-Induced Manganese Starvation. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1006040. [PMID: 27902777 PMCID: PMC5130280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
During infection the host imposes manganese and zinc starvation on invading pathogens. Despite this, Staphylococcus aureus and other successful pathogens remain capable of causing devastating disease. However, how these invaders adapt to host-imposed metal starvation and overcome nutritional immunity remains unknown. We report that ArlRS, a global staphylococcal virulence regulator, enhances the ability of S. aureus to grow in the presence of the manganese-and zinc-binding innate immune effector calprotectin. Utilization of calprotectin variants with altered metal binding properties revealed that strains lacking ArlRS are specifically more sensitive to manganese starvation. Loss of ArlRS did not alter the expression of manganese importers or prevent S. aureus from acquiring metals. It did, however, alter staphylococcal metabolism and impair the ability of S. aureus to grow on amino acids. Further studies suggested that relative to consuming glucose, the preferred carbon source of S. aureus, utilizing amino acids reduced the cellular demand for manganese. When forced to use glucose as the sole carbon source S. aureus became more sensitive to calprotectin compared to when amino acids are provided. Infection experiments utilizing wild type and calprotectin-deficient mice, which have defects in manganese sequestration, revealed that ArlRS is important for disease when manganese availability is restricted but not when this essential nutrient is freely available. In total, these results indicate that altering cellular metabolism contributes to the ability of pathogens to resist manganese starvation and that ArlRS enables S. aureus to overcome nutritional immunity by facilitating this adaptation. The ubiquitous pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a serious threat to human health due to the continued spread of antibiotic resistance. This spread has made it challenging to treat staphylococcal infections and led to the call for new approaches to treat this devastating pathogen. One approach is to disrupt the ability of S. aureus to adapt to nutrient availability during infection. During infection, the host imposes manganese and zinc starvation on invading pathogens. However, the mechanisms utilized by Staphylococcus aureus to overcome this host defense are unknown. We report that ArlRS, a global staphylococcal virulence regulator, is important for resisting manganese starvation during infection. Loss of ArlRS does not prevent S. aureus from acquiring metals but instead renders the bacterium incapable of adapting to limited manganese availability. ArlRS mutants also have metabolic defects and a reduced ability to grow on amino acids. When using glucose as a carbon source S. aureus is more sensitive to manganese starvation and increases the expression of manganese transporters relative to when amino acids are provided suggesting a higher demand for manganese. These observations indicate that ArlRS contributes to resisting nutritional immunity by altering metabolism to reduce the staphylococcal demand for manganese.
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29
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Hepatic mobilization of zinc after an experimental surgery, and its relationship with inflammatory cytokines release, and expression of metallothionein and Zip14 transporter. Inflamm Res 2016; 66:167-175. [DOI: 10.1007/s00011-016-1003-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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Vaccination with a ΔnorD ΔznuA Brucella abortus mutant confers potent protection against virulent challenge. Vaccine 2016; 34:5290-5297. [PMID: 27639282 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Revised: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
There remains a need for an improved livestock vaccine for brucellosis since conventional vaccines are only ∼70% efficacious, making some vaccinated animals susceptible to Brucella infections. To address this void, a vaccine capable of evoking protective immunity, while still being sufficiently attenuated to produce minimal disease, is sought. In this pursuit, the ΔnorD ΔznuA B. abortus-lacZ (termed as znBAZ) was developed to be devoid of functional norD and znuA B. abortus genes, and to contain the lacZ as a marker gene. The results show that znBAZ is highly attenuated in mouse and human macrophages, and completely cleared from mouse spleens within eight weeks post-vaccination. Producing less splenic inflammation, znBAZ is significantly more protective than the conventional RB51 vaccine by more than four orders of magnitude. Vaccination with znBAZ elicits elevated numbers of IFN-γ+, TNF-α+, and polyfunctional IFN-γ+ TNF-α+ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in contrast to RB51-vaccinated mice, which show reduced numbers of proinflammatory cytokine-producing T cells. These results demonstrate that znBAZ is a highly efficacious vaccine candidate capable of eliciting diverse T cell subsets that confer protection against parenteral challenge with virulent, wild-type B. abortus.
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Naseri Z, Alikhani MY, Hashemi SH, Kamarehei F, Arabestani MR. Prevalence of the Most Common Virulence-Associated Genes among Brucella Melitensis Isolates from Human Blood Cultures in Hamadan Province, West of Iran. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2016; 41:422-9. [PMID: 27582592 PMCID: PMC4967487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease causing considerable economic and public health problems. Despite animal vaccination, brucellosis remains endemic in some areas such as Iran, especially in the western Iranian province of Hamadan. We sought to detect some of the most common virulence-associated genes in Brucella isolated from human blood cultures to determine the prevalence of some virulence genes among Brucella isolates. Fifty-seven isolates were studied from patients with a clinical diagnosis of brucellosis who referred to the Infectious Diseases Ward of Sina Hospital in Hamadan Province, Iran, between April 2013 and July 2014. Blood samples were collected for the diagnosis of brucellosis using the BACTEC blood culture system. All of these isolates were confirmed by the bcsp31 Brucella-specific gene. We detected 11 virulence-associated genes of Brucella, namely cβg, virB, znuA, ure, bvfA, omp25, omp31, wbkA, mviN, manA, and manB, which are important for the pathogenesis of this bacterium in the intracellular environment by multiplex PCR. Totally, 149 patients with a clinical diagnosis of brucellosis were enrolled in this study. Fifty-seven (38.3%) patients had positive blood cultures. On biochemical and molecular testing, all of the isolates were Brucella melitensis. Ten of the virulence genes were detected among all of the 57 isolates, but the bvf gene was detected in 53 (93%) isolates. The high prevalence of virulence-associated genes among the Brucella isolates detected in Hamadan Province, Iran, underscores the pathogenicity of this bacterium in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Naseri
- Brucellosis Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Yousef Alikhani
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Seyed Hamid Hashemi
- Brucellosis Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Farideh Kamarehei
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Arabestani
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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32
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Zinc acquisition via ZnuABC in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis facilitates resistance to oxidative stress. ANN MICROBIOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13213-016-1205-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Abstract
Ancient bacteria originated from metal-rich environments. Billions of years of evolution directed these tiny single cell creatures to exploit the versatile properties of metals in catalyzing chemical reactions and biological responses. The result is an entire metallome of proteins that use metal co-factors to facilitate key cellular process that range from the production of energy to the replication of DNA. Two key metals in this regard are iron and zinc, both abundant on Earth but not readily accessible in a human host. Instead, pathogenic bacteria must employ clever ways to acquire these metals. In this review we describe the many elegant ways these bacteria mine, regulate, and craft the use of two key metals (iron and zinc) to build a virulence arsenal that challenges even the most sophisticated immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ma
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77459, USA.
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Gogoi P, Chandravanshi M, Mandal SK, Srivastava A, Kanaujia SP. Heterogeneous behavior of metalloproteins toward metal ion binding and selectivity: insights from molecular dynamics studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2015; 34:1470-85. [PMID: 26248730 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2015.1080629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
About one-third of the existing proteins require metal ions as cofactors for their catalytic activities and structural complexities. While many of them bind only to a specific metal, others bind to multiple (different) metal ions. However, the exact mechanism of their metal preference has not been deduced to clarity. In this study, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate whether a cognate metal (bound to the structure) can be replaced with other similar metal ions. We have chosen seven different proteins (phospholipase A2, sucrose phosphatase, pyrazinamidase, cysteine dioxygenase (CDO), plastocyanin, monoclonal anti-CD4 antibody Q425, and synaptotagmin 1 C2B domain) bound to seven different divalent metal ions (Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Zn(2+), Fe(2+), Cu(2+), Ba(2+), and Sr(2+), respectively). In total, 49 MD simulations each of 50 ns were performed and each trajectory was analyzed independently. Results demonstrate that in some cases, cognate metal ions can be exchanged with similar metal ions. On the contrary, some proteins show binding affinity specifically to their cognate metal ions. Surprisingly, two proteins CDO and plastocyanin which are known to bind Fe(2+) and Cu(2+), respectively, do not exhibit binding affinity to any metal ion. Furthermore, the study reveals that in some cases, the active site topology remains rigid even without cognate metals, whereas, some require them for their active site stability. Thus, it will be interesting to experimentally verify the accuracy of these observations obtained computationally. Moreover, the study can help in designing novel active sites for proteins to sequester metal ions particularly of toxic nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prerana Gogoi
- a Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering , Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati , Guwahati , Assam 781039 , India
| | - Monika Chandravanshi
- a Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering , Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati , Guwahati , Assam 781039 , India
| | - Suraj Kumar Mandal
- a Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering , Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati , Guwahati , Assam 781039 , India
| | - Ambuj Srivastava
- a Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering , Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati , Guwahati , Assam 781039 , India
| | - Shankar Prasad Kanaujia
- a Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering , Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati , Guwahati , Assam 781039 , India
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35
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Liu J, Li Y, Sun Y, Ji X, Zhu L, Guo X, Zhou W, Zhou B, Liu S, Zhang R, Feng S. Immune responses and protection induced by Brucella suis S2 bacterial ghosts in mice. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2015; 166:138-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2015.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2013] [Revised: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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36
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Coordinated zinc homeostasis is essential for the wild-type virulence of Brucella abortus. J Bacteriol 2015; 197:1582-91. [PMID: 25691532 DOI: 10.1128/jb.02543-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Metal homeostasis in bacterial cells is a highly regulated process requiring intricately coordinated import and export, as well as precise sensing of intracellular metal concentrations. The uptake of zinc (Zn) has been linked to the virulence of Brucella abortus; however, the capacity of Brucella strains to sense Zn levels and subsequently coordinate Zn homeostasis has not been described. Here, we show that expression of the genes encoding the zinc uptake system ZnuABC is negatively regulated by the Zn-sensing Fur family transcriptional regulator, Zur, by direct interactions between Zur and the promoter region of znuABC. Moreover, the MerR-type regulator, ZntR, controls the expression of the gene encoding the Zn exporter ZntA by binding directly to its promoter. Deletion of zur or zntR alone did not result in increased zinc toxicity in the corresponding mutants; however, deletion of zntA led to increased sensitivity to Zn but not to other metals, such as Cu and Ni, suggesting that ZntA is a Zn-specific exporter. Strikingly, deletion of zntR resulted in significant attenuation of B. abortus in a mouse model of chronic infection, and subsequent experiments revealed that overexpression of zntA in the zntR mutant is the molecular basis for its decreased virulence. IMPORTANCE The importance of zinc uptake for Brucella pathogenesis has been demonstrated previously, but to date, there has been no description of how overall zinc homeostasis is maintained and genetically controlled in the brucellae. The present work defines the predominant zinc export system, as well as the key genetic regulators of both zinc uptake and export in Brucella abortus. Moreover, the data show the importance of precise coordination of the zinc homeostasis systems as disregulation of some elements of these systems leads to the attenuation of Brucella virulence in a mouse model. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the essential role of zinc in the pathogenesis of intracellular bacteria.
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Cerasi M, Liu JZ, Ammendola S, Poe AJ, Petrarca P, Pesciaroli M, Pasquali P, Raffatellu M, Battistoni A. The ZupT transporter plays an important role in zinc homeostasis and contributes to Salmonella enterica virulence. Metallomics 2014; 6:845-53. [PMID: 24430377 DOI: 10.1039/c3mt00352c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Zinc is an essential metal for cellular homeostasis and function in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. To acquire this essential nutrient, bacteria employ transporters characterized by different affinity for the metal. Several studies have investigated the role of the high affinity transporter ZnuABC in the bacterial response to zinc shortage, showing that this transporter has a key role in adapting bacteria to zinc starvation. In contrast, the role of the low affinity zinc importer ZupT has been the subject of limited investigations. Here we show that a Salmonella strain lacking ZupT is impaired in its ability to grow in metal devoid environments and that a znuABC zupT strain exhibits a severe growth defect in zinc devoid media, is hypersensitive to oxidative stress and contains reduced levels of intracellular free zinc. Moreover, we show that ZupT also plays a role in the ability of S. Typhimurium to colonize the host tissues. During systemic infections, the single zupT mutant strain was attenuated only in Nramp1(+/+) mice, but competition experiments between znuABC and znuABC zupT mutants revealed that ZupT contributes to metal uptake in vivo independently of the presence of a functional Nramp1 transporter. Altogether, the here reported results show that ZupT plays an important role in Salmonella zinc homeostasis, being involved in metal import both in vitro and in infected animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Cerasi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome, Italy.
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Metal ion homeostasis in Listeria monocytogenes and importance in host-pathogen interactions. Adv Microb Physiol 2014; 65:83-123. [PMID: 25476765 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2014.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is responsible for one of the most life-threatening food-borne infections and the leading cause of food-poisoning associated deaths in the UK. Infection may be of the unborn/newly born infant where disease may manifest as listeric abortion, stillbirth or late-onset neonatal listeriosis, while in adults, infection usually affects the central nervous system causing meningitis. Crucial to the survival of L. monocytogenes, both inside and outside the host, is its ability to acquire metals which act as cofactors for a broad range of its cellular proteins. However, L. monocytogenes must also protect itself against the innate toxicity of metals. The importance of metals in host-pathogen interactions is illustrated by the restriction of metals (including zinc and iron) in vertebrates in response to infection and the use of high levels of metals (copper and zinc) as part of the antimicrobial defences within host phagocytes. As such, L. monocytogenes is equipped with various mechanisms to tightly control its cellular metal pools and avoid metal poisoning. These include multiple DNA-binding metal-responsive transcription factors, metal-acquisition, metal-detoxification and metal-storage systems, some of which represent key L. monocytogenes virulence determinants. This review discusses current knowledge of the role of metals in L. monocytogenes infections, with a focus on the mechanisms that contribute to zinc and copper homeostasis in this organism. The requirement to precisely control cellular metal levels may impose a vulnerability to L. monocytogenes which can be exploited in antimicrobials and therapeutics.
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Yuan F, Liao Y, You W, Liu Z, Tan Y, Zheng C, BinWang, Zhou D, Tian Y, Bei W. Deletion of the znuA virulence factor attenuates Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and confers protection against homologous or heterologous strain challenge. Vet Microbiol 2014; 174:531-539. [PMID: 25465668 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The znuA gene is known to be important for growth and survival in Escherichia coli, Haemophilus spp., Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Pasteurella multocida under low Zn(2+) conditions. This gene is also present in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the existence of a similar role for the znuA gene in the growth and virulence of this organism. A precisely defined ΔznuA deletion mutant of A. pleuropneumoniae was constructed based on the sequence of the wild-type SLW01 using transconjugation and counterselection. This mutation was found to be lethal in low-Zn(2+) medium. Furthermore, the ΔznuA mutant strain exhibited attenuated virulence (≥22-fold) as well as reduced mortality and morbidity in a murine (Balb/C) model of infection. The majority of the bacteria were cleared from the lungs within 2 weeks. The ΔznuA mutant strain caused no adverse effects in pigs at doses of up to 1.0×10(9) CFU/mL. The ΔznuA mutant strain induced a significant immune response and conferred 80% and 100% protection on immunised pigs against challenge with A. pleuropneumoniae strains belonging to homologous or heterologous serovars, respectively, compared to the blank controls. The data obtained in this study indicate the potential of the mutant ΔznuA strain for development as a live vaccine capable of inducing reliable cross-serovar protection following intratracheal immunisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyan Yuan
- Hubei key laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yonghong Liao
- National Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Luoyang Pulike Bio-engineering Co. Ltd., Luoyang 471003, Henan, China
| | - Wujin You
- Division of Animal Infectious Disease, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Zewen Liu
- Hubei key laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yongqiang Tan
- Division of Animal Infectious Disease, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Chengkun Zheng
- Division of Animal Infectious Disease, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
| | - BinWang
- Division of Animal Infectious Disease, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Danna Zhou
- Hubei key laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yongxiang Tian
- Hubei key laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Weicheng Bei
- Division of Animal Infectious Disease, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China.
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Bobrov AG, Kirillina O, Fetherston JD, Miller MC, Burlison JA, Perry RD. The Yersinia pestis siderophore, yersiniabactin, and the ZnuABC system both contribute to zinc acquisition and the development of lethal septicaemic plague in mice. Mol Microbiol 2014; 93:759-75. [PMID: 24979062 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens must overcome host sequestration of zinc (Zn(2+) ), an essential micronutrient, during the infectious disease process. While the mechanisms to acquire chelated Zn(2+) by bacteria are largely undefined, many pathogens rely upon the ZnuABC family of ABC transporters. Here we show that in Yersinia pestis, irp2, a gene encoding the synthetase (HMWP2) for the siderophore yersiniabactin (Ybt) is required for growth under Zn(2+) -deficient conditions in a strain lacking ZnuABC. Moreover, growth stimulation with exogenous, purified apo-Ybt provides evidence that Ybt may serve as a zincophore for Zn(2+) acquisition. Studies with the Zn(2+) -dependent transcriptional reporter znuA::lacZ indicate that the ability to synthesize Ybt affects the levels of intracellular Zn(2+) . However, the outer membrane receptor Psn and TonB as well as the inner membrane (IM) ABC transporter YbtPQ, which are required for Fe(3+) acquisition by Ybt, are not needed for Ybt-dependent Zn(2+) uptake. In contrast, the predicted IM protein YbtX, a member of the Major Facilitator Superfamily, was essential for Ybt-dependent Zn(2+) uptake. Finally, we show that the ZnuABC system and the Ybt synthetase HMWP2, presumably by Ybt synthesis, both contribute to the development of a lethal infection in a septicaemic plague mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G Bobrov
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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Diaz-Ochoa VE, Jellbauer S, Klaus S, Raffatellu M. Transition metal ions at the crossroads of mucosal immunity and microbial pathogenesis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:2. [PMID: 24478990 PMCID: PMC3900919 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 01/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Transition metal ions are essential micronutrients for all living organisms. In mammals, these ions are often protein-bound and sequestered within cells, limiting their availability to microbes. Moreover, in response to infection, mammalian hosts further reduce the availability of metal nutrients by activating epithelial cells and recruiting neutrophils, both of which release metal-binding proteins with antimicrobial function. Microorganisms, in turn, have evolved sophisticated systems to overcome these limitations and acquire the metal ions essential for their growth. Here we review some of the mechanisms employed by the host and by pathogenic microorganisms to compete for transition metal ions, with a discussion of how evading “nutritional immunity” benefits pathogens. Furthermore, we provide new insights on the mechanisms of host-microbe competition for metal ions in the mucosa, particularly in the inflamed gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir E Diaz-Ochoa
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA ; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Stefan Jellbauer
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA ; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Suzi Klaus
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA ; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Manuela Raffatellu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA ; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
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Cerasi M, Ammendola S, Battistoni A. Competition for zinc binding in the host-pathogen interaction. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013; 3:108. [PMID: 24400228 PMCID: PMC3872050 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2013] [Accepted: 12/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to its favorable chemical properties, zinc is used as a structural or catalytic cofactor in a very large number of proteins. Despite the apparent abundance of this metal in all cell types, the intracellular pool of loosely bound zinc ions available for biological exchanges is in the picomolar range and nearly all zinc is tightly bound to proteins. In addition, to limit bacterial growth, some zinc-sequestering proteins are produced by eukaryotic hosts in response to infections. Therefore, to grow and multiply in the infected host, bacterial pathogens must produce high affinity zinc importers, such as the ZnuABC transporter which is present in most Gram-negative bacteria. Studies carried in different bacterial species have established that disruption of ZnuABC is usually associated with a remarkable loss of pathogenicity. The critical involvement of zinc in a plethora of metabolic and virulence pathways and the presence of very low number of zinc importers in most bacterial species mark zinc homeostasis as a very promising target for the development of novel antimicrobial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Cerasi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma Tor Vergata Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Ammendola
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma Tor Vergata Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Battistoni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma Tor Vergata Rome, Italy ; Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Consorzio Interuniversitario Rome, Italy
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Ellison ML, Farrow JM, Farrow JM, Parrish W, Danell AS, Pesci EC. The transcriptional regulator Np20 is the zinc uptake regulator in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PLoS One 2013; 8:e75389. [PMID: 24086521 PMCID: PMC3781045 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2013] [Accepted: 08/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Zinc is essential for all bacteria, but excess amounts of the metal can have toxic effects. To address this, bacteria have developed tightly regulated zinc uptake systems, such as the ZnuABC zinc transporter which is regulated by the Fur-like zinc uptake regulator (Zur). In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Zur protein has yet to be identified experimentally, however, sequence alignment revealed that the zinc-responsive transcriptional regulator Np20, encoded by np20 (PA5499), shares high sequence identity with Zur found in other bacteria. In this study, we set out to determine whether Np20 was functioning as Zur in P. aeruginosa. Using RT-PCR, we determined that np20 (hereafter known as zur) formed a polycistronic operon with znuC and znuB. Mutant strains, lacking the putative znuA, znuB, or znuC genes were found to grow poorly in zinc deplete conditions as compared to wild-type strain PAO1. Intracellular zinc concentrations in strain PAO-Zur (Δzur) were found to be higher than those for strain PAO1, further implicating the zur as the zinc uptake regulator. Reporter gene fusions and real time RT-PCR revealed that transcription of znuA was repressed in a zinc-dependent manner in strain PAO1, however zinc-dependent transcriptional repression was alleviated in strain PAO-Zur, suggesting that the P. aeruginosa Zur homolog (ZurPA) directly regulates expression of znuA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays also revealed that recombinant ZurPA specifically binds to the promoter region of znuA and does not bind in the presence of the zinc chelator N,N',N-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN). Taken together, these data support the notion that Np20 is the P. aeruginosa Zur, which regulates the transcription of the genes encoding the high affinity ZnuABC zinc transport system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L Ellison
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United State of America ; Department of Biology and Chemistry, Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky, United State of America
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MntABC and MntH contribute to systemic Staphylococcus aureus infection by competing with calprotectin for nutrient manganese. Infect Immun 2013; 81:3395-405. [PMID: 23817615 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00420-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
During infection, vertebrates limit access to manganese and zinc, starving invading pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, of these essential metals in a process termed "nutritional immunity." The manganese and zinc binding protein calprotectin is a key component of the nutrient-withholding response, and mice lacking this protein do not sequester manganese from S. aureus liver abscesses. One potential mechanism utilized by S. aureus to minimize host-imposed manganese and zinc starvation is the expression of the metal transporters MntABC and MntH. We performed transcriptional analyses of both mntA and mntH, which revealed increased expression of both systems in response to calprotectin treatment. MntABC and MntH compete with calprotectin for manganese, which enables S. aureus growth and retention of manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase activity. Loss of MntABC and MntH results in reduced staphylococcal burdens in the livers of wild-type but not calprotectin-deficient mice, suggesting that these systems promote manganese acquisition during infection. During the course of these studies, we observed that metal content and the importance of calprotectin varies between murine organs, and infection leads to profound changes in the anatomical distribution of manganese and zinc. In total, these studies provide insight into the mechanisms utilized by bacteria to evade host-imposed nutrient metal starvation and the critical importance of restricting manganese availability during infection.
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PA2800 plays an important role in both antibiotic susceptibility and virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Curr Microbiol 2012; 65:601-9. [PMID: 22878555 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-012-0196-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2012] [Accepted: 07/04/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important human pathogen which causes a variety of infections. P. aeruginosa infections are often difficult to treat due to the pathogen's resistance to many antibiotics. Previously, it has been reported that a transposon insertion mutant in gene PA2800 of P. aeruginosa PAO1 was more sensitive to tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. Further characterization of this gene, a vacJ homolog, in this study indicated that this gene plays an important role in both antibiotic susceptibility and virulence in P. aeruginosa. The role of PA2800 in antibiotic susceptibility probably signifies its involvement in maintaining outer membrane stability, similar to the role of vacJ in E. coli and Shigella flexneri. However, in contrast to vacJ in other bacteria, PA2800 also affects antibiotic susceptibility by affecting the expression of oprH in P. aeruginosa. As shown by in vivo studies using a Drosophila melanogaster infection model, significantly increased virulence was observed in the PA2800 mutant when compared to the wild type, and such a difference is likely a result of disrupted outer membrane stability and altered expression of znuA in the mutant. The role of PA2800 or vacJ in antibiotic susceptibility and pathogenicity seems to be unique in P. aeruginosa in which it affects both outer membrane stability as well as gene expression.
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Abstract
Bioavailable levels of trace metals, such as iron and zinc, for bacterial growth in nature are sufficiently low that most microbes have evolved high-affinity binding and transport systems. The microbe Campylobacter jejuni lives in the gastrointestinal tract of chickens, the principal source of human infection. A high-affinity ABC transporter for zinc uptake is required for Campylobacter survival in chicken intestines in the presence of a normal microbiota but not when chickens are raised with a limited microbiota. Mass spectrometric analysis of cecal contents revealed the presence of numerous zinc-binding proteins in conventional chicks compared to the number in limited-microbiota chicks. The presence of a microbiota results in the production of host zinc-binding enzymes, causing a growth restriction for bacteria that lack the high-affinity zinc transporter. Such transporters in a wide range of pathogenic bacteria make them good targets for the development of broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Importance Zinc is an essential trace element for the growth of most organisms. Quantities of zinc inside cells are highly regulated, as too little zinc does not support growth, while too much zinc is toxic. Numerous bacterial cells require zinc uptake systems for growth and virulence. The work presented here demonstrates that the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract reduces the quantity of zinc. Without a high-affinity zinc transporter, Campylobacter jejuni, a commensal organism of chickens, is unable to replicate or colonize the gastrointestinal tract. This is the first demonstration of zinc competition between microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract of a host. These results could have profound implications in the field of microbial pathogenesis and in our understanding of host metabolism and the microbiota. Zinc is an essential trace element for the growth of most organisms. Quantities of zinc inside cells are highly regulated, as too little zinc does not support growth, while too much zinc is toxic. Numerous bacterial cells require zinc uptake systems for growth and virulence. The work presented here demonstrates that the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract reduces the quantity of zinc. Without a high-affinity zinc transporter, Campylobacter jejuni, a commensal organism of chickens, is unable to replicate or colonize the gastrointestinal tract. This is the first demonstration of zinc competition between microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract of a host. These results could have profound implications in the field of microbial pathogenesis and in our understanding of host metabolism and the microbiota.
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Liu JZ, Jellbauer S, Poe AJ, Ton V, Pesciaroli M, Kehl-Fie TE, Restrepo NA, Hosking MP, Edwards RA, Battistoni A, Pasquali P, Lane TE, Chazin WJ, Vogl T, Roth J, Skaar EP, Raffatellu M. Zinc sequestration by the neutrophil protein calprotectin enhances Salmonella growth in the inflamed gut. Cell Host Microbe 2012; 11:227-39. [PMID: 22423963 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2012.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 251] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Revised: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 01/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Neutrophils are innate immune cells that counter pathogens by many mechanisms, including release of antimicrobial proteins such as calprotectin to inhibit bacterial growth. Calprotectin sequesters essential micronutrient metals such as zinc, thereby limiting their availability to microbes, a process termed nutritional immunity. We find that while calprotectin is induced by neutrophils during infection with the gut pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium, calprotectin-mediated metal sequestration does not inhibit S. Typhimurium proliferation. Remarkably, S. Typhimurium overcomes calprotectin-mediated zinc chelation by expressing a high affinity zinc transporter (ZnuABC). A S. Typhimurium znuA mutant impaired for growth in the inflamed gut was rescued in the absence of calprotectin. ZnuABC was also required to promote the growth of S. Typhimurium over that of competing commensal bacteria. Thus, our findings indicate that Salmonella thrives in the inflamed gut by overcoming the zinc sequestration of calprotectin and highlight the importance of zinc acquisition in bacterial intestinal colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Z Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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Zinc and regulation of inflammatory cytokines: implications for cardiometabolic disease. Nutrients 2012; 4:676-94. [PMID: 22852057 PMCID: PMC3407988 DOI: 10.3390/nu4070676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2012] [Revised: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 06/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus, the concomitant presence of low-grade systemic inflammation and mild zinc deficiency highlights a role for zinc nutrition in the management of chronic disease. This review aims to evaluate the literature that reports on the interactions of zinc and cytokines. In humans, inflammatory cytokines have been shown both to up- and down-regulate the expression of specific cellular zinc transporters in response to an increased demand for zinc in inflammatory conditions. The acute phase response includes a rapid decline in the plasma zinc concentration as a result of the redistribution of zinc into cellular compartments. Zinc deficiency influences the generation of cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α, and in response to zinc supplementation plasma cytokines exhibit a dose-dependent response. The mechanism of action may reflect the ability of zinc to either induce or inhibit the activation of NF-κB. Confounders in understanding the zinc-cytokine relationship on the basis of in vitro experimentation include methodological issues such as the cell type and the means of activating cells in culture. Impaired zinc homeostasis and chronic inflammation feature prominently in a number of cardiometabolic diseases. Given the high prevalence of zinc deficiency and chronic disease globally, the interplay of zinc and inflammation warrants further examination.
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Abstract
Similar to other bacteria, Brucella strains require several biologically essential metals for their survival in vitro and in vivo. Acquiring sufficient levels of some of these metals, particularly iron, manganese and zinc, is especially challenging in the mammalian host, where sequestration of these micronutrients is a well-documented component of both the innate and acquired immune responses. This review describes the Brucella metal transporters that have been shown to play critical roles in the virulence of these bacteria in experimental and natural hosts.
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Kim S, Shahid S, Kim S, Park J, Lee H, Jung K, Chai Y. Comparative analysis of virulence factors secreted by Bacillus anthracis Sterne at host body temperature. Lett Appl Microbiol 2012; 54:306-12. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2012.03209.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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