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Kashevarova NM, Khaova EA, Tkachenko AG. The regulatory effects of (p)ppGpp and indole on cAMP synthesis in Escherichia coli cells. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2024; 28:15-23. [PMID: 38465243 PMCID: PMC10917672 DOI: 10.18699/vjgb-24-03] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial stress adaptive response is formed due to changes in the cell gene expression profile in response to alterations in environmental conditions through the functioning of regulatory networks. The mutual influence of network signaling molecules represented by cells' natural metabolites, including indole and second messengers (p) ppGpp and cAMP, is hitherto not well understood, being the aim of this study. E. coli parent strain BW25141 ((p) ppGpp+) and deletion knockout BW25141ΔrelAΔspoT which is unable to synthesize (p)ppGpp ((p)ppGpp0) were cultivated in M9 medium supplemented with different glucose concentrations (5.6 and 22.2 mM) in the presence of tryptophan as a substrate for indole synthesis and in its absence. The glucose content was determined with the glucose oxidase method; the indole content, by means of HPLC; and the cAMP concentration, by ELISA. The onset of an increase in initially low intracellular cAMP content coincided with the depletion of glucose in the medium. Maximum cAMP accumulation in the cells was proportional to the concentration of initially added glucose. At the same time, the (p) ppGpp0 mutant showed a decrease in maximum cAMP levels compared to the (p)ppGpp+ parent, which was the most pronounced in the medium with 22.2 mM glucose. So, (p)ppGpp was able to positively regulate cAMP formation. The promoter of the tryptophanase operon responsible for indole biosynthesis is known to be under the positive control of catabolic repression. Therefore, in the cells of the (p)ppGpp+ strain grown in the tryptophan-free medium that were characterized by a low rate of spontaneous indole formation, its synthesis significantly increased in response to the rising cAMP level just after glucose depletion. However, this was not observed in the (p)ppGpp0 mutant cells with reduced cAMP accumulation. When tryptophan was added to the medium, both of these strains demonstrated high indole production, which was accompanied by a decrease in cAMP accumulation compared to the tryptophan-free control. Thus, under glucose depletion, (p)ppGpp can positively regulate the accumulation of both cAMP and indole, while the latter, in its turn, has a negative effect on cAMP formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- N M Kashevarova
- Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia
| | - E A Khaova
- Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia
| | - A G Tkachenko
- Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia
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Joyce SA, Clarke DJ. Microbial metabolites as modulators of host physiology. Adv Microb Physiol 2024; 84:83-133. [PMID: 38821635 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
The gut microbiota is increasingly recognised as a key player in influencing human health and changes in the gut microbiota have been strongly linked with many non-communicable conditions in humans such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. However, characterising the molecular mechanisms that underpin these associations remains an important challenge for researchers. The gut microbiota is a complex microbial community that acts as a metabolic interface to transform ingested food (and other xenobiotics) into metabolites that are detected in the host faeces, urine and blood. Many of these metabolites are only produced by microbes and there is accumulating evidence to suggest that these microbe-specific metabolites do act as effectors to influence human physiology. For example, the gut microbiota can digest dietary complex polysaccharides (such as fibre) into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) such as acetate, propionate and butyrate that have a pervasive role in host physiology from nutrition to immune function. In this review we will outline our current understanding of the role of some key microbial metabolites, such as SCFA, indole and bile acids, in human health. Whilst many studies linking microbial metabolites with human health are correlative we will try to highlight examples where genetic evidence is available to support a specific role for a microbial metabolite in host health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan A Joyce
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - David J Clarke
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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3
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Boya BR, Lee JH, Lee J. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of chromone derivatives against uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Microbiol Res 2024; 278:127537. [PMID: 37922697 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is a urinary tract pathogen responsible for most nosocomial urinary tract infections and can cause severe conditions like acute cystitis of the bladder or pyelonephritis. UPEC harbors a host of virulence factors like curli, hemolysin, siderophore, and motility factors and can form biofilm-like communities and quiescent reservoirs that aid its survival. This study was performed to investigate the antibiofilm, antimicrobial, and antivirulence potentials of three chromone derivatives, namely, 6-bromo 3-formylchromone, 6-chloro 3-formylchromone, and 3-formyl 6-isopropylchromone. These chromones had MICs against UPEC of 20, 20, and 50 µg/ml, respectively, inhibited biofilm formation by 72-96% at 20 µg/ml, and inhibited UPEC-associated virulence factors, that is, hemolysis, motility, curli, siderophore production, indole production, quiescent colony formation, and cell surface hydrophobicity. Gene expression analysis indicated these three derivatives downregulated virulence genes associated with toxins, biofilm production, and stress regulation and suggested they might target two-component UvrY response regulator. 3D-QSAR analysis showed that substitutions at the third and sixth positions of the chromone scaffold favor antimicrobial activity against UPEC. Furthermore, ADME profiles and C. elegans cytotoxicity assays indicated that these chromone derivatives are potent, safe drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharath Reddy Boya
- School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Hyung Lee
- School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Jintae Lee
- School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea.
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Wang X, Ma W, Shan J, Chen K, Xu W, Lu Z, Ju Z, Dong Z, Li B, Zhang Y. The phosphotransferase system gene ptsH affects persister formation in Klebsiella pneumoniae by regulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2023; 62:106925. [PMID: 37451649 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2023.106925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most common opportunistic pathogens causing hospital- and community-acquired infections. Antibiotic resistance in K. pneumoniae has emerged as a major clinical and public health threat. Persisters are specific antibiotic-tolerant bacterial cells. Studies on the mechanism underlying their formation mechanism and growth status are scarce. Therefore, it is urgent to explore the key genes and signalling pathways involved in the formation and recovery process of K. pneumoniae persisters to enhance the understanding and develop relevant treatment strategies. In this study, we treated K. pneumoniae with a lethal concentration of levofloxacin. It resulted in a distinct plateau of surviving levofloxacin-tolerant persisters. Subsequently, we obtained bacterial samples at five different time points during the formation and recovery of K. pneumoniae persisters to perform transcriptome analysis. ptsH gene was observed to be upregulated during the formation of persisters, and down-regulated during the recovery of the persisters. Further, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to construct ΔptsH, the ptsH-knockout K. pneumoniae strain, and to investigate the effect of ptsH on the persister formation. We observed that ptsH can promote the formation of persisters, reduce accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and enhance antioxidant capacity by reducing cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report that ptsH plays a vital role in forming K. pneumoniae persisters. This study provided important insights to further explore the mechanism underlying the formation of K. pneumoniae persisters and provided a potential target for treating infection with K. pneumoniae persisters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Wenru Ma
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Jiangfan Shan
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Kexu Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Weihao Xu
- Inspection Center of Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China
| | - Zixuan Lu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Zhuofei Ju
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Zhouyan Dong
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Boqing Li
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
| | - Yumei Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
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Chunxiao D, Ma F, Wu W, Li S, Yang J, Chen Z, Lian S, Qu Y. Metagenomic analysis reveals indole signaling effect on microbial community in sequencing batch reactors: Quorum sensing inhibition and antibiotic resistance enrichment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 229:115897. [PMID: 37054839 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Indole is an essential signal molecule in microbial studies. However, its ecological role in biological wastewater treatments remains enigmatic. This study explores the links between indole and complex microbial communities using sequencing batch reactors exposed to 0, 15, and 150 mg/L indole concentrations. A concentration of 150 mg/L indole enriched indole degrader Burkholderiales, while pathogens, such as Giardia, Plasmodium, and Besnoitia were inhibited at 15 mg/L indole concentration. At the same time, indole reduced the abundance of predicted genes in the "signaling transduction mechanisms" pathway via the Non-supervised Orthologous Groups distributions analysis. Indole significantly decreased the concentration of homoserine lactones, especially C14-HSL. Furthermore, the quorum-sensing signaling acceptors containing LuxR, the dCACHE domain, and RpfC showed negative distributions with indole and indole oxygenase genes. Signaling acceptors' potential origins were mainly Burkholderiales, Actinobacteria, and Xanthomonadales. Meanwhile, concentrated indole (150 mg/L) increased the total abundance of antibiotic resistance genes by 3.52 folds, especially on aminoglycoside, multidrug, tetracycline, and sulfonamide. Based on Spearman's correlation analysis, the homoserine lactone degradation genes which were significantly impacted by indole negatively correlated with the antibiotic resistance gene abundance. This study brings new insights into the effect of indole signaling on in biological wastewater treatment plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai Chunxiao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Fang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
| | - Weize Wu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Shuzhen Li
- Aquatic Eco-Health Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Shengyang Lian
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Yuanyuan Qu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa Citrate Synthase GltA Influences Antibiotic Tolerance and the Type III Secretion System through the Stringent Response. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0323922. [PMID: 36602339 PMCID: PMC9927146 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03239-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbohydrate metabolism plays essential roles in energy generation and providing carbon skeletons for amino acid syntheses. In addition, carbohydrate metabolism has been shown to influence bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics and virulence. In this study, we demonstrate that citrate synthase gltA mutation can increase the expression of the type III secretion system (T3SS) genes and antibiotic tolerance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The stringent response is activated in the gltA mutant, and deletion of the (p)ppGpp synthetase gene relA restores the antibiotic tolerance and expression of the T3SS genes to wild-type level. We further demonstrate that the intracellular level of cAMP is increased by the stringent response in the gltA mutant, which increases the expression of the T3SS master regulator gene exsA. Overall, our results reveal an essential role of GltA in metabolism, antibiotic tolerance, and virulence, as well as a novel regulatory mechanism of the stringent response-mediated regulation of the T3SS in P. aeruginosa. IMPORTANCE Rising antimicrobial resistance imposes a severe threat to human health. It is urgent to develop novel antimicrobial strategies by understanding bacterial regulation of virulence and antimicrobial resistance determinants. The stringent response plays an essential role in virulence and antibiotic tolerance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes acute and chronic infections in humans. The bacterium produces an arsenal of virulence factors and is highly resistant to a variety of antibiotics. In this study, we provide evidence that citrate synthase GltA plays a critical role in P. aeruginosa metabolism and influences the antibiotic tolerance and virulence. We further reveal a role of the stringent response in the regulation of the antibiotic tolerance and virulence. The significance of this work is in elucidation of novel regulatory pathways that control both antibiotic tolerance and virulence in P. aeruginosa.
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Shi X, Zarkan A. Bacterial survivors: evaluating the mechanisms of antibiotic persistence. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168. [PMID: 36748698 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria withstand antibiotic onslaughts by employing a variety of strategies, one of which is persistence. Persistence occurs in a bacterial population where a subpopulation of cells (persisters) survives antibiotic treatment and can regrow in a drug-free environment. Persisters may cause the recalcitrance of infectious diseases and can be a stepping stone to antibiotic resistance, so understanding persistence mechanisms is critical for therapeutic applications. However, current understanding of persistence is pervaded by paradoxes that stymie research progress, and many aspects of this cellular state remain elusive. In this review, we summarize the putative persister mechanisms, including toxin-antitoxin modules, quorum sensing, indole signalling and epigenetics, as well as the reasons behind the inconsistent body of evidence. We highlight present limitations in the field and underscore a clinical context that is frequently neglected, in the hope of supporting future researchers in examining clinically important persister mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Shi
- Cambridge Centre for International Research, Cambridge CB4 0PZ, UK
| | - Ashraf Zarkan
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
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8
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Song S, Wood TK. Manipulating indole symbiont signalling. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 14:691-696. [PMID: 35667868 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sooyeon Song
- Department of Animal Science, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
- Agricultural Convergence Technology, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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Li Z, Sun F, Fu X, Chen Y. 5-Methylindole kills various bacterial pathogens and potentiates aminoglycoside against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14010. [PMID: 36124131 PMCID: PMC9482361 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance of bacterial pathogens has become a severe threat to human health. To counteract antibiotic resistance, it is of significance to discover new antibiotics and also improve the efficacy of existing antibiotics. Here we show that 5-methylindole, a derivative of the interspecies signaling molecule indole, is able to directly kill various Gram-positive pathogens (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) and also Gram-negative ones (e.g., Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), with 2-methylindole being less potent. Particularly, 5-methylindole can kill methicillin-resistant S. aureus, multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and antibiotic-tolerant S. aureus persisters. Furthermore, 5-methylindole significantly potentiates aminoglycoside antibiotics, but not fluoroquinolones, killing of S. aureus. In addition, 5-iodoindole also potentiates aminoglycosides. Our findings open a new avenue to develop indole derivatives like 5-methylindole as antibacterial agents or adjuvants of aminoglycoside.
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Wang Y, Bian Z, Wang Y. Biofilm formation and inhibition mediated by bacterial quorum sensing. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:6365-6381. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12150-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Abstract
Indole signaling in bacteria plays an important role in antibiotic resistance, persistence, and tolerance. Here, we used the nonlinear optical technique, second-harmonic light scattering (SHS), to examine the influence of exogenous indole on the bacterial uptake of the antimicrobial quaternary ammonium cation (qac), malachite green. The transport rates of the antimicrobial qac across the individual membranes of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as liposomes composed of the polar lipid extract of E. coli, were directly measured using time-resolved SHS. Whereas exogenous indole was shown to induce a 2-fold increase in the transport rate of the qac across the cytoplasmic membranes of the wild-type bacteria, it had no influence on a knockout strain of E. coli lacking the tryptophan-specific transport protein (Δmtr). Likewise, indole did not affect the transport rate of the qac diffusing across the liposome membrane. Our findings suggest that indole increases the bacterial uptake of antimicrobials through an interaction with the Mtr permease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, 1901 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Michael J. Wilhelm
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, 1901 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Yujie Li
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, 1901 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Jianqiang Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, 1901 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Hai-Lung Dai
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, 1901 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
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Zeng J, Hong Y, Zhao N, Liu Q, Zhu W, Xiao L, Wang W, Chen M, Hong S, Wu L, Xue Y, Wang D, Niu J, Drlica K, Zhao X. A broadly applicable, stress-mediated bacterial death pathway regulated by the phosphotransferase system (PTS) and the cAMP-Crp cascade. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2118566119. [PMID: 35648826 PMCID: PMC9191683 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118566119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent work indicates that killing of bacteria by diverse antimicrobial classes can involve reactive oxygen species (ROS), as if a common, self-destructive response to antibiotics occurs. However, the ROS-bacterial death theory has been challenged. To better understand stress-mediated bacterial death, we enriched spontaneous antideath mutants of Escherichia coli that survive treatment by diverse bactericidal agents that include antibiotics, disinfectants, and environmental stressors, without a priori consideration of ROS. The mutants retained bacteriostatic susceptibility, thereby ruling out resistance. Surprisingly, pan-tolerance arose from carbohydrate metabolism deficiencies in ptsI (phosphotransferase) and cyaA (adenyl cyclase); these genes displayed the activity of upstream regulators of a widely shared, stress-mediated death pathway. The antideath effect was reversed by genetic complementation, exogenous cAMP, or a Crp variant that bypasses cAMP binding for activation. Downstream events comprised a metabolic shift from the TCA cycle to glycolysis and to the pentose phosphate pathway, suppression of stress-mediated ATP surges, and reduced accumulation of ROS. These observations reveal how upstream signals from diverse stress-mediated lesions stimulate shared, late-stage, ROS-mediated events. Cultures of these stable, pan-tolerant mutants grew normally and were therefore distinct from tolerance derived from growth defects described previously. Pan-tolerance raises the potential for unrestricted disinfectant use to contribute to antibiotic tolerance and resistance. It also weakens host defenses, because three agents (hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and low pH) affected by pan-tolerance are used by the immune system to fight infections. Understanding and manipulating the PtsI-CyaA-Crp–mediated death process can help better control pathogens and maintain beneficial microbiota during antimicrobial treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yuzhi Hong
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103
- Institute of Molecular Enzymology and School of Biology & Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ningqiu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Qianyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Center of Clinical Laboratory, Zhongshan Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, China
| | - Weiwei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Lisheng Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Weijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Miaomiao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Shouqiang Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Liwen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yunxin Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Dai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jianjun Niu
- Center of Clinical Laboratory, Zhongshan Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, China
| | - Karl Drlica
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103
| | - Xilin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103
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14
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Hemeg HA. Combatting persisted and biofilm antimicrobial resistant bacterial by using nanoparticles. Z NATURFORSCH C 2022; 77:365-378. [PMID: 35234019 DOI: 10.1515/znc-2021-0296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Some bacteria can withstand the existence of an antibiotic without undergoing any genetic changes. They are neither cysts nor spores and are one of the causes of disease recurrence, accounting for about 1% of the biofilm. There are numerous approaches to eradication and combating biofilm-forming organisms. Nanotechnology is one of them, and it has shown promising results against persister cells. In the review, we go over the persister cell and biofilm in extensive detail. This includes the biofilm formation cycle, antibiotic resistance, and treatment with various nanoparticles. Furthermore, the gene-level mechanism of persister cell formation and its therapeutic interventions with nanoparticles were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan A Hemeg
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, P.O. Box 344, Al-Madinah Al-Monawra 41411, Saudi Arabia
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15
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Sulaima JE, Lam H. Proteomics in antibiotic resistance and tolerance research: Mapping the resistome and the tolerome of bacterial pathogens. Proteomics 2022; 22:e2100409. [PMID: 35143120 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202100409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance, the ability of a microbial pathogen to evade the effects of antibiotics thereby allowing them to grow under elevated drug concentrations, is an alarming health problem worldwide and has attracted the attention of scientists for decades. On the other hand, the clinical importance of persistence and tolerance as alternative mechanisms for pathogens to survive prolonged lethal antibiotic doses has recently become increasingly appreciated. Persisters and high-tolerance populations are thought to cause the relapse of infectious diseases, and provide opportunities for the pathogens to evolve resistance during the course of antibiotic therapy. Although proteomics and other omics methodology have long been employed to study resistance, its applications in studying persistence and tolerance are still limited. However, due to the growing interest in the topic and recent progress in method developments to study them, there have been some proteomic studies that yield fresh insights into the phenomenon of persistence and tolerance. Combined with the studies on resistance, these collectively guide us to novel molecular targets for the potential drugs for the control of these dangerous pathogens. In this review, we surveyed previous proteomic studies to investigate resistance, persistence, and tolerance mechanisms, and discussed emerging experimental strategies for studying these phenotypes with a combination of adaptive laboratory evolution and high-throughput proteomics. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordy Evan Sulaima
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Henry Lam
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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16
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Abstract
Looking back fondly on the first 15 years of Microbial Biotechnology, a trend is emerging that biotechnology is moving from studies that focus on whole-cell populations, where heterogeneity exists even during robust growth, to those with an emphasis on single cells. This instils optimism that insights will be made into myriad aspects of bacterial growth in communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K. Wood
- Department of Chemical EngineeringPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvania16802‐4400USA
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17
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Singh G, Yadav M, Ghosh C, Rathore JS. Bacterial toxin-antitoxin modules: classification, functions, and association with persistence. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2021; 2:100047. [PMID: 34841338 PMCID: PMC8610362 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2021.100047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitously present bacterial Toxin-Antitoxin (TA) modules consist of stable toxin associated with labile antitoxin. Classification of TAs modules based on inhibition of toxin through antitoxin in 8 different classes. Variety of specific toxin targets and the abundance of TA modules in various deadly pathogens. Specific role of TAs modules in conservation of the resistant genes, emergence of persistence & biofilm formation. Proposed antibacterial strategies involving TA modules for elimination of multi-drug resistance.
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules are ubiquitous gene loci among bacteria and are comprised of a toxin part and its cognate antitoxin part. Under normal physiological conditions, antitoxin counteracts the toxicity of the toxin whereas, during stress conditions, TA modules play a crucial role in bacterial physiology through involvement in the post-segregational killing, abortive infection, biofilms, and persister cell formation. Most of the toxins are proteinaceous that affect translation or DNA replication, although some other intracellular molecular targets have also been described. While antitoxins may be a protein or RNA, that generally neutralizes its cognate toxin by direct interaction or with the help of other signaling elements and thus helps in the TA module regulation. In this review, we have discussed the current state of the multifaceted TA (type I–VIII) modules by highlighting their classification and specific targets. We have also discussed the presence of TA modules in the various pathogens and their role in antibiotic persistence development as well as biofilm formation, by influencing the different cellular processes. In the end, assembling knowledge about ubiquitous TA systems from pathogenic bacteria facilitated us to propose multiple novel antibacterial strategies involving artificial activation of TA modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garima Singh
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Yamuna Expressway, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mohit Yadav
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Yamuna Expressway, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Chaitali Ghosh
- Department of Zoology Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Jitendra Singh Rathore
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Yamuna Expressway, Uttar Pradesh, India
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18
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Persister Escherichia coli Cells Have a Lower Intracellular pH than Susceptible Cells but Maintain Their pH in Response to Antibiotic Treatment. mBio 2021; 12:e0090921. [PMID: 34281389 PMCID: PMC8406257 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00909-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Persister and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells are two clonal subpopulations that can survive multidrug exposure via a plethora of putative molecular mechanisms. Here, we combine microfluidics, time-lapse microscopy, and a plasmid-encoded fluorescent pH reporter to measure the dynamics of the intracellular pH of individual persister, VBNC, and susceptible Escherichia coli cells in response to ampicillin treatment. We found that even before antibiotic exposure, persisters have a lower intracellular pH than those of VBNC and susceptible cells. We then investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed differential pH regulation in persister E. coli cells and found that this is linked to the activity of the enzyme tryptophanase, which is encoded by tnaA. In fact, in a ΔtnaA strain, we found no difference in intracellular pH between persister, VBNC, and susceptible E. coli cells. Whole-genome transcriptomic analysis revealed that, besides downregulating tryptophan metabolism, the ΔtnaA strain downregulated key pH homeostasis pathways, including the response to pH, oxidation reduction, and several carboxylic acid catabolism processes, compared to levels of expression in the parental strain. Our study sheds light on pH homeostasis, proving that the regulation of intracellular pH is not homogeneous within a clonal population, with a subset of cells displaying a differential pH regulation to perform dedicated functions, including survival after antibiotic treatment. IMPORTANCE Persister and VBNC cells can phenotypically survive environmental stressors, such as antibiotic treatment, limitation of nutrients, and acid stress, and have been linked to chronic infections and antimicrobial resistance. It has recently been suggested that pH regulation might play a role in an organism's phenotypic survival to antibiotics; however, this hypothesis remains to be tested. Here, we demonstrate that even before antibiotic treatment, cells that will become persisters have a more acidic intracellular pH than clonal cells that will be either susceptible or VBNC upon antibiotic treatment. Moreover, after antibiotic treatment, persisters become more alkaline than VBNC and susceptible E. coli cells. This newly found phenotypic feature is remarkable because it distinguishes persister and VBNC cells that have often been thought to display the same dormant phenotype. We then show that this differential pH regulation is abolished in the absence of the enzyme tryptophanase via a major remodeling of bacterial metabolism and pH homeostasis. These new whole-genome transcriptome data should be taken into account when modeling bacterial metabolism at the crucial transition from exponential to stationary phase. Overall, our findings indicate that the manipulation of the intracellular pH represents a bacterial strategy for surviving antibiotic treatment. In turn, this suggests a strategy for developing persister-targeting antibiotics by interfering with cellular components, such as tryptophanase, that play a major role in pH homeostasis.
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19
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Wood TK, Song S. Forming and waking dormant cells: The ppGpp ribosome dimerization persister model. Biofilm 2020; 2:100018. [PMID: 33447804 PMCID: PMC7798447 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2019.100018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Procaryotes starve and face myriad stresses. The bulk population actively resists the stress, but a small population weathers the stress by entering a resting stage known as persistence. No mutations occur, and so persisters behave like wild-type cells upon removal of the stress and regrowth; hence, persisters are phenotypic variants. In contrast, resistant bacteria have mutations that allow cells to grow in the presence of antibiotics, and tolerant cells survive antibiotics better than actively-growing cells due to their slow growth (such as that of the stationary phase). In this review, we focus on the latest developments in studies related to the formation and resuscitation of persister cells and propose the guanosine pentaphosphate/tetraphosphate (henceforth ppGpp) ribosome dimerization persister (PRDP) model for entering and exiting the persister state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K. Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802-4400, USA
| | - Sooyeon Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802-4400, USA
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20
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Drlica K, Zhao X. Bacterial death from treatment with fluoroquinolones and other lethal stressors. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2020; 19:601-618. [PMID: 33081547 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2021.1840353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lethal stressors, including antimicrobials, kill bacteria in part through a metabolic response proposed to involve reactive oxygen species (ROS). The quinolone anti-bacterials have served as key experimental tools in developing this idea. AREAS COVERED Bacteriostatic and bactericidal action of quinolones are distinguished, with emphasis on the contribution of chromosome fragmentation and ROS accumulation to bacterial death. Action of non-quinolone antibacterials and non-antimicrobial stressors is described to provide a general framework for understanding stress-mediated, bacterial death. EXPERT OPINION Quinolones trap topoisomerases on DNA in reversible complexes that block DNA replication and bacterial growth. At elevated drug concentrations, DNA ends are released from topoisomerase-mediated constraint, leading to the idea that death arises from chromosome fragmentation. However, DNA ends also stimulate repair, which is energetically expensive. An incompletely understood metabolic shift occurs, and ROS accumulate. Even after quinolone removal, ROS continue to amplify, generating secondary and tertiary damage that overwhelms repair and causes death. Repair may also contribute to death directly via DNA breaks arising from incomplete base-excision repair of ROS-oxidized nucleotides. Remarkably, perturbations that interfere with ROS accumulation confer tolerance to many diverse lethal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xilin Zhao
- Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, South Xiang-An Road, Xiang-An District, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China
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21
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Zhang J, Zhu S, Ma N, Johnston LJ, Wu C, Ma X. Metabolites of microbiota response to tryptophan and intestinal mucosal immunity: A therapeutic target to control intestinal inflammation. Med Res Rev 2020; 41:1061-1088. [PMID: 33174230 DOI: 10.1002/med.21752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In a complex, diverse intestinal environment, commensal microbiota metabolizes excessive dietary tryptophan to produce more bioactive metabolites connecting with kinds of diverse process, such as host physiological defense, homeostasis, excessive immune activation and the progression and outcome of different diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and others. Although commensal microbiota includes bacteria, fungi, and protozoa and all that, they often have the similar metabolites in tryptophan metabolism process via same or different pathways. These metabolites can work as signal to activate the innate immunity of intestinal mucosa and induce the rapid inflammation response. They are critical in reconstruction of lumen homeostasis as well. This review aims to seek the potential function and mechanism of microbiota-derived tryptophan metabolites as targets to regulate and shape intestinal immune function, which mainly focused on two aspects. First, analyze the character of tryptophan metabolism in bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, and assess the functions of their metabolites (including indole and eight other derivatives, serotonin (5-HT) and d-tryptophan) on regulating the integrity of intestinal epithelium and the immunity of the intestinal mucosa. Second, focus on the mediator and pathway for their recognition, transfer and crosstalk between microbiota-derived tryptophan metabolites and intestinal mucosal immunity. Disruption of intestinal homeostasis has been described in different intestinal inflammatory diseases, available data suggest the remarkable potential of tryptophan-derived aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists, indole derivatives on lumen equilibrium. These metabolites as preventive and therapeutic interventions have potential to promote proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory responses of the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, Beijing Vocational College of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Shengwei Zhu
- Institute of Botany, Key laboratory of plant molecular physiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Lee J Johnston
- West Central Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota, Morris, Minnesota, USA
| | - Chaodong Wu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Xi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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22
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Parker H, Lorenc R, Ruelas Castillo J, Karakousis PC. Mechanisms of Antibiotic Tolerance in Mycobacterium avium Complex: Lessons From Related Mycobacteria. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:573983. [PMID: 33101247 PMCID: PMC7554310 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.573983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) species are the most commonly isolated nontuberculous mycobacteria to cause pulmonary infections worldwide. The lengthy and complicated therapy required to cure lung disease due to MAC is at least in part due to the phenomenon of antibiotic tolerance. In this review, we will define antibiotic tolerance and contrast it with persistence and antibiotic resistance. We will discuss physiologically relevant stress conditions that induce altered metabolism and antibiotic tolerance in mycobacteria. Next, we will review general molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial antibiotic tolerance, particularly those described for MAC and related mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with a focus on genes containing significant sequence homology in MAC. An improved understanding of antibiotic tolerance mechanisms can lay the foundation for novel approaches to target antibiotic-tolerant mycobacteria, with the goal of shortening the duration of curative treatment and improving survival in patients with MAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harley Parker
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rachel Lorenc
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jennie Ruelas Castillo
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Petros C Karakousis
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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23
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Song S, Wood TK. Combatting Persister Cells With Substituted Indoles. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1565. [PMID: 32733426 PMCID: PMC7358577 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Given that a subpopulation of most bacterial cells becomes dormant due to stress, and that the resting cells of pathogens can revive and reconstitute infections, it is imperative to find methods to treat dormant cells to eradicate infections. The dormant bacteria that are not spores or cysts are known as persister cells. Remarkably, in contrast to the original report that incorrectly indicated indole increases persistence, a large number of indole-related compounds have been found in the last few years that kill persister cells. Hence, in this review, along with a summary of recent results related to persister cell formation and resuscitation, we focus on the ability of indole and substituted indoles to combat the persister cells of both pathogens and non-pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sooyeon Song
- Department of Animal Science, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, South Korea
| | - Thomas K. Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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24
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Local and Universal Action: The Paradoxes of Indole Signalling in Bacteria. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:566-577. [PMID: 32544443 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Indole is a signalling molecule produced by many bacterial species and involved in intraspecies, interspecies, and interkingdom signalling. Despite the increasing volume of research published in this area, many aspects of indole signalling remain enigmatic. There is disagreement over the mechanism of indole import and export and no clearly defined target through which its effects are exerted. Progress is hindered further by the confused and sometimes contradictory body of indole research literature. We explore the reasons behind this lack of consistency and speculate whether the discovery of a new, pulse mode of indole signalling, together with a move away from the idea of a conventional protein target, might help to overcome these problems and enable the field to move forward.
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25
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Fodor A, Abate BA, Deák P, Fodor L, Gyenge E, Klein MG, Koncz Z, Muvevi J, Ötvös L, Székely G, Vozik D, Makrai L. Multidrug Resistance (MDR) and Collateral Sensitivity in Bacteria, with Special Attention to Genetic and Evolutionary Aspects and to the Perspectives of Antimicrobial Peptides-A Review. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9070522. [PMID: 32610480 PMCID: PMC7399985 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9070522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic poly-resistance (multidrug-, extreme-, and pan-drug resistance) is controlled by adaptive evolution. Darwinian and Lamarckian interpretations of resistance evolution are discussed. Arguments for, and against, pessimistic forecasts on a fatal “post-antibiotic era” are evaluated. In commensal niches, the appearance of a new antibiotic resistance often reduces fitness, but compensatory mutations may counteract this tendency. The appearance of new antibiotic resistance is frequently accompanied by a collateral sensitivity to other resistances. Organisms with an expanding open pan-genome, such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, can withstand an increased number of resistances by exploiting their evolutionary plasticity and disseminating clonally or poly-clonally. Multidrug-resistant pathogen clones can become predominant under antibiotic stress conditions but, under the influence of negative frequency-dependent selection, are prevented from rising to dominance in a population in a commensal niche. Antimicrobial peptides have a great potential to combat multidrug resistance, since antibiotic-resistant bacteria have shown a high frequency of collateral sensitivity to antimicrobial peptides. In addition, the mobility patterns of antibiotic resistance, and antimicrobial peptide resistance, genes are completely different. The integron trade in commensal niches is fortunately limited by the species-specificity of resistance genes. Hence, we theorize that the suggested post-antibiotic era has not yet come, and indeed might never come.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Fodor
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary;
- Correspondence: or (A.F.); (L.M.); Tel.: +36-(30)-490-9294 (A.F.); +36-(30)-271-2513 (L.M.)
| | - Birhan Addisie Abate
- Ethiopian Biotechnology Institute, Agricultural Biotechnology Directorate, Addis Ababa 5954, Ethiopia;
| | - Péter Deák
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary;
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Fodor
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 22, H-1581 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Ervin Gyenge
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 5-7 Clinicilor St., 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (E.G.); (G.S.)
- Institute for Research-Development-Innovation in Applied Natural Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University, 30 Fântânele St., 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Michael G. Klein
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, OH 44691, USA;
| | - Zsuzsanna Koncz
- Max-Planck Institut für Pflanzenzüchtungsforschung, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50829 Köln, Germany;
| | | | - László Ötvös
- OLPE, LLC, Audubon, PA 19403-1965, USA;
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary
- Arrevus, Inc., Raleigh, NC 27612, USA
| | - Gyöngyi Székely
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 5-7 Clinicilor St., 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (E.G.); (G.S.)
- Institute for Research-Development-Innovation in Applied Natural Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University, 30 Fântânele St., 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Babeș-Bolyai University, 5-7 Clinicilor St., 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Dávid Vozik
- Research Institute on Bioengineering, Membrane Technology and Energetics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Veszprem, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary; or or
| | - László Makrai
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 22, H-1581 Budapest, Hungary;
- Correspondence: or (A.F.); (L.M.); Tel.: +36-(30)-490-9294 (A.F.); +36-(30)-271-2513 (L.M.)
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26
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Kim CS, Li JH, Barco B, Park HB, Gatsios A, Damania A, Wang R, Wyche TP, Piizzi G, Clay NK, Crawford JM. Cellular Stress Upregulates Indole Signaling Metabolites in Escherichia coli. Cell Chem Biol 2020; 27:698-707.e7. [PMID: 32243812 PMCID: PMC7306003 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Escherichia coli broadly colonize the intestinal tract of humans and produce a variety of small molecule signals. However, many of these small molecules remain unknown. Here, we describe a family of widely distributed bacterial metabolites termed the "indolokines." In E. coli, the indolokines are upregulated in response to a redox stressor via aspC and tyrB transaminases. Although indolokine 1 represents a previously unreported metabolite, four of the indolokines (2-5) were previously shown to be derived from indole-3-carbonyl nitrile (ICN) in the plant pathogen defense response. We show that the indolokines are produced in a convergent evolutionary manner relative to plants, enhance E. coli persister cell formation, outperform ICN protection in an Arabidopsis thaliana-Pseudomonas syringae infection model, trigger a hallmark plant innate immune response, and activate distinct immunological responses in primary human tissues. Our molecular studies link a family of cellular stress-induced metabolites to defensive responses across bacteria, plants, and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung Sub Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Chemical Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Jhe-Hao Li
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Chemical Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Brenden Barco
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Hyun Bong Park
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Chemical Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Alexandra Gatsios
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Chemical Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Ashiti Damania
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Rurun Wang
- Exploratory Science Center, Merck & Co., Inc., Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Thomas P Wyche
- Exploratory Science Center, Merck & Co., Inc., Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Grazia Piizzi
- Exploratory Science Center, Merck & Co., Inc., Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Nicole K Clay
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Jason M Crawford
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Chemical Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA.
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27
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Sun F, Bian M, Li Z, Lv B, Gao Y, Wang Y, Fu X. 5-Methylindole Potentiates Aminoglycoside Against Gram-Positive Bacteria Including Staphylococcus aureus Persisters Under Hypoionic Conditions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:84. [PMID: 32185144 PMCID: PMC7058972 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance/tolerance has become a severe threat to human and animal health. To combat antibiotic-resistant/tolerant bacteria, it is of significance to improve the efficacy of traditional antibiotics. Here we show that indole potentiates tobramycin to kill stationary-phase Staphylococcus aureus cells after a short, combined treatment, with its derivative 5-methylindole being the most potent compound tested and with the absence of ions as a prerequisite. Consistently, this combined treatment also kills various types of S. aureus persister cells as induced by the protonophore CCCP, nutrient shift, or starvation, as well as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) cells. Importantly, 5-methylindole potentiates tobramycin killing of S. aureus persisters in a mouse acute skin wound model. Furthermore, 5-methylindole facilitates killing of many strains of gram-positive pathogens such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus pyogenes by aminoglycoside antibiotics, whereas it suppresses the action of aminoglycoside against the gram-negative pathogens Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri. In conclusion, our work may pave the way for the development of indole derivatives as adjuvants to potentiate aminoglycosides against gram-positive pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengqi Sun
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Mengmeng Bian
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhongyan Li
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Boyan Lv
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Gao
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China.,Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xinmiao Fu
- Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China.,Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
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28
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Hingley-Wilson SM, Ma N, Hu Y, Casey R, Bramming A, Curry RJ, Tang HL, Wu H, Butler RE, Jacobs WR, Rocco A, McFadden J. Loss of phenotypic inheritance associated with ydcI mutation leads to increased frequency of small, slow persisters in Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:4152-4157. [PMID: 32029596 PMCID: PMC7049120 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1914741117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Whenever a genetically homogenous population of bacterial cells is exposed to antibiotics, a tiny fraction of cells survives the treatment, the phenomenon known as bacterial persistence [G.L. Hobby et al., Exp. Biol. Med. 50, 281-285 (1942); J. Bigger, The Lancet 244, 497-500 (1944)]. Despite its biomedical relevance, the origin of the phenomenon is still unknown, and as a rare, phenotypically resistant subpopulation, persisters are notoriously hard to study and define. Using computerized tracking we show that persisters are small at birth and slowly replicating. We also determine that the high-persister mutant strain of Escherichia coli, HipQ, is associated with the phenotype of reduced phenotypic inheritance (RPI). We identify the gene responsible for RPI, ydcI, which encodes a transcription factor, and propose a mechanism whereby loss of phenotypic inheritance causes increased frequency of persisters. These results provide insight into the generation and maintenance of phenotypic variation and provide potential targets for the development of therapeutic strategies that tackle persistence in bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne M Hingley-Wilson
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Nan Ma
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
- Advanced Technology Institute, Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Yin Hu
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalyn Casey
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Anders Bramming
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5320 Ribe, Denmark
| | - Richard J Curry
- Photon Science Institute, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Hongying Lilian Tang
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Huihai Wu
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel E Butler
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - William R Jacobs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461;
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Andrea Rocco
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom;
| | - Johnjoe McFadden
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom;
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Song S, Wood TK. ppGpp ribosome dimerization model for bacterial persister formation and resuscitation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 523:281-286. [PMID: 32007277 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.01.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Stress is ubiquitous for bacteria and can convert a subpopulation of cells into a dormant state known as persistence, in which cells are tolerant to antimicrobials. These cells revive rapidly when the stress is removed and are likely the cause of many recurring infections such as those associated with tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, and Lyme disease. However, how persister cells are formed is not understood well. Here we propose the ppGpp ribosome dimerization persister (PRDP) model in which the alarmone guanosine pentaphosphate/tetraphosphate (henceforth ppGpp) generates persister cells directly by inactivating ribosomes via the ribosome modulation factor (RMF), the hibernation promoting factor (Hpf), and the ribosome-associated inhibitor (RaiA). We demonstrate that persister cells contain a large fraction of 100S ribosomes, that inactivation of RMF, HpF, and RaiA reduces persistence and increases single-cell persister resuscitation and that ppGpp has no effect on single-cell persister resuscitation. Hence, a direct connection between ppGpp and persistence is shown along with evidence of the importance of ribosome dimerization in persistence and for active ribosomes during resuscitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sooyeon Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802-4400, USA
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802-4400, USA.
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Yamasaki R, Song S, Benedik MJ, Wood TK. Persister Cells Resuscitate Using Membrane Sensors that Activate Chemotaxis, Lower cAMP Levels, and Revive Ribosomes. iScience 2020; 23:100792. [PMID: 31926430 PMCID: PMC6957856 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.100792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistence, the stress-tolerant state, is arguably the most vital phenotype since nearly all cells experience nutrient stress, which causes a sub-population to become dormant. However, how persister cells wake to reconstitute infections is not understood well. Here, using single-cell observations, we determined that Escherichia coli persister cells resuscitate primarily when presented with specific carbon sources, rather than spontaneously. In addition, we found that the mechanism of persister cell waking is through sensing nutrients by chemotaxis and phosphotransferase membrane proteins. Furthermore, nutrient transport reduces the level of secondary messenger cAMP through enzyme IIA; this reduction in cAMP levels leads to ribosome resuscitation and rescue. Resuscitating cells also immediately commence chemotaxis toward nutrients, although flagellar motion is not required for waking. Hence, persister cells wake by perceiving nutrients via membrane receptors that relay the signal to ribosomes via the secondary messenger cAMP, and persisters wake and utilize chemotaxis to acquire nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Yamasaki
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-4400, USA
| | - Sooyeon Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-4400, USA
| | - Michael J Benedik
- Department of Biology, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843-3122, USA
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-4400, USA; The Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-4400, USA.
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31
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Manoharan RK, Mahalingam S, Gangadaran P, Ahn YH. Antibacterial and photocatalytic activities of 5-nitroindole capped bimetal nanoparticles against multidrug resistant bacteria. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2020; 188:110825. [PMID: 32006909 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2020.110825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic resistance to commercially- available antibiotics is becoming a major health crisis worldwide. Non-antibiotic strategies are needed to combat biofilm-associated infectious diseases caused by multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens. In this study, MBR1 was isolated from a membrane bioreactor used in wastewater treatment plants, and the resistance profile was explored. 5-Nitroindole (5 N)-capped CuO/ZnO bimetal nanoparticles (5 NNP) were synthesized using a one pot method to improve the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of 5 N against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli ATCC700376 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01) and positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538) human pathogens. 5 NNP containing 1 mM of 5 N exhibited strong antibacterial and antibiofilm properties to most MDR bacteria. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of CuO/ZnO reduced bacterial cell growth by 1.8 log CFU/mL maximum when exposed to visible light. Scanning electron microscopy showed that 5 NNP reduced the cell density and biofilm attachment of MBR1 by >90% under static conditions. In addition to the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities, 5 NNP inhibited the persister cell formation of MDR bacterial strains P. aeruginosa, MBR1, E. coli and S. aureus. Therefore, it is speculated that 5 NNP potentially inhibits biofilm and persister cells; hence, 5 NNP could be an alternative agent to combat MDR infectious diseases using a non-antibiotic therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shanmugam Mahalingam
- Department of Civil Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Prakash Gangadaran
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Ho Ahn
- Department of Civil Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 38541, Republic of Korea.
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Zuo J, Yin H, Hu J, Miao J, Chen Z, Qi K, Wang Z, Gong J, Phouthapane V, Jiang W, Mi R, Huang Y, Wang C, Han X. Lsr operon is associated with AI-2 transfer and pathogenicity in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli. Vet Res 2019; 50:109. [PMID: 31831050 PMCID: PMC6909531 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-019-0725-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The function of Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) which acts as the signal molecule of LuxS-mediated quorum sensing, is regulated through the lsr operon (which includes eight genes: lsrK, lsrR, lsrA, lsrC, lsrD, lsrB, lsrF, and lsrG). However, the functions of the lsr operon remain unclear in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), which causes severe respiratory and systemic diseases in poultry. In this study, the presence of the lsr operon in 60 APEC clinical strains (serotypes O1, O2, and O78) was investigated and found to be correlated with serotype and has the highest detection rate in O78. The AI-2 binding capacity of recombinant protein LsrB of APEC (APEC-LsrB) was verified and was found to bind to AI-2 in vitro. In addition, the lsr operon was mutated in an APEC strain (APEC94Δlsr(Cm)) and the mutant was found to be defective in motility and AI-2 uptake. Furthermore, deletion of the lsr operon attenuated the virulence of APEC, with the LD50 of APEC94Δlsr(Cm) decreasing 294-fold compared with wild-type strain APEC94. The bacterial load in the blood, liver, spleen, and kidneys of ducks infected with APEC94Δlsr(Cm) decreased significantly (p < 0.0001). The results of transcriptional analysis showed that 62 genes were up-regulated and 415 genes were down-regulated in APEC94Δlsr(Cm) compared with the wild-type strain and some of the down-regulated genes were associated with the virulence of APEC. In conclusion, our study suggests that lsr operon plays a role in the pathogenesis of APEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiakun Zuo
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Huifang Yin
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, 364000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangang Hu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinfeng Miao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaoguo Chen
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Kezong Qi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhihao Wang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiansen Gong
- Poultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou, 225125, People's Republic of China
| | - Vanhnaseng Phouthapane
- Biotechnology and Ecology Institute, Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Vientiane, 22797, Lao PDR
| | - Wei Jiang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Rongsheng Mi
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Huang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, No. 263 Kaiyuan Road, Luoyang, 471023, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiangan Han
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China.
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Zamakhaev MV, Goncharenko AV, Shumkov MS. Toxin-Antitoxin Systems and Bacterial Persistence (Review). APPL BIOCHEM MICRO+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0003683819060140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Interspecies and Intraspecies Signals Synergistically Regulate Lysobacter enzymogenes Twitching Motility. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.01742-19. [PMID: 31540995 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01742-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The twitching motility of bacteria is closely related to environmental adaptability and pathogenic behaviors. Lysobacter is a good genus in which to study twitching motility because of the complex social activities and distinct movement patterns of its members. Regardless, the mechanism that induces twitching motility is largely unknown. In this study, we found that the interspecies signal indole caused Lysobacter to have irregular, random twitching motility with significantly enhanced speed. Deletion of qseC or qseB from the two-component system for indole signaling perception resulted in the disappearance of rapid, random movements and significantly decreased twitching activity. Indole-induced, rapid, random twitching was achieved through upregulation of expression of gene cluster pilE1-pilY11-pilX1-pilW1-pilV1-fimT1 In addition, under conditions of extremely low bacterial density, individual Lysobacter cells grew and divided in a stable manner in situ without any movement. The intraspecies quorum-sensing signaling factor 13-methyltetradecanoic acid, designated L. enzymogenes diffusible signaling factor (LeDSF), was essential for Lysobacter to produce twitching motility through indirect regulation of gene clusters pilM-pilN-pilO-pilP-pilQ and pilS1-pilR-pilA-pilB-pilC These results demonstrate that the motility of Lysobacter is induced and regulated by indole and LeDSF, which reveals a novel theory for future studies of the mechanisms of bacterial twitching activities.IMPORTANCE The mechanism underlying bacterial twitching motility is an important research area because it is closely related to social and pathogenic behaviors. The mechanism mediating cell-to-cell perception of twitching motility is largely unknown. Using Lysobacter as a model, we found in this study that the interspecies signal indole caused Lysobacter to exhibit irregular, random twitching motility via activation of gene cluster pilE1-pilY11-pilX1-pilW1-pilV1-fimT1 In addition, population-dependent behavior induced by 13-methyltetradecanoic acid, a quorum-sensing signaling molecule designated LeDSF, was involved in twitching motility by indirectly regulating gene clusters pilM-pilN-pilO-pilP-pilQ and pilS1-pilR-pilA-pilB-pilC The results demonstrate that the twitching motility of Lysobacter is regulated by these two signaling molecules, offering novel clues for exploring the mechanisms of twitching motility and population-dependent behaviors of bacteria.
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Zhang W, Yamasaki R, Song S, Wood T. Interkingdom signal indole inhibits
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
persister cell waking. J Appl Microbiol 2019; 127:1768-1775. [DOI: 10.1111/jam.14434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- W. Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
| | - R. Yamasaki
- Department of Chemical Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
| | - S. Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
| | - T.K. Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
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Shimizu K, Matsuoka Y. Redox rebalance against genetic perturbations and modulation of central carbon metabolism by the oxidative stress regulation. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:107441. [PMID: 31472206 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.107441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The micro-aerophilic organisms and aerobes as well as yeast and higher organisms have evolved to gain energy through respiration (via oxidative phosphorylation), thereby enabling them to grow much faster than anaerobes. However, during respiration, reactive oxygen species (ROSs) are inherently (inevitably) generated, and threaten the cell's survival. Therefore, living organisms (or cells) must furnish the potent defense systems to keep such ROSs at harmless level, where the cofactor balance plays crucial roles. Namely, NADH is the source of energy generation (catabolism) in the respiratory chain reactions, through which ROSs are generated, while NADPH plays important roles not only for the cell synthesis (anabolism) but also for detoxifying ROSs. Therefore, the cell must rebalance the redox ratio by modulating the fluxes of the central carbon metabolism (CCM) by regulating the multi-level regulation machinery upon genetic perturbations and the change in the growth conditions. Here, we discuss about how aerobes accomplish such cofactor homeostasis against redox perturbations. In particular, we consider how single-gene mutants (including pgi, pfk, zwf, gnd and pyk mutants) modulate their metabolisms in relation to cofactor rebalance (and also by adaptive laboratory evolution). We also discuss about how the overproduction of NADPH (by the pathway gene mutation) can be utilized for the efficient production of useful value-added chemicals such as medicinal compounds, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and amino acids, all of which require NADPH in their synthetic pathways. We then discuss about the metabolic responses against oxidative stress, where αketoacids play important roles not only for the coordination between catabolism and anabolism, but also for detoxifying ROSs by non-enzymatic reactions, as well as for reducing the production of ROSs by repressing the activities of the TCA cycle and respiration (via carbon catabolite repression). Thus, we discuss about the mechanisms (basic strategies) that modulate the metabolism from respiration to respiro-fermentative metabolism causing overflow, based on the role of Pyk activity, affecting the NADPH production at the oxidative pentose phosphate (PP) pathway, and the roles of αketoacids for the change in the source of energy generation from the oxidative phosphorylation to the substrate level phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuyuki Shimizu
- Kyushu institute of Technology, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan; Institute of Advanced Biosciences, Keio university, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0017, Japan.
| | - Yu Matsuoka
- Kyushu institute of Technology, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan.
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38
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Tipping MJ, Gibbs KA. Peer pressure from a Proteus mirabilis self-recognition system controls participation in cooperative swarm motility. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007885. [PMID: 31323074 PMCID: PMC6682164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Colonies of the opportunistic pathogen Proteus mirabilis can distinguish self from non-self: in swarming colonies of two different strains, one strain excludes the other from the expanding colony edge. Predominant models characterize bacterial kin discrimination as immediate antagonism towards non-kin cells, typically through delivery of toxin effector molecules from one cell into its neighbor. Upon effector delivery, receiving cells must either neutralize it by presenting a cognate anti-toxin as would a clonal sibling, or suffer cell death or irreversible growth inhibition as would a non-kin cell. Here we expand this paradigm to explain the non-lethal Ids self-recognition system, which stops access to a social behavior in P. mirabilis by selectively and transiently inducing non-self cells into a growth-arrested lifestyle incompatible with cooperative swarming. This state is characterized by reduced expression of genes associated with protein synthesis, virulence, and motility, and also causes non-self cells to tolerate previously lethal concentrations of antibiotics. We show that temporary activation of the stringent response is necessary for entry into this state, ultimately resulting in the iterative exclusion of non-self cells as a swarm colony migrates outwards. These data clarify the intricate connection between non-lethal recognition and the lifecycle of P. mirabilis swarm colonies. A resident of animal intestines, Proteus mirabilis is a major cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infections and can cause recurrent, persistent infections. Swarming, which is a collective behavior that promotes centimeter-scale population migration, is implicated in colonization of bladders and kidneys. A regulatory factor of swarming is kin recognition, which involves the transfer of a self-identity protein from one cell into a physically adjacent neighboring cell. However, how kin recognition regulates swarming was previously unclear. We have now shown a mechanism linking kin recognition, swarm migration, and antibiotics tolerance: cells induce a transient antibiotics-tolerant, persister-like state in adjacent non-identical cells which in turn prevents non-identical cells from continuing to participate in collective swarming. These affected non-identical cells continue to exhibit large-scale gene expression suggesting an active shift into a different expression state. These data provide two key insights for the field. First, kin recognition can be a regulatory mechanism that acts with spatial and temporal precision. Second, induction into an antibiotics-tolerant state, instead of occurring stochastically, can be physically and spatially regulated by neighboring cells. These insights highlight the importance of further developing four-dimensional (time and X-, Y-, Z-axes) model systems for interrogating cell-cell signaling and control in microbial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murray J. Tipping
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Karine A. Gibbs
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Song S, Gong T, Yamasaki R, Kim J, Wood TK. Identification of a potent indigoid persister antimicrobial by screening dormant cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019; 116:2263-2274. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.27078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sooyeon Song
- Department of Chemical EngineeringPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park Pennsylvania
| | - Ting Gong
- Department of Chemical EngineeringPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park Pennsylvania
| | - Ryota Yamasaki
- Department of Chemical EngineeringPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park Pennsylvania
| | - Jun‐Seob Kim
- Infectious Disease Research CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and BiotechnologyDaejeon South Korea
| | - Thomas K. Wood
- Department of Chemical EngineeringPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park Pennsylvania
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Abstract
Bacterial antibiotic resistance modulation by small signaling molecules is an emerging mechanism that has been increasingly reported in recent years. Several studies indicate that indole, an interkingdom signaling molecule, increases bacterial antibiotic resistance. However, the mechanism through which indole reduces antibiotic resistance is largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated a novel mechanism for indole-mediated reversal of intrinsic antibiotic resistance in Lysobacter This reversal was facilitated by a novel BtuD-associated dual-function importer that can transfer both vitamin B12 and antibiotics. Indole stimulated btuD overexpression and promoted efficient absorption of extracellular vitamin B12; meanwhile, the weak selectivity of the importer caused cells to take up excessive doses of antibiotics that resulted in cell death. Consistently, btuD deletion and G48Y/K49D substitution led to marked reductions in the uptake of both antibiotics and vitamin B12 This novel mechanism is common across multiple bacterial species, among which the Q-loop amino acid of BtuD proteins is Glu (E) instead of Gln (Q). Interestingly, the antibiotic resistance of Lysobacter spp. can be restored by another small quorum sensing signaling factor, 13-methyltetradecanoic acid, designated LeDSF, in response to bacterial population density. This work highlights the mechanisms underlying dynamic regulation of bacterial antibiotic resistance by small signaling molecules and suggests that the effectiveness of traditional antibiotics could be increased by coupling them with appropriate signaling molecules.IMPORTANCE Recently, signaling molecules were found to play a role in mediating antibiotic resistance. In this study, we demonstrated that indole reversed the intrinsic antibiotic resistance (IRAR) of multiple bacterial species by promoting the expression of a novel dual-function importer. In addition, population-dependent behavior induced by 13-methyltetradecanoic acid, a quorum sensing signal molecule designated LeDSF, was involved in the IRAR process. This study highlights the dynamic regulation of bacterial antibiotic resistance by small signaling molecules and provides direction for new therapeutic strategies using traditional antibiotics in combination with signaling molecules.
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Microevolution in response to transient heme-iron restriction enhances intracellular bacterial community development and persistence. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007355. [PMID: 30332468 PMCID: PMC6205647 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens must sense, respond and adapt to a myriad of dynamic microenvironmental stressors to survive. Adaptation is key for colonization and long-term ability to endure fluctuations in nutrient availability and inflammatory processes. We hypothesize that strains adapted to survive nutrient deprivation are more adept for colonization and establishment of chronic infection. In this study, we detected microevolution in response to transient nutrient limitation through mutation of icc. The mutation results in decreased 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase activity in nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI). In a preclinical model of NTHI-induced otitis media (OM), we observed a significant decrease in the recovery of effusion from ears infected with the icc mutant strain. Clinically, resolution of OM coincides with the clearance of middle ear fluid. In contrast to this clinical paradigm, we observed that the icc mutant strain formed significantly more intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) than the parental strain early during experimental OM. Although the number of IBCs formed by the parental strain was low at early stages of OM, we observed a significant increase at later stages that coincided with absence of recoverable effusion, suggesting the presence of a mucosal reservoir following resolution of clinical disease. These data provide the first insight into NTHI microevolution during nutritional limitation and provide the first demonstration of IBCs in a preclinical model of chronic OM. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) inhabits diverse niches in the host. The ability to adapt to new microenvironments is consistent with the predominance of NTHI as a causative agent of otitis media (OM) in children. We evaluated the microevolution of NTHI associated with adaptation and persistence in response to nutrient limitation. We identified a naturally occurring mutation that enhances NTHI persistence and formation of intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) in a pre-clinical model of OM. The presence of IBCs during OM provides the first opportunity to evaluate the role of intracellular populations in chronicity and quiescence as a new paradigm for recurrent OM. This model provides a new platform to identify novel therapeutics for this highly prevalent and costly infectious disease.
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Narayanaswamy VP, Keagy LL, Duris K, Wiesmann W, Loughran AJ, Townsend SM, Baker S. Novel Glycopolymer Eradicates Antibiotic- and CCCP-Induced Persister Cells in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1724. [PMID: 30123191 PMCID: PMC6085434 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic treatments often fail to completely eradicate a bacterial infection, leaving behind an antibiotic-tolerant subpopulation of intact bacterial cells called persisters. Persisters are considered a major cause for treatment failure and are thought to greatly contribute to the recalcitrance of chronic infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are commonly associated with elevated levels of drug-tolerant persister cells, posing a serious threat to human health. This study represents the first time a novel large molecule polycationic glycopolymer, poly (acetyl, arginyl) glucosamine (PAAG), has been evaluated against antibiotic and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone induced P. aeruginosa persisters. PAAG eliminated eliminated persisters at concentrations that show no significant cytotoxicity on human lung epithelial cells. PAAG demonstrated rapid bactericidal activity against both forms of induced P. aeruginosa persister cells resulting in complete eradication of the in vitro persister cells within 24 h of treatment. PAAG demonstrated greater efficacy against persisters in vitro than antibiotics currently being used to treat persistent chronic infections such as tobramycin, colistin, azithromycin, aztreonam, and clarithromycin. PAAG caused rapid permeabilization of the cell membrane and caused significant membrane depolarization in persister cells. PAAG efficacy against these bacterial subpopulations suggests it may have substantial therapeutic potential for eliminating recurrent P. aeruginosa infections.
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Mechanisms of Bacterial Tolerance and Persistence in the Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Environments. Clin Microbiol Rev 2018; 31:31/4/e00023-18. [PMID: 30068737 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00023-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogens that infect the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts are subjected to intense pressure due to the environmental conditions of the surroundings. This pressure has led to the development of mechanisms of bacterial tolerance or persistence which enable microorganisms to survive in these locations. In this review, we analyze the general stress response (RpoS mediated), reactive oxygen species (ROS) tolerance, energy metabolism, drug efflux pumps, SOS response, quorum sensing (QS) bacterial communication, (p)ppGpp signaling, and toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems of pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Vibrio spp., Helicobacter spp., Campylobacter jejuni, Enterococcus spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., and Clostridium difficile, all of which inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. The following respiratory tract pathogens are also considered: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Burkholderia cenocepacia, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms regulating the bacterial tolerance and persistence phenotypes is essential in the fight against multiresistant pathogens, as it will enable the identification of new targets for developing innovative anti-infective treatments.
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Song S, Wood TK. Post-segregational Killing and Phage Inhibition Are Not Mediated by Cell Death Through Toxin/Antitoxin Systems. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:814. [PMID: 29922242 PMCID: PMC5996881 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sooyeon Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Kawai Y, Matsumoto S, Ling Y, Okuda S, Tsuneda S. AldB controls persister formation in Escherichia coli depending on environmental stress. Microbiol Immunol 2018; 62:299-309. [PMID: 29577369 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Persisters are multidrug-tolerant cells that are present within antibiotic-sensitive populations. Persister formation is not induced by genetic mutations, but rather by changes in the degree of expression of some genes. High redundancy has been observed among the pathways that have been hypothesized to respond to specific stresses. In this study, we conducted RNA sequencing of Escherichia coli persisters under various stress conditions to identify common mechanisms. We induced stresses such as glucose or amino acid exhaustion, acid stress and anaerobic conditions, all of which are encountered during bacterial pathogenesis. We found that most genes are differentially expressed depending on the specific stress condition; however, some genes were commonly expressed in persisters in most stress conditions. Commonly expressed genes are expected to be promising therapeutic targets for combating persistent infections. We found that knockdown of aldehyde dehydrogenase (aldB), which was expressed in every condition except for acid stress, decreased persisters in the non-stressed condition. However, the same strain unexpectedly showed an increased number of persisters in the amino acid-limited condition. Because the increase in persister number is glycolytic metabolite-dependent, metabolic flow may play a crucial role in aldB-mediated persister formation. These data suggest that environmental stresses alter persister mechanisms. Identification of environmental influences on persister formation during pathogenesis is therefore necessary to enabling persister eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Kawai
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Shinya Matsumoto
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Yiwei Ling
- Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Shujiro Okuda
- Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Satoshi Tsuneda
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
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Cyclic AMP Regulates Bacterial Persistence through Repression of the Oxidative Stress Response and SOS-Dependent DNA Repair in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli. mBio 2018; 9:mBio.02144-17. [PMID: 29317513 PMCID: PMC5760743 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02144-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial persistence is a transient, nonheritable physiological state that provides tolerance to bactericidal antibiotics. The stringent response, toxin-antitoxin modules, and stochastic processes, among other mechanisms, play roles in this phenomenon. How persistence is regulated is relatively ill defined. Here we show that cyclic AMP, a global regulator of carbon catabolism and other core processes, is a negative regulator of bacterial persistence in uropathogenic Escherichia coli, as measured by survival after exposure to a β-lactam antibiotic. This phenotype is regulated by a set of genes leading to an oxidative stress response and SOS-dependent DNA repair. Thus, persister cells tolerant to cell wall-acting antibiotics must cope with oxidative stress and DNA damage and these processes are regulated by cyclic AMP in uropathogenic E. coli. Bacterial persister cells are important in relapsing infections in patients treated with antibiotics and also in the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Our results show that in uropathogenic E. coli, the second messenger cyclic AMP negatively regulates persister cell formation, since in its absence much more persister cells form that are tolerant to β-lactams antibiotics. We reveal the mechanism to be decreased levels of reactive oxygen species, specifically hydroxyl radicals, and SOS-dependent DNA repair. Our findings suggest that the oxidative stress response and DNA repair are relevant pathways to target in the design of persister-specific antibiotic compounds.
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Liu J, Summers D. Indole at low concentration helps exponentially growing Escherichia coli survive at high temperature. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188853. [PMID: 29216232 PMCID: PMC5720752 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A culture of stationary phase Escherichia coli cells has been reported to produce copious indole when exposed to high temperature (50°C), and this response has been proposed to aid survival. We reinvestigated this phenomenon and found that indole production under these conditions is probably not a direct response to heat stress. Rather, E. coli produces indole when growth is prevented, irrespective of whether this is due to heat stress, antibiotic treatment or the removal of nutrients. Moreover, 300μM indole produced at 50°C does not improve the viability of heat stressed cells. Interestingly, a much lower concentration of indole (20 μM) improves the survival of an indole-negative strain (ΔtnaA) when heat stressed during exponential growth. In addition we have shown that the distribution of tryptophanase, the enzyme responsible for indole synthesis, is highly heterogeneous among cells in a population, except during the transition between exponential and stationary phases. The observation that, despite the presence of the tryptophanase, very little indole is produced during early exponential phase suggests that there is post-translational regulation of the enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Liu
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Summers
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Megaw J, Gilmore BF. Archaeal Persisters: Persister Cell Formation as a Stress Response in Haloferax volcanii. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1589. [PMID: 28871247 PMCID: PMC5566976 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Persister cells are phenotypic variants within a microbial population, which are dormant and transiently tolerant to stress. Persistence has been studied extensively in bacteria, and in eukaryotes to a limited extent, however, it has never been observed in archaea. Using the model haloarchaeon, Haloferax volcanii DS2, we demonstrated persister cell formation in this domain, with time-kill curves exhibiting a characteristic biphasic pattern following starvation or exposure to lethal concentrations of various biocidal compounds. Repeated challenges of surviving cells showed that, as with bacteria, persister formation in H. volcanii was not heritable. Additionally, as previously shown with bacteria, persister formation in H. volcanii was suppressed by exogenous indole. The addition of spent culture media to assays conducted on planktonic cells showed that H. volcanii-conditioned media stimulated persistence, whereas conditioned media of other haloarchaea or halophilic bacteria did not, suggesting the involvement of a species-specific signal. Using a TLC overlay assay, the quorum sensing bioreporter Agrobacterium tumefaciens ATCC BAA-2240 detected the presence of C4 and C6 acyl homoserine lactone-like signal molecules in a H. volcanii culture extract. While synthetic bacterial AHLs did not induce persistence, this is potentially due to structural differences between bacterial and archaeal signals, and does not discount a quorum sensing component in haloarchaeal persister formation. The observation of persister cell formation by this haloarchaeon may provide some insights into the survival of these organisms in stressful or dynamic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Megaw
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University BelfastBelfast, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University BelfastBelfast, United Kingdom
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Abstract
There is much controversy about the metabolic state of cells that are tolerant to antibiotics, known as persister cells. In this opinion piece, we offer an explanation for the discrepancy seen: some laboratories are studying metabolically active and growing cell populations (e.g., as a result of nutrient shifts) and attributing the phenotypes that they discern to persister cells while other labs are studying dormant cells. We argue here that the metabolically active cell population should more accurately be considered tolerant cells, while the dormant cells are the true persister population.
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Kim JS, Wood TK. Persistent Persister Misperceptions. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:2134. [PMID: 28082974 PMCID: PMC5187198 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.02134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Persister cells survive antibiotic treatment due to their lack of metabolism, rather than through genetic change, as shown via four seminal experiments conducted by the discoverers of the phenotype (Hobby et al., 1942; Bigger, 1944). Unfortunately, over seven decades of persister cell research, the literature has been populated by misperceptions that do not withstand scrutiny. This opinion piece examines some of those misunderstandings in the literature with the hope that by shining some light on these inaccuracies, the field may be advanced and subsequent manuscripts may be reviewed more critically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Seob Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
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