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Zhou H, Du X, Wang Y, Kong J, Zhang X, Wang W, Sun Y, Zhou C, Zhou T, Ye J. Antimicrobial peptide A20L: in vitro and in vivo antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0397923. [PMID: 38980018 PMCID: PMC11302274 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03979-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance has become a growing public health threat in recent years. Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the priority pathogens listed by the World Health Organization. Antimicrobial peptides are considered promising alternatives to antibiotics due to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and low resistance. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of antimicrobial peptide A20L against K. pneumoniae. In vitro antibacterial activity of A20L against K. pneumoniae was demonstrated by broth microdilution method. We confirmed the in vivo efficacy of A20L by Galleria mellonella infection model. In addition, we found that A20L also had certain antibiofilm activity by crystal violet staining. We also evaluated the safety and stability of A20L, and the results revealed that at a concentration of ≤128 µg/mL, A20L exhibited negligible toxicity to RAW264.7 cells and no substantial toxicity to G. mellonella. A20L was stable at different temperatures and with low concentration of serum [5% fetal bovine serum (FBS)]; however, Ca2+, Mg2+, and high serum concentrations reduced the antibacterial activity of A20L. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and membrane permeability tests revealed that A20L may exhibit antibacterial action by damaging bacterial cell membranes and increasing the permeability of outer membrane. Taken together, our results suggest that A20L has significant development potential as a therapeutic antibiotic alternative, which provides ideas for the treatment of K. pneumoniae infection. IMPORTANCE A20L showed antibacterial and anti-infective efficacy in vitro and in vivo against Klebsiella pneumoniae. It can have an antibacterial effect by disrupting the integrity of cell membranes. A20L displayed anti-biofilm and anti-inflammatory activity against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and certain application potential in vivo, which provides a new idea for the clinical treatment of biofilm-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijing Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jingchun Kong
- Department of Medical Lab Science, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weixiang Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yao Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Cui Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tieli Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianzhong Ye
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Prieto A, Miró L, Margolles Y, Bernabeu M, Salguero D, Merino S, Tomas J, Corbera JA, Perez-Bosque A, Huttener M, Fernández LÁ, Juarez A. Targeting plasmid-encoded proteins that contain immunoglobulin-like domains to combat antimicrobial resistance. eLife 2024; 13:RP95328. [PMID: 39046772 PMCID: PMC11268884 DOI: 10.7554/elife.95328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to human health. Although vaccines have been developed to combat AMR, it has proven challenging to associate specific vaccine antigens with AMR. Bacterial plasmids play a crucial role in the transmission of AMR. Our recent research has identified a group of bacterial plasmids (specifically, IncHI plasmids) that encode large molecular mass proteins containing bacterial immunoglobulin-like domains. These proteins are found on the external surface of the bacterial cells, such as in the flagella or conjugative pili. In this study, we show that these proteins are antigenic and can protect mice from infection caused by an AMR Salmonella strain harboring one of these plasmids. Furthermore, we successfully generated nanobodies targeting these proteins, that were shown to interfere with the conjugative transfer of IncHI plasmids. Considering that these proteins are also encoded in other groups of plasmids, such as IncA/C and IncP2, targeting them could be a valuable strategy in combating AMR infections caused by bacteria harboring different groups of AMR plasmids. Since the selected antigens are directly linked to AMR itself, the protective effect extends beyond specific microorganisms to include all those carrying the corresponding resistance plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Prieto
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Luïsa Miró
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut de Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Yago Margolles
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Manuel Bernabeu
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - David Salguero
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Susana Merino
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Joan Tomas
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Juan Alberto Corbera
- Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Campus Universitario de ArucasLas PalmasSpain
| | - Anna Perez-Bosque
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut de Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Mario Huttener
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Luis Ángel Fernández
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Antonio Juarez
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
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Huang Y, Zhu Y, Yue HY, Liu YY, Deng LM, Lv L, Wang C, Yang J, Liu JH. Flavomycin restores colistin susceptibility in multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. mSystems 2024; 9:e0010924. [PMID: 38695565 PMCID: PMC11237640 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00109-24] [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: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Polymyxin is used as a last resort antibiotics for infections caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria and is often combined with other antibiotics to improve clinical effectiveness. However, the synergism of colistin and other antibiotics remains obscure. Here, we revealed a notable synergy between colistin and flavomycin, which was traditionally used as an animal growth promoter and has limited activity against Gram-negative bacteria, using checkerboard assay and time-kill curve analyses. The importance of membrane penetration induced by colistin was assessed by examining the intracellular accumulation of flavomycin and its antimicrobial impact on Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains with truncated lipopolysaccharides. Besides, a mutation in the flavomycin binding site was created to confirm its role in the observed synergy. This synergy is manifested as an augmented penetration of the E. coli outer membrane by colistin, leading to increased intracellular accumulation of flavomycin and enhanced cell killing thereafter. The observed synergy was dependent on the antimicrobial activity of flavomycin, as mutation of its binding site abolished the synergy. In vivo studies confirmed the efficacy of colistin combined with flavomycin against MDR E. coli infections. This study is the first to demonstrate the synergistic effect between colistin and flavomycin, shedding light on their respective roles in this synergism. Therefore, we propose flavomycin as an adjuvant to enhance the potency of colistin against MDR Gram-negative bacteria. IMPORTANCE Colistin is a critical antibiotic in combating multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria, but the emergence of mobilized colistin resistance (mcr) undermines its effectiveness. Previous studies have found that colistin can synergy with various drugs; however, its exact mechanisms with hydrophobic drugs are still unrevealed. Generally, the membrane destruction of colistin is thought to be the essential trigger for its interactions with its partner drugs. Here, we use clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) for specifically mutating the binding site of one hydrophobic drug (flavomycin) and show that antimicrobial activity of flavomycin is critical for the synergy. Our results first give the evidence that the synergy is set off by colistin's membrane destruction and operated the final antimicrobial function by its partner drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- Systems Biology Center, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Hui-Ying Yue
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi-Yun Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Li-Min Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Luchao Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chengzhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive Substances, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Hua Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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4
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Ott LC, Mellata M. Short-chain fatty acids inhibit bacterial plasmid transfer through conjugation in vitro and in ex vivo chicken tissue explants. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1414401. [PMID: 38903782 PMCID: PMC11187007 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1414401] [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: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The animal gut acts as a potent reservoir for spreading and maintaining conjugative plasmids that confer antimicrobial resistance (AMR), fitness, and virulence attributes. Interventions that inhibit the continued emergence and expansion of AMR and virulent strains in agricultural and clinical environments are greatly desired. This study aims to determine the presence and efficacy of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) inhibitory effects on the conjugal transfer of AMR plasmids. In vitro broth conjugations were conducted between donor Escherichia coli strains carrying AMP plasmids and the plasmid-less Escherichia coli HS-4 recipient strain. Conjugations were supplemented with ddH2O or SCFAs at 1, 0.1, 0.01, or 0.001 molar final concentration. The addition of SCFAs completely inhibited plasmid transfer at 1 and 0.1 molar and significantly (p < 0.05) reduced transfer at 0.01 molar, regardless of SCFA tested. In explant models for the chicken ceca, either ddH2O or a final concentration of 0.025 M SCFAs were supplemented to the explants infected with donor and recipient E. coli. In every SCFA tested, significant decreases in transconjugant populations compared to ddH2O-treated control samples were observed with minimal effects on donor and recipient populations. Finally, significant reductions in transconjugants for plasmids of each incompatibility type (IncP1ε, IncFIβ, and IncI1) tested were detected. This study demonstrates for the first time the broad inhibition ability of SCFAs on bacterial plasmid transfer and eliminates AMR with minimal effect on bacteria. Implementing interventions that increase the concentrations of SCFAs in the gut may be a viable method to reduce the risk, incidence, and rate of AMR emergence in agricultural and human environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan C. Ott
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Melha Mellata
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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5
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Bo L, Sun H, Li YD, Zhu J, Wurpel JND, Lin H, Chen ZS. Combating antimicrobial resistance: the silent war. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1347750. [PMID: 38420197 PMCID: PMC10899355 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1347750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Once hailed as miraculous solutions, antibiotics no longer hold that status. The excessive use of antibiotics across human healthcare, agriculture, and animal husbandry has given rise to a broad array of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, posing formidable treatment challenges. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has evolved into a pressing global health crisis, linked to elevated mortality rates in the modern medical era. Additionally, the absence of effective antibiotics introduces substantial risks to medical and surgical procedures. The dwindling interest of pharmaceutical industries in developing new antibiotics against MDR pathogens has aggravated the scarcity issue, resulting in an exceedingly limited pipeline of new antibiotics. Given these circumstances, the imperative to devise novel strategies to combat perilous MDR pathogens has become paramount. Contemporary research has unveiled several promising avenues for addressing this challenge. The article provides a comprehensive overview of these innovative therapeutic approaches, highlighting their mechanisms of action, benefits, and drawbacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letao Bo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY, United States
| | - Haidong Sun
- Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi-Dong Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY, United States
| | - Jonathan Zhu
- Carle Place Middle and High School, Carle Place, NY, United States
| | - John N. D. Wurpel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY, United States
| | - Hanli Lin
- Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Institute for Biotechnology, St. John’s University, Queens, NY, United States
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6
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Feng Z, Wang L, Guan Q, Chu X, Luo ZQ. Acinetobacter baumannii coordinates central metabolism, plasmid dissemination, and virulence by sensing nutrient availability. mBio 2023; 14:e0227623. [PMID: 37855599 PMCID: PMC10746170 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02276-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Plasmid conjugation is known to be an energy-expensive process, but our understanding of the molecular linkage between conjugation and metabolism is limited. Our finding reveals that Acinetobacter baumannii utilizes a two-component system to co-regulate metabolism, plasmid transfer, and virulence by sensing reaction intermediates of key metabolic pathways, which suggests that nutrient availability dictates not only bacterial proliferation but also horizontal gene transfer. The identification of Dot/Icm-like proteins as components of a conjugation system involved in the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes by A. baumannii has provided important targets for the development of agents capable of inhibiting virulence and the spread of anti-microbial-resistance genes in bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengshan Feng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lidong Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qingtian Guan
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiao Chu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhao-Qing Luo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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Guidotti-Takeuchi M, Melo RTD, Ribeiro LNDM, Dumont CF, Ribeiro RAC, Brum BDA, de Amorim Junior TLIF, Rossi DA. Interference with Bacterial Conjugation and Natural Alternatives to Antibiotics: Bridging a Gap. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1127. [PMID: 37508224 PMCID: PMC10376302 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12071127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in food matrices has been investigated under conditions that favor gene exchange. However, the major challenge lies in determining the specific conditions pertaining to the adapted microbial pairs associated with the food matrix. HGT is primarily responsible for enhancing the microbial repertoire for the evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance and is a major target for controlling pathogens of public health concern in food ecosystems. In this study, we investigated Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) and Escherichia coli (EC) regarding gene exchange under conditions mimicking the industrial environment, with the coproducts whey (SL) and chicken juice (CJ). The S. Heidelberg strain was characterized by antibiotic susceptibility standards and PCR to detect the blaTEM gene. A concentration of 0.39 mg/mL was determined to evaluate the anti-conjugation activity of nanostructured lipid nanocarriers (NLCs) of essential oils to mitigate β-lactam resistance gene transfer. The results showed that the addition of these coproducts promoted an increase of more than 3.5 (whey) and 2.5 (chicken juice) orders of magnitude in the conjugation process (p < 0.01), and NLCs of sage essential oil significantly reduced the conjugation frequency (CF) by 74.90, 90.6, and 124.4 times when compared to the transfers in the absence of coproducts and the presence of SL and CJ, respectively. For NLCs from olibanum essential oil, the decrease was 4.46-fold for conjugations without inhibitors and 3.12- and 11.3-fold in the presence of SL and CJ. NLCs associated with sage and olibanum essential oils effectively control the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes and are a promising alternative for use at industrial levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micaela Guidotti-Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38402-018, MG, Brazil
| | - Roberta Torres de Melo
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38402-018, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Carolyne Ferreira Dumont
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38402-018, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Bárbara de Araújo Brum
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38402-018, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Daise Aparecida Rossi
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38402-018, MG, Brazil
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Long J, Zhang J, Xi Y, Zhao J, Jin Y, Yang H, Chen S, Duan G. Genomic Insights into CRISPR-Harboring Plasmids in the Klebsiella Genus: Distribution, Backbone Structures, Antibiotic Resistance, and Virulence Determinant Profiles. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0118922. [PMID: 36790185 PMCID: PMC10019312 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01189-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR systems are often encoded by many prokaryotes as adaptive defense against mobile genetic elements (MGEs), but several MGEs also recruit CRISPR components to perform additional biological functions. Type IV-A systems are identified in Klebsiella plasmids, yet the distribution, characterization, and role of these plasmids carrying CRISPR systems in the whole Klebsiella genus remain unclear. Here, we performed large-scale comparative analysis of these plasmids using publicly available plasmid genomes. CRISPR-harboring plasmids were mainly distributed in Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.09%), covering 19.23% of sequence types, but sparse in Klebsiella species outside Klebsiella pneumoniae (3.92%). Plasmid genome comparison reiterated that these plasmids often carried the cointegrates of IncFIB and IncHI1B replicons, occasionally linked to other replicons, such as IncFIA, IncFII, IncR, IncQ, and IncU. Comparative genome analysis showed that CRISPR-carrying Klebsiella plasmids shared a conserved pNDM-MAR-like conjugation module as their backbones and served as an important vector for the accretion of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and even virulence genes (VGs). Moreover, compared with CRISPR-negative IncFIB/IncHIB plasmids, CRISPR-positive IncFIB/IncHIB plasmids displayed high divergences in terms of ARGs, VGs, GC content, plasmid length, and backbone structures, suggesting their divergent evolutionary paths. The network analysis revealed that CRISPR-positive plasmids yielded fierce competitions with other plasmid types, especially conjugative plasmids, thereby affecting the dynamics of plasmid transmission. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the role of CRISPR-positive plasmids in the spread of ARGs and VGs in Klebsiella genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhao Long
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiangfeng Zhang
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanyan Xi
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiaxue Zhao
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuefei Jin
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haiyan Yang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuaiyin Chen
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guangcai Duan
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
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9
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Natterson-Horowitz B, Aktipis A, Fox M, Gluckman PD, Low FM, Mace R, Read A, Turner PE, Blumstein DT. The future of evolutionary medicine: sparking innovation in biomedicine and public health. FRONTIERS IN SCIENCE 2023; 1:997136. [PMID: 37869257 PMCID: PMC10590274 DOI: 10.3389/fsci.2023.997136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Evolutionary medicine - i.e. the application of insights from evolution and ecology to biomedicine - has tremendous untapped potential to spark transformational innovation in biomedical research, clinical care and public health. Fundamentally, a systematic mapping across the full diversity of life is required to identify animal model systems for disease vulnerability, resistance, and counter-resistance that could lead to novel clinical treatments. Evolutionary dynamics should guide novel therapeutic approaches that target the development of treatment resistance in cancers (e.g., via adaptive or extinction therapy) and antimicrobial resistance (e.g., via innovations in chemistry, antimicrobial usage, and phage therapy). With respect to public health, the insight that many modern human pathologies (e.g., obesity) result from mismatches between the ecologies in which we evolved and our modern environments has important implications for disease prevention. Life-history evolution can also shed important light on patterns of disease burden, for example in reproductive health. Experience during the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has underlined the critical role of evolutionary dynamics (e.g., with respect to virulence and transmissibility) in predicting and managing this and future pandemics, and in using evolutionary principles to understand and address aspects of human behavior that impede biomedical innovation and public health (e.g., unhealthy behaviors and vaccine hesitancy). In conclusion, greater interdisciplinary collaboration is vital to systematically leverage the insight-generating power of evolutionary medicine to better understand, prevent, and treat existing and emerging threats to human, animal, and planetary health.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Natterson-Horowitz
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Athena Aktipis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Molly Fox
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Peter D. Gluckman
- Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Felicia M. Low
- Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ruth Mace
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Read
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Paul E. Turner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Program in Microbiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Daniel T. Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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10
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Zhou H, Yang X, Yang Y, Niu Y, Li J, Fu X, Wang S, Xue B, Li C, Zhao C, Zhang X, Shen Z, Wang J, Qiu Z. Docosahexaenoic acid inhibits pheromone-responsive-plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in Enterococcus faecalis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 444:130390. [PMID: 36423456 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The rapid spread of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) poses a great challenge to human health and ecological and environmental safety. Therefore, it is important to control the spread of ARGs. In this study, we observed that the addition of 5 μg/mL docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) reduced the conjugative transfer of pCF10 plasmid by more than 95% in E. faecalis. DHA disturbed the pheromone transport by inhibiting the mRNA levels of the prgZ gene, causing the iCF10 pheromone to accumulate in the donor bacteria and bond to the PrgX receptor to form an inhibitory phase, which resulted in the down-regulation of the expression of genes related to conjugative transfer, inhibiting biofilm formation, reducing bacterial adhesion and thus inhibiting conjugative transfer. Collectively, DHA exhibited an admirable inhibitory effect on the transfer of ARGs in E. faecalis. This study provided a technical option to control the transfer of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongrui Zhou
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Xiaobo Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Yutong Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Yuanyuan Niu
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Jing Li
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Xinyue Fu
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Shang Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Bin Xue
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Chenyu Li
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Zhiqiang Shen
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Jingfeng Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Zhigang Qiu
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China.
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11
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Jin X, Liu S, Zhang Z, Liu T, Li N, Liang Y, Zheng J, Peng N. Enrofloxacin-induced transfer of multiple-antibiotic resistance genes and emergence of novel resistant bacteria in red swamp crayfish guts and pond sediments. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 443:130261. [PMID: 36356515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) can be transferred from environmental microbes to human pathogens, thus leading to bacterial infection treatment failures. The aquaculture polluted by over-used antibiotics is considered as a notorious reservoir of ARGs. However, the origin, diachronic changes, and mobility of ARGs under antibiotic exposure in aquaculture systems remain elusive. Our findings showed that enrofloxacin application also increased the relative abundance of various ARGs in addition to quinolone-resistance genes and induced ARG dissemination in crayfish gut and sediment bacteria. Further investigation indicated that the transposase-mediated recombination was the major driver of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs under antibiotic stress. Notably, enrofloxacin application also induced the generation of some metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) carrying multiple ARGs, which were identified as novel species. Additionally, Enterobacteriaceae constituted a mobile ARG pool in aquaculture. Therefore, aquaculture provides potential wide environmental pathways for generation and spread of antibiotic resistance. Our findings of ARG temporal variations and dissemination pattern in aquaculture with artificial use of antibiotics are critical to the management of antibiotic resistance, which is of great ecosystem and health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuexia Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, PR China
| | - Sizhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, PR China
| | - Zhenting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, PR China
| | - Tong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, PR China
| | - Na Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Yunxiang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, PR China; Runge College of Bioengineering, Mianzhu, 618200 Deyang, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Jinshui Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, PR China.
| | - Nan Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, PR China.
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12
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Kothari A, Kumar P, Gaurav A, Kaushal K, Pandey A, Yadav SRM, Jain N, Omar BJ. Association of antibiotics and heavy metal arsenic to horizontal gene transfer from multidrug-resistant clinical strains to antibiotic-sensitive environmental strains. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 443:130260. [PMID: 36327832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria is currently posing a significant threat to global public health. By testing for resistance to different antibiotic classes, we discovered that the majority of clinical bacteria are multidrug-resistant. These clinical multidrug-resistant species have antibiotic resistance genes on their plasmids that can be horizontally transferred to various antibiotic susceptible environmental bacterial species, resulting in antibiotic-resistant transconjugates. Furthermore, we discovered that the presence of an optimal concentration of antibiotics or heavy metal (arsenic) facilitates horizontal gene transfer through the formation of transconjugants. Notably, the addition of a conjugation inhibitor (2-hexadecynoic acid, a synthetic fatty acid) completely blocked the formation of antibiotic or arsenic-induced transconjugants. We discovered a high level of arsenic in water from the Shukratal region, Uttarakhand, India, which corresponded to a high serum level of arsenic in clinically infected individuals from the Shukratal region compared to other locations in Uttarakhand. Importantly, bacterial strains isolated from infected people who drink water from the Shukratal region with high arsenic levels were found to be more antibiotic-resistant than strains isolated from other sites. We discovered that bacterial strains isolated from individuals with high serum arsenic levels are significantly more resistant to antibiotics than individuals with low serum arsenic levels within the Shurkratal. This research sheds light on imminent threats to global health in which improper clinical, industrial, and other waste disposal, increased antibiotic concentrations in the environment, and increased human interference can easily transform commensal and pathogenic bacteria found in environmental niches into life-threatening multidrug-resistant superbugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kothari
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh 249203, India
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh 249203, India
| | | | - Karanvir Kaushal
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh 249203, India
| | - Atul Pandey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Neeraj Jain
- Department of Medical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh 249203, India; Division of Cancer Biology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India.
| | - Balram Ji Omar
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh 249203, India.
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13
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Zhou H, Xu M, Guo W, Yao Z, Du X, Chen L, Sun Y, Shi S, Cao J, Zhou T. The Antibacterial Activity of Kaempferol Combined with Colistin against Colistin-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0226522. [PMID: 36314964 PMCID: PMC9769984 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02265-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Social hygiene is seriously threatened by the rise in colistin (COL) resistance against Gram-negative bacteria (GNB). With resistance to last-line antibiotics such as COL becoming more common, it is imperative to identify alternative treatment options. In our work, we sought to determine if COL plus kaempferol (KP) present synergistic effects on the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against colistin-resistant (Col-R) GNB in vivo and in vitro. Twenty-four Col-R GNB were collected as the experimental strains. The synergistic activity of COL and KP was evaluated by checkerboard method, time-killing assays, and the Galleria mellonella experiment. The antibiofilm effectiveness of the COL/KP combination against Col-R GNB was assessed using biofilm inhibition and eradication assays and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cytotoxicity tests were performed to detect the toxicity of KP monotherapy or combination therapy. There is synergistic antibacterial activity of COL and KP combination in vitro. KP combined with COL could inhibit the formation of bacterial biofilms. The amalgamation of COL and KP considerably reduced the amount of bacteria in the biofilm, according to the SEM findings. The COL/KP combination improved the survivorship of infected larvae in the G. mellonella in vivo infection model. In addition, the combination of KP and COL showed no cytotoxicity at synergistic combined concentrations according to cytotoxicity assays. This represents the first account of the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of KP in combination with COL against Col-R GNB. Therefore, our results may provide an effective alternative route to combat Col-R GNB infections. IMPORTANCE COL is one of the few antibiotics effective against clinical isolates of GNB. However, in recent years, GNB resistance to colistin has been increasing. As a result, the combined application of colistin in conjunction with nonantibacterial medications has garnered considerable interest. In this work, the KP/COL combination showed effective antibacterial and antibiofilm activities in vitro and in vivo. The synergistic effect of combined application may be attributed to membrane permeability. Due to the low cytotoxicity of the combined concentration, the combination exhibits a promising future for use in clinical anti-infection treatments. This finding might broaden the potential applications for COL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijing Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Mengxin Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wenhui Guo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhuocheng Yao
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lijiang Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yao Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shiyi Shi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jianming Cao
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Tieli Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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14
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Leung KY, Wang Q, Zheng X, Zhuang M, Yang Z, Shao S, Achmon Y, Siame BA. Versatile lifestyles of Edwardsiella: Free-living, pathogen, and core bacterium of the aquatic resistome. Virulence 2022; 13:5-18. [PMID: 34969351 PMCID: PMC9794015 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.2006890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Edwardsiella species in aquatic environments exist either as individual planktonic cells or in communal biofilms. These organisms encounter multiple stresses, include changes in salinity, pH, temperature, and nutrients. Pathogenic species such as E. piscicida, can multiply within the fish hosts. Additionally, Edwardsiella species (E. tarda), can carry antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) on chromosomes and/or plasmids, that can be transmitted to the microbiome via horizontal gene transfer. E. tarda serves as a core in the aquatic resistome. Edwardsiela uses molecular switches (RpoS and EsrB) to control gene expression for survival in different environments. We speculate that free-living Edwardsiella can transition to host-living and vice versa, using similar molecular switches. Understanding such transitions can help us understand how other similar aquatic bacteria switch from free-living to become pathogens. This knowledge can be used to devise ways to slow down the spread of ARGs and prevent disease outbreaks in aquaculture and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Yin Leung
- Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program, Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, China,Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel,CONTACT Ka Yin Leung
| | - Qiyao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Marine Cultured Animal Vaccines, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaochang Zheng
- Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program, Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, China
| | - Mei Zhuang
- Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program, Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, China,Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program, Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, China,Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shuai Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yigal Achmon
- Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program, Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, China,Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Bupe A. Siame
- Department of Biology, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, Canada,Bupe A. Siame
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15
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González-Villarreal JA, González-Lozano KJ, Aréchiga-Carvajal ET, Morlett-Chávez JA, Luévanos-Escareño MP, Balagurusamy N, Salinas-Santander MA. Molecular mechanisms of multidrug resistance in clinically relevant enteropathogenic bacteria (Review). Exp Ther Med 2022; 24:753. [PMID: 36561977 PMCID: PMC9748766 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2022.11689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistant (MDR) enteropathogenic bacteria are a growing problem within the clinical environment due to their acquired tolerance to a wide range of antibiotics, thus causing severe illnesses and a tremendous economic impact in the healthcare sector. Due to its difficult treatment, knowledge and understanding of the molecular mechanisms that confer this resistance are needed. The aim of the present review is to describe the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance from a genomic perspective observed in bacteria, including naturally acquired resistance. The present review also discusses common pharmacological and alternative treatments used in cases of infection caused by MDR bacteria, thus covering necessary information for the development of novel antimicrobials and adjuvant molecules inhibiting bacterial proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katia Jamileth González-Lozano
- Microbiology Department, Phytopathology and Mycology Laboratory, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Genetic Manipulation Unit, Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Nuevo León 66459, Mexico
| | - Elva Teresa Aréchiga-Carvajal
- Microbiology Department, Phytopathology and Mycology Laboratory, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Genetic Manipulation Unit, Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Nuevo León 66459, Mexico
| | - Jesús Antonio Morlett-Chávez
- Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Saltillo Unit, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000, Mexico
| | | | - Nagamani Balagurusamy
- Bioremediation Laboratory, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Torreón, Coahuila 27275, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Andrés Salinas-Santander
- Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Saltillo Unit, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000, Mexico,Correspondence to: Dr Mauricio Andrés Salinas-Santander, Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Saltillo Unit, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Calle Francisco Murguía Sur 205, Zona Centro, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000, Mexico
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16
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Persson K, Stenberg S, Tamás MJ, Warringer J. Adaptation of the yeast gene knockout collection is near-perfectly predicted by fitness and diminishing return epistasis. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:6694849. [PMID: 36083011 PMCID: PMC9635671 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive evolution of clonally dividing cells and microbes is the ultimate cause of cancer and infectious diseases. The possibility of constraining the adaptation of cell populations, by inhibiting proteins enhancing the evolvability, has therefore attracted interest. However, our current understanding of how genes influence adaptation kinetics is limited, partly because accurately measuring adaptation for many cell populations is challenging. We used a high-throughput adaptive laboratory evolution platform to track the adaptation of >18,000 cell populations corresponding to single-gene deletion strains in the haploid yeast deletion collection. We report that the preadaptation fitness of gene knockouts near-perfectly (R2= 0.91) predicts their adaptation to arsenic, leaving at the most a marginal role for dedicated evolvability gene functions. We tracked the adaptation of another >23,000 gene knockout populations to a diverse range of selection pressures and generalized the almost perfect (R2=0.72-0.98) capacity of preadaptation fitness to predict adaptation. We also reconstructed mutations in FPS1, ASK10, and ARR3, which together account for almost all arsenic adaptation in wild-type cells, in gene deletions covering a broad fitness range and show that the predictability of arsenic adaptation can be understood as a by global epistasis, where excluding arsenic is more beneficial to arsenic unfit cells. The paucity of genes with a meaningful evolvability effect on adaptation diminishes the prospects of developing adjuvant drugs aiming to slow antimicrobial and chemotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Persson
- Corresponding author: Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Simon Stenberg
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Markus J Tamás
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jonas Warringer
- Corresponding author: Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, PO Box 462, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
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17
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The Effect of Heavy Metals on Conjugation Efficiency of an F-Plasmid in Escherichia coli. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11081123. [PMID: 36009992 PMCID: PMC9404890 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11081123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugation, the process by which conjugative plasmids are transferred between bacteria, is regarded as a major contributor to the spread of antibiotic resistance, in both environmental and clinical settings. Heavy metals are known to co-select for antibiotic resistance, but the impact of the presence of these metals on conjugation itself is not clear. Here, we systematically investigate the impact that five heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, copper, manganese, and zinc) have on the transfer of an IncF conjugative plasmid in Escherichia coli. Our results show that two of the metals, cadmium and manganese, have no significant impact, while arsenic and zinc both reduce conjugation efficiency by approximately 2-fold. Copper showed the largest impact, with an almost 100-fold decrease in conjugation efficiency. This was not mediated by any change in transcription from the major Py promoter responsible for transcription of the conjugation machinery genes. Further, we show that in order to have this severe impact on the transfer of the plasmid, copper sulfate needs to be present during the mating process, and we suggest explanations for this.
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18
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Turton JF, Pike R, Perry C, Jenkins C, Turton JA, Meunier D, Hopkins KL. Wide distribution of Escherichia coli carrying IncF plasmids containing bla NDM-5 and rmtB resistance genes from hospitalized patients in England. J Med Microbiol 2022; 71. [PMID: 35925786 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction. The New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) variant NDM-5 was first described in 2011 in an isolate of Escherichia coli. We noted that a high proportion of isolates of E. coli positive for bla NDM carbapenemase genes submitted to the UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England) between 2019 and mid-2021 carried the bla NDM-5 allele, with many co-harbouring rmtB, rendering them highly resistant to aminoglycosides as well as to most β-lactams.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. This observation suggested that a common plasmid may be circulating.Aim. To compare these isolates and describe the plasmids carrying these resistance elements.Methodology. All isolates were sequenced on an Illumina platform, with five also subjected to long-read nanopore sequencing to provide complete assemblies. The locations of bla NDM-5, rmtB and other associated genetic elements were identified. Susceptibility testing to a wide range of antibiotics was carried out on representative isolates.Results. The 34 isolates co-harbouring bla NDM-5 and rmtB were from 14 hospital groups and six different regions across England and consisted of 11 distinct sequence types. All carried IncF plasmids. Assembly of the NDM plasmids in five isolates revealed that they carried rmtB and bla NDM-5 in an IncF conjugative plasmid ranging in size from 85.5 to 161 kb. All carried a highly conserved region, previously described in E. coli plasmid pHC105-NDM, that included bla TEM-1B and rmtB followed by sequence bounded by two IS26 elements containing ΔISAba125, bla NDM-5, ble, trpF and tat followed by ISCR1 and an integron with sul1, aadA2 and dfrA12 cassettes. This arrangement has been described in isolates from other countries and continents, suggesting that such plasmids are widely distributed, at least in E. coli, with similar plasmids also found in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Tested isolates were resistant to most antibiotics except colistin, fosfomycin and tigecycline.Conclusion. These observations suggest that conjugative plasmids carrying a highly conserved resistance gene segment have become widespread in England and elsewhere. This study highlights the value of routine whole-genome sequencing in identifying genetic elements responsible for resistance dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane F Turton
- Healthcare Associated Infections, Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Usage and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Rachel Pike
- Reference Services Division, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT, UK
| | - Claire Perry
- Reference Services Division, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT, UK
| | - Claire Jenkins
- Reference Services Division, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT, UK
| | | | - Danièle Meunier
- Healthcare Associated Infections, Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Usage and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Katie L Hopkins
- Healthcare Associated Infections, Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Usage and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
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19
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Montelongo Hernandez C, Putonti C, Wolfe AJ. Profiling the plasmid conjugation potential of urinary Escherichia coli. Microb Genom 2022; 8:mgen000814. [PMID: 35536743 PMCID: PMC9465074 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli is often associated with urinary tract infection (UTI). Antibiotic resistance in E. coli is an ongoing challenge in managing UTI. Extrachromosomal elements - plasmids - are vectors for clinically relevant traits, such as antibiotic resistance, with conjugation being one of the main methods for horizontal propagation of plasmids in bacterial populations. Targeting of conjugation components has been proposed as a strategy to curb the spread of plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance. Understanding the types of conjugative systems present in urinary E. coli isolates is fundamental to assessing the viability of this strategy. In this study, we profile two well-studied conjugation systems (F-type and P-type) in the draft genomes of 65 urinary isolates of E. coli obtained from the bladder urine of adult women with and without UTI-like symptoms. Most of these isolates contained plasmids and we found that conjugation genes were abundant/ubiquitous, diverse and often associated with IncF plasmids. To validate conjugation of these urinary plasmids, the plasmids from two urinary isolates, UMB1223 (predicted to have F-type genes) and UMB1284 (predicted to have P-type genes), were transferred by conjugation into the K-12 E. coli strain MG1655. Overall, the findings of this study support the notion that care should be taken in targeting any individual component of a urinary E. coli isolate's conjugation system, given the inherent mechanistic redundancy, gene diversity and different types of conjugation systems in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Montelongo Hernandez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Catherine Putonti
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Alan J. Wolfe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
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Vishnyakov IE. Cell-in-Cell Phenomena in Wall-Less Bacteria: Is It Possible? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084345. [PMID: 35457161 PMCID: PMC9030286 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This work describes curious structures formed by the mainly phytopathogenic mycoplasma Acholeplasma laidlawii, as well as the human pathogen Ureaplasma parvum cells which resemble cell-in-cell structures of higher eukaryotes and protists. The probable significance of such structures for the mycoplasma cell is discussed. The possibility of their formation in nature and their potential role in the transformation of genetic material, for example, by maintaining (on the one hand) the stability of the genome in the line of generations during asexual reproduction or (on the other hand) the genome plasticity, are substantiated. It should be especially noted that all the arguments presented are based only on morphological data. However, closer attention to unusual structures, the existence of which was shown by electron microscopy images in this case, may prompt researchers to analyze their data more carefully and find something rare and non-trivial among seemingly trivial things. If it is proven by additional methods that cell-in-cell structures can indeed be formed by prokaryotes without a cell wall, this phenomenon may acquire general biological significance.
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21
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Ahmad AAM, Gharieb AA, Elshorbgy E, Elewasy OA, Elmowalid GA. Nigella sativaoil extract: A natural novel specific conjugal transfer inhibitor of vancomycin resistance from vanA/B Resistant Enterococcus faecium to Staphylococcus aureus. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 133:619-629. [PMID: 35395119 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15567] [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: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM The emergence of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) has been identified as one of the most challenging problems in healthcare settings worldwide. Specific conjugation inhibitors development are critical in the fight against the spread of emerging VRSA. The impact of Nigella sativa oil on VR genes conjugal transfer from Enterococcus faecium (VREtfm) to vancomycin sensitive S. aureus (VSSA) was investigated in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS Enterococci were isolated from retail broilers, fish, cows' milk, and human urine. VR Enterococcus faecalis and VREtfm VanA-phenotype' were prevalent in retail broiler samples. The VREtfm isolates were dominant, exhibiting high levels of resistance to gentamycin and ciprofloxacin antibiotics, as well as the existence of both vanA and vanB genes and virulence traits (ESP+, asa1+) as determined by PCR. VREtfm strains containing vanA/vanB genes and transconjugants containing 20Kb plasmids (transfer frequency around 103 ) and carrying the Tn1546 transposon were identified. Tn1546 transposon transfer with its VR markers to VSSA was effectively inhibited in treated VREtfm donor strains with a sub-MIC of N. sativa oil. THE SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This work offers new insights for overcoming VR conjugal transfer utilising natural N. sativa oil, as well as a suggestion for a novel specialized conjugation inhibitor that could effectively facilitate the difficulty of eliminating VR bacteria from healthcare settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adel Attia M Ahmad
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Ash Sharqiah Governorate, Egypt
| | - Ahlam A Gharieb
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Ash Sharqiah Governorate, Egypt
| | | | - Omnia A Elewasy
- Animal Diseases Research Institute, Zagazig, Ash Sharqiah, Egypt
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22
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Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Host Factors Affecting Conjugation in Escherichia coli. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030608. [PMID: 35336183 PMCID: PMC8954029 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance threaten the treatment of common bacterial infections. Resistance genes are often encoded on conjugative elements, which can be horizontally transferred to diverse bacteria. In order to delay conjugative transfer of resistance genes, more information is needed on the genetic determinants promoting conjugation. Here, we focus on which bacterial host factors in the donor assist transfer of conjugative plasmids. We introduced the broad-host-range plasmid pKJK10 into a diverse collection of 113 Escherichia coli strains and measured by flow cytometry how effectively each strain transfers its plasmid to a fixed E. coli recipient. Differences in conjugation efficiency of up to 2.7 and 3.8 orders of magnitude were observed after mating for 24 h and 48 h, respectively. These differences were linked to the underlying donor strain genetic variants in genome-wide association studies, thereby identifying candidate genes involved in conjugation. We confirmed the role of fliF, fliK, kefB and ucpA in the donor ability of conjugative elements by validating defects in the conjugation efficiency of the corresponding lab strain single-gene deletion mutants. Based on the known cellular functions of these genes, we suggest that the motility and the energy supply, the intracellular pH or salinity of the donor affect the efficiency of plasmid transfer. Overall, this work advances the search for targets for the development of conjugation inhibitors, which can be administered alongside antibiotics to more effectively treat bacterial infections.
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23
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Zhang X, Tian Y, Feng L, Yu Y, Ma L. Effectiveness of Short-Course Antibacterial Therapy on Acute Cholecystitis after Successful Percutaneous Transhepatic Gallbladder Drainage: A Retrospective Study. Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2022; 23:248-253. [PMID: 35099300 DOI: 10.1089/sur.2021.244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxia Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Ye Tian
- Department of Interventional Treatment, First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Li Feng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, PR China
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Hajipour MJ, Saei AA, Walker ED, Conley B, Omidi Y, Lee K, Mahmoudi M. Nanotechnology for Targeted Detection and Removal of Bacteria: Opportunities and Challenges. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:e2100556. [PMID: 34558234 PMCID: PMC8564466 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202100556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of nanotechnology has created unprecedented hopes for addressing several unmet industrial and clinical issues, including the growing threat so-termed "antibiotic resistance" in medicine. Over the last decade, nanotechnologies have demonstrated promising applications in the identification, discrimination, and removal of a wide range of pathogens. Here, recent insights into the field of bacterial nanotechnology are examined that can substantially improve the fundamental understanding of nanoparticle and bacteria interactions. A wide range of developed nanotechnology-based approaches for bacterial detection and removal together with biofilm eradication are summarized. The challenging effects of nanotechnologies on beneficial bacteria in the human body and environment and the mechanisms of bacterial resistance to nanotherapeutics are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad J. Hajipour
- Department of Radiology and Precision Health ProgramMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
| | - Amir Ata Saei
- Division of Physiological Chemistry IDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholm171 65Sweden
| | - Edward D. Walker
- Department of EntomologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
| | - Brian Conley
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical BiologyRutgersThe State University of New JerseyPiscatawayNJ08854USA
| | - Yadollah Omidi
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesCollege of PharmacyNova Southeastern UniversityFort LauderdaleFL33328USA
| | - Ki‐Bum Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical BiologyRutgersThe State University of New JerseyPiscatawayNJ08854USA
| | - Morteza Mahmoudi
- Department of Radiology and Precision Health ProgramMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
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25
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Bhatt P, Bhandari G, Bhatt K, Maithani D, Mishra S, Gangola S, Bhatt R, Huang Y, Chen S. Plasmid-mediated catabolism for the removal of xenobiotics from the environment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 420:126618. [PMID: 34329102 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The large-scale application of xenobiotics adversely affects the environment. The genes that are present in the chromosome of the bacteria are considered nonmobile, whereas the genes present on the plasmids are considered mobile genetic elements. Plasmids are considered indispensable for xenobiotic degradation into the contaminated environment. In the contaminated sites, bacteria with plasmids can transfer the mobile genetic element into another strain. This mechanism helps in spreading the catabolic genes into the bacterial population at the contaminated sites. The indigenous microbial strains with such degradative plasmids are important for the bioremediation of xenobiotics. Environmental factors play a critical role in the conjugation efficiency, which is involved in the bioremediation of the xenobiotics at the contaminated sites. However, there is still a need for more research to fill in the gaps regarding plasmids and their impact on bioremediation. This review explores the role of bacterial plasmids in the bioremediation of xenobiotics from contaminated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Bhatt
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Geeta Bhandari
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Sardar Bhagwan Singh University, Dehradun 248161, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Kalpana Bhatt
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar 249404, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Damini Maithani
- Department of Microbiology, G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology Pantnagar, U.S Nagar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Sandhya Mishra
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Saurabh Gangola
- School of Agriculture, Graphic Era Hill University, Bhimtal Campus, 263136, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Rakesh Bhatt
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Yaohua Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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Staphylococcal phages and pathogenicity islands drive plasmid evolution. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5845. [PMID: 34615859 PMCID: PMC8494744 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26101-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugation has classically been considered the main mechanism driving plasmid transfer in nature. Yet bacteria frequently carry so-called non-transmissible plasmids, raising questions about how these plasmids spread. Interestingly, the size of many mobilisable and non-transmissible plasmids coincides with the average size of phages (~40 kb) or that of a family of pathogenicity islands, the phage-inducible chromosomal islands (PICIs, ~11 kb). Here, we show that phages and PICIs from Staphylococcus aureus can mediate intra- and inter-species plasmid transfer via generalised transduction, potentially contributing to non-transmissible plasmid spread in nature. Further, staphylococcal PICIs enhance plasmid packaging efficiency, and phages and PICIs exert selective pressures on plasmids via the physical capacity of their capsids, explaining the bimodal size distribution observed for non-conjugative plasmids. Our results highlight that transducing agents (phages, PICIs) have important roles in bacterial plasmid evolution and, potentially, in antimicrobial resistance transmission.
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27
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Palencia-Gándara C, Getino M, Moyano G, Redondo S, Fernández-López R, González-Zorn B, de la Cruz F. Conjugation Inhibitors Effectively Prevent Plasmid Transmission in Natural Environments. mBio 2021; 12:e0127721. [PMID: 34425705 PMCID: PMC8406284 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01277-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmid conjugation is a major route for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. Inhibiting conjugation has been proposed as a feasible strategy to stop or delay the propagation of antibiotic resistance genes. Several compounds have been shown to be conjugation inhibitors in vitro, specifically targeting the plasmid horizontal transfer machinery. However, the in vivo efficiency and the applicability of these compounds to clinical and environmental settings remained untested. Here we show that the synthetic fatty acid 2-hexadecynoic acid (2-HDA), when used as a fish food supplement, lowers the conjugation frequency of model plasmids up to 10-fold in controlled water microcosms. When added to the food for mice, 2-HDA diminished the conjugation efficiency 50-fold in controlled plasmid transfer assays carried out in the mouse gut. These results demonstrate the in vivo efficiency of conjugation inhibitors, paving the way for their potential application in clinical and environmental settings. IMPORTANCE The spread of antibiotic resistance is considered one of the major threats for global health in the immediate future. A key reason for the speed at which antibiotic resistance spread is the ability of bacteria to share genes with each other. Antibiotic resistance genes harbored in plasmids can be easily transferred to commensal and pathogenic bacteria through a process known as bacterial conjugation. Blocking conjugation is thus a potentially useful strategy to curtail the propagation of antibiotic resistance. Conjugation inhibitors (COINS) are a series of compounds that block conjugation in vitro. Here we show that COINS efficiently block plasmid transmission in two controlled natural environments, water microcosms and the mouse gut. These observations indicate that COIN therapy can be used to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Palencia-Gándara
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC), University of Cantabria. Santander, Spain
| | - María Getino
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC), University of Cantabria. Santander, Spain
| | - Gabriel Moyano
- Department of Animal Health, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid. Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid. Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Redondo
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC), University of Cantabria. Santander, Spain
| | - Raúl Fernández-López
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC), University of Cantabria. Santander, Spain
| | - Bruno González-Zorn
- Department of Animal Health, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid. Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid. Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando de la Cruz
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC), University of Cantabria. Santander, Spain
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28
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Interplay between OmpA and RpoN Regulates Flagellar Synthesis in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9061216. [PMID: 34199787 PMCID: PMC8229486 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
OmpA, which encodes outer membrane protein A (OmpA), is the most abundant transcript in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia based on transcriptome analyses. The functions of OmpA, including adhesion, biofilm formation, drug resistance, and immune response targets, have been reported in some microorganisms, but few functions are known in S. maltophilia. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between OmpA and swimming motility in S. maltophilia. KJΔOmpA, an ompA mutant, displayed compromised swimming and failure of conjugation-mediated plasmid transportation. The hierarchical organization of flagella synthesis genes in S. maltophilia was established by referencing the Pseudomonas aeruginosa model and was confirmed using mutant construction, qRT-PCR, and functional assays. Distinct from the P. aeruginosa model, rpoN, rather than fleQ and fliA, was at the top of the flagellar regulatory cascade in S. maltophilia. To elucidate the underlying mechanism responsible for ΔompA-mediated swimming compromise, transcriptome analysis of KJ and KJΔOmpA was performed and revealed rpoN downregulation in KJΔOmpA as the key element. The involvement of rpoN in ΔompA-mediated swimming compromise was verified using rpoN complementation, qRT-PCR, and function assays. Collectively, OmpA, which contributes to bacterial conjugation and swimming, is a promising target for adjuvant design in S. maltophilia.
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29
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Renzetti A, Betts JW, Fukumoto K, Rutherford RN. Antibacterial green tea catechins from a molecular perspective: mechanisms of action and structure-activity relationships. Food Funct 2021; 11:9370-9396. [PMID: 33094767 DOI: 10.1039/d0fo02054k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes the mechanisms of antibacterial action of green tea catechins, discussing the structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies for each mechanism. The antibacterial activity of green tea catechins results from a variety of mechanisms that can be broadly classified into the following groups: (1) inhibition of virulence factors (toxins and extracellular matrix); (2) cell wall and cell membrane disruption; (3) inhibition of intracellular enzymes; (4) oxidative stress; (5) DNA damage; and (6) iron chelation. These mechanisms operate simultaneously with relative importance differing among bacterial strains. In all SAR studies, the highest antibacterial activity is observed for galloylated compounds (EGCG, ECG, and theaflavin digallate). This observation, combined with numerous experimental and theoretical evidence, suggests that catechins share a common binding mode, characterized by the formation of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with their target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Renzetti
- Global Education Institute, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan.
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30
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Arana L, Gallego L, Alkorta I. Incorporation of Antibiotics into Solid Lipid Nanoparticles: A Promising Approach to Reduce Antibiotic Resistance Emergence. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:nano11051251. [PMID: 34068834 PMCID: PMC8151913 DOI: 10.3390/nano11051251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health as current antibiotics are becoming useless against resistant infectious pathogens. Consequently, new antimicrobial strategies are urgently required. Drug delivery systems represent a potential solution to improve current antibiotic properties and reverse resistance mechanisms. Among different drug delivery systems, solid lipid nanoparticles represent a highly interesting option as they offer many advantages for nontoxic targeted drug delivery. Several publications have demonstrated the capacity of SLNs to significantly improve antibiotic characteristics increasing treatment efficiency. In this review article, antibiotic-loaded solid lipid nanoparticle-related works are analyzed to summarize all information associated with applying these new formulations to tackle the antibiotic resistance problem. The main antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and relevant solid lipid nanoparticle characteristics are presented to later discuss the potential of these nanoparticles to improve current antibiotic treatment characteristics and overcome antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. Moreover, solid lipid nanoparticles also offer new possibilities for other antimicrobial agents that cannot be administrated as free drugs. The advantages and disadvantages of these new formulations are also discussed in this review. Finally, given the progress of the studies carried out to date, future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lide Arana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Unibertsitateko Ibilbidea, 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Lucia Gallego
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena Auzoa z/g, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain;
| | - Itziar Alkorta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena Auzoa z/g, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain;
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31
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Haskett TL, Tkacz A, Poole PS. Engineering rhizobacteria for sustainable agriculture. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:949-964. [PMID: 33230265 PMCID: PMC8114929 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00835-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Exploitation of plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria (PGPR) as crop inoculants could propel sustainable intensification of agriculture to feed our rapidly growing population. However, field performance of PGPR is typically inconsistent due to suboptimal rhizosphere colonisation and persistence in foreign soils, promiscuous host-specificity, and in some cases, the existence of undesirable genetic regulation that has evolved to repress PGP traits. While the genetics underlying these problems remain largely unresolved, molecular mechanisms of PGP have been elucidated in rigorous detail. Engineering and subsequent transfer of PGP traits into selected efficacious rhizobacterial isolates or entire bacterial rhizosphere communities now offers a powerful strategy to generate improved PGPR that are tailored for agricultural use. Through harnessing of synthetic plant-to-bacteria signalling, attempts are currently underway to establish exclusive coupling of plant-bacteria interactions in the field, which will be crucial to optimise efficacy and establish biocontainment of engineered PGPR. This review explores the many ecological and biotechnical facets of this research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy L. Haskett
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB UK
| | - Andrzej Tkacz
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB UK
| | - Philip S. Poole
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB UK
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32
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Gago-Córdoba C, Val-Calvo J, Abia D, Díaz-Talavera A, Miguel-Arribas A, Aguilar Suárez R, van Dijl JM, Wu LJ, Meijer WJJ. A Conserved Class II Type Thioester Domain-Containing Adhesin Is Required for Efficient Conjugation in Bacillus subtilis. mBio 2021; 12:e00104-21. [PMID: 33727345 PMCID: PMC8092201 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00104-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugation, the process by which a DNA element is transferred from a donor to a recipient cell, is the main horizontal gene transfer route responsible for the spread of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Contact between a donor and a recipient cell is a prerequisite for conjugation, because conjugative DNA is transferred into the recipient via a channel connecting the two cells. Conjugative elements encode proteins dedicated to facilitating the recognition and attachment to recipient cells, also known as mating pair formation. A subgroup of the conjugative elements is able to mediate efficient conjugation during planktonic growth, and mechanisms facilitating mating pair formation will be particularly important in these cases. Conjugative elements of Gram-negative bacteria encode conjugative pili, also known as sex pili, some of which are retractile. Far less is known about mechanisms that promote mating pair formation in Gram-positive bacteria. The conjugative plasmid pLS20 of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis allows efficient conjugation in liquid medium. Here, we report the identification of an adhesin gene in the pLS20 conjugation operon. The N-terminal region of the adhesin contains a class II type thioester domain (TED) that is essential for efficient conjugation, particularly in liquid medium. We show that TED-containing adhesins are widely conserved in Gram-positive bacteria, including pathogens where they often play crucial roles in pathogenesis. Our study is the first to demonstrate the involvement of a class II type TED-containing adhesin in conjugation.IMPORTANCE Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become a serious health care problem. The spread of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria of the same or different species is often mediated by a process named conjugation, where a donor cell transfers DNA to a recipient cell through a connecting channel. The first step in conjugation is recognition and attachment of the donor to a recipient cell. Little is known about this first step, particularly in Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we show that the conjugative plasmid pLS20 of Bacillus subtilis encodes an adhesin protein that is essential for effective conjugation. This adhesin protein has a structural organization similar to adhesins produced by other Gram-positive bacteria, including major pathogens, where the adhesins serve in attachment to host tissues during colonization and infection. Our findings may thus also open novel avenues to design drugs that inhibit the spread of antibiotic resistance by blocking the first recipient-attachment step in conjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- César Gago-Córdoba
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Val-Calvo
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Abia
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Díaz-Talavera
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Miguel-Arribas
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocío Aguilar Suárez
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Maarten van Dijl
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ling Juan Wu
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Wilfried J J Meijer
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain
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33
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Morgado SM, Vicente ACP. Comprehensive in silico survey of the Mycolicibacterium mobilome reveals an as yet underexplored diversity. Microb Genom 2021; 7:mgen000533. [PMID: 33620305 PMCID: PMC8190616 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The mobilome plays a crucial role in bacterial adaptation and is therefore a starting point to understand and establish the gene flow occurring in the process of bacterial evolution. This is even more so if we consider that the mobilome of environmental bacteria can be the reservoir of genes that may later appear in the clinic. Recently, new genera have been proposed in the family Mycobacteriaceae, including the genus Mycolicibacterium, which encompasses dozens of species of agricultural, biotechnological, clinical and ecological importance, being ubiquitous in several environments. The current scenario in the Mycobacteriaceae mobilome has some bias because most of the characterized mycobacteriophages were isolated using a single host strain, and the few plasmids reported mainly relate to the genus Mycobacterium. To fill in the gaps in these issues, we performed a systematic in silico study of these mobile elements based on 242 available genomes of the genus Mycolicibacterium. The analyses identified 156 putative plasmids (19 conjugative, 45 mobilizable and 92 non-mobilizable) and 566 prophages in 86 and 229 genomes, respectively. Moreover, a contig was characterized by resembling an actinomycete integrative and conjugative element (AICE). Within this diversity of mobile genetic elements, there is a pool of genes associated with several canonical functions, in addition to adaptive traits, such as virulence and resistance to antibiotics and metals (mercury and arsenic). The type-VII secretion system was a common feature in the predicted plasmids, being associated with genes encoding virulent proteins (EsxA, EsxB, PE and PPE). In addition to the characterization of plasmids and prophages of the family Mycobacteriaceae, this study showed an abundance of these genetic elements in a dozen species of the genus Mycolicibacterium.
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A High-Throughput Method for Screening for Genes Controlling Bacterial Conjugation of Antibiotic Resistance. mSystems 2020; 5:5/6/e01226-20. [PMID: 33361328 PMCID: PMC7762799 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01226-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid transmission of antibiotic resistance genes on conjugative plasmids between bacterial host cells is a major cause of the accelerating antibiotic resistance crisis. There are currently no experimental platforms for fast and cost-efficient screening of genetic effects on antibiotic resistance transmission by conjugation, which prevents understanding and targeting conjugation. The rapid horizontal transmission of antibiotic resistance genes on conjugative plasmids between bacterial host cells is a major cause of the accelerating antibiotic resistance crisis. There are currently no experimental platforms for fast and cost-efficient screening of genetic effects on antibiotic resistance transmission by conjugation, which prevents understanding and targeting conjugation. We introduce a novel experimental framework to screen for conjugation-based horizontal transmission of antibiotic resistance between >60,000 pairs of cell populations in parallel. Plasmid-carrying donor strains are constructed in high-throughput. We then mix the resistance plasmid-carrying donors with recipients in a design where only transconjugants can reproduce, measure growth in dense intervals, and extract transmission times as the growth lag. As proof-of-principle, we exhaustively explore chromosomal genes controlling F-plasmid donation within Escherichia coli populations, by screening the Keio deletion collection in high replication. We recover all seven known chromosomal gene mutants affecting conjugation as donors and identify many novel mutants, all of which diminish antibiotic resistance transmission. We validate nine of the novel genes’ effects in liquid mating assays and complement one of the novel genes’ effect on conjugation (rseA). The new framework holds great potential for exhaustive disclosing of candidate targets for helper drugs that delay resistance development in patients and societies and improve the longevity of current and future antibiotics. Further, the platform can easily be adapted to explore interspecies conjugation, plasmid-borne factors, and experimental evolution and be used for rapid construction of strains. IMPORTANCE The rapid transmission of antibiotic resistance genes on conjugative plasmids between bacterial host cells is a major cause of the accelerating antibiotic resistance crisis. There are currently no experimental platforms for fast and cost-efficient screening of genetic effects on antibiotic resistance transmission by conjugation, which prevents understanding and targeting conjugation. We introduce a novel experimental framework to screen for conjugation-based horizontal transmission of antibiotic resistance between >60,000 pairs of cell populations in parallel. As proof-of-principle, we exhaustively explore chromosomal genes controlling F-plasmid donation within E. coli populations. We recover all previously known and many novel chromosomal gene mutants that affect conjugation efficiency. The new framework holds great potential for rapid screening of compounds that decrease transmission. Further, the platform can easily be adapted to explore interspecies conjugation, plasmid-borne factors, and experimental evolution and be used for rapid construction of strains.
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35
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Gallagher P, Baker S. Developing new therapeutic approaches for treating infections caused by multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. J Infect 2020; 81:857-861. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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36
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Interrogation of chemical changes on, and through, the bacterial envelope of
Escherichia coli
FabF mutant using time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. SURF INTERFACE ANAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/sia.6905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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37
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Li G, Xia LJ, Zhou SY, Wang XR, Cui CY, He YZ, Diao XY, Liu M, Lian XL, Kreiswirth BN, Liu YH, Liao XP, Chen L, Sun J. Linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid inhibit conjugative transfer of an IncX4 plasmid carrying mcr-1. J Appl Microbiol 2020; 130:1893-1901. [PMID: 33034112 DOI: 10.1111/jam.14885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this study was to determine the effects of unsaturated fatty acids on clinical plasmids. METHODS AND RESULTS Two unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) at final concentration 0, 0·03, 0·3 and 3 mmol l-1 , respectively, were used to assess the effects on conjugative transfer of a mcr-1-harbouring plasmid pCSZ4 (IncX4) in conjugation experiment. The inhibitory mechanisms were analysed by molecular docking and the gene expression of virB11 was quantitated by qRT-PCR. Target plasmid diversity was carried out by TrwD/VirB11 homology protein sequence prediction analysis. Our results showed that LA and ALA inhibit plasmid pCSZ4 transfer by binding to the amino acid residues (Phe124 and Thr125) of VirB11 with dose-dependent effects. The expression levels of virB11 gene were also significantly inhibited by LA and ALA treatment. Protein homology analysis revealed a wide distribution of TrwD/VirB11-like genes among over 37 classes of plasmids originated from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates representing a diversity of plasmids that may be potentially inhibited by unsaturated fatty acids. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Our work reported here provides additional support for application of curbing the spread of multiple plasmids by unsaturated fatty acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Li
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - L-J Xia
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - S-Y Zhou
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - X-R Wang
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - C-Y Cui
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Y-Z He
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - X-Y Diao
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - M Liu
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - X-L Lian
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - B N Kreiswirth
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, USA.,Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Seton Hall University, Nutley, NJ, USA
| | - Y-H Liu
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - X-P Liao
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - L Chen
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, USA.,Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Seton Hall University, Nutley, NJ, USA
| | - J Sun
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
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Protein Dynamics in F-like Bacterial Conjugation. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8090362. [PMID: 32961700 PMCID: PMC7555446 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8090362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficient in silico development of novel antibiotics requires high-resolution, dynamic models of drug targets. As conjugation is considered the prominent contributor to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, targeted drug design to disrupt vital components of conjugative systems has been proposed to lessen the proliferation of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Advancements in structural imaging techniques of large macromolecular complexes has accelerated the discovery of novel protein-protein interactions in bacterial type IV secretion systems (T4SS). The known structural information regarding the F-like T4SS components and complexes has been summarized in the following review, revealing a complex network of protein-protein interactions involving domains with varying degrees of disorder. Structural predictions were performed to provide insight on the dynamicity of proteins within the F plasmid conjugative system that lack structural information.
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39
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Nadeem SF, Gohar UF, Tahir SF, Mukhtar H, Pornpukdeewattana S, Nukthamna P, Moula Ali AM, Bavisetty SCB, Massa S. Antimicrobial resistance: more than 70 years of war between humans and bacteria. Crit Rev Microbiol 2020; 46:578-599. [PMID: 32954887 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2020.1813687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is one of the major issues in the present world and one of the greatest threats faced by mankind. Resistance is spread through both vertical gene transfer (parent to offspring) as well as by horizontal gene transfer like transformation, transduction and conjugation. The main mechanisms of resistance are limiting uptake of a drug, modification of a drug target, inactivation of a drug, and active efflux of a drug. The highest quantities of antibiotic concentrations are usually found in areas with strong anthropogenic pressures, for example medical source (e.g., hospitals) effluents, pharmaceutical industries, wastewater influents, soils treated with manure, animal husbandry and aquaculture (where antibiotics are generally used as in-feed preparations). Hence, the strong selective pressure applied by antimicrobial use has forced microorganisms to evolve for survival. The guts of animals and humans, wastewater treatment plants, hospital and community effluents, animal husbandry and aquaculture runoffs have been designated as "hotspots for AMR genes" because the high density of bacteria, phages, and plasmids in these settings allows significant genetic exchange and recombination. Evidence from the literature suggests that the knowledge of antibiotic resistance in the population is still scarce. Tackling antimicrobial resistance requires a wide range of strategies, for example, more research in antibiotic production, the need of educating patients and the general public, as well as developing alternatives to antibiotics (briefly discussed in the conclusions of this article).
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Affiliation(s)
- Syeda Fatima Nadeem
- Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Umar Farooq Gohar
- Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Syed Fahad Tahir
- Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hamid Mukhtar
- Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Pikunthong Nukthamna
- Faculty of Food Industry, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand.,College of Research Methodology and Cognitive Science, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
| | - Ali Muhammed Moula Ali
- Faculty of Food Industry, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Salvatore Massa
- Faculty of Food Industry, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
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40
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Abstract
Despite efforts to develop new antibiotics, antibacterial resistance still develops too fast for drug discovery to keep pace. Often, resistance against a new drug develops even before it reaches the market. This continued resistance crisis has demonstrated that resistance to antibiotics with single protein targets develops too rapidly to be sustainable. Most successful long-established antibiotics target more than one molecule or possess targets, which are encoded by multiple genes. This realization has motivated a change in antibiotic development toward drug candidates with multiple targets. Some mechanisms of action presuppose multiple targets or at least multiple effects, such as targeting the cytoplasmic membrane or the carrier molecule bactoprenol phosphate and are therefore particularly promising. Moreover, combination therapy approaches are being developed to break antibiotic resistance or to sensitize bacteria to antibiotic action. In this Review, we provide an overview of antibacterial multitarget approaches and the mechanisms behind them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Declan Alan Gray
- Newcastle University
Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, NE2 4HH Newcastle
upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical
Biology, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
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41
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Bleves S, Galán JE, Llosa M. Bacterial injection machines: Evolutionary diverse but functionally convergent. Cell Microbiol 2020; 22:e13157. [PMID: 31891220 PMCID: PMC7138736 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Many human pathogens use Type III, Type IV, and Type VI secretion systems to deliver effectors into their target cells. The contribution of these secretion systems to microbial virulence was the main focus of a workshop organised by the International University of Andalusia in Spain. The meeting addressed structure-function, substrate recruitment, and translocation processes, which differ widely on the different secretion machineries, as well as the nature of the translocated effectors and their roles in subverting the host cell. An excellent panel of worldwide speakers presented the state of the art of the field, highlighting the involvement of bacterial secretion in human disease and discussing mechanistic aspects of bacterial pathogenicity, which can provide the bases for the development of novel antivirulence strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Bleves
- LISM (Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires-UMR7255), IMM (Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée), Aix-Marseille Univ and CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Jorge E. Galán
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
| | - Matxalen Llosa
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC-SODERCAN, Santander, Spain
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42
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Bethke JH, Davidovich A, Cheng L, Lopatkin AJ, Song W, Thaden JT, Fowler VG, Xiao M, You L. Environmental and genetic determinants of plasmid mobility in pathogenic Escherichia coli. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaax3173. [PMID: 32042895 PMCID: PMC6981087 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax3173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids are key vehicles of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), mobilizing antibiotic resistance, virulence, and other traits among bacterial populations. The environmental and genetic forces that drive plasmid transfer are poorly understood, however, due to the lack of definitive quantification coupled with genomic analysis. Here, we integrate conjugative phenotype with plasmid genotype to provide quantitative analysis of HGT in clinical Escherichia coli pathogens. We find a substantial proportion of these pathogens (>25%) able to readily spread resistance to the most common classes of antibiotics. Antibiotics of varied modes of action had less than a 5-fold effect on conjugation efficiency in general, with one exception displaying 31-fold promotion upon exposure to macrolides and chloramphenicol. In contrast, genome sequencing reveals plasmid incompatibility group strongly correlates with transfer efficiency. Our findings offer new insights into the determinants of plasmid mobility and have implications for the development of treatments that target HGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan H. Bethke
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Adam Davidovich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Li Cheng
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- China National Genebank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Allison J. Lopatkin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Wenchen Song
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- China National Genebank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Joshua T. Thaden
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Vance G. Fowler
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Minfeng Xiao
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
- China National Genebank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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43
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Boudaher E, Shaffer CL. Inhibiting bacterial secretion systems in the fight against antibiotic resistance. MEDCHEMCOMM 2019; 10:682-692. [PMID: 31741728 PMCID: PMC6677025 DOI: 10.1039/c9md00076c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a mounting global health crisis that threatens a resurgence of life-threatening bacterial infections. Despite intensive drug discovery efforts, the rate of antimicrobial resistance outpaces the discovery of new antibiotic agents. One of the major mechanisms driving the rapid propagation of antibiotic resistance is bacterial conjugation mediated by the versatile type IV secretion system (T4SS). The search for therapeutic compounds that prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance via T4SS-dependent mechanisms has identified several promising molecular scaffolds that disrupt resistance determinant dissemination. In this brief review, we highlight the progress and potential of conjugation inhibitors and anti-virulence compounds that target diverse T4SS machineries. These studies provide a solid foundation for the future development of potent, dual-purpose molecular scaffolds that can be used as biochemical tools to probe type IV secretion mechanisms and target bacterial conjugation in clinical settings to prevent the dissemination of antibiotic resistance throughout microbial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Boudaher
- University of Kentucky , Department of Veterinary Science , Gluck Equine Research Center , 1400 Nicholasville Road , Lexington , KY , USA . ; Tel: +1 (859) 218 1168
| | - Carrie L Shaffer
- University of Kentucky , Department of Veterinary Science , Gluck Equine Research Center , 1400 Nicholasville Road , Lexington , KY , USA . ; Tel: +1 (859) 218 1168
- University of Kentucky , Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics , 800 Rose Street , Lexington , KY , USA
- University of Kentucky , Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , 789 South Limestone Street , Lexington , KY , USA
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