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Wong Z, Ong EBB. Unravelling bacterial virulence factors in yeast: From identification to the elucidation of their mechanisms of action. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:303. [PMID: 38878203 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-04023-2] [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: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria employ virulence factors (VF) to establish infection and cause disease in their host. Yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces pombe, are useful model organisms to study the functions of bacterial VFs and their interaction with targeted cellular processes because yeast processes and organelle structures are highly conserved and similar to higher eukaryotes. In this review, we describe the principles and applications of the yeast model for the identification and functional characterisation of bacterial VFs to investigate bacterial pathogenesis. The growth inhibition phenotype caused by the heterologous expression of bacterial VFs in yeast is commonly used to identify candidate VFs. Then, subcellular localisation patterns of bacterial VFs can provide further clues about their target molecules and functions during infection. Yeast knockout and overexpression libraries are also used to investigate VF interactions with conserved eukaryotic cell structures (e.g., cytoskeleton and plasma membrane), and cellular processes (e.g., vesicle trafficking, signalling pathways, and programmed cell death). In addition, the yeast growth inhibition phenotype is also useful for screening new drug leads that target and inhibit bacterial VFs. This review provides an updated overview of new tools, principles and applications to study bacterial VFs in yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- ZhenPei Wong
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 11800 USM, Malaysia
| | - Eugene Boon Beng Ong
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 11800 USM, Malaysia.
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Morafraile EC, Hänni C, Allen G, Zeisner T, Clarke C, Johnson MC, Santos MM, Carroll L, Minchell NE, Baxter J, Banks P, Lydall D, Zegerman P. Checkpoint inhibition of origin firing prevents DNA topological stress. Genes Dev 2019; 33:1539-1554. [PMID: 31624083 PMCID: PMC6824463 DOI: 10.1101/gad.328682.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A universal feature of DNA damage and replication stress in eukaryotes is the activation of a checkpoint-kinase response. In S-phase, the checkpoint inhibits replication initiation, yet the function of this global block to origin firing remains unknown. To establish the physiological roles of this arm of the checkpoint, we analyzed separation of function mutants in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that allow global origin firing upon replication stress, despite an otherwise normal checkpoint response. Using genetic screens, we show that lack of the checkpoint-block to origin firing results in a dependence on pathways required for the resolution of topological problems. Failure to inhibit replication initiation indeed causes increased DNA catenation, resulting in DNA damage and chromosome loss. We further show that such topological stress is not only a consequence of a failed checkpoint response but also occurs in an unperturbed S-phase when too many origins fire simultaneously. Together we reveal that the role of limiting the number of replication initiation events is to prevent DNA topological problems, which may be relevant for the treatment of cancer with both topoisomerase and checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther C Morafraile
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Hänni
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - George Allen
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Theresa Zeisner
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Clarke
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Mark C Johnson
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel M Santos
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Lauren Carroll
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola E Minchell
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Baxter
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Banks
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Dave Lydall
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Zegerman
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
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