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Hofkens N, Gestels Z, Abdellati S, Gabant P, Rodriguez-Villalobos H, Martin A, Kenyon C, Manoharan-Basil SS. Protective effect of microbisporicin (NAI-107) against vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium infection in a Galleria mellonella model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4786. [PMID: 38413672 PMCID: PMC10899196 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55262-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus faecium necessitates the search for novel treatment agents, such as bacteriocins. In this study, we conducted an in vivo assessment of five bacteriocins, namely Lacticin Z, Lacticin Q, Garvicin KS (ABC), Aureocin A53 and Microbisporicin (NAI-107), against vanB-resistant Enterococcus faecium using a Galleria mellonella model. Our in vitro experiments demonstrated the efficacy of all five bacteriocins against vanB-resistant E. faecium with only NAI-107 demonstrating in vivo efficacy. Notably, NAI-107 exhibited efficacy across a range of tested doses, with the highest efficacy observed at a concentration of 16 µg/mL. Mortality rates in the group treated with 16 µg/mL NAI-107 were lower than those observed in the linezolid-treated group. These findings strongly suggest that NAI-107 holds promise as a potential alternative therapeutic agent for treating infections caused by resistant E. faecium and warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nele Hofkens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Zina Gestels
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Saïd Abdellati
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Chris Kenyon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
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Hofkens N, Gestels Z, Abdellati S, De Baetselier I, Gabant P, Martin A, Kenyon C, Manoharan-Basil SS. Microbisporicin (NAI-107) protects Galleria mellonella from infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0282523. [PMID: 37823634 PMCID: PMC10715042 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02825-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE We screened 66 bacteriocins to see if they exhibited anti-gonococcal activity. We found 12 bacteriocins with anti-gonococcal effects, and 4 bacteriocins showed higher anti-gonococcal activity. Three bacteriocins, lacticin Z, lacticin Q, and Garvicin KS (ABC), showed in vitro anti-gonococcal activity but no in vivo inhibitory effects against the Neisseria gonorrhoeae (WHO-P) isolate. On the other hand, NAI-107 showed in vivo anti-gonococcal activity. The findings suggest that NAI-107 is a promising alternative to treat gonorrhea infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nele Hofkens
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Zina Gestels
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Said Abdellati
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Irith De Baetselier
- Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | - Christopher Kenyon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Bugyna L, Kendra S, Bujdáková H. Galleria mellonella-A Model for the Study of aPDT-Prospects and Drawbacks. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1455. [PMID: 37374956 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Galleria mellonella is a promising in vivo model insect used for microbiological, medical, and pharmacological research. It provides a platform for testing the biocompatibility of various compounds and the kinetics of survival after an infection followed by subsequent treatment, and for the evaluation of various parameters during treatment, including the host-pathogen interaction. There are some similarities in the development of pathologies with mammals. However, a limitation is the lack of adaptive immune response. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is an alternative approach for combating microbial infections, including biofilm-associated ones. aPDT is effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, regardless of whether they are resistant to conventional treatment. The main idea of this comprehensive review was to collect information on the use of G. mellonella in aPDT. It provides a collection of references published in the last 10 years from this area of research, complemented by some practical experiences of the authors of this review. Additionally, the review summarizes in brief information on the G. mellonella model, its advantages and methods used in the processing of material from these larvae, as well as basic knowledge of the principles of aPDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larysa Bugyna
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Virology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Samuel Kendra
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Virology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Helena Bujdáková
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Virology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Budziaszek J, Pilarczyk-Zurek M, Dobosz E, Kozinska A, Nowicki D, Obszanska K, Szalewska-Pałasz A, Kern-Zdanowicz I, Sitkiewicz I, Koziel J. Studies of Streptococcus anginosus Virulence in Dictyostelium discoideum and Galleria mellonella Models. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0001623. [PMID: 37097148 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00016-23] [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: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
For many years, Streptococcus anginosus has been considered a commensal colonizing the oral cavity, as well as the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. However, recent epidemiological and clinical data designate this bacterium as an emerging opportunistic pathogen. Despite the reported pathogenicity of S. anginosus, the molecular mechanism underpinning its virulence is poorly described. Therefore, our goal was to develop and optimize efficient and simple infection models that can be applied to examine the virulence of S. anginosus and to study host-pathogen interactions. Using 23 S. anginosus isolates collected from different infections, including severe and superficial infections, as well as an attenuated strain devoid of CppA, we demonstrate for the first time that Dictyostelium discoideum is a suitable model for initial, fast, and large-scale screening of virulence. Furthermore, we found that another nonvertebrate animal model, Galleria mellonella, can be used to study the pathogenesis of S. anginosus infection, with an emphasis on the interactions between the pathogen and host innate immunity. Examining the profile of immune defense genes, including antimicrobial peptides, opsonins, regulators of nodulation, and inhibitors of proteases, by quantitative PCR (qPCR) we identified different immune response profiles depending on the S. anginosus strain. Using these models, we show that S. anginosus is resistant to the bactericidal activity of phagocytes, a phenomenon confirmed using human neutrophils. Notably, since we found that the data from these models corresponded to the clinical severity of infection, we propose their further application to studies of the virulence of S. anginosus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Budziaszek
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Pilarczyk-Zurek
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewelina Dobosz
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Kozinska
- Department of Drug Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, National Medicines Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dariusz Nowicki
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Obszanska
- Department of Drug Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, National Medicines Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | - Izabela Sitkiewicz
- Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Koziel
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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Leal JT, Primon-Barros M, de Carvalho Robaina A, Pizzutti K, Mott MP, Trentin DS, Dias CAG. Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19A from carriers and invasive disease: virulence gene profile and pathogenicity in a Galleria mellonella model. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2023; 42:399-411. [PMID: 36790530 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-023-04560-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to evaluate and compare the presence of genes related to surface proteins between isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from healthy carriers (HC) and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) with a particular focus on serotype 19A. METHODS The presence of these genes was identified by real-time PCR. Subsequently, we employed the Galleria mellonella larval infection model to study their effect on pathogenicity in vivo. RESULTS The percentage of selected virulence genes was similar between the HC and IPD groups (p > 0.05), and the genes lytA, nanB, pavA, pcpA, phtA, phtB, phtE, rrgA, and sipA were all present in both groups. However, the virulence profile of the isolates differed individually between HC and IPD groups. The highest lethality in G. mellonella was for IPD isolates (p < 0.01), even when the virulence profile was the same as compared to the HC isolates or when the nanA, pspA, pspA-fam1, and pspC genes were not present. CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of the investigated virulence genes was similar between HC and IPD S. pneumoniae serotype 19A groups. However, the IPD isolates showed a higher lethality in the alternative G. mellonella model than the HC isolates, regardless of the virulence gene composition, indicating that other virulence factors may play a decisive role in virulence. Currently, this is the first report using the in vivo G. mellonella model to study the virulence of clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiane Trevisol Leal
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia & Modelos Experimentais Alternativos, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências (PPGBIO), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Muriel Primon-Barros
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil
| | - Amanda de Carvalho Robaina
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil
| | - Kauana Pizzutti
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil
| | - Mariana Preussler Mott
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil
| | - Danielle Silva Trentin
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia & Modelos Experimentais Alternativos, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências (PPGBIO), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
| | - Cícero Armídio Gomes Dias
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil
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Guevara MA, Francis JD, Lu J, Manning SD, Doster RS, Moore RE, Gaddy JA. Streptococcus agalactiae cadD Is Critical for Pathogenesis in the Invertebrate Galleria mellonella Model. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:2405-2412. [PMID: 36445344 PMCID: PMC10262471 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00453] [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: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a gram-positive bacterium that can cause invasive infections in immunocompromised, elderly, pregnant, or neonatal patients. The invertebrate model, Galleria mellonella, has emerged as an effective tool to study GBS-host interactions; specifically, those conserved within the innate arm of the immune system. We sought to determine the role of metal homeostasis functions in GBS infections of G. mellonella larvae and to validate this model as a tool to study GBS-host interactions. Our results indicate that wild-type GBS infects G. mellonella in a dose-dependent manner, replicates in the invertebrate host, induces larval melanization and larval killing. These results were significantly abrogated in cohorts of larvae infected with the isogenic cadD deletion mutant. Additionally, complementation restored GBS-dependent infection, bacterial burden, larval melanization, and killing to wild-type levels. Together, these results indicate that the G. mellonella model is a useful tool for studying GBS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam A. Guevara
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, U.S.A
| | - Jamisha D. Francis
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, U.S.A
| | - Jacky Lu
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, U.S.A
| | - Shannon D. Manning
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48864, U.S.A
| | - Ryan S. Doster
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, U.S.A
| | - Rebecca E. Moore
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, U.S.A
| | - Jennifer A. Gaddy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, U.S.A
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, U.S.A
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare Systems, Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, Tennessee, 37212, U.S.A
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7
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Methods for Using the Galleria mellonella Invertebrate Model to Probe Enterococcus faecalis Pathogenicity. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2427:177-183. [PMID: 35619034 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1971-1_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The Enterococci, mainly Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium, are ubiquitous members of the human gastrointestinal tract consortia but also a leading cause of opportunistic infections. The global rise in human-associated enterococcal infections, often caused by multidrug resistant strains, highlights an urgent need to identify the bacterial factors contributing to its pathogenicity such that new therapies can be devised. The use of the Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) larvae, commonly known as wax worm, as a model to study host-pathogen interactions has allowed the identification and characterization of numerous bacterial factors that contribute to disease in humans, serving both as an alternative and complementary approach to mammalian models. Here, we describe the methods for using G. mellonella to characterize the virulence factors of E. faecalis.
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Fan J, Zhao L, Hu Q, Li S, Li H, Zhang Q, Zou G, Zhang L, Li L, Huang Q, Zhou R. Screening for Virulence-Related Genes via a Transposon Mutant Library of Streptococcus suis Serotype 2 Using a Galleria mellonella Larvae Infection Model. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10050868. [PMID: 35630313 PMCID: PMC9143085 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is a zoonotic bacterial pathogen causing lethal infections in pigs and humans. Identification of virulence-related genes (VRGs) is of great importance in understanding the pathobiology of a bacterial pathogen. To identify novel VRGs, a transposon (Tn) mutant library of S. suis strain SC19 was constructed in this study. The insertion sites of approximately 1700 mutants were identified by Tn-seq, which involved 417 different genes. A total of 32 attenuated strains were identified from the library by using a Galleria mellonella larvae infection model, and 30 novel VRGs were discovered, including transcription regulators, transporters, hypothetical proteins, etc. An isogenic deletion mutant of hxtR gene (ΔhxtR) and its complementary strain (CΔhxtR) were constructed, and their virulence was compared with the wild-type strain in G. mellonella larvae and mice, which showed that disruption of hxtR significantly attenuated the virulence. Moreover, the ΔhxtR strain displayed a reduced survival ability in whole blood, increased sensitivity to phagocytosis, increased chain length, and growth defect. Taken together, this study performed a high throughput screening for VRGs of S. suis using a G. mellonella larvae model and further characterized a novel critical virulence factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyan Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Lelin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Qiao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Siqi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Haotian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Geng Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Liangsheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Lu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
- International Research Center for Animal Disease (Ministry of Science & Technology of China), Wuhan 430070, China
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
- International Research Center for Animal Disease (Ministry of Science & Technology of China), Wuhan 430070, China
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
- Correspondence: (Q.H.); (R.Z.)
| | - Rui Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (J.F.); (L.Z.); (Q.H.); (S.L.); (H.L.); (Q.Z.); (G.Z.); (L.Z.); (L.L.)
- International Research Center for Animal Disease (Ministry of Science & Technology of China), Wuhan 430070, China
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
- The HZAU-HVSEN Research Institute, Wuhan 430042, China
- Correspondence: (Q.H.); (R.Z.)
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9
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RNase R, a New Virulence Determinant of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020317. [PMID: 35208772 PMCID: PMC8875335 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumococcal infections have increasingly high mortality rates despite the availability of vaccines and antibiotics. Therefore, the identification of new virulence determinants and the understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind pathogenesis have become of paramount importance in the search of new targets for drug development. The exoribonuclease RNase R has been involved in virulence in a growing number of pathogens. In this work, we used Galleria mellonella as an infection model to demonstrate that the presence of RNase R increases the pneumococcus virulence. Larvae infected with the RNase R mutant show an increased expression level of antimicrobial peptides. Furthermore, they have a lower bacterial load in the hemolymph in the later stages of infection, leading to a higher survival rate of the larvae. Interestingly, pneumococci expressing RNase R show a sudden drop in bacterial numbers immediately after infection, resembling the eclipse phase observed after intravenous inoculation in mice. Concomitantly, we observed a lower number of mutant bacteria inside larval hemocytes and a higher susceptibility to oxidative stress when compared to the wild type. Together, our results indicate that RNase R is involved in the ability of pneumococci to evade the host immune response, probably by interfering with internalization and/or replication inside the larval hemocytes.
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10
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Dijokaite A, Humbert MV, Borkowski E, La Ragione RM, Christodoulides M. Establishing an invertebrate Galleria mellonella greater wax moth larval model of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection. Virulence 2021; 12:1900-1920. [PMID: 34304706 PMCID: PMC8312596 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1950269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus) causes the human sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. Studying gonococcal pathogenesis and developing new vaccines and therapies to combat the increasing prevalence of multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria has made use of many ex vivo models based on human cells and tissues, and in vivo vertebrate models, for example, rodent, pig and human. The focus of the current study was to examine the utility of the invertebrate greater wax moth Galleria mellonella as an in vivo model of gonococcal infection. We observed that a threshold of ~106 - 107 gonococci/larva was required to kill >50% of larvae (P < 0.05), and increased toxicity correlated with reduced health index scores and pronounced histopathological changes such as increases in the total lesion grade, melanized nodules, hemocyte reaction, and multifocal adipose body degeneration. Larval death was independent of the expression of pilus or Opa protein or LOS sialylation within a single gonococcal species studied, but the model could demonstrate relative toxicity of different isolates. N. meningitidis, N. lacatamica and gonococci all killed larvae equally, but were significantly less toxic (P > 0.05) than Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Larvae primed with nontoxic doses of gonococci were more susceptible to subsequent challenge with homologous and heterologous bacteria, and larval survival was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in infected larvae after depletion of their hemocytes with clodronate-liposomes. The model was used to test the anti-gonococcal properties of antibiotics and novel antimicrobials. Ceftriaxone (P < 0.05) protected larvae from infection with different gonococcal isolates, but not azithromycin or monocaprin or ligand-coated silver nanoclusters (P > 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiste Dijokaite
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, Academic School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Maria Victoria Humbert
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, Academic School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Emma Borkowski
- Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Roberto M La Ragione
- Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, Academic School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
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11
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Luiz de Freitas L, Pereira da Silva F, Fernandes KM, Carneiro DG, Licursi de Oliveira L, Martins GF, Dantas Vanetti MC. The virulence of Salmonella Enteritidis in Galleria mellonella is improved by N-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone. Microb Pathog 2021; 152:104730. [PMID: 33444697 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Salmonella is a food and waterborne pathogen responsible for outbreaks worldwide, and it can survive during passage through the stomach and inside host phagocytic cells. Virulence genes are required for infection and survival in macrophages, and some are under the regulation of the quorum sensing (QS) system. This study investigated the influence of the autoinducer 1 (AI-1), N-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL), on the virulence of Salmonella PT4 using Galleria mellonella as an infection model. Salmonella PT4 was grown in the presence and absence of C12-HSL under anaerobic conditions for 7 h, and the expression of rpoS, arcA, arcB, and invA genes was evaluated. After the inoculation of G. mellonella with the median lethal dose (LD50) of Salmonella PT4, the survival of bacteria inside the larvae and their health status (health index scoring) were monitored, as well as the pigment, nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) production. Also, the hemocyte viability, the induction of caspase-3, and microtubule-associated light chain 3 (LC3) protein in hemocytes were evaluated. Salmonella PT4 growing in the presence of C12-HSL showed increased rpoS, arcA, arcB, and invA expression and promoted higher larvae mortality and worse state of health after 24 h of infection. The C12-HSL also increased the persistence of Salmonella PT4 in the hemolymph and in the hemocytes. The highest pigmentation, NO production, and antioxidant enzymes were verified in the larva hemolymph infected with Salmonella PT4 grown with C12-HSL. Hemocytes from larvae infected with Salmonella PT4 grown with C12-HSL showed lower viability and higher production of caspase-3 and LC3. Taken together, these findings suggest that C12-HSL could be involved in the virulence of Salmonella PT4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Luiz de Freitas
- Departmento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Kenner Morais Fernandes
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Deisy Guimarães Carneiro
- Departmento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Gustavo Ferreira Martins
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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12
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Liakopoulos A, La Ragione RM, Nagel C, Schatzschneider U, Rozen DE, Betts JW. Manganese complex [Mn(CO) 3(tpa-κ 3N)]Br increases antibiotic sensitivity in multidrug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2020; 22:594-597. [PMID: 32387640 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2020.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The emergence of multidrug-resistance (MDR) in Streptococcus pneumoniae clones and non-vaccine serotypes necessitate the development of novel treatment strategies. This work aimed to determine the efficacy of the Mn complex [Mn(CO)3(tpa-κ3N)]Br against clinically important MDR strains of S. pneumoniae. METHODS Twenty MDR clinicalS. pneumoniae strains were included in this study. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of [Mn(CO)3(tpa-κ3N)]Br were determined via broth microdilution alone and in combination with other antimicrobial agents using checkerboard assays and/or disc diffusion tests. In vitro efficacy was assessed by time-kill assays while in vivo efficacy was tested using the insect model Galleria mellonella. RESULTS [Mn(CO)3(tpa-κ3N)]Br showed moderate in vitro efficacy against S. pneumoniae coupled with bactericidal activity. Checkerboard and disc diffusion assays showed synergy between [Mn(CO)3(tpa-κ3N)]Br and tetracycline, and the combination of both agents caused rapid kill-kinetics and reduced the MIC below the susceptibility breakpoint of 1 mg/L even for tetracycline-resistant strains of S. pneumoniae. Similar results were observed for the erythromycin- and the co-trimoxazole-Mn complex combination. In the G. mellonella infection model, mortality and morbidity rates at 96 h were significantly lower in larvae treated with [Mn(CO)3(tpa-κ3N)]Br than phosphate buffered saline, while treatment with the tetracycline-Mn complex combination was superior to monotherapy, resulting in significantly lower mortality and morbidity rates (p < 0.049). CONCLUSIONS We show that [Mn(CO)3(tpa-κ3N)]Br has in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity against clinically relevant strains of S. pneumoniae and has the potential to be used in combination with currently available antibiotics to increase their effectiveness against MDR S. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apostolos Liakopoulos
- Department Microbial Biotechnology and Health, Institute of Biology Leiden, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Roberto M La Ragione
- Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Christoph Nagel
- Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Daniel E Rozen
- Department Microbial Biotechnology and Health, Institute of Biology Leiden, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Jonathan W Betts
- Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
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13
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Six A, Krajangwong S, Crumlish M, Zadoks RN, Walker D. Galleria mellonella as an infection model for the multi-host pathogen Streptococcus agalactiae reflects hypervirulence of strains associated with human invasive disease. Virulence 2020; 10:600-609. [PMID: 31230520 PMCID: PMC6592362 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2019.1631660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae, or group B Streptococcus (GBS), infects diverse hosts including humans and economically important species such as cattle and fishes. In the context of human health, GBS is a major cause of neonatal infections and an emerging cause of invasive disease in adults and of foodborne disease in Southeast Asia. Here we show that GBS is able to establish a systemic infection in Galleria mellonella larvae that is associated with extensive bacterial replication and dose-dependent larval survival. This infection model is suitable for use with GBS isolates from both homeothermic and poikilothermic hosts. Hypervirulent sequence types (ST) associated with invasive human disease in neonates (ST17) or adults (ST283) show increased virulence in this model, indicating it may be useful in studying GBS virulence determinants, albeit with limitations for some host-specific virulence factors. In addition, we demonstrate that larval survival can be afforded by antibiotic treatment and so the model may also be useful in the development of novel anti-GBS strategies. The use of G. mellonella in GBS research has the potential to provide a low-cost infection model that could reduce the number of vertebrates used in the study of GBS infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Six
- a Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
| | - Sakranmanee Krajangwong
- a Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
| | | | - Ruth N Zadoks
- c Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
| | - Daniel Walker
- a Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
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Sheehan G, Tully L, Kavanagh KA. Candida albicans increases the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus during polymicrobial infection of Galleria mellonella larvae. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2020; 166:375-385. [PMID: 32068530 PMCID: PMC7377259 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This study detailed the responses of Galleria mellonella larvae to disseminated infection caused by co-infection with Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. Doses of C. albicans (1×105 larva-1) and S. aureus (1×104 larva-1) were non-lethal in mono-infection but when combined significantly (P<0.05) reduced larval survival at 24, 48 and 72 h relative to larvae receiving S. aureus (2×104 larva-1) alone. Co-infected larvae displayed a significantly higher density of S. aureus larva-1 compared to larvae infected solely with S. aureus. Co-infection resulted in dissemination throughout the host and the appearance of large nodules. Co-infection of larvae with C. albicans and S. aureus (2×104 larva-1) resulted in an increase in the density of circulating haemocytes compared to that in larvae infected with only S. aureus. Proteomic analysis of co-infected larval haemolymph revealed increased abundance of proteins associated with immune responses to bacterial and fungal infection such as cecropin-A (+45.4-fold), recognition proteins [e.g. peptidoglycan-recognition protein LB (+14-fold)] and proteins associated with nodule formation [e.g. Hdd11 (+33.3-fold)]. A range of proteins were also decreased in abundance following co-infection, including apolipophorin (-62.4-fold), alpha-esterase 45 (-7.7-fold) and serine proteinase (-6.2-fold). Co-infection of larvae resulted in enhanced proliferation of S. aureus compared to mono-infection and an immune response showing many similarities to the innate immune response of mammals to infection. The utility of G. mellonella larvae for studying polymicrobial infection is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Sheehan
- SSPC Pharma Research Centre, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.,Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Laura Tully
- SSPC Pharma Research Centre, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Kevin A Kavanagh
- SSPC Pharma Research Centre, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
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15
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Guerrieri CG, Pereira MF, Galdino ACM, Dos Santos ALS, Elias WP, Schuenck RP, Spano LC. Typical and Atypical Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Are Both Virulent in the Galleria mellonella Model. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1791. [PMID: 31456762 PMCID: PMC6700222 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01791] [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: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an emerging pathotype responsible for acute and persistent diarrhea. It can be classified as typical and atypical strains, respectively, based on the presence or absence of the AggR regulon, suggesting a higher virulence for typical EAEC. This study aims to evaluate in the Galleria mellonella model if there are differences in the virulence profiles among clinical strains of typical and atypical EAEC, prototype strains EAEC C1096, 042 and its aggR mutant. The clinical EAEC strains (n = 20) were analyzed for the presence of 22 putative virulence factors of EAEC or extraintestinal E. coli by PCR, as well as phenotypic characteristics of virulence (enzymes, siderophore, and biofilm). The survival of the larvae was analyzed after inoculation of 104-107 CFU/larva; the monitoring of bacterial growth in vivo and hemocyte quantification was determined after inoculation of the prototype strains (105 CFU/larva) at different periods after infection. The strains of typical and atypical EAEC presented the same virulence profile for the larva, regardless of the amount or type of genes and phenotypic aspects of virulence analyzed. In addition, the EAEC 042 aggR mutant strain showed a significant reduction in the mortality of the inoculated larvae compared to the wild-type strain. In conclusion, the results obtained herein demonstrate that the virulence of EAEC seems to be related to the AggR regulon, but not exclusively, and atypical EAEC strains may be as virulent as typical ones in vivo in the G. mellonella model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gastaldi Guerrieri
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Gastroenteritis, Department of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Monalessa Fábia Pereira
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Gastroenteritis, Department of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Anna Clara Milesi Galdino
- Laboratory of Advanced Studies of Emerging and Resistant Microorganisms, Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André Luis Souza Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Advanced Studies of Emerging and Resistant Microorganisms, Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Pinto Schuenck
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Gastroenteritis, Department of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Liliana Cruz Spano
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Gastroenteritis, Department of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
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16
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Sheehan G, Dixon A, Kavanagh K. Utilization of Galleria mellonella larvae to characterize the development of Staphylococcus aureus infection. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2019; 165:863-875. [PMID: 31107207 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a human opportunistic pathogen that causes a wide range of superficial and systemic infections in susceptible patients. Here we describe how an inoculum of S. aureus activates the cellular and humoral response of Galleria mellonella larvae while growing and disseminating throughout the host, forming nodules and ultimately killing the host. An inoculum of S. aureus (2×106 larva- 1 ) decreased larval viability at 24 (80±5.77 %), 48 (55.93±5.55 %) and 72 h (10.23±2.97 %) and was accompanied by significant proliferation and dissemination of S. aureus between 6 and 48 h and the formation of nodules in the host. The hemocyte (immune cell) densities increased between 4 and 24 h and hemocytes isolated from larvae after 24 h exposure to heat-killed S. aureus (2×106 larva- 1 ) showed altered killing kinetics as compared to those from control larvae. Alterations in the humoral immune response of larvae 6 and 24 h post-infection were also determined by quantitative shotgun proteomics. The proteome of 6 h-infected larvae was enriched for antimicrobial proteins, proteins of the prophenoloxidase cascade and a range of peptidoglycan recognition proteins. By 24 h there was a significant increase in the abundance of a range of antimicrobial peptides with anti-staphylococcal activity and proteins associated with nodule formation. The results presented here indicate how S. aureus interacts with the larval immune response, induces the expression of a variety of immune-related peptides and also forms nodules which are a hallmark of soft tissue infections during human infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Sheehan
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Amy Dixon
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
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17
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Sanches CVG, Sardi JDCO, Terada RSS, Lazarini JG, Freires IA, Polaquini CR, Torrezan GS, Regasini LO, Fujimaki M, Rosalen PL. Diacetylcurcumin: a new photosensitizer for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in Streptococcus mutans biofilms. BIOFOULING 2019; 35:340-349. [PMID: 31066298 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2019.1606907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) on S. mutans using diacetylcurcumin (DAC) and verified DAC toxicity. In vitro, S. mutans biofilms were exposed to curcumin (CUR) and DAC and were light-irradiated. Biofilms were collected, plated and incubated for colony counts. DAC and CUR toxicity assays were conducted with Human Gingival Fibroblast cells (HGF). In vivo, G. mellonella larvae were injected with S. mutans and treated with DAC, CUR and aPDT. The hemolymph was plated and incubated for colony counts. Significant reductions were observed when DAC and CUR alone were used and when aPDT was applied. HGF assays demonstrated no differences in cell viability for most groups. DAC and CUR reduced the S. mutans load in G. mellonella larvae both alone and with aPDT. Systematic toxicity assays on G. mellonella demonstrated no effect of DAC and CUR or aPDT on the survival curve.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Josy Goldoni Lazarini
- b Department of Physiological Sciences , Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas , Piracicaba , Brazil
| | - Irlan Almeida Freires
- c Department Oral Biology , Coll Dent, University of Florida , Center Dr, 1395 , FL Gainesville , USA
| | - Carlos Roberto Polaquini
- d Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences , São Paulo State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho , São José do Rio Preto , Brazil
| | - Guilherme Silva Torrezan
- d Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences , São Paulo State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho , São José do Rio Preto , Brazil
| | - Luis Octavio Regasini
- d Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences , São Paulo State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho , São José do Rio Preto , Brazil
| | - Mitsue Fujimaki
- a Department of Dentistry , State University of Maringá , Maringá , Brazil
| | - Pedro Luiz Rosalen
- b Department of Physiological Sciences , Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas , Piracicaba , Brazil
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18
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Cools F, Torfs E, Aizawa J, Vanhoutte B, Maes L, Caljon G, Delputte P, Cappoen D, Cos P. Optimization and Characterization of a Galleria mellonella Larval Infection Model for Virulence Studies and the Evaluation of Therapeutics Against Streptococcus pneumoniae. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:311. [PMID: 30846978 PMCID: PMC6394149 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia. Infection is linked to high morbidity and mortality rates and antibiotic resistance within this pathogen is on the rise. Therefore, there is a need for novel antimicrobial therapies. To lower the time and costs of the drug discovery process, alternative in vivo models should be considered. As such, Galleria mellonella larvae can be of great value. The larval immunity consisting of several types of haemocytes is remarkably similar to the human innate immune system. Furthermore, these larvae don’t require specific housing, are cheap and are easy to handle. In this study, the use of a G. mellonella infection model to study early pneumococcal infections and treatment is proposed. Firstly, the fitness of this model to study pneumococcal virulence factors is confirmed using streptococcal strains TIGR4, ATCC®49619, D39 and its capsule-deficient counterpart R6 at different inoculum sizes. The streptococcal polysaccharide capsule is considered the most important virulence factor without which streptococci are unable to sustain an in vivo infection. Kaplan–Meier survival curves showed indeed a higher larval survival after infection with streptococcal strain R6 compared to strain D39. Then, the infection was characterized by determining the number of haemocytes, production of oxygen free radicals and bacterial burden at several time points during the course of infection. Lastly, treatment of infected larvae with the standard antibiotics amoxicillin and moxifloxacin was evaluated. Treatment has proven to have a positive outcome on the course of infection, depending on the administered dosage. These data imply that G. mellonella larvae can be used to evaluate antimicrobial therapies against S. pneumoniae, apart from using the larval model to study streptococcal properties. The in-depth knowledge acquired regarding this model, makes it more suitable for use in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freya Cools
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Eveline Torfs
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Juliana Aizawa
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Bieke Vanhoutte
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Peter Delputte
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Davie Cappoen
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Paul Cos
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
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19
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Pereira TC, de Barros PP, Fugisaki LRDO, Rossoni RD, Ribeiro FDC, de Menezes RT, Junqueira JC, Scorzoni L. Recent Advances in the Use of Galleria mellonella Model to Study Immune Responses against Human Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4040128. [PMID: 30486393 PMCID: PMC6308929 DOI: 10.3390/jof4040128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of invertebrates for in vivo studies in microbiology is well established in the scientific community. Larvae of Galleria mellonella are a widely used model for studying pathogenesis, the efficacy of new antimicrobial compounds, and immune responses. The immune system of G. mellonella larvae is structurally and functionally similar to the innate immune response of mammals, which makes this model suitable for such studies. In this review, cellular responses (hemocytes activity: phagocytosis, nodulation, and encapsulation) and humoral responses (reactions or soluble molecules released in the hemolymph as antimicrobial peptides, melanization, clotting, free radical production, and primary immunization) are discussed, highlighting the use of G. mellonella as a model of immune response to different human pathogenic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Cristine Pereira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia Pimentel de Barros
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Luciana Ruano de Oliveira Fugisaki
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Rodnei Dennis Rossoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Felipe de Camargo Ribeiro
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Raquel Teles de Menezes
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Campos Junqueira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Liliana Scorzoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
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20
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Cools F, Torfs E, Vanhoutte B, de Macedo MB, Bonofiglio L, Mollerach M, Maes L, Caljon G, Delputte P, Cappoen D, Cos P. Streptococcus pneumoniae galU gene mutation has a direct effect on biofilm growth, adherence and phagocytosis in vitro and pathogenicity in vivo. Pathog Dis 2018; 76:5078866. [DOI: 10.1093/femspd/fty069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- F Cools
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - E Torfs
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - B Vanhoutte
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - M Bidart de Macedo
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - L Bonofiglio
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología, Biotecnología y Genética. Cátedra de Microbiología. Junín 956. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M Mollerach
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología, Biotecnología y Genética. Cátedra de Microbiología. Junín 956. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - L Maes
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - G Caljon
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - P Delputte
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - D Cappoen
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - P Cos
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene. Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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21
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Velikova N, Kavanagh K, Wells JM. Evaluation of Galleria mellonella larvae for studying the virulence of Streptococcus suis. BMC Microbiol 2016; 16:291. [PMID: 27978817 PMCID: PMC5160000 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0905-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Streptococcus suis is an encapsulated Gram-positive bacterium and the leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in young pigs, resulting in considerable economic losses in the porcine industry. S. suis is considered an emerging zoonotic agent with increasing numbers of human cases over the last years. In the environment, both avirulent and virulent strains occur in pigs, with no evidence for consistent adapatation of virulent strains to the human host. Currently, there is an urgent need for a convenient, reliable and standardised animal model to rapidly assess S. suis virulence. Wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae have successfully been used in human and animal infectious disease studies. Here, we developed G. mellonella larvae as a model to assess virulence of S. suis strains. Results Fourteen isolates of S. suis belonging to different serotypes killed G. mellonella larvae in a dose-dependent manner. Larvae infected with the virulent serotype 2 strain, S. suis S3881/S10, were rescued by antibiotic therapy. Crucially, the observed virulence of the different serotypes and mutants was in agreement with virulence observed in piglets (Sus scrofa) and the zebrafish larval infection model. Infection with heat-inactivated bacteria or bacteria-free culture supernatants showed that in most cases live bacteria are needed to cause mortality in G. mellonella. Conclusions The G. mellonella model is simple, cost-efficient, and raises less ethical issues than experiments on vertebrates and reduces infrastructure requirements. Furthermore, it allows experiments to be performed at the host temperature (37 °C). The results reported here, indicate that the G. mellonella model may aid our understanding of veterinary microbial pathogens such as the emerging zoonotic pathogen S. suis and generate hypotheses for testing in the target animal host. Ultimately, this might lead to the timely introduction of new effective remedies for infectious diseases. Last but not least, use of the G. mellonella infection model to study S. suis virulence adheres to the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (3Rs) and can potentially reduce the number of vertebrates used for experimental infection studies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-016-0905-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadya Velikova
- Host-microbe Interactomics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Zodiac 122, De Elst 1, 6708WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Jerry M Wells
- Host-microbe Interactomics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Zodiac 122, De Elst 1, 6708WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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22
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Vilela SFG, Barbosa JO, Rossoni RD, Santos JD, Prata MCA, Anbinder AL, Jorge AOC, Junqueira JC. Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 inhibits biofilm formation by C. albicans and attenuates the experimental candidiasis in Galleria mellonella. Virulence 2016; 6:29-39. [PMID: 25654408 DOI: 10.4161/21505594.2014.981486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Probiotic strains of Lactobacillus have been studied for their inhibitory effects on Candida albicans. However, few studies have investigated the effect of these strains on biofilm formation, filamentation and C. albicans infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 on C. albicans ATCC 18804 using in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro analysis evaluated the effects of L. acidophilus on the biofilm formation and on the capacity of C. albicans filamentation. For in vivo study, Galleria mellonella was used as an infection model to evaluate the effects of L. acidophilus on candidiasis by survival analysis, quantification of C. albicans CFU/mL, and histological analysis. The direct effects of L. acidophilus cells on C. albicans, as well as the indirect effects using only a Lactobacillus culture filtrate, were evaluated in both tests. The in vitro results showed that both L. acidophilus cells and filtrate were able to inhibit C. albicans biofilm formation and filamentation. In the in vivo study, injection of L. acidophilus into G. mellonella larvae infected with C. albicans increased the survival of these animals. Furthermore, the number of C. albicans CFU/mL recovered from the larval hemolymph was lower in the group inoculated with L. acidophilus compared to the control group. In conclusion, L. acidophilus ATCC 4356 inhibited in vitro biofilm formation by C. albicans and protected G. mellonella against experimental candidiasis in vivo.
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Key Words
- ATCC, American type culture collection
- BHI, Brain heart infusion
- CFU, colony-forming unit
- Candida albicans
- Galleria mellonella
- HE, hematoxylin-eosin
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- MRS, Man, Rogosa and Sharpe
- NIH, National Institutes of Health
- PAS, periodic acid-Schiff
- PBS, phosphate buffered saline
- SEM, Scanning electron microscopy
- YNB, Yeast nitrogen base
- biofilm
- candidiasis
- filamentation
- pH, potential hydrogen ion
- probiotic
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone F G Vilela
- a Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis; Institute of Science and Technology ; UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista ; São José dos Campos , Brazil
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23
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Tsai CJY, Loh JMS, Proft T. Galleria mellonella infection models for the study of bacterial diseases and for antimicrobial drug testing. Virulence 2016; 7:214-29. [PMID: 26730990 PMCID: PMC4871635 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2015.1135289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 445] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth or honeycomb moth) has been introduced as an alternative model to study microbial infections. G. mellonella larvae can be easily and inexpensively obtained in large numbers and are simple to use as they don't require special lab equipment. There are no ethical constraints and their short life cycle makes them ideal for large-scale studies. Although insects lack an adaptive immune response, their innate immune response shows remarkable similarities with the immune response in vertebrates. This review gives a current update of what is known about the immune system of G. mellonella and provides an extensive overview of how G. mellonella is used to study the virulence of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, the use of G. mellonella to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial agents and experimental phage therapy are also discussed. The review concludes with a critical assessment of the current limitatons of G. mellonella infection models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Jia-Yun Tsai
- a Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology , School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand.,b Maurice Wilkins Center, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Jacelyn Mei San Loh
- a Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology , School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand.,b Maurice Wilkins Center, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Thomas Proft
- a Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology , School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand.,b Maurice Wilkins Center, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
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24
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Saralahti A, Rämet M. Zebrafish and Streptococcal Infections. Scand J Immunol 2015; 82:174-83. [PMID: 26095827 DOI: 10.1111/sji.12320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Streptococcal bacteria are a versatile group of gram-positive bacteria capable of infecting several host organisms, including humans and fish. Streptococcal species are common colonizers of the human respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, but they also cause some of the most common life-threatening, invasive infections in humans and aquaculture. With its unique characteristics and efficient tools for genetic and imaging applications, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a powerful vertebrate model for infectious diseases. Several zebrafish models introduced so far have shown that zebrafish are suitable models for both zoonotic and human-specific infections. Recently, several zebrafish models mimicking human streptococcal infections have also been developed. These models show great potential in providing novel information about the pathogenic mechanisms and host responses associated with human streptococcal infections. Here, we review the zebrafish infection models for the most relevant streptococcal species: the human-specific Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes, and the zoonotic Streptococcus iniae and Streptococcus agalactiae. The recent success and the future potential of these models for the study of host-pathogen interactions in streptococcal infections are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Saralahti
- BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - M Rämet
- BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.,Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.,Department of Children and Adolescents, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.,PEDEGO Research Center, Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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25
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Wiles S. All models are wrong, but some are useful: Averting the 'microbial apocalypse'. Virulence 2015; 6:730-2. [PMID: 26315720 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2014.1001238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Siouxsie Wiles
- a Bioluminescent Superbugs Group ; Molecular Medicine and Pathology; University of Auckland ; Auckland , New Zealand
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26
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Desbois AP, McMillan S. Paving the way to acceptance of Galleria mellonella as a new model insect. Virulence 2015; 6:410-1. [PMID: 25906067 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2015.1036218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Desbois
- a Marine Biotechnology Research Group; Institute of Aquaculture; School of Natural Sciences; University of Stirling ; Stirling , UK
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27
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Burns N, James CE, Harrison E. Polylysogeny magnifies competitiveness of a bacterial pathogen in vivo. Evol Appl 2015; 8:346-51. [PMID: 25926879 PMCID: PMC4408145 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise of next generation sequencing is revealing a hidden diversity of temperate phages within the microbial community. While a handful of these phages have been well characterized, for the vast majority, the role of phage carriage, and especially multiple phage carriage, is poorly understood. The Liverpool epidemic strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an aggressive pathogen in cystic fibrosis lung infections that has recently been found to contain several unique prophages within its genome. Here, we experimentally investigate the role of two of these phages in vivo, using an insect model of infection. We find that while no benefit is conferred by phage carriage in single bacterial infections, phages confer a large fitness advantage during mixed infections by mediating bacteria–bacteria competition. Differences between the two phages appeared to be associated with the rate at which the competitor acquired the phage, and therefore resistance. However, the advantage was greatest in the polylysogen, carrying both phages. These findings suggest that the LES phages may play an important role in host invasions and more generally show that the carriage of multiple phages may itself be beneficial by hindering the spread of resistance in rival bacterial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Burns
- Department of Biology, University of York York, UK
| | - Chloe E James
- Biomedical Science Research Center, University of Salford Salford, UK
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28
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López Hernández Y, Yero D, Pinos-Rodríguez JM, Gibert I. Animals devoid of pulmonary system as infection models in the study of lung bacterial pathogens. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:38. [PMID: 25699030 PMCID: PMC4316775 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological disease models can be difficult and costly to develop and use on a routine basis. Particularly, in vivo lung infection models performed to study lung pathologies use to be laborious, demand a great time and commonly are associated with ethical issues. When infections in experimental animals are used, they need to be refined, defined, and validated for their intended purpose. Therefore, alternative and easy to handle models of experimental infections are still needed to test the virulence of bacterial lung pathogens. Because non-mammalian models have less ethical and cost constraints as a subjects for experimentation, in some cases would be appropriated to include these models as valuable tools to explore host-pathogen interactions. Numerous scientific data have been argued to the more extensive use of several kinds of alternative models, such as, the vertebrate zebrafish (Danio rerio), and non-vertebrate insects and nematodes (e.g., Caenorhabditis elegans) in the study of diverse infectious agents that affect humans. Here, we review the use of these vertebrate and non-vertebrate models in the study of bacterial agents, which are considered the principal causes of lung injury. Curiously none of these animals have a respiratory system as in air-breathing vertebrates, where respiration takes place in lungs. Despite this fact, with the present review we sought to provide elements in favor of the use of these alternative animal models of infection to reveal the molecular signatures of host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamilé López Hernández
- Centro de Biociencias, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí San Luis de Potosí, Mexico
| | - Daniel Yero
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain ; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan M Pinos-Rodríguez
- Centro de Biociencias, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí San Luis de Potosí, Mexico
| | - Isidre Gibert
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain ; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
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29
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Pereira MF, Rossi CC, Vieira de Queiroz M, Martins GF, Isaac C, Bossé JT, Li Y, Wren BW, Terra VS, Cuccui J, Langford PR, Bazzolli DMS. Galleria mellonella is an effective model to study Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2014; 161:387-400. [PMID: 25414045 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.083923-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is responsible for swine pleuropneumonia, a respiratory disease that causes significant global economic loss. Its virulence depends on many factors, such as capsular polysaccharides, RTX toxins and iron-acquisition systems. Analysis of virulence may require easy-to-use models that approximate mammalian infection and avoid ethical issues. Here, we investigate the potential use of the wax moth Galleria mellonella as an informative model for A. pleuropneumoniae infection. Genotypically distinct A. pleuropneumoniae clinical isolates were able to kill larvae at 37 °C but had different LD50 values, ranging from 10(4) to 10(7) c.f.u. per larva. The most virulent isolate (1022) was able to persist and replicate within the insect, while the least virulent (780) was rapidly cleared. We observed a decrease in haemocyte concentration, aggregation and DNA damage post-infection with isolate 1022. Melanization points around bacterial cells were observed in the fat body and pericardial tissues of infected G. mellonella, indicating vigorous cell and humoral immune responses close to the larval dorsal vessel. As found in pigs, an A. pleuropneumoniae hfq mutant was significantly attenuated for infection in the G. mellonella model. Additionally, the model could be used to assess the effectiveness of several antimicrobial agents against A. pleuropneumoniae in vivo. G. mellonella is a suitable inexpensive alternative infection model that can be used to study the virulence of A. pleuropneumoniae, as well as assess the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents against this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monalessa Fábia Pereira
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Micro-organismos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agropecuária - BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Ciro César Rossi
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Micro-organismos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agropecuária - BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Marisa Vieira de Queiroz
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Micro-organismos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agropecuária - BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Ferreira Martins
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Clement Isaac
- Department of Zoology, Ambrose Alli University, Akpoma, Nigeria.,Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Janine T Bossé
- Section of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Yanwen Li
- Section of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Brendan W Wren
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Vanessa Sofia Terra
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Jon Cuccui
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | | | - Denise Mara Soares Bazzolli
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Micro-organismos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agropecuária - BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
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30
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Alghoribi MF, Gibreel TM, Dodgson AR, Beatson SA, Upton M. Galleria mellonella infection model demonstrates high lethality of ST69 and ST127 uropathogenic E. coli. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101547. [PMID: 25061819 PMCID: PMC4111486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Galleria mellonella larvae are an alternative in vivo model for investigating bacterial pathogenicity. Here, we examined the pathogenicity of 71 isolates from five leading uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) lineages using G. mellonella larvae. Larvae were challenged with a range of inoculum doses to determine the 50% lethal dose (LD50) and for analysis of survival outcome using Kaplan-Meier plots. Virulence was correlated with carriage of a panel of 29 virulence factors (VF). Larvae inoculated with ST69 and ST127 isolates (104 colony-forming units/larvae) showed significantly higher mortality rates than those infected with ST73, ST95 and ST131 isolates, killing 50% of the larvae within 24 hours. Interestingly, ST131 isolates were the least virulent. We observed that ST127 isolates are significantly associated with a higher VF-score than isolates of all other STs tested (P≤0.0001), including ST69 (P<0.02), but one ST127 isolate (strain EC18) was avirulent. Comparative genomic analyses with virulent ST127 strains revealed an IS1 mediated deletion in the O-antigen cluster in strain EC18, which is likely to explain the lack of virulence in the larvae infection model. Virulence in the larvae was not correlated with serotype or phylogenetic group. This study illustrates that G. mellonella are an excellent tool for investigation of the virulence of UPEC strains. The findings also support our suggestion that the incidence of ST127 strains should be monitored, as these isolates have not yet been widely reported, but they clearly have a pathogenic potential greater than that of more widely recognised clones, including ST73, ST95 or ST131.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majed F. Alghoribi
- Microbiology and Virology Unit, School of Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tarek M. Gibreel
- Microbiology and Virology Unit, School of Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Scott A. Beatson
- Australian Infectious Disease Centre, School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mathew Upton
- Microbiology and Virology Unit, School of Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- School of Biomedical and Healthcare Science, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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31
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Buckley AA, Faustoferri RC, Quivey RG. β-Phosphoglucomutase contributes to aciduricity in Streptococcus mutans. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2014; 160:818-827. [PMID: 24509501 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.075754-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus mutans encounters an array of sugar moieties within the oral cavity due to a varied human diet. One such sugar is β-d-glucose 1-phosphate (βDG1P), which must be converted to glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) before further metabolism to lactic acid. The conversion of βDG1P to G6P is mediated by β-phosphoglucomutase, which has not been previously observed in any oral streptococci, but has been extensively characterized and the gene designated pgmB in Lactococcus lactis. An orthologue was identified in S. mutans, SMU.1747c, and deletion of the gene resulted in the inability of the deletion strain to convert βDG1P to G6P, indicating that SMU.1747c is a β-phosphoglucomutase and should be designated pgmB. In this study, we sought to characterize how deletion of pgmB affected known virulence factors of S. mutans, specifically acid tolerance. The ΔpgmB strain showed a decreased ability to survive acid challenge. Additionally, the strain lacking β-phosphoglucomutase had a diminished glycolytic profile compared with the parental strain. Deletion of pgmB had a negative impact on the virulence of S. mutans in the Galleria mellonella (greater wax worm) animal model. Our results indicate that pgmB plays a role at the juncture of carbohydrate metabolism and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Buckley
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Roberta C Faustoferri
- Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Robert G Quivey
- Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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32
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Alshareef F, Robson GD. Genetic and virulence variation in an environmental population of the opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2014; 160:742-751. [PMID: 24464798 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.072520-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Environmental populations of the opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus have been shown to be genotypically diverse and to contain a range of isolates with varying pathogenic potential. In this study, we combined two RAPD primers to investigate the genetic diversity of environmental isolates from Manchester collected monthly over 1 year alongside Dublin environmental isolates and clinical isolates from patients. RAPD analysis revealed a diverse genotype, but with three major clinical isolate clusters. When the pathogenicity of clinical and Dublin isolates was compared with a random selection of Manchester isolates in a Galleria mellonella larvae model, as a group, clinical isolates were significantly more pathogenic than environmental isolates. Moreover, when relative pathogenicity of individual isolates was compared, clinical isolates were the most pathogenic, Dublin isolates were the least pathogenic and Manchester isolates showed a range in pathogenicity. Overall, this suggests that the environmental population is genetically diverse, displaying a range in pathogenicity, and that the most pathogenic strains from the environment are selected during patient infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadwa Alshareef
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M16 8QW, UK
| | - Geoffrey D Robson
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M16 8QW, UK
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33
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Choosing an appropriate infection model to study quorum sensing inhibition in Pseudomonas infections. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:19309-40. [PMID: 24065108 PMCID: PMC3794835 DOI: 10.3390/ijms140919309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Revised: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria, although considered for decades to be antisocial organisms whose sole purpose is to find nutrients and multiply are, in fact, highly communicative organisms. Referred to as quorum sensing, cell-to-cell communication mechanisms have been adopted by bacteria in order to co-ordinate their gene expression. By behaving as a community rather than as individuals, bacteria can simultaneously switch on their virulence factor production and establish successful infections in eukaryotes. Understanding pathogen-host interactions requires the use of infection models. As the use of rodents is limited, for ethical considerations and the high costs associated with their use, alternative models based on invertebrates have been developed. Invertebrate models have the benefits of low handling costs, limited space requirements and rapid generation of results. This review presents examples of such models available for studying the pathogenicity of the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Quorum sensing interference, known as quorum quenching, suggests a promising disease-control strategy since quorum-quenching mechanisms appear to play important roles in microbe-microbe and host-pathogen interactions. Examples of natural and synthetic quorum sensing inhibitors and their potential as antimicrobials in Pseudomonas-related infections are discussed in the second part of this review.
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34
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Gibreel TM, Upton M. Synthetic epidermicin NI01 can protect Galleria mellonella larvae from infection with Staphylococcus aureus. J Antimicrob Chemother 2013; 68:2269-73. [DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkt195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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35
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Loh JMS, Adenwalla N, Wiles S, Proft T. Galleria mellonella larvae as an infection model for group A streptococcus. Virulence 2013; 4:419-28. [PMID: 23652836 PMCID: PMC3714134 DOI: 10.4161/viru.24930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Group A streptococcus is a strict human pathogen that can cause a wide range of diseases, such as tonsillitis, impetigo, necrotizing fasciitis, toxic shock, and acute rheumatic fever. Modeling human diseases in animals is complicated, and rapid, simple, and cost-effective in vivo models of GAS infection are clearly lacking. Recently, the use of non-mammalian models to model human disease is starting to re-attract attention. Galleria mellonella larvae, also known as wax worms, have been investigated for modeling a number of bacterial pathogens, and have been shown to be a useful model to study pathogenesis of the M3 serotype of GAS. In this study we provide further evidence of the validity of the wax worm model by testing different GAS M-types, as well as investigating the effect of bacterial growth phase and incubation temperature on GAS virulence in this model. In contrast to previous studies, we show that the M-protein, among others, is an important virulence factor that can be effectively modeled in the wax worm. We also highlight the need for a more in-depth investigation of the effects of experimental design and wax worm supply before we can properly vindicate the wax worm model for studying GAS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacelyn M S Loh
- Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, NZ
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Roth A, Reichmann P, Hakenbeck R. The capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae contributes to virulence in the insect model Manduca sexta. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol 2012; 22:326-34. [PMID: 23221622 DOI: 10.1159/000345327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most important virulence factors responsible for human infections and in mouse infection models as well. Larvae of Manduca sexta were used as an alternative animal model in order to test the impact of the pneumococcal capsule on virulence in the insect host. The unencapsulated S. pneumoniae strain R6 was able to cause disease and induce killing in the larvae, and similar results were obtained with related commensal species. However, using the same dose of S. pneumoniae, encapsulated strains including the type 2 D39 strain, the progenitor of R6, and genetically unrelated S. pneumoniae strains of serotype 2, 4, 6B, 23F and 19A, all had increased virulence potential compared to the R6 strain. Between 20 and 70% of the larvae were affected after 96 h compared to 12% observed with R6. Two type 6B S. pneumoniae strains were more virulent compared to the other strains. S. pneumoniae R6 transformants producing the type 6B capsule showed a similar elevated disease potential, confirming the contribution of the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule to virulence in M. sexta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelika Roth
- Department of Microbiology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany.
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