1
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Amoura A, Pistien C, Chaligné C, Dion S, Magnan M, Bridier-Nahmias A, Baron A, Chau F, Bourgogne E, Le M, Denamur E, Ingersoll MA, Fantin B, Lefort A, El Meouche I. Variability in cell division among anatomical sites shapes Escherichia coli antibiotic survival in a urinary tract infection mouse model. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:900-912.e4. [PMID: 38759643 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.04.015] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Urinary tract infection (UTI), mainly caused by Escherichia coli, are frequent and have a recurrent nature even after antibiotic treatment. Potential bacterial escape mechanisms include growth defects, but probing bacterial division in vivo and establishing its relation to the antibiotic response remain challenging. Using a synthetic reporter of cell division, we follow the temporal dynamics of cell division for different E. coli clinical strains in a UTI mouse model with and without antibiotics. We show that more bacteria are actively dividing in the kidneys and urine compared with the bladder. Bacteria that survive antibiotic treatment are consistently non-dividing in three sites of infection. Additionally, we demonstrate how both the strain in vitro persistence profile and the microenvironment impact infection and treatment dynamics. Understanding the relative contribution of the host environment, growth heterogeneity, non-dividing bacteria, and antibiotic persistence is crucial to improve therapies for recurrent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Amoura
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Claire Pistien
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Camille Chaligné
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Sara Dion
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Magnan
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France
| | | | - Alexandra Baron
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Françoise Chau
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Bourgogne
- AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Pharmacocinétique, 75018 Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Santé, Pharmacie, Laboratoire de Toxicologie, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Minh Le
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France; AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Pharmacocinétique, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Erick Denamur
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France; AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Molly A Ingersoll
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Cochin, 75014 Paris, France; Department of Immunology, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Bruno Fantin
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Agnès Lefort
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France; AP-HP, Hôpital Beaujon, Service de Médecine Interne, 92110 Clichy, France
| | - Imane El Meouche
- Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME, 75018 Paris, France.
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2
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Arcidiacono S, Spangler JR, Litteral V, Doherty LA, Stamps B, Walper S, Goodson M, Soares JW. In Vitro Fermentation Evaluation of Engineered Sense and Respond Probiotics in Polymicrobial Communities. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:5176-5185. [PMID: 37642529 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology provides a means of engineering tailored functions into probiotic bacteria. Of particular interest is introducing microbial sense and response functions; however, techniques for testing in physiologically relevant environments, such as those for the intended use, are still lacking. Typically, engineered probiotics are developed and tested in monoculture or in simplified cocultures still within ideal environments. In vitro fermentation models using simplified microbial communities now allow us to simulate engineered organism behavior, specifically organism persistence and intended functionality, within more physiologically relevant, tailored microbial communities. Here, probiotic bacteria Escherichia coli Nissle and Lactobacillus plantarum engineered with sense and response functionalities were evaluated for the ability to persist and function without adverse impact on commensal bacteria within simplified polymicrobial communities with increasing metabolic competition that simulate gut microbe community dynamics. Probiotic abundance and plasmid stability, measured by viability qPCR, decreased for engineered E. coli Nissle relative to monocultures as metabolic competition increased; functional output was not affected. For engineered L. plantarum, abundance and plasmid stability were not adversely impacted; however, functional output was decreased universally as metabolic competition was introduced. For both organisms, adverse effects on select commensals were not evident. Testing engineered probiotics in more physiologically relevant in vitro test beds can provide critical knowledge for circuit design feedback and functional validation prior to the transition to more costly and time-consuming higher-fidelity testing in animal or human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Arcidiacono
- Soldier Effectiveness Directorate, US Army DEVCOM Soldier Center, Natick, Massachusetts 01760, United States
| | - Joseph R Spangler
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science & Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.20375, United States
| | - Vaughn Litteral
- UES Inc, US Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Laurel A Doherty
- Soldier Effectiveness Directorate, US Army DEVCOM Soldier Center, Natick, Massachusetts 01760, United States
| | - Blake Stamps
- 711th Human Performance Wing, US Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Scott Walper
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science & Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.20375, United States
| | - Michael Goodson
- 711th Human Performance Wing, US Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Jason W Soares
- Soldier Effectiveness Directorate, US Army DEVCOM Soldier Center, Natick, Massachusetts 01760, United States
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3
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Lensen A, Gomes MC, López-Jiménez AT, Mostowy S. An automated microscopy workflow to study Shigella-neutrophil interactions and antibiotic efficacy in vivo. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049908. [PMID: 37161932 PMCID: PMC10184671 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigella are Gram-negative bacterial pathogens responsible for bacillary dysentery (also called shigellosis). The absence of a licensed vaccine and widespread emergence of antibiotic resistance has led the World Health Organisation (WHO) to highlight Shigella as a priority pathogen requiring urgent attention. Several infection models have been useful to explore the Shigella infection process; yet, we still lack information regarding events taking place in vivo. Here, using a Shigella-zebrafish infection model and high-content microscopy, we developed an automated microscopy workflow to non-invasively study fluorescently labelled bacteria and neutrophils in vivo. We applied our workflow to antibiotic-treated zebrafish, and demonstrate that antibiotics reduce bacterial burden and not neutrophil recruitment to the hindbrain ventricle. We discovered that nalidixic acid (a bactericidal antibiotic) can work with leukocytes in an additive manner to control Shigella flexneri infection and can also restrict dissemination of Shigella sonnei from the hindbrain ventricle. We envision that our automated microscopy workflow, applied here to study the interactions between Shigella and neutrophils as well as antibiotic efficacy in zebrafish, can be useful to innovate treatments for infection control in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Lensen
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
- Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, PSL Université Paris, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Margarida C. Gomes
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Teresa López-Jiménez
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Serge Mostowy
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
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4
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Toward predictive engineering of gene circuits. Trends Biotechnol 2022; 41:760-768. [PMID: 36435671 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Many synthetic biology applications rely on programming living cells using gene circuits - the assembly and wiring of genetic elements to control cellular behaviors. Extensive progress has been made in constructing gene circuits with diverse functions and applications. For many circuit functions, however, it remains challenging to ensure that the circuits operate in a predictable manner. Although the notion of predictability may appear intuitive, close inspection suggests that it is not always clear what constitutes predictability. We dissect this concept and how it can be confounded by the complexity of a circuit, the complexity of the context, and the interplay between the two. We discuss circuit engineering strategies, in both computation and experiment, that have been used to improve the predictability of gene circuits.
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5
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Juarez VM, Montalbine AN, Singh A. Microbiome as an immune regulator in health, disease, and therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 188:114400. [PMID: 35718251 PMCID: PMC10751508 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
New discoveries in drugs and drug delivery systems are focused on identifying and delivering a pharmacologically effective agent, potentially targeting a specific molecular component. However, current drug discovery and therapeutic delivery approaches do not necessarily exploit the complex regulatory network of an indispensable microbiota that has been engineered through evolutionary processes in humans or has been altered by environmental exposure or diseases. The human microbiome, in all its complexity, plays an integral role in the maintenance of host functions such as metabolism and immunity. However, dysregulation in this intricate ecosystem has been linked with a variety of diseases, ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to cancer. Therapeutics and bacteria have an undeniable effect on each other and understanding the interplay between microbes and drugs could lead to new therapies, or to changes in how existing drugs are delivered. In addition, targeting the human microbiome using engineered therapeutics has the potential to address global health challenges. Here, we present the challenges and cutting-edge developments in microbiome-immune cell interactions and outline novel targeting strategies to advance drug discovery and therapeutics, which are defining a new era of personalized and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria M Juarez
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Alyssa N Montalbine
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ankur Singh
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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6
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Comparative Genomics and Pan-Genome Driven Prediction of a Reduced Genome of Akkermansia muciniphila. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071350. [PMID: 35889069 PMCID: PMC9315967 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Akkermanisia muciniphila imparts important health benefits and is considered a next-generation probiotic. It is imperative to understand the genomic diversity and metabolic potential of the species for safer applications as probiotics. As it resides with both health-promoting and pathogenic bacteria, understanding the evolutionary patterns are crucial, but this area remains largely unexplored. Moreover, pan-genome has previously been established based on only a limited number of strains and without careful strain selection. The pan-genomics have become very important for understanding species diversity and evolution. In the current study, a systematic approach was used to find a refined pan-genome profile of A. muciniphila by excluding too-diverse strains based on average nucleotide identity-based species demarcation. The strains were divided into four phylogroups using a variety of clustering techniques. Horizontal gene transfer and recombination patterns were also elucidated. Evolutionary patterns revealed that different phylogroups were expanding differently. Furthermore, a comparative evaluation of the metabolic potential of the pan-genome and its subsections was performed. Lastly, the study combines functional annotation, persistent genome, and essential genes to devise an approach to determine a minimal genome that can systematically remove unwanted genes, including virulent factors. The selection of one strain to be used as a chassis for the prediction of a reduced genome was very carefully performed by analyzing several genomic parameters, including the number of unique genes and the resistance and pathogenic potential of the strains. The strategy could be applied to other microbes, including human-associated microbiota, towards a common goal of predicting a minimal or a reduced genome.
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7
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Omer R, Mohsin MZ, Mohsin A, Mushtaq BS, Huang X, Guo M, Zhuang Y, Huang J. Engineered Bacteria-Based Living Materials for Biotherapeutic Applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:870675. [PMID: 35573236 PMCID: PMC9096031 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.870675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Future advances in therapeutics demand the development of dynamic and intelligent living materials. The past static monofunctional materials shall be unable to meet the requirements of future medical development. Also, the demand for precision medicine has increased with the progressively developing human society. Therefore, engineered living materials (ELMs) are vitally important for biotherapeutic applications. These ELMs can be cells, microbes, biofilms, and spores, representing a new platform for treating intractable diseases. Synthetic biology plays a crucial role in the engineering of these living entities. Hence, in this review, the role of synthetic biology in designing and creating genetically engineered novel living materials, particularly bacteria, has been briefly summarized for diagnostic and targeted delivery. The main focus is to provide knowledge about the recent advances in engineered bacterial-based therapies, especially in the treatment of cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, and infection. Microorganisms, particularly probiotics, have been engineered for synthetic living therapies. Furthermore, these programmable bacteria are designed to sense input signals and respond to disease-changing environments with multipronged therapeutic outputs. These ELMs will open a new path for the synthesis of regenerative medicines as they release therapeutics that provide in situ drug delivery with lower systemic effects. In last, the challenges being faced in this field and the future directions requiring breakthroughs have been discussed. Conclusively, the intent is to present the recent advances in research and biomedical applications of engineered bacteria-based therapies during the last 5 years, as a novel treatment for uncontrollable diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Omer
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Muhammad Zubair Mohsin
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ali Mohsin
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Bilal Sajid Mushtaq
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, National Engineering Research Center for Functional Food, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xumeng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Meijin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingping Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaofang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Jiaofang Huang,
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8
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Singh RP, Shadan A, Ma Y. Biotechnological Applications of Probiotics: A Multifarious Weapon to Disease and Metabolic Abnormality. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2022; 14:1184-1210. [PMID: 36121610 PMCID: PMC9483357 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-022-09992-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Consumption of live microorganisms "Probiotics" for health benefits and well-being is increasing worldwide. Their use as a therapeutic approach to confer health benefits has fascinated humans for centuries; however, its conceptuality gradually evolved with methodological advancement, thereby improving our understanding of probiotics-host interaction. However, the emerging concern regarding safety aspects of live microbial is enhancing the interest in non-viable or microbial cell extracts, as they could reduce the risks of microbial translocation and infection. Due to technical limitations in the production and formulation of traditionally used probiotics, the scientific community has been focusing on discovering new microbes to be used as probiotics. In many scientific studies, probiotics have been shown as potential tools to treat metabolic disorders such as obesity, type-2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, digestive disorders (e.g., acute and antibiotic-associated diarrhea), and allergic disorders (e.g., eczema) in infants. However, the mechanistic insight of strain-specific probiotic action is still unknown. In the present review, we analyzed the scientific state-of-the-art regarding the mechanisms of probiotic action, its physiological and immuno-modulation on the host, and new direction regarding the development of next-generation probiotics. We discuss the use of recently discovered genetic tools and their applications for engineering the probiotic bacteria for various applications including food, biomedical applications, and other health benefits. Finally, the review addresses the future development of biological techniques in combination with clinical and preclinical studies to explain the molecular mechanism of action, and discover an ideal multifunctional probiotic bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajnish Prakash Singh
- Department of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand India
| | - Afreen Shadan
- Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, Ranchi, Jharkhand India
| | - Ying Ma
- College of Resource and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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9
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Angelici B, Shen L, Schreiber J, Abraham A, Benenson Y. An AAV gene therapy computes over multiple cellular inputs to enable precise targeting of multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma in mice. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabh4456. [PMID: 34910545 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abh4456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartolomeo Angelici
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Linling Shen
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel 4058, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Joerg Schreiber
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Anthony Abraham
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Yaakov Benenson
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel 4058, Switzerland
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10
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MacDonald IC, Seamons TR, Emmons JC, Javdan SB, Deans TL. Enhanced regulation of prokaryotic gene expression by a eukaryotic transcriptional activator. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4109. [PMID: 34226549 PMCID: PMC8257575 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24434-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Expanding the genetic toolbox for prokaryotic synthetic biology is a promising strategy for enhancing the dynamic range of gene expression and enabling new engineered applications for research and biomedicine. Here, we reverse the current trend of moving genetic parts from prokaryotes to eukaryotes and demonstrate that the activating eukaryotic transcription factor QF and its corresponding DNA-binding sequence can be moved to E. coli to introduce transcriptional activation, in addition to tight off states. We further demonstrate that the QF transcription factor can be used in genetic devices that respond to low input levels with robust and sustained output signals. Collectively, we show that eukaryotic gene regulator elements are functional in prokaryotes and establish a versatile and broadly applicable approach for constructing genetic circuits with complex functions. These genetic tools hold the potential to improve biotechnology applications for medical science and research. Expanded toolkits for prokaryotic synthetic biology can enhance the dynamic range of gene expression. Here the authors move the eukaryotic transcription factor QF into E. coli and integrate it into genetic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Cody MacDonald
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Travis R Seamons
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jonathan C Emmons
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Shwan B Javdan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Tara L Deans
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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11
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Arcidiacono S, Breedon AME, Goodson MS, Doherty LA, Lyon W, Jimenez G, Pantoja-Feliciano IG, Soares JW. In vitro fermentation test bed for evaluation of engineered probiotics in polymicrobial communities. J Biol Methods 2021; 8:e147. [PMID: 34104665 PMCID: PMC8175340 DOI: 10.14440/jbm.2021.347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro fermentation systems offer significant opportunity for deconvoluting complex metabolic dynamics within polymicrobial communities, particularly those associated with the human gut microbiome. In vitro gut models have broad experimental capacity allowing rapid evaluation of multiple parameters, generating knowledge to inform design of subsequent in vivo studies. Here, our method describes an in vitro fermentation test bed to provide a physiologically-relevant assessment of engineered probiotics circuit design functions. Typically, engineered probiotics are evaluated under pristine, mono- or co-culture conditions and transitioned directly into animal or human studies, commonly resulting in a loss of desired function when introduced to complex gut communities. Our method encompasses a systematic workflow entailing fermentation, molecular and functional characterization, and statistical analyses to validate an engineered probiotic’s persistence, plasmid stability and reporter response. To demonstrate the workflow, simplified polymicrobial communities of human gut microbial commensals were utilized to investigate the probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 engineered to produce a fluorescent reporter protein. Commensals were assembled with increasing complexity to produce a mock community based on nutrient utilization. The method assesses engineered probiotic persistence in a competitive growth environment, reporter production and function, effect of engineering on organism growth and influence on commensal composition. The in vitro test bed represents a new element within the Design-Build-Test-Learn paradigm, providing physiologically-relevant feedback for circuit re-design and experimental validation for transition of engineered probiotics to higher fidelity animal or human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Arcidiacono
- Soldier Effectiveness Directorate, DEVCOM Soldier Center, Natick, MA 01760, USA
| | - Amy M Ehrenworth Breedon
- 711 th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433, USA.,UES, Inc., Dayton, OH 45432, USA
| | - Michael S Goodson
- 711 th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433, USA
| | - Laurel A Doherty
- Soldier Effectiveness Directorate, DEVCOM Soldier Center, Natick, MA 01760, USA
| | - Wanda Lyon
- 711 th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433, USA
| | - Grace Jimenez
- 711 th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433, USA.,UES, Inc., Dayton, OH 45432, USA
| | | | - Jason W Soares
- Soldier Effectiveness Directorate, DEVCOM Soldier Center, Natick, MA 01760, USA
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12
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Le H, Arnoult C, Dé E, Schapman D, Galas L, Le Cerf D, Karakasyan C. Antibody-Conjugated Nanocarriers for Targeted Antibiotic Delivery: Application in the Treatment of Bacterial Biofilms. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:1639-1653. [PMID: 33709706 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Conventional antibiotic treatment is in most cases insufficient to eradicate biofilm-related infections, resulting in high risk of treatment failure and recurrent infections. Recent studies have shown that novel methods of antibiotic delivery can improve clinical outcomes and reduce the emergence of antibiotic resistance. The objectives of this work were to develop and evaluate a targeting nanocarrier system that enables effective delivery of antimicrobial drugs to Staphylococcus aureus, a commonly virulent human pathogen. For this purpose, we first prepared a formulation of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) suitable for encapsulation and sustained release of antibiotics. A specific antibody against S. aureus was used as a targeting ligand and was covalently immobilized onto the surface of nanoparticulate materials. It was demonstrated that the targeting NPs preferentially bound S. aureus cells and presented an elevated accumulation in the S. aureus biofilm. Compared to free-form antibiotic, the antibiotic-loaded targeting NPs significantly enhanced in vitro bactericidal activity against S. aureus both in planktonic and biofilm forms. Using a mouse infection model, we observed improved therapeutic efficacy of these antibiotic-loaded NPs after a single intravenous administration. Taken together, our studies show that the targeting nanoparticulate system could be a promising strategy to enhance the biodistribution of antibiotics and thereby improve their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung Le
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA Rouen, CNRS, PBS, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Christophe Arnoult
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA Rouen, CNRS, PBS, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Emmanuelle Dé
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA Rouen, CNRS, PBS, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Damien Schapman
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSERM, PRIMACEN, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Ludovic Galas
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSERM, PRIMACEN, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Didier Le Cerf
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA Rouen, CNRS, PBS, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Carole Karakasyan
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA Rouen, CNRS, PBS, 76000 Rouen, France
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13
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Time-Resolved Transcriptional Profiling of Epithelial Cells Infected by Intracellular Acinetobacter baumannii. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9020354. [PMID: 33670223 PMCID: PMC7916935 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise in the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become a serious threat to health, making it important to identify, characterize and optimize new molecules to help us to overcome the infections they cause. It is well known that Acinetobacter baumannii has a significant capacity to evade the actions of antibacterial drugs, leading to its emergence as one of the bacteria responsible for hospital and community-acquired infections. Nonetheless, how this pathogen infects and survives inside the host cell is unclear. In this study, we analyze the time-resolved transcriptional profile changes observed in human epithelial HeLa cells after infection by A. baumannii, demonstrating how it survives in host cells and starts to replicate 4 h post infection. These findings were achieved by sequencing RNA to obtain a set of Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) to understand how bacteria alter the host cells’ environment for their own benefit. We also determine common features observed in this set of genes and identify the protein–protein networks that reveal highly-interacted proteins. The combination of these findings paves the way for the discovery of new antimicrobial candidates for the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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14
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Aubry M, Wang WA, Guyodo Y, Delacou E, Guigner JM, Espeli O, Lebreton A, Guyot F, Gueroui Z. Engineering E. coli for Magnetic Control and the Spatial Localization of Functions. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:3030-3041. [PMID: 32927947 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The fast-developing field of synthetic biology enables broad applications of programmed microorganisms including the development of whole-cell biosensors, delivery vehicles for therapeutics, or diagnostic agents. However, the lack of spatial control required for localizing microbial functions could limit their use and induce their dilution leading to ineffective action or dissemination. To overcome this limitation, the integration of magnetic properties into living systems enables a contact-less and orthogonal method for spatiotemporal control. Here, we generated a magnetic-sensing Escherichia coli by driving the formation of iron-rich bodies into bacteria. We found that these bacteria could be spatially controlled by magnetic forces and sustained cell growth and division, by transmitting asymmetrically their magnetic properties to one daughter cell. We combined the spatial control of bacteria with genetically encoded-adhesion properties to achieve the magnetic capture of specific target bacteria as well as the spatial modulation of human cell invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Aubry
- P.A.S.T.E.U.R., Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Wei-An Wang
- P.A.S.T.E.U.R., Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
- IMPMC, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, UMR CNRS 7590, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Yohan Guyodo
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Eugénia Delacou
- P.A.S.T.E.U.R., Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Michel Guigner
- IMPMC, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, UMR CNRS 7590, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Olivier Espeli
- CIRB-Collège de France, CNRS-UMR7241, INSERM U1050, PSL Research University, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Alice Lebreton
- Institut de biologie de l’ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, 75005, France
- INRAE, IBENS, Paris, 75005, France
| | - François Guyot
- IMPMC, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, UMR CNRS 7590, Paris, 75005, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), France
| | - Zoher Gueroui
- P.A.S.T.E.U.R., Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
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15
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Liu Y, Yang K, Zhang H, Jia Y, Wang Z. Combating Antibiotic Tolerance Through Activating Bacterial Metabolism. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:577564. [PMID: 33193198 PMCID: PMC7642520 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.577564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic tolerance enables genetically susceptible bacteria to withstand the killing by clinically relevant antibiotics. As is reported, an increasing body of evidence sheds light on the critical and underappreciated role of antibiotic tolerance in the disease burden of bacterial infections. Considering this tense situation, new therapeutic strategies are urgently required for combating antibiotic tolerance. Herein, we provide an insightful illustration to distinguish between antibiotic resistance and tolerance, and highlight its clinical significance and complexities of drug-tolerant bacteria. Then, we discuss the close relationship between antibiotic tolerance and bacterial metabolism. As such, a bacterial metabolism-based approach was proposed to counter antibiotic tolerance. These exogenous metabolites including amino acids, tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) metabolites, and nucleotides effectively activate bacterial metabolism and convert the tolerant cells to sensitive cells, and eventually restore antibiotic efficacy. A better understanding of molecular mechanisms of antibiotic tolerance particularly in vivo would substantially drive the development of novel strategies targeting bacterial metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Kangni Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Haijie Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yuqian Jia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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16
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Engineering microbial diagnostics and therapeutics with smart control. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 66:11-17. [PMID: 32563763 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Microbes have become an increasingly powerful chassis for developing diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. While many of the earlier engineering efforts used microbes that expressed relevant proteins constitutively, more microbes are being engineered to express them with region-selectivity and disease-responsiveness through biosensors. Such 'smart' microbes have been developed to diagnose and treat a wide range of disorders and diseases, including bacterial infections, cancers, inflammatory disorders, and metabolic disorders. In this review, we discuss synthetic biology technologies that have been applied to engineer microbes for biomedical applications, focusing on recent reports that demonstrate microbial sensing by using animal models or clinical samples. Advances in synthetic biology will enable engineered microbes to significantly improve the medical field.
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17
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Windels EM, Van den Bergh B, Michiels J. Bacteria under antibiotic attack: Different strategies for evolutionary adaptation. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008431. [PMID: 32379814 PMCID: PMC7205213 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are well known for their extremely high adaptability in stressful environments. The clinical relevance of this property is clearly illustrated by the ever-decreasing efficacy of antibiotic therapies. Frequent exposures to antibiotics favor bacterial strains that have acquired mechanisms to overcome drug inhibition and lethality. Many strains, including life-threatening pathogens, exhibit increased antibiotic resistance or tolerance, which considerably complicates clinical practice. Alarmingly, recent studies show that in addition to resistance, tolerance levels of bacterial populations are extremely flexible in an evolutionary context. Here, we summarize laboratory studies providing insight in the evolution of resistance and tolerance and shed light on how the treatment conditions could affect the direction of bacterial evolution under antibiotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etthel M. Windels
- VIB Center for Microbiology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, Leuven, Belgium
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Van den Bergh
- VIB Center for Microbiology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, Leuven, Belgium
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Michiels
- VIB Center for Microbiology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, Leuven, Belgium
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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18
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Zhou Z, Chen X, Sheng H, Shen X, Sun X, Yan Y, Wang J, Yuan Q. Engineering probiotics as living diagnostics and therapeutics for improving human health. Microb Cell Fact 2020; 19:56. [PMID: 32131831 PMCID: PMC7055047 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-020-01318-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota that inhabit our gastrointestinal tract are well known to play an important role in maintaining human health in many aspects, including facilitating the digestion and absorption of nutrients, protecting against pathogens and regulating immune system. Gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with a lot of diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, allergy, obesity, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. With the increasing knowledge of the microbiome, utilization of probiotic bacteria in modulating gut microbiota to prevent and treat a large number of disorders and diseases has gained much interest. In recent years, aided by the continuous development of tools and techniques, engineering probiotic microbes with desired characteristics and functionalities to benefit human health has made significant progress. In this paper, we summarize the recent advances in design and construction of probiotics as living diagnostics and therapeutics for probing and treating a series of diseases including metabolic disorders, inflammation and pathogenic bacteria infections. We also discuss the current challenges and future perspectives in expanding the application of probiotics for disease treatment and detection. We intend to provide insights and ideas for engineering of probiotics to better serve disease therapy and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15# Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15# Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Huakang Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15# Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xiaolin Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15# Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xinxiao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15# Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yajun Yan
- College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Jia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15# Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Qipeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15# Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
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19
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Stirling F, Naydich A, Bramante J, Barocio R, Certo M, Wellington H, Redfield E, O’Keefe S, Gao S, Cusolito A, Way J, Silver P. Synthetic Cassettes for pH-Mediated Sensing, Counting, and Containment. Cell Rep 2020; 30:3139-3148.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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20
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Kim K, You L. Bacterial Aggregation Leads to Collective Elimination. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:243-244. [PMID: 31917071 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Faster growing bacteria tend to be killed faster by antibiotics. In a complex environment exposed to antibiotics, however, the fate of a bacterial population depends on diverse factors. In a new study, Schlomann et al. describes how sublethal antibiotics can trigger the purging of bacteria by the zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyeri Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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21
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Rottinghaus AG, Amrofell MB, Moon TS. Biosensing in Smart Engineered Probiotics. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e1900319. [PMID: 31860168 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Engineered microbes are exciting alternatives to current diagnostics and therapeutics. Researchers have developed a wide range of genetic tools and parts to engineer probiotic and commensal microbes. Among these tools and parts, biosensors allow the microbes to sense and record or to sense and respond to chemical and environmental signals in the body, enabling them to report on health conditions of the animal host and/or deliver therapeutics in a controlled manner. This review focuses on how biosensing is applied to engineer "smart" microbes for in vivo diagnostic, therapeutic, and biocontainment goals. Hurdles that need to be overcome when transitioning from high-throughput in vitro systems to low-throughput in vivo animal models, new technologies that can be implemented to alleviate this experimental gap, and areas where future advancements can be made to maximize the utility of biosensing for medical applications are also discussed. As technologies for engineering microbes continue to be developed, these engineered organisms will be used to address many medical challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin G Rottinghaus
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Matthew B Amrofell
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Tae Seok Moon
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.,Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
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22
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Dimas RP, Jiang XL, Alberto de la Paz J, Morcos F, Chan CTY. Engineering repressors with coevolutionary cues facilitates toggle switches with a master reset. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:5449-5463. [PMID: 31162606 PMCID: PMC6547410 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineering allosteric transcriptional repressors containing an environmental sensing module (ESM) and a DNA recognition module (DRM) has the potential to unlock a combinatorial set of rationally designed biological responses. We demonstrated that constructing hybrid repressors by fusing distinct ESMs and DRMs provides a means to flexibly rewire genetic networks for complex signal processing. We have used coevolutionary traits among LacI homologs to develop a model for predicting compatibility between ESMs and DRMs. Our predictions accurately agree with the performance of 40 engineered repressors. We have harnessed this framework to develop a system of multiple toggle switches with a master OFF signal that produces a unique behavior: each engineered biological activity is switched to a stable ON state by different chemicals and returned to OFF in response to a common signal. One promising application of this design is to develop living diagnostics for monitoring multiple parameters in complex physiological environments and it represents one of many circuit topologies that can be explored with modular repressors designed with coevolutionary information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rey P Dimas
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799, USA
| | - Xian-Li Jiang
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75080, USA
| | - Jose Alberto de la Paz
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75080, USA
| | - Faruck Morcos
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75080, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75080, USA.,Center for Systems Biology, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75080, USA
| | - Clement T Y Chan
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799, USA
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23
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Wang R, Kreutzfeldt K, Botella H, Vaubourgeix J, Schnappinger D, Ehrt S. Persistent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice requires PerM for successful cell division. eLife 2019; 8:49570. [PMID: 31751212 PMCID: PMC6872210 DOI: 10.7554/elife.49570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) to persist in its host is central to the pathogenesis of tuberculosis, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined. PerM, an integral membrane protein, is required for persistence of Mtb in mice. Here, we show that perM deletion caused a cell division defect specifically during the chronic phase of mouse infection, but did not affect Mtb’s cell replication during acute infection. We further demonstrate that PerM is required for cell division in chronically infected mice and in vitro under host-relevant stresses because it is part of the mycobacterial divisome and stabilizes the essential divisome protein FtsB. These data highlight the importance of sustained cell division for Mtb persistence, define condition-specific requirements for cell division and reveal that survival of Mtb during chronic infection depends on a persistence divisome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruojun Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States.,Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, United States
| | - Kaj Kreutzfeldt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States
| | - Helene Botella
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States
| | - Julien Vaubourgeix
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States
| | - Dirk Schnappinger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States
| | - Sabine Ehrt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States.,Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, United States
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24
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Abstract
Antibiotic resistance poses an alarming and ever-increasing threat to modern health care. Although the current antibiotic crisis is widely acknowledged, actions taken so far have proved insufficient to slow down the rampant spread of resistant pathogens. Problematically, routine screening methods and strategies to restrict therapy failure almost exclusively focus on genetic resistance, while evidence for dangers posed by other bacterial survival strategies is mounting. Antibiotic tolerance, occurring either population-wide or in a subpopulation of cells, allows bacteria to transiently overcome antibiotic treatment and is overlooked in clinical practice. In addition to prolonging treatment and causing relapsing infections, recent studies have revealed that tolerance also accelerates the emergence of resistance. These critical findings emphasize the need for strategies to combat tolerance, not only to improve treatment of recurrent infections but also to effectively address the problem of antibiotic resistance at the root.
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25
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Abstract
Antibiotic resistance poses an alarming and ever-increasing threat to modern health care. Although the current antibiotic crisis is widely acknowledged, actions taken so far have proved insufficient to slow down the rampant spread of resistant pathogens. Problematically, routine screening methods and strategies to restrict therapy failure almost exclusively focus on genetic resistance, while evidence for dangers posed by other bacterial survival strategies is mounting. Antibiotic resistance poses an alarming and ever-increasing threat to modern health care. Although the current antibiotic crisis is widely acknowledged, actions taken so far have proved insufficient to slow down the rampant spread of resistant pathogens. Problematically, routine screening methods and strategies to restrict therapy failure almost exclusively focus on genetic resistance, while evidence for dangers posed by other bacterial survival strategies is mounting. Antibiotic tolerance, occurring either population-wide or in a subpopulation of cells, allows bacteria to transiently overcome antibiotic treatment and is overlooked in clinical practice. In addition to prolonging treatment and causing relapsing infections, recent studies have revealed that tolerance also accelerates the emergence of resistance. These critical findings emphasize the need for strategies to combat tolerance, not only to improve treatment of recurrent infections but also to effectively address the problem of antibiotic resistance at the root.
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26
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Yang JH, Wright SN, Hamblin M, McCloskey D, Alcantar MA, Schrübbers L, Lopatkin AJ, Satish S, Nili A, Palsson BO, Walker GC, Collins JJ. A White-Box Machine Learning Approach for Revealing Antibiotic Mechanisms of Action. Cell 2019; 177:1649-1661.e9. [PMID: 31080069 PMCID: PMC6545570 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Current machine learning techniques enable robust association of biological signals with measured phenotypes, but these approaches are incapable of identifying causal relationships. Here, we develop an integrated "white-box" biochemical screening, network modeling, and machine learning approach for revealing causal mechanisms and apply this approach to understanding antibiotic efficacy. We counter-screen diverse metabolites against bactericidal antibiotics in Escherichia coli and simulate their corresponding metabolic states using a genome-scale metabolic network model. Regression of the measured screening data on model simulations reveals that purine biosynthesis participates in antibiotic lethality, which we validate experimentally. We show that antibiotic-induced adenine limitation increases ATP demand, which elevates central carbon metabolism activity and oxygen consumption, enhancing the killing effects of antibiotics. This work demonstrates how prospective network modeling can couple with machine learning to identify complex causal mechanisms underlying drug efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason H Yang
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Sarah N Wright
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Meagan Hamblin
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Douglas McCloskey
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Miguel A Alcantar
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Lars Schrübbers
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Allison J Lopatkin
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sangeeta Satish
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Amir Nili
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Bernhard O Palsson
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Graham C Walker
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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27
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Stokes JM, Gutierrez A, Lopatkin AJ, Andrews IW, French S, Matic I, Brown ED, Collins JJ. A multiplexable assay for screening antibiotic lethality against drug-tolerant bacteria. Nat Methods 2019; 16:303-306. [DOI: 10.1038/s41592-019-0333-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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28
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Abstract
Antibiotic tolerance, the capacity of genetically susceptible bacteria to survive the lethal effects of antibiotic treatment, plays a critical and underappreciated role in the disease burden of bacterial infections. Here, we take a pathogen-by-pathogen approach to illustrate the clinical significance of antibiotic tolerance and discuss how the physiology of specific pathogens in their infection environments impacts the mechanistic underpinnings of tolerance. We describe how these insights are leading to the development of species-specific therapeutic strategies for targeting antibiotic tolerance and highlight experimental platforms that are enabling us to better understand the complexities of drug-tolerant pathogens in in vivo settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Meylan
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital, Basel, CH-4031, Switzerland; Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, CH-4031, Switzerland; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ian W Andrews
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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29
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Escherichia coli NGF-1, a Genetically Tractable, Efficiently Colonizing Murine Gut Isolate. Microbiol Resour Announc 2018; 7:MRA01416-18. [PMID: 30533859 PMCID: PMC6284091 DOI: 10.1128/mra.01416-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The genome of the murine commensal strain Escherichia coli NGF-1 contains a 5.03-Mbp chromosome and plasmids of 40.2 kbp and 8.56 kbp. NGF-1 efficiently colonizes the mouse gut and is genetically tractable. The genome of the murine commensal strain Escherichia coli NGF-1 contains a 5.03-Mbp chromosome and plasmids of 40.2 kbp and 8.56 kbp. NGF-1 efficiently colonizes the mouse gut and is genetically tractable. The genome sequence reported here facilitates genetic engineering and research in mouse models of healthy and diseased intestine.
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Sakatos A, Babunovic GH, Chase MR, Dills A, Leszyk J, Rosebrock T, Bryson B, Fortune SM. Posttranslational modification of a histone-like protein regulates phenotypic resistance to isoniazid in mycobacteria. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaao1478. [PMID: 29732401 PMCID: PMC5931751 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aao1478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that phenotypically drug-resistant bacteria may be important determinants of antibiotic treatment failure. Using high-throughput imaging, we defined distinct subpopulations of mycobacterial cells that exhibit heritable but semi-stable drug resistance. These subpopulations have distinct transcriptional signatures and growth characteristics at both bulk and single-cell levels, which are also heritable and semi-stable. We find that the mycobacterial histone-like protein HupB is required for the formation of these subpopulations. Using proteomic approaches, we further demonstrate that HupB is posttranslationally modified by lysine acetylation and lysine methylation. Mutation of a single posttranslational modification site specifically abolishes the formation of one of the drug-resistant subpopulations of cells, providing the first evidence in prokaryotes that posttranslational modification of a bacterial nucleoid-associated protein may epigenetically regulate cell state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Sakatos
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gregory H. Babunovic
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael R. Chase
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexander Dills
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - John Leszyk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 02129, USA
| | - Tracy Rosebrock
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Stonehill College, North Easton, MA 02357, USA
| | - Bryan Bryson
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sarah M. Fortune
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- The Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Corresponding author.
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Antibiotic Hybrids: the Next Generation of Agents and Adjuvants against Gram-Negative Pathogens? Clin Microbiol Rev 2018. [PMID: 29540434 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00077-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The global incidence of drug-resistant Gram-negative bacillary infections has been increasing, and there is a dire need to develop novel strategies to overcome this problem. Intrinsic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, such as their protective outer membrane and constitutively overexpressed efflux pumps, is a major survival weapon that renders them refractory to current antibiotics. Several potential avenues to overcome this problem have been at the heart of antibiotic drug discovery in the past few decades. We review some of these strategies, with emphasis on antibiotic hybrids either as stand-alone antibacterial agents or as adjuvants that potentiate a primary antibiotic in Gram-negative bacteria. Antibiotic hybrid is defined in this review as a synthetic construct of two or more pharmacophores belonging to an established agent known to elicit a desired antimicrobial effect. The concepts, advances, and challenges of antibiotic hybrids are elaborated in this article. Moreover, we discuss several antibiotic hybrids that were or are in clinical evaluation. Mechanistic insights into how tobramycin-based antibiotic hybrids are able to potentiate legacy antibiotics in multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli are also highlighted. Antibiotic hybrids indeed have a promising future as a therapeutic strategy to overcome drug resistance in Gram-negative pathogens and/or expand the usefulness of our current antibiotic arsenal.
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