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Portela FVM, Andrade ARCD, Pereira LMG, da Silva BN, Peixoto PHS, Amando BR, Fiallos NDM, Souza PDFSMD, Lima-Neto RGD, Guedes GMDM, Castelo-Branco DSCM, Cordeiro RDA. Antibiotics stimulates the development of persistent cells in biofilms of Candida albicans bloodstream isolates. BIOFOULING 2024; 40:593-601. [PMID: 39219014 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2024.2396013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 08/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Candida albicans invasive candidiasis is considered a global health problem. In such cases, biofilm formation on implanted devices represents a therapeutic challenge and the presence of metabolically inactive persistent cells (PCs) in these communities increases their tolerance to fungicidal drugs. This study investigated the influence of amoxicillin, AMX; cefepime, CEF; gentamicin, GEN; amikacin, AMK; vancomycin, VAN; and ciprofloxacin, CIP; on the production of PCs in biofilms of C. albicans bloodstream isolates. 48 h-mature biofilms (n = 6) grown in RPMI-1640 supplemented with antibiotics were treated with 100 μg ml-1 amphotericin B and then evaluated for PCs. Biofilms grown in the presence of antibiotics produced more PCs, up to 10×, when exposed to AMX and CIP; 5 × to CEF; and 6 × to GEN and VAN. The results indicate that antibiotics can modulate PC production in C. albicans biofilms. This scenario may have clinical repercussions in immunocompromised patients under broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Nicole de Mello Fiallos
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
- College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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2
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Jandl B, Dighe S, Gasche C, Makristathis A, Muttenthaler M. Intestinal biofilms: pathophysiological relevance, host defense, and therapeutic opportunities. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0013323. [PMID: 38995034 PMCID: PMC11391705 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00133-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYThe human intestinal tract harbors a profound variety of microorganisms that live in symbiosis with the host and each other. It is a complex and highly dynamic environment whose homeostasis directly relates to human health. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and polymicrobial biofilms have been associated with gastrointestinal diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and colorectal cancers. This review covers the molecular composition and organization of intestinal biofilms, mechanistic aspects of biofilm signaling networks for bacterial communication and behavior, and synergistic effects in polymicrobial biofilms. It further describes the clinical relevance and diseases associated with gut biofilms, the role of biofilms in antimicrobial resistance, and the intestinal host defense system and therapeutic strategies counteracting biofilms. Taken together, this review summarizes the latest knowledge and research on intestinal biofilms and their role in gut disorders and provides directions toward the development of biofilm-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Jandl
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Doctoral School in Chemistry (DoSChem), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Satish Dighe
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christoph Gasche
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Loha for Life, Center for Gastroenterology and Iron Deficiency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Athanasios Makristathis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Muttenthaler
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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3
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Geraldes C, Tavares L, Gil S, Oliveira M. Antibiotic heteroresistance and persistence: an additional aid in hospital acquired infections by Enterococcus spp.? Future Microbiol 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39229839 DOI: 10.1080/17460913.2024.2393003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Enterococcus, particularly E. faecium and E. faecalis, are responsible for many hospital-acquired infections. With their intrinsic antibiotic resistance and ability to form biofilms, enterococcal infections are already challenging to manage. However, when heterogenous populations are present, such as those exhibiting heteroresistance and persistence, the complexity of these infections increases exponentially not only due to their treatment but also due to their difficult diagnosis. In this study, we provide a summary of the current understanding of both heteroresistance and persistence in terms of mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment and subsequently review recent literature pertaining to these susceptibility types specifically in enterococci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Geraldes
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- AL4AnimalS - Associate Laboratory for Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Luís Tavares
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- AL4AnimalS - Associate Laboratory for Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Solange Gil
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- AL4AnimalS - Associate Laboratory for Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- BICU - Biological Isolation & Containment Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Manuela Oliveira
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- AL4AnimalS - Associate Laboratory for Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution & Environmental Changes & CHANGE-Global Change & Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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4
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Niu H, Gu J, Zhang Y. Bacterial persisters: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic development. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:174. [PMID: 39013893 PMCID: PMC11252167 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01866-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Persisters refer to genetically drug susceptible quiescent (non-growing or slow growing) bacteria that survive in stress environments such as antibiotic exposure, acidic and starvation conditions. These cells can regrow after stress removal and remain susceptible to the same stress. Persisters are underlying the problems of treating chronic and persistent infections and relapse infections after treatment, drug resistance development, and biofilm infections, and pose significant challenges for effective treatments. Understanding the characteristics and the exact mechanisms of persister formation, especially the key molecules that affect the formation and survival of the persisters is critical to more effective treatment of chronic and persistent infections. Currently, genes related to persister formation and survival are being discovered and confirmed, but the mechanisms by which bacteria form persisters are very complex, and there are still many unanswered questions. This article comprehensively summarizes the historical background of bacterial persisters, details their complex characteristics and their relationship with antibiotic tolerant and resistant bacteria, systematically elucidates the interplay between various bacterial biological processes and the formation of persister cells, as well as consolidates the diverse anti-persister compounds and treatments. We hope to provide theoretical background for in-depth research on mechanisms of persisters and suggest new ideas for choosing strategies for more effective treatment of persistent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Niu
- School of Basic Medical Science and Key Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiaying Gu
- School of Basic Medical Science and Key Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China.
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250022, Shandong, China.
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Zhu L, Yang X, Fu X, Yang P, Lin X, Wang F, Shen Z, Wang J, Sun F, Qiu Z. Pheromone cCF10 inhibits the antibiotic persistence of Enterococcus faecalis by modulating energy metabolism. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1408701. [PMID: 39040910 PMCID: PMC11260814 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1408701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Bacterial resistance presents a major challenge to both the ecological environment and human well-being, with persistence playing a key role. Multiple studies were recently undertaken to examine the factors influencing the formation of persisters and the underlying process, with a primary focus on Gram-negative bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria). Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is capable of causing a variety of infectious diseases, but there have been few studies of E. faecalis persisters. Previous studies have shown that the sex pheromone cCF10 secreted by E. faecalis induces conjugative plasmid transfer. However, whether the pheromone cCF10 regulates the persistence of E. faecalis has not been investigated. Methods As a result, we investigated the effect and potential molecular mechanism of pheromone cCF10 in regulating the formation of persisters in E. faecalis OG1RF using a persistent bacteria model. Results and discussion The metabolically active E. faecalis OG1RF reached a persistence state and temporarily tolerated lethal antibiotic concentrations after 8 h of levofloxacin hydrochloride (20 mg/mL) exposure, exhibiting a persistence rate of 0.109 %. During the growth of E. faecalis OG1RF, biofilm formation was a critical factor contributing to antibiotic persistence, whereas 10 ng/mL cCF10 blocked persister cell formation. Notably, cCF10 mediated the antibiotic persistence of E. faecalis OG1RF via regulating metabolic activity rather than suppressing biofilm formation. The addition of cCF10 stimulated the Opp system and entered bacterial cells, inhibiting (p)ppGpp accumulation, thus maintaining the metabolically active state of bacteria and reducing persister cell generation. These findings offer valuable insights into the formation, as well as the control mechanism of E. faecalis persisters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaobo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinyue Fu
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
- College of Oceanography and Ecological Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Panpan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
- School of Public Health, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Xiaoli Lin
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Karst Geological Resources and Environment, Guizhou University, Guizhou, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
- College of Oceanography and Ecological Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Shen
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingfeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Feilong Sun
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zhigang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
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An Y, Guo X, Yan T, Jia Y, Jiao R, Cai X, Deng B, Bao G, Li Y, Yang W, Wang R, Sun W, Xie J. Enhancing the stability and therapeutic potential of the antimicrobial peptide Feleucin-K3 against Multidrug-Resistant a. Baumannii through rational utilization of a D-amino acid substitution strategy. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 225:116269. [PMID: 38723723 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which have a low probability of developing resistance, are considered the most promising antimicrobial agents for combating antibiotic resistance. Feleucin-K3 is an amphiphilic cationic AMP that exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. In our previous research, the first phenylalanine residue was identified as the critical position affecting its biological activity. Here, a series of Feleucin-K3 analogs containing hydrophobic D-amino acids were developed, leveraging the low sensitivity of proteases to unnatural amino acids and the regulatory effect of hydrophobicity on antimicrobial activity. Among them, K-1dF, which replaced the phenylalanine of Feleucin-K3 with its enantiomer (D-phenylalanine), exhibited potent antimicrobial activity with a therapeutic index of 46.97 and MICs between 4 to 8 μg/ml against both sensitive and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. The introduction of D-phenylalanine increased the salt tolerance and serum stability of Feleucin-K3. Moreover, K-1dF displayed a rapid bactericidal effect, a low propensity to develop resistance, and a synergistic effect when combined with antibiotics. More importantly, it exhibited considerable or superior efficacy to imipenem against pneumonia and skin abscess infection. In brief, the K-1dF obtained by simple and effective modification strategy has emerged as a promising candidate antimicrobial agent for tackling multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying An
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaomin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tiantian Yan
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yue Jia
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ruoyan Jiao
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xinyu Cai
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Bochuan Deng
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Guangjun Bao
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yiping Li
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wenle Yang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Wangsheng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Junqiu Xie
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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7
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Recktenwald M, Kaur M, Benmassaoud MM, Copling A, Khanna T, Curry M, Cortes D, Fleischer G, Carabetta VJ, Vega SL. Antimicrobial Peptide Screening for Designing Custom Bactericidal Hydrogels. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:860. [PMID: 39065557 PMCID: PMC11279943 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16070860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an opportunistic pathogen that lives on surfaces and skin and can cause serious infections inside the body. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are part of the innate immune system and can eliminate pathogens, including bacteria and viruses, and are a promising alternative to antibiotics. Although studies have reported that AMP-functionalized hydrogels can prevent bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, AMP dosing and the combined effects of multiple AMPs are not well understood. Here, three AMPs with different antibacterial properties were synthesized and the soluble minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of each AMP against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were determined. Hydrogels with immobilized AMPs at their MIC (DD13-RIP 27.5 µM; indolicidin 43.8 µM; P10 120 µM) were effective in preventing MRSA adhesion and biofilm formation. Checkerboard AMP screens identified synergy between indolicidin (3.1 µM) and P10 (12.5 µM) based on soluble fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICIs) against MRSA, and hydrogels formed with these AMPs at half of their synergistic concentrations (total peptide concentration, 7.8 µM) were highly efficacious in killing MRSA. Mammalian cells cultured atop these hydrogels were highly viable, demonstrating that these AMP hydrogels are biocompatible and selectively eradicate bacteria, based on soluble checkerboard-screening data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Recktenwald
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA; (M.R.); (M.M.B.)
| | - Muskanjot Kaur
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA; (M.K.); (M.C.); (D.C.); (G.F.)
| | - Mohammed M. Benmassaoud
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA; (M.R.); (M.M.B.)
| | - Aryanna Copling
- Department of Translational Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA;
| | - Tulika Khanna
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA;
| | - Michael Curry
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA; (M.K.); (M.C.); (D.C.); (G.F.)
| | - Dennise Cortes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA; (M.K.); (M.C.); (D.C.); (G.F.)
| | - Gilbert Fleischer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA; (M.K.); (M.C.); (D.C.); (G.F.)
| | - Valerie J. Carabetta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA; (M.K.); (M.C.); (D.C.); (G.F.)
| | - Sebastián L. Vega
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA; (M.R.); (M.M.B.)
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
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Mistretta M, Cimino M, Campagne P, Volant S, Kornobis E, Hebert O, Rochais C, Dallemagne P, Lecoutey C, Tisnerat C, Lepailleur A, Ayotte Y, LaPlante SR, Gangneux N, Záhorszká M, Korduláková J, Vichier-Guerre S, Bonhomme F, Pokorny L, Albert M, Tinevez JY, Manina G. Dynamic microfluidic single-cell screening identifies pheno-tuning compounds to potentiate tuberculosis therapy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4175. [PMID: 38755132 PMCID: PMC11099131 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48269-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug-recalcitrant infections are a leading global-health concern. Bacterial cells benefit from phenotypic variation, which can suggest effective antimicrobial strategies. However, probing phenotypic variation entails spatiotemporal analysis of individual cells that is technically challenging, and hard to integrate into drug discovery. In this work, we develop a multi-condition microfluidic platform suitable for imaging two-dimensional growth of bacterial cells during transitions between separate environmental conditions. With this platform, we implement a dynamic single-cell screening for pheno-tuning compounds, which induce a phenotypic change and decrease cell-to-cell variation, aiming to undermine the entire bacterial population and make it more vulnerable to other drugs. We apply this strategy to mycobacteria, as tuberculosis poses a major public-health threat. Our lead compound impairs Mycobacterium tuberculosis via a peculiar mode of action and enhances other anti-tubercular drugs. This work proves that harnessing phenotypic variation represents a successful approach to tackle pathogens that are increasingly difficult to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Mistretta
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Mena Cimino
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Campagne
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Stevenn Volant
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Etienne Kornobis
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 75015, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Biomics Platform, 75015, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yann Ayotte
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique-Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Steven R LaPlante
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique-Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Nicolas Gangneux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Monika Záhorszká
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jana Korduláková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Sophie Vichier-Guerre
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3523, Epigenetic Chemical Biology Unit, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Bonhomme
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3523, Epigenetic Chemical Biology Unit, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Laura Pokorny
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Marvin Albert
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Image Analysis Hub, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Yves Tinevez
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Image Analysis Hub, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Giulia Manina
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France.
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9
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Dasilva MA, Andrada KFC, Torales MM, Hughes IM, Pez P, García-Martínez JC, Paraje MG. Synergistic activity of gold nanoparticles with amphotericin B on persister cells of Candida tropicalis biofilms. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:254. [PMID: 38755625 PMCID: PMC11097580 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02415-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM The antifungal activity was studied on sessile and persister cells (PCs) of Candida tropicalis biofilms of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) stabilized with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB-AuNPs) and those conjugated with cysteine, in combination with Amphotericin B (AmB). MATERIALS/METHODS The PC model was used and synergistic activity was tested by the checkerboard assay. Biofilms were studied by crystal violet and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS After the combination of both AuNPs and AmB the biofilm biomass was reduced, with significant differences in architecture being observed with a reduced biofilm matrix. In addition, the CTAB-AuNPs-AmB combination significantly reduced PCs. Understanding how these AuNPs aid in the fight against biofilms and the development of new approaches to eradicate PCs has relevance for chronic infection treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Dasilva
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina
- Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - K F Crespo Andrada
- Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - M Maldonado Torales
- Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - I Manrrique Hughes
- Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - P Pez
- Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, X5000HUA, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - J C García-Martínez
- Facultad de Farmacia de Albacete, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, España
| | - María Gabriela Paraje
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina.
- Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, X5000HUA, Argentina.
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10
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Mishra AK, Thakare RP, Santani BG, Yabaji SM, Dixit SK, Srivastava KK. Unlocking the enigma of phenotypic drug tolerance: Mechanisms and emerging therapeutic strategies. Biochimie 2024; 220:67-83. [PMID: 38168626 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.12.009] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
In the ongoing battle against antimicrobial resistance, phenotypic drug tolerance poses a formidable challenge. This adaptive ability of microorganisms to withstand drug pressure without genetic alterations further complicating global healthcare challenges. Microbial populations employ an array of persistence mechanisms, including dormancy, biofilm formation, adaptation to intracellular environments, and the adoption of L-forms, to develop drug tolerance. Moreover, molecular mechanisms like toxin-antitoxin modules, oxidative stress responses, energy metabolism, and (p)ppGpp signaling contribute to this phenomenon. Understanding these persistence mechanisms is crucial for predicting drug efficacy, developing strategies for chronic bacterial infections, and exploring innovative therapies for refractory infections. In this comprehensive review, we dissect the intricacies of drug tolerance and persister formation, explore their role in acquired drug resistance, and highlight emerging therapeutic approaches to combat phenotypic drug tolerance. Furthermore, we outline the future landscape of interventions for persistent bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok K Mishra
- Division of Microbiology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India; Department of Molecular Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
| | - Ritesh P Thakare
- Division of Microbiology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India; Department of Molecular Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Bela G Santani
- Department of Microbiology, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University (SGBAU), Amravati, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shivraj M Yabaji
- Division of Microbiology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India; National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shivendra K Dixit
- Division of Medicine ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, 243122, India.
| | - Kishore K Srivastava
- Division of Microbiology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India.
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11
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Zheng EJ, Valeri JA, Andrews IW, Krishnan A, Bandyopadhyay P, Anahtar MN, Herneisen A, Schulte F, Linnehan B, Wong F, Stokes JM, Renner LD, Lourido S, Collins JJ. Discovery of antibiotics that selectively kill metabolically dormant bacteria. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:712-728.e9. [PMID: 38029756 PMCID: PMC11031330 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
There is a need to discover and develop non-toxic antibiotics that are effective against metabolically dormant bacteria, which underlie chronic infections and promote antibiotic resistance. Traditional antibiotic discovery has historically favored compounds effective against actively metabolizing cells, a property that is not predictive of efficacy in metabolically inactive contexts. Here, we combine a stationary-phase screening method with deep learning-powered virtual screens and toxicity filtering to discover compounds with lethality against metabolically dormant bacteria and favorable toxicity profiles. The most potent and structurally distinct compound without any obvious mechanistic liability was semapimod, an anti-inflammatory drug effective against stationary-phase E. coli and A. baumannii. Integrating microbiological assays, biochemical measurements, and single-cell microscopy, we show that semapimod selectively disrupts and permeabilizes the bacterial outer membrane by binding lipopolysaccharide. This work illustrates the value of harnessing non-traditional screening methods and deep learning models to identify non-toxic antibacterial compounds that are effective in infection-relevant contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica J Zheng
- Program in Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, 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
| | - Jacqueline A Valeri
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ian W Andrews
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Aarti Krishnan
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Parijat Bandyopadhyay
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Melis N Anahtar
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alice Herneisen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Fabian Schulte
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Brooke Linnehan
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Felix Wong
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jonathan M Stokes
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Lars D Renner
- Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research and the Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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12
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Zhang H, Tao S, Chen H, Fang Y, Xu Y, Chen L, Ma F, Liang W. The biological function of the type II toxin-antitoxin system ccdAB in recurrent urinary tract infections. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1379625. [PMID: 38690370 PMCID: PMC11059956 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1379625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a significant challenge in clinical practice, with recurrent forms (rUTIs) posing a continual threat to patient health. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the primary culprit in a vast majority of UTIs, both community-acquired and hospital-acquired, underscoring its clinical importance. Among different mediators of pathogenesis, toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are emerging as the most prominent. The type II TA system, prevalent in prokaryotes, emerges as a critical player in stress response, biofilm formation, and cell dormancy. ccdAB, the first identified type II TA module, is renowned for maintaining plasmid stability. This paper aims to unravel the physiological role of the ccdAB in rUTIs caused by E. coli, delving into bacterial characteristics crucial for understanding and managing this disease. We investigated UPEC-induced rUTIs, examining changes in type II TA distribution and number, phylogenetic distribution, and Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Furthermore, our findings revealed that the induction of ccdB expression in E. coli BL21 (DE3) inhibited bacterial growth, observed that the expression of both ccdAB and ccdB in E. coli BL21 (DE3) led to an increase in biofilm formation, and confirmed that ccdAB plays a role in the development of persistent bacteria in urinary tract infections. Our findings could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches targeting these systems, potentially reducing the prevalence of rUTIs. Through this investigation, we hope to contribute significantly to the global effort to combat the persistent challenge of rUTIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Zhang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China
| | - Shuan Tao
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Huimin Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yewei Fang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yao Xu
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Luyan Chen
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Fang Ma
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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13
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Tang Z, Feng J, Challa M, Rowthu SR, Xiong S, Zou C, Li J, Verma CS, Peng H, He X, Huang C, He Y. Discovery of novel Thymol-TPP antibiotics that eradicate MRSA persisters. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 270:116381. [PMID: 38604097 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116381] [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: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and the formation of non-growing, dormant "persisters" subsets help bacteria evade antibiotic treatment and enhance bacterial resistance, which poses a serious threat to human life and health. It is urgent to discover novel antibacterial therapies effective against MRSA persisters. Thymol is a common nutraceutical with weak antibacterial and antitumor activities. A series of Thymol triphenylphosphine (TPP) conjugates (TPP-Thy3) was designed and synthesized. These compounds showed significantly improved inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria compared with Thymol. Among them, Thy3d displayed a low probability of resistance selection and showed excellent biocompatibility. Interestingly, Thy3d elicited a rapid killing effect of MRSA persisters (99.999%) at high concentration. Fluorescence experiments, electron microscopy, molecular dynamics simulation and bilayer experiment confirmed that Thy3d conjugates exerted potent antimicrobial activity by disrupting the integrity of the membrane of bacterial even the persister. Furthermore, Thy3d exhibited considerable efficacy in a mouse model of subcutaneous murine MRSA infection. In summary, TPP-Thy3 conjugates are a series of novel antibacterial agents and could serve as a new therapeutic strategy for combating antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Tang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Jizhou Feng
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Mahesh Challa
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Sankara Rao Rowthu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Shuxin Xiong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Cheng Zou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Jianguo Li
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, 169856, Singapore; Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, 138671, Singapore
| | - Chandra Shekhar Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, 138671, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore
| | - Haibo Peng
- Chongqing Academy of Science and Technology, Chongqing, 401123, China
| | - Xiaoli He
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Chao Huang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Yun He
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; BayRay Innovation Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.
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14
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Kim SJ, Jo J, Kim J, Ko KS, Lee W. Polymyxin B nonapeptide potentiates the eradication of Gram-negative bacterial persisters. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0368723. [PMID: 38391225 PMCID: PMC10986493 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03687-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria remain a globally leading cause of bacterial infection-associated mortality, and it is imperative to identify novel therapeutic strategies. Recently, the advantage of using antibacterials selective against Gram-negative bacteria has been demonstrated with polymyxins that specifically target the lipopolysaccharides of Gram-negative bacteria. However, the severe cytotoxicity of polymyxins limits their clinical use. Here, we demonstrate that polymyxin B nonapeptide (PMBN), a polymyxin B derivative without the terminal amino acyl residue, can significantly enhance the effectiveness of commonly used antibiotics against only Gram-negative bacteria and their persister cells. We show that although PMBN itself does not exhibit antibacterial activity or cytotoxicity well above the 100-fold minimum inhibitory concentration of polymyxin B, PMBN can increase the potency of co-treated antibiotics. We also demonstrate that using PMBN in combination with other antibiotics significantly reduces the frequency of resistant mutant formation. Together, this work provides evidence of the utilities of PMBN as a novel potentiator for antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria and insights for the eradication of bacterial persister cells during antibiotic treatment. IMPORTANCE The significance of our study lies in addressing the problem of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, which continue to be a global cause of mortality associated with bacterial infections. Therefore, identifying innovative therapeutic approaches is an urgent need. Recent research has highlighted the potential of selective antibacterials like polymyxins, which specifically target the lipopolysaccharides of Gram-negative bacteria. However, the clinical use of polymyxins is limited by their severe cytotoxicity. This study unveils the effectiveness of polymyxin B nonapeptide (PMBN) in significantly enhancing the eradication of persister cells in Gram-negative bacteria. Although PMBN itself does not exhibit antibacterial activity or cytotoxicity, it remarkably reduces persister cells during the treatment of antibiotics. Moreover, combining PMBN with other antibiotics reduces the emergence of resistant mutants. Our research emphasizes the utility of PMBN as a novel potentiator to decrease persister cells during antibiotic treatments for Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Ju Kim
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongwoo Jo
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyeon Kim
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwan Soo Ko
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonsik Lee
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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15
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Yang L, Gao Y, Zhang J, Tian C, Lin F, Song D, Zhou L, Peng J, Guo G. Antimicrobial peptide DvAMP combats carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2024; 63:107106. [PMID: 38325724 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2024.107106] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), an important opportunistic pathogen, is a major cause of healthcare-associated infections. The polymyxins (colistin and polymyxin B) are the last line of defense in the treatment of CRAB infections, and there is an urgent need to develop novel alternative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we found that the antimicrobial peptide DvAMP exhibited satisfactory antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against CRAB. In addition, DvAMP showed tolerable stability in salt ions and serum and exhibited low toxicity in vivo. Investigation of the underlying mechanism demonstrated that DvAMP disrupts cell membrane structural integrity and specifically binds to exogenous lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and phospholipids (PG/CL), resulting in increased membrane permeability and dissipating proton motive force (PMF), further reducing intracellular ATP levels and inducing ROS accumulation, leading to bacterial death. Furthermore, DvAMP therapy efficiently improved survival rates and decreased the bacterial load in the lungs of mice in a mouse pneumonia model, showing that DvAMP administration reduced CRAB susceptibility to lung infection. These results indicate that the peptide DvAMP is a promising alternative therapeutic agent to combat CRAB infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longbing Yang
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yongfei Gao
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Chunren Tian
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Fei Lin
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Dongxu Song
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Luoxiong Zhou
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jian Peng
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
| | - Guo Guo
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
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16
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Nalbone L, Forgia S, Ziino G, Sorrentino G, Giarratana F, Giuffrida A. A stochastic approach for modelling the in-vitro effect of osmotic stress on growth dynamics and persistent cell formation in Listeria monocytogenes. Int J Food Microbiol 2024; 413:110586. [PMID: 38262123 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Persistent bacteria (or persisters) can be defined as a microbial subpopulation that, exposed to bactericidal treatment, is killed more slowly than the rest of the population they are part of. They stochastically originate in response to environmental stressors or spontaneously without external signals. When transferred into a fresh medium, persisters can resume active replication although they spend more time adapting to the new conditions remaining in the lag phase longer. They were studied for decades for their ability to survive antibiotic treatments while studies on their formation in food and potential impact on their safety are lacking. The most common food preservation techniques may act as stressors that trigger the formation of persistent bacteria able to survive bactericidal treatments and grow later in foods during storage. This study aimed to investigate a possible relationship between exposure to different salt concentrations (osmotic stress) and the amount of persisters triggered in a strain of Listeria monocytogenes. Furthermore, we described this phenomenon from a mathematical perspective through predictive microbiology models commonly used in the food field. The lag time distribution of a L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 strain grown in broth with additional 2 %, 4 % and 6 % NaCl was evaluated using the software ScanLag. It uses office scanners to automatically record the colony growth on agar plates and evaluate the frequency distribution of their appearance times (lag phase) by automated image analysis. The same broth cultures were diluted to equalize salt concentration and transferred into a fresh broth to evaluate how the previous salt exposure impacted their growth kinetics. The observed growth curves were reproduced using predictive models in which the mean duration of the lag phase of the whole population took into account the occurrence of persisters with a longer lag phase. The models were solved first using a deterministic approach and then a stochastic one introducing a stochastic term that mimics the variability of lag phase duration due to the persisters occurrence. Results showed that the growth of L. monocytogenes in broth with additional NaCl might trigger the formation of persistent cells whose number increased consistently with salt concentrations. The proposed predictive approach reproduced the observed real curves in strong agreement, especially through the stochastic resolution of the models. Persistence is currently a neglected bacterial defence strategy in the food sector but the persisters' formation during production cannot be excluded; therefore, further insights on the topic are certainly desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Nalbone
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Forgia
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Graziella Ziino
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy; Riconnexia Srls, Spin-off of the University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Giorgia Sorrentino
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy; Riconnexia Srls, Spin-off of the University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Filippo Giarratana
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy; Riconnexia Srls, Spin-off of the University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Giuffrida
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy; Riconnexia Srls, Spin-off of the University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, Viale Giovanni Palatucci SNC, 98168 Messina, Italy
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17
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Yang L, Wang L, Wang M, Bajinka O, Wu G, Qin L, Tan Y. Oligoribonuclease mediates high adaptability of P. aeruginosa through metabolic conversion. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:25. [PMID: 38238663 PMCID: PMC10797966 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03175-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oligoribonuclease (orn) of P. aeruginosa is a highly conserved exonuclease, which can regulate the global gene expression levels of bacteria through regulation of both the nanoRNA and c-di-GMP. NanoRNA can regulate the expression of the bacterial global genome as a transcription initiator, and c-di-GMP is the most widely second messenger in bacterial cells. OBJECTIVE This study seeks to elucidate on the regulation by orn on pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa. METHODS P. aeruginosa with orn deletion was constructed by suicide plasmid homologous recombination method. The possible regulatory process of orn was analyzed by TMT quantitative labeling proteomics. Then experiments were conducted to verify the changes of Δorn on bacterial motility, virulence and biofilm formation. Bacterial pathogenicity was further detected in cell and animal skin trauma models. ELISA detection c-di-GMP concentration and colony aggregation and biofilm formation were observed by scanning electron microscope. RESULTS orn deletion changed the global metabolism of P. aeruginosa and reduced intracellular energy metabolism. It leads to the disorder of the quorum sensing system, the reduction of bacterial motility and virulence factors pyocyanin and rhamnolipids. But, orn deletion enhanced pathogenicity in vitro and in vivo, a high level of c-di-GMP and biofilm development of P. aeruginosa. CONCLUSION orn regulates the ability of P. aeruginosa to adapt to the external environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Yang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
| | - Mengyu Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
| | - Ousman Bajinka
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
| | - Guojun Wu
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
| | - Ling Qin
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China.
| | - Yurong Tan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China.
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China.
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18
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Seo J, Na IY, Ko KS. Antibiotic Efficacy in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae Under Nutrient Limitation and Effectiveness of Colistin-Based Antibiotic Combinations to Eradicate Persister Cells. Curr Microbiol 2023; 81:34. [PMID: 38064019 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03551-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Persister cells are responsible for recurrent or chronic infections resulting in antibiotic treatment failure. We aimed to investigate antibiotic efficacy in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains with limited metabolic activity. Bacterial cells cultured in nutrient-limited media showed characteristic persister phenotypes, including low intracellular ATP concentration, maintenance of antibiotic susceptibility, and an increase of (p)ppGpp levels. Amikacin showed no bactericidal activity under nutrient limitation conditions; however, metabolism-dependent ciprofloxacin exhibited metabolism-independent activity. The activity of colistin was metabolism-dependent, but it was retained under limited nutrient conditions. Nutrient limitation and antibiotic stress were related to the SOS response through recA expression in all four strains of E. coli and K. pneumoniae. However, the mRNA expression patterns of relA and spoT (associated with (p)ppGpp synthesis) and hpf and rpoS (downstream target genes of (p)ppGpp signaling) varied according to bacterial species, strain, and antibiotics, indicating diverse responses to nutrient stress in various persister cells. We also investigated the efficacy of antibiotic combinations to eradicate persister cells. As a result, colistin-based combinations were effective in the eradication of both E. coli and K. pneumoniae persister cells. In this study, persister cells were shown to be induced by metabolic stress, reducing antibiotic efficacy. We identified that combinations of colistin with amikacin or ciprofloxacin were effective to eliminate E. coli and K. pneumoniae persister cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungyu Seo
- Department of Microbiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - In Young Na
- Department of Microbiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwan Soo Ko
- Department of Microbiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
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19
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Xiong Y, Chen Z, Bai B, Peng Y, Liu S, Fang D, Wen Z, Shang Y, Lin Z, Han S, Yu Z. Thiazolopyrimidinone Derivative H5-23 Enhances Daptomycin Activity against Linezolid-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis by Disrupting the Cell Membrane. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2523-2537. [PMID: 38014911 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The increasing emergence and dissemination of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-positive pathogens pose a serious threat to global public health. Previous reports have demonstrated that the compound H5-23, which has a thiazolopyrimidinone core structure, exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis in vitro. However, the antibacterial activity in vivo and mechanism of action of H5-23 against MDR bacteria have not been fully studied. In this study, we report that H5-23 has wide-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. When combined with daptomycin (DAP), H5-23 demonstrates enhanced antimicrobial activity, effectively killing both planktonic and persister cells, as well as eradicating biofilm formation by linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis. The development of resistance shows that H5-23 has a low propensity to induce antibiotic resistance compared to that of linezolid in vitro. Mechanistic studies reveal that H5-23 increases membrane permeability and disrupts membrane integrity, resulting in increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), metabolic perturbations, and ultimately cell death. Additionally, we demonstrate the synergistic antibacterial effect of H5-23 combined with DAP in a murine model. These findings suggest that H5-23 is a promising antimicrobial agent and provides a potential strategy for enhancing the efficacy of DAP in combating multidrug-resistant E. faecalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanpeng Xiong
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital and the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518052, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital and the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518052, China
| | - Bing Bai
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital and the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518052, China
| | - Yalan Peng
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Shanghong Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital and the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518052, China
| | - Di Fang
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Zewen Wen
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital and the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518052, China
| | - Yongpeng Shang
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital and the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518052, China
| | - Zhiwei Lin
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital and the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518052, China
- Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, People's Hospital of Yangjiang, Yangjiang 529500, China
| | - Shiqing Han
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Zhijian Yu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital and the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518052, China
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20
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Tang Z, Jiang W, Li S, Huang X, Yang Y, Chen X, Qiu J, Xiao C, Xie Y, Zhang X, Li J, Verma CS, He Y, Yang A. Design and evaluation of tadpole-like conformational antimicrobial peptides. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1177. [PMID: 37980400 PMCID: PMC10657444 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05560-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Herein, we report a class of "tadpole-like" peptides consisting of an amphipathic α-helical head and an aromatic tail. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of "tadpole-like" temporin-SHf and its analogs revealed that increasing the number of aromatic residues in the tail, introducing Arg to the α-helical head and rearranging the peptide topology dramatically increased antimicrobial activity. Through progressive structural optimization, we obtained two peptides, HT2 and RI-HT2, which exhibited potent antimicrobial activity, no hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity, and no propensity to induce resistance. NMR and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that both peptides indeed adopted "tadpole-like" conformations. Fluorescence experiments and electron microscopy confirmed the membrane targeting mechanisms of the peptides. Our studies not only lead to the discovery of a series of ultrashort peptides with potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, but also provide a new strategy for rational design of novel "tadpole-like" antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Tang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Wuqiao Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Shuangli Li
- National Centre for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xue Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Yi Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Xiaorong Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Jingyi Qiu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Chuyu Xiao
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Ying Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- National Centre for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jianguo Li
- Bioinformatics Institute, A∗STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, Singapore, 138671, Singapore
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, 169856, Singapore
| | - Chandra Shekhar Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute, A∗STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, Singapore, 138671, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - Yun He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
- BayRay Innovation Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.
| | - Aimin Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
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Yang S, Li X, Cang W, Mu D, Ji S, An Y, Wu R, Wu J. Biofilm tolerance, resistance and infections increasing threat of public health. MICROBIAL CELL (GRAZ, AUSTRIA) 2023; 10:233-247. [PMID: 37933277 PMCID: PMC10625689 DOI: 10.15698/mic2023.11.807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Microbial biofilms can cause chronic infection. In the clinical setting, the biofilm-related infections usually persist and reoccur; the main reason is the increased antibiotic resistance of biofilms. Traditional antibiotic therapy is not effective and might increase the threat of antibiotic resistance to public health. Therefore, it is urgent to study the tolerance and resistance mechanism of biofilms to antibiotics and find effective therapies for biofilm-related infections. The tolerance mechanism and host reaction of biofilm to antibiotics are reviewed, and bacterial biofilm related diseases formed by human pathogens are discussed thoroughly. The review also explored the role of biofilms in the development of bacterial resistance mechanisms and proposed therapeutic intervention strategies for biofilm related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Yang
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Xinfei Li
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Weihe Cang
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Delun Mu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Shuaiqi Ji
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Yuejia An
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Rina Wu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
| | - Junrui Wu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
- Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang 110866, P.R. China
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22
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Pan X, Liu W, Du Q, Zhang H, Han D. Recent Advances in Bacterial Persistence Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14311. [PMID: 37762613 PMCID: PMC10531727 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The recurrence of bacterial infectious diseases is closely associated with bacterial persisters. This subpopulation of bacteria can escape antibiotic treatment by entering a metabolic status of low activity through various mechanisms, for example, biofilm, toxin-antitoxin modules, the stringent response, and the SOS response. Correspondingly, multiple new treatments are being developed. However, due to their spontaneous low abundance in populations and the lack of research on in vivo interactions between persisters and the host's immune system, microfluidics, high-throughput sequencing, and microscopy techniques are combined innovatively to explore the mechanisms of persister formation and maintenance at the single-cell level. Here, we outline the main mechanisms of persister formation, and describe the cutting-edge technology for further research. Despite the significant progress regarding study techniques, some challenges remain to be tackled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaozhou Pan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Institute of Pediatric Infection, Immunity, and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Wenxin Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Institute of Pediatric Infection, Immunity, and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Qingqing Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Institute of Pediatric Infection, Immunity, and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Institute of Pediatric Infection, Immunity, and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Dingding Han
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Institute of Pediatric Infection, Immunity, and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200062, China
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23
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Nguyen L, DeVico B, Mannan M, Chang M, Rada Santacruz C, Siragusa C, Everhart S, Fazen CH. Tea Tree Essential Oil Kills Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis Persisters. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1404. [PMID: 37759804 PMCID: PMC10526169 DOI: 10.3390/biom13091404] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Persister cells are a small subpopulation of non-growing bacteria within a population that can survive long exposures to antibiotic treatment. Following antibiotic removal, persister cells can regrow and populate, playing a key role in the chronic reoccurrence of bacterial infections. The development of new molecules and methods to kill bacterial persisters is critical. Essential oils and other natural products have long been studied for their antimicrobial effects. Here, we studied the effectiveness of tea tree essential oil (TTO), a common component in many commercial care products, against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis persister cells. Using biphasic kill curve assays, we found that concentrations of 0.5% and 1.0% TTO for E. coli and S. epidermidis, respectively, completely eradicated persister cells over a period of 24 h, with the component terpinen-4-ol responsible for most of the killing. Using a colorimetric assay, it was determined that the TTO exhibited its anti-persister effects through a membrane disruption mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher H. Fazen
- Department of Chemistry, Drew University, Madison, NJ 07940, USA; (L.N.); (B.D.); (M.M.); (M.C.); (C.R.S.); (C.S.); (S.E.)
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24
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Khan F, Singh P, Joshi AS, Tabassum N, Jeong GJ, Bamunuarachchi NI, Mijakovic I, Kim YM. Multiple potential strategies for the application of nisin and derivatives. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023; 49:628-657. [PMID: 35997756 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2112650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Nisin is a naturally occurring bioactive small peptide produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and belongs to the Type A (I) lantibiotics. Due to its potent antimicrobial activity, it has been broadly employed to preserve various food materials as well as to combat a variety of microbial pathogens. The present review discusses the antimicrobial properties of nisin and different types of their derivatives employed to treat microbial pathogens with a detailed underlying mechanism of action. Several alternative strategies such as combination, conjugation, and nanoformulations have been discussed in order to address several issues such as rapid degradation, instability, and reduced activity due to the various environmental factors that arise in the applications of nisin. Furthermore, the evolutionary relationship of many nisin genes from different nisin-producing bacterial species has been investigated. A detailed description of the natural and bioengineered nisin variants, as well as the underlying action mechanisms, has also been provided. The chemistry used to apply nisin in conjugation with natural or synthetic compounds as a synergetic mode of antimicrobial action has also been thoroughly discussed. The current review will be useful in learning about recent and past research that has been performed on nisin and its derivatives as antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazlurrahman Khan
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Priyanka Singh
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation, Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Abhayraj S Joshi
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation, Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Industry 4.0 Convergence Bionics Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Geum-Jae Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Ivan Mijakovic
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation, Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Division, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
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25
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Jia J, Zheng M, Zhang C, Li B, Lu C, Bai Y, Tong Q, Hang X, Ge Y, Zeng L, Zhao M, Song F, Zhang H, Zhang L, Hong K, Bi H. Killing of Staphylococcus aureus persisters by a multitarget natural product chrysomycin A. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg5995. [PMID: 37540745 PMCID: PMC10403215 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg5995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus poses a severe public health problem as one of the vital causative agents of healthcare- and community-acquired infections. There is a globally urgent need for new drugs with a novel mode of action (MoA) to combat S. aureus biofilms and persisters that tolerate antibiotic treatment. We demonstrate that a benzonaphthopyranone glycoside, chrysomycin A (ChryA), is a rapid bactericide that is highly active against S. aureus persisters, robustly eradicates biofilms in vitro, and shows a sustainable killing efficacy in vivo. ChryA was suggested to target multiple critical cellular processes. A wide range of genetic and biochemical approaches showed that ChryA directly binds to GlmU and DapD, involved in the biosynthetic pathways for the cell wall peptidoglycan and lysine precursors, respectively, and inhibits the acetyltransferase activities by competition with their mutual substrate acetyl-CoA. Our study provides an effective antimicrobial strategy combining multiple MoAs onto a single small molecule for treatments of S. aureus persistent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Jia
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Mingxin Zheng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Chongwen Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Binglei Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Cai Lu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuefan Bai
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Qian Tong
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xudong Hang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Yixin Ge
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Liping Zeng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Ming Zhao
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Fuhang Song
- School of Light Industry, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Huawei Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Kui Hong
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hongkai Bi
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
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26
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Zhou Y, Liao H, Pei L, Pu Y. Combatting persister cells: The daunting task in post-antibiotics era. CELL INSIGHT 2023; 2:100104. [PMID: 37304393 PMCID: PMC10250163 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2023.100104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Over the years, much attention has been drawn to antibiotic resistance bacteria, but drug inefficacy caused by a subgroup of special phenotypic variants - persisters - has been largely neglected in both scientific and clinical field. Interestingly, this subgroup of phenotypic variants displayed their power of withstanding sufficient antibiotics exposure in a mechanism different from antibiotic resistance. In this review, we summarized the clinical importance of bacterial persisters, the evolutionary link between resistance, tolerance, and persistence, redundant mechanisms of persister formation as well as methods of studying persister cells. In the light of our recent findings of membrane-less organelle aggresome and its important roles in regulating bacterial dormancy depth, we propose an alternative approach for anti-persister therapy. That is, to force a persister into a deeper dormancy state to become a VBNC (viable but non-culturable) cell that is incapable of regrowth. We hope to provide the latest insights on persister studies and call upon more research interest into this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidan Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei- MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Hebin Liao
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei- MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Linsen Pei
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei- MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Yingying Pu
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei- MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
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27
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Sau S, Roy A, Agnivesh PK, Kumar S, Guru SK, Sharma S, Kalia NP. Unravelling the flexibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: an escape way for the bacilli. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 37261969 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis makes it difficult to eradicate the associated infection from the host. The flexible nature of mycobacteria and their ability to adapt to adverse host conditions give rise to different drug-tolerant phenotypes. Granuloma formation restricts nutrient supply, limits oxygen availability and exposes bacteria to a low pH environment, resulting in non-replicating bacteria. These non-replicating mycobacteria, which need high doses and long exposure to anti-tubercular drugs, are the root cause of lengthy chemotherapy. Novel strategies, which are effective against non-replicating mycobacteria, need to be adopted to shorten tuberculosis treatment. This not only will reduce the treatment time but also will help prevent the emergence of multi-drug-resistant strains of mycobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashikanta Sau
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Arnab Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Puja Kumari Agnivesh
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Sunil Kumar
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Guru
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Sandeep Sharma
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab -144411, India
| | - Nitin Pal Kalia
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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Boeck L. Antibiotic tolerance: targeting bacterial survival. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 74:102328. [PMID: 37245488 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is the cornerstone of antibiotic treatments. Yet, active drugs are frequently unsuccessful in vivo and most clinical trials investigating antibiotics fail. So far, bacterial survival strategies, other than drug resistance, have been largely ignored. As such, drug tolerance and persisters, allowing bacterial populations to survive during antibiotic treatments, could fill a gap in antibiotic susceptibility testing. Therefore, it remains critical to establish robust and scalable bacterial viability measures and to define the clinical relevance of bacterial survivors across various bacterial infections. If successful, these tools could improve drug design and development to prevent tolerance formation or target bacterial survivors, to ultimately reduce treatment failures and curb resistance evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Boeck
- Department of Biomedicine, University Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Clinic of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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29
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Kumar G, Kapoor S. Targeting mycobacterial membranes and membrane proteins: Progress and limitations. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 81:117212. [PMID: 36804747 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Among the various bacterial infections, tuberculosis continues to hold center stage. Its causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, possesses robust defense mechanisms against most front-line antibiotic drugs and host responses due to their complex cell membranes with unique lipid molecules. It is now well-established that bacteria change their membrane composition to optimize their environment to survive and elude drug action. Thus targeting membrane or membrane components is a promising avenue for exploiting the chemical space focussed on developing novel membrane-centric anti-bacterial small molecules. These approaches are more effective, non-toxic, and can attenuate resistance phenotype. We present the relevance of targeting the mycobacterial membrane as a practical therapeutic approach. The review highlights the direct and indirect targeting of membrane structure and function. Direct membrane targeting agents cause perturbation in the membrane potential and can cause leakage of the cytoplasmic contents. In contrast, indirect membrane targeting agents disrupt the function of membrane-associated proteins involved in cell wall biosynthesis or energy production. We discuss the chronological chemical improvements in various scaffolds targeting specific membrane-associated protein targets, their clinical evaluation, and up-to-date account of their ''mechanisms of action, potency, selectivity'' and limitations. The sources of anti-TB drugs/inhibitors discussed in this work have emerged from target-based identification, cell-based phenotypic screening, drug repurposing, and natural products. We believe this review will inspire the exploration of uncharted chemical space for informing the development of new scaffolds that can inhibit novel mycobacterial membrane targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gautam Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India; Departemnt of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500037, India.
| | - Shobhna Kapoor
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India; Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan.
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Si Z, Li J, Ruan L, Reghu S, Ooi YJ, Li P, Zhu Y, Hammond PT, Verma CS, Bazan GC, Pethe K, Chan-Park MB. Designer co-beta-peptide copolymer selectively targets resistant and biofilm Gram-negative bacteria. Biomaterials 2023; 294:122004. [PMID: 36669302 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
New antimicrobials are urgently needed to combat Gram-negative bacteria, particularly multi-drug resistant (MDR) and phenotypically resistant biofilm species. At present, only sequence-defined alpha-peptides (e.g. polymyxin B) can selectively target Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharides. We show that a copolymer, without a defined sequence, shows good potency against MDR Gram-negative bacteria including its biofilm form. The tapered blocky co-beta-peptide with controlled N-terminal hydrophobicity (#4) has strong interaction with the Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharides via its backbone through electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions but not the Gram-positive bacterial and mammalian cell membranes so that this copolymer is non-toxic to these two latter cell types. The new #4 co-beta-peptide selectively kills Gram-negative bacteria with low cytotoxicity both in vitro and in a mouse biofilm wound infection model. This strategy provides a new concept for the design of Gram-negative selective antimicrobial peptidomimetics against MDR and biofilm species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangyong Si
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore
| | - Jianguo Li
- Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, 138671, Singapore; Singapore Eye Research Institute, 169856, Singapore
| | - Lin Ruan
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore
| | - Sheethal Reghu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore
| | - Ying Jie Ooi
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore
| | - Peng Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 710072, China
| | - Yabin Zhu
- Medical School of Ningbo University, 315211, China
| | - Paula T Hammond
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA; Infectious Diseases Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) , 138602, Singapore
| | - Chandra S Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix, 138671, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117558, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore
| | - Guillermo C Bazan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9510, USA; Departments of Chemistry and Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
| | - Kevin Pethe
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 636921, Singapore; Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.
| | - Mary B Chan-Park
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore; Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 636921, Singapore.
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Cho YY, Ko KS. ColE-type plasmid bearing bla OXA-232 increases persister cell formation. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2023; 32:113-117. [PMID: 36806700 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Bacterial persister cells are a sub-population of cells that are tolerant to high concentrations of antibiotics. In this study, we investigated the effect of plasmids bearing carbapenemase genes on persister cell formation. METHODS Three plasmids, IncX3-type plasmid with blaNDM-1, IncN-type plasmid with blaKPC-2, and ColE-type plasmid with blaOXA-232, were transformed into Escherichia coli MG1655. For the ColE-type plasmid (pM5_OXA232), gene-deletion plasmids were constructed and transformed into the MG1655. Persister assays were performed against ciprofloxacin and amikacin, and expression levels of relA and spoT were measured for the wild-type E. coli and all transformants. RESULTS Unlike the other two plasmids, transformation of ColE-type plasmid (pM5_OXA232) caused a significant increase in the formation of persister cells. Compared with transformants that harboured intact pM5_OXA232, transformants that harboured plasmids with deletions of gene(s), vbhA, hypothetical gene, or a mobile gene cassette showed decreased persister cell formation. Expression levels of relA and spoT exhibited patterns similar to those of persister cell formation rates, particularly against ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSION In this study, we showed that a small ColE-type plasmid bearing blaOXA-232 has an effect on persister cell formation, possibly contributing to the dissemination of low-level carbapanemase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Young Cho
- Department of Microbiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwan Soo Ko
- Department of Microbiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
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32
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa Citrate Synthase GltA Influences Antibiotic Tolerance and the Type III Secretion System through the Stringent Response. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0323922. [PMID: 36602339 PMCID: PMC9927146 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03239-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbohydrate metabolism plays essential roles in energy generation and providing carbon skeletons for amino acid syntheses. In addition, carbohydrate metabolism has been shown to influence bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics and virulence. In this study, we demonstrate that citrate synthase gltA mutation can increase the expression of the type III secretion system (T3SS) genes and antibiotic tolerance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The stringent response is activated in the gltA mutant, and deletion of the (p)ppGpp synthetase gene relA restores the antibiotic tolerance and expression of the T3SS genes to wild-type level. We further demonstrate that the intracellular level of cAMP is increased by the stringent response in the gltA mutant, which increases the expression of the T3SS master regulator gene exsA. Overall, our results reveal an essential role of GltA in metabolism, antibiotic tolerance, and virulence, as well as a novel regulatory mechanism of the stringent response-mediated regulation of the T3SS in P. aeruginosa. IMPORTANCE Rising antimicrobial resistance imposes a severe threat to human health. It is urgent to develop novel antimicrobial strategies by understanding bacterial regulation of virulence and antimicrobial resistance determinants. The stringent response plays an essential role in virulence and antibiotic tolerance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes acute and chronic infections in humans. The bacterium produces an arsenal of virulence factors and is highly resistant to a variety of antibiotics. In this study, we provide evidence that citrate synthase GltA plays a critical role in P. aeruginosa metabolism and influences the antibiotic tolerance and virulence. We further reveal a role of the stringent response in the regulation of the antibiotic tolerance and virulence. The significance of this work is in elucidation of novel regulatory pathways that control both antibiotic tolerance and virulence in P. aeruginosa.
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Aguiar ALR, Silva BND, Fiallos NDM, Pereira LMG, Silva ML, Souza PFSMD, Portela FVM, Sidrim JJC, Rocha MFG, Castelo-Branco DSCM, Cordeiro RDA. Promethazine inhibits efflux, enhances antifungal susceptibility and disrupts biofilm structure and functioning in Trichosporon. BIOFOULING 2023; 39:218-230. [PMID: 37122169 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2023.2202315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Trichosporon spp. are emerging opportunistic fungi associated with invasive infections, especially in patients with haematological malignancies. The present study investigated the in vitro inhibition of efflux pumps by promethazine (PMZ) as a strategy to control T. asahii and T. inkin. Planktonic cells were evaluated for antifungal susceptibility to PMZ, as well as inhibition of efflux. The effect of PMZ was also studied in Trichosporon biofilms. PMZ inhibited T. asahii and T. inkin planktonic cells at concentrations ranging from 32 to 256 μg ml-1. Subinhibitory concentrations of PMZ inhibited efflux activity in Trichosporon. Biofilms were completely eradicated by PMZ. PMZ potentiated the action of antifungals, affected the morphology, changed the amount of carbohydrates and proteins and reduced the amount of persister cells inside biofilms. The results showed indirect evidences of the occurrence of efflux pumps in Trichosporon and opens a perspective for the use of this target in the control of trichosporonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Maria Laína Silva
- Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
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Kamble E, Sanghvi P, Pardesi K. Synergistic effect of antibiotic combinations on Staphylococcus aureus biofilms and their persister cell populations. Biofilm 2022; 4:100068. [PMID: 35198967 PMCID: PMC8844754 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2022.100068] [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: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of staphylococcal infections is difficult due to multidrug resistance with their persister forms posing an added threat of recalcitrant infections. Antibiotic combinations are widely studied as an alternative strategy to combat them; therefore, they merit further investigation into their effect on the number of persister cells. In the present study, the fractional inhibitory concentrations of antibiotic combinations ciprofloxacin-daptomycin, ciprofloxacin-vancomycin, daptomycin-tobramycin, and tobramycin-vancomycin (checkerboard assay) were determined against two previously studied clinical (S48 and J6) and one standard (NCIM 5021) isolate of Staphylococcus aureus. They showed synergistic effects with a 2 to 256-fold reduction in MICs. All combinations also resulted in inhibition and disruption of biofilms in a concentration-dependent manner. All antibiotic combinations, except ciprofloxacin-daptomycin, showed total biofilm inhibition at 100X MICs. Similarly, antibiotic combination at 100X MIC showed 77–97% disruption of preformed biofilms. Time-kill assays performed at a 100X MIC combination against stationary-phase cells showed a two to six log10 reduction in CFU followed by a plateau indicating the presence of persisters. Significant differences were observed in persister cell fraction remaining after treatment with antibiotic combinations compared to monotherapies (p < 0.05) and therefore merit further investigation in clinical use for treatment against persisters.
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35
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PurN Is Involved in Antibiotic Tolerance and Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11121702. [PMID: 36551359 PMCID: PMC9774800 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11121702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus can cause chronic infections which are closely related to persister formation. Purine metabolism is involved in S. aureus persister formation, and purN, encoding phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, is an important gene in the purine metabolism process. In this study, we generated a ΔpurN mutant of the S. aureus Newman strain and assessed its roles in antibiotic tolerance and virulence. The ΔpurN in the late exponential phase had a significant defect in persistence to antibiotics. Complementation of the ΔpurN restored its tolerance to different antibiotics. PurN significantly affected virulence gene expression, hemolytic ability, and biofilm formation in S. aureus. Moreover, the LD50 (3.28 × 1010 CFU/mL) of the ΔpurN for BALB/c mice was significantly higher than that of the parental strain (2.81 × 109 CFU/mL). Transcriptome analysis revealed that 58 genes that were involved in purine metabolism, alanine, aspartate, glutamate metabolism, and 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, etc., were downregulated, while 24 genes involved in ABC transporter and transferase activity were upregulated in ΔpurN vs. parental strain. Protein-protein interaction network showed that there was a close relationship between PurN and GltB, and SaeRS. The study demonstrated that PurN participates in the formation of the late exponential phase S. aureus persisters via GltB and regulates its virulence by activating the SaeRS two-component system.
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36
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Witzany C, Regoes RR, Igler C. Assessing the relative importance of bacterial resistance, persistence and hyper-mutation for antibiotic treatment failure. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221300. [PMID: 36350213 PMCID: PMC9653239 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
To curb the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance, we need to understand the routes to antimicrobial treatment failure. Bacteria can survive treatment by using both genetic and phenotypic mechanisms to diminish the effect of antimicrobials. We assemble empirical data showing that, for example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections frequently contain persisters, transiently non-growing cells unaffected by antibiotics (AB) and hyper-mutators, mutants with elevated mutation rates, and thus higher probability of genetic resistance emergence. Resistance, persistence and hyper-mutation dynamics are difficult to disentangle experimentally. Hence, we use stochastic population modelling and deterministic fitness calculations to investigate the relative importance of genetic and phenotypic mechanisms for immediate treatment failure and establishment of prolonged, chronic infections. We find that persistence causes 'hidden' treatment failure with very low cell numbers if antimicrobial concentrations prevent growth of genetically resistant cells. Persister cells can regrow after treatment is discontinued and allow for resistance evolution in the absence of AB. This leads to different mutational routes during treatment and relapse of an infection. By contrast, hyper-mutation facilitates resistance evolution during treatment, but rarely contributes to treatment failure. Our findings highlight the time and concentration dependence of different bacterial mechanisms to escape AB killing, which should be considered when designing 'failure-proof' treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roland R. Regoes
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Igler
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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37
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Wiradiputra MRD, Khuntayaporn P, Thirapanmethee K, Chomnawang MT. Toxin-Antitoxin Systems: A Key Role on Persister Formation in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:5813-5829. [PMID: 36213766 PMCID: PMC9541301 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s378157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The toxin and antitoxin modules in bacteria consist of a toxin molecule that has activity to inhibit various cellular processes and its cognate antitoxin that neutralizes the toxin. This system is considered taking part in the formation of persister cells, which are a subpopulation of recalcitrant cells able to survive antimicrobial treatment without any resistance mechanisms. Importantly, persisters have been associated with long-term infections and treatment failures in healthcare settings. It is a public health concern since persisters can be involved in the evolution and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance amidst the aggravating spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria and insufficient novel antimicrobial therapy to tackle this issue. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is one of the most prevalent Salmonella serotypes in the world and is a leading cause of food-borne salmonellosis. S. Typhimurium has been known to cause persistent infection and a wealth of investigations on Salmonella persisters indicates that toxin and antitoxin modules play a role in mediating the phenotypic switch of persisters, rendering its survival ability in the presence of antimicrobial agents. In this review, we discuss findings regarding mechanisms that underly persistence in S. Typhimurium, especially the involvement of toxin and antitoxin modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Made Rai Dwitya Wiradiputra
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Group (AmRIG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand,Biopharmaceutical Sciences Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Piyatip Khuntayaporn
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Group (AmRIG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Krit Thirapanmethee
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Group (AmRIG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mullika Traidej Chomnawang
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Group (AmRIG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand,Correspondence: Mullika Traidej Chomnawang, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand, Tel +66 2 644 8692, Email
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Ciofu O, Moser C, Jensen PØ, Høiby N. Tolerance and resistance of microbial biofilms. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:621-635. [PMID: 35115704 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00682-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 333] [Impact Index Per Article: 166.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chronic infections caused by microbial biofilms represent an important clinical challenge. The recalcitrance of microbial biofilms to antimicrobials and to the immune system is a major cause of persistence and clinical recurrence of these infections. In this Review, we present the extent of the clinical problem, and the mechanisms underlying the tolerance of biofilms to antibiotics and to host responses. We also explore the role of biofilms in the development of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oana Ciofu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Claus Moser
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Østrup Jensen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels Høiby
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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39
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Shi J, Chen C, Wang D, Wang Z, Liu Y. The antimicrobial peptide LI14 combats multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Commun Biol 2022; 5:926. [PMID: 36071151 PMCID: PMC9452538 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03899-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens raises public fears of untreatable infections and represents a huge health risk. There is an urgent need to exploit novel antimicrobial agents. Due to the unique mechanisms, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with a low probability to achieve resistance are regarded as potential antibiotic alternatives to address this issue. Herein, we develop a panel of synthetic peptide compounds with novel structures based on the database filters technology (DFT), and the lead peptide LI14 shows potent antibacterial activity against all tested drug-resistant bacteria. LI14 exhibits rapid bactericidal activity and excellent anti-biofilm and -persisters activity, simultaneously showing a low propensity to induce resistance. Moreover, LI14 shows tolerance against pH, temperatures, and pepsin treatment, and no detectable toxicity both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that LI14 induces membrane damage by targeting bacterial-specific membrane components and dissipates the proton motive force (PMF), thereby resulting in metabolic perturbations and the accumulation of toxic metabolic products. Furthermore, LI14 sensitizes clinically relevant antibiotics against MDR bacteria. In animal models of infection, LI14 or combined with antibiotics are effective against drug-resistant pathogens. These findings suggest that LI14 is a promising antibiotic candidate to tackle MDR bacterial infections. A synthetic peptide LI14 demonstrates potent antibacterial activity against drug-resistant bacteria in vitro and in vivo by inducing membrane damage and disrupting membrane potential leading to metabolic perturbation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingru Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Chen Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Dejuan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China. .,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Wang S, Zhao C, Xue B, Li C, Zhang X, Yang X, Li Y, Yang Y, Shen Z, Wang J, Qiu Z. Nanoalumina triggers the antibiotic persistence of Escherichia coli through quorum sensing regulators lrsF and qseB. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 436:129198. [PMID: 35739728 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nanomaterials with bactericidal effects might provide novel strategies against bacteria. However, some bacteria can survive despite the exposure to nanomaterials, which challenges the safety of antibacterial nanomaterials. Here, we used a high dose of antibiotics to kill the E. coli. that survived under different concentrations of nanoalumina treatment to screen persisters, and found that nanoalumina could significantly trigger persisters formation. Treatment with 50 mg/L nanoalumina for 4 h resulted in the formation of (0.084 ± 0.005) % persisters. Both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and toxin-antitoxin (TA) system were involved in persisters formation. Interestingly, RT-PCR analysis and knockout of the five genes related to ROS and TA confirmed that only hipB was associated with the formation of persisters, suggesting the involvement of other mechanisms. We further identified 73 differentially expressed genes by transcriptome sequencing and analyzed them with bioinformatics tools. We selected six candidate genes and verified that five of them closely related to quorum sensing (QS) that were involved in persisters formation, and further validated that the coexpression of QS factors lrsF and qseB was a novel pathway for persisters. Our findings provided a better understanding on the emergence of bacterial persistence and the microbial behavior under nanomaterials exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang Wang
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Bin Xue
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Chenyu Li
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Xiaobo Yang
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Yanping Yang
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Zhiqiang Shen
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Jingfeng Wang
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Zhigang Qiu
- Department of Hygienic Toxicology And Environmental Hygiene, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China.
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41
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Zhang S, Qu X, Jiao J, Tang H, Wang M, Wang Y, Yang H, Yuan W, Yue B. Felodipine enhances aminoglycosides efficacy against implant infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, persisters and biofilms. Bioact Mater 2022; 14:272-289. [PMID: 35310349 PMCID: PMC8897655 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2021.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), biofilms, and persisters are three major factors leading to recurrent and recalcitrant implant infections. Although antibiotics are still the primary treatment for chronic implant infections in clinical, only few drugs are effective in clearing persisters and formed biofilms. Here, felodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, was reported for the first time to have antibacterial effects against MRSA, biofilm, and persisters. Even after continuous exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of felodipine, bacteria are less likely to develop resistance. Besides, low doses of felodipine enhances the antibacterial activity of gentamicin by inhibiting the expression of protein associated with aminoglycoside resistance (aacA-aphD). Next, biofilm eradication test and persisters killing assay suggested felodipine has an excellent bactericidal effect against formed biofilms and persisters. Furthermore, the result of protein profiling, and quantitative metabonomics analysis indicated felodipine reduce MRSA virulence (agrABC), biofilm formation and TCA cycle. Then, molecular docking showed felodipine inhibit the growth of persisters by binding to the H pocket of ClpP protease, which could lead to substantial protein degradation. Furthermore, murine infection models suggested felodipine in combination with gentamicin alleviate bacterial burden and inflammatory response. In conclusion, low dose of felodipine might be a promising agent for biomaterial delivery to enhance aminoglycosides efficacy against implant infections caused by MRSA, biofilm, and persisters. Felodipine inhibits MRSA gene expression associated with aminoglycoside resistance and biofilm formation. Felodipine eradicates formed biofilm and persisters on the surface of implants. Felodipine induces proteolysis of MRSA and decreases energy metabolism. Felodipine in combination with gentamicin alleviates murine periprosthetic joint infection.
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42
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Eisenreich W, Rudel T, Heesemann J, Goebel W. Link Between Antibiotic Persistence and Antibiotic Resistance in Bacterial Pathogens. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:900848. [PMID: 35928205 PMCID: PMC9343593 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.900848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Both, antibiotic persistence and antibiotic resistance characterize phenotypes of survival in which a bacterial cell becomes insensitive to one (or even) more antibiotic(s). However, the molecular basis for these two antibiotic-tolerant phenotypes is fundamentally different. Whereas antibiotic resistance is genetically determined and hence represents a rather stable phenotype, antibiotic persistence marks a transient physiological state triggered by various stress-inducing conditions that switches back to the original antibiotic sensitive state once the environmental situation improves. The molecular basics of antibiotic resistance are in principle well understood. This is not the case for antibiotic persistence. Under all culture conditions, there is a stochastically formed, subpopulation of persister cells in bacterial populations, the size of which depends on the culture conditions. The proportion of persisters in a bacterial population increases under different stress conditions, including treatment with bactericidal antibiotics (BCAs). Various models have been proposed to explain the formation of persistence in bacteria. We recently hypothesized that all physiological culture conditions leading to persistence converge in the inability of the bacteria to re-initiate a new round of DNA replication caused by an insufficient level of the initiator complex ATP-DnaA and hence by the lack of formation of a functional orisome. Here, we extend this hypothesis by proposing that in this persistence state the bacteria become more susceptible to mutation-based antibiotic resistance provided they are equipped with error-prone DNA repair functions. This is - in our opinion - in particular the case when such bacterial populations are exposed to BCAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Eisenreich
- Bavarian NMR Center – Structural Membrane Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
- *Correspondence: Wolfgang Eisenreich,
| | - Thomas Rudel
- Chair of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Heesemann
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institute, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, München, Germany
| | - Werner Goebel
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institute, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, München, Germany
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43
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Łapińska U, Voliotis M, Lee KK, Campey A, Stone MRL, Tuck B, Phetsang W, Zhang B, Tsaneva-Atanasova K, Blaskovich MAT, Pagliara S. Fast bacterial growth reduces antibiotic accumulation and efficacy. eLife 2022; 11:e74062. [PMID: 35670099 PMCID: PMC9173744 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic variations between individual microbial cells play a key role in the resistance of microbial pathogens to pharmacotherapies. Nevertheless, little is known about cell individuality in antibiotic accumulation. Here, we hypothesise that phenotypic diversification can be driven by fundamental cell-to-cell differences in drug transport rates. To test this hypothesis, we employed microfluidics-based single-cell microscopy, libraries of fluorescent antibiotic probes and mathematical modelling. This approach allowed us to rapidly identify phenotypic variants that avoid antibiotic accumulation within populations of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cenocepacia, and Staphylococcus aureus. Crucially, we found that fast growing phenotypic variants avoid macrolide accumulation and survive treatment without genetic mutations. These findings are in contrast with the current consensus that cellular dormancy and slow metabolism underlie bacterial survival to antibiotics. Our results also show that fast growing variants display significantly higher expression of ribosomal promoters before drug treatment compared to slow growing variants. Drug-free active ribosomes facilitate essential cellular processes in these fast-growing variants, including efflux that can reduce macrolide accumulation. We used this new knowledge to eradicate variants that displayed low antibiotic accumulation through the chemical manipulation of their outer membrane inspiring new avenues to overcome current antibiotic treatment failures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Łapińska
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - Margaritis Voliotis
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - Ka Kiu Lee
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - Adrian Campey
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - M Rhia L Stone
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New JerseyPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Brandon Tuck
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - Wanida Phetsang
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Bing Zhang
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Department of Bioinformatics and Mathematical Modelling, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesSofiaBulgaria
| | - Mark AT Blaskovich
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
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44
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Ballén V, Cepas V, Ratia C, Gabasa Y, Soto SM. Clinical Escherichia coli: From Biofilm Formation to New Antibiofilm Strategies. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061103. [PMID: 35744621 PMCID: PMC9229135 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli is one of the species most frequently involved in biofilm-related diseases, being especially important in urinary tract infections, causing relapses or chronic infections. Compared to their planktonic analogues, biofilms confer to the bacteria the capacity to be up to 1000-fold more resistant to antibiotics and to evade the action of the host’s immune system. For this reason, biofilm-related infections are very difficult to treat. To develop new strategies against biofilms, it is important to know the mechanisms involved in their formation. In this review, the different steps of biofilm formation in E. coli, the mechanisms of tolerance to antimicrobials and new compounds and strategies to combat biofilms are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Ballén
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (Y.G.)
| | - Virginio Cepas
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (Y.G.)
| | - Carlos Ratia
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (Y.G.)
| | - Yaiza Gabasa
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (Y.G.)
| | - Sara M. Soto
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (Y.G.)
- CIBER Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
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45
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Zheng EJ, Andrews IW, Grote AT, Manson AL, Alcantar MA, Earl AM, Collins JJ. Modulating the evolutionary trajectory of tolerance using antibiotics with different metabolic dependencies. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2525. [PMID: 35534481 PMCID: PMC9085803 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30272-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic tolerance, or the ability of bacteria to survive antibiotic treatment in the absence of genetic resistance, has been linked to chronic and recurrent infections. Tolerant cells are often characterized by a low metabolic state, against which most clinically used antibiotics are ineffective. Here, we show that tolerance readily evolves against antibiotics that are strongly dependent on bacterial metabolism, but does not arise against antibiotics whose efficacy is only minimally affected by metabolic state. We identify a mechanism of tolerance evolution in E. coli involving deletion of the sodium-proton antiporter gene nhaA, which results in downregulated metabolism and upregulated stress responses. Additionally, we find that cycling of antibiotics with different metabolic dependencies interrupts evolution of tolerance in vitro, increasing the lifetime of treatment efficacy. Our work highlights the potential for limiting the occurrence and extent of tolerance by accounting for antibiotic dependencies on bacterial metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica J Zheng
- Program in Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Ian W Andrews
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Alexandra T Grote
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Abigail L Manson
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Miguel A Alcantar
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ashlee M Earl
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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46
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Lobritz MA, Andrews IW, Braff D, Porter CBM, Gutierrez A, Furuta Y, Cortes LBG, Ferrante T, Bening SC, Wong F, Gruber C, Bakerlee C, Lambert G, Walker GC, Dwyer DJ, Collins JJ. Increased energy demand from anabolic-catabolic processes drives β-lactam antibiotic lethality. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:276-286.e4. [PMID: 34990601 PMCID: PMC8857051 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
β-Lactam antibiotics disrupt the assembly of peptidoglycan (PG) within the bacterial cell wall by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). It was recently shown that β-lactam treatment initializes a futile cycle of PG synthesis and degradation, highlighting major gaps in our understanding of the lethal effects of PBP inhibition by β-lactam antibiotics. Here, we assess the downstream metabolic consequences of treatment of Escherichia coli with the β-lactam mecillinam and show that lethality from PBP2 inhibition is a specific consequence of toxic metabolic shifts induced by energy demand from multiple catabolic and anabolic processes, including accelerated protein synthesis downstream of PG futile cycling. Resource allocation into these processes is coincident with alterations in ATP synthesis and utilization, as well as a broadly dysregulated cellular redox environment. These results indicate that the disruption of normal anabolic-catabolic homeostasis by PBP inhibition is an essential factor for β-lactam antibiotic lethality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Lobritz
- 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 02139, USA,Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA,Present address: Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, 4070 Basel, Switzerland,These authors contributed equally
| | - 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 02139, USA,These authors contributed equally
| | - Dana Braff
- 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,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA,Present address: GRO Biosciences, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Caroline B. M. Porter
- 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 02139, USA
| | - Arnaud Gutierrez
- 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 02139, USA,Present address: Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016 – CNRS UMR8104 – Université Paris Descartes, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Yoshikazu Furuta
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA,Present address: Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Louis B. G. Cortes
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Thomas Ferrante
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sarah C. Bening
- 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 02139, USA
| | - Felix Wong
- 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 02139, USA
| | - Charley Gruber
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Chris Bakerlee
- 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 02139, USA
| | - Guillaume Lambert
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Graham C. Walker
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Daniel J. Dwyer
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Physical Science and Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA,Corresponding authors: ,
| | - 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 02139, USA,Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA,Lead contact,Corresponding authors: ,
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47
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Tobramycin Stress Induced Differential Gene Expression in Acinetobacter baumannii. Curr Microbiol 2022; 79:88. [PMID: 35129693 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-022-02788-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a multidrug-resistant bacteria responsible for nosocomial infections with significant fatality rates globally. Therapeutic failure and relapse of infection has been associated with persister cells formation which can also lead to resistance in A. baumannii. In the present study, we observed that A. baumannii ATCC 17978 in exponential phase survived lethal concentrations of amikacin, rifampicin and ciprofloxacin by generating persister cells but was unable to survive tobramycin treatment. The transcriptome of A. baumannii ATCC 17978 was analyzed following exposure to a high concentration of tobramycin (10 × MIC) for a short period of time to study the possible mechanisms responsible for lethality. Tobramycin reduced the expression of genes involved in energy production (nuoH, nuoN, nuoM, cydA, sucC), oxidative stress protection (tauD, cysD), and nutrition uptake (ompW) significantly. In addition, hemerythrin (non-heme di-iron oxygen-binding protein) was found to be the most downregulated gene in response to tobramycin which needs to be further studied for its role in susceptibility to antibiotics. Tobramycin upregulated the expression of genes that are mainly involved in stress response (leucine catabolism, DNA repair and HicAB toxin-antitoxin system). The differentially expressed genes highlighted in the study provided insight into the probable molecular mechanism of tobramycin-induced cell death and revealed some novel targets that can be explored further for their potential to control A. baumannii.
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48
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Kaushik V, Sharma S, Tiwari M, Tiwari V. Anti-persister strategies against stress induced bacterial persistence. Microb Pathog 2022; 164:105423. [PMID: 35092834 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The increase in antibiotic non-responsive bacteria is the leading concern in current research-oriented to eliminate pathogens. Nowadays, the excess use of antibiotics without specifically understanding the potentiality of killing pathogens and bacterial survival patterns has helped bacteria emerge indefatigably. Bacteria use various mechanisms such as resistance, persistence, and tolerance to ensure survival. Among these, persistence is a mechanism by which bacteria reside in their dormant state, bypassing the effects of treatments, making it crucial for bacterial survival. Persistent bacterial cells arise from the normal bacterial population as a slow-growing subset of bacteria with no metabolic flux. This behavior renders it to survive for a longer duration and at higher concentrations of antibiotics. They are one of the underlying causes of recurrence of bacterial infections. The present article explains the detailed molecular mechanisms and strategies of bacterial persistence, including the toxin-antitoxin modules, DNA damage, the formation of inactive ribosomal complexes, (p)ppGpp network, antibiotic-induced persistence, which are triggered by drug-induced stress. The article also comprehensively covers the epigenetic memory of persistence in bacteria, and anti-persistent therapeutics like antimicrobial molecules, synthetic peptides, acyldepsipeptide antibiotics, and endolysin therapy to reduce persister cell formation and control their frequency. These strategies could be utilized in combating the pathogenic bacteria undergoing persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Kaushik
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Saroj Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Monalisa Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Vishvanath Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Ajmer, 305817, India.
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49
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Zhou BQ, Zhou YF, Apata CO, Jiang L, Pei QM. Effects of bidirectional phenotype switching on signal noise in a bacterial community. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:054116. [PMID: 34942774 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.054116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cells can sense and process various signals. Noise is inevitable in the cell signaling system. In a bacterial community, the mutual conversion between normal cells and persistent cells forms a bidirectional phenotype switching cascade, in which either one can be used as an upstream signal and the other as a downstream signal. In order to quantitatively describe the relationship between noise and signal amplification of each phenotype, the gain-fluctuation relationship is obtained by using the linear noise approximation of the master equation. Through the simulation of these theoretical formulas, it is found that the bidirectional phenotype switching can directly generate interconversion noise which is usually very small and almost negligible. In particular, the bidirectional phenotype switching can provide a global fluctuating environment, which will not only affect the values of noise and covariance, but also generate additional intrinsic noise. The additional intrinsic noise in each phenotype is the main part of the total noise and can be transmitted to the other phenotype. The transmitted noise is also a powerful supplement to the total noise. Therefore, the indirect impact of bidirectional phenotype switching is far greater than its direct impact, which may be one of the reasons why chronic infections caused by persistent cells are refractory to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Qian Zhou
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Yi-Fan Zhou
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Charles Omotomide Apata
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Long Jiang
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
| | - Qi-Ming Pei
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
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50
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Roy S, Bahar AA, Gu H, Nangia S, Sauer K, Ren D. Persister control by leveraging dormancy associated reduction of antibiotic efflux. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010144. [PMID: 34890435 PMCID: PMC8716142 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent bacterial infections do not respond to current antibiotic treatments and thus present a great medical challenge. These conditions have been linked to the formation of dormant subpopulations of bacteria, known as persister cells, that are growth-arrested and highly tolerant to conventional antibiotics. Here, we report a new strategy of persister control and demonstrate that minocycline, an amphiphilic antibiotic that does not require active transport to penetrate bacterial membranes, is effective in killing Escherichia coli persister cells [by 70.8 ± 5.9% (0.53 log) at 100 μg/mL], while being ineffective in killing normal cells. Further mechanistic studies revealed that persister cells have reduced drug efflux and accumulate more minocycline than normal cells, leading to effective killing of this dormant subpopulation upon wake-up. Consistently, eravacycline, which also targets the ribosome but has a stronger binding affinity than minocycline, kills persister cells by 3 logs when treated at 100 μg/mL. In summary, the findings of this study reveal that while dormancy is a well-known cause of antibiotic tolerance, it also provides an Achilles’ heel for controlling persister cells by leveraging dormancy associated reduction of drug efflux. Bacterial persister cells are dormant phenotypic variants that are highly tolerant to most antibiotics; and thus, present a major challenge to infection control. This motivated us to develop new strategies that can specifically target the persister population. It is known that persister formation is associated with reduced membrane potential and cellular activities. Thus, we hypothesize that persister cells have reduced drug efflux compared to normal cells and accumulate more antimicrobial agents that can penetrate the membranes of persister cells. By testing this hypothesis, we developed a new set of criteria for selecting persister control agents and demonstrated effective control of Escherichia coli persister cells by minocycline, rifamycin SV, and eravacycline. Our results revealed that these agents are more effective against persister cells than normal cells and the killing occurred during persister wake-up. Collectively, these results demonstrate a new strategy for persister control by leveraging dormancy associated changes in bacterial physiology. The findings may contribute to future drug discovery and the treatment of persistent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta Roy
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
| | - Ali Adem Bahar
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
| | - Huan Gu
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
| | - Shikha Nangia
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
| | - Karin Sauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, United States of America
| | - Dacheng Ren
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
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