Cell density – dependent regulation: basic principles and effects on the virulence of Gram-positive cocci

Signals behind Listeria monocytogenes virulence mechanisms

The tight and coordinated regulation of virulence gene expression is crucial to ensure the survival and persistence of bacterial pathogens in different contexts within their hosts. Considering this, bacteria do not express virulence factors homogenously in time and space, either due to their associated fitness cost or to their detrimental effect at specific infection stages. To efficiently infect and persist into their hosts, bacteria have thus to monitor environmental cues or chemical cell-to-cell signaling mechanisms that allow their transition from the external environment to the host, and therefore adjust gene expression levels, intrinsic biological activities, and appropriate behaviors. Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), a major Gram-positive facultative intracellular pathogen, stands out for its adaptability and capacity to thrive in a wide range of environments. Because of that, Lm presents itself as a significant concern in food safety and public health, that can lead to potentially life-threatening infections in humans. A deeper understanding of the intricate bacterial virulence mechanisms and the signals that control them provide valuable insights into the dynamic interplay between Lm and the host. Therefore, this review addresses the role of some crucial signals behind Lm pathogenic virulence mechanisms and explores how the ability to assimilate and interpret these signals is fundamental for pathogenesis, identifying potential targets for innovative antimicrobial strategies.

Enterococcus spp.: Is It a Bad Choice for a Good Use-A Conundrum to Solve?

Since antiquity, the ubiquitous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Enterococci, which are just as predominant in both human and animal intestinal commensal flora, have been used (and still are) as probiotics in food and feed production. Their qualities encounter several hurdles, particularly in terms of the array of virulence determinants, reflecting a notorious reputation that nearly prevents their use as probiotics. Additionally, representatives of the Enterococcus spp. genus showed intrinsic resistance to several antimicrobial agents, and flexibility to acquire resistance determinants encoded on a broad array of conjugative plasmids, transposons, and bacteriophages. The presence of such pathogenic aspects among some species represents a critical barrier compromising their use as probiotics in food. Thus, the genus neither has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status nor has it been included in the Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) list implying drastic legislation towards these microorganisms. To date, the knowledge of the virulence factors and the genetic structure of foodborne enterococcal strains is rather limited. Although enterococcal infections originating from food have never been reported, the consumption of food carrying virulence enterococci seems to be a risky path of transfer, and hence, it renders them poor choices as probiotics. Auspiciously, enterococcal virulence factors seem to be strain specific suggesting that clinical isolates carry much more determinants that food isolates. The latter remain widely susceptible to clinically relevant antibiotics and subsequently, have a lower potential for pathogenicity. In terms of the ideal enterococcal candidate, selected strains deemed for use in foods should not possess any virulence genes and should be susceptible to clinically relevant antibiotics. Overall, implementation of an appropriate risk/benefit analysis, in addition to the case-by-case assessment, the establishment of a strain's innocuity, and consideration for relevant guidelines, legislation, and regulatory aspects surrounding functional food development seem to be the crucial elements for industries, health-staff and consumers to accept enterococci, like other LAB, as important candidates for useful and beneficial applications in food industry and food biotechnology. The present review aims at shedding light on the world of hurdles and limitations that hampers the Enterococcus spp. genus and its representatives from being used or proposed for use as probiotics. The future of enterococci use as probiotics and legislation in this field are also discussed.

A new, reliable, and high-throughput strategy to screen bacteria for antagonistic activity against Staphylococcus aureus

Background

Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones have emerged globally over the last few decades. Probiotics have been actively studied as an alternative to antibiotics to prevent and treat S. aureus infections, but identifying new probiotic bacteria, that have antagonistic activity against S. aureus, is difficult since traditional screening strategies are time-consuming and expensive. Here, we describe a new plasmid-based method which uses highly stable plasmids to screen bacteria with antagonistic activity against S. aureus.

Results

We have created two recombinant plasmids (pQS1 and pQS3) which carry either gfp_bk or mCherry under the control of a S. aureus quorum-sensing (QS) promoter (agrP3). Using this recombinant plasmid pair, we tested 81 bacteria isolated from Holstein dairy milk to identify bacteria that had growth-inhibiting activity against S. aureus and suggest potential explanations for the growth inhibition. The stability test illustrated that pQS1 and pQS3 remained highly stable for at least 24 h in batch culture conditions without selection pressure from antibiotics. This allowed co-culturing of S. aureus with other bacteria. Using the newly developed pQS plasmids, we found commensal bacteria, isolated from raw bovine milk, which had growth-inhibiting activity (n = 13) and quorum-quenching (QQ) activity (n = 13) towards both S. aureus Sa25 (CC97) and Sa27 (CC151). The pQS-based method is efficient and effective for simultaneously screening growth-inhibiting and QQ bacteria against S. aureus on agar media.

Conclusions

It was shown that growth-inhibiting and QQ activity toward pQS plasmid transformants of S. aureus can be simultaneously monitored by observing the zone of growth inhibition and reporter protein inhibition on agar plates. Newly identified antagonistic bacteria and their functional biomolecules are promising candidates for future development of probiotic drugs and prophylactics/therapeutics for bacterial infections including S. aureus. Furthermore, this new approach can be a useful method to find bacteria that can be used to prevent and treat S. aureus infections in both humans and animals.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-021-02265-4.

Correlation between the Bacteriostatic and Bactericide Effect with Antibiofilm and Anticolony Spreading from Javanese Citronella Oil on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogenic bacterium that has been resistant to various types of antibiotics, so it is not easy to be treated with antibiotics and needs other solutions. Javanese citronella oil distilled from the Cymbopogon nardus plant is proven to function as an antibacterial agent (bacteriostatic and bactericidal), fungicide and repellent. This study aimed to prove that there is a positive correlation between bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects with antibiofilm and anticolony spreading from Javanese citronella oil on MRSA. The intended antibiofilm is a barrier to biofilm formation and eradication. Bacteriostatic and antibiofilm effects were tested using microtiter plates assay, bactericidal effect test with subculture into the media and anticolony spreading effect test with spot inoculation in Tryptic Soy Broth media supplemented with 0.24% agar. The bacteriostatic effect test data were analyzed using paired t-test, bactericidal effect using the Friedman test, antibiofilm effect test using Kruskall-Wallis and the results of all the tests correlated using Pearson and Spearman correlation. The statistical significance used was p<0.05. The results showed that Javanese citronella oil had a bacteriostatic concentration of 0.02% (v/v) and bactericidal concentration of 0.78% (v/v). The Pearson correlation test showed that there was a negative correlation between bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects on biofilm formation with r = -0.956 (p = 0.000), but the correlation was positive for biofilm eradication with r = 0.918 (p = 0.000) and anticolony spreading with r = 1.000 (p = 0.000).

Degradation of the Incretin Hormone Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) by Enterococcus faecalis Metalloprotease GelE

Humans have a complex and interconnected relationship with their gastrointestinal microbiomes, yet our interest in the microbiome tends to focus on overt pathogenic or probiotic activities, leaving the roles that commensal species may have on host physiology and metabolic processes largely unexplored. Commensal organisms in the microbiome produce and secrete many factors that have an opportunity to interact with the gastrointestinal tract and host biology. Here, we show that a secreted protease from E. faecalis, GelE, is able to degrade the gastrointestinal hormone GLP-1, which is responsible for regulating glucose homeostasis and appetite in the body. The disruption of natural GLP-1 signaling by GelE may have significant consequences for maintaining healthy blood glucose levels and in the development of metabolic disease. Furthermore, this work deepens our understanding of specific host-microbiome interactions.

Metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity, have become increasingly prevalent global health concerns. Studies over the past decade have established connections between the gastrointestinal microbiota and host metabolism, but the mechanisms behind these connections are only beginning to be understood. We were interested in identifying microbes that have the ability to modulate the levels of the incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Using a human-derived cell line that is capable of secreting GLP-1 in response to stimulatory ligands (NCI-H716), we identified supernatants from several bacterial isolates that were capable of decreasing GLP-1 levels, including several strains of Enterococcus faecalis. We further identified the secreted protease GelE, an established virulence factor from E. faecalis, as being responsible for GLP-1 inhibition via direct cleavage of GLP-1 by GelE. Finally, we demonstrated that E. faecalis supernatants can disrupt a colonic epithelial monolayer and cleave GLP-1 in a gelE-dependent manner. This work suggests that a secreted factor from an intestinal microbe can traverse the epithelial barrier and impact levels of an important intestinal hormone.

IMPORTANCE Humans have a complex and interconnected relationship with their gastrointestinal microbiomes, yet our interest in the microbiome tends to focus on overt pathogenic or probiotic activities, leaving the roles that commensal species may have on host physiology and metabolic processes largely unexplored. Commensal organisms in the microbiome produce and secrete many factors that have an opportunity to interact with the gastrointestinal tract and host biology. Here, we show that a secreted protease from E. faecalis, GelE, is able to degrade the gastrointestinal hormone GLP-1, which is responsible for regulating glucose homeostasis and appetite in the body. The disruption of natural GLP-1 signaling by GelE may have significant consequences for maintaining healthy blood glucose levels and in the development of metabolic disease. Furthermore, this work deepens our understanding of specific host-microbiome interactions.

Enterococcal Genetics

The study of the genetics of enterococci has focused heavily on mobile genetic elements present in these organisms, the complex regulatory circuits used to control their mobility, and the antibiotic resistance genes they frequently carry. Recently, more focus has been placed on the regulation of genes involved in the virulence of the opportunistic pathogenic species Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Little information is available concerning fundamental aspects of DNA replication, partition, and division; this article begins with a brief overview of what little is known about these issues, primarily by comparison with better-studied model organisms. A variety of transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms of regulation of gene expression are then discussed, including a section on the genetics and regulation of vancomycin resistance in enterococci. The article then provides extensive coverage of the pheromone-responsive conjugation plasmids, including sections on regulation of the pheromone response, the conjugative apparatus, and replication and stable inheritance. The article then focuses on conjugative transposons, now referred to as integrated, conjugative elements, or ICEs, and concludes with several smaller sections covering emerging areas of interest concerning the enterococcal mobilome, including nonpheromone plasmids of particular interest, toxin-antitoxin systems, pathogenicity islands, bacteriophages, and genome defense.

Quorum sensing intervened bacterial signaling: Pursuit of its cognizance and repression

Bacteria communicate within a system by means of a density dependent mechanism known as quorum sensing which regulate the metabolic and behavioral activities of a bacterial community. This sort of interaction occurs through a dialect of chemical signals called as autoinducers synthesized by bacteria. Bacterial quorum sensing occurs through various complex pathways depending upon specious diversity. Therefore the cognizance of quorum sensing mechanism will enable the regulation and thereby constrain bacterial communication. Inhibition strategies of quorum sensing are collectively called as quorum quenching; through which bacteria are incapacitated of its interaction with each other. Many virulence mechanism such as sporulation, biofilm formation, toxin production can be blocked by quorum quenching. Usually quorum quenching mechanisms can be broadly classified into enzymatic methods and non-enzymatic methods. Substantial understanding of bacterial communication and its inhibition enhances the development of novel antibacterial therapeutic drugs. In this review we have discussed the types and mechanisms of quorum sensing and various methods to inhibit and regulate density dependent bacterial communication.

Production of membrane proteins for characterisation of their pheromone-sensing and antimicrobial resistance functions

Despite the importance of membrane proteins in cellular processes, studies of these hydrophobic proteins present major technical challenges, including expression and purification for structural and biophysical studies. A modified strategy of that proposed previously by Saidijam et al. (2005) and others, for the routine expression of bacterial membrane proteins involved in environmental sensing and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is proposed which results in purification of sufficient proteins for biophysical experiments. We report expression successes amongst a collection of enterococcal vancomycin resistance membrane proteins: VanT_G, VanT_G-M transporter domain, VanZ and the previously characterised VanS (A-type) histidine protein kinase (HPK). Using the same strategy, we report on the successful amplification and purification of intact BlpH and ComD2 HPKs of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Near-UV circular dichroism revealed both recombinant proteins bound their pheromone ligands BlpC and CSP2. Interestingly, CSP1 also interacted with ComD. Finally, we evaluate the alternative strategy for studying sensory HPKs involving isolated soluble sensory domain fragments, exemplified by successful production of VicK_ESD of Enterococcus faecalis VicK. Purified VicK_ESD possessed secondary structure post-purification. Thermal denaturation experiments using far-UV CD, a technique which can be revealing regarding ligand binding, revealed that: (a) VicK_ESD denaturation occurs between 15 and 50 °C; and (b) reducing conditions did not detectably affect denaturation profiles suggesting reducing conditions per se are not directly sensed by VicK_ESD. Our findings provide information on a modified strategy for the successful expression, production and/or storage of bacterial membrane HPKs, AMR proteins and sensory domains for their future crystallisation, and ligand binding studies.

Antivirulence Properties of Probiotics in Combating Microbial Pathogenesis

Probiotics are nonpathogenic microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts. Ample evidence is documented to support the potential application of probiotics for the prevention and treatment of infections. Health benefits of probiotics include prevention of diarrhea, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea and traveler's diarrhea, atopic eczema, dental carries, colorectal cancers, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The cumulative body of scientific evidence that demonstrates the beneficial effects of probiotics on health and disease prevention has made probiotics increasingly important as a part of human nutrition and led to a surge in the demand for probiotics in clinical applications and as functional foods. The ability of probiotics to promote health is attributed to the various beneficial effects exerted by these microorganisms on the host. These include lactose metabolism and food digestion, production of antimicrobial peptides and control of enteric infections, anticarcinogenic properties, immunologic enhancement, enhancement of short-chain fatty acid production, antiatherogenic and cholesterol-lowering attributes, regulatory role in allergy, protection against vaginal or urinary tract infections, increased nutritional value, maintenance of epithelial integrity and barrier, stimulation of repair mechanism in cells, and maintenance and reestablishment of well-balanced indigenous intestinal and respiratory microbial communities. Most of these attributes primarily focus on the effect of probiotic supplementation on the host. Hence, in most cases, it can be concluded that the ability of a probiotic to protect the host from infection is an indirect result of promoting overall health and well-being. However, probiotics also exert a direct effect on invading microorganisms. The direct modes of action resulting in the elimination of pathogens include inhibition of pathogen replication by producing antimicrobial substances like bacteriocins, competition for limiting resources in the host, antitoxin effect, inhibition of virulence, antiadhesive and antiinvasive effects, and competitive exclusion by competition for binding sites or stimulation of epithelial barrier function. Although much has been documented about the ability of probiotics to promote host health, there is limited discussion on the above mentioned effects of probiotics on pathogens. Being in an era of antibiotic resistance, a better understanding of this complex probiotic-pathogen interaction is critical for development of effective strategies to control infections. Therefore, this chapter will focus on the ability of probiotics to directly modulate the infectious nature of pathogens and the underlying mechanisms that mediate these effects.

Biofilm, pathogenesis and prevention--a journey to break the wall: a review

Biofilms contain group(s) of microorganisms that are found to be associated with the biotic and abiotic surfaces. Biofilms contain either homogenous or heterogeneous populations of bacteria which remain in the matrix made up of extracellular polymeric substances secreted by constituent population of the biofilm. Biofilms can be either single or multilayered. Biofilms are an increasing issue of concern that is gaining importance with each passing day. Due to the ubiquitous nature of biofilms, it is difficult to eradicate them. It has been seen that many infectious diseases harbour biofilms of bacterial pathogens as the reservoir of persisting infections which can prove fatal at times. The presence of biofilms can be seen in diseases like endocarditis, cystic fibrosis, periodontitis, rhinosinusitis and osteomyelitis. The presence of biofilms has been mostly seen in medical implants and urinary catheters. Various signalling events including two-component signalling, extra cytoplasmic function and quorum sensing are involved in the formation of biofilms. The presence of an extracellular polymeric matrix in biofilms makes it difficult for the antimicrobials to act on them and make the bacteria tolerant to antibiotics and other drugs. The aim of this review was to discuss about the basic formation of a biofilm, various signalling cascades involved in biofilm formation, possible mechanisms of drug resistance in biofilms and recent therapeutic approaches involved in successful eradication of biofilms.

The Intraperitoneal Transcriptome of the Opportunistic Pathogen Enterococcus faecalis in Mice

Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive lactic acid intestinal opportunistic bacterium with virulence potential. For a better understanding of the adapation of this bacterium to the host conditions, we performed a transcriptome analysis of bacteria isolated from an infection site (mouse peritonitis) by RNA-sequencing. We identified a total of 211 genes with significantly higher transcript levels and 157 repressed genes. Our in vivo gene expression database reflects well the infection process since genes encoding important virulence factors like cytolysin, gelatinase or aggregation substance as well as stress response proteins, are significantly induced. Genes encoding metabolic activities are the second most abundant in vivo induced genes demonstrating that the bacteria are metabolically active and adapt to the special nutrient conditions of the host. α- and β- glucosides seem to be important substrates for E. faecalis inside the host. Compared to laboratory conditions, the flux through the upper part of glycolysis seems to be reduced and more carbon may enter the pentose phosphate pathway. This may reflect the need of the bacteria under infection conditions to produce more reducing power for biosynthesis. Another important substrate is certainly glycerol since both pathways of glycerol catabolism are strongly induced. Strongly in vivo induced genes should be important for the infection process. This assumption has been verified in a virulence test using well characterized mutants affected in glycerol metabolism. This showed indeed that mutants unable to metabolize this sugar alcohol are affected in organ colonisation in a mouse model.

Enterococcus infection biology: lessons from invertebrate host models

The enterococci are commensals of the gastrointestinal tract of many metazoans, from insects to humans. While they normally do not cause disease in the intestine, they can become pathogenic when they infect sites outside of the gut. Recently, the enterococci have become important nosocomial pathogens, with the majority of human enterococcal infections caused by two species, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Studies using invertebrate infection models have revealed insights into the biology of enterococcal infections, as well as general principles underlying host innate immune defense. This review highlights recent findings on Enterococcus infection biology from two invertebrate infection models, the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella and the free-living bacteriovorous nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Antagonistic Rgg regulators mediate quorum sensing via competitive DNA binding in Streptococcus pyogenes

Recent studies have established the fact that multiple members of the Rgg family of transcriptional regulators serve as key components of quorum sensing (QS) pathways that utilize peptides as intercellular signaling molecules. We previously described a novel QS system in Streptococcus pyogenes which utilizes two Rgg-family regulators (Rgg2 and Rgg3) that respond to neighboring signaling peptides (SHP2 and SHP3) to control gene expression and biofilm formation. We have shown that Rgg2 is a transcriptional activator of target genes, whereas Rgg3 represses expression of these genes, and that SHPs function to activate the QS system. The mechanisms by which Rgg proteins regulate both QS-dependent and QS-independent processes remain poorly defined; thus, we sought to further elucidate how Rgg2 and Rgg3 mediate gene regulation. Here we provide evidence that S. pyogenes employs a unique mechanism of direct competition between the antagonistic, peptide-responsive proteins Rgg2 and Rgg3 for binding at target promoters. The highly conserved, shared binding sites for Rgg2 and Rgg3 are located proximal to the -35 nucleotide in the target promoters, and the direct competition between the two regulators results in concentration-dependent, exclusive occupation of the target promoters that can be skewed in favor of Rgg2 in vitro by the presence of SHP. These results suggest that exclusionary binding of target promoters by Rgg3 may prevent Rgg2 binding under SHP-limiting conditions, thereby preventing premature induction of the quorum sensing circuit.

IMPORTANCE

Rgg-family transcriptional regulators are widespread among low-G+C Gram-positive bacteria and in many cases contribute to bacterial physiology and virulence. Only recently was it discovered that several Rgg proteins function in cell-to-cell communication (quorum sensing [QS]) via direct interaction with signaling peptides. The mechanism(s) by which Rgg proteins mediate regulation is poorly understood, and further insight into Rgg function is anticipated to be of great importance for the understanding of both regulatory-network architecture and intercellular communication in Rgg-containing species. The results of this study on the Rgg2/3 QS circuit of S. pyogenes demonstrate that DNA binding of target promoters by the activator Rgg2 is directly inhibited by competitive binding by the repressor Rgg3, thereby preventing transcriptional activation of the target genes and premature induction of the QS circuit. This is a unique regulatory mechanism among Rgg proteins and other peptide-responsive QS regulators.

Degradation of formaldehyde at high concentrations by phenol-adapted Ralstonia eutropha closely related to pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs

The ability of the phenol-adapted Ralstonia eutropha to utilize formaldehyde (FD) as the sole source of carbon and energy was studied. Adaptation to FD was accomplished by substituting FD for glucose in a stepwise manner. The bacterium in the liquid test culture could tolerate concentrations of FD up to 900 mg L(-1). Degradation of FD was complete in 528 h at 30°C with shaking at 150 rpm (r = 1.67 mg L(-1) h(-1)), q = 0.035 g(FD) g(cell) (-1) h(-1). Substrate inhibition kinetics (Haldane and Luong equations) are used to describe the experimental data. At non-inhibitory concentrations of FD, the Monod equation was used. According to the Luong model, the values of the maximum specific growth rate (μ(max)), half-saturation coefficient (k(S)), the maximum allowable formaldehyde concentration (S(m)), and the shape factor (n) were 0.117 h(-1), 47.6 mg L(-1), 900 mg L(-1), and 2.2, respectively. The growth response of the test bacterium to consecutive FD feedings was examined, and the FD-adapted R. eutropha cells were able to degrade 1000 mg L(-1) FD in 150 h through 4 cycles of FD feeds. During FD degradation, formic acid metabolite was formed. Assimilation of FD, methanol, formic acid, and oxalate by the test bacterium was accompanied by the formation of a pink pigment. The carotenoid nature of the cellular pigment has been confirmed and the test bacterium appeared to be closely related to pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFM). The extent of harm to soil exposed to biotreated wastewaters containing FD may be moderated due to the association between methylotrophic/oxalotrophic bacteria and plants.

Bacterial quorum sensing: its role in virulence and possibilities for its control

Quorum sensing is a process of cell-cell communication that allows bacteria to share information about cell density and adjust gene expression accordingly. This process enables bacteria to express energetically expensive processes as a collective only when the impact of those processes on the environment or on a host will be maximized. Among the many traits controlled by quorum sensing is the expression of virulence factors by pathogenic bacteria. Here we review the quorum-sensing circuits of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Vibrio cholerae. We outline these canonical quorum-sensing mechanisms and how each uniquely controls virulence factor production. Additionally, we examine recent efforts to inhibit quorum sensing in these pathogens with the goal of designing novel antimicrobial therapeutics.

Quorum sensing in the context of food microbiology

Food spoilage may be defined as a process that renders a product undesirable or unacceptable for consumption and is the outcome of the biochemical activity of a microbial community that eventually dominates according to the prevailing ecological determinants. Although limited information are reported, this activity has been attributed to quorum sensing (QS). Consequently, the potential role of cell-to-cell communication in food spoilage and food safety should be more extensively elucidated. Such information would be helpful in designing approaches for manipulating these communication systems, thereby reducing or preventing, for instance, spoilage reactions or even controlling the expression of virulence factors. Due to the many reports in the literature on the fundamental features of QS, e.g., chemistry and definitions of QS compounds, in this minireview, we only allude to the types and chemistry of QS signaling molecules per se and to the (bioassay-based) methods of their detection and quantification, avoiding extensive documentation. Conversely, we attempt to provide insights into (i) the role of QS in food spoilage, (ii) the factors that may quench the activity of QS in foods and review the potential QS inhibitors that might "mislead" the bacterial coordination of spoilage activities and thus may be used as biopreservatives, and (iii) the future experimental approaches that need to be undertaken in order to explore the "gray" or "black" areas of QS, increase our understanding of how QS affects microbial behavior in foods, and assist in finding answers as to how we can exploit QS for the benefit of food preservation and food safety.

Update on infectious risks associated with dental unit waterlines

Modern dental chair units consist of a network of interconnected narrow-bore plastic tubes called dental unit waterlines (DUWLs). The water delivered by these DUWLs acts as both a coolant for a range of instruments and an irrigant during dental treatments. The quality of water is of considerable importance because both patients and dental team are regularly exposed to water and aerosols generated by dental equipment. Studies have demonstrated that DUWLs provide a favourable environment for microbial proliferation and biofilm formation, and that water is consequently often contaminated with high densities of various microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses). The presence of high levels of microbial contamination may be a health problem for dentists and patients, especially those who are immunocompromised. The current status of knowledge on microbial contamination of DUWLs is presented, with an emphasis on the infectious risk associated with DUWLs and on the various approaches for disinfecting and protecting DUWLs.

Cross-strain quorum sensing inhibition by Staphylococcus aureus. Part 2: A spatially inhomogeneous model

Staphylococcus aureus uses quorum sensing (QS) to enhance its pathogenicity. An intriguing aspect of this is that different strains are capable of inactivating the QS systems of opposing strains. In Part 1 of this study, we presented a model of this phenomenon in a well-mixed environment; here, we incorporate spatial structure. Two competitive strains occupying adjacent habitats with freely diffusing QS signal molecules (QSSMs) are considered. We investigate the effect of the QSSM diffusion coefficient and the relative size of the two populations on the ability of one population to dominate the other. Regarding population size, a larger population is generally at an advantage (initial conditions permitting), while the implications of different diffusivities are more complex and depend upon the sizes of the populations.

Quorum sensing: regulating the regulators

Many bacteria use 'quorum sensing' (QS) as a mechanism to regulate gene induction in a population-dependent manner. In its simplest sense this involves the accumulation of a signaling metabolite during growth; the binding of this metabolite to a regulator or multiple regulators activates induction or repression of gene expression. However QS regulation is seldom this simple, because other inputs are usually involved. In this review we have focussed on how those other inputs influence QS regulation and as implied by the title, this often occurs by environmental or physiological effects regulating the expression or activity of the QS regulators. The rationale of this review is to briefly introduce the main QS signals used in Gram-negative bacteria and then introduce one of the earliest understood mechanisms of regulation of the regulator, namely the plant-mediated control of expression of the TraR QS regulator in Agrobacterium tumefaciens. We then describe how in several species, multiple QS regulatory systems can act as integrated hierarchical regulatory networks and usually this involves the regulation of QS regulators. Such networks can be influenced by many different physiological and environmental inputs and we describe diverse examples of these. In the final section, we describe different examples of how eukaryotes can influence QS regulation in Gram-negative bacteria.

Hacking into bacterial biofilms: a new therapeutic challenge

Microbiologists have extensively worked during the past decade on a particular phase of the bacterial cell cycle known as biofilm, in which single-celled individuals gather together to form a sedentary but dynamic community within a complex structure, displaying spatial and functional heterogeneity. In response to the perception of environmental signals by sensing systems, appropriate responses are triggered, leading to biofilm formation. This process involves various molecular systems that enable bacteria to identify appropriate surfaces on which to anchor themselves, to stick to those surfaces and to each other, to construct multicellular communities several hundreds of micrometers thick, and to detach from the community. The biofilm microbial community is a unique, highly competitive, and crowded environment facilitating microevolutionary processes and horizontal gene transfer between distantly related microorganisms. It is governed by social rules, based on the production and use of "public" goods, with actors and recipients. Biofilms constitute a unique shield against external aggressions, including drug treatment and immune reactions. Biofilm-associated infections in humans have therefore generated major problems for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Improvements in our understanding of biofilms have led to innovative research designed to interfere with this process.

Rgg proteins associated with internalized small hydrophobic peptides: a new quorum-sensing mechanism in streptococci

We identified a genetic context encoding a transcriptional regulator of the Rgg family and a small hydrophobic peptide (SHP) in nearly all streptococci and suggested that it may be involved in a new quorum-sensing mechanism, with SHP playing the role of a pheromone. Here, we provide further support for this hypothesis by constructing a phylogenetic tree of the Rgg and Rgg-like proteins from Gram-positive bacteria and by studying the shp/rgg1358 locus of Streptococcus thermophilus LMD-9. We identified the shp1358 gene as a target of Rgg1358, and used it to confirm the existence of the steps of a quorum-sensing mechanism including secretion, maturation and reimportation of the pheromone into the cell. We used surface plasmon resonance to demonstrate interaction between the pheromone and the regulatory protein and performed electrophoretic mobility shift assays to assess binding of the transcriptional regulator to the promoter regions of its target genes. The active form of the pheromone was identified by mass spectrometry. Our findings demonstrate that the shp/rgg1358 locus encodes two components of a novel quorum-sensing mechanism involving a transcriptional regulator of the Rgg family and a SHP pheromone that is detected and reimported into the cell by the Ami oligopeptide transporter.

Design principles of the bacterial quorum sensing gene networks

Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) has attracted much interest as the manifestation of collective behavior in prokaryotic organisms once considered strictly solitary. Significant amount of genetic, biochemical, and structural data which, has been accumulated in studies on QS in many species allows us to map properties of specific molecules and their interactions on the observed population-wide bacterial behavior. The present review attempts to give a systems biology perspective on the structure of genetic regulatory networks that control QS and considers functional implications of a variety of design principles that recur in the organization of these networks across species.

Different aspects of bacterial communication signals

The communication or quorum-sensing signal molecules (QSSM) are specialized molecules used by numerous gram-negative bacterial pathogens of animals and plants to regulate or modulate bacterial virulence factor production. In plant-associated bacteria, genes encoding the production of these signal molecules, QSSMs, were discovered to be linked with the phenotype of bacterium, because mutation of these genes typically disrupts some behaviors of bacteria. There are other regulator genes which respond to the presence of signal molecule and regulate the production of signal molecule as well as some virulence factors. The synthesis and regulator genes (collectively called quorum-sensing genes hereafter) are repressed in low bacterial population but induced when bacteria reach to high cell density. Multiple regulatory components have been identified in the bacteria that are under control of quorum sensing. This review describes different communication signal molecules, and the various chemical, physical and genomic factors known to synthesize signals. Likewise, the role of some signal-degrading enzymes or compounds and the interaction of QSSMs with eukaryotic metabolism will be discussed here.

A mathematical investigation of the effects of inhibitor therapy on three putative phosphorylation cascades governing the two-component system of the agr operon

Two-component systems (TCSs) are widely employed by bacteria to sense specific external signals and conduct an appropriate response via a phosphorylation cascade within the cell. The TCS of the agr operon in the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus forms part of a regulatory process termed quorum sensing, a cell-to-cell communication mechanism used to assess population density. Since S. aureus manipulates this "knowledge" in order to co-ordinate production of its armoury of exotoxin virulence factors required to promote infection, it is important to understand fully how this process works. We present three models of the agr operon, each incorporating a different phosphorylation cascade for the TCS since the precise nature of the cascade is not fully understood. Using numerical and asymptotic techniques we examine the effects of inhibitor therapy, a novel approach to controlling bacterial infection through the attenuation of virulence, on each of these three cascades. We present results which, if evaluated against appropriate experimental data, provide insights into the potential effectiveness of such therapy. Moreover, the TCS models presented here are of broad relevance given that TCSs are widely conserved throughout the bacterial kingdom.

Functional analysis of the quorum-sensing streptococcal invasion locus (sil)

Group A streptococcus (GAS) causes a wide variety of human diseases, and at the same time, GAS can also circulate without producing symptoms, similar to its close commensal relative, group G streptococcus (GGS). We previously identified, by transposon-tagged mutagenesis, the streptococcal invasion locus (sil). sil is a quorum-sensing regulated locus which is activated by the autoinducer peptide SilCR through the two-component system SilA-SilB. Here we characterize the DNA promoter region necessary for SilA-mediated activation. This site is composed of two direct repeats of 10 bp, separated by a spacer of 11 bp. Fusion of this site to gfp allowed us to systematically introduce single-base substitutions in the repeats region and to assess the relative contribution of various positions to promoter strength. We then developed an algorithm giving different weights to these positions, and performed a chromosome-wide bioinformatics search which was validated by transcriptome analysis. We identified 13 genes, mostly bacteriocin related, that are directly under the control of SilA. Having developed the ability to quantify SilCR signaling via GFP accumulation prompted us to search for GAS and GGS strains that sense and produce SilCR. While the majority of GAS strains lost sil, all GGS strains examined still possess the locus and ∼63% are able to respond to exogenously added SilCR. By triggering the autoinduction circle using a minute concentration of synthetic SilCR, we identified GAS and GGS strains that are capable of sensing and naturally producing SilCR, and showed that SilCR can be sensed across these streptococci species. These findings suggest that sil may be involved in colonization and establishment of commensal host-bacterial relationships.

Cell-to-cell communication in bacteria is termed quorum-sensing (QS), which is triggered by signaling molecules called autoinducers. In streptococci, autoinducers are synthesized as immature peptides that are processed, secreted, and then sensed by two-component systems (TCSs). As a result, the autoinducer's own expression is upregulated (autoinduction), subsequently creating an ultrasensitive switch that turns on more genes. Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a human pathogen that causes many infections, including necrotizing fasciitis (NF). Previously, we identified in a NF GAS strain a QS locus termed streptococcal invasion locus (sil). Due to a mutation in the autoinducer peptide-SilCR, it is not produced by this strain. Here we sought to better explore sil and to examine if SilCR can be produced by other GAS strains, or strains of its close relative group G streptococcus (GGS). To this end, we characterized the DNA promoter region responsible for the TCS-mediated activation upon sensing of SilCR, and based on bioinformatics and transcriptome analyses we identified genes that are directly affected by the autoinducer peptide. By converting SilCR response to fluorescence production and turning on the autoinduction circle with minute concentrations of synthetic SilCR, we discovered naturally SilCR-producing GAS and GGS strains, and showed that SilCR can be sensed across these species. Our study describes a novel way of cell-to-cell communications among streptococci.

CcpA and LacD.1 affect temporal regulation of Streptococcus pyogenes virulence genes

Production of H(2)O(2) follows a growth phase-dependent pattern that mimics that of many virulence factors of Streptococcus pyogenes. To gain greater insight into mechanisms coupling virulence factor expression to growth phase, we investigated the molecular basis for H(2)O(2) generation and its regulation. Deletion of the gene encoding lactate oxidase (lctO) or culture in the presence of glucose eliminated H(2)O(2) production, implicating carbohydrate regulation of lctO as a key element of growth phase control. In examining known carbohydrate-responsive regulators, deletion of the gene encoding CcpA but not that encoding LacD.1 resulted in both derepression and an uncoupling of lctO transcription from its growth phase pattern. Expanding this analysis to additional virulence factors demonstrated both negative (cfa, encoding CAMP factor) and positive (speB, encoding a cysteine protease) regulation by CcpA and that CcpA mutants were highly cytotoxic for cultured macrophages. This latter property resulted from enhanced transcription of the streptolysin S biogenesis operon. Examination of CcpA-promoter interactions using a DNA pull-down assay mimicking physiological conditions showed direct binding to the promoters of lctO and speB but not those of sagA. CcpA but not LacD.1 mutants were attenuated in a murine model of soft-tissue infection, and analysis of gene expression in infected tissue indicated that CcpA mutants had altered expression of lctO, cfa, and speB but not the indirectly regulated sagA gene. Taken together, these data show that CcpA regulates virulence genes via at least three distinct mechanisms and that disruption of growth phase regulation alters transcriptional patterns in infected tissues.

Streptococcus gordonii modulates Candida albicans biofilm formation through intergeneric communication

The fungus Candida albicans colonizes human oral cavity surfaces in conjunction with a complex microflora. C. albicans SC5314 formed biofilms on saliva-coated surfaces that in early stages of development consisted of approximately 30% hyphal forms. In mixed biofilms with the oral bacterium Streptococcus gordonii DL1, hyphal development by C. albicans was enhanced so that biofilms consisted of approximately 60% hyphal forms. Cell-cell contact between S. gordonii and C. albicans involved Streptococcus cell wall-anchored proteins SspA and SspB (antigen I/II family polypeptides). Repression of C. albicans hyphal filament and biofilm production by the quorum-sensing molecule farnesol was relieved by S. gordonii. The ability of a luxS mutant of S. gordonii deficient in production of autoinducer 2 to induce C. albicans hyphal formation was reduced, and this mutant suppressed farnesol inhibition of hyphal formation less effectively. Coincubation of the two microbial species led to activation of C. albicans mitogen-activated protein kinase Cek1p, inhibition of Mkc1p activation by H(2)O(2), and enhanced activation of Hog1p by farnesol, which were direct effects of streptococci on morphogenetic signaling. These results suggest that interactions between C. albicans and S. gordonii involve physical (adherence) and chemical (diffusible) signals that influence the development of biofilm communities. Thus, bacteria may play a significant role in modulating Candida carriage and infection processes in the oral cavity.

The ecology, epidemiology and virulence of Enterococcus

Enterococci are Gram-positive, catalase-negative, non-spore-forming, facultative anaerobic bacteria, which usually inhabit the alimentary tract of humans in addition to being isolated from environmental and animal sources. They are able to survive a range of stresses and hostile environments, including those of extreme temperature (5-65 degrees C), pH (4.5-10.0) and high NaCl concentration, enabling them to colonize a wide range of niches. Virulence factors of enterococci include the extracellular protein Esp and aggregation substances (Agg), both of which aid in colonization of the host. The nosocomial pathogenicity of enterococci has emerged in recent years, as well as increasing resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics. Understanding the ecology, epidemiology and virulence of Enterococcus species is important for limiting urinary tract infections, hepatobiliary sepsis, endocarditis, surgical wound infection, bacteraemia and neonatal sepsis, and also stemming the further development of antibiotic resistance.

Functional analysis of the group A streptococcal luxS/AI-2 system in metabolism, adaptation to stress and interaction with host cells

Background

The luxS/AI-2 signaling pathway has been reported to interfere with important physiological and pathogenic functions in a variety of bacteria. In the present study, we investigated the functional role of the streptococcal luxS/AI-2 system in metabolism and diverse aspects of pathogenicity including the adaptation of the organism to stress conditions using two serotypes of Streptococcus pyogenes, M1 and M19.

Results

Exposing wild-type and isogenic luxS-deficient strains to sulfur-limited media suggested a limited role for luxS in streptococcal activated methyl cycle metabolism. Interestingly, loss of luxS led to an increased acid tolerance in both serotypes. Accordingly, luxS expression and AI-2 production were reduced at lower pH, thus linking the luxS/AI-2 system to stress adaptation in S. pyogenes. luxS expression and AI-2 production also decreased when cells were grown in RPMI medium supplemented with 10% serum, considered to be a host environment-mimicking medium. Furthermore, interaction analysis with epithelial cells and macrophages showed a clear advantage of the luxS-deficient mutants to be internalized and survive intracellularly in the host cells compared to the wild-type parents. In addition, our data revealed that luxS influences the expression of two virulence-associated factors, the fasX regulatory RNA and the virulence gene sibA (psp).

Conclusion

Here, we suggest that the group A streptococcal luxS/AI-2 system is not only involved in the regulation of virulence factor expression but in addition low level of luxS expression seems to provide an advantage for bacterial survival in conditions that can be encountered during infections.

The detection of environmental autoinducing peptide quorum-sensing genes from an uncultured Clostridium sp. in landfill leachate reactor biomass

AIMS

To elucidate whether a dominant uncultured clostridial (Clostridium thermocellum-like) species in an environmental sample (landfill leachate), possesses an autoinducing peptide (AIP) quorum-sensing (QS) gene, although it may not be functional.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A modified AIP accessory gene regulator (agr)C PCR protocol was performed on extracted DNA from a landfill leachate sample (also characterized by 16S rRNA gene cloning) and the PCR products were cloned, sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. It appeared that two agrC gene phylotypes existed, most closely related to the C. thermocellum agrC gene, differing by only 1 bp.

CONCLUSIONS

It is possible to specifically identify and characterize the agrC AIP QS gene from uncultured Firmicutes (C. thermocellum-like) bacteria derived from environmental (landfill leachate) sample.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This is the first successful attempt at identifying AIP QS genes from a cellulolytic environment (landfill). The agrC gene was identified as being most closely related to the C. thermocellum agrC gene, the same bacterium identified as being dominant, according to 16S rRNA gene cloning and subsequently fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses, in the same biomass.

Messing with bacterial quorum sensing

Quorum sensing is widely recognized as an efficient mechanism to regulate expression of specific genes responsible for communal behavior in bacteria. Several bacterial phenotypes essential for the successful establishment of symbiotic, pathogenic, or commensal relationships with eukaryotic hosts, including motility, exopolysaccharide production, biofilm formation, and toxin production, are often regulated by quorum sensing. Interestingly, eukaryotes produce quorum-sensing-interfering (QSI) compounds that have a positive or negative influence on the bacterial signaling network. This eukaryotic interference could result in further fine-tuning of bacterial quorum sensing. Furthermore, recent work involving the synthesis of structural homologs to the various quorum-sensing signal molecules has resulted in the development of additional QSI compounds that could be used to control pathogenic bacteria. The creation of transgenic plants that express bacterial quorum-sensing genes is yet another strategy to interfere with bacterial behavior. Further investigation on the manipulation of quorum-sensing systems could provide us with powerful tools against harmful bacteria.

Activity and expression of a virulence factor, gelatinase, in dairy enterococci

In order to understand the virulence potential of dairy enterococci, 35 isolates from raw ewe's milk and traditionally fermented cheeses, identified as Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus dispar and Enterococcus hirae, were screened for their capacity to produce gelatinase and for the presence of the genes gelE, sprE, fsrA, fsrB and fsrC. Studies correlating gelatinase production with maintenance and subculture of the isolates in the Laboratory environment, and growth in different media were performed. These studies were conducted with two dairy isolates identified as E. faecalis and E. durans, and one clinical isolate, E. faecalis OG1-10. RT-PCR was used for detection of transcripts of the above mentioned genes. Results demonstrated that the virulence factor gelatinase is disseminated among the genus Enterococcus and that dairy isolates are capable of producing gelatinase at comparable levels with clinical isolates, although this capacity is easily lost during conservation by freezing in the laboratory. Therefore, gelatinase production potential of dairy enterococci may be underestimated. The gene gelE was present in all studied isolates. The same was observed for the fsr operon, either complete or incomplete, revealing that the gelatinase genetic determinants, so far only described in E. faecalis, are a common trait in the genus. This work describes for the first time the detection of the complete Fsr-GelE operon in other species than E. faecalis, namely E. faecium and E. durans. The loss of expression of this virulence factor under laboratory culture conditions correlated with the loss of one or more genes of the regulatory fsr operon, although the gene gelE was maintained, demonstrating that a complete fsr operon is required for a positive GelE phenotype. Independent of the detection of any gelatinase activity, if both gelE and the complete fsr operon are present in the cell, all genes are transcribed, as revealed by RT-PCR, suggesting that regulation of gelatinase activity can also be post-transcriptional. The silent behavior of gelE was only observed in E. faecalis, but not in E. durans, suggesting different modulation mechanisms of gelatinase activity in these two species. Overall, these findings reopen the issue of food safety of enterococci and reinforce the need to further study the mechanisms responsible for triggering the virulence factor gelatinase in non-pathogenic enterococcal environmental isolates.

Regulatory RNAs as mediators of virulence gene expression in bacteria

Bacteria exploit functional diversity of RNAs in a wide range of regulatory mechanisms to control gene expression. In last few years, small RNA molecules have been discovered at a staggering rate in bacteria, mainly in Escherichia coli. While functions of many of these RNA molecules are still not known, several of them behave as key effectors of adaptive responses, such as environmental cue recognition, stress response, and virulence control. Most fascinating, perhaps, is the discovery that mRNAs behave as direct sensors of small molecules or of environmental cues. The astonishing diversity of RNA-dependent regulatory mechanisms is linked to the dynamic properties and versatility of the RNA structure. In this review, we relate several recent studies in different bacterial pathogens that illustrate the diverse roles of RNA to control virulence gene expression.