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Sosa-Fajardo A, Díaz-Muñoz C, Van der Veken D, Pradal I, Verce M, Weckx S, Leroy F. Genomic exploration of the fermented meat isolate Staphylococcus shinii IMDO-S216 with a focus on competitiveness-enhancing secondary metabolites. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:575. [PMID: 38849728 PMCID: PMC11161930 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10490-0] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Staphylococcus shinii appears as an umbrella species encompassing several strains of Staphylococcus pseudoxylosus and Staphylococcus xylosus. Given its phylogenetic closeness to S. xylosus, S. shinii can be found in similar ecological niches, including the microbiota of fermented meats where the species may contribute to colour and flavour development. In addition to these conventional functionalities, a biopreservation potential based on the production of antagonistic compounds may be available. Such potential, however, remains largely unexplored in contrast to the large body of research that is available on the biopreservative properties of lactic acid bacteria. The present study outlines the exploration of the genetic basis of competitiveness and antimicrobial activity of a fermented meat isolate, S. shinii IMDO-S216. To this end, its genome was sequenced, de novo assembled, and annotated. RESULTS The genome contained a single circular chromosome and eight plasmid replicons. Focus of the genomic exploration was on secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters coding for ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides. One complete cluster was coding for a bacteriocin, namely lactococcin 972; the genes coding for the pre-bacteriocin, the ATP-binding cassette transporter, and the immunity protein were also identified. Five other complete clusters were identified, possibly functioning as competitiveness factors. These clusters were found to be involved in various responses such as membrane fluidity, iron intake from the medium, a quorum sensing system, and decreased sensitivity to antimicrobial peptides and competing microorganisms. The presence of these clusters was equally studied among a selection of multiple Staphylococcus species to assess their prevalence in closely-related organisms. CONCLUSIONS Such factors possibly translate in an improved adaptation and competitiveness of S. shinii IMDO-S216 which are, in turn, likely to improve its fitness in a fermented meat matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sosa-Fajardo
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cristian Díaz-Muñoz
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Van der Veken
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Inés Pradal
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marko Verce
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stefan Weckx
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Leroy
- Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
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2
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Wang J, Sheng Z, Liu Y, Chen X, Wang S, Yang H. Combined proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of the antimicrobial mechanism of tannic acid against Staphylococcus aureus. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1178177. [PMID: 37654613 PMCID: PMC10466393 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1178177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a zoonotic opportunistic pathogen that represents a significant threat to public health. Previous studies have shown that tannic acid (TA) has an inhibitory effect on a variety of bacteria. In this study, the proteome and transcriptome of S. aureus were analyzed to comprehensively assess changes in genes and proteins induced by TA. Initial observations of morphological changes revealed that TA damaged the integrity of the cell membrane. Next, proteomic and genetic analyses showed that exposure to TA altered the expression levels of 651 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs, 283 upregulated and 368 downregulated) and 503 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 191 upregulated and 312 downregulated). Analysis of the identified DEPs and DEGs suggested that TA damages the integrity of the cell envelope by decreasing the expression and protein abundance of enzymes involved in the synthesis of peptidoglycans, teichoic acids and fatty acids, such as murB, murQ, murG, fmhX and tagA. After treatment with TA, the assembly of ribosomes in S. aureus was severely impaired by significant reductions in available ribosome components, and thus protein synthesis was hindered. The levels of genes and proteins associated with amino acids and purine synthesis were remarkably decreased, which further reduced bacterial viability. In addition, ABC transporters, which are involved in amino acid and ion transport, were also badly affected. Our results reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of TA on S. aureus and provide a theoretical basis for the application of TA as an antibacterial chemotherapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhicun Sheng
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yunying Liu
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
- Zhongchong Sino Biotech Taizhou Co., Ltd., Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiaolan Chen
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Shuaibing Wang
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Haifeng Yang
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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3
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Conte AL, Brunetti F, Marazzato M, Longhi C, Maurizi L, Raponi G, Palamara AT, Grassi S, Conte MP. Atopic dermatitis-derived Staphylococcus aureus strains: what makes them special in the interplay with the host. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1194254. [PMID: 37389215 PMCID: PMC10303148 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1194254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition whose pathogenesis involves genetic predisposition, epidermal barrier dysfunction, alterations in the immune responses and microbial dysbiosis. Clinical studies have shown a link between Staphylococcus aureus and the pathogenesis of AD, although the origins and genetic diversity of S. aureus colonizing patients with AD is poorly understood. The aim of the study was to investigate if specific clones might be associated with the disease. Methods WGS analyses were performed on 38 S. aureus strains, deriving from AD patients and healthy carriers. Genotypes (i.e. MLST, spa-, agr- and SCCmec-typing), genomic content (e.g. virulome and resistome), and the pan-genome structure of strains have been investigated. Phenotypic analyses were performed to determine the antibiotic susceptibility, the biofilm production and the invasiveness within the investigated S. aureus population. Results Strains isolated from AD patients revealed a high degree of genetic heterogeneity and a shared set of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes, suggesting that no genotype and genomic content are uniquely associated with AD. The same strains were characterized by a lower variability in terms of gene content, indicating that the inflammatory conditions could exert a selective pressure leading to the optimization of the gene repertoire. Furthermore, genes related to specific mechanisms, like post-translational modification, protein turnover and chaperones as well as intracellular trafficking, secretion and vesicular transport, were significantly more enriched in AD strains. Phenotypic analysis revealed that all of our AD strains were strong or moderate biofilm producers, while less than half showed invasive capabilities. Conclusions We conclude that in AD skin, the functional role played by S. aureus may depend on differential gene expression patterns and/or on post-translational modification mechanisms rather than being associated with peculiar genetic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonietta Lucia Conte
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Brunetti
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Marazzato
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Catia Longhi
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Linda Maurizi
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giammarco Raponi
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Teresa Palamara
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory Affiliated to Institute Pasteur Italia- Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Grassi
- Dermatology Clinic, Department of Clinical Internal, Anesthesiological and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Conte
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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4
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Zeng H, Cheng M, Liu J, Hu C, Lin S, Cui R, Li H, Ye W, Wang L, Huang W. Pyrimirhodomyrtone inhibits Staphylococcus aureus by affecting the activity of NagA. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 210:115455. [PMID: 36780990 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115455] [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: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
The epidemic of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections has created a critical health threat. The drug resistance of MRSA makes the development of drugs with new modes of action particularly urgent. In this study, we found that a natural product derivative pyrimirhodomyrtone (PRM) exerted antibacterial activity against S. aureus, including MRSA, both in vitro and in vivo. Genetic and biochemical studies revealed the interaction between PRM and N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate deacetylase (NagA) and the inhibitory effect of PRM on its deacetylation activity. We also found that PRM causes depolarization and destroys the integrity of the cell membrane. The elucidation of the antibacterial mechanism will inspire the subsequent development of new anti-MRSA drugs based on PRM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zeng
- Center for Bioactive Natural Molecules and Innovative Drugs Research, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, Guangdong, China; Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Minjing Cheng
- Center for Bioactive Natural Molecules and Innovative Drugs Research, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingyi Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Chunxia Hu
- Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Shilin Lin
- Center for Bioactive Natural Molecules and Innovative Drugs Research, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruiqin Cui
- Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Haibo Li
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Wencai Ye
- Center for Bioactive Natural Molecules and Innovative Drugs Research, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, Guangdong, China.
| | - Lei Wang
- Center for Bioactive Natural Molecules and Innovative Drugs Research, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, Guangdong, China.
| | - Wei Huang
- Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China; Department of Clinical Microbiology, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China.
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5
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Barbuti MD, Myrbråten IS, Morales Angeles D, Kjos M. The cell cycle of Staphylococcus aureus: An updated review. Microbiologyopen 2023; 12:e1338. [PMID: 36825883 PMCID: PMC9733580 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As bacteria proliferate, DNA replication, chromosome segregation, cell wall synthesis, and cytokinesis occur concomitantly and need to be tightly regulated and coordinated. Although these cell cycle processes have been studied for decades, several mechanisms remain elusive, specifically in coccus-shaped cells such as Staphylococcus aureus. In recent years, major progress has been made in our understanding of how staphylococci divide, including new, fundamental insights into the mechanisms of cell wall synthesis and division site selection. Furthermore, several novel proteins and mechanisms involved in the regulation of replication initiation or progression of the cell cycle have been identified and partially characterized. In this review, we will summarize our current understanding of the cell cycle processes in the spheroid model bacterium S. aureus, with a focus on recent advances in the understanding of how these processes are regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria D. Barbuti
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | - Ine S. Myrbråten
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | - Danae Morales Angeles
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | - Morten Kjos
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
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6
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Ersoy SC, Gonçalves B, Cavaco G, Manna AC, Sobral RG, Nast CC, Proctor RA, Chambers HF, Cheung A, Bayer AS. Influence of Sodium Bicarbonate on Wall Teichoic Acid Synthesis and β-Lactam Sensitization in NaHCO 3-Responsive and Nonresponsive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0342222. [PMID: 36377886 PMCID: PMC9769754 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03422-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains pose major treatment challenges due to their innate resistance to most β-lactams under standard in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing conditions. A novel phenotype among MRSA, termed "NaHCO3 responsiveness," where certain strains display increased susceptibility to β-lactams in the presence of NaHCO3, has been identified among a relatively large proportion of MRSA isolates. One underlying mechanism of NaHCO3 responsiveness appears to be related to decreased expression and altered functionality of several genes and proteins involved in cell wall synthesis and maturation. Here, we studied the impact of NaHCO3 on wall teichoic acid (WTA) synthesis, a process intimately linked to peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis and functionality, in NaHCO3-responsive versus -nonresponsive MRSA isolates. NaHCO3 sensitized responsive MRSA strains to cefuroxime, a specific penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2)-inhibitory β-lactam known to synergize with early WTA synthesis inhibitors (e.g., ticlopidine). Combining cefuroxime with ticlopidine with or without NaHCO3 suggested that these latter two agents target the same step in WTA synthesis. Further, NaHCO3 decreased the abundance and molecular weight of WTA only in responsive strains. Additionally, NaHCO3 stimulated increased autolysis and aberrant cell division in responsive strains, two phenotypes associated with disruption of WTA synthesis. Of note, studies of key genes involved in the WTA biosynthetic pathway (e.g., tarO, tarG, dltA, and fmtA) indicated that the inhibitory impact of NaHCO3 on WTA biosynthesis in responsive strains likely occurred posttranslationally. IMPORTANCE MRSA is generally viewed as resistant to standard β-lactam antibiotics. However, a NaHCO3-responsive phenotype is observed in a substantial proportion of clinical MRSA strains in vitro, i.e., isolates which demonstrate enhanced susceptibility to standard β-lactam antibiotics (e.g., oxacillin) in the presence of NaHCO3. This phenotype correlates with increased MRSA clearance in vivo by standard β-lactam antibiotics, suggesting that patients with infections caused by such MRSA strains might be amenable to treatment with β-lactams. The mechanism(s) behind this phenotype is not fully understood but appears to involve mecA-PBP2a production and maturation axes. Our study adds significantly to this body of knowledge in terms of additional mechanistic targets of NaHCO3 in selected MRSA strains. This investigation demonstrates that NaHCO3 has direct impacts on S. aureus wall teichoic acid biosynthesis in NaHCO3-responsive MRSA. These findings provide an additional target for new agents being designed to synergistically kill MRSA using β-lactam antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology of Bacterial Pathogens, UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Cavaco
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology of Bacterial Pathogens, UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Adhar C. Manna
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Rita G. Sobral
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology of Bacterial Pathogens, UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Cynthia C. Nast
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Richard A. Proctor
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology/Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Ambrose Cheung
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Arnold S. Bayer
- The Lundquist Institute, Torrance, California, USA
- Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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7
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Tamminga SM, Völpel SL, Schipper K, Stehle T, Pannekoek Y, van Sorge NM. Genetic diversity of Staphylococcus aureus wall teichoic acid glycosyltransferases affects immune recognition. Microb Genom 2022; 8:mgen000902. [PMID: 36748528 PMCID: PMC9837562 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000902] [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] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections and systemic infections. Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are cell wall-anchored glycopolymers that are important for S. aureus nasal colonization, phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer, and antibiotic resistance. WTAs consist of a polymerized ribitol phosphate (RboP) chain that can be glycosylated with N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) by three glycosyltransferases: TarS, TarM, and TarP. TarS and TarP modify WTA with β-linked GlcNAc at the C-4 (β1,4-GlcNAc) and the C-3 position (β1,3-GlcNAc) of the RboP subunit, respectively, whereas TarM modifies WTA with α-linked GlcNAc at the C-4 position (α1,4-GlcNAc). Importantly, these WTA glycosylation patterns impact immune recognition and clearance of S. aureus. Previous studies suggest that tarS is near-universally present within the S. aureus population, whereas a smaller proportion co-contain either tarM or tarP. To gain more insight into the presence and genetic variation of tarS, tarM and tarP in the S. aureus population, we analysed a collection of 25 652 S. aureus genomes within the PubMLST database. Over 99 % of isolates contained tarS. Co-presence of tarS/tarM or tarS/tarP occurred in 37 and 7 % of isolates, respectively, and was associated with specific S. aureus clonal complexes. We also identified 26 isolates (0.1 %) that contained all three glycosyltransferase genes. At sequence level, we identified tar alleles with amino acid substitutions in critical enzymatic residues or with premature stop codons. Several tar variants were expressed in a S. aureus tar-negative strain. Analysis using specific monoclonal antibodies and human langerin showed that WTA glycosylation was severely attenuated or absent. Overall, our data provide a broad overview of the genetic diversity of the three WTA glycosyltransferases in the S. aureus population and the functional consequences for immune recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M. Tamminga
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Simon L. Völpel
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kim Schipper
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thilo Stehle
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany,Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Yvonne Pannekoek
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,*Correspondence: Nina M. van Sorge,
| | - Nina M. van Sorge
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,*Correspondence: Nina M. van Sorge,
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8
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Gerlach D, Sieber RN, Larsen J, Krusche J, De Castro C, Baumann J, Molinaro A, Peschel A. Horizontal transfer and phylogenetic distribution of the immune evasion factor tarP. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:951333. [PMID: 36386695 PMCID: PMC9650247 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.951333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a major human pathogen, uses the prophage-encoded tarP gene as an important immune evasion factor. TarP glycosylates wall teichoic acid (WTA) polymers, major S. aureus surface antigens, to impair WTA immunogenicity and impede host defence. However, tarP phages appear to be restricted to only a few MRSA clonal lineages, including clonal complexes (CC) 5 and 398, for unknown reasons. We demonstrate here that tarP-encoding prophages can be mobilized to lysogenize other S. aureus strains. However, transfer is largely restricted to closely related clones. Most of the non-transducible clones encode tarM, which generates a WTA glycosylation pattern distinct from that mediated by TarP. However, tarM does not interfere with infection by tarP phages. Clonal complex-specific Type I restriction-modification systems were the major reasons for resistance to tarP phage infection. Nevertheless, tarP phages were found also in unrelated S. aureus clones indicating that tarP has the potential to spread to distant clonal lineages and contribute to the evolution of new MRSA clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gerlach
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Infection Biology Section, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Janes Krusche
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Infection Biology Section, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Juliane Baumann
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Infection Biology Section, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Antonio Molinaro
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Infection Biology Section, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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9
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Di Carluccio C, Soriano-Maldonado P, Berni F, de Haas CJC, Temming AR, Hendriks A, Ali S, Molinaro A, Silipo A, van Sorge NM, van Raaij MJ, Codee JDC, Marchetti R. Antibody Recognition of Different Staphylococcus aureus Wall Teichoic Acid Glycoforms. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:1383-1392. [PMID: 36313161 PMCID: PMC9615122 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are glycopolymers decorating the surface of Gram-positive bacteria and potential targets for antibody-mediated treatments against Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains. Through a combination of glycan microarray, synthetic chemistry, crystallography, NMR, and computational studies, we unraveled the molecular and structural details of fully defined synthetic WTA fragments recognized by previously described monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 4461 and 4497). Our results unveiled the structural requirements for the discriminatory recognition of α- and β-GlcNAc-modified WTA glycoforms by the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of the heavy and light chains of the mAbs. Both mAbs interacted not only with the sugar moiety but also with the phosphate groups as well as residues in the ribitol phosphate (RboP) units of the WTA backbone, highlighting their significant role in ligand specificity. Using elongated WTA fragments, containing two sugar modifications, we also demonstrated that the internal carbohydrate moiety of α-GlcNAc-modified WTA is preferentially accommodated in the binding pocket of mAb 4461 with respect to the terminal moiety. Our results also explained the recently documented cross-reactivity of mAb 4497 for β-1,3/β-1,4-GlcNAc-modified WTA, revealing that the flexibility of the RboP backbone is crucial to allow positioning of both glycans in the antibody binding pocket.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Di Carluccio
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126Naples, Italy
| | - Pablo Soriano-Maldonado
- Departamento
de Estructura de Macromoléculas, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Calle Darwin 3, 28049Madrid, Spain
| | - Francesca Berni
- Leiden
Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CCLeiden, The Netherlands
| | - Carla J. C. de Haas
- Medical
Microbiology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3508Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - A. Robin Temming
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Astrid Hendriks
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Ali
- Leiden
Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CCLeiden, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Molinaro
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126Naples, Italy
| | - Alba Silipo
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126Naples, Italy
| | - Nina M. van Sorge
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Amsterdam UMC, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands
- Email
for N.M.v.S.:
| | - Mark J. van Raaij
- Departamento
de Estructura de Macromoléculas, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Calle Darwin 3, 28049Madrid, Spain
- Email for M.J.v.R.:
| | - Jeroen D. C. Codee
- Leiden
Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CCLeiden, The Netherlands
- Email for J.D.C.C.:
| | - Roberta Marchetti
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126Naples, Italy
- Email for R.M.:
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10
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Guérin H, Kulakauskas S, Chapot-Chartier MP. Structural variations and roles of rhamnose-rich cell wall polysaccharides in Gram-positive bacteria. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102488. [PMID: 36113580 PMCID: PMC9574508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhamnose-rich cell wall polysaccharides (Rha-CWPSs) have emerged as crucial cell wall components of numerous Gram-positive, ovoid-shaped bacteria—including streptococci, enterococci, and lactococci—of which many are of clinical or biotechnological importance. Rha-CWPS are composed of a conserved polyrhamnose backbone with side-chain substituents of variable size and structure. Because these substituents contain phosphate groups, Rha-CWPS can also be classified as polyanionic glycopolymers, similar to wall teichoic acids, of which they appear to be functional homologs. Recent advances have highlighted the critical role of these side-chain substituents in bacterial cell growth and division, as well as in specific interactions between bacteria and infecting bacteriophages or eukaryotic hosts. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the structure and biosynthesis of Rha-CWPS in several ovoid-shaped bacterial species. We emphasize the role played by multicomponent transmembrane glycosylation systems in the addition of side-chain substituents of various sizes as extracytoplasmic modifications of the polyrhamnose backbone. We provide an overview of the contribution of Rha-CWPS to cell wall architecture and biogenesis and discuss current hypotheses regarding their importance in the cell division process. Finally, we sum up the critical roles that Rha-CWPS can play as bacteriophage receptors or in escaping host defenses, roles that are mediated mainly through their side-chain substituents. From an applied perspective, increased knowledge of Rha-CWPS can lead to advancements in strategies for preventing phage infection of lactococci and streptococci in food fermentation and for combating pathogenic streptococci and enterococci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Guérin
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Saulius Kulakauskas
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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11
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Abstract
Bacteriophage (phage) are both predators and evolutionary drivers for bacteria, notably contributing to the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes by generalized transduction. Our current understanding of this complex relationship is limited. We used an interdisciplinary approach to quantify how these interacting dynamics can lead to the evolution of multidrug-resistant bacteria. We cocultured two strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, each harboring a different antibiotic resistance gene, with generalized transducing phage. After a growth phase of 8 h, bacteria and phage surprisingly coexisted at a stable equilibrium in our culture, the level of which was dependent on the starting concentration of phage. We detected double-resistant bacteria as early as 7 h, indicating that transduction of AMR genes had occurred. We developed multiple mathematical models of the bacteria and phage relationship and found that phage-bacteria dynamics were best captured by a model in which phage burst size decreases as the bacteria population reaches stationary phase and where phage predation is frequency-dependent. We estimated that one in every 108 new phage generated was a transducing phage carrying an AMR gene and that double-resistant bacteria were always predominantly generated by transduction rather than by growth. Our results suggest a shift in how we understand and model phage-bacteria dynamics. Although rates of generalized transduction could be interpreted as too rare to be significant, they are sufficient in our system to consistently lead to the evolution of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Currently, the potential of phage to contribute to the growing burden of AMR is likely underestimated. IMPORTANCE Bacteriophage (phage), viruses that can infect and kill bacteria, are being investigated through phage therapy as a potential solution to the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In reality, however, phage are also natural drivers of bacterial evolution by transduction when they accidentally carry nonphage DNA between bacteria. Using laboratory work and mathematical models, we show that transduction leads to evolution of multidrug-resistant bacteria in less than 8 h and that phage production decreases when bacterial growth decreases, allowing bacteria and phage to coexist at stable equilibria. The joint dynamics of phage predation and transduction lead to complex interactions with bacteria, which must be clarified to prevent phage from contributing to the spread of AMR.
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12
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Doub JB, Urish K, Lee M, Fackler J. Impact of Bacterial Phenotypic Variation with Bacteriophage therapy: A Pilot Study with Prosthetic Joint Infection Isolates. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 119:44-46. [PMID: 35331932 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.03.022] [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: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the specificity of bacteriophage attachment receptors, a single bacterial isolate is currently utilized to match to a bacteriophage therapeutic thereby extrapolating activity to all bacteria in vivo. Obstinately, the main bacteriophage attachment receptor for Staphylococcus aureus is teichoic acid and it is known that this receptor has phenotypic variations in different in vivo environments. Consequently, the aim of this study was to determine if bacteriophage activity is similar across all in vivo prosthetic joint infection environments. METHODS Three patients with prosthetic joint infections who had S. aureus grow from arthrocentesis cultures and at least three deep tissue cultures were analyzed for growth inhibition with a library of 56 bacteriophages RESULTS: Discordant bacteriophage activity was seen across the different in vivo environments. As well bacteriophages with the most robust lytic potential to the arthrocentesis isolates usually did not have activity to all the deep tissues clinical isolates. CONCLUSION Variations of bacteriophage activity can occur between the different in vivo clinical environments which is likely secondary to different glycosylation patterns of teichoic acid. Consequently, if discordant activity is present then retreating with bacteriophages that have activity is likely needed for effective, reproducible outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- James B Doub
- Division of Clinical Care and Research, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
| | - Ken Urish
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Martin Lee
- Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Inc, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph Fackler
- Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Inc, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
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13
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Xiong M, Chen L, Zhao J, Xiao X, Zhou J, Fang F, Li X, Pan Y, Li Y. Genomic Analysis of the Unusual Staphylococcus aureus ST630 Isolates Harboring WTA Glycosyltransferase Genes tarM and tagN. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0150121. [PMID: 35170993 PMCID: PMC8849055 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01501-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) can cause a broad spectrum of diseases ranging from skin infections to life-threatening diseases in both community and hospital settings. The surface-exposed wall teichoic acid (WTA) has a strong impact on host interaction, pathogenicity, horizontal gene transfer, and biofilm formation in S. aureus. The unusual S. aureus ST630 strains containing both ribitol-phosphate (RboP) WTA glycosyltransferase gene tarM and glycerol-phosphate (GroP) WTA glycosyltransferase gene tagN have been found recently. Native PAGE analysis showed that the WTA of tagN, tarM-encoding ST630 strains migrated slower than that of non-tagN-encoding ST630 strains, indicating the differences in WTA structure. Some mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as the unique GroP-WTA biosynthetic gene cluster (SaGroWI), SCCmec element, and prophages that probably originated from the CoNS were identified in tagN, tarM-encoding ST630 strains. The SaGroWI element was first defined in S. aureus ST395 strain, which was refractory to exchange MGEs with typical RboP-WTA expressing S. aureus but could undergo horizontal gene transfer events with other species and genera via the specific bacteriophage Φ187. Overall, our data indicated that this rare ST630 was prone to acquire DNA from CoNS and might serve as a novel hub for the exchange of MGEs between CoNS and S. aureus. IMPORTANCE The structure of wall-anchored glycopolymers wall teichoic acid (WTA) produced by most Gram-positive bacteria is highly variable. While most dominant Staphylococcus aureus lineages produce poly-ribitol-phosphate (RboP) WTA, the tagN, tarM-encoding ST630 lineage probably has a poly-glycerol-phosphate (GroP) WTA backbone like coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). There is growing evidence that staphylococcal horizontal gene transfer depends largely on transducing helper phages via WTA as the receptor. The structural difference of WTA greatly affects the transfer of mobile genetic elements among various bacteria. With the growing advances in sequencing and analysis technologies, genetic analysis has revolutionized research activities in the field of the important pathogen S. aureus. Here, we analyzed the molecular characteristics of ST630 and found an evolutionary link between ST630 and CoNS. Elucidating the genetic information of ST630 lineage will contribute to understanding the emergence and diversification of new pathogenic strains in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Xiong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Liangjun Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jin Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Junying Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fang Fang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinwei Li
- Medical School of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yunbao Pan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Engineering Center for Infectious Disease Prevention, Control and Treatment, Wuhan, China
| | - Yirong Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Engineering Center for Infectious Disease Prevention, Control and Treatment, Wuhan, China
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14
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Species-Scale Genomic Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus Genes Influencing Phage Host Range and Their Relationships to Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes. mSystems 2022; 7:e0108321. [PMID: 35040700 PMCID: PMC8765062 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01083-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy has been proposed as a possible alternative treatment for infections caused by the ubiquitous bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. However, successful therapy requires understanding the genetic basis of host range—the subset of strains in a species that could be killed by a particular phage. We searched diverse sets of S. aureus public genome sequences against a database of genes suggested from prior studies to influence host range to look for patterns of variation across the species. We found that genes encoding biosynthesis of molecules that were targets of S. aureus phage adsorption to the outer surface of the cell were the most conserved in the pangenome. Putative phage resistance genes that were core components of the pangenome genes had similar nucleotide diversity, ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions, and functionality (measured by delta-bitscore) to other core genes. However, phage resistance genes that were not part of the core genome were significantly less consistent with the core genome phylogeny than all noncore genes in this set, suggesting more frequent movement between strains by horizontal gene transfer. Only superinfection immunity genes encoded by temperate phages inserted in the genome correlated with experimentally determined temperate phage resistance. Taken together, these results suggested that, while phage adsorption genes are heavily conserved in the S. aureus species, HGT may play a significant role in strain-specific evolution of host range patterns. IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureus is a widespread, hospital- and community-acquired pathogen that is commonly antibiotic resistant. It causes diverse diseases affecting both the skin and internal organs. Its ubiquity, antibiotic resistance, and disease burden make new therapies urgent, such as phage therapy, in which viruses specific to infecting bacteria clear infection. S. aureus phage host range not only determines whether phage therapy will be successful by killing bacteria but also horizontal gene transfer through transduction of host genetic material by phages. In this work, we comprehensively reviewed existing literature to build a list of S. aureus phage resistance genes and searched our database of almost 43,000 S. aureus genomes for these genes to understand their patterns of evolution, finding that prophages’ superinfection immunity correlates best with phage resistance and HGT. These findings improved our understanding of the relationship between known phage resistance genes and phage host range in the species.
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15
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Chang de Azevedo E, Nascimento AS. The β-lactam ticarcillin is a Staphylococcus aureus UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase binder. Biochimie 2022; 197:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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16
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Hort M, Bertsche U, Nozinovic S, Dietrich A, Schrötter AS, Mildenberger L, Axtmann K, Berscheid A, Bierbaum G. The Role of β-Glycosylated Wall Teichoic Acids in the Reduction of Vancomycin Susceptibility in Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0052821. [PMID: 34668723 PMCID: PMC8528128 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00528-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes a wide range of infections. Due to the rapid evolution of antibiotic resistance that leads to treatment failure, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms. Here, the cell wall structures of several laboratory vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) strains were analyzed. Among the VISA strains were S. aureus VC40, which accumulated 79 mutations, including most importantly 2 exchanges in the histidine-kinase VraS, and developed full resistance against vancomycin (MIC, 64 μg/ml); a revertant S. aureus VC40R, which has an additional mutation in vraR (MIC, 4 μg/ml); and S. aureus VraS(VC40), in which the 2 vraS mutations were reconstituted into a susceptible background (MIC, 4 μg/ml). A ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC) analysis showed that S. aureus VC40 had a significantly decreased cross-linking of the peptidoglycan. Both S. aureus VC40 and S. aureus VraS(VC40) displayed reduced autolysis and an altered autolysin profile in a zymogram. Most striking was the significant increase in d-alanine and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) substitution of the wall teichoic acids (WTAs) in S. aureus VC40. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis revealed that this strain had mostly β-glycosylated WTAs in contrast to the other strains, which showed only the α-glycosylation peak. Salt stress induced the incorporation of β-GlcNAc anomers and drastically increased the vancomycin MIC for S. aureus VC40R. In addition, β-glycosylated WTAs decreased the binding affinity of AtlA, the major autolysin of S. aureus, to the cell wall, compared with α-glycosylated WTAs. In conclusion, there is a novel connection between wall teichoic acids, autolysis, and vancomycin susceptibility in S. aureus. IMPORTANCE Infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are commonly treated with vancomycin. This antibiotic inhibits cell wall biosynthesis by binding to the cell wall building block lipid II. We set out to characterize the mechanisms leading to decreased vancomycin susceptibility in a laboratory-generated strain, S. aureus VC40. This strain has an altered cell wall architecture with a thick cell wall with low cross-linking, which provides decoy binding sites for vancomycin. The low cross-linking, necessary for this resistance mechanism, decreases the stability of the cell wall against lytic enzymes, which separate the daughter cells. Protection against these enzymes is provided by another cell wall polymer, the teichoic acids, which contain an unusually high substitution with sugars in the β-conformation. By experimentally increasing the proportion of β-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine in a closely related isolate through the induction of salt stress, we could show that the β-conformation of the sugars plays a vital role in the resistance of S. aureus VC40.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hort
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Clinics of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ute Bertsche
- Department of Infection Biology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Alina Dietrich
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Clinics of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anne Sophie Schrötter
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Clinics of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Laura Mildenberger
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Clinics of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Katharina Axtmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Clinics of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anne Berscheid
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Clinics of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gabriele Bierbaum
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Clinics of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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17
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Singh S, Vidyasagar PB, Kulkarni GR. Investigating alterations in the cellular envelope of Staphylococcus aureus in simulated microgravity using a random positioning machine. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2021; 30:1-8. [PMID: 34281660 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Continuous rotation of liquid bacterial culture in random positioning machine (RPM) causes formation of a colloidal bacterial culture in the culture tube, due to lack of sedimentation and convection. Interestingly, similar colloidal bacterial cultures can also be seen in suspended bacterial cultures in a spaceflight environment. Thus, as a consequence of no sedimentation, an alteration in the microenvironment of each bacterial cell in simulated microgravity is introduced, compared to the bacterial culture grown in normal gravity wherein they sediment slowly at the bottom of the culture tube. Apparently, a bacterial cell can sense changes in its environment through various receptors and sensors present at its surface, thus it can be speculated that this change in its microenvironment might induce changes in its cell wall and cell surface properties. In our study, changes in growth kinetics, cell wall constitution using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), cell surface hydrophobicity, autoaggregation ability and antibiotic susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus NCIM 2079 strain, in simulated microgravity (using RPM) was studied in detail. Noteworthy alterations in its growth kinetics, cell wall constitution, cell surface hydrophobicity, autoaggregation ability and antibiotic susceptibility especially to Erythromycin and Clindamycin were observed. Our data suggests that microgravity may cause alterations in the cellular envelope of planktonic S.aureus cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Singh
- Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind road, Pune, 411007, India.
| | - Pandit B Vidyasagar
- Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind road, Pune, 411007, India.
| | - Gauri R Kulkarni
- Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind road, Pune, 411007, India.
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18
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Rai A, Khairnar K. Overview of the risks of Staphylococcus aureus infections and their control by bacteriophages and bacteriophage-encoded products. Braz J Microbiol 2021; 52:2031-2042. [PMID: 34251609 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-021-00566-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of secondary infections in hospitals and a challenging pathogen in food industries. Decades after it was first reported, β-lactam-resistant S. aureus remains a subject of intense research owing to the ever-increasing issue of drug resistance. S. aureus bacteriophages (phages) or their encoded products are considered an alternative to antibiotics as they have been shown to be effective in treating some S. aureus-associated infections. In this review, we present a concise collection of the literature on the pathogenic potential of S. aureus and examine the prospects of using S. aureus phages and their encoded products as antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Rai
- Environmental Virology Cell, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur, 440020, Maharashtra, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Krishna Khairnar
- Environmental Virology Cell, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur, 440020, Maharashtra, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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19
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Staphylococcus epidermidis clones express Staphylococcus aureus-type wall teichoic acid to shift from a commensal to pathogen lifestyle. Nat Microbiol 2021; 6:757-768. [PMID: 34031577 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-00913-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Most clonal lineages of Staphylococcus epidermidis are commensals present on human skin and in the nose. However, some globally spreading healthcare-associated and methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (HA-MRSE) clones are major causes of difficult-to-treat implant or bloodstream infections. The molecular determinants that alter the lifestyle of S. epidermidis have remained elusive, and their identification might provide therapeutic targets. We reasoned that changes in surface-exposed wall teichoic acid (WTA) polymers of S. epidermidis, which potentially shape host interactions, may be linked to differences between colonization and infection abilities of different clones. We used a combined epidemiological and functional approach to show that while commensal clones express poly-glycerolphosphate WTA, S. epidermidis multilocus sequence type 23, which emerged in the past 15 years and is one of the main infection-causing HA-MRSE clones, contains an accessory genetic element, tarIJLM, that leads to the production of a second, Staphylococcus aureus-type WTA (poly-ribitolphosphate (RboP)). Production of RboP-WTA by S. epidermidis impaired in vivo colonization but augmented endothelial attachment and host mortality in a mouse sepsis model. tarIJLM was absent from commensal human sequence types but was found in several other HA-MRSE clones. Moreover, RboP-WTA enabled S. epidermidis to exchange DNA with S. aureus via siphovirus bacteriophages, thereby creating a possible route for the inter-species exchange of methicillin resistance, virulence and colonization factors. We conclude that tarIJLM alters the lifestyle of S. epidermidis from commensal to pathogenic and propose that RboP-WTA might be a robust target for preventive and therapeutic interventions against MRSE infections.
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20
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Surur AS, Sun D. Macrocycle-Antibiotic Hybrids: A Path to Clinical Candidates. Front Chem 2021; 9:659845. [PMID: 33996753 PMCID: PMC8120311 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.659845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The tale of abate in antibiotics continued defense mechanisms that chaperone the rise of drug-defying superbugs—on the other hand, the astray in antibacterial drug discovery and development. Our salvation lies in circumventing the genesis of resistance. Considering the competitive advantages of antibacterial chemotherapeutic agents equipped with multiple warheads against resistance, the development of hybrids has rejuvenated. The adoption of antibiotic hybrid paradigm to macrocycles has advanced novel chemical entities to clinical trials. The multi-targeted TD-1792, for instance, retained potent antibacterial activities against multiple strains that are resistant to its constituent, vancomycin. Moreover, the antibiotic conjugation of rifamycins has provided hybrid clinical candidates with desirable efficacy and safety profiles. In 2020, the U.S. FDA has granted an orphan drug designation to TNP-2092, a conjugate of rifamycin and fluoroquinolone, for the treatment of prosthetic joint infections. DSTA4637S is a pioneer antibacterial agent under clinical development and represents a novel class of bacterial therapy, that is, antibody–antibiotic conjugates. DSTA4637S is effective against the notorious persistent S. aureus bacteremia, a revelation of the abracadabra potential of antibiotic hybrid approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdrrahman Shemsu Surur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hilo, HI, United States
| | - Dianqing Sun
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hilo, HI, United States
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21
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Fisher JF, Mobashery S. β-Lactams against the Fortress of the Gram-Positive Staphylococcus aureus Bacterium. Chem Rev 2021; 121:3412-3463. [PMID: 33373523 PMCID: PMC8653850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The biological diversity of the unicellular bacteria-whether assessed by shape, food, metabolism, or ecological niche-surely rivals (if not exceeds) that of the multicellular eukaryotes. The relationship between bacteria whose ecological niche is the eukaryote, and the eukaryote, is often symbiosis or stasis. Some bacteria, however, seek advantage in this relationship. One of the most successful-to the disadvantage of the eukaryote-is the small (less than 1 μm diameter) and nearly spherical Staphylococcus aureus bacterium. For decades, successful clinical control of its infection has been accomplished using β-lactam antibiotics such as the penicillins and the cephalosporins. Over these same decades S. aureus has perfected resistance mechanisms against these antibiotics, which are then countered by new generations of β-lactam structure. This review addresses the current breadth of biochemical and microbiological efforts to preserve the future of the β-lactam antibiotics through a better understanding of how S. aureus protects the enzyme targets of the β-lactams, the penicillin-binding proteins. The penicillin-binding proteins are essential enzyme catalysts for the biosynthesis of the cell wall, and understanding how this cell wall is integrated into the protective cell envelope of the bacterium may identify new antibacterials and new adjuvants that preserve the efficacy of the β-lactams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jed F Fisher
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Shahriar Mobashery
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Indiana 46556, United States
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22
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Hendriks A, van Dalen R, Ali S, Gerlach D, van der Marel GA, Fuchsberger FF, Aerts PC, de Haas CJ, Peschel A, Rademacher C, van Strijp JA, Codée JD, van Sorge NM. Impact of Glycan Linkage to Staphylococcus aureus Wall Teichoic Acid on Langerin Recognition and Langerhans Cell Activation. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:624-635. [PMID: 33591717 PMCID: PMC8023653 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
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Staphylococcus
aureus is the leading cause of
skin and soft tissue infections. It remains incompletely understood
how skin-resident immune cells respond to invading S. aureus and contribute to an effective immune response. Langerhans cells
(LCs), the only professional antigen-presenting cell type in the epidermis,
sense S. aureus through their pattern-recognition
receptor langerin, triggering a proinflammatory response. Langerin
recognizes the β-1,4-linked N-acetylglucosamine
(β1,4-GlcNAc) but not α-1,4-linked GlcNAc (α1,4-GlcNAc)
modifications, which are added by dedicated glycosyltransferases TarS
and TarM, respectively, on the cell wall glycopolymer wall teichoic
acid (WTA). Recently, an alternative WTA glycosyltransferase, TarP,
was identified, which also modifies WTA with β-GlcNAc but at
the C-3 position (β1,3-GlcNAc) of the WTA ribitol phosphate
(RboP) subunit. Here, we aimed to unravel the impact of β-GlcNAc
linkage position for langerin binding and LC activation. Using genetically
modified S. aureus strains, we observed that langerin
similarly recognized bacteria that produce either TarS- or TarP-modified
WTA, yet tarP-expressing S. aureus induced increased cytokine production and maturation of in vitro-generated LCs compared to tarS-expressing S. aureus. Chemically synthesized WTA
molecules, representative of the different S. aureus WTA glycosylation patterns, were used to identify langerin-WTA binding
requirements. We established that β-GlcNAc is sufficient to
confer langerin binding, thereby presenting synthetic WTA molecules
as a novel glycobiology tool for structure-binding studies and for
elucidating S. aureus molecular pathogenesis. Overall,
our data suggest that LCs are able to sense all β-GlcNAc-WTA
producing S. aureus strains, likely performing an
important role as first responders upon S. aureus skin invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Hendriks
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Glaxo-Smith Kline, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Rob van Dalen
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Ali
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - David Gerlach
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
- Partner Site Tübingen, German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Piet C. Aerts
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Carla J.C. de Haas
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
- Partner Site Tübingen, German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Jos A.G. van Strijp
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen D.C. Codée
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nina M. van Sorge
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
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23
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Wu X, Han J, Gong G, Koffas MAG, Zha J. Wall teichoic acids: physiology and applications. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2020; 45:6019871. [DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are charged glycopolymers containing phosphodiester-linked polyol units and represent one of the major components of Gram-positive cell envelope. WTAs have important physiological functions in cell division, gene transfer, surface adhesion, drug resistance and biofilm formation, and are critical virulence factors and vital determinants in mediating cell interaction with and tolerance to environmental factors. Here, we first briefly introduce WTA structure, biosynthesis and its regulation, and then summarize in detail four major physiological roles played by WTAs, i.e. WTA-mediated resistance to antimicrobials, virulence to mammalian cells, interaction with bacteriolytic enzymes and regulation of cell metabolism. We also review the applications of WTAs in these fields that are closely related to the human society, including antibacterial drug discovery targeting WTA biosynthesis, development of vaccines and antibodies regarding WTA-mediated pathogenicity, specific and sensitive detection of pathogens in food using WTAs as a surface epitope and regulation of WTA-related pathways for efficient microbial production of useful compounds. We also point out major problems remaining in these fields, and discuss some possible directions in the future exploration of WTA physiology and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Jing Han
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Guoli Gong
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Mattheos A G Koffas
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Jian Zha
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
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24
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Wall Teichoic Acid in Staphylococcus aureus Host Interaction. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:985-998. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Glycotyping and Specific Separation of Listeria monocytogenes with a Novel Bacteriophage Protein Tool Kit. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.00612-20. [PMID: 32358009 PMCID: PMC7301860 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00612-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen that presents a major concern to the food industry due to its propensity to cause foodborne illness. The Listeria genus contains 15 different serovars, with most of the variance depending on the wall-associated teichoic acid glycopolymers, which confer somatic antigenicity. Strains belonging to serovars 1/2 and 4b cause the vast majority of listeriosis cases and outbreaks, meaning that regulators, as well as the food industry itself, have an interest in rapidly identifying isolates of these particular serovars in food processing environments. Current methods for phenotypic serovar differentiation are slow and lack accuracy, and the food industry could benefit from new technologies allowing serovar-specific isolation. Therefore, the novel method described here for rapid glycotype determination could present a valuable asset to detect and control this bacterium. The Gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes can be subdivided into at least 12 different serovars, based on the differential expression of a set of somatic and flagellar antigens. Of note, strains belonging to serovars 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b cause the vast majority of foodborne listeriosis cases and outbreaks. The standard protocol for serovar determination involves an agglutination method using a set of sera containing cell surface-recognizing antibodies. However, this procedure is imperfect in both precision and practicality, due to discrepancies resulting from subjective interpretation. Furthermore, the exact antigenic epitopes remain unclear, due to the preparation of the absorbed sera and the complex nature of polyvalent antibody binding. Here, we present a novel method for quantitative somatic antigen differentiation using a set of recombinant affinity proteins (cell wall-binding domains and receptor-binding proteins) derived from a collection of Listeria bacteriophages. These proteins enable rapid, objective, and precise identification of the different teichoic acid glycopolymer structures, which represent the O-antigens, and allow a near-complete differentiation. This glycotyping approach confirmed serovar designations of over 60 previously characterized Listeria strains. Using select phage receptor-binding proteins coupled to paramagnetic beads, we also demonstrate the ability to specifically isolate serovar 1/2 or 4b cells from a mixed culture. In addition, glycotyping led to the discovery that strains designated serovar 4e actually possess an intermediate 4b-4d teichoic acid glycosylation pattern, underpinning the high discerning power and precision of this novel technique. IMPORTANCEListeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen that presents a major concern to the food industry due to its propensity to cause foodborne illness. The Listeria genus contains 15 different serovars, with most of the variance depending on the wall-associated teichoic acid glycopolymers, which confer somatic antigenicity. Strains belonging to serovars 1/2 and 4b cause the vast majority of listeriosis cases and outbreaks, meaning that regulators, as well as the food industry itself, have an interest in rapidly identifying isolates of these particular serovars in food processing environments. Current methods for phenotypic serovar differentiation are slow and lack accuracy, and the food industry could benefit from new technologies allowing serovar-specific isolation. Therefore, the novel method described here for rapid glycotype determination could present a valuable asset to detect and control this bacterium.
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Liu CC, Lin MH. Involvement of Heme in Colony Spreading of Staphylococcus aureus. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:170. [PMID: 32117177 PMCID: PMC7026375 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus spreads rapidly on the surface of soft agar medium. The spreading depends on the synthesis of biosurfactants, i.e., phenol soluble modulins (PSMs), which facilitate colony spreading of S. aureus. Our earlier study demonstrated that water accumulates in a colony is important to modulate colony spreading of S. aureus. The current study screened a transposon-based mutant library of S. aureus HG001 and obtained four non-spreading mutants with mutations in hemY and ctaA, which are involved in heme synthesis. The spreading ability of these mutants was restored when the mutants are transformed with a plasmid encoding hemY or ctaA, respectively. HemY mutants, which do not synthesize heme B, were able to spread on agar medium supplemented with hemin, a heme B derivative. By contrast, hemin supplementation did not rescue the spreading of the ctaA mutant, which lacks heme B and heme A, indicating that heme A is also critical for colony spreading. Moreover, mutations in hemY and ctaA had little effect on PSMs production but affect ATP production and water accumulation in the colony. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the role of heme synthesis and energy production in the regulation of S. aureus colony spreading, which is important for understanding the movement mechanisms of bacteria lacking a motor apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Chin Liu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Hui Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Mei-Hui Lin,
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Ingmer H, Gerlach D, Wolz C. Temperate Phages of Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Spectr 2019; 7:10.1128/microbiolspec.gpp3-0058-2018. [PMID: 31562736 PMCID: PMC10921950 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.gpp3-0058-2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Most Staphylococcus aureus isolates carry multiple bacteriophages in their genome, which provide the pathogen with traits important for niche adaptation. Such temperate S. aureus phages often encode a variety of accessory factors that influence virulence, immune evasion and host preference of the bacterial lysogen. Moreover, transducing phages are primary vehicles for horizontal gene transfer. Wall teichoic acid (WTA) acts as a common phage receptor for staphylococcal phages and structural variations of WTA govern phage-host specificity thereby shaping gene transfer across clonal lineages and even species. Thus, bacteriophages are central for the success of S. aureus as a human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Ingmer
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David Gerlach
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christiane Wolz
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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28
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Keinhörster D, George SE, Weidenmaier C, Wolz C. Function and regulation of Staphylococcus aureus wall teichoic acids and capsular polysaccharides. Int J Med Microbiol 2019; 309:151333. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2019.151333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
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29
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Peng C, Hanawa T, Azam AH, LeBlanc C, Ung P, Matsuda T, Onishi H, Miyanaga K, Tanji Y. Silviavirus phage ɸMR003 displays a broad host range against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of human origin. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:7751-7765. [PMID: 31388727 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10039-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of life-threatening methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has led to increased interest in the use of bacteriophages as an alternative therapy to antibiotics. The success of phage therapy is greatly dependent on the selected phage possessing a wide host range. This study describes phage ɸMR003 isolated from sewage influent at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Tokyo, Japan. ɸMR003 could infect 97% of 104 healthcare- and community-associated MRSA strains tested, compared with 73% for phage ɸSA012, which has a broad host range against bovine mastitis S. aureus. Genome analysis revealed that ɸMR003 belongs to the genus Silviavirus which has not been studied extensively. ɸMR003 recognizes and binds to wall teichoic acid (WTA) of S. aureus during infection. In silico comparisons of the genomes of ɸMR003 and ɸSA012 revealed that ORF117 and ORF119 of ɸMR003 are homologous to the putative receptor-binding proteins ORF103 and ORF105 of ɸSA012, with amino acid similarities of 75% and 72%, respectively. ORF104, which is an N-acetylglucosaminidase found in the ɸMR003 tail, may facilitate phage's infection onto the WTA-null S. aureus RN4220. The differences in tail and baseplate proteins may be key contributing factors to the different host specificities of ɸMR003 and ɸSA012. ɸMR003 showed strong adsorptivity, but not infectivity, against S. aureus SA003, which may be influenced by the bacterium's restriction modification system. This study expands our knowledge of the genomic diversity and host specificity of Silviavirus, which is a potential phage therapy candidate for MRSA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanthol Peng
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259J2-15 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Russian Federation Blvd., P.O. Box 86, Phnom Penh, 12156, Cambodia
| | - Tomoko Hanawa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Kyorin University School of Medicine, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan
| | - Aa Haeruman Azam
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259J2-15 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan
| | - Cierra LeBlanc
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Porsry Ung
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Russian Federation Blvd., P.O. Box 86, Phnom Penh, 12156, Cambodia
| | - Takeaki Matsuda
- Department of Traumatology and Critical Care Medicine, Kyorin University School of Medicine, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Onishi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kyorin University School of Medicine, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Miyanaga
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259J2-15 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan
| | - Yasunori Tanji
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259J2-15 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan.
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30
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van Dalen R, Fuchsberger FF, Rademacher C, van Strijp JAG, van Sorge NM. A Common Genetic Variation in Langerin (CD207) Compromises Cellular Uptake of Staphylococcus aureus. J Innate Immun 2019; 12:191-200. [PMID: 31141812 DOI: 10.1159/000500547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Langerhans cells are key sentinel cells of the skin and mucosal lining. They sense microorganisms through their repertoire of pattern-recognition receptors to mount and direct appropriate immune responses. We recently demonstrated that human Langerhans cells interact with the Gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus through the Langerhans cell-specific receptor langerin (CD207). It was previously hypothesized that two linked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; N288D and K313I) in the carbohydrate recognition domain of langerin would affect interaction with microorganisms. We show that recognition of S. aureus by recombinant langerin molecules is abrogated in the co-inheriting SNP variant, which is mainly explained by the N288D SNP and further enhanced by K313I. Moreover, introduction of SNP N288D in ectopically-expressed langerin affected cellular distribution of the receptor such that langerin displayed enhanced plasma membraneexpression. Despite this increased binding of S. aureus by the langerin double SNP variant, uptake of bacteria by this langerin variant was compromised. Our findings indicate that in a proportion of the human population, the recognition and uptake of S. aureus by Langerhans cells may be affected, which could have important consequences for proper immune activation and S. aureus-associated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob van Dalen
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Felix F Fuchsberger
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Christoph Rademacher
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jos A G van Strijp
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nina M van Sorge
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands,
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31
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Langerhans Cells Sense Staphylococcus aureus Wall Teichoic Acid through Langerin To Induce Inflammatory Responses. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.00330-19. [PMID: 31088921 PMCID: PMC6520447 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00330-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of skin infections and is also associated with the occurrence and severity of eczema. Langerhans cells (LCs), a specific subset of skin immune cells, participate in the immune response to S. aureus, but it is yet unclear how LCs recognize S. aureus. Therefore, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between LCs and S. aureus. We identified that wall teichoic acid, an abundant polymer on the S. aureus surface, is recognized by langerin, a receptor unique to LCs. This interaction allows LCs to discriminate S. aureus from other related staphylococcal species and initiates a proinflammatory response similar to that observed in patients with eczema. Our data therefore provide important new insights into the relationship between S. aureus, LCs, and eczema. Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infections and aggravator of the inflammatory skin disease atopic dermatitis (AD [eczema]). Epicutaneous exposure to S. aureus induces Th17 responses through skin Langerhans cells (LCs), which paradoxically contribute to host defense but also to AD pathogenesis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between S. aureus and LCs are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that human LCs directly interact with S. aureus through the pattern recognition receptor langerin (CD207). Human, but not mouse, langerin interacts with S. aureus through the conserved β-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) modifications on wall teichoic acid (WTA), thereby discriminating S. aureus from other staphylococcal species. Importantly, the specific S. aureus WTA glycoprofile strongly influences the level of proinflammatory cytokines that are produced by in vitro-generated LCs. Finally, in a murine epicutaneous infection model, S. aureus strongly upregulated transcripts of Cxcl1, Il6, and Il17, which required the presence of both human langerin and WTA β-GlcNAc. Our findings provide molecular insight into the unique proinflammatory capacities of S. aureus in relation to skin inflammation.
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Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus infection elicits antibodies against wall teichoic acid (WTA). Several glycosyltransferases modify WTA to generate anomeric heterogeneity. In recent work, Gerlach et al. (2018) show that modification by prophage-encoded TarP diminishes WTA immunogenicity, allowing staphylococci to evade host adaptive immune responses, and propose to exploit these insights for vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Missiakas
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Chicago, 920 East 58(th) Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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33
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Mistretta N, Brossaud M, Telles F, Sanchez V, Talaga P, Rokbi B. Glycosylation of Staphylococcus aureus cell wall teichoic acid is influenced by environmental conditions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3212. [PMID: 30824758 PMCID: PMC6397182 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39929-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Wall teichoic acid (WTA) are major constituents of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) cell envelopes with important roles in the bacteria's physiology, resistance to antimicrobial molecules, host interaction, virulence and biofilm formation. They consist of ribitol phosphate repeat units in which the ribitol residue is substituted with D-alanine (D-Ala) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc). The complete S. aureus WTA biosynthesis pathways was recently revealed with the identification of the two glycosyltransferases, TarM and TarS, respectively responsible for the α- and β-GlcNAc anomeric substitutions. We performed structural analyses to characterize WTAs from a panel of 24 S. aureus strains responsible for invasive infections. A majority of the S. aureus strains produced the β-GlcNAc WTA form in accordance with the presence of the tarS gene in all strains assessed. The β-GlcNAc anomer was preferentially expressed at the expense of the α-GlcNAc anomer when grown on stress-inducing culture medium containing high NaCl concentration. Furthermore, WTA glycosylation of the prototype S. aureus Newman strain was characterized in vivo in two different animal models, namely peritonitis and deep wound infection. While the inoculum used to infect animals produced almost exclusively α-GlcNAc WTA, a complete switch to β-glycosylation was observed in infected kidneys, livers and muscles. Overall, our data demonstrate that S. aureus WTA glycosylation is strongly influenced by environmental conditions and suggest that β-GlcNAc WTA may bring competitive advantage in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noëlle Mistretta
- Research and Development, Sanofi Pasteur, Marcy l'Etoile, France.
| | - Marina Brossaud
- Research and Development, Sanofi Pasteur, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Fabienne Telles
- Research and Development, Sanofi Pasteur, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Violette Sanchez
- Research and Development, Sanofi Pasteur, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Philippe Talaga
- Research and Development, Sanofi Pasteur, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Bachra Rokbi
- Research and Development, Sanofi Pasteur, Marcy l'Etoile, France
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34
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Kho K, Meredith TC. Extraction and Analysis of Bacterial Teichoic Acids. Bio Protoc 2018; 8:e3078. [PMID: 34532535 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.3078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Teichoic acids (TA) are anionic polymers comprised of polyol phosphate repeat units that are abundant in the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. Both wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) play important roles in regulating cell wall remodeling as well as conferring antibiotic resistance. To analyze TA, we describe a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) method for both WTA and LTA. To extract crude WTA, the peptidoglycan sacculus is first isolated and WTA is then liberated by hydrolysis. LTA is extracted by 1-butanol and pre-treated with lipase to prevent aggregation and improve single-band resolution by PAGE. Crude extracts of both TAs are then subjected to PAGE followed by Alcian blue and silver staining. These protocols are easily adoptable by laboratories interested in rapidly analyzing TAs and can be used determine the relative abundance, relative polymer length and whether TAs are glycosylated. More detailed TA structural and compositional information can be obtained using the described purification protocols by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin Kho
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Timothy C Meredith
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Jorge AM, Schneider J, Unsleber S, Xia G, Mayer C, Peschel A. Staphylococcus aureus counters phosphate limitation by scavenging wall teichoic acids from other staphylococci via the teichoicase GlpQ. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:14916-14924. [PMID: 30068554 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.004584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is part of the human nasal and skin microbiomes along with other bacterial commensals and opportunistic pathogens. Nutrients are scarce in these habitats, demanding effective nutrient acquisition and competition strategies. How S. aureus copes with phosphate limitation is still unknown. Wall teichoic acid (WTA), a polyol-phosphate polymer, could serve as a phosphate source, but whether S. aureus can utilize it during phosphate starvation remains unknown. S. aureus secretes a glycerophosphodiesterase, GlpQ, that cleaves a broad variety of glycerol-3-phosphate (GroP) headgroups of deacylated phospholipids, providing this bacterium with GroP as a carbon and phosphate source. Here we demonstrate that GlpQ can also use glycerophosphoglycerol derived from GroP WTA from coagulase-negative Staphylococcus lugdunensis, Staphylococcus capitis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, which share the nasal and skin habitats with S. aureus Therefore, S. aureus GlpQ is the first reported WTA-hydrolyzing enzyme, or teichoicase, from Staphylococcus Activity assays revealed that unmodified WTA is the preferred GlpQ substrate, and the results from MS analysis suggested that GlpQ uses an exolytic cleavage mechanism. Importantly, GlpQ did not hydrolyze the ribitol-5-phosphate WTA polymers of S. aureus, underscoring its role in interspecies competition rather than in S. aureus cell wall homeostasis or WTA recycling. glpQ expression was strongly up-regulated under phosphate limitation, and GlpQ allowed S. aureus to grow in the presence of GroP WTA as the sole phosphate source. Our study reveals a novel and unprecedented strategy of S. aureus for acquiring phosphate from bacterial competitors under the phosphate-limiting conditions in the nasal or skin environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Jorge
- From the Infection Biology Department, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, .,the German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Tübingen, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, and
| | - Jonathan Schneider
- From the Infection Biology Department, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,the German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Tübingen, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, and
| | - Sandra Unsleber
- the Microbiology/Biotechnology Department, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Guoqing Xia
- From the Infection Biology Department, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,the German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Tübingen, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, and
| | - Christoph Mayer
- the Microbiology/Biotechnology Department, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Peschel
- From the Infection Biology Department, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,the German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Tübingen, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, and
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36
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Górski A, Międzybrodzki R, Łobocka M, Głowacka-Rutkowska A, Bednarek A, Borysowski J, Jończyk-Matysiak E, Łusiak-Szelachowska M, Weber-Dąbrowska B, Bagińska N, Letkiewicz S, Dąbrowska K, Scheres J. Phage Therapy: What Have We Learned? Viruses 2018; 10:E288. [PMID: 29843391 PMCID: PMC6024844 DOI: 10.3390/v10060288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article we explain how current events in the field of phage therapy may positively influence its future development. We discuss the shift in position of the authorities, academia, media, non-governmental organizations, regulatory agencies, patients, and doctors which could enable further advances in the research and application of the therapy. In addition, we discuss methods to obtain optimal phage preparations and suggest the potential of novel applications of phage therapy extending beyond its anti-bacterial action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Górski
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
- Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka Street 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Ryszard Międzybrodzki
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
- Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka Street 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Małgorzata Łobocka
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego Street 5 A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
- Autonomous Department of Microbial Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska Street 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Głowacka-Rutkowska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego Street 5 A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Bednarek
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego Street 5 A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Jan Borysowski
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka Street 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Marzanna Łusiak-Szelachowska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Beata Weber-Dąbrowska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
- Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Natalia Bagińska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Sławomir Letkiewicz
- Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
- Medical Sciences Institute, Katowice School of Economics, Harcerzy Września Street 3, 40-659 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Krystyna Dąbrowska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Street 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
- Research and Development Center, Regional Specialized Hospital, Kamieńskiego 73a, 51-124 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Jacques Scheres
- National Institute of Public Health NIZP, Chocimska Street 24, 00-971 Warsaw, Poland.
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37
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Salt-Induced Stress Stimulates a Lipoteichoic Acid-Specific Three-Component Glycosylation System in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol 2018; 200:JB.00017-18. [PMID: 29632092 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00017-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) in Staphylococcus aureus is a poly-glycerophosphate polymer anchored to the outer surface of the cell membrane. LTA has numerous roles in cell envelope physiology, including regulating cell autolysis, coordinating cell division, and adapting to environmental growth conditions. LTA is often further modified with substituents, including d-alanine and glycosyl groups, to alter cellular function. While the genetic determinants of d-alanylation have been largely defined, the route of LTA glycosylation and its role in cell envelope physiology have remained unknown, in part due to the low levels of basal LTA glycosylation in S. aureus We demonstrate here that S. aureus utilizes a membrane-associated three-component glycosylation system composed of an undecaprenol (Und) N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) charging enzyme (CsbB; SAOUHSC_00713), a putative flippase to transport loaded substrate to the outside surface of the cell (GtcA; SAOUHSC_02722), and finally an LTA-specific glycosyltransferase that adds α-GlcNAc moieties to LTA (YfhO; SAOUHSC_01213). We demonstrate that this system is specific for LTA with no cross recognition of the structurally similar polyribitol phosphate containing wall teichoic acids. We show that while wild-type S. aureus LTA has only a trace of GlcNAcylated LTA under normal growth conditions, amounts are raised upon either overexpressing CsbB, reducing endogenous d-alanylation activity, expressing the cell envelope stress responsive alternative sigma factor SigB, or by exposure to environmental stress-inducing culture conditions, including growth media containing high levels of sodium chloride.IMPORTANCE The role of glycosylation in the structure and function of Staphylococcus aureus lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is largely unknown. By defining key components of the LTA three-component glycosylation pathway and uncovering stress-induced regulation by the alternative sigma factor SigB, the role of N-acetylglucosamine tailoring during adaptation to environmental stresses can now be elucidated. As the dlt and glycosylation pathways compete for the same sites on LTA and induction of glycosylation results in decreased d-alanylation, the interplay between the two modification systems holds implications for resistance to antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides.
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38
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Rismondo J, Percy MG, Gründling A. Discovery of genes required for lipoteichoic acid glycosylation predicts two distinct mechanisms for wall teichoic acid glycosylation. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:3293-3306. [PMID: 29343515 PMCID: PMC5836110 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.001614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial cell wall is an important and highly complex structure that is essential for bacterial growth because it protects bacteria from cell lysis and environmental insults. A typical Gram-positive bacterial cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan and the secondary cell wall polymers, wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA). In many Gram-positive bacteria, LTA is a polyglycerol-phosphate chain that is decorated with d-alanine and sugar residues. However, the function of and proteins responsible for the glycosylation of LTA are either unknown or not well-characterized. Here, using bioinformatics, genetic, and NMR spectroscopy approaches, we found that the Bacillus subtilis csbB and yfhO genes are essential for LTA glycosylation. Interestingly, the Listeria monocytogenes gene lmo1079, which encodes a YfhO homolog, was not required for LTA glycosylation, but instead was essential for WTA glycosylation. LTA is polymerized on the outside of the cell and hence can only be glycosylated extracellularly. Based on the similarity of the genes coding for YfhO homologs that are required in B. subtilis for LTA glycosylation or in L. monocytogenes for WTA glycosylation, we hypothesize that WTA glycosylation might also occur extracellularly in Listeria species. Finally, we discovered that in L. monocytogenes, lmo0626 (gtlB) was required for LTA glycosylation, indicating that the encoded protein has a function similar to that of YfhO, although the proteins are not homologous. Together, our results enable us to propose an updated model for LTA glycosylation and also indicate that glycosylation of WTA might occur through two different mechanisms in Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanine Rismondo
- From the Section of Microbiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew G Percy
- From the Section of Microbiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Angelika Gründling
- From the Section of Microbiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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39
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Grunert T, Jovanovic D, Sirisarn W, Johler S, Weidenmaier C, Ehling-Schulz M, Xia G. Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus wall teichoic acid glycoepitopes by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy provides novel insights into the staphylococcal glycocode. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1889. [PMID: 29382892 PMCID: PMC5789974 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20222-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Surface carbohydrate moieties are essential for bacterial communication, phage-bacteria and host-pathogen interaction. Most Staphylococcus aureus produce polyribitolphosphate type Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) substituted with α- and/or β-O-linked N-acetyl-glucosamine (α-/β-O-GlcNAc) residues. GlcNAc modifications have attracted particular interest, as they were shown to govern staphylococcal adhesion to host cells, to promote phage susceptibility conferring beta-lactam resistance and are an important target for antimicrobial agents and vaccines. However, there is a lack of rapid, reliable, and convenient methods to detect and quantify these sugar residues. Whole cell Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy could meet these demands and was employed to analyse WTAs and WTA glycosylation in S. aureus. Using S. aureus mutants, we found that a complete loss of WTA expression resulted in strong FTIR spectral perturbations mainly related to carbohydrates and phosphorus-containing molecules. We could demonstrate that α- or β-O-GlcNAc WTA substituents can be clearly differentiated by chemometrically assisted FTIR spectroscopy. Our results suggest that whole cell FTIR spectroscopy represents a powerful and reliable method for large scale analysis of WTA glycosylation, thus opening up a complete new range of options for deciphering the staphylococcal pathogenesis related glycocode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Grunert
- Functional Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Dijana Jovanovic
- Functional Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wanchat Sirisarn
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Sophia Johler
- Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher Weidenmaier
- Interfaculty Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen and German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Monika Ehling-Schulz
- Functional Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Guoqing Xia
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom
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40
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Domenech M, García E. Fluorescence Imaging of Streptococcus pneumoniae with the Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA) As a Potential, Rapid Diagnostic Tool. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1333. [PMID: 28769901 PMCID: PMC5513899 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common human pathogen and a major causal agent of life-threatening infections that can either be respiratory or non-respiratory. It is well known that the Helix pomatia (edible snail) agglutinin (HPA) lectin shows specificity for terminal αGalNAc residues present, among other locations, in the Forssman pentasaccharide (αGalNAc1→3βGalNAc1→3αGal1→4βGal1→4βGlc). Based on experiments involving choline-independent mutants and different growth conditions, we propose here that HPA recognizes the αGalNAc terminal residues of the cell wall teichoic and lipoteichoic acids of S. pneumoniae. In addition, experimental evidence showing that pneumococci can be specifically labeled with HPA when growing as planktonic cultures as well as in mixed biofilms of S. pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae has been obtained. It should be underlined that pneumococci were HPA-labeled despite of the presence of a capsule. Although some non-pneumococcal species also bind the agglutinin, HPA-binding combined with fluorescence microscopy constitutes a suitable tool for identifying S. pneumoniae and, if used in conjunction with Gram staining and/or other suitable technique like antigen detection, it may potentially facilitate a fast and accurate diagnosis of pneumococcal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirian Domenech
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular y Biología de las Infecciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasMadrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades RespiratoriasMadrid, Spain
| | - Ernesto García
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular y Biología de las Infecciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasMadrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades RespiratoriasMadrid, Spain
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41
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Mariathasan S, Tan MW. Antibody-Antibiotic Conjugates: A Novel Therapeutic Platform against Bacterial Infections. Trends Mol Med 2017; 23:135-149. [PMID: 28126271 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Antibodies are potent components of the immune repertoire and have been successfully exploited to treat bacterial infections. Recently an antibody-antibiotic conjugate (AAC) that combines key attributes of an antibody and antibiotic has been shown to be efficacious against Staphylococcus aureus infection. An AAC has three components: an antibiotic payload to kill bacteria, an antibody to target delivery of the payload to bacteria, and a linker attaching the payload to the antibody. With increasing understanding of the biology and pathophysiology of S. aureus, this article highlights how this knowledge has led to the design principles of an efficacious AAC, and discusses how the AAC platform could be translationally applied to treat other perilous infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeev Mariathasan
- Department of Late-Stage Oncology Biomarkers Development, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Man-Wah Tan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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42
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van der Es D, Hogendorf WFJ, Overkleeft HS, van der Marel GA, Codée JDC. Teichoic acids: synthesis and applications. Chem Soc Rev 2017; 46:1464-1482. [DOI: 10.1039/c6cs00270f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This review describes synthetic strategies to assemble well-defined teichoic acids and their use in unraveling their biological mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan van der Es
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry
- Leiden University
- 2300 RA Leiden
- The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Jeroen D. C. Codée
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry
- Leiden University
- 2300 RA Leiden
- The Netherlands
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43
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Waters EM, Rudkin JK, Coughlan S, Clair GC, Adkins JN, Gore S, Xia G, Black NS, Downing T, O'Neill E, Kadioglu A, O'Gara JP. Redeploying β-Lactam Antibiotics as a Novel Antivirulence Strategy for the Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections. J Infect Dis 2016; 215:80-87. [PMID: 28077586 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiw461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovative approaches to the use of existing antibiotics is an important strategy in efforts to address the escalating antimicrobial resistance crisis. We report a new approach to the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections by demonstrating that oxacillin can be used to significantly attenuate the virulence of MRSA despite the pathogen being resistant to this drug. Using mechanistic in vitro assays and in vivo models of invasive pneumonia and sepsis, we show that oxacillin-treated MRSA strains are significantly attenuated in virulence. This effect is based primarily on the oxacillin-dependent repression of the accessory gene regulator quorum-sensing system and altered cell wall architecture, which in turn lead to increased susceptibility to host killing of MRSA. Our data indicate that β-lactam antibiotics should be included in the treatment regimen as an adjunct antivirulence therapy for patients with MRSA infections. This would represent an important change to current clinical practice for treatment of MRSA infection, with the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes in a safe, cost-effective manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine M Waters
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool
| | | | - Simone Coughlan
- School of Mathematics, Statistics, and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland, Galway
| | - Geremy C Clair
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington
| | - Joshua N Adkins
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington
| | - Suzanna Gore
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool
| | - Guoqing Xia
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nikki S Black
- Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences
| | - Tim Downing
- School of Mathematics, Statistics, and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland, Galway.,School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University
| | - Eoghan O'Neill
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Connolly Hospital, Dublin
| | - Aras Kadioglu
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool
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44
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Mann E, Whitfield C. A widespread three-component mechanism for the periplasmic modification of bacterial glycoconjugates. CAN J CHEM 2016. [DOI: 10.1139/cjc-2015-0594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The diverse structures of bacterial glycoconjugates are generally established during the early stages of synthesis by the activities of nucleotide sugar-dependent glycosyltransferases active in the cytoplasm. However, in some cases, further modifications of varying complexity occur after the glycoconjugate is exported to the periplasm. These processes are distinguished by the involvement of polyprenyl monosphosphoryl donors and require glycosyltransferases possessing GT-C folds. Established prototypes are found in modifications of some bacterial lipopolysaccharides, where 4-amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose is added to lipid A and glucose side branches are used to modify O-antigens. Here we review the current understanding of these systems and describe similarities to other periplasmic glycan modifications in bacteria and the N-glycosylation pathway for assembly of eukaryotic glycoproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Mann
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Chris Whitfield
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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45
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Planet PJ, Narechania A, Chen L, Mathema B, Boundy S, Archer G, Kreiswirth B. Architecture of a Species: Phylogenomics of Staphylococcus aureus. Trends Microbiol 2016; 25:153-166. [PMID: 27751626 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A deluge of whole-genome sequencing has begun to give insights into the patterns and processes of microbial evolution, but genome sequences have accrued in a haphazard manner, with biased sampling of natural variation that is driven largely by medical and epidemiological priorities. For instance, there is a strong bias for sequencing epidemic lineages of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) over sensitive isolates (methicillin-sensitive S. aureus: MSSA). As more diverse genomes are sequenced the emerging picture is of a highly subdivided species with a handful of relatively clonal groups (complexes) that, at any given moment, dominate in particular geographical regions. The establishment of hegemony of particular clones appears to be a dynamic process of successive waves of replacement of the previously dominant clone. Here we review the phylogenomic structure of a diverse range of S. aureus, including both MRSA and MSSA. We consider the utility of the concept of the 'core' genome and the impact of recombination and horizontal transfer. We argue that whole-genome surveillance of S. aureus populations could lead to better forecasting of antibiotic resistance and virulence of emerging clones, and a better understanding of the elusive biological factors that determine repeated strain replacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Planet
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia & University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Apurva Narechania
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Liang Chen
- Public Health Research Institute Center, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Barun Mathema
- Public Health Research Institute Center, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sam Boundy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Gordon Archer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Barry Kreiswirth
- Public Health Research Institute Center, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, USA
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46
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Schade J, Weidenmaier C. Cell wall glycopolymers of Firmicutes and their role as nonprotein adhesins. FEBS Lett 2016; 590:3758-3771. [PMID: 27396949 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cell wall glycopolymers (CWGs) of gram-positive bacteria have gained increasing interest with respect to their role in colonization and infection. In most gram-positive pathogens they constitute a large fraction of the cell wall biomass and represent major cell envelope determinants. Depending on their chemical structure they modulate interaction with complement factors and play roles in immune evasion or serve as nonprotein adhesins that mediate, especially under dynamic conditions, attachment to different host cell types. In particular, covalently peptidoglycan-attached CWGs that extend well above the cell wall seem to interact with glyco-receptors on host cell surfaces. For example, in the case of Staphylococcus aureus, the cell wall-attached teichoic acid (WTA) has been identified as a major CWG adhesin. A recent report indicates that a type-F scavenger receptor, termed SR-F1 (SREC-I), is the predominant WTA receptor in the nasal cavity and that WTA-SREC-I interaction plays an important role in S. aureus nasal colonization. Therefore, understanding the role of CWGs in complex processes that mediate colonization and infection will allow novel insights into the mechanisms of host-microbiota interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Schade
- Interfaculty Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine (IMIT), University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christopher Weidenmaier
- Interfaculty Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine (IMIT), University of Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partnersite Tübingen, Germany
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47
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Li X, Koç C, Kühner P, Stierhof YD, Krismer B, Enright MC, Penadés JR, Wolz C, Stehle T, Cambillau C, Peschel A, Xia G. An essential role for the baseplate protein Gp45 in phage adsorption to Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26455. [PMID: 27212064 PMCID: PMC4876445 DOI: 10.1038/srep26455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the importance of phages in driving horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among pathogenic bacteria, the underlying molecular mechanisms mediating phage adsorption to S. aureus are still unclear. Phage ϕ11 is a siphovirus with a high transducing efficiency. Here, we show that the tail protein Gp45 localized within the ϕ11 baseplate. Phage ϕ11 was efficiently neutralized by anti-Gp45 serum, and its adsorption to host cells was inhibited by recombinant Gp45 in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that biotin-labelled Gp45 efficiently stained the wild-type S. aureus cell but not the double knockout mutant ΔtarM/S, which lacks both α- and β-O-GlcNAc residues on its wall teichoic acids (WTAs). Additionally, adsorption assays indicate that GlcNAc residues on WTAs and O-acetyl groups at the 6-position of muramic acid residues in peptidoglycan are essential components of the ϕ11 receptor. The elucidation of Gp45-involved molecular interactions not only broadens our understanding of siphovirus-mediated HGT, but also lays the groundwork for the development of sensitive affinity-based diagnostics and therapeutics for S. aureus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehua Li
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cengiz Koç
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Petra Kühner
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - York-Dieter Stierhof
- Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Krismer
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mark C Enright
- School of Healthcare Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, United Kingdom
| | - José R Penadés
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Christiane Wolz
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thilo Stehle
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Cambillau
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 6098, Campus de Luminy, Case 932, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Germany
| | - Guoqing Xia
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Germany.,Institute of Inflammation &Repair, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom
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48
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Mann PA, Müller A, Wolff KA, Fischmann T, Wang H, Reed P, Hou Y, Li W, Müller CE, Xiao J, Murgolo N, Sher X, Mayhood T, Sheth PR, Mirza A, Labroli M, Xiao L, McCoy M, Gill CJ, Pinho MG, Schneider T, Roemer T. Chemical Genetic Analysis and Functional Characterization of Staphylococcal Wall Teichoic Acid 2-Epimerases Reveals Unconventional Antibiotic Drug Targets. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005585. [PMID: 27144276 PMCID: PMC4856313 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we describe a chemical biology strategy performed in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis to identify MnaA, a 2-epimerase that we demonstrate interconverts UDP-GlcNAc and UDP-ManNAc to modulate substrate levels of TarO and TarA wall teichoic acid (WTA) biosynthesis enzymes. Genetic inactivation of mnaA results in complete loss of WTA and dramatic in vitro β-lactam hypersensitivity in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and S. epidermidis (MRSE). Likewise, the β-lactam antibiotic imipenem exhibits restored bactericidal activity against mnaA mutants in vitro and concomitant efficacy against 2-epimerase defective strains in a mouse thigh model of MRSA and MRSE infection. Interestingly, whereas MnaA serves as the sole 2-epimerase required for WTA biosynthesis in S. epidermidis, MnaA and Cap5P provide compensatory WTA functional roles in S. aureus. We also demonstrate that MnaA and other enzymes of WTA biosynthesis are required for biofilm formation in MRSA and MRSE. We further determine the 1.9Å crystal structure of S. aureus MnaA and identify critical residues for enzymatic dimerization, stability, and substrate binding. Finally, the natural product antibiotic tunicamycin is shown to physically bind MnaA and Cap5P and inhibit 2-epimerase activity, demonstrating that it inhibits a previously unanticipated step in WTA biosynthesis. In summary, MnaA serves as a new Staphylococcal antibiotic target with cognate inhibitors predicted to possess dual therapeutic benefit: as combination agents to restore β-lactam efficacy against MRSA and MRSE and as non-bioactive prophylactic agents to prevent Staphylococcal biofilm formation. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis cause life-threatening infections that are commonly acquired in hospitals as well as the community and remain difficult to treat with current antibiotics. In part, this is due to the emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus and S. epidermidis (MRSA and MRSE), which exhibit broad resistance to β-lactams such as penicillin and other members of this important founding class of antibiotics. Compounding this problem, Staphylococci commonly colonize the surface of catheters and other medical devices, forming bacterial communities that are intrinsically resistant to antibiotics. Here we functionally characterize a family of 2-epimerases, named MnaA and Cap5P, that we demonstrate by genetic, biochemical, and X-ray crystallography means are essential for wall teichoic acid biosynthesis and that upon their genetic inactivation render methicillin-resistant Staphylococci unable to form biofilms as well as broadly hypersusceptible to β-lactam antibiotics both in vitro and in a host infection setting. WTA 2-epimerases therefore constitute a novel class of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcal drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A. Mann
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Anna Müller
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kerstin A. Wolff
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Thierry Fischmann
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Hao Wang
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Patricia Reed
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Yan Hou
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Wenjin Li
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christa E. Müller
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jianying Xiao
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Murgolo
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Xinwei Sher
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Todd Mayhood
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Payal R. Sheth
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Asra Mirza
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Marc Labroli
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Li Xiao
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Mark McCoy
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Charles J. Gill
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Mariana G. Pinho
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Terry Roemer
- Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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49
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Fisher JF, Mobashery S. β-Lactam Resistance Mechanisms: Gram-Positive Bacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2016; 6:cshperspect.a025221. [PMID: 27091943 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a025221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The value of the β-lactam antibiotics for the control of bacterial infection has eroded with time. Three Gram-positive human pathogens that were once routinely susceptible to β-lactam chemotherapy-Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecium, and Staphylococcus aureus-now are not. Although a fourth bacterium, the acid-fast (but not Gram-positive-staining) Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has intrinsic resistance to earlier β-lactams, the emergence of strains of this bacterium resistant to virtually all other antibiotics has compelled the evaluation of newer β-lactam combinations as possible contributors to the multidrug chemotherapy required to control tubercular infection. The emerging molecular-level understanding of these resistance mechanisms used by these four bacteria provides the conceptual framework for bringing forward new β-lactams, and new β-lactam strategies, for the future control of their infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jed F Fisher
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5670
| | - Shahriar Mobashery
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5670
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50
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Chen H, Xiong Z, Liu K, Li S, Wang R, Wang X, Zhang Y, Wang H. Transcriptional profiling of the two-component regulatory system VraSR in Staphylococcus aureus with low-level vancomycin resistance. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2016; 47:362-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2015] [Revised: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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