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Li Y, Wei Y, Guo X, Li X, Lu L, Hu L, He Z. Insertion sequence transposition activates antimycobacteriophage immunity through an lsr2-silenced lipid metabolism gene island. MLIFE 2024; 3:87-100. [PMID: 38827510 PMCID: PMC11139207 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Insertion sequences (ISs) exist widely in bacterial genomes, but their roles in the evolution of bacterial antiphage defense remain to be clarified. Here, we report that, under the pressure of phage infection, the IS1096 transposition of Mycobacterium smegmatis into the lsr2 gene can occur at high frequencies, which endows the mutant mycobacterium with a broad-spectrum antiphage ability. Lsr2 functions as a negative regulator and directly silences expression of a gene island composed of 11 lipid metabolism-related genes. The complete or partial loss of the gene island leads to a significant decrease of bacteriophage adsorption to the mycobacterium, thus defending against phage infection. Strikingly, a phage that has evolved mutations in two tail-filament genes can re-escape from the lsr2 inactivation-triggered host defense. This study uncovered a new signaling pathway for activating antimycobacteriophage immunity by IS transposition and provided insight into the natural evolution of bacterial antiphage defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakun Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Yuyun Wei
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Xiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Xiaohui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Lining Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Lihua Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Zheng‐Guo He
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
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Ragavendran PV, Tripathi V, Gandotra S. Structure prediction-based insights into the patatin family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168. [PMID: 36748562 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Despite its genome sequencing more than two decades ago, the majority of the genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis remain functionally uncharacterized. Patatins are one such class of proteins that, despite undergoing an expansion in this pathogenic species compared to their non-pathogenic cousins, remain largely unstudied. Recent advances in protein structure prediction using machine learning tools such as AlphaFold2 have provided high-confidence predicted structures for all M. tuberculosis proteins. Here we present detailed analyses of the patatin family of M. tuberculosis using AlphaFold-predicted structures, providing insights into likely modes of regulation, membrane interaction and substrate binding. Regulatory domains within this family of proteins include cyclic nucleotide binding, lid-like domains and other helical domains. Using structural homologues, we identified the likely membrane localization mechanisms and substrate-binding sites. These analyses reveal diversity in their regulatory capacity, mechanisms of membrane binding and likely length of fatty acid substrates. Together, this analysis suggests unique roles for the eight predicted patatins of M. tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- P V Ragavendran
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh- 201 002, India.,Immunology and Infectious Disease, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India, New Delhi, India
| | - Vaishnavi Tripathi
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh- 201 002, India.,Immunology and Infectious Disease, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India, New Delhi, India
| | - Sheetal Gandotra
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh- 201 002, India.,Immunology and Infectious Disease, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India, New Delhi, India
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Pinto SAG, Nagai MYO, Alvares-Saraiva A, Peres GB, Waisse S, Perez EC, Bonamin LV. Silicea terra and Zincum metallicum Modulate the Activity of Macrophages Challenged with BCG In Vitro. HOMEOPATHY 2020; 110:52-61. [PMID: 33348418 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1716367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The homeopathic medicines Silicea terra (Sil) and Zincum metallicum (Zinc) modulate macrophage activity and were assessed in an experimental study in-vitro for their effects on macrophage-BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) interaction. METHODS RAW 264.7 macrophages were infected with BCG, treated with different potencies of Sil and Zinc (6cH, 30cH and 200cH) or vehicle, and assessed 24 and 48 h later for bacilli internalization, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and cytokine production, and lysosomal activity. RESULTS Treatment with vehicle was associated with non-specific inhibition of H2O2 production to the levels exhibited by uninfected macrophages. Sil 200cH induced significant reduction of H2O2 production (p < 0.001) compared with the vehicle and all other treatments, as well as higher lysosomal activity (p ≤ 0.001) and increased IL-10 production (p ≤ 0.05). Such effects were considered specific for this remedy and potency. The number of internalized bacilli was inversely proportional to Zinc potencies, with statistically significant interaction between dilution and treatment (p = 0.003). Such linear-like behavior was not observed for Sil dilutions: peak internalization occurred with the 30cH dilution, accompanied by cellular degeneration, and IL-6 and IL-10 increased (p ≤ 0.05) only in the cells treated with Sil 6cH. CONCLUSION Sil and Zinc presented different patterns of potency-dependent effect on macrophage activity. Bacterial digestion and a balanced IL-6/IL-10 production were related to Sil 6cH, though reduced oxidative stress with increased lysosomal activity was related to Sil 200cH. Degenerative effects were exclusively related to Sil 30cH, and potency-dependent phagocytosis was related only to Zinc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Augusta G Pinto
- Research Center, Graduation Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Universidade Paulista-UNIP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mirian Yaeko O Nagai
- Research Center, Graduation Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Universidade Paulista-UNIP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anuska Alvares-Saraiva
- Research Center, Graduation Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Universidade Paulista-UNIP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giovani B Peres
- Research Center, Graduation Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Universidade Paulista-UNIP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Silvia Waisse
- Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Graduation Program in History of Science, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth C Perez
- Research Center, Graduation Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Universidade Paulista-UNIP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leoni Villano Bonamin
- Research Center, Graduation Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Universidade Paulista-UNIP, São Paulo, Brazil
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Dalberto PF, de Souza EV, Abbadi BL, Neves CE, Rambo RS, Ramos AS, Macchi FS, Machado P, Bizarro CV, Basso LA. Handling the Hurdles on the Way to Anti-tuberculosis Drug Development. Front Chem 2020; 8:586294. [PMID: 33330374 PMCID: PMC7710551 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.586294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) imposes a sustained epidemiologic vigilance and investments in research by governments. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the main causative agent of TB in human beings, is a very successful pathogen, being the main cause of death in the population among infectious agents. In 2018, ~10 million individuals were contaminated with this bacillus and became ill with TB, and about 1.2 million succumbed to the disease. Most of the success of the M. tuberculosis to linger in the population comes from its ability to persist in an asymptomatic latent state into the host and, in fact, the majority of the individuals are unaware of being contaminated. Even though TB is a treatable disease and is curable in most cases, the treatment is lengthy and laborious. In addition, the rise of resistance to first-line anti-TB drugs elicits a response from TB research groups to discover new chemical entities, preferably with novel mechanisms of action. The pathway to find a new TB drug, however, is arduous and has many barriers that are difficult to overcome. Fortunately, several approaches are available today to be pursued by scientists interested in anti-TB drug development, which goes from massively testing chemical compounds against mycobacteria, to discovering new molecular targets by genetic manipulation. This review presents some difficulties found along the TB drug development process and illustrates different approaches that might be used to try to identify new molecules or targets that are able to impair M. tuberculosis survival.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Luiz A. Basso
- Centro de Pesquisas em Biologia Molecular e Funcional (CPBMF) and Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Tuberculose (INCT-TB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Xu H, Su Z, Li W, Deng Y, He ZG. MmbR, a master transcription regulator that controls fatty acid β-oxidation genes in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:1096-1114. [PMID: 32985741 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
An unusually high lipid content and a complex lipid profile are the most distinctive features of the mycobacterial cell envelope. However, our understanding of the regulatory mechanism underlying mycobacterial lipid metabolism is limited, and the major regulators responsible for lipid homeostasis remain to be characterized. Here, we identified MmbR as a novel master regulator that is essential for maintaining lipid homeostasis in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis. We found that MmbR controls fatty acid β-oxidation and modulates biofilm formation in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis. Although MmbR possesses the properties of nucleoid-associated proteins, it acts as a TetR-like transcription factor, directly regulating and intensively repressing the expression of a group of core genes involved in fatty acid β-oxidation. Furthermore, both long-chain acyl-Coenzyme A and fatty acids appear to regulate the signal molecules modulated by MmbR. The deletion of mmbR led to a significant reduction in intracellular fatty acid content and a decrease in the relative lipid composition of the biofilm. The lack of mmbR led to morphological changes in the mycobacterial colony, defects in biofilm formation and enhanced sensitivity to anti-tuberculosis drugs. Our study is the first to establish a link between the transcriptional regulation of fatty acid β-oxidation genes and lipid homeostasis in mycobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhi Su
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Weihui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yimin Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng-Guo He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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Li M, Gašparovič H, Weng X, Chen S, Korduláková J, Jessen-Trefzer C. The Two-Component Locus MSMEG_0244/0246 Together With MSMEG_0243 Affects Biofilm Assembly in M. smegmatis Correlating With Changes in Phosphatidylinositol Mannosides Acylation. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:570606. [PMID: 33013801 PMCID: PMC7516205 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.570606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferric and ferrous iron is an essential transition metal for growth of many bacterial species including mycobacteria. The genomic region msmeg_0234 to msmeg_0252 from Mycobacterium smegmatis is putatively involved in iron/heme metabolism. We investigate the genes encoding the presumed two component system MSMEG_0244/MSMEG_0246, the neighboring gene msmeg_0243 and their involvement in this process. We show that purified MSMEG_0243 indeed is a heme binding protein. Deletion of msmeg_0243/msmeg_0244/msmeg_0246 in Mycobacterium smegmatis leads to a defect in biofilm formation and colony growth on solid agar, however, this phenotype is independent of the supplied iron source. Further, analysis of the corresponding mutant and its lipids reveals that changes in morphology and biofilm formation correlate with altered acylation patterns of phosphatidylinositol mannosides (PIMs). We provide the first evidence that msmeg_0244/msmeg_0246 work in concert in cellular lipid homeostasis, especially in the maintenance of PIMs, with the heme-binding protein MSMEG_0243 as potential partner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomaio Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Henrich Gašparovič
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Xing Weng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Si Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jana Korduláková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Claudia Jessen-Trefzer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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