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Benyamini P. Phylogenetic Tracing of Evolutionarily Conserved Zonula Occludens Toxin Reveals a "High Value" Vaccine Candidate Specific for Treating Multi-Strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:271. [PMID: 38922165 PMCID: PMC11209546 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are emerging as a significant threat associated with adverse patient outcomes. Due to this organism's inherent properties of developing antibiotic resistance, we sought to investigate alternative strategies such as identifying "high value" antigens for immunotherapy-based purposes. Through extensive database mining, we discovered that numerous Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) genomes, many of which are known multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, including P. aeruginosa, horizontally acquired the evolutionarily conserved gene encoding Zonula occludens toxin (Zot) with a substantial degree of homology. The toxin's genomic footprint among so many different GNB stresses its evolutionary importance. By employing in silico techniques such as proteomic-based phylogenetic tracing, in conjunction with comparative structural modeling, we discovered a highly conserved intermembrane associated stretch of 70 amino acids shared among all the GNB strains analyzed. The characterization of our newly identified antigen reveals it to be a "high value" vaccine candidate specific for P. aeruginosa. This newly identified antigen harbors multiple non-overlapping B- and T-cell epitopes exhibiting very high binding affinities and can adopt identical tertiary structures among the least genetically homologous P. aeruginosa strains. Taken together, using proteomic-driven reverse vaccinology techniques, we identified multiple "high value" vaccine candidates capable of eliciting a polarized immune response against all the P. aeruginosa genetic variants tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payam Benyamini
- Department of Health Sciences at Extension, University of California Los Angeles, 1145 Gayley Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
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Nehls C, Schröder M, Haubenthal T, Haas A, Gutsmann T. The mechanistic basis of the membrane-permeabilizing activities of the virulence-associated protein A (VapA) from Rhodococcus equi. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:578-592. [PMID: 38308564 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15233] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Pathogenic Rhodococcus equi release the virulence-associated protein A (VapA) within macrophage phagosomes. VapA permeabilizes phagosome and lysosome membranes and reduces acidification of both compartments. Using biophysical techniques, we found that VapA interacts with model membranes in four steps: (i) binding, change of mechanical properties, (ii) formation of specific membrane domains, (iii) permeabilization within the domains, and (iv) pH-specific transformation of domains. Biosensor data revealed that VapA binds to membranes in one step at pH 6.5 and in two steps at pH 4.5 and decreases membrane fluidity. The integration of VapA into lipid monolayers was only significant at lateral pressures <20 mN m-1 indicating preferential incorporation into membrane regions with reduced integrity. Atomic force microscopy of lipid mono- and bilayers showed that VapA increased the surface heterogeneity of liquid disordered domains. Furthermore, VapA led to the formation of a new microstructured domain type and, at pH 4.5, to the formation of 5 nm high domains. VapA binding, its integration and lipid domain formation depended on lipid composition, pH, protein concentration and lateral membrane pressure. VapA-mediated permeabilization is clearly distinct from that caused by classical microbial pore formers and is a key contribution to the multiplication of Rhodococcus equi in phagosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Nehls
- Division of Biophysics, Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Hamburg, Germany
- Kiel Nano, Surface and Interface Science KiNSIS, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Marcel Schröder
- Division of Biophysics, Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | | | - Albert Haas
- Cell Biology Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Gutsmann
- Division of Biophysics, Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Hamburg, Germany
- Kiel Nano, Surface and Interface Science KiNSIS, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
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Job V, Gomez-Valero L, Renier A, Rusniok C, Bouillot S, Chenal-Francisque V, Gueguen E, Adrait A, Robert-Genthon M, Jeannot K, Panchev P, Elsen S, Fauvarque MO, Couté Y, Buchrieser C, Attrée I. Genomic erosion and horizontal gene transfer shape functional differences of the ExlA toxin in Pseudomonas spp. iScience 2022; 25:104596. [PMID: 35789842 PMCID: PMC9250014 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-partner secretion (TPS) is widespread in the bacterial world. The pore-forming TPS toxin ExlA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is conserved in pathogenic and environmental Pseudomonas. While P. chlororaphis and P. entomophila displayed ExlA-dependent killing, P. putida did not cause damage to eukaryotic cells. ExlA proteins interacted with epithelial cell membranes; however, only ExlAPch induced the cleavage of the adhesive molecule E-cadherin. ExlA proteins participated in insecticidal activity toward the larvae of Galleria mellonella and the fly Drosophila melanogaster. Evolutionary analyses demonstrated that the differences in the C-terminal domains are partly due to horizontal movements of the operon within the genus Pseudomonas. Reconstruction of the evolutionary history revealed the complex horizontal acquisitions. Together, our results provide evidence that conserved TPS toxins in environmental Pseudomonas play a role in bacteria-insect interactions and discrete differences in CTDs may determine their specificity and mode of action toward eukaryotic cells. ExlA is a two-partner secreted toxin conserved across Pseudomonas spp. Environmental Pseudomonas strains encode ExlA with different cytotoxic activities ExlA of environmental Pseudomonas strains play a role in bacteria-insect interactions ExlBA operon shows a complex evolutionary history of horizontal gene transfer
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Job
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses Team, UMR5075 CNRS, IRIG, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | - Laura Gomez-Valero
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Unité Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Adèle Renier
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses Team, UMR5075 CNRS, IRIG, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | - Christophe Rusniok
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Unité Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Stephanie Bouillot
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses Team, UMR5075 CNRS, IRIG, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | - Viviane Chenal-Francisque
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Unité Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Erwan Gueguen
- University of Lyon, Université Lyon 1, INSA de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5240 Microbiologie Adaptation et Pathogénie, Lyon, France
| | - Annie Adrait
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, UMR BioSanté U1292, Grenoble, France
| | - Mylène Robert-Genthon
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses Team, UMR5075 CNRS, IRIG, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | - Katy Jeannot
- Centre National de Référence de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques, Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Jean Minjoz, UMR6249 CNRS, Université de Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Peter Panchev
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses Team, UMR5075 CNRS, IRIG, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | - Sylvie Elsen
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses Team, UMR5075 CNRS, IRIG, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Yohann Couté
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, UMR BioSanté U1292, Grenoble, France
- CNRS, CEA, FR2048, Grenoble, France
| | - Carmen Buchrieser
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 6047, Unité Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, 75015 Paris, France
- Corresponding author
| | - Ina Attrée
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Structural Biology, Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses Team, UMR5075 CNRS, IRIG, CEA, Grenoble, France
- Corresponding author
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Huber P. ExlA: A New Contributor to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:929150. [PMID: 35811671 PMCID: PMC9260685 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.929150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
ExlA (also called exolysin) is a recently discovered virulence factor secreted by a subset of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in which a type 3 secretion system is lacking. exlA-positive strains were identified worldwide in the clinic, causing several types of infectious diseases, and were detected in various locations in the environment. ExlA possesses pore-forming activity and is cytolytic for most human cell types. It belongs to a class of poorly characterized bacterial toxins, sharing a similar protein domain organization and a common secretion pathway. This review summarizes the recent findings regarding ExlA synthesis, its secretion pathway, and its toxic behavior for host cells.
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Ulhuq FR, Mariano G. Bacterial pore-forming toxins. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168:001154. [PMID: 35333704 PMCID: PMC9558359 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are widely distributed in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. PFTs can act as virulence factors that bacteria utilise in dissemination and host colonisation or, alternatively, they can be employed to compete with rival microbes in polymicrobial niches. PFTs transition from a soluble form to become membrane-embedded by undergoing large conformational changes. Once inserted, they perforate the membrane, causing uncontrolled efflux of ions and/or nutrients and dissipating the protonmotive force (PMF). In some instances, target cells intoxicated by PFTs display additional effects as part of the cellular response to pore formation. Significant progress has been made in the mechanistic description of pore formation for the different PFTs families, but in several cases a complete understanding of pore structure remains lacking. PFTs have evolved recognition mechanisms to bind specific receptors that define their host tropism, although this can be remarkably diverse even within the same family. Here we summarise the salient features of PFTs and highlight where additional research is necessary to fully understand the mechanism of pore formation by members of this diverse group of protein toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima R. Ulhuq
- Microbes in Health and Disease Theme, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Giuseppina Mariano
- Microbes in Health and Disease Theme, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Tümmler B. What Makes Pseudomonas aeruginosa a Pathogen? ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1386:283-301. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-08491-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Deruelle V, Berry A, Bouillot S, Job V, Maillard AP, Elsen S, Huber P. ExlA Pore-Forming Toxin: Localization at the Bacterial Membrane, Regulation of Secretion by Cyclic-Di-GMP, and Detection In Vivo. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13090645. [PMID: 34564649 PMCID: PMC8472254 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13090645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
ExlA is a highly virulent pore-forming toxin that has been recently discovered in outlier strains from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ExlA is part of a two-partner secretion system, in which ExlA is the secreted passenger protein and ExlB the transporter embedded in the bacterial outer membrane. In previous work, we observed that ExlA toxicity in a host cell was contact-dependent. Here, we show that ExlA accumulates at specific points of the outer membrane, is likely entrapped within ExlB pore, and is pointing outside. We further demonstrate that ExlA is maintained at the membrane in conditions where the intracellular content of second messenger cyclic-di-GMP is high; lowering c-di-GMP levels enhances ExlB-dependent ExlA secretion. In addition, we set up an ELISA to detect ExlA, and we show that ExlA is poorly secreted in liquid culture, while it is highly detectable in broncho-alveolar lavage fluids of mice infected with an exlA+ strain. We conclude that ExlA translocation is halted at mid-length in the outer membrane and its secretion is regulated by c-di-GMP. In addition, we developed an immunological test able to quantify ExlA in biological samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Deruelle
- Unité de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, INSERM, CNRS, 38054 Grenoble, France; (V.D.); (A.B.); (S.B.); (V.J.); (A.P.M.); (S.E.)
- Unité de Biochimie des Interactions Macromoléculaires, Département de Biologie Structurale et Chimie, CNRS UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Alice Berry
- Unité de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, INSERM, CNRS, 38054 Grenoble, France; (V.D.); (A.B.); (S.B.); (V.J.); (A.P.M.); (S.E.)
| | - Stéphanie Bouillot
- Unité de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, INSERM, CNRS, 38054 Grenoble, France; (V.D.); (A.B.); (S.B.); (V.J.); (A.P.M.); (S.E.)
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, CEA, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Viviana Job
- Unité de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, INSERM, CNRS, 38054 Grenoble, France; (V.D.); (A.B.); (S.B.); (V.J.); (A.P.M.); (S.E.)
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, CEA, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Antoine P. Maillard
- Unité de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, INSERM, CNRS, 38054 Grenoble, France; (V.D.); (A.B.); (S.B.); (V.J.); (A.P.M.); (S.E.)
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, CEA, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Sylvie Elsen
- Unité de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, INSERM, CNRS, 38054 Grenoble, France; (V.D.); (A.B.); (S.B.); (V.J.); (A.P.M.); (S.E.)
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, CEA, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Philippe Huber
- Unité de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, INSERM, CNRS, 38054 Grenoble, France; (V.D.); (A.B.); (S.B.); (V.J.); (A.P.M.); (S.E.)
- Center for Immunology of Viral, Auto-Immune, Hematological and Bacterial Diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, CEA, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Correspondence:
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Morin CD, Déziel E, Gauthier J, Levesque RC, Lau GW. An Organ System-Based Synopsis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence. Virulence 2021; 12:1469-1507. [PMID: 34180343 PMCID: PMC8237970 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1926408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Driven in part by its metabolic versatility, high intrinsic antibiotic resistance, and a large repertoire of virulence factors, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is expertly adapted to thrive in a wide variety of environments, and in the process, making it a notorious opportunistic pathogen. Apart from the extensively studied chronic infection in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), P. aeruginosa also causes multiple serious infections encompassing essentially all organs of the human body, among others, lung infection in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, primary ciliary dyskinesia and ventilator-associated pneumonia; bacteremia and sepsis; soft tissue infection in burns, open wounds and postsurgery patients; urinary tract infection; diabetic foot ulcers; chronic suppurative otitis media and otitis externa; and keratitis associated with extended contact lens use. Although well characterized in the context of CF, pathogenic processes mediated by various P. aeruginosa virulence factors in other organ systems remain poorly understood. In this review, we use an organ system-based approach to provide a synopsis of disease mechanisms exerted by P. aeruginosa virulence determinants that contribute to its success as a versatile pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles D Morin
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National De La Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Eric Déziel
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National De La Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jeff Gauthier
- Département De Microbiologie-infectiologie Et Immunologie, Institut De Biologie Intégrative Et Des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Roger C Levesque
- Département De Microbiologie-infectiologie Et Immunologie, Institut De Biologie Intégrative Et Des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gee W Lau
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, US
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