1
|
Cieśluk M, Deptuła P, Piktel E, Fiedoruk K, Suprewicz Ł, Paprocka P, Kot P, Pogoda K, Bucki R. Physics Comes to the Aid of Medicine-Clinically-Relevant Microorganisms through the Eyes of Atomic Force Microscope. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9110969. [PMID: 33233696 PMCID: PMC7699805 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the hope that was raised with the implementation of antibiotics to the treatment of infections in medical practice, the initial enthusiasm has substantially faded due to increasing drug resistance in pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, there is a need for novel analytical and diagnostic methods in order to extend our knowledge regarding the mode of action of the conventional and novel antimicrobial agents from a perspective of single microbial cells as well as their communities growing in infected sites, i.e., biofilms. In recent years, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been mostly used to study different aspects of the pathophysiology of noninfectious conditions with attempts to characterize morphological and rheological properties of tissues, individual mammalian cells as well as their organelles and extracellular matrix, and cells’ mechanical changes upon exposure to different stimuli. At the same time, an ever-growing number of studies have demonstrated AFM as a valuable approach in studying microorganisms in regard to changes in their morphology and nanomechanical properties, e.g., stiffness in response to antimicrobial treatment or interaction with a substrate as well as the mechanisms behind their virulence. This review summarizes recent developments and the authors’ point of view on AFM-based evaluation of microorganisms’ response to applied antimicrobial treatment within a group of selected bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The AFM potential in development of modern diagnostic and therapeutic methods for combating of infections caused by drug-resistant bacterial strains is also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Cieśluk
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland; (M.C.); (P.D.); (E.P.); (K.F.); (Ł.S.)
| | - Piotr Deptuła
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland; (M.C.); (P.D.); (E.P.); (K.F.); (Ł.S.)
| | - Ewelina Piktel
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland; (M.C.); (P.D.); (E.P.); (K.F.); (Ł.S.)
| | - Krzysztof Fiedoruk
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland; (M.C.); (P.D.); (E.P.); (K.F.); (Ł.S.)
| | - Łukasz Suprewicz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland; (M.C.); (P.D.); (E.P.); (K.F.); (Ł.S.)
| | - Paulina Paprocka
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, PL-25317 Kielce, Poland; (P.P.); (P.K.)
| | - Patrycja Kot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, PL-25317 Kielce, Poland; (P.P.); (P.K.)
| | - Katarzyna Pogoda
- Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Robert Bucki
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland; (M.C.); (P.D.); (E.P.); (K.F.); (Ł.S.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The increase in drug-resistant community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an important problem all over the world. This article explores the current state of antimicrobial resistance of different bacteria that cause CAP and also assesses risk factors to identify those pathogens. RECENT FINDINGS In the last two decades, it has been documented that there is a significant increase in drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and other bacteria causing CAP. The most important risk factors are overuse of antibiotics, prior hospitalization, and lung comorbidities. The direct consequences can be severe, including prolonged stays in hospital, increased costs, and morbi-mortality. However, drug-resistant CAP declined after the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. This review found an increase in resistance to the antibiotics used in CAP, and the risk factor can be used for identifying patients with drug-resistant CAP and initiate appropriate treatment. Judicious use of antibiotics and the development of effective new vaccines are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Arancibia
- Servicio de Medicina Respiratoria, Instituto Nacional Del Tórax and Unidad de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Facultad de Medicina Oriente, Universidad de Chile, J.M.Infante 717, Providencia, Santiago of Chile, Chile.
| | - Mauricio Ruiz
- Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clínico U. de Chile, Universidad de Chile, Av. Independencia 1027, Independencia, Providencia, Santiago of Chile, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mularski A, Separovic F. Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of the Interaction of Antimicrobial Peptides with Bacterial Cells. Aust J Chem 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/ch16425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising therapeutic alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Many AMPs are membrane-active but their mode of action in killing bacteria or in inhibiting their growth remains elusive. Recent studies indicate the mechanism of action depends on peptide structure and lipid components of the bacterial cell membrane. Owing to the complexity of working with living cells, most of these studies have been conducted with synthetic membrane systems, which neglect the possible role of bacterial surface structures in these interactions. In recent years, atomic force microscopy has been utilized to study a diverse range of biological systems under non-destructive, physiologically relevant conditions that yield in situ biophysical measurements of living cells. This approach has been applied to the study of AMP interaction with bacterial cells, generating data that describe how the peptides modulate various biophysical behaviours of individual bacteria, including the turgor pressure, cell wall elasticity, bacterial capsule thickness, and organization of bacterial adhesins.
Collapse
|
4
|
Mularski A, Wilksch JJ, Wang H, Hossain MA, Wade JD, Separovic F, Strugnell RA, Gee ML. Atomic Force Microscopy Reveals the Mechanobiology of Lytic Peptide Action on Bacteria. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2015; 31:6164-71. [PMID: 25978768 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Increasing rates of antimicrobial-resistant medically important bacteria require the development of new, effective therapeutics, of which antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are among the promising candidates. Many AMPs are membrane-active, but their mode of action in killing bacteria or in inhibiting their growth remains elusive. This study used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to probe the mechanobiology of a model AMP (a derivative of melittin) on living Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterial cells. We performed in situ biophysical measurements to understand how the melittin peptide modulates various biophysical behaviors of individual bacteria, including the turgor pressure, cell wall elasticity, and bacterial capsule thickness and organization. Exposure of K. pneumoniae to the peptide had a significant effect on the turgor pressure and Young's modulus of the cell wall. The turgor pressure increased upon peptide addition followed by a later decrease, suggesting that cell lysis occurred and pressure was lost through destruction of the cell envelope. The Young's modulus also increased, indicating that interaction with the peptide increased the rigidity of the cell wall. The bacterial capsule did not prevent cell lysis by the peptide, and surprisingly, the capsule appeared unaffected by exposure to the peptide, as capsule thickness and inferred organization were within the control limits, determined by mechanical measurements. These data show that AFM measurements may provide valuable insights into the physical events that precede bacterial lysis by AMPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mularski
- †School of Chemistry, ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and §Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Jonathan J Wilksch
- †School of Chemistry, ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and §Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Huabin Wang
- †School of Chemistry, ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and §Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Mohammed Akhter Hossain
- †School of Chemistry, ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and §Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - John D Wade
- †School of Chemistry, ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and §Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Frances Separovic
- †School of Chemistry, ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and §Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Richard A Strugnell
- †School of Chemistry, ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and §Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Michelle L Gee
- †School of Chemistry, ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and §Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bulkley D, Johnson F, Steitz TA. The antibiotic thermorubin inhibits protein synthesis by binding to inter-subunit bridge B2a of the ribosome. J Mol Biol 2012; 416:571-8. [PMID: 22240456 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.12.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2011] [Revised: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/27/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Thermorubin is a small-molecule inhibitor of bacterial protein synthesis, but relatively little is known about the molecular mechanism by which it blocks translation. The structure of the complex between thermorubin and the 70S ribosome from Thermus thermophilus reported here shows that thermorubin interacts with the ribosome in a way that is distinct from any other known class of ribosome inhibitor. Though it is structurally similar to tetracycline, it binds to the ribosome at an entirely different location-the interface between the small and large subunits that is formed by inter-subunit bridge B2a. This region of the ribosome is known to play a role in the initiation of translation, and thus, the binding site we observe is consistent with evidence suggesting that thermorubin inhibits the initiation stage of protein synthesis. The binding of thermorubin induces a rearrangement of two bases on helix 69 of the 23S rRNA, and presumably, this rearrangement blocks the binding of an A-site tRNA, thereby inhibiting peptide bond formation. Due in part to its low solubility in aqueous media, thermorubin has not been used clinically, although it is a potent antibacterial agent with low toxicity (Therapeutic Index>200). The interactions between thermorubin and the ribosome, as well as its adjacency to the observed binding sites of three other antibiotic classes, may enable the design of novel derivatives that share thermorubin's mode of action but possess improved pharmacodynamic properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Bulkley
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8107, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|