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Majdi C, Meffre P, Benfodda Z. Recent advances in the development of bacterial response regulators inhibitors as antibacterial and/or antibiotic adjuvant agent: A new approach to combat bacterial resistance. Bioorg Chem 2024; 150:107606. [PMID: 38968903 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107606] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
The number of new antibacterial agents currently being discovered is insufficient to combat bacterial resistance. It is extremely challenging to find new antibiotics and to introduce them to the pharmaceutical market. Therefore, special attention must be given to find new strategies to combat bacterial resistance and prevent bacteria from developing resistance. Two-component system is a transduction system and the most prevalent mechanism employed by bacteria to respond to environmental changes. This signaling system consists of a membrane sensor histidine kinase that perceives environmental stimuli and a response regulator which acts as a transcription factor. The approach consisting of developing response regulators inhibitors with antibacterial activity or antibiotic adjuvant activity is a novel approach that has never been previously reviewed. In this review we report for the first time, the importance of targeting response regulators and summarizing all existing studies carried out from 2008 until now on response regulators inhibitors as antibacterial agents or / and antibiotic adjuvants. Moreover, we describe the antibacterial activity and/or antibiotic adjuvants activity against the studied bacterial strains and the mechanism of different response regulator inhibitors when it's possible.
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Chen H, Xu M, Zhang B, Yu S, Weir MD, Melo MAS, Masri RM, Tang Y, Xu HHK, Yang D. Novel strategy of S. mutans gcrR gene over-expression plus antibacterial dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate suppresses biofilm acids and reduces dental caries in rats. Dent Mater 2024:S0109-5641(24)00160-X. [PMID: 38942710 DOI: 10.1016/j.dental.2024.06.018] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is a major contributor to dental caries, with its ability to synthesize extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) and biofilms. The gcrR gene is a regulator of EPS synthesis and biofilm formation. The objectives of this study were to investigate a novel strategy of combining gcrR gene over-expression with dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM), and to determine their in vivo efficacy in reducing caries in rats for the first time. METHODS Two types of S. mutans were tested: Parent S. mutans; and gcrR gene over-expressed S. mutans (gcrR OE S. mutans). Bacterial minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were measured with DMAHDM and chlorhexidine (CHX). Biofilm biomass, polysaccharide, lactic acid production, live/dead staining, colony-forming units (CFUs), and metabolic activity (MTT) were evaluated. A Sprague-Dawley rat model was used with parent S. mutans and gcrR OE S. mutans colonization to determine caries-inhibition in vivo. RESULTS Drug-susceptibility of gcrR OE S. mutans to DMAHDM or CHX was 2-fold higher than that of parent S. mutans. DMAHDM reduced biofilm CFU by 3-4 logs. Importantly, the combined gcrR OE S. mutans+ DMAHDM dual strategy reduced biofilm CFU by 5 logs. In the rat model, the parent S. mutans group had a higher cariogenicity in dentinal (Dm) and extensive dentinal (Dx) regions. The DMAHDM + gcrR OE group reduced the Dm and Dx caries to only 20 % and 0 %, those of parent S. mutans + PBS control group (p < 0.05). The total caries severity of gcrR OE + DMAHDM group was decreased to 51 % that of parent S. mutans control (p < 0.05). SIGNIFICANCE The strategy of combining S. mutans gcrR over-expression with antibacterial monomer reducing biofilm acids by 97 %, and reduced in vivo total caries in rats by 48 %. The gcrR over-expression + DMAHDM strategy is promising for a wide range of dental applications to inhibit caries and protect tooth structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Chen
- Department of Endodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, 426 Songshi North Road, Yubei Distrinct, Chongqing 401147, PR China
| | - Mengmeng Xu
- Department of Endodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, 426 Songshi North Road, Yubei Distrinct, Chongqing 401147, PR China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Shuang Yu
- Department of Endodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, 426 Songshi North Road, Yubei Distrinct, Chongqing 401147, PR China
| | - Michael D Weir
- Department of Biomaterials and Regenerative Dental Medicine, University of Maryland Dental School, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Mary Anne S Melo
- Division of Operative Dentistry, Department of General Dentistry, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Radi M Masri
- Department of Biomaterials and Regenerative Dental Medicine, University of Maryland Dental School, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yunhao Tang
- Department of Biomaterials and Regenerative Dental Medicine, University of Maryland Dental School, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Hockin H K Xu
- Department of Biomaterials and Regenerative Dental Medicine, University of Maryland Dental School, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Deqin Yang
- Department of Endodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Chongqing 404100, PR China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, 426 Songshi North Road, Yubei Distrinct, Chongqing 401147, PR China.
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Talat D, Sumitomo T, Honda-Ogawa M, Takahara Y, Mori Y, Masaya Yamaguchi, Nakata M, Ibrahim MS, Kawabata S. Two-component regulatory system TCS08 of a serotype 4 strain in pneumococcal pneumonia pathogenesis. J Oral Biosci 2024:S1349-0079(24)00137-3. [PMID: 38885903 DOI: 10.1016/j.job.2024.06.001] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Streptococcus pneumoniae, a human respiratory pathogen, causes diseases with severe morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. The two-component regulatory system (TCS) is an important signaling pathway that enables regulation of gene expression in response to environmental cues, thereby allowing an organism to adapt to a variety of host niches. Here we examined the contribution of pneumococcal TCS08 to bacterial colonization, the development of pneumonia, and pulmonary dysfunction. METHODS We employed an hk08 knockout mutant (Δhk08) with a background of the TIGR4 wild-type (WT) strain to verify whether TCS08 is associated with bacterial colonization and the development of pneumonia in a murine infection model. To clarify the association of hk08 inactivation-induced phenotypic changes with their virulence, we examined pneumococcal capsule production, colony morphology, and surface-displayed protein profiles. RESULTS Pneumococcal TCS08 was involved in bacterial colonization in the respiratory tract. Interruption of the signaling pathway of TCS08 by hk08 inactivation impaired mouse survival and increased the bacterial burden within the respiratory tract. Furthermore, a histopathological examination revealed massive inflammatory cell infiltration, edema formation, and diffuse alveolar damage in the lung tissues of mice infected with Δhk08 versus the WT or complemented strain. Interestingly, virulence-associated phenotype changes, including capsule production, increased chain length, and surface-displayed protein profile, were observed in the Δhk08 strain. CONCLUSIONS The present findings indicate that TCS08 contributes to pneumococcal colonization and pulmonary dysfunction by assisting adaptation to the respiratory tract milieu, leading to the development of pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Talat
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - Tomoko Sumitomo
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan; Department of Oral Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.
| | - Mariko Honda-Ogawa
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuki Takahara
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan; Department of Fixed Prosthodontics and Orofacial Function, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasushi Mori
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaya Yamaguchi
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan; Bioinformatics Research Unit, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan; Bioinformatics Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Japan; Center for Infectious Diseases Education and Research, Osaka University, Japan
| | - Masanobu Nakata
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan; Department of Oral Microbiology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Madiha S Ibrahim
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - Shigetada Kawabata
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan; Center for Infectious Diseases Education and Research, Osaka University, Japan.
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Åberg A, Gideonsson P, Bhat A, Ghosh P, Arnqvist A. Molecular insights into the fine-tuning of pH-dependent ArsR-mediated regulation of the SabA adhesin in Helicobacter pylori. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5572-5595. [PMID: 38499492 PMCID: PMC11162790 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Adaptation to variations in pH is crucial for the ability of Helicobacter pylori to persist in the human stomach. The acid responsive two-component system ArsRS, constitutes the global regulon that responds to acidic conditions, but molecular details of how transcription is affected by the ArsR response regulator remains poorly understood. Using a combination of DNA-binding studies, in vitro transcription assays, and H. pylori mutants, we demonstrate that phosphorylated ArsR (ArsR-P) forms an active protein complex that binds DNA with high specificity in order to affect transcription. Our data showed that DNA topology is key for DNA binding. We found that AT-rich DNA sequences direct ArsR-P to specific sites and that DNA-bending proteins are important for the effect of ArsR-P on transcription regulation. The repression of sabA transcription is mediated by ArsR-P with the support of Hup and is affected by simple sequence repeats located upstream of the sabA promoter. Here stochastic events clearly contribute to the fine-tuning of pH-dependent gene regulation. Our results reveal important molecular aspects for how ArsR-P acts to repress transcription in response to acidic conditions. Such transcriptional control likely mediates shifts in bacterial positioning in the gastric mucus layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Åberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pär Gideonsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Abhayprasad Bhat
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Prachetash Ghosh
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anna Arnqvist
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
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Wang WH, Li ZR, Zhu DX, Chen JY, Zhou Y, Li CP, Shao LH, Qiu XM, Zhu M, Long HT, Chen DP, Ouyang GP, Rong ZQ, Wang ZC. Design, synthesis, antibacterial evaluation of isopropylamine linked with different substituted phenol and piperazine novel derivatives. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2710-2723. [PMID: 38358029 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is often considered one of the most destructive bacterial pathogens causing bacterial leaf blight (BLB), resulting in significant yield and cost losses in rice. In this study, a series of novel derivatives containing the isopropanolamine moiety linked to various substituted phenols and piperazines were designed, synthesized and screened. RESULTS Antibacterial activity results showed that most compounds had good inhibitory effects on Xoo, among which compound W2 (EC50 = 2.74 μg mL-1) exhibited the most excellent inhibitory activity, and W2 also had a certain curative effect (35.89%) on rice compared to thiodiazole copper (TC) (21.57%). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated that compound W2 could cause rupture of the Xoo cell membrane. Subsequently, proteomics and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that compound W2 affected the physiological processes of Xoo and may exert antibacterial activity by targeting the two-component system pathway. Interestingly, W2 upregulated Xoo's methyltransferase to impact on its pathogenicity. CONCLUSION The present study offers a promising phenolic-piperazine-sopropanolamine compound as an innovative antibacterial strategy by specifically targeting the two-component system pathway and inducing upregulation of methyltransferase to effectively impact Xoo's pathogenicity. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hang Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhu-Rui Li
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan-Xue Zhu
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Yi Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Peng Li
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Hui Shao
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Mei Qiu
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Zhu
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Hai-Tao Long
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
- Guizhou Engineering Laboratory for Synthetic Drugs, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan-Ping Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
- Guizhou Engineering Laboratory for Synthetic Drugs, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Gui-Ping Ouyang
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Qiang Rong
- Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics (FSCFE), Shaanxi Institute of Flexible Electronics (SIFE) & Shaanxi Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering (SIBME), Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen-Chao Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
- Guizhou Engineering Laboratory for Synthetic Drugs, Guizhou University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
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İzgördü ÖK, Gurbanov R, Darcan C. Understanding the transition to viable but non-culturable state in Escherichia coli W3110: a comprehensive analysis of potential spectrochemical biomarkers. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:203. [PMID: 38753033 PMCID: PMC11098925 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-04019-6] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
The viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state is considered a survival strategy employed by bacteria to endure stressful conditions, allowing them to stay alive. Bacteria in this state remain unnoticed in live cell counts as they cannot proliferate in standard culture media. VBNC cells pose a significant health risk because they retain their virulence and can revive when conditions normalize. Hence, it is crucial to develop fast, reliable, and cost-effective methods to detect bacteria in the VBNC state, particularly in the context of public health, food safety, and microbial control assessments. This research examined the biomolecular changes in Escherichia coli W3110 induced into the VBNC state in artificial seawater under three different stress conditions (temperature, metal, and antibiotic). Initially, confirmation of VBNC cells under various stresses was done using fluorescence microscopy and plate counts. Subsequently, lipid peroxidation was assessed through the TBARS assay, revealing a notable increase in peroxidation end-products in VBNC cells compared to controls. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemomometrics were employed to analyze biomolecular changes, uncovering significant spectral differences in RNA, protein, and nucleic acid concentrations in VBNC cells compared to controls. Notably, RNA levels increased, while protein and nucleic acid amounts decreased. ROC analyses identified the 995 cm- 1 RNA band as a consistent marker across all studied stress conditions, suggesting its potential as a robust biomarker for detecting cells induced into the VBNC state under various stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özge Kaygusuz İzgördü
- Biotechnology Application and Research Center, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Graduate Education, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey
| | - Rafig Gurbanov
- Department of Bioengineering, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey.
- Central Research Laboratory, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey.
| | - Cihan Darcan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey
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Jiang B, Qiu H, Lu C, Lu M, Li Y, Dai W. Uncovering the GacS-mediated role in evolutionary progression through trajectory reconstruction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3856-3869. [PMID: 38477346 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The genetic diversities of subpopulations drive the evolution of pathogens and affect their ability to infect hosts and cause diseases. However, most studies to date have focused on the identification and characterization of adaptive mutations in single colonies, which do not accurately reflect the phenotypes of an entire population. Here, to identify the composition of variant subpopulations within a pathogen population, we developed a streamlined approach that combines high-throughput sequencing of the entire population cells with genotyping of single colonies. Using this method, we reconstructed a detailed quorum-sensing (QS) evolutionary trajectory in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results revealed a new adaptive mutation in the gacS gene, which codes for a histidine kinase sensor of a two-component system (TCS), during QS evolution. This mutation reduced QS activity, allowing the variant to sweep throughout the whole population, while still being vulnerable to invasion by the emerging QS master regulator LasR-null mutants. By tracking the evolutionary trajectory, we found that mutations in gacS facilitated QS-rewiring in the LasR-null mutant. This rapid QS revertant caused by inactive GacS was found to be associated with the promotion of ribosome biogenesis and accompanied by a trade-off of reduced bacterial virulence on host cells. In conclusion, our findings highlight the crucial role of the global regulator GacS in modulating the progression of QS evolution and the virulence of the pathogen population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Jiang
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Huifang Qiu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Chenghui Lu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mingqi Lu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yuanhao Li
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Weijun Dai
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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Fihn CA, Lembke HK, Gaulin J, Bouchard P, Villarreal AR, Penningroth MR, Crone KK, Vogt GA, Gilbertsen AJ, Ayotte Y, de Oliveira LC, Serrano-Wu MH, Drouin N, Hung DT, Hunter RC, Carlson EE. Evaluation of Expanded 2-Aminobenzothiazole Library for Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence Phenotypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.02.539119. [PMID: 37205454 PMCID: PMC10187220 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.539119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a rapidly increasing threat to human health. New strategies to combat resistant organisms are desperately needed. One potential avenue is targeting two-component systems, which are the main bacterial signal transduction pathways used to regulate development, metabolism, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. These systems consist of a homodimeric membrane-bound sensor histidine kinase, and a cognate effector, the response regulator. The high sequence conservation in the catalytic and adenosine triphosphate-binding (CA) domain of histidine kinases and their essential role in bacterial signal transduction could enable broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Through this signal transduction, histidine kinases regulate multiple virulence mechanisms including toxin production, immune evasion, and antibiotic resistance. Targeting virulence, as opposed to development of bactericidal compounds, could reduce evolutionary pressure for acquired resistance. Additionally, compounds targeting the CA domain have the potential to impair multiple two-component systems that regulate virulence in one or more pathogens. We conducted structure-activity relationship studies of 2-aminobenzothiazole-based inhibitors designed to target the CA domain of histidine kinases. We found these compounds have anti-virulence activities in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, reducing motility phenotypes and toxin production associated with the pathogenic functions of this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrad A. Fihn
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Hannah K. Lembke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454, United States
| | - Jeffrey Gaulin
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Patricia Bouchard
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | - Alex R. Villarreal
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mitchell R. Penningroth
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Kathryn K. Crone
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Grace A. Vogt
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Adam J. Gilbertsen
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yann Ayotte
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | | | | | - Nathalie Drouin
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | - Deborah T. Hung
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Ryan C. Hunter
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Erin E. Carlson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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9
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Yang J, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Zhao D, Liu T, Sun X, Yan L. Phenomic and transcriptomic analyses reveal the sequential synthesis of Fe 3O 4 nanoparticles in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans BYM. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0172923. [PMID: 37800960 PMCID: PMC10714799 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01729-23] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE As the most important non-magnetotactic magnetosome-producing bacteria, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans only requires very mild conditions to produce Fe3O4 nanoparticles, thus conferring greater flexibility and potential application in biomagnetic nanoparticle production. However, the available information cannot explain the mechanism of Fe3O4 nanoparticle formation in A. ferrooxidans. In this study, we applied phenomic and transcriptomic analyses to reveal this mechanism. We found that different treatment condition factors notably affect the phenomic data of Fe3O4 nanoparticle in A. ferrooxidans. Using transcriptomic analyses, the gene network controlling/regulating Fe3O4 nanoparticle biogenesis in A. ferrooxidans was proposed, excavating the candidate hub genes for Fe3O4 nanoparticle formation in A. ferrooxidans. Based on this information, a sequential model for Fe3O4 nanoparticle synthesis in A. ferrooxidans was hypothesized. It lays the groundwork for further clarifying the feature of Fe3O4 nanoparticle synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiani Yang
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Dan Zhao
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Green Agriculture in Northeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xindi Sun
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Lei Yan
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Green Agriculture in Northeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
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10
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Schroven K, Putzeys L, Kerremans A, Ceyssens PJ, Vallino M, Paeshuyse J, Haque F, Yusuf A, Koch MD, Lavigne R. The phage-encoded PIT4 protein affects multiple two-component systems of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0237223. [PMID: 37962408 PMCID: PMC10714779 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02372-23] [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: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE More and more Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates have become resistant to antibiotics like carbapenem. As a consequence, P. aeruginosa ranks in the top three of pathogens for which the development of novel antibiotics is the most crucial. The pathogen causes both acute and chronic infections, especially in patients who are the most vulnerable. Therefore, efforts are urgently needed to develop alternative therapies. One path explored in this article is the use of bacteriophages and, more specifically, phage-derived proteins. In this study, a phage-derived protein was studied that impacts key virulence factors of the pathogen via interaction with multiple histidine kinases of TCSs. The fundamental insights gained for this protein can therefore serve as inspiration for the development of an anti-virulence compound that targets the bacterial TCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaat Schroven
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leena Putzeys
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Marta Vallino
- Institute of Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, Turin, Italy
| | - Jan Paeshuyse
- Host and Pathogen Interactions, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Farhana Haque
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Ahmed Yusuf
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Matthias D. Koch
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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11
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Mara P, Geller-McGrath D, Edgcomb V, Beaudoin D, Morono Y, Teske A. Metagenomic profiles of archaea and bacteria within thermal and geochemical gradients of the Guaymas Basin deep subsurface. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7768. [PMID: 38012208 PMCID: PMC10681998 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43296-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies of microbial communities in subseafloor sediments reported that microbial abundance and diversity decrease with sediment depth and age, and microbes dominating at depth tend to be a subset of the local seafloor community. However, the existence of geographically widespread, subsurface-adapted specialists is also possible. Here, we use metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of the hydrothermally heated, sediment layers of Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California, Mexico) to examine the distribution and activity patterns of bacteria and archaea along thermal, geochemical and cell count gradients. We find that the composition and distribution of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), dominated by numerous lineages of Chloroflexota and Thermoproteota, correlate with biogeochemical parameters as long as temperatures remain moderate, but downcore increasing temperatures beyond ca. 45 ºC override other factors. Consistently, MAG size and diversity decrease with increasing temperature, indicating a downcore winnowing of the subsurface biosphere. By contrast, specific archaeal MAGs within the Thermoproteota and Hadarchaeota increase in relative abundance and in recruitment of transcriptome reads towards deeper, hotter sediments, marking the transition towards a specialized deep, hot biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paraskevi Mara
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - David Geller-McGrath
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Virginia Edgcomb
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - David Beaudoin
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Yuki Morono
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avantgarde Research (X-STAR), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Andreas Teske
- Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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12
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Mathieu-Denoncourt A, Duperthuy M. The VxrAB two-component system is important for the polymyxin B-dependent activation of the type VI secretion system in Vibrio cholerae O1 strain A1552. Can J Microbiol 2023; 69:393-406. [PMID: 37343290 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2023-0026] [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] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is used by bacteria for virulence, resistance to grazing, and competition with other bacteria. We previously demonstrated that the role of the T6SS in interbacterial competition and in resistance to grazing is enhanced in Vibrio cholerae in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of polymyxin B. Here, we performed a global quantitative proteomic analysis and a targeted transcriptomic analysis of the T6SS-known regulators in V. cholerae grown with and without polymyxin B. The proteome of V. cholerae is greatly modified by polymyxin B with more than 39% of the identified cellular proteins displaying a difference in their abundance, including T6SS-related proteins. We identified a regulator whose abundance and expression are increased in the presence of polymyxin B, vxrB, the response regulator of the two-component system VxrAB (VCA0565-66). In vxrAB, vxrA and vxrB deficient mutants, the expression of both hcp copies (VC1415 and VCA0017), although globally reduced, was not modified by polymyxin B. These hcp genes encode an identical protein Hcp, which is the major component of the T6SS syringe. Thus, the upregulation of the T6SS in the presence of polymyxin B appears to be, at least in part, due to the two-component system VxrAB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Mathieu-Denoncourt
- Département de Microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marylise Duperthuy
- Département de Microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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13
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Castillo-Zeledón A, Rivas-Solano O, Villalta-Romero F, Gómez-Espinoza O, Moreno E, Chaves-Olarte E, Guzmán-Verri C. The Brucella abortus two-component system response regulator BvrR binds to three DNA regulatory boxes in the upstream region of omp25. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1241143. [PMID: 37779712 PMCID: PMC10538546 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1241143] [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] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucella abortus is a facultative extracellular-intracellular bacterial zoonotic pathogen worldwide. It is also a major cause of abortion in bovines, generating economic losses. The two-component regulatory system BvrR/BvrS modulates the expression of genes required to transition from extracellular to intracellular lifestyles. However, few regulatory regions of BvrR direct target genes have been studied. In this study, we characterized the regulatory region of omp25, a gene encoding an outer membrane protein that is positively regulated by TCS BvrR/BvrS. By omp25-lacZ reporter fusions and β-galactosidase activity assays, we found that the region between-262 and + 127 is necessary for transcriptional activity, particularly a 111-bp long fragment located from-262 to -152. In addition, we demonstrated the binding of P-BvrR to three sites within the -140 to +1 region. Two of these sites were delimited between -18 to +1 and - 99 to -76 by DNase I footprinting and called DNA regulatory boxes 1 and 2, respectively. The third binding site (box 3) was delimited from -140 to -122 by combining EMSA and fluorescence anisotropy results. A molecular docking analysis with HDOCK predicted BvrR-DNA interactions between 11, 13, and 12 amino acid residue-nucleotide pairs in boxes 1, 2, and 3, respectively. A manual sequence alignment of the three regulatory boxes revealed the presence of inverted and non-inverted repeats of five to eight nucleotides, partially matching DNA binding motifs previously described for BvrR. We propose that P-BvrR binds directly to up to three regulatory boxes and probably interacts with other transcription factors to regulate omp25 expression. This gene regulation model could apply to other BvrR target genes and to orthologs of the TCS BvrR/BvrS and Omp25 in phylogenetically closed Rhizobiales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Castillo-Zeledón
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Olga Rivas-Solano
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
- Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología, Escuela de Biología, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Campus Tecnológico Central Cartago, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Fabián Villalta-Romero
- Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología, Escuela de Biología, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Campus Tecnológico Central Cartago, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Olman Gómez-Espinoza
- Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología, Escuela de Biología, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Campus Tecnológico Central Cartago, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Edgardo Moreno
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Esteban Chaves-Olarte
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Caterina Guzmán-Verri
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
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14
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Ko D, Sung D, Kim TY, Choi G, Bang YJ, Choi SH. CarRS Two-Component System Essential for Polymyxin B Resistance of Vibrio vulnificus Responds to Multiple Host Environmental Signals. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0030523. [PMID: 37289068 PMCID: PMC10433830 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00305-23] [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: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Enteropathogenic bacteria express two-component systems (TCSs) to sense and respond to host environments, developing resistance to host innate immune systems like cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs). Although an opportunistic human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus shows intrinsic resistance to the CAMP-like polymyxin B (PMB), its TCSs responsible for resistance have barely been investigated. Here, a mutant exhibiting a reduced growth rate in the presence of PMB was screened from a random transposon mutant library of V. vulnificus, and response regulator CarR of the CarRS TCS was identified as essential for its PMB resistance. Transcriptome analysis revealed that CarR strongly activates the expression of the eptA, tolCV2, and carRS operons. In particular, the eptA operon plays a major role in developing the CarR-mediated PMB resistance. Phosphorylation of CarR by the sensor kinase CarS is required for the regulation of its downstream genes, leading to the PMB resistance. Nevertheless, CarR directly binds to specific sequences in the upstream regions of the eptA and carRS operons, regardless of its phosphorylation. Notably, the CarRS TCS alters its own activation state by responding to several environmental stresses, including PMB, divalent cations, bile salts, and pH change. Furthermore, CarR modulates the resistance of V. vulnificus to bile salts and acidic pH among the stresses, as well as PMB. Altogether, this study suggests that the CarRS TCS, in responding to multiple host environmental signals, could provide V. vulnificus with the benefit of surviving within the host by enhancing its optimal fitness during infection. IMPORTANCE Enteropathogenic bacteria have evolved multiple TCSs to recognize and appropriately respond to host environments. CAMP is one of the inherent host barriers that the pathogens encounter during the course of infection. In this study, the CarRS TCS of V. vulnificus was found to develop resistance to PMB, a CAMP-like antimicrobial peptide, by directly activating the expression of the eptA operon. Although CarR binds to the upstream regions of the eptA and carRS operons regardless of phosphorylation, phosphorylation of CarR is required for the regulation of the operons, resulting in the PMB resistance. Furthermore, the CarRS TCS determines the resistance of V. vulnificus to bile salts and acidic pH by differentially regulating its own activation state in response to these environmental stresses. Altogether, the CarRS TCS responds to multiple host-related signals, and thus could enhance the survival of V. vulnificus within the host, leading to successful infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duhyun Ko
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dayoung Sung
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Young Kim
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Garam Choi
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye-Ji Bang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Ho Choi
- National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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15
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Li X, Wang X, Li R, Zhang W, Wang L, Yan B, Zhu T, Xu Y, Tan D. Characterization of a Filamentous Phage, Vaf1, from Vibrio alginolyticus AP-1. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0052023. [PMID: 37255423 PMCID: PMC10304664 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00520-23] [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: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Filamentous phages are ubiquitously distributed in the global oceans. However, little is known about their biological contribution to their host's genetic and phenotypic diversity. In this study, a filamentous phage, Vaf1, was isolated and characterized from the emerging marine pathogen strain Vibrio alginolyticus AP-1. We explored the effects of the resident phage Vaf1 on the host physiology under diverse conditions by precisely deleting the entire phage Vaf1. Our results demonstrate that the presence of phage Vaf1 significantly increased biofilm formation, swarming motility, and contact-dependent competition. Furthermore, the gene expression profile suggests that several phage genes were upregulated in response to low-nutrient conditions. Unexpectedly, an in vivo study of zebrafish shows that fish infected with strain ΔVaf1 survived longer than those infected with wild-type strain AP-1, indicating that Vaf1 contributes to the virulence of V. alginolyticus. Together, our results provide direct evidence for the effect of Vaf1 phage-mediated phenotypic changes in marine bacteria V. alginolyticus. This further emphasizes the impressive complexity and diversity that filamentous phage-host interactions pose and the challenges associated with bacterial disease control in marine aquaculture. IMPORTANCE Non-lytic filamentous phages can replicate without killing their host, establishing long-term persistence within the bacterial host. In contrast to the well-studied CTXφ phage of the human-pathogenic Vibrio cholerae, little is known about the filamentous phage Vaf1 and its biological role in host fitness. In this study, we constructed a filamentous phage-deleted strain, ΔVaf1, and provided direct evidence on how an intact phage, φVaf1, belonging to the family Inoviridae, helps the bacterial host AP-1 to overcome adverse environmental conditions. Our results likely open new avenues for fundamental studies on how filamentous phage-host interactions regulate different aspects of Vibrio cell behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Li
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Ruoyu Li
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Wan Zhang
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Lili Wang
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Bo Yan
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tongyu Zhu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongping Xu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Demeng Tan
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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16
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Wang YD, Gong JS, Guan YC, Zhao ZL, Cai YN, Shan XF. OmpR (TCS response regulator) of Aeromonas veronii plays a major role in drug resistance, stress resistance and virulence by regulating biofilm formation. Microb Pathog 2023; 181:106176. [PMID: 37244492 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Aeromonas veronii (A. veronii), a highly pathogenic bacteria with a wide range of hosts, widely exists in the environment of humans, animals and aquatic animals, and can cause a variety of diseases. In this study, the receptor regulator ompR in the envZ/ompR of two-component system was selected to construct a mutant strain (Δ ompR) and a complement strain (C-ompR) to explore the regulatory effect of ompR on the biological characteristics and virulence of TH0426. The results showed that the ability of biofilm formation and osmotic stress of TH0426 were significantly reduced (P < 0.001), the resistance to ceftriaxone and neomycin were slightly down-regulate when the ompR gene was deleted. At the same time, animal pathogenicity experiments showed that the virulence of TH0426 was significantly down-regulated (P < 0.001). These results indicated that ompR gene regulates the biofilm formation of TH0426, and regulates some biological characteristics of TH0426, including drug sensitivity, resistance to osmotic stress, and also affects its virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-da Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China
| | - Jin-Shuo Gong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China
| | - Yong-Chao Guan
- Institute of Comparative Medicine College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ze-Lin Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China
| | - Ya-Nan Cai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China.
| | - Xiao-Feng Shan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China.
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17
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Sampath V. Use of a Role-Playing Activity To Increase Student Understanding of Bacterial Gene Regulation. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION 2023; 24:00006-23. [PMID: 37089225 PMCID: PMC10117148 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.00006-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Undergraduate students often struggle to understand the basics of bacterial gene regulation, a key concept in microbiology. They find it hard to visualize the architecture of a bacterial operon or how the gene, RNA, and protein components interact with each other to regulate the operon. To better visualize the molecular interactions, students engaged in a role-playing exercise on bacterial gene regulation in the classroom. Before beginning the activity, they received a shortened, traditional lecture on the architecture and function of the lac operon under "on" and "off" conditions. Students chose one or more placards detailing a molecular role (such as promoter, repressor, RNA polymerase, gene X, gene Y, etc.). Upon receiving instructor prompts, they assembled in linear order to mimic correct genomic locations of genes and regulatory elements on the operon. When given a prompt for "operon on" or "operon off" condition, students identified all the necessary components (roles) for that condition, assembled in the correct order, and then moved through the assembled operon to mimic what happens inside the cell under that condition. Students were tested before and after the activity using a set of eight multiple-choice questions. Students showed significant gains in their ability to answer these questions correctly immediately after the activity. More importantly, the improved understanding was also reflected in a high median score on summative assessments given a few weeks after the completion of the activity. This activity can also be readily adapted to online or a hybrid mode of teaching to benefit larger student populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinaya Sampath
- Department of Diagnostic Health Professions, Long Island University-Post, Brookville, New York, USA
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18
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Synthetic biology-inspired cell engineering in diagnosis, treatment, and drug development. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:112. [PMID: 36906608 PMCID: PMC10007681 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01375-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The fast-developing synthetic biology (SB) has provided many genetic tools to reprogram and engineer cells for improved performance, novel functions, and diverse applications. Such cell engineering resources can play a critical role in the research and development of novel therapeutics. However, there are certain limitations and challenges in applying genetically engineered cells in clinical practice. This literature review updates the recent advances in biomedical applications, including diagnosis, treatment, and drug development, of SB-inspired cell engineering. It describes technologies and relevant examples in a clinical and experimental setup that may significantly impact the biomedicine field. At last, this review concludes the results with future directions to optimize the performances of synthetic gene circuits to regulate the therapeutic activities of cell-based tools in specific diseases.
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19
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Yu S, Ma Q, Li Y, Zou J. Molecular and regulatory mechanisms of oxidative stress adaptation in Streptococcus mutans. Mol Oral Microbiol 2023; 38:1-8. [PMID: 36088636 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Dental caries is a chronic progressive disease, which destructs dental hard tissues under the influence of multiple factors, mainly bacteria. Streptococcus mutans is the main cariogenic bacteria. However, its cariogenic virulence is affected by environmental stress such as oxidative stress, nutrient deficiency, and low pH to some extent. Oxidative stress is one of the main stresses that S. mutans faces in oral cavity. But there are a variety of protective molecules to resist oxidative stress in S. mutans, including superoxide dismutase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase, Dps-like peroxide resistance protein, alkyl-hydrogen peroxide reductase, thioredoxin, glutamate-reducing protein system, and some metabolic substances. Additionally, some transcriptional regulatory factors (SloR, PerR, Rex, Spx, etc.) and two-component systems are also closely related to oxidative stress adaptation by modulating the expression of protective molecules. This review summarizes the research progress of protective molecules and regulatory mechanisms (mainly transcription factors) of oxidative stress adaptation of S. mutans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxing Yu
- State key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qizhao Ma
- State key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Zou
- State key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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20
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Barak-Gavish N, Dassa B, Kuhlisch C, Nussbaum I, Brandis A, Rosenberg G, Avraham R, Vardi A. Bacterial lifestyle switch in response to algal metabolites. eLife 2023; 12:e84400. [PMID: 36691727 PMCID: PMC9873259 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Unicellular algae, termed phytoplankton, greatly impact the marine environment by serving as the basis of marine food webs and by playing central roles in the biogeochemical cycling of elements. The interactions between phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria affect the fitness of both partners. It is becoming increasingly recognized that metabolic exchange determines the nature of such interactions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain underexplored. Here, we investigated the molecular and metabolic basis for the bacterial lifestyle switch, from coexistence to pathogenicity, in Sulfitobacter D7 during its interaction with Emiliania huxleyi, a cosmopolitan bloom-forming phytoplankter. To unravel the bacterial lifestyle switch, we analyzed bacterial transcriptomes in response to exudates derived from algae in exponential growth and stationary phase, which supported the Sulfitobacter D7 coexistence and pathogenicity lifestyles, respectively. In pathogenic mode, Sulfitobacter D7 upregulated flagellar motility and diverse transport systems, presumably to maximize assimilation of E. huxleyi-derived metabolites released by algal cells upon cell death. Algal dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) was a pivotal signaling molecule that mediated the transition between the lifestyles, supporting our previous findings. However, the coexisting and pathogenic lifestyles were evident only in the presence of additional algal metabolites. Specifically, we discovered that algae-produced benzoate promoted the growth of Sulfitobacter D7 and hindered the DMSP-induced lifestyle switch to pathogenicity, demonstrating that benzoate is important for maintaining the coexistence of algae and bacteria. We propose that bacteria can sense the physiological state of the algal host through changes in the metabolic composition, which will determine the bacterial lifestyle during interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Barak-Gavish
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Bareket Dassa
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Constanze Kuhlisch
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Inbal Nussbaum
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Alexander Brandis
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Gili Rosenberg
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Roi Avraham
- Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Assaf Vardi
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
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21
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Wu P, Wang Q, Yang Q, Feng X, Liu X, Sun H, Yan J, Kang C, Liu B, Liu Y, Yang B. A Novel Role of the Two-Component System Response Regulator UvrY in Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 Pathogenicity Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032297. [PMID: 36768620 PMCID: PMC9916836 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is an important human pathogen causing severe diseases, such as hemorrhagic colitis and lethal hemolytic uremic syndrome. The signal-sensing capability of EHEC O157:H7 at specific host colonization sites via different two-component systems (TCSs) is closely related to its pathogenicity during infection. However, the types of systems involved and the regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we investigated the function of the TCS BarA/UvrY regulator UvrY in the pathogenicity regulation of EHEC O157:H7. Our results showed that UvrY acts as a positive regulator of EHEC O157:H7 for cellular adherence and mouse colonization through the transcriptional activation of the locus for enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenic genes. Furthermore, this regulation is mediated by the LEE island master regulator, Ler. Our results highlight the significance of UvrY in EHEC O157:H7 pathogenicity and underline the unknown importance of BarA/UvrY in colonization establishment and intestinal adaptability during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Wu
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Qian Wang
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Qian Yang
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Xiaohui Feng
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Xingmei Liu
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Hongmin Sun
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Jun Yan
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Chenbo Kang
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Bin Liu
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Nankai International Advanced Research Institute, Nankai University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yutao Liu
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Nankai International Advanced Research Institute, Nankai University, Shenzhen 518000, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (B.Y.)
| | - Bin Yang
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300457, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (B.Y.)
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22
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Jia T, Wu P, Liu B, Liu M, Mu H, Liu D, Huang M, Li L, Wei Y, Wang L, Yang Q, Liu Y, Yang B, Huang D, Yang L, Liu B. The phosphate-induced small RNA EsrL promotes E. coli virulence, biofilm formation, and intestinal colonization. Sci Signal 2023; 16:eabm0488. [PMID: 36626577 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abm0488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Escherichia coli are part of the normal intestinal microbiome, but some enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains can cause potentially life-threatening gastroenteritis. Virulence factors underlying the ability of EHEC and EPEC to cause disease include those encoded in the locus of the enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island. Here, we demonstrated that EsrL, a small RNA present in many E. coli strains, promoted pathogenicity, adhesion, and biofilm formation in EHEC and EPEC. PhoB, the response regulator of the two-component system that controls cellular responses to phosphate, directly repressed esrL expression under low-phosphate conditions. A phosphate-rich environment, similar to that of the human intestine, relieved PhoB-mediated repression of esrL. EsrL interacted with and stabilized the LEE-encoded regulator (ler) transcript, which encodes a transcription factor for LEE genes, leading to increased bacterial adhesion to cultured cells and colonization of the rabbit colon. EsrL also bound to and stabilized the fimC transcript, which encodes a chaperone that is required for the assembly of type 1 pili, resulting in enhanced cell adhesion in pathogenic E. coli and enhanced biofilm formation in pathogenic and nonpathogenic E. coli. Our findings demonstrate that EsrL stimulates the expression of virulence genes in both EHEC and EPEC under phosphate-rich conditions, thus promoting the pathogenicity of EHEC and EPEC in the nutrient-rich gut environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyuan Jia
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China.,School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Pan Wu
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China.,Center for Microbial Functional Genomics and Detection Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Miaomiao Liu
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Huiqian Mu
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Min Huang
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Linxing Li
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Yi Wei
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Yutao Liu
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China.,Center for Microbial Functional Genomics and Detection Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China.,Center for Microbial Functional Genomics and Detection Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Di Huang
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China.,Center for Microbial Functional Genomics and Detection Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China.,Nankai International Advanced Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liang Yang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China.,Center for Microbial Functional Genomics and Detection Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China.,Nankai International Advanced Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
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23
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Li S, Li W, Liang Q, Cao J, Li H, Li Z, Li A. Characterization and virulence of Streptococcus agalactiae deficient in SaeRS of the two-component system. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1121621. [PMID: 37138609 PMCID: PMC10150079 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1121621] [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] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
There are a variety of regulatory systems in bacteria, among which the two-component system (TCS) can sense external environmental changes and make a series of physiological and biochemical reactions, which is crucial for the life activities of bacteria. As a member of TCS, SaeRS is considered to be an important virulence factor in Staphylococcus aureus, but its function in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)-derived Streptococcus agalactiae remains unknown. To explore the role of SaeRS in regulating virulence in the two-component system (TCS) of S. agalactiae from tilapia, ΔSaeRS mutant strain and CΔSaeRS complementary strain were constructed by homologous recombination. The results showed that the abilities of growth and biofilm formation of ΔSaeRS strain were significantly decreased when cultured in a brain heart infusion (BHI) medium (P < 0.01). Also, the survival rate of the ΔSaeRS strain in blood was decreased when compared with the wild strain S. agalactiae THN0901. Under the higher infection dose, the accumulative mortality of tilapia caused by the ΔSaeRS strain was significantly decreased (23.3%), of which THN0901 and CΔSaeRS strains were 73.3%. The results of competition experiments in tilapia showed that the invasion and colonization abilities of the ΔSaeRS strain were also dramatically lower than those of the wild strain (P < 0.01). Compared with the THN0901, the mRNA expression levels of virulence factors (fbsB, sip, cylE, bca, etc.) in the ΔSaeRS strain were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.01). SaeRS is one of the virulence factors of S. agalactiae. It plays a role in promoting host colonization and achieving immune evasion during the infection of tilapia, which provides a basis for exploring the pathogenic mechanism of S. agalactiae infected with tilapia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Improved Variety Reproduction in Aquatic Economic Animals and Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Li
- Innovative Institute of Animal Healthy Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiancai Liang
- Agricultural Technology Promotion Center of Maoming City, Maoming, China
| | - Jizhen Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Improved Variety Reproduction in Aquatic Economic Animals and Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Han Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Improved Variety Reproduction in Aquatic Economic Animals and Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhicheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Improved Variety Reproduction in Aquatic Economic Animals and Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anxing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Improved Variety Reproduction in Aquatic Economic Animals and Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Anxing Li,
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24
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Liu Z, Xu Z, Chen S, Huang J, Li T, Duan C, Zhang LH, Xu Z. CzcR Is Essential for Swimming Motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa during Zinc Stress. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0284622. [PMID: 36416561 PMCID: PMC9769499 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02846-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-component system (TCS) plays a vital role in modulating target gene expression in response to the changing environments. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen that can survive under diverse stress conditions. The great adaptability of P. aeruginosa relies heavily on the abundant TCSs encoded by its genome. However, most TCSs in P. aeruginosa have not been well-characterized. CzcS/CzcR is a metal responsive TCS which displays multiple regulatory functions associated with metal hemostasis, quorum sensing activity and antibiotic resistance. In this study, we found that swimming motility of P. aeruginosa was completely abolished during zinc (Zn2+) stress when the czcR gene from the TCS CzcS/CzcR was deleted. Noticeably, CzcR was dispensable for swimming without the stress of Zn2+ excess. CzcR was shown to be activated by Zn2+ stress possibly through inducing its expression level and triggering its phosphorylation to positively regulate swimming which was abolished by Zn2+ stress in a CzcR-independent manner. Further TEM analyses and promoter activity examinations revealed that CzcR was required for the expression of genes involved in flagellar biosynthesis during Zn2+ stress. In vitro protein-DNA interaction assay showed that CzcR was capable of specifically recognizing and binding to the promoters of operons flgBCDE, flgFGHIJK, and PA1442/FliMNOPQR/flhB. Together, this study demonstrated a novel function of CzcR in regulating flagellar gene expression and motility in P. aeruginosa when the pathogen encounters Zn2+ stress conditions. IMPORTANCE The fitness of bacterial cells depends largely on their ability to sense and respond quickly to the changing environments. P. aeruginosa expresses a great number of signal sensing and transduction systems that enable the pathogen to grow and survive under diverse stress conditions and cause serious infections at different sites in many hosts. In addition to the previously characterized functions to regulate metal homeostasis, quorum sensing activity, and antibiotic resistance, here we report that CzcR is a novel regulator essential for flagellar gene expression and swimming motility in P. aeruginosa during Zn2+ stress. Since swimming motility is important for the virulence of P. aeruginosa, findings in this study might provide a new target for the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections with Zn2+-based antimicrobial agents in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqing Liu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zirui Xu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuzhen Chen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiahui Huang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ting Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Cheng Duan
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lian-Hui Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zeling Xu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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25
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Shaw C, Hess M, Weimer BC. Two-component systems regulate bacterial virulence in response to the host gastrointestinal environment and metabolic cues. Virulence 2022; 13:1666-1680. [PMID: 36128741 PMCID: PMC9518994 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2127196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-component systems are ubiquitous signaling mechanisms in bacteria that enable intracellular changes from extracellular cues. These bacterial regulatory systems couple external stimuli to control genetic expression via an autophosphorylation cascade that transduces membrane signals to intracellular locations, thereby allowing bacteria to rapidly adapt to the changing environmental conditions. Well known to control basic cellular processes, it is evident that two-component systems also exercise control over virulence traits, such as motility, secretion systems, and stress responses that impact the complex cascade of networks that alter virulence traits. In the gastrointestinal system, cues for activation of virulence-related two-component systems include metal ions, host-derived metabolites, and gut conditions. The diversity and origin of these cues suggest that the host can exert control over enteric pathogenicity via regulation in the gastrointestinal system. With the rise in multi-drug resistant pathogens, the potential control of pathogenicity with host cues via two-component systems presents a potential alternative to antimicrobials. Though the signaling mechanism itself is well studied, to date there is no systematic review compiling the host-associated cues of two-component systems and virulence traits. This review highlights the direct link between the host gastrointestinal environment and pathogenicity by focusing on two-component systems that are associated with the genetic expression of virulence traits, and that are activated by host-derived cues. The direct link between the host gastrointestinal environment, metabolites, and pathogenicity established in this review both underscores the importance of host-derived cues on bacterial activity and presents an enticing therapeutic target in the fight against antimicrobial resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Shaw
- Department of Animal Science, Systems Microbiology & Natural Products Laboratory, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Matthias Hess
- Department of Animal Science, Systems Microbiology & Natural Products Laboratory, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Bart C Weimer
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, 100K Pathogen Genome Project, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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26
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Trebosc V, Lucchini V, Narwal M, Wicki B, Gartenmann S, Schellhorn B, Schill J, Bourotte M, Frey D, Grünberg J, Trauner A, Ferrari L, Felici A, Champion OL, Gitzinger M, Lociuro S, Kammerer RA, Kemmer C, Pieren M. Targeting virulence regulation to disarm Acinetobacter baumannii pathogenesis. Virulence 2022; 13:1868-1883. [PMID: 36261919 PMCID: PMC9586577 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2135273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of anti-virulence drug therapy against Acinetobacter baumannii infections would provide an alternative to traditional antibacterial therapy that are increasingly failing. Here, we demonstrate that the OmpR transcriptional regulator plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of diverse A. baumannii clinical strains in multiple murine and G. mellonella invertebrate infection models. We identified OmpR-regulated genes using RNA sequencing and further validated two genes whose expression can be used as robust biomarker to quantify OmpR inhibition in A. baumannii. Moreover, the determination of the structure of the OmpR DNA binding domain of A. baumannii and the development of in vitro protein-DNA binding assays enabled the identification of an OmpR small molecule inhibitor. We conclude that OmpR is a valid and unexplored target to fight A. baumannii infections and we believe that the described platform combining in silico methods, in vitro OmpR inhibitory assays and in vivo G. mellonella surrogate infection model will facilitate future drug discovery programs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valentina Lucchini
- BioVersys AG, Basel, Switzerland.,Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Daniel Frey
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Division of Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Grünberg
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences ETH-PSI-USZ, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | | | - Livia Ferrari
- Microbiology Discovery, Aptuit Srl, an Evotec Company, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonio Felici
- Microbiology Discovery, Aptuit Srl, an Evotec Company, Verona, Italy
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27
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Shan S, Hu T, Yang Y. The deletion of HK-1 gene affects the bacterial virulence of Pseudomonas stutzeri LH-42. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277089. [PMID: 36445858 PMCID: PMC9707753 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-component systems (TCSs) are widespread regulatory systems in bacteria, which control cellular functions and play an important role in sensing various external stimuli and regulating gene expression in response to environmental changes. Among the nineteen genes for the two-component system found in the whole genome of Pseudomonas stutzeri LH-42, one of the TCS coded by the HK-1 gene, has a structural domain similar to the HAMP domain, which plays an important role in regulating bacterial virulence in other bacteria. In this study, the deletion mutant LH-42△HK-1 was successfully constructed using the lambda Red recombinase system. Compared with the wild-type strain, the mutant strain LH-42△HK-1 showed a significantly slower growth time and a longer stationary phase time. In addition, in the plate bacteriostatic experiment with Escherichia coli DH5α as an indicator strain, the inhibition zone size of the mutant strain showed significantly less than the wild-type strain(P<0.05), indicating that the virulence of the mutant strain was significantly reduced compared with the wild-type strain. Overall, the results indicate that the deletion of the gene HK-1 decreased bacterial virulence in Pseudomonas stutzeri LH-42.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Shan
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Tingting Hu
- The First People’s Hospital of Jingzhou, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Yu Yang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Biohydrometallurgy of Ministry of Education, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- * E-mail:
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28
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Jia X, Zhao K, Liu F, Lin J, Lin C, Chen J. Transcriptional factor OmpR positively regulates prodigiosin biosynthesis in Serratia marcescens FZSF02 by binding with the promoter of the prodigiosin cluster. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1041146. [PMID: 36466667 PMCID: PMC9712742 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1041146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Prodigiosin is a promising secondary metabolite mainly produced by Serratia marcescens. The production of prodigiosin by S. marcescens is regulated by different kinds of regulatory systems, including the EnvZ/OmpR system. In this study, we demonstrated that the regulatory factor OmpR positively regulated prodigiosin production in S. marcescens FZSF02 by directly binding to the promoter region of the prodigiosin biosynthesis cluster with a lacZ reporter assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The binding sequence with the pig promoter was identified by a DNase I footprinting assay. We further demonstrate that OmpR regulates its own expression by directly binding to the promoter region of envZ/ompR. For the first time, the regulatory mechanism of prodigiosin production by the transcriptional factor OmpR was revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianbo Jia
- Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ke Zhao
- College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Fangchen Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Junjie Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chenqiang Lin
- Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jichen Chen
- Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Fuzhou, China
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29
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Keogh RA, Haeberle AL, Langouët-Astrié CJ, Kavanaugh JS, Schmidt EP, Moore GD, Horswill AR, Doran KS. Group B Streptococcus adaptation promotes survival in a hyperinflammatory diabetic wound environment. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd3221. [PMID: 36367946 PMCID: PMC9651866 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add3221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Diabetic wounds have poor healing outcomes due to the presence of numerous pathogens and a dysregulated immune response. Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is commonly isolated from diabetic wound infections, but the mechanisms of GBS virulence during these infections have not been investigated. Here, we develop a murine model of GBS diabetic wound infection and, using dual RNA sequencing, demonstrate that GBS infection triggers an inflammatory response. GBS adapts to this hyperinflammatory environment by up-regulating virulence factors including those known to be regulated by the two-component system covRS, such as the surface protein pbsP, and the cyl operon, which is responsible for hemolysin/pigmentation production. We recover hyperpigmented/hemolytic GBS colonies from the murine diabetic wound, which we determined encode mutations in covR. We further demonstrate that GBS mutants in cylE and pbsP are attenuated in the diabetic wound. This foundational study provides insight into the pathogenesis of GBS diabetic wound infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Keogh
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Amanda L. Haeberle
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey S. Kavanaugh
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Eric P. Schmidt
- Department of Medicine–Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Garrett D. Moore
- Department of Orthopedics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Alexander R. Horswill
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Healthcare System, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kelly S. Doran
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
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Dhaked HPS, Biswas I. Distribution of two-component signal transduction systems BlpRH and ComDE across streptococcal species. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:960994. [PMID: 36353461 PMCID: PMC9638458 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.960994] [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: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Two-component signal transduction (TCS) systems are important regulatory pathways in streptococci. A typical TCS encodes a membrane-anchored sensor kinase (SK) and a cytoplasmic response regulator (RR). Approximately, 20 different types of TCSs are encoded by various streptococci. Among them, two TCSs, in particular BlpRH and ComDE, are required for bacteriocins production and competence development. The SK component of these two TCSs is highly similar and belongs to the protein kinase-10 (HPK-10) subfamily. While these two TCSs are present in streptococci, no systematic studies have been done to differentiate between these two TCSs, and the existence of these pathways in several species of the genus Streptococcus is also unknown. The lack of information about these pathways misguided researchers for decades into believing that the Streptococcus mutans BlpRH system is a ComDE system. Here, we have attempted to distinguish between the BlpRH and ComDE systems based on the location of the chromosome, genomic arrangement, and conserved residues. Using the SyntTax and NCBI databases, we investigated the presence of both TCS systems in the genome of several streptococcal species. We noticed that the NCBI database did not have proper annotations for these pathways in several species, and many of them were wrongly annotated, such as CitS or DpiB instead of BlpH. Nevertheless, our critical analyses led us to classify streptococci into two groups: class A (only the BlpRH system) and class B (both the BlpRH and ComDE systems). Most of the streptococcal groups, including bovis, pyogenic, mutans, salivarius, and suis, encode only the BlpRH system. In contrast, only in the mitis and anginosus groups were both the TCS systems present. The focus of this review is to identify and differentiate between the BlpRH and ComDE systems, and discuss these two pathways in various streptococci.
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Lv M, Ye S, Hu M, Xue Y, Liang Z, Zhou X, Zhang L, Zhou J. Two-component system ArcBA modulates cell motility and biofilm formation in Dickeya oryzae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1033192. [PMID: 36340374 PMCID: PMC9634086 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1033192] [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: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Phytopathogen Dickeya oryzae is a causal agent of rice foot rot disease and the pathogen has an array of virulence factors, such as phytotoxin zeamines, plant cell wall degrading enzymes, cell motility, and biofilms, collectively contributing to the bacterial pathogenesis. In this study, through deletion analysis of predicted regulatory genes in D. oryzae EC1, we identified a two-component system associated with the regulation of bacterial virulence. The two-component system contains a histidine kinase ArcB and a response regulator ArcA, and deletion of their coding genes resulted in changed phenotypes in cell motility, biofilm formation, and bacterial virulence. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that ArcA bound to the promoters of the bcs operon and bssS, which respectively encode enzymes for the synthesis of celluloses and a biofilm formation regulatory protein. ArcA could also bind to the promoters of three virulence associated transcriptional regulatory genes, i.e., fis, slyA and ohrR. Surprisingly, although these three regulators were shown to modulate the production of cell wall degrading enzymes and zeamines, deletion of arcB and arcA did not seem to affect these phenotypes. Taken together, the findings from this study unveiled a new two-component system associated with the bacterial pathogenesis, which contributes to the virulence of D. oryzae mainly through its action on bacterial motility and biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfa Lv
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Sixuan Ye
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Hu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Xue
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhibin Liang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lianhui Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jianuan Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Roles of Two-Component Signal Transduction Systems in Shigella Virulence. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12091321. [PMID: 36139160 PMCID: PMC9496106 DOI: 10.3390/biom12091321] [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: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) are widespread types of protein machinery, typically consisting of a histidine kinase membrane sensor and a cytoplasmic transcriptional regulator that can sense and respond to environmental signals. TCSs are responsible for modulating genes involved in a multitude of bacterial functions, including cell division, motility, differentiation, biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, and virulence. Pathogenic bacteria exploit the capabilities of TCSs to reprogram gene expression according to the different niches they encounter during host infection. This review focuses on the role of TCSs in regulating the virulence phenotype of Shigella, an intracellular pathogen responsible for severe human enteric syndrome. The pathogenicity of Shigella is the result of the complex action of a wide number of virulence determinants located on the chromosome and on a large virulence plasmid. In particular, we will discuss how five TCSs, EnvZ/OmpR, CpxA/CpxR, ArcB/ArcA, PhoQ/PhoP, and EvgS/EvgA, contribute to linking environmental stimuli to the expression of genes related to virulence and fitness within the host. Considering the relevance of TCSs in the expression of virulence in pathogenic bacteria, the identification of drugs that inhibit TCS function may represent a promising approach to combat bacterial infections.
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Wang P, Zhang G, Xu Z, Chen Z, Liu X, Wang C, Zheng C, Wang J, Zhang H, Yan A. Whole-cell FRET monitoring of transcription factor activities enables functional annotation of signal transduction systems in living bacteria. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102258. [PMID: 35839853 PMCID: PMC9396075 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102258] [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: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria adapt to their constantly changing environments largely by transcriptional regulation through the activities of various transcription factors (TFs). However, techniques that monitor TF–promoter interactions in situ in living bacteria are lacking. Herein, we developed a whole-cell TF–promoter binding assay based on the intermolecular FRET between an unnatural amino acid, l-(7-hydroxycoumarin-4-yl) ethylglycine, which labels TFs with bright fluorescence through genetic encoding (donor fluorophore) and the live cell nucleic acid stain SYTO 9 (acceptor fluorophore). We show that this new FRET pair monitors the intricate TF–promoter interactions elicited by various types of signal transduction systems, including one-component (CueR) and two-component systems (BasSR and PhoPQ), in bacteria with high specificity and sensitivity. We demonstrate that robust CouA incorporation and FRET occurrence is achieved in all these regulatory systems based on either the crystal structures of TFs or their simulated structures, if 3D structures of the TFs were unavailable. Furthermore, using CueR and PhoPQ systems as models, we demonstrate that the whole-cell FRET assay is applicable for the identification and validation of complex regulatory circuit and novel modulators of regulatory systems of interest. Finally, we show that the FRET system is applicable for single-cell analysis and monitoring TF activities in Escherichia coli colonizing a Caenorhabditis elegans host. In conclusion, we established a tractable and sensitive TF–promoter binding assay, which not only complements currently available approaches for DNA–protein interactions but also provides novel opportunities for functional annotation of bacterial signal transduction systems and studies of the bacteria–host interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengchao Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Guangming Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zeling Xu
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhe Chen
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiaohong Liu
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chenyin Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chaogu Zheng
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jiangyun Wang
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Hongmin Zhang
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China.
| | - Aixin Yan
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Wang P, Li M, Dong L, Zhang C, Xie W. Comparative Genomics of Thaumarchaeota From Deep-Sea Sponges Reveal Their Niche Adaptation. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:869834. [PMID: 35859738 PMCID: PMC9289680 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.869834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Thaumarchaeota account for a large portion of microbial symbionts in deep-sea sponges and are even dominant in some cases. In this study, we investigated three new sponge-associated Thaumarchaeota from the deep West Pacific Ocean. Thaumarchaeota were found to be the most dominant phylum in this sponge by both prokaryotic 16S rRNA amplicons and metagenomic sequencing. Fifty-seven published Thaumarchaeota genomes from sponges and other habitats were included for genomic comparison. Similar to shallow sponge-associated Thaumarchaeota, those Thaumarchaeota in deep-sea sponges have extended genome sizes and lower coding density compared with their free-living lineages. Thaumarchaeota in deep-sea sponges were specifically enriched in genes related to stress adapting, symbiotic adhesion and stability, host–microbe interaction and protein transportation. The genes involved in defense mechanisms, such as the restriction-modification system, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas system, and toxin-antitoxin system were commonly enriched in both shallow and deep sponge-associated Thaumarchaeota. Our study demonstrates the significant effects of both depth and symbiosis on forming genomic characteristics of Thaumarchaeota, and provides novel insights into their niche adaptation in deep-sea sponges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wang
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Minchun Li
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Liang Dong
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Wei Xie
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Xie,
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35
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa: pathogenesis, virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, interaction with host, technology advances and emerging therapeutics. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:199. [PMID: 35752612 PMCID: PMC9233671 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01056-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 247] [Impact Index Per Article: 123.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that infects patients with cystic fibrosis, burn wounds, immunodeficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), cancer, and severe infection requiring ventilation, such as COVID-19. P. aeruginosa is also a widely-used model bacterium for all biological areas. In addition to continued, intense efforts in understanding bacterial pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa including virulence factors (LPS, quorum sensing, two-component systems, 6 type secretion systems, outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), CRISPR-Cas and their regulation), rapid progress has been made in further studying host-pathogen interaction, particularly host immune networks involving autophagy, inflammasome, non-coding RNAs, cGAS, etc. Furthermore, numerous technologic advances, such as bioinformatics, metabolomics, scRNA-seq, nanoparticles, drug screening, and phage therapy, have been used to improve our understanding of P. aeruginosa pathogenesis and host defense. Nevertheless, much remains to be uncovered about interactions between P. aeruginosa and host immune responses, including mechanisms of drug resistance by known or unannotated bacterial virulence factors as well as mammalian cell signaling pathways. The widespread use of antibiotics and the slow development of effective antimicrobials present daunting challenges and necessitate new theoretical and practical platforms to screen and develop mechanism-tested novel drugs to treat intractable infections, especially those caused by multi-drug resistance strains. Benefited from has advancing in research tools and technology, dissecting this pathogen's feature has entered into molecular and mechanistic details as well as dynamic and holistic views. Herein, we comprehensively review the progress and discuss the current status of P. aeruginosa biophysical traits, behaviors, virulence factors, invasive regulators, and host defense patterns against its infection, which point out new directions for future investigation and add to the design of novel and/or alternative therapeutics to combat this clinically significant pathogen.
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36
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Insights into the Virulence of Campylobacter jejuni Associated with Two-Component Signal Transduction Systems and Single Regulators. MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/microbiolres13020016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is one of the major aetiologies of diarrhoea. Understanding the processes and virulence factors contributing to C. jejuni fitness is a cornerstone for developing mitigation strategies. Two-component signal transduction systems, known as two-component systems (TCSs), along with single regulators with no obvious cognate histidine kinase, help pathogens in interacting with their environments, but the available literature on C. jejuni is limited. A typical TCS possesses histidine kinase and response regulator proteins. The objective of this review was to provide insights into the virulence of C. jejuni associated with TCSs and single regulators. Despite limited research, TCSs are important contributors to the pathogenicity of C. jejuni by influencing motility (FlgSR), colonisation (DccRS), nutrient acquisition (PhosSR and BumSR), and stress response (RacRS). Of the single regulators, CbrR and CosR are involved in bile resistance and oxidative stress response, respectively. Cross-talks among TCSs complicate the full elucidation of their molecular mechanisms. Although progress has been made in characterising C. jejuni TCSs, shortfalls such as triggering signals, inability to induce mutations in some genes, or developing suitable in vivo models are still being encountered. Further research is expected to shed light on the unexplored sides of the C. jejuni TCSs, which may allow new drug discoveries and better control strategies.
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Chen Y, Li Y, Zhu M, Lv M, Liu Z, Chen Z, Huang Y, Gu W, Liang Z, Chang C, Zhou J, Zhang LH, Liu Q. The GacA-GacS Type Two-Component System Modulates the Pathogenicity of Dickeya oryzae EC1 Mainly by Regulating the Production of Zeamines. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2022; 35:369-379. [PMID: 35100009 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-21-0292-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The GacS-GacA type two-component system (TCS) positively regulates pathogenicity-related phenotypes in many plant pathogens. In addition, Dickeya oryzae EC1, the causative agent of soft rot disease, produces antibiotic-like toxins called zeamines as one of the major virulence factors that inhibit the germination of rice seeds. The present study identified a GacS-GacA type TCS, named TzpS-TzpA, that positively controls the virulence of EC1, mainly by regulating production of the toxin zeamines. RNA-seq analysis of strain EC1 and its tzpA mutant showed that the TCS regulated a wide range of virulence genes, especially those encoding zeamines. Protein-protein interaction was detected between TzpS and TzpA through the bacterial two-hybrid system and pull-down assay. In trans expression of tzpA failed to rescue the defective phenotypes in both the ΔtzpS and ΔtzpSΔtzpA mutants. Furthermore, TzpA controls target gene expression by direct binding to DNA promoters that contain a Gac-box motif, including a regulatory RNA rsmB and the vfm quorum-sensing system regulator vfmE. These findings therefore suggested that the EC1 TzpS-TzpA TCS system mediates the pathogenicity of Dickeya oryzae EC1 mainly by regulating the production of zeamines.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Chen
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yanchang Li
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Minya Zhu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mingfa Lv
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhiqing Liu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhongqiao Chen
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Weihan Gu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhibin Liang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Changqing Chang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jianuan Zhou
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Lian-Hui Zhang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qiongguang Liu
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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Characteristics of Clinical Isolates of Streptococcus mutans. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12094579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Dental caries is an infectious disease which remains a significant health problem all over the world. The purpose of the study was to characterise a collection of 60 clinical isolates of S. mutans from adults’ and children’s dental plaque (natural biofilm). The paper describes the process of isolation, identification, analysis of biofilm formation and collection testing for the presence of 13 two-component systems (TCS) identified earlier in reference strain ATCC 700610 (UA159). In the case of S. mutans strains, plaque formation is specifically influenced by binary systems. All isolated strains of S. mutans form biofilm at high levels and possess a set of 26 genes forming TSC binary systems, which have an important role in plaque formation.
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Abstract
Neonatal bacterial meningitis is a devastating disease, associated with high mortality and neurological disability, in both developed and developing countries. Streptococcus agalactiae, commonly referred to as group B Streptococcus (GBS), remains the most common bacterial cause of meningitis among infants younger than 90 days. Maternal colonization with GBS in the gastrointestinal and/or genitourinary tracts is the primary risk factor for neonatal invasive disease. Despite prophylactic intrapartum antibiotic administration to colonized women and improved neonatal intensive care, the incidence and morbidity associated with GBS meningitis have not declined since the 1970s. Among meningitis survivors, a significant number suffer from complex neurological or neuropsychiatric sequelae, implying that the pathophysiology and pathogenic mechanisms leading to brain injury and devastating outcomes are not yet fully understood. It is imperative to develop new therapeutic and neuroprotective approaches aiming at protecting the developing brain. In this review, we provide updated clinical information regarding the understanding of neonatal GBS meningitis, including epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and human evidence of the disease's underlying mechanisms. Finally, we explore the experimental models used to study GBS meningitis and discuss their clinical and physiologic relevance to the complexities of human disease.
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Lembke HK, Carlson EE. Activity-based ATP analog probes for bacterial histidine kinases. Methods Enzymol 2022; 664:59-84. [PMID: 35331379 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Histidine kinases (HKs) are sensor proteins found ubiquitously in prokaryotes. They are the first protein in two-component systems (TCSs), signaling pathways that respond to a myriad of environmental stimuli. TCSs are typically comprised of a HK and its cognate response regulator (RR) which often acts as a transcription factor. RRs will bind DNA and ultimately lead to a cellular response. These cellular outputs vary widely, but HKs are particularly interesting as they are tied to antibiotic resistance and virulence pathways in pathogenic bacteria, making them promising drug targets. We anticipate that HK inhibitors could serve as either standalone antibiotics or antivirulence therapies. Additionally, while the cellular response mediated by the HKs is often well-characterized, very little is known about which stimuli trigger the sensor kinase to begin the phosphorylation cascade. Studying HK activity and enrichment of active HKs through activity-based protein profiling will enable these stimuli to be elucidated, filling this fundamental gap in knowledge. Here, we describe methods to evaluate the potency of putative HK inhibitors in addition to methods to calculate kinetic parameters of various activity-based probes designed for the HKs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah K Lembke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Erin E Carlson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States; Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States; Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
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41
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Bates KA, Sommer U, Hopkins KP, Shelton JMG, Wierzbicki C, Sergeant C, Tapley B, Michaels CJ, Schmeller DS, Loyau A, Bosch J, Viant MR, Harrison XA, Garner TWJ, Fisher MC. Microbiome function predicts amphibian chytridiomycosis disease dynamics. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:44. [PMID: 35272699 PMCID: PMC8908643 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01215-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) threatens amphibian biodiversity and ecosystem stability worldwide. Amphibian skin microbial community structure has been linked to the clinical outcome of Bd infections, yet its overall functional importance is poorly understood. METHODS Microbiome taxonomic and functional profiles were assessed using high-throughput bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS2 gene sequencing, bacterial shotgun metagenomics and skin mucosal metabolomics. We sampled 56 wild midwife toads (Alytes obstetricans) from montane populations exhibiting Bd epizootic or enzootic disease dynamics. In addition, to assess whether disease-specific microbiome profiles were linked to microbe-mediated protection or Bd-induced perturbation, we performed a laboratory Bd challenge experiment whereby 40 young adult A. obstetricans were exposed to Bd or a control sham infection. We measured temporal changes in the microbiome as well as functional profiles of Bd-exposed and control animals at peak infection. RESULTS Microbiome community structure and function differed in wild populations based on infection history and in experimental control versus Bd-exposed animals. Bd exposure in the laboratory resulted in dynamic changes in microbiome community structure and functional differences, with infection clearance in all but one infected animal. Sphingobacterium, Stenotrophomonas and an unclassified Commamonadaceae were associated with wild epizootic dynamics and also had reduced abundance in laboratory Bd-exposed animals that cleared infection, indicating a negative association with Bd resistance. This was further supported by microbe-metabolite integration which identified functionally relevant taxa driving disease outcome, of which Sphingobacterium and Bd were most influential in wild epizootic dynamics. The strong correlation between microbial taxonomic community composition and skin metabolome in the laboratory and field is inconsistent with microbial functional redundancy, indicating that differences in microbial taxonomy drive functional variation. Shotgun metagenomic analyses support these findings, with similar disease-associated patterns in beta diversity. Analysis of differentially abundant bacterial genes and pathways indicated that bacterial environmental sensing and Bd resource competition are likely to be important in driving infection outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Bd infection drives altered microbiome taxonomic and functional profiles across laboratory and field environments. Our application of multi-omics analyses in experimental and field settings robustly predicts Bd disease dynamics and identifies novel candidate biomarkers of infection. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran A Bates
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK.
- MRC Centre for GlobaI Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK.
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
| | - Ulf Sommer
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility - Metabolomics Node (NBAF-B), School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Kevin P Hopkins
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Jennifer M G Shelton
- MRC Centre for GlobaI Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Claudia Wierzbicki
- MRC Centre for GlobaI Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Christopher Sergeant
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Benjamin Tapley
- ZSL London Zoo, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | | | - Dirk S Schmeller
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Université Toulouse 3 - Paul Sabatier (UPS), Toulouse, France
| | - Adeline Loyau
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany
| | - Jaime Bosch
- IMIB Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC-University of Oviedo), 33600, Mieres, Spain
| | - Mark R Viant
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility - Metabolomics Node (NBAF-B), School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Xavier A Harrison
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4DQ, UK
| | - Trenton W J Garner
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Matthew C Fisher
- MRC Centre for GlobaI Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
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42
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uvrY deletion and acetate reduce gut colonization of Crohn's disease-associated adherent-invasive Escherichia coli by decreasing expression of type 1 fimbriae. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0066221. [PMID: 34978926 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00662-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) is involved in onset and/or exacerbation of Crohn's disease. AIEC adapts to the gut environment by altering gene-expression programs, leading to successful gut-lumen colonization. However, the underlying mechanism of gut colonization is still far from clarified. Here, we show the role of UvrY, a response regulator of bacterial two-component signal transduction systems, in AIEC gut colonization. An AIEC mutant lacking the uvrY gene exhibited impairment of competitive colonization in the murine intestinal tract. UvrY contributes to functional expression of type 1 fimbriae by activating expression of small RNA CsrB, which confers adherence and invasion into epithelial cells on AIEC. In contrast, acetate suppresses the UvrY-dependent expression of type 1 fimbriae, resulting in less efficient cell invasion and attenuated gut colonization. Our findings might lead to therapeutic interventions for CD, in which inhibitions of UvrY activation and acetate supplementation reduce the colonization levels of AIEC by decreasing type-1 fimbriae expression.
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43
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King A, Blackledge MS. Evaluation of small molecule kinase inhibitors as novel antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents. Chem Biol Drug Des 2021; 98:1038-1064. [PMID: 34581492 PMCID: PMC8616828 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a global and pressing concern. Our current therapeutic arsenal is increasingly limited as bacteria are developing resistance at a rate that far outpaces our ability to create new treatments. Novel approaches to treating and curing bacterial infections are urgently needed. Bacterial kinases have been increasingly explored as novel drug targets and are poised for development into novel therapeutic agents to combat bacterial infections. This review describes several general classes of bacterial kinases that play important roles in bacterial growth, antibiotic resistance, and biofilm formation. General features of these kinase classes are discussed and areas of particular interest for the development of inhibitors will be highlighted. Small molecule kinase inhibitors are described and organized by phenotypic effect, spotlighting particularly interesting inhibitors with novel functions and potential therapeutic benefit. Finally, we provide our perspective on the future of bacterial kinase inhibition as a viable strategy to combat bacterial infections and overcome the pressures of increasing antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley King
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, NC 27268
| | - Meghan S. Blackledge
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, NC 27268
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Gulyuk AV, LaJeunesse DR, Collazo R, Ivanisevic A. Tuning Microbial Activity via Programmatic Alteration of Cell/Substrate Interfaces. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2004655. [PMID: 34028885 PMCID: PMC10167751 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202004655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
A wide portfolio of advanced programmable materials and structures has been developed for biological applications in the last two decades. Particularly, due to their unique properties, semiconducting materials have been utilized in areas of biocomputing, implantable electronics, and healthcare. As a new concept of such programmable material design, biointerfaces based on inorganic semiconducting materials as substrates introduce unconventional paths for bioinformatics and biosensing. In particular, understanding how the properties of a substrate can alter microbial biofilm behavior enables researchers to better characterize and thus create programmable biointerfaces with necessary characteristics on demand. Herein, the current status of advanced microorganism-inorganic biointerfaces is summarized along with types of responses that can be observed in such hybrid systems. This work identifies promising inorganic material types along with target microorganisms that will be critical for future research on programmable biointerfacial structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey V Gulyuk
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Dennis R LaJeunesse
- Department of Nanoscience, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27401, USA
| | - Ramon Collazo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Albena Ivanisevic
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
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45
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Patel V, Matange N. Adaptation and compensation in a bacterial gene regulatory network evolving under antibiotic selection. eLife 2021; 10:70931. [PMID: 34591012 PMCID: PMC8483737 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks allow organisms to generate coordinated responses to environmental challenges. In bacteria, regulatory networks are re-wired and re-purposed during evolution, though the relationship between selection pressures and evolutionary change is poorly understood. In this study, we discover that the early evolutionary response of Escherichia coli to the antibiotic trimethoprim involves derepression of PhoPQ signaling, an Mg2+-sensitive two-component system, by inactivation of the MgrB feedback-regulatory protein. We report that derepression of PhoPQ confers trimethoprim-tolerance to E. coli by hitherto unrecognized transcriptional upregulation of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), target of trimethoprim. As a result, mutations in mgrB precede and facilitate the evolution of drug resistance. Using laboratory evolution, genome sequencing, and mutation re-construction, we show that populations of E. coli challenged with trimethoprim are faced with the evolutionary ‘choice’ of transitioning from tolerant to resistant by mutations in DHFR, or compensating for the fitness costs of PhoPQ derepression by inactivating the RpoS sigma factor, itself a PhoPQ-target. Outcomes at this evolutionary branch-point are determined by the strength of antibiotic selection, such that high pressures favor resistance, while low pressures favor cost compensation. Our results relate evolutionary changes in bacterial gene regulatory networks to strength of selection and provide mechanistic evidence to substantiate this link.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishwa Patel
- Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, India.,Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Nishad Matange
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India
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46
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Chen X, Liu Y, Jin J, Liu H, Hao Y, Zhang H, Xie Y. YbfA Regulates the Sensitivity of Escherichia coli K12 to Plantaricin BM-1 via the BasS/BasR Two-Component Regulatory System. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:659198. [PMID: 34484135 PMCID: PMC8415914 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.659198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plantaricin BM-1, a class IIa bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum BM-1, shows obvious antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. However, the mechanism underlying the action of class IIa bacteriocins against gram-negative bacteria remains to be explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of YbfA, a DUF2517 domain-containing protein, in the response of Escherichia coli K12 to plantaricin BM-1. The growth curve experiment and MIC experiment showed that the sensitivity of E. coli to plantaricin BM-1 was decreased by a ybfA null mutation. Electron microscopy showed that the ybfA null mutation reduced the surface rupture and contraction caused by plantaricin BM-1, and mitigated the effect of plantaricin BM-1 on the morphology of the E. coli cell membrane. Proteomics analysis showed that 323 proteins were differentially expressed in E. coli lacking the ybfA gene (P < 0.05); 118 proteins were downregulated, and 205 proteins were upregulated. The metabolic pathways containing the upregulated proteins mainly included outer membrane proteins, integral components of the plasma membrane, regulation of cell motility, and regulation of locomotion. The metabolic pathways involving the downregulated proteins mainly included outer membrane protein glycine betaine transport, amino-acid betaine transport, and transmembrane signaling receptor activity. The results of the proteomics analysis showed that the protein expression of the BasS/BasR two-component system was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Moreover, the expression levels of downstream proteins regulated by this two-component system were also significantly increased, including DgkA, FliC, and MlaE, which are involved in cell membrane structure and function, and RT-qPCR also confirmed this result. The growth curve showed that the sensitivity of E. coli to plantaricin BM-1 was significantly increased due to deletion of the BasS/BasR two-component system. Thus, deletion of ybfA in E. coli can increase the expression of the BasS/BasR two-component system and positively regulate the structure and function of the cell membrane to reduce the sensitivity to plantaricin BM-1. This will help to explore the mechanism of action of class IIa bacteriocins against gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Chen
- Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Beijing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Detection and Control of Spoilage Organisms and Pesticide Residue, College of Food Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yifei Liu
- Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Beijing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Detection and Control of Spoilage Organisms and Pesticide Residue, College of Food Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Junhua Jin
- Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Beijing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Detection and Control of Spoilage Organisms and Pesticide Residue, College of Food Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Beijing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Detection and Control of Spoilage Organisms and Pesticide Residue, College of Food Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yanling Hao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongxing Zhang
- Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Beijing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Detection and Control of Spoilage Organisms and Pesticide Residue, College of Food Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanhong Xie
- Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Beijing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Detection and Control of Spoilage Organisms and Pesticide Residue, College of Food Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
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Sayed M, Ozdemir O, Essa M, Olivier A, Karsi A, Lawrence ML, Abdelhamed H. Virulence and live vaccine potential of Edwardsiella piscicida phoP and phoQ mutants in catfish against edwardsiellosis. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2021; 44:1463-1474. [PMID: 34037985 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Edwardsiella piscicida is a Gram-negative facultative intracellular bacterium causing edwardsiellosis in catfish, the largest aquaculture industry in the United States. A safe and effective vaccine is an urgent need to avoid economic losses associated with E. piscicida outbreaks. PhoP/PhoQ is a two-component signal transduction system (TCS) that plays an important role in bacterial pathogenesis through sense and response to environmental and host stress signals. This study aimed to explore the contribution of PhoQ/PhoP in E. piscicida virulence and develop live attenuated vaccines against E. piscicida infection in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and hybrid catfish (channel catfish ♀ × blue catfish (I. furcatus) ♂). In the current study, two in-frame deletion mutants were constructed by deleting phoP (ETAC_09785) and phoQ (ETAC_09790) genes in E. piscicida strain C07-087, and the virulence and protection efficacy of the constructed strains were evaluated in catfish following intraperitoneal injection. Both EpΔphoP and EpΔphoQ strains had a delayed adaptation to oxidative stress (0.2% H2 O2 ) compared to E. piscicida wild type. The EpΔphoP and EpΔphoQ mutants produced significantly less biofilm compared to wild-type E. piscicida. Notably, EpΔphoP and EpΔphoQ mutants were significantly attenuated in channel catfish compared with wild-type E. piscicida (6.63% and 4.17% versus 49.16% mortalities), and channel catfish vaccinated with EpΔphoP and EpΔphoQ were significantly protected (95.65% and 97.92% survival) against E. piscicida infection at 21 days post-vaccination. In hybrid catfish, EpΔphoP was significantly more attenuated than EpΔphoQ, but EpΔphoQ provided significantly better protection than EpΔphoP. EpΔphoP and EpΔphoQ strains both induced specific antibodies in channel catfish against E. piscicida at 14 and 21 days post-vaccination. This result indicated that EpΔphoP and EpΔphoQ mutants were safe and protective in channel catfish fingerlings, while EpΔphoP was safe in hybrid catfish. Our findings show that PhoP and PhoQ are required for adaptation to oxidative stress and biofilm formation and may help E. piscicida face tough environmental challenges; thus, functional PhoP and PhoQ are critical for a successful infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Sayed
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
- Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Ozan Ozdemir
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Manal Essa
- Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Alicia Olivier
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Attila Karsi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Mark L Lawrence
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Hossam Abdelhamed
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
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Antoine L, Bahena-Ceron R, Devi Bunwaree H, Gobry M, Loegler V, Romby P, Marzi S. RNA Modifications in Pathogenic Bacteria: Impact on Host Adaptation and Virulence. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1125. [PMID: 34440299 PMCID: PMC8394870 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA modifications are involved in numerous biological processes and are present in all RNA classes. These modifications can be constitutive or modulated in response to adaptive processes. RNA modifications play multiple functions since they can impact RNA base-pairings, recognition by proteins, decoding, as well as RNA structure and stability. However, their roles in stress, environmental adaptation and during infections caused by pathogenic bacteria have just started to be appreciated. With the development of modern technologies in mass spectrometry and deep sequencing, recent examples of modifications regulating host-pathogen interactions have been demonstrated. They show how RNA modifications can regulate immune responses, antibiotic resistance, expression of virulence genes, and bacterial persistence. Here, we illustrate some of these findings, and highlight the strategies used to characterize RNA modifications, and their potential for new therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Stefano Marzi
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; (L.A.); (R.B.-C.); (H.D.B.); (M.G.); (V.L.); (P.R.)
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Abstract
Microbially produced indole metabolites serve as a diverse family of interspecies and interkingdom signaling molecules in the context of human health, crop production, and antibiotic resistance. We mined the protein database for sensors of indole metabolites and developed a biosensor for indole-3-aldehyde (I3A). Microbially produced I3A has been associated with reducing inflammation in diseases such as ulcerative colitis by stimulating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway. We engineered an E. coli strain embedded with a single plasmid carrying a chimeric two-component system that detects I3A. Our I3A receptor characterization confirmed binding site residues that contribute to the sensor's I3A detection range of 0.1-10 μM. This new I3A biosensor opens the door to sensing indole metabolites produced at various host-microbe interfaces and provides new parts for synthetic biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiefei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, 219 Parkman Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, 219 Parkman Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - W. Seth Childers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, 219 Parkman Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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50
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Lactate-induced dispersal of Neisseria meningitidis microcolonies is mediated by changes in cell density and pilus retraction and is influenced by temperature change. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0029621. [PMID: 34125601 PMCID: PMC8445170 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00296-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is the etiologic agent of meningococcal meningitis and sepsis. Initial colonization of meningococci to the upper respiratory tract epithelium is crucial for disease development. The colonization occurs in several steps and expression of type IV pili (Tfp) is essential for both attachment and microcolony formation of encapsulated bacteria. Previously, we have shown that host-derived lactate induces synchronized dispersal of meningococcal microcolonies. In this study, we demonstrated that lactate-induced dispersal is dependent on bacterial concentration but not on the quorum sensing system autoinducer-2 or the two-component systems NarP/NarQ, PilR/PilS, NtrY/NtrX, and MisR/MisS. Further, there were no changes in expression of genes related to assembly, elongation, retraction, and modification of Tfp throughout the time course of lactate induction. By using pilT and pptB mutants, however, we found that lactate-induced dispersal was dependent on PilT-retraction but not on phosphoglycerol-modification of Tfp even though the PptB activity was important for preventing re-aggregation post-dispersal. Furthermore, protein synthesis was required for lactate-induced dispersal. Finally, we found that at a lower temperature, lactate-induced dispersal was delayed and unsynchronized, and bacteria reformed microcolonies. We conclude that lactate-induced microcolony dispersal is dependent on bacterial concentration, PilT-dependent Tfp retraction, and protein synthesis and influenced by environmental temperature.
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