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He M, Yin S, Huang X, Li Y, Li B, Gong T, Liu Q. Insights into the regulatory role of bacterial sncRNA and its extracellular delivery via OMVs. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:29. [PMID: 38159117 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12855-z] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) play important regulatory roles in bacterial physiological processes and host-pathogen interactions. Meanwhile, bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), as naturally secreted outer membrane structures, play a vital role in the interaction between bacteria and their living environment, including the host environment. However, most current studies focus on the biological functions of sncRNAs in bacteria or hosts, while neglecting the roles and regulatory mechanisms of the OMVs that encapsulate these sncRNAs. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the intracellular regulatory roles of bacterial sncRNAs in promoting pathogen survival by regulating virulence, modulating bacterial drug resistance, and regulating iron metabolism, and their extracellular regulatory function for influencing host immunity through host-pathogen interactions. Additionally, we introduce the key role played by OMVs, which serve as important cargoes in bacterial sncRNA-host interactions. We propose emerging pathways of sncRNA action to further discuss the mode of host-pathogen interactions, highlighting that the inhibition of sncRNA delivery by OMVs may prevent the occurrence of infection to some extent. Hence, this review lays the foundation for future prophylactic treatments against bacterial infections and strategies for addressing bacterial drug resistance. KEY POINTS: •sncRNAs have intracellular and extracellular regulatory functions in bacterial physiological processes and host-pathogen interactions. •OMVs are potential mediators between bacterial sncRNAs and host cells. •OMVs encapsulating sncRNAs have more potential biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengdan He
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Center for Advanced Diagnostic Technology and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Shuanshuan Yin
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Center for Advanced Diagnostic Technology and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Xinlei Huang
- Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yi Li
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Center for Advanced Diagnostic Technology and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Biaoxian Li
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Center for Advanced Diagnostic Technology and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Tian Gong
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Center for Advanced Diagnostic Technology and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China.
| | - Qiong Liu
- Center for Molecular Diagnosis and Precision Medicine, The Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiangxi Provincial Center for Advanced Diagnostic Technology and Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China.
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China.
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2
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Shore SFH, Ptacek M, Steen AD, Fozo EM. A simple BLASTn-based approach generates novel insights into the regulation and biological function of type I toxin-antitoxins. mSystems 2024; 9:e0120423. [PMID: 38856235 PMCID: PMC11264685 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01204-23] [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: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial chromosomal type I toxin-antitoxin systems consist of a small protein, typically under 60 amino acids, and a small RNA (sRNA) that represses toxin translation. These gene pairs have gained attention over the last decade for their contribution to antibiotic persistence and phage tolerance in bacteria. However, biological functions for many remain elusive as gene deletions often fail to produce an observable phenotype. For many pairs, it is still unknown when the toxin and/or antitoxin gene are natively expressed within the bacterium. We examined sequence conservation of three type I toxin-antitoxin systems, tisB/istR-1, shoB/ohsC, and zor/orz, in over 2,000 Escherichia coli strains, including pathogenic and commensal isolates. Using our custom database, we found that these gene pairs are widespread across E. coli and have expression potential via BLASTn. We identified an alternative, dominant sequence variant of TisB and confirmed that it is toxic upon overproduction. Additionally, analyses revealed a highly conserved sequence in the zorO mRNA untranslated region that is required for full toxicity. We further noted that over 30% of E. coli genomes contain an orz antitoxin gene only and confirmed its expression in a representative strain: the first confirmed report of a type I antitoxin without its cognate toxin. Our results add to our understanding of these systems, and our methodology is applicable for other type I loci to identify critical regulatory and functional features.IMPORTANCEChromosomal type I toxin-antitoxins are a class of genes that have gained increasing attention over the last decade for their roles in antibiotic persistence which may contribute to therapeutic failures. However, the control of many of these genes and when they function have remained elusive. We demonstrate that a simple genetic conservation-based approach utilizing free, publicly available data yields known and novel insights into the regulation and function of three chromosomal type I toxin-antitoxins in Escherichia coli. This study also provides a framework for how this approach could be applied to other genes of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene F. H. Shore
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michael Ptacek
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Andrew D. Steen
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Fozo
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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3
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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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4
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Kotsira V, Skoufos G, Alexiou A, Zioga M, Tastsoglou S, Kardaras FS, Perdikopanis N, Elissavet Z, Gouzouasis V, Charitou T, Hatzigeorgiou AG. Agnodice: indexing experimentally supported bacterial sRNA-RNA interactions. mBio 2024; 15:e0301023. [PMID: 38319109 PMCID: PMC10936433 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03010-23] [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: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, the immense growth in the field of bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs), along with the biotechnological breakthroughs in Deep Sequencing permitted the deeper understanding of sRNA-RNA interactions. However, microbiology is currently lacking a thoroughly curated collection of this rapidly expanding universe. We present Agnodice (https://dianalab.e-ce.uth.gr/agnodice), our effort to systematically catalog and annotate experimentally supported bacterial sRNA-RNA interactions. Agnodice, for the first time, incorporates thousands of bacterial sRNA-RNA interactions derived from a diverse set of experimental methodologies including state-of-the-art Deep Sequencing interactome identification techniques. It comprises 39,600 entries which are annotated at strain-level resolution and pertain to 399 sRNAs and 12,137 target RNAs identified in 71 bacterial strains. The database content is exclusively experimentally supported, incorporating interactions derived via low yield as well as state-of-the-art high-throughput methods. The entire content of the database is freely accessible and can be directly downloaded for further analysis. Agnodice will serve as a valuable source, enabling microbiologists to form novel hypotheses, design/identify novel sRNA-based drug targets, and explore the therapeutic potential of microbiomes from the perspective of small regulatory RNAs.IMPORTANCEAgnodice (https://dianalab.e-ce.uth.gr/agnodice) is an effort to systematically catalog and annotate experimentally supported bacterial small RNA (sRNA)-RNA interactions. Agnodice, for the first time, incorporates thousands of bacterial sRNA-RNA interactions derived from a diverse set of experimental methodologies including state-of-the-art Next Generation Sequencing interactome identification techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Kotsira
- DIANA-Lab, Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
- Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Giorgos Skoufos
- DIANA-Lab, Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
- Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Athanasios Alexiou
- DIANA-Lab, Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
- Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Zioga
- DIANA-Lab, Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
| | - Spyros Tastsoglou
- DIANA-Lab, Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
- Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Filippos S. Kardaras
- DIANA-Lab, Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
- Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikos Perdikopanis
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Zacharopoulou Elissavet
- DIANA-Lab, Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
- Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Vasileios Gouzouasis
- Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Theodosia Charitou
- Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
| | - Artemis G. Hatzigeorgiou
- DIANA-Lab, Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece
- Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
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5
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Tejada-Arranz A, Lulla A, Bouilloux-Lafont M, Turlin E, Pei XY, Douché T, Matondo M, Williams AH, Raynal B, Luisi BF, De Reuse H. Acetylation regulates the oligomerization state and activity of RNase J, the Helicobacter pylori major ribonuclease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8072. [PMID: 38057323 PMCID: PMC10700544 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43825-8] [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: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori, post-transcriptional regulation relies strongly on the activity of the essential ribonuclease RNase J. Here, we elucidated the crystal and cryo-EM structures of RNase J and determined that it assembles into dimers and tetramers in vitro. We found that RNase J extracted from H. pylori is acetylated on multiple lysine residues. Alanine substitution of several of these residues impacts on H. pylori morphology, and thus on RNase J function in vivo. Mutations of Lysine 649 modulates RNase J oligomerization in vitro, which in turn influences ribonuclease activity in vitro. Our structural analyses of RNase J reveal loops that gate access to the active site and rationalizes how acetylation state of K649 can influence activity. We propose acetylation as a regulatory level controlling the activity of RNase J and its potential cooperation with other enzymes of RNA metabolism in H. pylori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Tejada-Arranz
- Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, UMR CNRS 6047, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Université de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Aleksei Lulla
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Maxime Bouilloux-Lafont
- Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, UMR CNRS 6047, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Evelyne Turlin
- Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, UMR CNRS 6047, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Xue-Yuan Pei
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Thibaut Douché
- Plateforme Protéomique, Unité de Spectrométrie de Masse pour la Biologie, C2RT, USR CNRS 2000, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Mariette Matondo
- Plateforme Protéomique, Unité de Spectrométrie de Masse pour la Biologie, C2RT, USR CNRS 2000, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Allison H Williams
- University of California San Francisco, Cellular Molecular Pharmacology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bertrand Raynal
- Département de Biologie structurale et chimie, Plateforme de biophysique moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Ben F Luisi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Hilde De Reuse
- Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, UMR CNRS 6047, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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Comprehensive insights into the metabolism characteristics of small RNA Qrr4 in Vibrio alginolyticus. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:1887-1902. [PMID: 36795140 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12435-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Vibrio alginolyticus is an important foodborne pathogen that can infect both humans and marine animals and cause massive economic losses in aquaculture. Small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) are emerging posttranscriptional regulators that affect bacterial physiology and pathological processes. In the present work, a new cell density-dependent sRNA, Qrr4, was characterized in V. alginolyticus based on a previously reported RNA-seq analysis and bioinformatics approach. The effects of Qrr4 actions on the physiology, virulence, and metabolism of V. alginolyticus were comprehensively investigated based on molecular biology and metabolomics approaches. The results showed that qrr4 deletion markedly inhibited growth, motility and extracellular protease activities. Additionally, nontargeted metabolism and lipidomics analyses revealed that qrr4 deletion induced significant disturbance of multiple metabolic pathways. The key metabolic remodelling that occurred in response to qrr4 deletion was found to involve phospholipid, nucleotide, carbohydrate and amino acid metabolic pathways, providing novel clues about a potential mechanism via which mutation of qrr4 could interfere with cellular energy homeostasis, modulate membrane phospholipid composition and inhibit nucleic acid and protein syntheses to regulate the motility, growth and virulence characteristics of V. alginolyticus. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory roles of the new cell density-dependent sRNA Qrr4 in V. alginolyticus. KEY POINTS: • A novel cell density-dependent sRNA, Qrr4, was cloned in V. alginolyticus. •Qrr4 regulated growth and virulence factors of V. alginolyticus. • Phospholipid, nucleotide and energy metabolisms were modulated obviously by Qrr4.
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7
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Freire de Melo F, Marques HS, Rocha Pinheiro SL, Lemos FFB, Silva Luz M, Nayara Teixeira K, Souza CL, Oliveira MV. Influence of Helicobacter pylori oncoprotein CagA in gastric cancer: A critical-reflective analysis. World J Clin Oncol 2022; 13:866-879. [PMID: 36483973 PMCID: PMC9724182 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v13.i11.866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy and third leading cancer-related cause of death worldwide. Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacterium that inhabits the gastric environment of 60.3% of the world’s population and represents the main risk factor for the onset of gastric neoplasms. CagA is the most important virulence factor in H. pylori, and is a translocated oncoprotein that induces morphofunctional modifications in gastric epithelial cells and a chronic inflammatory response that increases the risk of developing precancerous lesions. Upon translocation and tyrosine phosphorylation, CagA moves to the cell membrane and acts as a pathological scaffold protein that simultaneously interacts with multiple intracellular signaling pathways, thereby disrupting cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. All these alterations in cell biology increase the risk of damaged cells acquiring pro-oncogenic genetic changes. In this sense, once gastric cancer sets in, its perpetuation is independent of the presence of the oncoprotein, characterizing a “hit-and-run” carcinogenic mechanism. Therefore, this review aims to describe H. pylori- and CagA-related oncogenic mechanisms, to update readers and discuss the novelties and perspectives in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrício Freire de Melo
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Hanna Santos Marques
- Campus Vitória da Conquista, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Samuel Luca Rocha Pinheiro
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Fabian Fellipe Bueno Lemos
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Marcel Silva Luz
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | | | - Cláudio Lima Souza
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
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Insights into the Orchestration of Gene Transcription Regulators in Helicobacter pylori. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213688. [PMID: 36430169 PMCID: PMC9696931 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens employ a general strategy to overcome host defenses by coordinating the virulence gene expression using dedicated regulatory systems that could raise intricate networks. During the last twenty years, many studies of Helicobacter pylori, a human pathogen responsible for various stomach diseases, have mainly focused on elucidating the mechanisms and functions of virulence factors. In parallel, numerous studies have focused on the molecular mechanisms that regulate gene transcription to attempt to understand the physiological changes of the bacterium during infection and adaptation to the environmental conditions it encounters. The number of regulatory proteins deduced from the genome sequence analyses responsible for the correct orchestration of gene transcription appears limited to 14 regulators and three sigma factors. Furthermore, evidence is accumulating for new and complex circuits regulating gene transcription and H. pylori virulence. Here, we focus on the molecular mechanisms used by H. pylori to control gene transcription as a function of the principal environmental changes.
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9
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Freire de Melo F, Marques HS, Fellipe Bueno Lemos F, Silva Luz M, Rocha Pinheiro SL, de Carvalho LS, Souza CL, Oliveira MV. Role of nickel-regulated small RNA in modulation of Helicobacter pylori virulence factors. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:11283-11291. [PMID: 36387830 PMCID: PMC9649571 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i31.11283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects about half of the world's population. H. pylori infection prevails by several mechanisms of adaptation of the bacteria and by its virulence factors including the cytotoxin associated antigen A (CagA). CagA is an oncoprotein that is the protagonist of gastric carcinogenesis associated with prolonged H. pylori infection. In this sense, small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are important macromolecules capable of inhibiting and activating gene expression. This function allows sRNAs to act in adjusting to unstable environmental conditions and in responding to cellular stresses in bacterial infections. Recent discoveries have shown that nickel-regulated small RNA (NikS) is a post-transcriptional regulator of virulence properties of H. pylori, including the oncoprotein CagA. Notably, high concentrations of nickel cause the reduction of NikS expression and consequently this increases the levels of CagA. In addition, NikS expression appears to be lower in clinical isolates from patients with gastric cancer when compared to patients without. With that in mind, this minireview approaches, in an accessible way, the most important and current aspects about the role of NikS in the control of virulence factors of H. pylori and the potential clinical repercussions of this modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrício Freire de Melo
- Institution Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Hanna Santos Marques
- Campus Vitória da Conquista, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45083-900, Brazil
| | - Fabian Fellipe Bueno Lemos
- Institution Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Marcel Silva Luz
- Institution Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Samuel Luca Rocha Pinheiro
- Institution Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Lorena Sousa de Carvalho
- Institution Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Cláudio Lima Souza
- Institution Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
| | - Márcio Vasconcelos Oliveira
- Institution Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Brazil
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10
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Fischer F, Vorontsov E, Turlin E, Malosse C, Garcia C, Tabb DL, Chamot-Rooke J, Percudani R, Vinella D, De Reuse H. Expansion of nickel binding- and histidine-rich proteins during gastric adaptation of Helicobacter species. METALLOMICS : INTEGRATED BIOMETAL SCIENCE 2022; 14:6674772. [PMID: 36002005 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfac060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Acquisition and homeostasis of essential metals during host colonization by bacterial pathogens rely on metal uptake, trafficking and storage proteins. How these factors have evolved within bacterial pathogens is poorly defined. Urease, a nickel enzyme, is essential for Helicobacter pylori to colonize the acidic stomach. Our previous data suggest that acquisition of nickel transporters and a Histidine-rich protein (HRP) involved in nickel storage in H. pylori and gastric Helicobacter spp. have been essential evolutionary events for gastric colonization. Using bioinformatics, proteomics and phylogenetics, we extended this analysis to determine how evolution has framed the repertoire of HRPs among 39 Epsilonproteobacteria; 18 gastric and 11 non-gastric enterohepatic (EH) Helicobacter spp., as well as 10 other Epsilonproteobacteria. We identified a total of 213 HRPs distributed in 22 protein families named orthologous groups (OG) with His-rich domains, including 15 newly described OGs. Gastric Helicobacter spp. are enriched in HRPs (7.7 ± 1.9 HRPs/strain) as compared to EH Helicobacter spp. (1.9 ± 1.0 HRPs/strain) with a particular prevalence of HRPs with C-terminal Histidine-rich domains in gastric species. The expression and nickel-binding capacity of several HRPs was validated in five gastric Helicobacter spp. We established the evolutionary history of new HRP families, such as the periplasmic HP0721-like proteins and the HugZ-type heme-oxygenases. The expansion of Histidine-rich extensions in gastric Helicobacter spp. proteins is intriguing but can tentatively be associated with the presence of the urease nickel-enzyme. We conclude that this HRP expansion is associated with unique properties of organisms that rely on large intracellular nickel amounts for their survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Fischer
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, UMR CNRS 6047, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE.,Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie, UMR 7156, Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Physiologie et Chimie Biologiques, 4 allée Konrad Roentgen, 67084 Strasbourg, FRANCE
| | - Egor Vorontsov
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UAR 2024, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE.,Proteomics Core Facility, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 413, 40530 Gothenburg, SWEDEN
| | - Evelyne Turlin
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, UMR CNRS 6047, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE
| | - Christian Malosse
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UAR 2024, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE
| | - Camille Garcia
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UAR 2024, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE
| | - David L Tabb
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UAR 2024, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE
| | - Julia Chamot-Rooke
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UAR 2024, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE
| | - Riccardo Percudani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124, Parma, ITALY
| | - Daniel Vinella
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, UMR CNRS 6047, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE
| | - Hilde De Reuse
- Institut Pasteur, Département de Microbiologie, Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, UMR CNRS 6047, 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 PARIS Cedex 15 FRANCE
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11
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Loh JT, Shuman JHB, Lin AS, Favret N, Piazuelo MB, Mallal S, Chopra A, McClain MS, Cover TL. Positive Selection of Mutations in the Helicobacter pylori katA 5' Untranslated Region in a Mongolian Gerbil Model of Gastric Disease. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0000422. [PMID: 35652648 PMCID: PMC9302185 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00004-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
To evaluate potential effects of gastric inflammation on Helicobacter pylori diversification and evolution within the stomach, we experimentally infected Mongolian gerbils with an H. pylori strain in which Cag type IV secretion system (T4SS) activity is controlled by a TetR/tetO system. Gerbils infected with H. pylori under conditions in which Cag T4SS activity was derepressed had significantly higher levels of gastric inflammation than gerbils infected under conditions with repressed Cag T4SS activity. Mutations in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of katA (encoding catalase) were detected in strains cultured from 8 of the 17 gerbils infected with Cag T4SS-active H. pylori and none of the strains from 17 gerbils infected with Cag T4SS-inactive H. pylori. Catalase enzymatic activity, steady-state katA transcript levels, and katA transcript stability were increased in strains with these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) compared to strains in which these SNPs were absent. Moreover, strains harboring these SNPs exhibited increased resistance to bactericidal effects of hydrogen peroxide, compared to control strains. Experimental introduction of the SNPs into the wild-type katA 5' UTR resulted in increased katA transcript stability, increased katA steady-state levels, and increased catalase enzymatic activity. Based on site-directed mutagenesis and modeling of RNA structure, increased katA transcript levels were correlated with higher predicted thermal stability of the katA 5' UTR secondary structure. These data suggest that high levels of gastric inflammation positively select for H. pylori strains producing increased levels of catalase, which may confer survival advantages to the bacteria in an inflammatory gastric environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- John T. Loh
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jennifer H. B. Shuman
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Aung Soe Lin
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Natalie Favret
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - M. Blanca Piazuelo
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Simon Mallal
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Abha Chopra
- Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Mark S. McClain
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennesse, USA
| | - Timothy L. Cover
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennesse, USA
- Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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12
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Sharafutdinov I, Ekici A, Vieth M, Backert S, Linz B. Early and late genome-wide gastric epithelial transcriptome response during infection with the human carcinogen Helicobacterpylori. CELL INSIGHT 2022; 1:100032. [PMID: 37193047 PMCID: PMC10120309 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2022.100032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Infection of the stomach by Helicobacter pylori is a major risk factor for the development of gastric cancer. Colonization of the gastric epithelium leads to the activation of multiple disease-related signaling pathways. Serine protease HtrA represents an important secreted virulence factor that mediates cleavage of cellular junctions. However, its potential role in nuclear responses is unknown. Here, we performed a genome-wide RNA-seq analysis of polarized gastric epithelial cells infected by wild-type (wt) and ΔhtrA mutant bacteria. Fluorescence microscopy showed that H. pylori wt, but not ΔhtrA bacteria, preferably localized at cellular junctions. Our results pinpointed early (2 h) and late (6 h) transcriptional responses, with most differentially expressed genes at 6 h post infection. The transcriptomes revealed HtrA-dependent targeting of genes associated with inflammation and apoptosis (e.g. IL8, ZFP36, TNF). Accordingly, infection with the ΔhtrA mutant induced increased apoptosis rates in host cells, which was associated with reduced H. pylori CagA expression. In contrast, transcription of various carcinogenesis-associated genes (e.g. DKK1, DOCK8) was affected by H. pylori independent of HtrA. These findings suggest that H. pylori disturbs previously unknown molecular pathways in an HtrA-dependent and HtrA-independent manner, and provide valuable new insights of this significant pathogen in humans and thus potential targets for better controlling the risk of malignant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irshad Sharafutdinov
- Department of Biology, Division of Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 5, D-91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arif Ekici
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schwabachanlage 10, D-91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Vieth
- Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Klinikum Bayreuth, Preuschwitzer Str 101, D-95445, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Steffen Backert
- Department of Biology, Division of Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 5, D-91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Bodo Linz
- Department of Biology, Division of Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 5, D-91058, Erlangen, Germany
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13
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Kumar S, Vinella D, De Reuse H. Nickel, an essential virulence determinant of Helicobacter pylori: Transport and trafficking pathways and their targeting by bismuth. Adv Microb Physiol 2022; 80:1-33. [PMID: 35489790 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Metal acquisition and intracellular trafficking are crucial for all cells and metal ions have been recognized as virulence determinants in bacterial pathogens. Nickel is required for the pathogenicity of H. pylori. This bacterial pathogen colonizes the stomach of about half of the human population worldwide and is associated with gastric cancer that is responsible for 800,000 deaths per year. H. pylori possesses two nickel-enzymes that are essential for in vivo colonization, a [NiFe] hydrogenase and an abundant urease responsible for resistance to gastric acidity. Because of these two enzymes, survival of H. pylori relies on an important supply of nickel, implying tight control strategies to avoid its toxic accumulation or deprivation. H. pylori possesses original mechanisms for nickel uptake, distribution, storage and trafficking that will be discussed in this review. During evolution, acquisition of nickel transporters and specific nickel-binding proteins has been a decisive event to allow Helicobacter species to become able to colonize the stomach. Accordingly, many of the factors involved in these mechanisms are required for mouse colonization by H. pylori. These mechanisms are controlled at different levels including protein interaction networks, transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation. Bismuth is another metal used in combination with antibiotics to efficiently treat H. pylori infections. Although the precise mode of action of bismuth is unknown, many targets have been identified in H. pylori and there is growing evidence that bismuth interferes with the essential nickel pathways. Understanding the metal pathways will help improve treatments against H. pylori and other pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumith Kumar
- Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, CNRS UMR6047, Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Vinella
- Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, CNRS UMR6047, Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Hilde De Reuse
- Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, CNRS UMR6047, Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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14
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Roncarati D, Scarlato V, Vannini A. Targeting of Regulators as a Promising Approach in the Search for Novel Antimicrobial Agents. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10010185. [PMID: 35056634 PMCID: PMC8777881 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10010185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of penicillin in the first half of the last century, antibiotics have become the pillars of modern medicine for fighting bacterial infections. However, pathogens resistant to antibiotic treatment have increased in recent decades, and efforts to discover new antibiotics have decreased. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to treat bacterial infections successfully, and we look forward to more significant efforts from both governments and the scientific community to research new antibacterial drugs. This perspective article highlights the high potential of bacterial transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulators as targets for developing new drugs. We highlight some recent advances in the search for new compounds that inhibit their biological activity and, as such, appear very promising for treating bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Roncarati
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.R.); (V.S.); (A.V.)
| | - Vincenzo Scarlato
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.R.); (V.S.); (A.V.)
| | - Andrea Vannini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.R.); (V.S.); (A.V.)
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15
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Charbonnier M, González-Espinoza G, Kehl-Fie TE, Lalaouna D. Battle for Metals: Regulatory RNAs at the Front Line. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:952948. [PMID: 35865816 PMCID: PMC9294342 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.952948] [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: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal such as iron, zinc, manganese, and nickel are essential elements for bacteria. These nutrients are required in crucial structural and catalytic roles in biological processes, including precursor biosynthesis, DNA replication, transcription, respiration, and oxidative stress responses. While essential, in excess these nutrients can also be toxic. The immune system leverages both of these facets, to limit bacterial proliferation and combat invaders. Metal binding immune proteins reduce the bioavailability of metals at the infection sites starving intruders, while immune cells intoxicate pathogens by providing metals in excess leading to enzyme mismetallation and/or reactive oxygen species generation. In this dynamic metal environment, maintaining metal homeostasis is a critical process that must be precisely coordinated. To achieve this, bacteria utilize diverse metal uptake and efflux systems controlled by metalloregulatory proteins. Recently, small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) have been revealed to be critical post-transcriptional regulators, working in conjunction with transcription factors to promote rapid adaptation and to fine-tune bacterial adaptation to metal abundance. In this mini review, we discuss the expanding role for sRNAs in iron homeostasis, but also in orchestrating adaptation to the availability of other metals like manganese and nickel. Furthermore, we describe the sRNA-mediated interdependency between metal homeostasis and oxidative stress responses, and how regulatory networks controlled by sRNAs contribute to survival and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Charbonnier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Thomas E Kehl-Fie
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL, United States.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL, United States
| | - David Lalaouna
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, Strasbourg, France
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16
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MicroRNAs Encoded by Virus and Small RNAs Encoded by Bacteria Associated with Oncogenic Processes. Processes (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9122234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a deadly disease and, globally, represents the second leading cause of death in the world. Although it is a disease where several factors can help its development, virus induced infections have been associated with different types of neoplasms. However, in bacterial infections, their participation is not known for certain. Among the proposed approaches to oncogenesis risks in different infections are microRNAs (miRNAs). These are small molecules composed of RNA with a length of 22 nucleotides capable of regulating gene expression by directing protein complexes that suppress the untranslated region of mRNA. These miRNAs and other recently described, such as small RNAs (sRNAs), are deregulated in the development of cancer, becoming promising biomarkers. Thus, resulting in a study possibility, searching for new tools with diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to multiple oncological diseases, as miRNAs and sRNAs are main players of gene expression and host–infectious agent interaction. Moreover, sRNAs with limited complementarity are similar to eukaryotic miRNAs in their ability to modulate the activity and stability of multiple mRNAs. Here, we will describe the regulatory RNAs from viruses that have been associated with cancer and how sRNAs in bacteria can be related to this disease.
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17
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Svensson SL, Sharma CM. RNase III-mediated processing of a trans-acting bacterial sRNA and its cis-encoded antagonist. eLife 2021; 10:69064. [PMID: 34843430 PMCID: PMC8687705 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are important post-transcriptional regulators in stress responses and virulence. They can be derived from an expanding list of genomic contexts, such as processing from parental transcripts by RNase E. The role of RNase III in sRNA biogenesis is less well understood despite its well-known roles in rRNA processing, RNA decay, and cleavage of sRNA-mRNA duplexes. Here, we show that RNase III processes a pair of cis-encoded sRNAs (CJnc190 and CJnc180) of the food-borne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni. While CJnc180 processing by RNase III requires CJnc190, RNase III processes CJnc190 independent of CJnc180 via cleavage of an intramolecular duplex. We also show that CJnc190 directly represses translation of the colonization factor PtmG by targeting a G-rich ribosome-binding site, and uncover that CJnc180 is a cis-acting antagonist of CJnc190, indirectly affecting ptmG regulation. Our study highlights a role for RNase III in sRNA biogenesis and adds cis-encoded RNAs to the expanding diversity of transcripts that can antagonize bacterial sRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lauren Svensson
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology II, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Cynthia Mira Sharma
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology II, Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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18
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Svensson SL, Sharma CM. Small RNAs that target G-rich sequences are generated by diverse biogenesis pathways in Epsilonproteobacteria. Mol Microbiol 2021; 117:215-233. [PMID: 34818434 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are widespread post-transcriptional regulators controlling bacterial stress responses and virulence. Nevertheless, little is known about how they arise and evolve. Homologues can be difficult to identify beyond the strain level using sequence-based approaches, and similar functionalities can arise by convergent evolution. Here, we found that the virulence-associated CJnc190 sRNA of the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni resembles the RepG sRNA from the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori. However, while both sRNAs bind G-rich sites in their target mRNAs using a C/U-rich loop, they largely differ in their biogenesis. RepG is transcribed from a stand-alone gene and does not require processing, whereas CJnc190 is transcribed from two promoters as precursors that are processed by RNase III and also has a cis-encoded antagonist, CJnc180. By comparing CJnc190 homologues in diverse Campylobacter species, we show that RNase III-dependent processing of CJnc190 appears to be a conserved feature even outside of C. jejuni. We also demonstrate the CJnc180 antisense partner is expressed in C. coli, yet here might be derived from the 3'UTR of the upstream flagella-related gene. Our analysis of G-tract targeting sRNAs in Epsilonproteobacteria demonstrates that similar sRNAs can have markedly different biogenesis pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Svensson
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology II, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Bavaria, 97080, Germany
| | - Cynthia M Sharma
- Department of Molecular Infection Biology II, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Bavaria, 97080, Germany
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19
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Evguenieva-Hackenberg E. Riboregulation in bacteria: From general principles to novel mechanisms of the trp attenuator and its sRNA and peptide products. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2021; 13:e1696. [PMID: 34651439 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Gene expression strategies ensuring bacterial survival and competitiveness rely on cis- and trans-acting RNA-regulators (riboregulators). Among the cis-acting riboregulators are transcriptional and translational attenuators, and antisense RNAs (asRNAs). The trans-acting riboregulators are small RNAs (sRNAs) that bind proteins or base pairs with other RNAs. This classification is artificial since some regulatory RNAs act both in cis and in trans, or function in addition as small mRNAs. A prominent example is the archetypical, ribosome-dependent attenuator of tryptophan (Trp) biosynthesis genes. It responds by transcription attenuation to two signals, Trp availability and inhibition of translation, and gives rise to two trans-acting products, the attenuator sRNA rnTrpL and the leader peptide peTrpL. In Escherichia coli, rnTrpL links Trp availability to initiation of chromosome replication and in Sinorhizobium meliloti, it coordinates regulation of split tryptophan biosynthesis operons. Furthermore, in S. meliloti, peTrpL is involved in mRNA destabilization in response to antibiotic exposure. It forms two types of asRNA-containing, antibiotic-dependent ribonucleoprotein complexes (ARNPs), one of them changing the target specificity of rnTrpL. The posttranscriptional role of peTrpL indicates two emerging paradigms: (1) sRNA reprograming by small molecules and (2) direct involvement of antibiotics in regulatory RNPs. They broaden our view on RNA-based mechanisms and may inspire new approaches for studying, detecting, and using antibacterial compounds. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Small Molecule-RNA Interactions RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs.
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20
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Small RNA mediated gradual control of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis affects antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4433. [PMID: 34290242 PMCID: PMC8295292 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24689-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The small, regulatory RNA RepG (Regulator of polymeric G-repeats) regulates the expression of the chemotaxis receptor TlpB in Helicobacter pylori by targeting a variable G-repeat in the tlpB mRNA leader. Here, we show that RepG additionally controls lipopolysaccharide (LPS) phase variation by also modulating the expression of a gene (hp0102) that is co-transcribed with tlpB. The hp0102 gene encodes a glycosyltransferase required for LPS O-chain biosynthesis and in vivo colonization of the mouse stomach. The G-repeat length defines a gradual (rather than ON/OFF) control of LPS biosynthesis by RepG, and leads to gradual resistance to a membrane-targeting antibiotic. Thus, RepG-mediated modulation of LPS structure might impact host immune recognition and antibiotic sensitivity, thereby helping H. pylori to adapt and persist in the host. The small RNA RepG modulates expression of chemotaxis receptor TlpB in Helicobacter pylori by targeting a length-variable G-repeat in the tlpB mRNA. Here, Pernitzsch et al. show that RepG also gradually controls lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, antibiotic susceptibility, and in-vivo colonization of the stomach, by regulating a gene that is co-transcribed with tlpB.
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21
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Tejada-Arranz A, De Reuse H. Riboregulation in the Major Gastric Pathogen Helicobacter pylori. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:712804. [PMID: 34335549 PMCID: PMC8322730 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.712804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that colonizes the stomach of about half of the human population worldwide. Infection by H. pylori is generally acquired during childhood and this bacterium rapidly establishes a persistent colonization. H. pylori causes chronic gastritis that, in some cases, progresses into peptic ulcer disease or adenocarcinoma that is responsible for about 800,000 deaths in the world every year. H. pylori has evolved efficient adaptive strategies to colonize the stomach, a particularly hostile acidic environment. Few transcriptional regulators are encoded by the small H. pylori genome and post-transcriptional regulation has been proposed as a major level of control of gene expression in this pathogen. The transcriptome and transcription start sites (TSSs) of H. pylori strain 26695 have been defined at the genome level. This revealed the existence of a total of 1,907 TSSs among which more than 900 TSSs for non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) including 60 validated small RNAs (sRNAs) and abundant anti-sense RNAs, few of which have been experimentally validated. An RNA degradosome was shown to play a central role in the control of mRNA and antisense RNA decay in H. pylori. Riboregulation, genetic regulation by RNA, has also been revealed and depends both on antisense RNAs and small RNAs. Known examples will be presented in this review. Antisense RNA regulation was reported for some virulence factors and for several type I toxin antitoxin systems, one of which controls the morphological transition of H. pylori spiral shape to round coccoids. Interestingly, the few documented cases of small RNA-based regulation suggest that their mechanisms do not follow the same rules that were well established in the model organism Escherichia coli. First, the genome of H. pylori encodes none of the two well-described RNA chaperones, Hfq and ProQ that are important for riboregulation in several organisms. Second, some of the reported small RNAs target, through "rheostat"-like mechanisms, repeat-rich stretches in the 5'-untranslated region of genes encoding important virulence factors. In conclusion, there are still many unanswered questions about the extent and underlying mechanisms of riboregulation in H. pylori but recent publications highlighted original mechanisms making this important pathogen an interesting study model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Tejada-Arranz
- Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, CNRS UMR 2001, Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Université de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Hilde De Reuse
- Unité Pathogenèse de Helicobacter, CNRS UMR 2001, Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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22
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A bacterial small RNA regulates the adaptation of Helicobacter pylori to the host environment. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2085. [PMID: 33837194 PMCID: PMC8035401 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22317-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term infection of the stomach with Helicobacter pylori can cause gastric cancer. However, the mechanisms by which the bacteria adapt to the stomach environment are poorly understood. Here, we show that a small non-coding RNA of H. pylori (HPnc4160, also known as IsoB or NikS) regulates the pathogen’s adaptation to the host environment as well as bacterial oncoprotein production. In a rodent model of H. pylori infection, the genomes of bacteria isolated from the stomach possess an increased number of T-repeats upstream of the HPnc4160-coding region, and this leads to reduced HPnc4160 expression. We use RNA-seq and iTRAQ analyses to identify eight targets of HPnc4160, including genes encoding outer membrane proteins and oncoprotein CagA. Mutant strains with HPnc4160 deficiency display increased colonization ability of the mouse stomach, in comparison with the wild-type strain. Furthermore, HPnc4160 expression is lower in clinical isolates from gastric cancer patients than in isolates derived from non-cancer patients, while the expression of HPnc4160’s targets is higher in the isolates from gastric cancer patients. Therefore, the small RNA HPnc4160 regulates H. pylori adaptation to the host environment and, potentially, gastric carcinogenesis. Long-term infection of the stomach with Helicobacter pylori can cause gastric cancer. Here, Kinoshita-Daitoku et al. show that a small non-coding RNA of H. pylori regulates bacterial adaptation to the stomach environment and bacterial oncoprotein production.
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23
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Wagner EGH, Holmqvist E. The Length of a DNA T-Tract Modulates Expression of a Virulence-Regulating sRNA. Mol Cell 2020; 80:175-177. [PMID: 33065017 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.09.030] [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]
Abstract
Eisenbart et al. (2020) find an SSR-associated sRNA, NikS, that is subject to variable repeat-controlled expression. NikS regulates H. pylori virulence by post-transcriptionally repressing pathogenicity factors, including CagA and VacA, via base-pairing to their mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Gerhart H Wagner
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, S-75124, Sweden.
| | - Erik Holmqvist
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, S-75124, Sweden.
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