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Ermert D, Weckel A, Magda M, Mörgelin M, Shaughnessy J, Rice PA, Björck L, Ram S, Blom AM. Human IgG Increases Virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes through Complement Evasion. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 200:3495-3505. [PMID: 29626087 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes is an exclusively human pathogen that can provoke mild skin and throat infections but can also cause fatal septicemia. This gram-positive bacterium has developed several strategies to evade the human immune system, enabling S. pyogenes to survive in the host. These strategies include recruiting several human plasma proteins, such as the complement inhibitor, C4b-binding protein (C4BP), and human (hu)-IgG through its Fc region to the bacterial surface to evade immune recognition. We identified a novel virulence mechanism whereby IgG-enhanced binding of C4BP to five of 12 tested S. pyogenes strains expressed diverse M proteins that are important surface-expressed virulence factors. Importantly, all strains that bound C4BP in the absence of IgG bound more C4BP when IgG was present. Further studies with an M1 strain that additionally expressed protein H, also a member of the M protein family, revealed that binding of hu-IgG Fc to protein H increased the affinity of protein H for C4BP. Increased C4BP binding accentuated complement downregulation, resulting in diminished bacterial killing. Accordingly, mortality from S. pyogenes infection in hu-C4BP transgenic mice was increased when hu-IgG or its Fc portion alone was administered concomitantly. Electron microscopy analysis of human tissue samples with necrotizing fasciitis confirmed increased C4BP binding to S. pyogenes when IgG was present. Our findings provide evidence of a paradoxical function of hu-IgG bound through Fc to diverse S. pyogenes isolates that increases their virulence and may counteract the beneficial effects of IgG opsonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ermert
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, 214 28 Malmo, Sweden; .,Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605; and
| | - Antonin Weckel
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, 214 28 Malmo, Sweden
| | - Michal Magda
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, 214 28 Malmo, Sweden
| | - Matthias Mörgelin
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jutamas Shaughnessy
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605; and
| | - Peter A Rice
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605; and
| | - Lars Björck
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Sanjay Ram
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605; and
| | - Anna M Blom
- Division of Medical Protein Chemistry, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, 214 28 Malmo, Sweden
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Lees JA, Vehkala M, Välimäki N, Harris SR, Chewapreecha C, Croucher NJ, Marttinen P, Davies MR, Steer AC, Tong SYC, Honkela A, Parkhill J, Bentley SD, Corander J. Sequence element enrichment analysis to determine the genetic basis of bacterial phenotypes. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12797. [PMID: 27633831 PMCID: PMC5028413 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial genomes vary extensively in terms of both gene content and gene sequence. This plasticity hampers the use of traditional SNP-based methods for identifying all genetic associations with phenotypic variation. Here we introduce a computationally scalable and widely applicable statistical method (SEER) for the identification of sequence elements that are significantly enriched in a phenotype of interest. SEER is applicable to tens of thousands of genomes by counting variable-length k-mers using a distributed string-mining algorithm. Robust options are provided for association analysis that also correct for the clonal population structure of bacteria. Using large collections of genomes of the major human pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes, SEER identifies relevant previously characterized resistance determinants for several antibiotics and discovers potential novel factors related to the invasiveness of S. pyogenes. We thus demonstrate that our method can answer important biologically and medically relevant questions. Plasticity and clonal population structure in bacterial genomes can hinder traditional SNP-based genetic association studies. Here, Corander and colleagues present a method to identify variable-length sequence elements enriched in a phenotype of interest, and demonstrate its use in human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Lees
- Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Minna Vehkala
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Niko Välimäki
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Simon R Harris
- Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | | | - Nicholas J Croucher
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College, London W2 1NY, UK
| | - Pekka Marttinen
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, Espoo FI-00076, Finland.,Helsinki Institute of Information Technology HIIT, Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, Espoo FI-00076, Finland
| | - Mark R Davies
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew C Steer
- Centre for International Child Health, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Group A Streptococcal Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Steven Y C Tong
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory 0811, Australia
| | - Antti Honkela
- Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT, Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Julian Parkhill
- Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Stephen D Bentley
- Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Jukka Corander
- Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.,Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland.,Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway
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Fiebig A, Loof TG, Babbar A, Itzek A, Koehorst JJ, Schaap PJ, Nitsche-Schmitz DP. Comparative genomics of Streptococcus pyogenes M1 isolates differing in virulence and propensity to cause systemic infection in mice. Int J Med Microbiol 2015; 305:532-43. [PMID: 26129624 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes serotype M1 is a frequent cause of severe infections in humans. Some M1 isolates are pathogenic in mice and used in studies on infection pathogenesis. We observed marked differences in murine infections caused by M1 strain SF370, 5448, 5448AP or AP1 which prompted us to sequence the whole genome of isolates 5448 and AP1 for comparative analysis. Strain 5448 is known to acquire inactivating mutations in the CovRS two-component system during mouse infection, producing hypervirulent progeny such as 5448AP. Isolates AP1 and 5448AP, more than 5448, caused disseminating infections that became systemic and lethal. SF370 was not pathogenic. Phages caused gross genetic differences and increased the gene content of AP1 by 8% as compared to 5448 and SF370. Each of six examined M1 genomes contained two CRISPR-Cas systems. Phage insertion destroyed a type II CRISPR-Cas system in AP1 and other strains of serotypes M1, M3, M6 and M24, but not in M1 strains 5448, SF370, MGAS5005, A20 or M1 476. A resulting impaired defence against invading genetic elements could have led to the wealth of phages in AP1. AP1 lacks genetic features of the MGAS5005-like clonal complex including the streptodornase that drives selection for hypervirulent clones with inactivated CovRS system. Still, inactivating mutations in covS were a common genetic feature of AP1 and the MGAS5005-like isolate 5448AP. Abolished expression of the cysteine proteinase SpeB, due to CovRS inactivation could be a common cause for hypervirulence of the two isolates. Moreover, an additional protein H-coding gene and a mutation in the regulator gene rofA distinguished AP1 form other M1 isolates. In conclusion, hypervirulence of S. pyogenes M1 in mice is not limited to the MGAS5005-like genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Fiebig
- Infection Immunology Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Torsten G Loof
- Infection Immunology Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Anshu Babbar
- Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Andreas Itzek
- Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jasper J Koehorst
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research Centre, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Peter J Schaap
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research Centre, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - D Patric Nitsche-Schmitz
- Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
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Generation of metabolically diverse strains of Streptococcus pyogenes during survival in stationary phase. J Bacteriol 2009; 191:6242-52. [PMID: 19666718 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00440-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes, in addition to causing fulminant disease, can be carried asymptomatically and may survive in the host without causing disease. Long-term stationary-phase cultures were used to characterize the metabolism of cultures surviving after glucose depletion. Survival of stationary-phase cultures in glucose-depleted rich medium was truncated by switching the cells to phosphate-buffered saline or by the addition of antibiotics, suggesting that survival depended on the presence of nutrients and metabolic activity. The metabolites of the pyruvate-to-acetate (PA) pathway (acetate and formate) and amino acid catabolic pathways (ammonia) accumulated throughout long-term stationary phase (12 weeks). Acid and ammonia production was balanced so that the culture pH was maintained above pH 5.6. Strains isolated from long-term stationary-phase cultures accumulated mutations that resulted in unique exponential-phase metabolisms, with some strains expressing the PA pathway, some strains producing ammonia, and some strains expressing both in the presence of glucose. Strains expressing high levels of PA pathway activity during exponential growth were unable to survive when regrown in pure culture due to the production of excess acid. These data suggest that S. pyogenes diversifies during survival in stationary phase into distinct strains with different metabolisms and that complementary metabolism is required to control the pH in stationary-phase cultures. One of three survivor strains isolated from tonsillar discard material from patients expressed high levels of the PA pathway during exponential growth. Sequencing of multiple group A streptococcus regulators revealed two different mutations in two different strains, suggesting that random mutation occurs during survival.
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Nilsson M, Wasylik S, Mörgelin M, Olin AI, Meijers JCM, Derksen RHWM, de Groot PG, Herwald H. The antibacterial activity of peptides derived from human beta-2 glycoprotein I is inhibited by protein H and M1 protein fromStreptococcus pyogenes. Mol Microbiol 2008; 67:482-92. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.05974.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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6
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Johansson BP, Levander F, von Pawel-Rammingen U, Berggård T, Björck L, James P. The Protein Expression of Streptococcus pyogenes Is Significantly Influenced by Human Plasma. J Proteome Res 2005; 4:2302-11. [PMID: 16335979 DOI: 10.1021/pr050217y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
During the course of infection, the common human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes encounters plasma. We show that plasma causes S. pyogenes to rapidly remodel its cellular metabolism and virulence pathways. We also identified a variant of the major virulence factor, M1 protein, lacking 13 amino acids at the NH(2)-terminus in bacteria grown with plasma. The pronounced effect of plasma on protein expression, suggests this is an important adaptive mechanism with implications for S. pyogenes pathogenicity.
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Lafontaine ER, Wall D, Vanlerberg SL, Donabedian H, Sledjeski DD. Moraxella catarrhalis coaggregates with Streptococcus pyogenes and modulates interactions of S. pyogenes with human epithelial cells. Infect Immun 2004; 72:6689-93. [PMID: 15501804 PMCID: PMC523028 DOI: 10.1128/iai.72.11.6689-6693.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogens Streptococcus pyogenes and Moraxella catarrhalis colonize overlapping regions of the human nasopharynx. We have found that M. catarrhalis can dramatically increase S. pyogenes adherence to human epithelial cells and that species-specific coaggregation of these bacteria correlates with this enhanced adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Lafontaine
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43614-5806, USA
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Rezcallah MS, Boyle MDP, Sledjeski DD. Mouse skin passage of Streptococcus pyogenes results in increased streptokinase expression and activity. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2004; 150:365-371. [PMID: 14766914 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.26826-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The plasminogen activator streptokinase has been proposed to be a key component of a complex mechanism that promotes skin invasion by Streptococcus pyogenes. This study was designed to compare ska gene message and protein levels in wild-type M1 serotype isolate 1881 and a more invasive variant recovered from the spleen of a lethally infected mouse. M1 isolates selected for invasiveness demonstrated enhanced levels of active plasminogen activator activity in culture. This effect was due to a combination of increased expression of the ska gene and decreased expression of the speB gene. The speB gene product, SpeB, was found to efficiently degrade streptokinase in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrna S Rezcallah
- Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael D P Boyle
- Department of Biology, Juniata College, 1700 Moore Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652, USA
| | - Darren D Sledjeski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Ohio, 3055 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614-5806, USA
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Smith TC, Sledjeski DD, Boyle MDP. Streptococcus pyogenes infection in mouse skin leads to a time-dependent up-regulation of protein H expression. Infect Immun 2003; 71:6079-82. [PMID: 14500534 PMCID: PMC201112 DOI: 10.1128/iai.71.10.6079-6082.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes protein H (sph) is an immunoglobulin-binding protein present in the Mga regulon of certain M1 serotype isolates. Although sph is present in many strains, it is frequently not expressed. In this paper we show that protein H was highly expressed after bacteria were injected into the skin of mice and were recovered from the blood, kidney, or spleen at various times postinfection. The percentage of protein H-positive colonies increased with time, reaching 100% in the spleen and kidney within 24 to 72 h postinfection. The up-regulation of sph expression was also observed in a mga mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara C Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, OH 43614-5806, USA
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Holm MM, Vanlerberg SL, Sledjeski DD, Lafontaine ER. The Hag protein of Moraxella catarrhalis strain O35E is associated with adherence to human lung and middle ear cells. Infect Immun 2003; 71:4977-84. [PMID: 12933840 PMCID: PMC187358 DOI: 10.1128/iai.71.9.4977-4984.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that the Moraxella catarrhalis surface antigen UspA1 is an adhesin for Chang human conjunctival cells. The present report demonstrates that lack of UspA1 expression does not affect the adherence of strain O35E to A549 human lung cells or primary cultures of human middle ear epithelial (HMEE) cells. These results imply that another molecule mediates the adherence of M. catarrhalis to these two cell lines. To identify this adhesin, strain O35E was mutagenized with a transposon and 1,000 mutants were screened in a microcolony formation assay using A549 cells. Nine independent isolates exhibited an 8- to 19-fold reduction in adherence and contained a transposon in the same locus. Nucleotide sequence data and PCR analysis indicated that the transposons were inserted in different locations in the gene encoding the surface protein Hag. Quantitative assays using one representative transposon mutant, O35E.TN2, showed considerably decreased binding to A549 as well as HMEE cells. However, this mutant adhered at wild-type levels to Chang conjunctival cells. These findings suggest that the M. catarrhalis Hag protein is an adhesin for cell lines derived from human lung and middle ear tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa M Holm
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, Ohio 43614-5806, USA
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