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Kumar S, Lekshmi M, Stephen J, Ortiz-Alegria A, Ayitah M, Varela MF. Dynamics of efflux pumps in antimicrobial resistance, persistence, and community living of Vibrionaceae. Arch Microbiol 2023; 206:7. [PMID: 38017151 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03731-5] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The marine bacteria of the Vibrionaceae family are significant from the point of view of their role in the marine geochemical cycle, as well as symbionts and opportunistic pathogens of aquatic animals and humans. The well-known pathogens of this group, Vibrio cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus, are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality associated with a range of infections from gastroenteritis to bacteremia acquired through the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood and exposure to seawater containing these pathogens. Although generally regarded as susceptible to commonly employed antibiotics, the antimicrobial resistance of Vibrio spp. has been on the rise in the last two decades, which has raised concern about future infections by these bacteria becoming increasingly challenging to treat. Diverse mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance have been discovered in pathogenic vibrios, the most important being the membrane efflux pumps, which contribute to antimicrobial resistance and their virulence, environmental fitness, and persistence through biofilm formation and quorum sensing. In this review, we discuss the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic vibrios and some of the well-characterized efflux pumps' contributions to the physiology of antimicrobial resistance, host and environment survival, and their pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanath Kumar
- QC Laboratory, Post-Harvest Technology, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai, 400061, India
| | - Manjusha Lekshmi
- QC Laboratory, Post-Harvest Technology, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai, 400061, India
| | - Jerusha Stephen
- QC Laboratory, Post-Harvest Technology, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai, 400061, India
| | - Anely Ortiz-Alegria
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Station 33, Portales, NM, 88130, USA
| | - Matthew Ayitah
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Station 33, Portales, NM, 88130, USA
| | - Manuel F Varela
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Station 33, Portales, NM, 88130, USA.
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Varela MF, Ortiz-Alegria A, Lekshmi M, Stephen J, Kumar S. Functional Roles of the Conserved Amino Acid Sequence Motif C, the Antiporter Motif, in Membrane Transporters of the Major Facilitator Superfamily. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1336. [PMID: 37887046 PMCID: PMC10604125 DOI: 10.3390/biology12101336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The biological membrane surrounding all living cells forms a hydrophobic barrier to the passage of biologically important molecules. Integral membrane proteins called transporters circumvent the cellular barrier and transport molecules across the cell membrane. These molecular transporters enable the uptake and exit of molecules for cell growth and homeostasis. One important collection of related transporters is the major facilitator superfamily (MFS). This large group of proteins harbors passive and secondary active transporters. The transporters of the MFS consist of uniporters, symporters, and antiporters, which share similarities in structures, predicted mechanism of transport, and highly conserved amino acid sequence motifs. In particular, the antiporter motif, called motif C, is found primarily in antiporters of the MFS. The antiporter motif's molecular elements mediate conformational changes and other molecular physiological roles during substrate transport across the membrane. This review article traces the history of the antiporter motif. It summarizes the physiological evidence reported that supports these biological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel F. Varela
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM 88130, USA;
| | - Anely Ortiz-Alegria
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM 88130, USA;
| | - Manjusha Lekshmi
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India; (M.L.); (J.S.); (S.K.)
| | - Jerusha Stephen
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India; (M.L.); (J.S.); (S.K.)
| | - Sanath Kumar
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India; (M.L.); (J.S.); (S.K.)
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Varela MF, Stephen J, Bharti D, Lekshmi M, Kumar S. Inhibition of Multidrug Efflux Pumps Belonging to the Major Facilitator Superfamily in Bacterial Pathogens. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1448. [PMID: 37239119 PMCID: PMC10216197 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens resistant to multiple structurally distinct antimicrobial agents are causative agents of infectious disease, and they thus constitute a serious concern for public health. Of the various bacterial mechanisms for antimicrobial resistance, active efflux is a well-known system that extrudes clinically relevant antimicrobial agents, rendering specific pathogens recalcitrant to the growth-inhibitory effects of multiple drugs. In particular, multidrug efflux pump members of the major facilitator superfamily constitute central resistance systems in bacterial pathogens. This review article addresses the recent efforts to modulate these antimicrobial efflux transporters from a molecular perspective. Such investigations can potentially restore the clinical efficacy of infectious disease chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel F. Varela
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Station 33, Portales, NM 88130, USA
| | - Jerusha Stephen
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India; (J.S.); (D.B.); (M.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Deeksha Bharti
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India; (J.S.); (D.B.); (M.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Manjusha Lekshmi
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India; (J.S.); (D.B.); (M.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Sanath Kumar
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India; (J.S.); (D.B.); (M.L.); (S.K.)
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Stephen J, Salam F, Lekshmi M, Kumar SH, Varela MF. The Major Facilitator Superfamily and Antimicrobial Resistance Efflux Pumps of the ESKAPEE Pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020343. [PMID: 36830254 PMCID: PMC9952236 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The ESKAPEE bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus has posed a serious public health concern for centuries. Throughout its evolutionary course, S. aureus has developed strains with resistance to antimicrobial agents. The bacterial pathogen has acquired multidrug resistance, causing, in many cases, untreatable infectious diseases and raising serious public safety and healthcare concerns. Amongst the various mechanisms for antimicrobial resistance, integral membrane proteins that serve as secondary active transporters from the major facilitator superfamily constitute a chief system of multidrug resistance. These MFS transporters actively export structurally different antimicrobial agents from the cells of S. aureus. This review article discusses the S. aureus-specific MFS multidrug efflux pump systems from a molecular mechanistic perspective, paying particular attention to structure-function relationships, modulation of antimicrobial resistance mediated by MFS drug efflux pumps, and direction for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerusha Stephen
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India
| | - Fathima Salam
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India
| | - Manjusha Lekshmi
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India
| | - Sanath H. Kumar
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India
| | - Manuel F. Varela
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM 88130, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-575-562-2464
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Functional and Structural Roles of the Major Facilitator Superfamily Bacterial Multidrug Efflux Pumps. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8020266. [PMID: 32079127 PMCID: PMC7074785 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic microorganisms that are multidrug-resistant can pose severe clinical and public health concerns. In particular, bacterial multidrug efflux transporters of the major facilitator superfamily constitute a notable group of drug resistance mechanisms primarily because multidrug-resistant pathogens can become refractory to antimicrobial agents, thus resulting in potentially untreatable bacterial infections. The major facilitator superfamily is composed of thousands of solute transporters that are related in terms of their phylogenetic relationships, primary amino acid sequences, two- and three-dimensional structures, modes of energization (passive and secondary active), and in their mechanisms of solute and ion translocation across the membrane. The major facilitator superfamily is also composed of numerous families and sub-families of homologous transporters that are conserved across all living taxa, from bacteria to humans. Members of this superfamily share several classes of highly conserved amino acid sequence motifs that play essential mechanistic roles during transport. The structural and functional importance of multidrug efflux pumps that belong to the major facilitator family and that are harbored by Gram-negative and -positive bacterial pathogens are considered here.
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Varela MF, Kumar S. Strategies for discovery of new molecular targets for anti-infective drugs. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2019; 48:57-68. [PMID: 31146204 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2019.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens as causative agents of infectious disease are a primary public health concern. Clinical efficacy of antimicrobial chemotherapy toward bacterial infection has been compromised in cases where causative agents are resistant to multiple structurally distinct antimicrobial agents. Modification of extant antimicrobial agents that exploit conventional bacterial targets have been developed since the advent of the antimicrobial era. This approach, while successful in certain cases, nonetheless suffers overall from the costs of development and rapid emergence of bacterial variants with confounding resistances to modified agents. Thus, additional strategies toward discovery of new molecular targets have been developed based on bioinformatics analyses and comparative genomics. These and other strategies meant to identify new molecular targets represent promising avenues for reducing emergence of bacterial infections. This short review considers these strategies for discovery of new molecular targets within bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel F Varela
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM 88130, USA.
| | - Sanath Kumar
- Post Harvest Technology, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Seven Bungalows, Andheri (W), Mumbai, 400016, India
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Shriram V, Khare T, Bhagwat R, Shukla R, Kumar V. Inhibiting Bacterial Drug Efflux Pumps via Phyto-Therapeutics to Combat Threatening Antimicrobial Resistance. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2990. [PMID: 30619113 PMCID: PMC6295477 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics, once considered the lifeline for treating bacterial infections, are under threat due to the emergence of threatening antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These drug-resistant microbes (or superbugs) are non-responsive to most of the commonly used antibiotics leaving us with few treatment options and escalating mortality-rates and treatment costs. The problem is further aggravated by the drying-pipeline of new and potent antibiotics effective particularly against the drug-resistant strains. Multidrug efflux pumps (EPs) are established as principal determinants of AMR, extruding multiple antibiotics out of the cell, mostly in non-specific manner and have therefore emerged as potent drug-targets for combating AMR. Plants being the reservoir of bioactive compounds can serve as a source of potent EP inhibitors (EPIs). The phyto-therapeutics with noteworthy drug-resistance-reversal or re-sensitizing activities may prove significant for reviving the otherwise fading antibiotics arsenal and making this combination-therapy effective. Contemporary attempts to potentiate the antibiotics with plant extracts and pure phytomolecules have gained momentum though with relatively less success against Gram-negative bacteria. Plant-based EPIs hold promise as potent drug-leads to combat the EPI-mediated AMR. This review presents an account of major bacterial multidrug EPs, their roles in imparting AMR, effective strategies for inhibiting drug EPs with phytomolecules, and current account of research on developing novel and potent plant-based EPIs for reversing their AMR characteristics. Recent developments including emergence of in silico tools, major success stories, challenges and future prospects are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varsha Shriram
- Department of Botany, Prof. Ramkrishna More College, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Tushar Khare
- Department of Biotechnology, Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce (Savitribai Phule Pune University), Pune, India
| | - Rohit Bhagwat
- Department of Environmental Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Ravi Shukla
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Vinay Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce (Savitribai Phule Pune University), Pune, India.,Department of Environmental Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
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Lekshmi M, Ammini P, Adjei J, Sanford LM, Shrestha U, Kumar S, Varela MF. Modulation of antimicrobial efflux pumps of the major facilitator superfamily in Staphylococcus aureus. AIMS Microbiol 2018; 4:1-18. [PMID: 31294201 PMCID: PMC6605029 DOI: 10.3934/microbiol.2018.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Variants of the microorganism Staphylococcus aureus which are resistant to antimicrobial agents exist as causative agents of serious infectious disease and constitute a considerable public health concern. One of the main antimicrobial resistance mechanisms harbored by S. aureus pathogens is exemplified by integral membrane transport systems that actively remove antimicrobial agents from bacteria where the cytoplasmic drug targets reside, thus allowing the bacteria to survive and grow. An important class of solute transporter proteins, called the major facilitator superfamily, includes related and homologous passive and secondary active transport systems, many of which are antimicrobial efflux pumps. Transporters of the major facilitator superfamily, which confer antimicrobial efflux and bacterial resistance in S. aureus, are good targets for development of resistance-modifying agents, such as efflux pump inhibition. Such modulatory action upon these antimicrobial efflux systems of the major facilitator superfamily in S. aureus may circumvent resistance and restore the clinical efficacy of therapy towards S. aureus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjusha Lekshmi
- QC Laboratory, Harvest and Post Harvest Technology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Seven Bungalows, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai, 400061, India
| | - Parvathi Ammini
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Regional Centre, Dr. Salim Ali Road, Kochi, 682018, India
| | - Jones Adjei
- Eastern New Mexico, Department of Biology, Station 33, 1500 South Avenue K, Portales, NM, 88130, USA
| | - Leslie M Sanford
- Eastern New Mexico, Department of Biology, Station 33, 1500 South Avenue K, Portales, NM, 88130, USA
| | - Ugina Shrestha
- Eastern New Mexico, Department of Biology, Station 33, 1500 South Avenue K, Portales, NM, 88130, USA
| | - Sanath Kumar
- QC Laboratory, Harvest and Post Harvest Technology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Seven Bungalows, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai, 400061, India
| | - Manuel F Varela
- Eastern New Mexico, Department of Biology, Station 33, 1500 South Avenue K, Portales, NM, 88130, USA
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Liu M, Heng J, Gao Y, Wang X. Crystal structures of MdfA complexed with acetylcholine and inhibitor reserpine. BIOPHYSICS REPORTS 2016; 2:78-85. [PMID: 28018966 PMCID: PMC5138259 DOI: 10.1007/s41048-016-0028-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The DHA12 family of transporters contains a number of prokaryotic and eukaryote membrane proteins. Some of these proteins share conserved sites intrinsic to substrate recognition, structural stabilization and conformational changes. For this study, we chose the MdfA transporter as a model DHA12 protein to study some general characteristics of the vesicular neurotransmitter transporters (VNTs), which all belong to the DHA12 family. Two crystal structures were produced for E. coli MdfA, one in complex with acetylcholine and the other with potential reserpine, which are substrate and inhibitor of VNTs, respectively. These structures show that the binding sites of these two molecules are different. The Ach-binding MfdA is mainly dependent on D34, while reserpine-binding site is more hydrophobic. Based on sequence alignment and homology modelling, we were able to provide mechanistic insights into the association between the inhibition and the conformational changes of these transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Liu
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457 China
| | - Jie Heng
- National Laboratory of Macromolecules, National Center of Protein Science - Beijing, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Yuan Gao
- National Laboratory of Macromolecules, National Center of Protein Science - Beijing, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Xianping Wang
- National Laboratory of Macromolecules, National Center of Protein Science - Beijing, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
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