1
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Arejan NH, Czapski DR, Buonomo JA, Boutte CC. MmpL3, Wag31, and PlrA are involved in coordinating polar growth with peptidoglycan metabolism and nutrient availability. J Bacteriol 2024:e0020424. [PMID: 39320104 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00204-24] [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: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell growth in mycobacteria involves cell wall expansion that is restricted to the cell poles. The DivIVA homolog Wag31 is required for this process, but the molecular mechanism and protein partners of Wag31 have not been described. In this study of Mycobacterium smegmatis, we identify a connection between wag31 and trehalose monomycolate (TMM) transporter mmpl3 in a suppressor screen and show that Wag31 and polar regulator PlrA are required for MmpL3's polar localization. In addition, the localization of PlrA and MmpL3 is responsive to nutrient and energy deprivation and inhibition of peptidoglycan metabolism. We show that inhibition of MmpL3 causes delocalized cell wall metabolism but does not delocalize MmpL3 itself. We found that cells with an MmpL3 C-terminal truncation, which is defective for localization, have only minor defects in polar growth but are impaired in their ability to downregulate cell wall metabolism under stress. Our work suggests that, in addition to its established function in TMM transport, MmpL3 has a second function in regulating global cell wall metabolism in response to stress. Our data are consistent with a model in which the presence of TMMs in the periplasm stimulates polar elongation and in which the connection between Wag31, PlrA, and the C-terminus of MmpL3 is involved in detecting and responding to stress in order to coordinate the synthesis of the different layers of the mycobacterial cell wall in changing conditions. IMPORTANCE This study is performed in Mycobacterium smegmatis, which is used as a model to understand the basic physiology of pathogenic mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In this work, we examine the function and regulation of three proteins involved in regulating cell wall elongation in mycobacterial cells, which occurs at the cell tips or poles. We find that Wag31, a regulator of polar elongation, works partly through the regulation of MmpL3, a transporter of cell wall constituents and an important drug target. Our work suggests that, beyond its transport function, MmpL3 has another function in controlling cell wall synthesis broadly in response to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Desiree R Czapski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas, Arlington, Texas, USA
| | - Joseph A Buonomo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas, Arlington, Texas, USA
| | - Cara C Boutte
- Department of Biology, University of Texas, Arlington, Texas, USA
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2
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Vijay S, Bao NLH, Vinh DN, Nhat LTH, Thu DDA, Quang NL, Trieu LPT, Nhung HN, Ha VTN, Thai PVK, Ha DTM, Lan NH, Caws M, Thwaites GE, Javid B, Thuong NT. Rifampicin tolerance and growth fitness among isoniazid-resistant clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from a longitudinal study. eLife 2024; 13:RP93243. [PMID: 39250422 PMCID: PMC11383526 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93243] [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] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic tolerance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis reduces bacterial killing, worsens treatment outcomes, and contributes to resistance. We studied rifampicin tolerance in isolates with or without isoniazid resistance (IR). Using a minimum duration of killing assay, we measured rifampicin survival in isoniazid-susceptible (IS, n=119) and resistant (IR, n=84) isolates, correlating tolerance with bacterial growth, rifampicin minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), and isoniazid-resistant mutations. Longitudinal IR isolates were analyzed for changes in rifampicin tolerance and genetic variant emergence. The median time for rifampicin to reduce the bacterial population by 90% (MDK90) increased from 1.23 days (IS) and 1.31 days (IR) to 2.55 days (IS) and 1.98 days (IR) over 15-60 days of incubation, indicating fast and slow-growing tolerant sub-populations. A 6 log10-fold survival fraction classified tolerance as low, medium, or high, showing that IR is linked to increased tolerance and faster growth (OR = 2.68 for low vs. medium, OR = 4.42 for low vs. high, p-trend = 0.0003). High tolerance in IR isolates was associated with rifampicin treatment in patients and genetic microvariants. These findings suggest that IR tuberculosis should be assessed for high rifampicin tolerance to optimize treatment and prevent the development of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasan Vijay
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Theoretical Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Dao Nguyen Vinh
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
| | | | - Do Dang Anh Thu
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Le Quang
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
| | | | | | - Vu Thi Ngoc Ha
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
| | | | | | | | - Maxine Caws
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Guy E Thwaites
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Babak Javid
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Nguyen Thuy Thuong
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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3
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Meyer FM, Bramkamp M. Cell wall synthesizing complexes in Mycobacteriales. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 79:102478. [PMID: 38653035 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Members of the order Mycobacteriales are distinguished by a characteristic diderm cell envelope, setting them apart from other Actinobacteria species. In addition to the conventional peptidoglycan cell wall, these organisms feature an extra polysaccharide polymer composed of arabinose and galactose, termed arabinogalactan. The nonreducing ends of arabinose are covalently linked to mycolic acids (MAs), forming the immobile inner leaflet of the highly hydrophobic MA membrane. The contiguous outer leaflet of the MA membrane comprises trehalose mycolates and various lipid species. Similar to all actinobacteria, Mycobacteriales exhibit apical growth, facilitated by a polar localized elongasome complex. A septal cell envelope synthesis machinery, the divisome, builds instead of the cell wall structures during cytokinesis. In recent years, a growing body of knowledge has emerged regarding the cell wall synthesizing complexes of Mycobacteriales., focusing particularly on three model species: Corynebacterium glutamicum, Mycobacterium smegmatis, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian M Meyer
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Marc Bramkamp
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany.
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4
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Mistretta M, Cimino M, Campagne P, Volant S, Kornobis E, Hebert O, Rochais C, Dallemagne P, Lecoutey C, Tisnerat C, Lepailleur A, Ayotte Y, LaPlante SR, Gangneux N, Záhorszká M, Korduláková J, Vichier-Guerre S, Bonhomme F, Pokorny L, Albert M, Tinevez JY, Manina G. Dynamic microfluidic single-cell screening identifies pheno-tuning compounds to potentiate tuberculosis therapy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4175. [PMID: 38755132 PMCID: PMC11099131 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48269-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug-recalcitrant infections are a leading global-health concern. Bacterial cells benefit from phenotypic variation, which can suggest effective antimicrobial strategies. However, probing phenotypic variation entails spatiotemporal analysis of individual cells that is technically challenging, and hard to integrate into drug discovery. In this work, we develop a multi-condition microfluidic platform suitable for imaging two-dimensional growth of bacterial cells during transitions between separate environmental conditions. With this platform, we implement a dynamic single-cell screening for pheno-tuning compounds, which induce a phenotypic change and decrease cell-to-cell variation, aiming to undermine the entire bacterial population and make it more vulnerable to other drugs. We apply this strategy to mycobacteria, as tuberculosis poses a major public-health threat. Our lead compound impairs Mycobacterium tuberculosis via a peculiar mode of action and enhances other anti-tubercular drugs. This work proves that harnessing phenotypic variation represents a successful approach to tackle pathogens that are increasingly difficult to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Mistretta
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Mena Cimino
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Campagne
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Stevenn Volant
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Etienne Kornobis
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 75015, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Biomics Platform, 75015, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yann Ayotte
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique-Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Steven R LaPlante
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique-Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Nicolas Gangneux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Monika Záhorszká
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jana Korduláková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Sophie Vichier-Guerre
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3523, Epigenetic Chemical Biology Unit, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Bonhomme
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3523, Epigenetic Chemical Biology Unit, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Laura Pokorny
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Marvin Albert
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Image Analysis Hub, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Yves Tinevez
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Image Analysis Hub, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Giulia Manina
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Microbial Individuality and Infection Laboratory, 75015, Paris, France.
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5
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Vijay S, Bao NLH, Vinh DN, Nhat LTH, Thu DDA, Quang NL, Trieu LPT, Nhung HN, Ha VTN, Thai PVK, Ha DTM, Lan NH, Caws M, Thwaites GE, Javid B, Thuong NTT. Rifampicin tolerance and growth fitness among isoniazid-resistant clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates: an in-vitro longitudinal study. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.22.568240. [PMID: 38045287 PMCID: PMC10690245 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.22.568240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic tolerance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis leads to less effective bacterial killing, poor treatment responses and resistant emergence. Therefore, we investigated the rifampicin tolerance of M. tuberculosis isolates, with or without pre-existing isoniazid-resistance. We determined the in-vitro rifampicin survival fraction by minimum duration of killing assay in isoniazid susceptible (IS, n=119) and resistant (IR, n=84) M. tuberculosis isolates. Then we correlated the rifampicin tolerance with bacterial growth, rifampicin minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and isoniazid-resistant mutations. The longitudinal IR isolates collected from patients were analyzed for changes in rifampicin tolerance and associated emergence of genetic variants. The median duration of rifampicin exposure reducing the M. tuberculosis surviving fraction by 90% (minimum duration of killing-MDK90) increased from 1.23 (95%CI 1.11; 1.37) and 1.31 (95%CI 1.14; 1.48) to 2.55 (95%CI 2.04; 2.97) and 1.98 (95%CI 1.69; 2.56) days, for IS and IR respectively, during 15 to 60 days of incubation. This indicated the presence of fast and slow growing tolerant sub-populations. A range of 6 log 10 -fold survival fraction enabled classification of tolerance as low, medium or high and revealed IR association with increased tolerance with faster growth (OR=2.68 for low vs. medium, OR=4.42 for low vs. high, P -trend=0.0003). The high tolerance in IR isolates was specific to those collected during rifampicin treatment in patients and associated with bacterial genetic microvariants. Furthermore, the high rifampicin tolerant IR isolates have survival potential similar to multi-drug resistant isolates. These findings suggest that IR tuberculosis needs to be evaluated for high rifampicin tolerance to improve treatment regimen and prevent the risk of MDR-TB emergence.
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6
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Arejan NH, Czapski DR, Buonomo JA, Boutte CC. MmpL3, Wag31 and PlrA are involved in coordinating polar growth with peptidoglycan metabolism and nutrient availability. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.29.591792. [PMID: 38746181 PMCID: PMC11092516 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.591792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Cell growth in mycobacteria involves cell wall expansion that is restricted to the cell poles. The DivIVA homolog Wag31 is required for this process, but the molecular mechanism and protein partners of Wag31 have not been described. In this study of Mycobacterium smegmatis, we identify a connection between wag31 and trehalose monomycolate (TMM) transporter mmpl3 in a suppressor screen, and show that Wag31 and polar regulator PlrA are required for MmpL3's polar localization. In addition, the localization of PlrA and MmpL3 are responsive to nutrient and energy deprivation and inhibition of peptidoglycan metabolism. We show that inhibition of MmpL3 causes delocalized cell wall metabolism, but does not delocalize MmpL3 itself. We found that cells with an MmpL3 C-terminal truncation, which is defective for localization, have only minor defects in polar growth, but are impaired in their ability to downregulate cell wall metabolism under stress. Our work suggests that, in addition to its established function in TMM transport, MmpL3 has a second function in regulating global cell wall metabolism in response to stress. Our data are consistent with a model in which the presence of TMMs in the periplasm stimulates polar elongation, and in which the connection between Wag31, PlrA and the C-terminus of MmpL3 is involved in detecting and responding to stress in order to coordinate synthesis of the different layers of the mycobacterial cell wall in changing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Desiree R Czapski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas, Arlington
| | - Joseph A Buonomo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas, Arlington
| | - Cara C Boutte
- Department of Biology, University of Texas, Arlington
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7
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Jaisinghani N, Previti ML, Andrade J, Askenazi M, Ueberheide B, Seeliger JC. Proteomics from compartment-specific APEX2 labeling in Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals Type VII secretion substrates in the cell wall. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:523-533.e4. [PMID: 37967559 PMCID: PMC11106752 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
The cell wall of mycobacteria plays a key role in interactions with the environment. Its ability to act as a selective filter is crucial to bacterial survival. Proteins in the cell wall enable this function by mediating the import and export of diverse metabolites, from ions to lipids to proteins. Identifying cell wall proteins is an important step in assigning function, especially as many mycobacterial proteins lack functionally characterized homologues. Current methods for protein localization have inherent limitations that reduce accuracy. Here we showed that although chemical labeling of live cells did not exclusively label surface proteins, protein tagging by the engineered peroxidase APEX2 within live Mycobacterium tuberculosis accurately identified the cytosolic and cell wall proteomes. Our data indicate that substrates of the virulence-associated Type VII ESX secretion system are exposed to the periplasm, providing insight into the currently unknown mechanism by which these proteins cross the mycobacterial cell envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetika Jaisinghani
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Mary L Previti
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Joshua Andrade
- Proteomics Laboratory, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | | | - Beatrix Ueberheide
- Proteomics Laboratory, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jessica C Seeliger
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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8
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Sparks IL, Kado T, Prithviraj M, Nijjer J, Yan J, Morita YS. Lipoarabinomannan mediates localized cell wall integrity during division in mycobacteria. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2191. [PMID: 38467648 PMCID: PMC10928101 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46565-5] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The growth and division of mycobacteria, which include clinically relevant pathogens, deviate from that of canonical bacterial models. Despite their Gram-positive ancestry, mycobacteria synthesize and elongate a diderm envelope asymmetrically from the poles, with the old pole elongating more robustly than the new pole. The phosphatidylinositol-anchored lipoglycans lipomannan (LM) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM) are cell envelope components critical for host-pathogen interactions, but their physiological functions in mycobacteria remained elusive. In this work, using biosynthetic mutants of these lipoglycans, we examine their roles in maintaining cell envelope integrity in Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We find that mutants defective in producing mature LAM fail to maintain rod cell shape specifically at the new pole and para-septal regions whereas a mutant that produces a larger LAM becomes multi-septated. Therefore, LAM plays critical and distinct roles at subcellular locations associated with division in mycobacteria, including maintenance of local cell wall integrity and septal placement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian L Sparks
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Takehiro Kado
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Japinder Nijjer
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yasu S Morita
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.
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9
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Sodani M, Misra CS, Nigam G, Fatima Z, Kulkarni S, Rath D. MSMEG_0311 is a conserved essential polar protein involved in mycobacterium cell wall metabolism. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 260:129583. [PMID: 38242409 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Cell wall synthesis and cell division are two closely linked pathways in a bacterial cell which distinctly influence the growth and survival of a bacterium. This requires an appreciable coordination between the two processes, more so, in case of mycobacteria with an intricate multi-layered cell wall structure. In this study, we investigated a conserved gene cluster using CRISPR-Cas12 based gene silencing technology to show that knockdown of most of the genes in this cluster leads to growth defects. Investigating conserved genes is important as they likely perform vital cellular functions and the functional insights on such genes can be extended to other mycobacterial species. We characterised one of the genes in the locus, MSMEG_0311. The repression of this gene not only imparts severe growth defect but also changes colony morphology. We demonstrate that the protein preferentially localises to the polar region and investigate its influence on the polar growth of the bacillus. A combination of permeability and drug susceptibility assay strongly suggests a cell wall associated function of this gene which is also corroborated by transcriptomic analysis of the knockdown where a number of cell wall associated genes, particularly iniA and sigF regulon get altered. Considering the gene is highly conserved across mycobacterial species and appears to be essential for growth, it may serve as a potential drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megha Sodani
- Radiation Medicine Centre, Medical Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, Maharashtra, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, Maharashtra, India
| | - Chitra S Misra
- Applied Genomics Section, Bio-Science Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, Maharashtra, India
| | - Gaurav Nigam
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Gurugram, India
| | - Zeeshan Fatima
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Gurugram, India; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Savita Kulkarni
- Radiation Medicine Centre, Medical Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, Maharashtra, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Devashish Rath
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, Maharashtra, India; Applied Genomics Section, Bio-Science Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, Maharashtra, India.
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10
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Joshi H, Kandari D, Maitra SS, Bhatnagar R, Banerjee N. Identification of genes associated with persistence in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1302883. [PMID: 38410395 PMCID: PMC10894938 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1302883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of bacterial persisters is related to their phenotypic diversity and is responsible for the relapse of chronic infections. Tolerance to antibiotic therapy is the hallmark of bacterial persistence. In this study, we have screened a transposon library of Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 strain using antibiotic tolerance, survival in mouse macrophages, and biofilm-forming ability of the mutants. Out of 10 thousand clones screened, we selected ten mutants defective in all the three phenotypes. Six mutants showed significantly lower persister abundance under different stress conditions. Insertions in three genes belonging to the pathways of oxidative phosphorylation msmeg_3233 (cydA), biotin metabolism msmeg_3194 (bioB), and oxidative metabolism msmeg_0719, a flavoprotein monooxygenase, significantly reduced the number of live cells, suggesting their role in pathways promoting long-term survival. Another group that displayed a moderate reduction in CFU included a glycosyltransferase, msmeg_0392, a hydrogenase subunit, msmeg_2263 (hybC), and a DNA binding protein, msmeg_2211. The study has revealed potential candidates likely to facilitate the long-term survival of M. smegmatis. The findings offer new targets to develop antibiotics against persisters. Further, investigating the corresponding genes in M. tuberculosis may provide valuable leads in improving the treatment of chronic and persistent tuberculosis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemant Joshi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Divya Kandari
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
- Divacc Research Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., incubated under Atal Incubation Centre, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Subhrangsu Sundar Maitra
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Bhatnagar
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Nirupama Banerjee
- Divacc Research Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., incubated under Atal Incubation Centre, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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11
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Gwin CM, Gupta KR, Lu Y, Shao L, Rego EH. Spatial segregation and aging of metabolic processes underlie phenotypic heterogeneity in mycobacteria. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.01.569614. [PMID: 38076906 PMCID: PMC10705497 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.01.569614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Individual cells within clonal populations of mycobacteria vary in size, growth rate, and antibiotic susceptibility. Heterogeneity is, in part, determined by LamA, a protein found exclusively in mycobacteria. LamA localizes to sites of new cell wall synthesis where it recruits proteins important for polar growth and establishing asymmetry. Here, we report that in addition to this function, LamA interacts with complexes involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) at a subcellular location distinct from cell wall synthesis. Importantly, heterogeneity depends on a unique extension of the mycobacterial ATP synthase, and LamA mediates the coupling between ATP production and cell growth in single cells. Strikingly, as single cells age, concentrations of proteins important for oxidative phosphorylation become less abundant, and older cells rely less on oxidative phosphorylation for growth. Together, our data reveal that central metabolism is spatially organized within a single mycobacterium and varies within a genetically identical population of mycobacteria. Designing therapeutic regimens to account for this heterogeneity may help to treat mycobacterial infections faster and more completely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celena M. Gwin
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - Kuldeepkumar R. Gupta
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - Yao Lu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - Lin Shao
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - E. Hesper Rego
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519
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12
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Winkler KR, Mizrahi V, Warner DF, De Wet TJ. High-throughput functional genomics: A (myco)bacterial perspective. Mol Microbiol 2023; 120:141-158. [PMID: 37278255 PMCID: PMC10953053 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Advances in sequencing technologies have enabled unprecedented insights into bacterial genome composition and dynamics. However, the disconnect between the rapid acquisition of genomic data and the (much slower) confirmation of inferred genetic function threatens to widen unless techniques for fast, high-throughput functional validation can be applied at scale. This applies equally to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the leading infectious cause of death globally and a pathogen whose genome, despite being among the first to be sequenced two decades ago, still contains many genes of unknown function. Here, we summarize the evolution of bacterial high-throughput functional genomics, focusing primarily on transposon (Tn)-based mutagenesis and the construction of arrayed mutant libraries in diverse bacterial systems. We also consider the contributions of CRISPR interference as a transformative technique for probing bacterial gene function at scale. Throughout, we situate our analysis within the context of functional genomics of mycobacteria, focusing specifically on the potential to yield insights into M. tuberculosis pathogenicity and vulnerabilities for new drug and regimen development. Finally, we offer suggestions for future approaches that might be usefully applied in elucidating the complex cellular biology of this major human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristy R. Winkler
- Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit and DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular MedicineUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Valerie Mizrahi
- Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit and DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular MedicineUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in AfricaUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Digby F. Warner
- Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit and DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular MedicineUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in AfricaUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Timothy J. De Wet
- Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit and DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular MedicineUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in AfricaUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
- Department of Integrative Biomedical SciencesUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
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13
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Sau S, Roy A, Agnivesh PK, Kumar S, Guru SK, Sharma S, Kalia NP. Unravelling the flexibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: an escape way for the bacilli. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 37261969 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis makes it difficult to eradicate the associated infection from the host. The flexible nature of mycobacteria and their ability to adapt to adverse host conditions give rise to different drug-tolerant phenotypes. Granuloma formation restricts nutrient supply, limits oxygen availability and exposes bacteria to a low pH environment, resulting in non-replicating bacteria. These non-replicating mycobacteria, which need high doses and long exposure to anti-tubercular drugs, are the root cause of lengthy chemotherapy. Novel strategies, which are effective against non-replicating mycobacteria, need to be adopted to shorten tuberculosis treatment. This not only will reduce the treatment time but also will help prevent the emergence of multi-drug-resistant strains of mycobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashikanta Sau
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Arnab Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Puja Kumari Agnivesh
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Sunil Kumar
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Guru
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Sandeep Sharma
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab -144411, India
| | - Nitin Pal Kalia
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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14
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Chung ES, Kar P, Kamkaew M, Amir A, Aldridge BB. Mycobacterium tuberculosis grows linearly at the single-cell level with larger variability than model organisms. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.17.541183. [PMID: 37292927 PMCID: PMC10245742 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.17.541183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The ability of bacterial pathogens to regulate growth is crucial to control homeostasis, virulence, and drug response. Yet, we do not understand the growth and cell cycle behaviors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), a slow-growing pathogen, at the single-cell level. Here, we use time-lapse imaging and mathematical modeling to characterize these fundamental properties of Mtb. Whereas most organisms grow exponentially at the single-cell level, we find that Mtb exhibits a unique linear growth mode. Mtb growth characteristics are highly variable from cell-to-cell, notably in their growth speeds, cell cycle timing, and cell sizes. Together, our study demonstrates that growth behavior of Mtb diverges from what we have learned from model bacteria. Instead, Mtb generates a heterogeneous population while growing slowly and linearly. Our study provides a new level of detail into how Mtb grows and creates heterogeneity, and motivates more studies of growth behaviors in bacterial pathogens.
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15
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Martinecz A, Boeree MJ, Diacon AH, Dawson R, Hemez C, Aarnoutse RE, Abel Zur Wiesch P. High rifampicin peak plasma concentrations accelerate the slow phase of bacterial decline in tuberculosis patients: Evidence for heteroresistance. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011000. [PMID: 37053266 PMCID: PMC10128972 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibiotic treatments are often associated with a late slowdown in bacterial killing. This separates the killing of bacteria into at least two distinct phases: a quick phase followed by a slower phase, the latter of which is linked to treatment success. Current mechanistic explanations for the in vitro slowdown are either antibiotic persistence or heteroresistance. Persistence is defined as the switching back and forth between susceptible and non-susceptible states, while heteroresistance is defined as the coexistence of bacteria with heterogeneous susceptibilities. Both are also thought to cause a slowdown in the decline of bacterial populations in patients and therefore complicate and prolong antibiotic treatments. Reduced bacterial death rates over time are also observed within tuberculosis patients, yet the mechanistic reasons for this are unknown and therefore the strategies to mitigate them are also unknown. METHODS AND FINDINGS We analyse a dose ranging trial for rifampicin in tuberculosis patients and show that there is a slowdown in the decline of bacteria. We show that the late phase of bacterial killing depends more on the peak drug concentrations than the total drug exposure. We compare these to pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models of rifampicin heteroresistance and persistence. We find that the observation on the slow phase's dependence on pharmacokinetic measures, specifically peak concentrations are only compatible with models of heteroresistance and incompatible with models of persistence. The quantitative agreement between heteroresistance models and observations is very good ([Formula: see text]). To corroborate the importance of the slowdown, we validate our results by estimating the time to sputum culture conversion and compare the results to a different dose ranging trial. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that higher doses, specifically higher peak concentrations may be used to optimize rifampicin treatments by accelerating bacterial killing in the slow phase. It adds to the growing body of literature supporting higher rifampicin doses for shortening tuberculosis treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antal Martinecz
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Martin J Boeree
- Department of Lung Diseases, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Andreas H Diacon
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
- TASK Applied Science, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rodney Dawson
- Division of Pulmonology and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Colin Hemez
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Graduate program in Biophysics, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Rob E Aarnoutse
- Department of Pharmacy, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Pia Abel Zur Wiesch
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Eberly College of Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Folkehelseinstitutt), Oslo, Norway
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16
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Schrader SM, Botella H, Vaubourgeix J. Reframing antimicrobial resistance as a continuous spectrum of manifestations. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 72:102259. [PMID: 36608373 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
To fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR), we must recognize and target all its manifestations. In this review, we briefly summarize the history that led to recognition of the various manifestations of AMR in bacterial pathogens and the ways in which they interrelate. We emphasize the importance of distinguishing between AMR arising from genetic alterations versus induction of endogenous machinery in response to environmental triggers, including - paradoxically - stresses from host immunity and antimicrobial therapy. We present an integrated view of AMR by reframing it as a spectrum of phenotypes within a continuous three-dimensional space defined by the growth rate, prevalence, and kill rate of cells displaying AMR. Finally, we reflect on strategies that may help stem the emergence of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Schrader
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hélène Botella
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Julien Vaubourgeix
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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17
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Jaisinghani N, Previti ML, Andrade J, Askenazi M, Ueberheide B, Seeliger JC. Cell wall proteomics in live Mycobacterium tuberculosis uncovers exposure of ESX substrates to the periplasm. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.29.534792. [PMID: 37034674 PMCID: PMC10081232 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.29.534792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
The cell wall of mycobacteria plays a key role in interactions with the environment and its ability to act as a selective filter is crucial to bacterial survival. Proteins in the cell wall enable this function by mediating the import and export of diverse metabolites from ions to lipids to proteins. Accurately identifying cell wall proteins is an important step in assigning function, especially as many mycobacterial proteins lack functionally characterized homologues. Current methods for protein localization have inherent limitations that reduce accuracy. Here we showed that protein tagging by the engineered peroxidase APEX2 within live Mycobacterium tuberculosis enabled the accurate identification of the cytosolic and cell wall proteomes. Our data indicate that substrates of the virulence-associated Type VII ESX secretion system are exposed to the Mtb periplasm, providing insight into the currently unknown mechanism by which these proteins cross the mycobacterial cell envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetika Jaisinghani
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Mary L Previti
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Joshua Andrade
- Proteomics Laboratory, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Beatrix Ueberheide
- Proteomics Laboratory, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jessica C Seeliger
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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18
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Sparks IL, Nijjer J, Yan J, Morita YS. Lipoarabinomannan regulates septation in Mycobacterium smegmatis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.26.534150. [PMID: 36993273 PMCID: PMC10055410 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.26.534150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The growth and division of mycobacteria, which include several clinically relevant pathogens, deviate significantly from that of canonical bacterial models. Despite their Gram-positive ancestry, mycobacteria synthesize and elongate a diderm envelope asymmetrically from the poles, with the old pole elongating more robustly than the new pole. In addition to being structurally distinct, the molecular components of the mycobacterial envelope are also evolutionarily unique, including the phosphatidylinositol-anchored lipoglycans lipomannan (LM) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM). LM and LAM modulate host immunity during infection, but their role outside of intracellular survival remains poorly understood, despite their widespread conservation among non-pathogenic and opportunistically pathogenic mycobacteria. Previously, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutants producing structurally altered LM and LAM were shown to grow slowly under certain conditions and to be more sensitive to antibiotics, suggesting that mycobacterial lipoglycans may support cellular integrity or growth. To test this, we constructed multiple biosynthetic lipoglycan mutants of M. smegmatis and determined the effect of each mutation on cell wall biosynthesis, envelope integrity, and division. We found that mutants deficient in LAM, but not LM, fail to maintain cell wall integrity in a medium-dependent manner, with envelope deformations specifically associated with septa and new poles. Conversely, a mutant producing abnormally large LAM formed multiseptated cells in way distinct from that observed in a septal hydrolase mutant. These results show that LAM plays critical and distinct roles at subcellular locations associated with division in mycobacteria, including maintenance of local cell envelope integrity and septal placement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian L. Sparks
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Japinder Nijjer
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven CT, USA
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven CT, USA
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yasu S. Morita
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
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19
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Models versus pathogens: how conserved is the FtsZ in bacteria? Biosci Rep 2023; 43:232502. [PMID: 36695643 PMCID: PMC9939409 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20221664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Combating anti-microbial resistance by developing alternative strategies is the need of the hour. Cell division, particularly FtsZ, is being extensively studied for its potential as an alternative target for anti-bacterial therapy. Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli are the two well-studied models for research on FtsZ, the leader protein of the cell division machinery. As representatives of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively, these organisms have provided an extensive outlook into the process of cell division in rod-shaped bacteria. However, research on other shapes of bacteria, like cocci and ovococci, lags behind that of model rods. Even though most regions of FtsZ show sequence and structural conservation throughout bacteria, the differences in FtsZ functioning and interacting partners establish several different modes of division in different bacteria. In this review, we compare the features of FtsZ and cell division in the model rods B. subtilis and E. coli and the four pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Reviewing several recent articles on these pathogenic bacteria, we have highlighted the functioning of FtsZ, the unique roles of FtsZ-associated proteins, and the cell division processes in them. Further, we provide a detailed look at the anti-FtsZ compounds discovered and their target bacteria, emphasizing the need for elucidation of the anti-FtsZ mechanism of action in different bacteria. Current challenges and opportunities in the ongoing journey of identifying potent anti-FtsZ drugs have also been described.
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20
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis Requires the Outer Membrane Lipid Phthiocerol Dimycocerosate for Starvation-Induced Antibiotic Tolerance. mSystems 2023; 8:e0069922. [PMID: 36598240 PMCID: PMC9948706 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00699-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tolerance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to antibiotics contributes to the long duration of tuberculosis (TB) treatment and the emergence of drug-resistant strains. M. tuberculosis drug tolerance is induced by nutrient restriction, but the genetic determinants that promote antibiotic tolerance triggered by nutrient limitation have not been comprehensively identified. Here, we show that M. tuberculosis requires production of the outer membrane lipid phthiocerol dimycocerosate (PDIM) to tolerate antibiotics under nutrient-limited conditions. We developed an arrayed transposon (Tn) mutant library in M. tuberculosis Erdman and used orthogonal pooling and transposon sequencing (Tn-seq) to map the locations of individual mutants in the library. We screened a subset of the library (~1,000 mutants) by Tn-seq and identified 32 and 102 Tn mutants with altered tolerance to antibiotics under stationary-phase and phosphate-starved conditions, respectively. Two mutants recovered from the arrayed library, ppgK::Tn and clpS::Tn, showed increased susceptibility to two different drug combinations under both nutrient-limited conditions, but their phenotypes were not complemented by the Tn-disrupted gene. Whole-genome sequencing revealed single nucleotide polymorphisms in both the ppgK::Tn and clpS::Tn mutants that prevented PDIM production. Complementation of the clpS::Tn ppsD Q291* mutant with ppsD restored PDIM production and antibiotic tolerance, demonstrating that loss of PDIM sensitized M. tuberculosis to antibiotics. Our data suggest that drugs targeting production of PDIM, a critical M. tuberculosis virulence determinant, have the potential to enhance the efficacy of existing antibiotics, thereby shortening TB treatment and limiting development of drug resistance. IMPORTANCE Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes 10 million cases of active TB disease and over 1 million deaths worldwide each year. TB treatment is complex, requiring at least 6 months of therapy with a combination of antibiotics. One factor that contributes to the length of TB treatment is M. tuberculosis phenotypic antibiotic tolerance, which allows the bacteria to survive prolonged drug exposure even in the absence of genetic mutations causing drug resistance. Here, we report a genetic screen to identify M. tuberculosis genes that promote drug tolerance during nutrient starvation. Our study revealed the outer membrane lipid phthiocerol dimycocerosate (PDIM) as a key determinant of M. tuberculosis antibiotic tolerance triggered by nutrient starvation. Our study implicates PDIM synthesis as a potential target for development of new TB drugs that would sensitize M. tuberculosis to existing antibiotics to shorten TB treatment.
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21
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Williams JT, Abramovitch RB. Molecular Mechanisms of MmpL3 Function and Inhibition. Microb Drug Resist 2023; 29:190-212. [PMID: 36809064 PMCID: PMC10171966 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2021.0424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacteria species include a large number of pathogenic organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, and various non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Mycobacterial membrane protein large 3 (MmpL3) is an essential mycolic acid and lipid transporter required for growth and cell viability. In the last decade, numerous studies have characterized MmpL3 with respect to protein function, localization, regulation, and substrate/inhibitor interactions. This review summarizes new findings in the field and seeks to assess future areas of research in our rapidly expanding understanding of MmpL3 as a drug target. An atlas of known MmpL3 mutations that provide resistance to inhibitors is presented, which maps amino acid substitutions to specific structural domains of MmpL3. In addition, chemical features of distinct classes of Mmpl3 inhibitors are compared to provide insights into shared and unique features of varied MmpL3 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- John T Williams
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Robert B Abramovitch
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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22
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Sparks IL, Derbyshire KM, Jacobs WR, Morita YS. Mycobacterium smegmatis: The Vanguard of Mycobacterial Research. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0033722. [PMID: 36598232 PMCID: PMC9879119 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00337-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Mycobacterium contains several slow-growing human pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, and Mycobacterium avium. Mycobacterium smegmatis is a nonpathogenic and fast growing species within this genus. In 1990, a mutant of M. smegmatis, designated mc2155, that could be transformed with episomal plasmids was isolated, elevating M. smegmatis to model status as the ideal surrogate for mycobacterial research. Classical bacterial models, such as Escherichia coli, were inadequate for mycobacteria research because they have low genetic conservation, different physiology, and lack the novel envelope structure that distinguishes the Mycobacterium genus. By contrast, M. smegmatis encodes thousands of conserved mycobacterial gene orthologs and has the same cell architecture and physiology. Dissection and characterization of conserved genes, structures, and processes in genetically tractable M. smegmatis mc2155 have since provided previously unattainable insights on these same features in its slow-growing relatives. Notably, tuberculosis (TB) drugs, including the first-line drugs isoniazid and ethambutol, are active against M. smegmatis, but not against E. coli, allowing the identification of their physiological targets. Furthermore, Bedaquiline, the first new TB drug in 40 years, was discovered through an M. smegmatis screen. M. smegmatis has become a model bacterium, not only for M. tuberculosis, but for all other Mycobacterium species and related genera. With a repertoire of bioinformatic and physical resources, including the recently established Mycobacterial Systems Resource, M. smegmatis will continue to accelerate mycobacterial research and advance the field of microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian L. Sparks
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith M. Derbyshire
- Division of Genetics, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - William R. Jacobs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Yasu S. Morita
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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23
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Habibi Arejan N, Ensinck D, Diacovich L, Patel PB, Quintanilla SY, Emami Saleh A, Gramajo H, Boutte CC. Polar protein Wag31 both activates and inhibits cell wall metabolism at the poles and septum. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1085918. [PMID: 36713172 PMCID: PMC9878328 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1085918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterial cell elongation occurs at the cell poles; however, it is not clear how cell wall insertion is restricted to the pole or how it is organized. Wag31 is a pole-localized cytoplasmic protein that is essential for polar growth, but its molecular function has not been described. In this study we used alanine scanning mutagenesis to identify Wag31 residues involved in cell morphogenesis. Our data show that Wag31 helps to control proper septation as well as new and old pole elongation. We have identified key amino acid residues involved in these essential functions. Enzyme assays revealed that Wag31 interacts with lipid metabolism by modulating acyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) activity. We show that Wag31 does not control polar growth by regulating the localization of cell wall precursor enzymes to the Intracellular Membrane Domain, and we also demonstrate that phosphorylation of Wag31 does not substantively regulate peptidoglycan metabolism. This work establishes new regulatory functions of Wag31 in the mycobacterial cell cycle and clarifies the need for new molecular models of Wag31 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Habibi Arejan
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Delfina Ensinck
- Laboratory of Physiology and Genetics of Actinomycetes, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Lautaro Diacovich
- Laboratory of Physiology and Genetics of Actinomycetes, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | | | | | - Arash Emami Saleh
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Hugo Gramajo
- Laboratory of Physiology and Genetics of Actinomycetes, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Cara C. Boutte
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Cara C. Boutte,
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24
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Greenstein T, Aldridge BB. Tools to develop antibiotic combinations that target drug tolerance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 12:1085946. [PMID: 36733851 PMCID: PMC9888313 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1085946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Combination therapy is necessary to treat tuberculosis to decrease the rate of disease relapse and prevent the acquisition of drug resistance, and shorter regimens are urgently needed. The adaptation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to various lesion microenvironments in infection induces various states of slow replication and non-replication and subsequent antibiotic tolerance. This non-heritable tolerance to treatment necessitates lengthy combination therapy. Therefore, it is critical to develop combination therapies that specifically target the different types of drug-tolerant cells in infection. As new tools to study drug combinations earlier in the drug development pipeline are being actively developed, we must consider how to best model the drug-tolerant cells to use these tools to design the best antibiotic combinations that target those cells and shorten tuberculosis therapy. In this review, we discuss the factors underlying types of drug tolerance, how combination therapy targets these populations of bacteria, and how drug tolerance is currently modeled for the development of tuberculosis multidrug therapy. We highlight areas for future studies to develop new tools that better model drug tolerance in tuberculosis infection specifically for combination therapy testing to bring the best drug regimens forward to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia Greenstein
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bree B Aldridge
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University School of Engineering, Medford, MA, United States
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25
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Quintanilla SY, Arejan NH, Patel PB, Boutte CC. PlrA (MSMEG_5223) is an essential polar growth regulator in Mycobacterium smegmatis. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280336. [PMID: 36634117 PMCID: PMC9836265 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacteria expand their cell walls at the cell poles in a manner that is not well described at the molecular level. In this study, we identify a new polar factor, PlrA, that is involved in restricting peptidoglycan metabolism to the cell poles in Mycobacterium smegmatis. We establish that only the N-terminal membrane domain of PlrA is essential. We show that depletion of plrA pheno-copies depletion of polar growth factor Wag31, and that PlrA is involved in regulating the Wag31 polar foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Y. Quintanilla
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Neda Habibi Arejan
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Parthvi B. Patel
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Cara C. Boutte
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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26
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Parbhoo T, Schurz H, Mouton JM, Sampson SL. Persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in response to infection burden and host-induced stressors. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:981827. [PMID: 36530432 PMCID: PMC9755487 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.981827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction As infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis progresses, the bacilli experience various degrees of host stressors in the macrophage phagosome such as low pH, nutrient deprivation, or exposure to toxic agents, which promotes cell-to-cell phenotypic variation. This includes a physiologically viable but non- or slowly replicating persister subpopulation, which is characterised by a loss of growth on solid media, while remaining metabolically active. Persisters additionally evade the host immune response and macrophage antimicrobial processes by adapting their metabolic pathways to maintain survival and persistence in the host. Methods A flow cytometry-based dual-fluorescent replication reporter assay, termed fluorescence dilution, provided a culture-independent method to characterize the single-cell replication dynamics of M. tuberculosis persisters following macrophage infection. Fluorescence dilution in combination with reference counting beads and a metabolic esterase reactive probe, calcein violet AM, provided an effective approach to enumerate and characterize the phenotypic heterogeneity within M. tuberculosis following macrophage infection. Results Persister formation appeared dependent on the initial infection burden and intracellular bacterial burden. However, inhibition of phagocytosis by cytochalasin D treatment resulted in a significantly higher median percentage of persisters compared to inhibition of phagosome acidification by bafilomycin A1 treatment. Discussion Our results suggest that different host factors differentially impact the intracellular bacterial burden, adaptive mechanisms and entry into persistence in macrophages.
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Mishra S, Saito K. Clinically encountered growth phenotypes of tuberculosis-causing bacilli and their in vitro study: A review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1029111. [PMID: 36439231 PMCID: PMC9684195 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1029111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The clinical manifestations of tuberculosis (TB) vary widely in severity, site of infection, and outcomes of treatment-leading to simultaneous efforts to individualize therapy safely and to search for shorter regimens that can be successfully used across the clinical spectrum. In these endeavors, clinicians and researchers alike employ mycobacterial culture in rich media. However, even within the same patient, individual bacilli among the population can exhibit substantial variability in their culturability. Bacilli in vitro also demonstrate substantial heterogeneity in replication rate and cultivation requirements, as well as susceptibility to killing by antimicrobials. Understanding parallels in clinical, ex vivo and in vitro growth phenotype diversity may be key to identifying those phenotypes responsible for treatment failure, relapse, and the reactivation of bacilli that progresses TB infection to disease. This review briefly summarizes the current role of mycobacterial culture in the care of patients with TB and the ex vivo evidence of variability in TB culturability. We then discuss current advances in in vitro models that study heterogenous subpopulations within a genetically identical bulk culture, with an emphasis on the effect of oxidative stress on bacillary cultivation requirements. The review highlights the complexity that heterogeneity in mycobacterial growth brings to the interpretation of culture in clinical settings and research. It also underscores the intricacies present in the interplay between growth phenotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility. Better understanding of population dynamics and growth requirements over time and space promises to aid both the attempts to individualize TB treatment and to find uniformly effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Mishra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kohta Saito
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Dartois VA, Rubin EJ. Anti-tuberculosis treatment strategies and drug development: challenges and priorities. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:685-701. [PMID: 35478222 PMCID: PMC9045034 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00731-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 71.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Despite two decades of intensified research to understand and cure tuberculosis disease, biological uncertainties remain and hamper progress. However, owing to collaborative initiatives including academia, the pharmaceutical industry and non-for-profit organizations, the drug candidate pipeline is promising. This exceptional success comes with the inherent challenge of prioritizing multidrug regimens for clinical trials and revamping trial designs to accelerate regimen development and capitalize on drug discovery breakthroughs. Most wanted are markers of progression from latent infection to active pulmonary disease, markers of drug response and predictors of relapse, in vitro tools to uncover synergies that translate clinically and animal models to reliably assess the treatment shortening potential of new regimens. In this Review, we highlight the benefits and challenges of 'one-size-fits-all' regimens and treatment duration versus individualized therapy based on disease severity and host and pathogen characteristics, considering scientific and operational perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique A Dartois
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, and Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, USA.
| | - Eric J Rubin
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Boston, MA, USA
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29
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Jones RM, Adams KN, Eldesouky HE, Sherman DR. The evolving biology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1027394. [PMID: 36275024 PMCID: PMC9579286 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1027394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an ancient disease that has remained a leading cause of infectious death. Mtb has evolved drug resistance to every antibiotic regimen ever introduced, greatly complicating treatment, lowering rates of cure and menacing TB control in parts of the world. As technology has advanced, our understanding of antimicrobial resistance has improved, and our models of the phenomenon have evolved. In this review, we focus on recent research progress that supports an updated model for the evolution of drug resistance in Mtb. We highlight the contribution of drug tolerance on the path to resistance, and the influence of heterogeneity on tolerance. Resistance is likely to remain an issue for as long as drugs are needed to treat TB. However, with technology driving new insights and careful management of newly developed resources, antimicrobial resistance need not continue to threaten global progress against TB, as it has done for decades.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - David R. Sherman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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30
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XIAO MX, CHEN S, LU P, DENG SP, YANG PH. In:Ge/Cu@calcein polyhedral nanostructure conducted photoelectrochemical biosensor for detection of IFN-gamma. CHINESE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cjac.2022.100141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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31
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Parbhoo T, Mouton JM, Sampson SL. Phenotypic adaptation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to host-associated stressors that induce persister formation. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:956607. [PMID: 36237425 PMCID: PMC9551238 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.956607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis exhibits a remarkable ability to interfere with the host antimicrobial response. The pathogen exploits elaborate strategies to cope with diverse host-induced stressors by modulating its metabolism and physiological state to prolong survival and promote persistence in host tissues. Elucidating the adaptive strategies that M. tuberculosis employs during infection to enhance persistence is crucial to understanding how varying physiological states may differentially drive disease progression for effective management of these populations. To improve our understanding of the phenotypic adaptation of M. tuberculosis, we review the adaptive strategies employed by M. tuberculosis to sense and coordinate a physiological response following exposure to various host-associated stressors. We further highlight the use of animal models that can be exploited to replicate and investigate different aspects of the human response to infection, to elucidate the impact of the host environment and bacterial adaptive strategies contributing to the recalcitrance of infection.
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32
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Liebenberg D, Gordhan BG, Kana BD. Drug resistant tuberculosis: Implications for transmission, diagnosis, and disease management. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:943545. [PMID: 36211964 PMCID: PMC9538507 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.943545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug resistant tuberculosis contributes significantly to the global burden of antimicrobial resistance, often consuming a large proportion of the healthcare budget and associated resources in many endemic countries. The rapid emergence of resistance to newer tuberculosis therapies signals the need to ensure appropriate antibiotic stewardship, together with a concerted drive to develop new regimens that are active against currently circulating drug resistant strains. Herein, we highlight that the current burden of drug resistant tuberculosis is driven by a combination of ongoing transmission and the intra-patient evolution of resistance through several mechanisms. Global control of tuberculosis will require interventions that effectively address these and related aspects. Interrupting tuberculosis transmission is dependent on the availability of novel rapid diagnostics which provide accurate results, as near-patient as is possible, together with appropriate linkage to care. Contact tracing, longitudinal follow-up for symptoms and active mapping of social contacts are essential elements to curb further community-wide spread of drug resistant strains. Appropriate prophylaxis for contacts of drug resistant index cases is imperative to limit disease progression and subsequent transmission. Preventing the evolution of drug resistant strains will require the development of shorter regimens that rapidly eliminate all populations of mycobacteria, whilst concurrently limiting bacterial metabolic processes that drive drug tolerance, mutagenesis and the ultimate emergence of resistance. Drug discovery programs that specifically target bacterial genetic determinants associated with these processes will be paramount to tuberculosis eradication. In addition, the development of appropriate clinical endpoints that quantify drug tolerant organisms in sputum, such as differentially culturable/detectable tubercle bacteria is necessary to accurately assess the potential of new therapies to effectively shorten treatment duration. When combined, this holistic approach to addressing the critical problems associated with drug resistance will support delivery of quality care to patients suffering from tuberculosis and bolster efforts to eradicate this disease.
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33
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Tomasi FG, Rubin EJ. Failing upwards: Genetics-based strategies to improve antibiotic discovery and efficacy in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:932556. [PMID: 36189351 PMCID: PMC9519881 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.932556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic advances in the 20th century significantly reduced tuberculosis (TB) mortality. Nonetheless, TB still poses a massive global health challenge with significant annual morbidity and mortality that has been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike most common bacterial infectious diseases, successful TB treatment requires months-long regimens, which complicates the ability to treat all cases quickly and effectively. Improving TB chemotherapy by reducing treatment duration and optimizing combinations of drugs is an important step to reducing relapse. In this review, we outline the limitations of current multidrug regimens against TB and have reviewed the genetic tools available to improve the identification of drug targets. The rational design of regimens that sterilize diverse phenotypic subpopulations will maximize bacterial killing while minimizing both treatment duration and infection relapse. Importantly, the TB field currently has all the necessary genetic and analytical tools to screen for and prioritize drug targets in vitro based on the vulnerability of essential and non-essential genes in the Mtb genome and to translate these findings in in vivo models. Combining genetic methods with chemical screens offers a formidable strategy to redefine the preclinical design of TB therapy by identifying powerful new targets altogether, as well as targets that lend new efficacy to existing drugs.
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34
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Boopathi S, Ramasamy S, Haridevamuthu B, Murugan R, Veerabadhran M, Jia AQ, Arockiaraj J. Intercellular communication and social behaviors in mycobacteria. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:943278. [PMID: 36177463 PMCID: PMC9514802 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.943278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-to-cell communication is a fundamental process of bacteria to exert communal behaviors. Sputum samples of patients with cystic fibrosis have often been observed with extensive mycobacterial genetic diversity. The emergence of heterogenic mycobacterial populations is observed due to subtle changes in their morphology, gene expression level, and distributive conjugal transfer (DCT). Since each subgroup of mycobacteria has different hetero-resistance, they are refractory against several antibiotics. Such genetically diverse mycobacteria have to communicate with each other to subvert the host immune system. However, it is still a mystery how such heterogeneous strains exhibit synchronous behaviors for the production of quorum sensing (QS) traits, such as biofilms, siderophores, and virulence proteins. Mycobacteria are characterized by division of labor, where distinct sub-clonal populations contribute to the production of QS traits while exchanging complimentary products at the community level. Thus, active mycobacterial cells ensure the persistence of other heterogenic clonal populations through cooperative behaviors. Additionally, mycobacteria are likely to establish communication with neighboring cells in a contact-independent manner through QS signals. Hence, this review is intended to discuss our current knowledge of mycobacterial communication. Understanding mycobacterial communication could provide a promising opportunity to develop drugs to target key pathways of mycobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seenivasan Boopathi
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Subbiah Ramasamy
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiac Metabolic Disease Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India
| | - B. Haridevamuthu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Raghul Murugan
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Maruthanayagam Veerabadhran
- Biofouling and Biofilm Processes Section, Water and Steam Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Facilities, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ai-Qun Jia
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- *Correspondence: Ai-Qun Jia
| | - Jesu Arockiaraj
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Jesu Arockiaraj ;
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35
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Samuels AN, Wang ER, Harrison GA, Valenta JC, Stallings CL. Understanding the contribution of metabolism to Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug tolerance. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:958555. [PMID: 36072222 PMCID: PMC9441742 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.958555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infections is particularly arduous. One challenge to effectively treating tuberculosis is that drug efficacy in vivo often fails to match drug efficacy in vitro. This is due to multiple reasons, including inadequate drug concentrations reaching Mtb at the site of infection and physiological changes of Mtb in response to host derived stresses that render the bacteria more tolerant to antibiotics. To more effectively and efficiently treat tuberculosis, it is necessary to better understand the physiologic state of Mtb that promotes drug tolerance in the host. Towards this end, multiple studies have converged on bacterial central carbon metabolism as a critical contributor to Mtb drug tolerance. In this review, we present the evidence that changes in central carbon metabolism can promote drug tolerance, depending on the environment surrounding Mtb. We posit that these metabolic pathways could be potential drug targets to stymie the development of drug tolerance and enhance the efficacy of current antimicrobial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Christina L. Stallings
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
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36
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Shultis MW, Mulholland CV, Berney M. Are all antibiotic persisters created equal? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:933458. [PMID: 36061872 PMCID: PMC9428696 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.933458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic persisters are a sub-population of bacteria able to survive in the presence of bactericidal antibiotic despite the lack of heritable drug resistance mechanisms. This phenomenon exists across many bacterial species and is observed for many different antibiotics. Though these bacteria are often described as “multidrug persisters” very few experiments have been carried out to determine the homogeneity of a persister population to different drugs. Further, there is much debate in the field as to the origins of a persister cell. Is it formed spontaneously? Does it form in response to stress? These questions are particularly pressing in the field of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, where persisters may play a crucial role in the required length of treatment and the development of multidrug resistant organisms. Here we aim to interpret the known mechanisms of antibiotic persistence and how they may relate to improving treatments for M. tuberculosis, exposing the gaps in knowledge that prevent us from answering the question: Are all antibiotic persisters created equal?
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37
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Melzer ES, Kado T, García-Heredia A, Gupta KR, Meniche X, Morita YS, Sassetti CM, Rego EH, Siegrist MS. Cell Wall Damage Reveals Spatial Flexibility in Peptidoglycan Synthesis and a Nonredundant Role for RodA in Mycobacteria. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0054021. [PMID: 35543537 PMCID: PMC9210966 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00540-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell wall peptidoglycan is a heteropolymeric mesh that protects the bacterium from internal turgor and external insults. In many rod-shaped bacteria, peptidoglycan synthesis for normal growth is achieved by two distinct pathways: the Rod complex, comprised of MreB, RodA, and a cognate class B penicillin-binding protein (PBP), and the class A PBPs (aPBPs). In contrast to laterally growing bacteria, pole-growing mycobacteria do not encode an MreB homolog and do not require SEDS protein RodA for in vitro growth. However, RodA contributes to the survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in some infection models, suggesting that the protein could have a stress-dependent role in maintaining cell wall integrity. Under basal conditions, we find here that the subcellular distribution of RodA largely overlaps that of the aPBP PonA1 and that both RodA and the aPBPs promote polar peptidoglycan assembly. Upon cell wall damage, RodA fortifies Mycobacterium smegmatis against lysis and, unlike aPBPs, contributes to a shift in peptidoglycan assembly from the poles to the sidewall. Neither RodA nor PonA1 relocalize; instead, the redistribution of nascent cell wall parallels that of peptidoglycan precursor synthase MurG. Our results support a model in which mycobacteria balance polar growth and cell-wide repair via spatial flexibility in precursor synthesis and extracellular insertion. IMPORTANCE Peptidoglycan synthesis is a highly successful target for antibiotics. The pathway has been extensively studied in model organisms under laboratory-optimized conditions. In natural environments, bacteria are frequently under attack. Moreover, the vast majority of bacterial species are unlikely to fit a single paradigm of cell wall assembly because of differences in growth mode and/or envelope structure. Studying cell wall synthesis under nonoptimal conditions and in nonstandard species may improve our understanding of pathway function and suggest new inhibition strategies. Mycobacterium smegmatis, a relative of several notorious human and animal pathogens, has an unusual polar growth mode and multilayered envelope. In this work, we challenged M. smegmatis with cell wall-damaging enzymes to characterize the roles of cell wall-building enzymes when the bacterium is under attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S. Melzer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Takehiro Kado
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alam García-Heredia
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Xavier Meniche
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yasu S. Morita
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher M. Sassetti
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - E. Hesper Rego
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - M. Sloan Siegrist
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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38
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Stevanovic M, Boukéké-Lesplulier T, Hupe L, Hasty J, Bittihn P, Schultz D. Nutrient Gradients Mediate Complex Colony-Level Antibiotic Responses in Structured Microbial Populations. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:740259. [PMID: 35572643 PMCID: PMC9093743 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.740259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic treatments often fail to eliminate bacterial populations due to heterogeneity in how individual cells respond to the drug. In structured bacterial populations such as biofilms, bacterial metabolism and environmental transport processes lead to an emergent phenotypic structure and self-generated nutrient gradients toward the interior of the colony, which can affect cell growth, gene expression and susceptibility to the drug. Even in single cells, survival depends on a dynamic interplay between the drug's action and the expression of resistance genes. How expression of resistance is coordinated across populations in the presence of such spatiotemporal environmental coupling remains elusive. Using a custom microfluidic device, we observe the response of spatially extended microcolonies of tetracycline-resistant E. coli to precisely defined dynamic drug regimens. We find an intricate interplay between drug-induced changes in cell growth and growth-dependent expression of resistance genes, resulting in the redistribution of metabolites and the reorganization of growth patterns. This dynamic environmental feedback affects the regulation of drug resistance differently across the colony, generating dynamic phenotypic structures that maintain colony growth during exposure to high drug concentrations and increase population-level resistance to subsequent exposures. A mathematical model linking metabolism and the regulation of gene expression is able to capture the main features of spatiotemporal colony dynamics. Uncovering the fundamental principles that govern collective mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in spatially extended populations will allow the design of optimal drug regimens to counteract them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjana Stevanovic
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Thomas Boukéké-Lesplulier
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany.,École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Lukas Hupe
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany.,Institute for the Dynamics of Complex Systems, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jeff Hasty
- BioCircuits Institute, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Philip Bittihn
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany.,Institute for the Dynamics of Complex Systems, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,BioCircuits Institute, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Daniel Schultz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
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39
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Kreutzfeldt KM, Jansen RS, Hartman TE, Gouzy A, Wang R, Krieger IV, Zimmerman MD, Gengenbacher M, Sarathy JP, Xie M, Dartois V, Sacchettini JC, Rhee KY, Schnappinger D, Ehrt S. CinA mediates multidrug tolerance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2203. [PMID: 35459278 PMCID: PMC9033802 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29832-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) to resist and tolerate antibiotics complicates the development of improved tuberculosis (TB) chemotherapies. Here we define the Mtb protein CinA as a major determinant of drug tolerance and as a potential target to shorten TB chemotherapy. By reducing the fraction of drug-tolerant persisters, genetic inactivation of cinA accelerated killing of Mtb by four antibiotics in clinical use: isoniazid, ethionamide, delamanid and pretomanid. Mtb ΔcinA was killed rapidly in conditions known to impede the efficacy of isoniazid, such as during nutrient starvation, during persistence in a caseum mimetic, in activated macrophages and during chronic mouse infection. Deletion of CinA also increased in vivo killing of Mtb by BPaL, a combination of pretomanid, bedaquiline and linezolid that is used to treat highly drug-resistant TB. Genetic and drug metabolism studies suggest that CinA mediates drug tolerance via cleavage of NAD-drug adducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaj M Kreutzfeldt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Robert S Jansen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Travis E Hartman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Alexandre Gouzy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Ruojun Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA
| | - Inna V Krieger
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Matthew D Zimmerman
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - Martin Gengenbacher
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - Jansy P Sarathy
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - Min Xie
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - Véronique Dartois
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - James C Sacchettini
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kyu Y Rhee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Dirk Schnappinger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Sabine Ehrt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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40
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Wang C, Wang C, Wu Y, Gao J, Han Y, Chu Y, Qiang L, Qiu J, Gao Y, Wang Y, Song F, Wang Y, Shao X, Zhang Y, Han L. High-Throughput, Living Single-Cell, Multiple Secreted Biomarker Profiling Using Microfluidic Chip and Machine Learning for Tumor Cell Classification. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2102800. [PMID: 35368151 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202102800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Secreted proteins provide abundant functional information on living cells and can be used as important tumor diagnostic markers, of which profiling at the single-cell level is helpful for accurate tumor cell classification. Currently, achieving living single-cell multi-index, high-sensitivity, and quantitative secretion biomarker profiling remains a great challenge. Here, a high-throughput living single-cell multi-index secreted biomarker profiling platform is proposed, combined with machine learning, to achieve accurate tumor cell classification. A single-cell culture microfluidic chip with self-assembled graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) enables high-activity single-cell culture, ensuring normal secretion of biomarkers and high-throughput single-cell separation, providing sufficient statistical data for machine learning. At the same time, the antibody barcode chip with self-assembled GOQDs performs multi-index, highly sensitive, and quantitative detection of secreted biomarkers, in which each cell culture chamber covers a whole barcode array. Importantly, by combining the K-means strategy with machine learning, thousands of single tumor cell secretion data are analyzed, enabling tumor cell classification with a recognition accuracy of 95.0%. In addition, further profiling of the grouping results reveals the unique secretion characteristics of subgroups. This work provides an intelligent platform for high-throughput living single-cell multiple secretion biomarker profiling, which has broad implications for cancer investigation and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Chunhua Wang
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Yu Wu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department Peking University Third Hospital Beijing 100191 China
| | - Jianwei Gao
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Yingkuan Han
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Yujin Chu
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Le Qiang
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Jiaoyan Qiu
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Yakun Gao
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Yanhao Wang
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Fangteng Song
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Yihe Wang
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Xiaowei Shao
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
| | - Lin Han
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Tsingdao 266237 China
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41
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Chung ES, Johnson WC, Aldridge BB. Types and functions of heterogeneity in mycobacteria. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:529-541. [PMID: 35365812 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00721-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The remarkable ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to survive attacks from the host immune response and drug treatment is due to the resilience of a few bacilli rather than a result of survival of the entire population. Maintenance of mycobacterial subpopulations with distinct phenotypic characteristics is key for survival in the face of dynamic and variable stressors encountered during infection. Mycobacterial populations develop a wide range of phenotypes through an innate asymmetric growth pattern and adaptation to fluctuating microenvironments during infection that point to heterogeneity being a vital survival strategy. In this Review, we describe different types of mycobacterial heterogeneity and discuss how heterogeneity is generated and regulated in response to environmental cues. We discuss how this heterogeneity may have a key role in recording memory of their environment at both the single-cell level and the population level to give mycobacterial populations plasticity to withstand complex stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Seon Chung
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William C Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Tufts University School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bree B Aldridge
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. .,Tufts University School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA, USA. .,Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University School of Engineering, Medford, MA, USA.
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42
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Khabibullina NF, Kutuzova DM, Burmistrova IA, Lyadova IV. The Biological and Clinical Aspects of a Latent Tuberculosis Infection. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7030048. [PMID: 35324595 PMCID: PMC8955876 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7030048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by bacilli from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, remains a serious global public health problem, representing one of the main causes of death from infectious diseases. About one quarter of the world’s population is infected with Mtb and has a latent TB infection (LTBI). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an LTBI is characterized by a lasting immune response to Mtb antigens without any TB symptoms. Current LTBI diagnoses and treatments are based on this simplified definition, although an LTBI involves a broad range of conditions, including when Mtb remains in the body in a persistent form and the immune response cannot be detected. The study of LTBIs has progressed in recent years; however, many biological and medical aspects of an LTBI are still under discussion. This review focuses on an LTBI as a broad spectrum of states, both of the human body, and of Mtb cells. The problems of phenotypic insusceptibility, diagnoses, chemoprophylaxis, and the necessity of treatment are discussed. We emphasize the complexity of an LTBI diagnosis and its treatment due to its ambiguous nature. We consider alternative ways of differentiating an LTBI from active TB, as well as predicting TB reactivation based on using mycobacterial “latency antigens” for interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) tests and the transcriptomic analysis of human blood cells.
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43
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Palazzo AF, Kejiou NS. Non-Darwinian Molecular Biology. Front Genet 2022; 13:831068. [PMID: 35251134 PMCID: PMC8888898 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.831068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
With the discovery of the double helical structure of DNA, a shift occurred in how biologists investigated questions surrounding cellular processes, such as protein synthesis. Instead of viewing biological activity through the lens of chemical reactions, this new field used biological information to gain a new profound view of how biological systems work. Molecular biologists asked new types of questions that would have been inconceivable to the older generation of researchers, such as how cellular machineries convert inherited biological information into functional molecules like proteins. This new focus on biological information also gave molecular biologists a way to link their findings to concepts developed by genetics and the modern synthesis. However, by the late 1960s this all changed. Elevated rates of mutation, unsustainable genetic loads, and high levels of variation in populations, challenged Darwinian evolution, a central tenant of the modern synthesis, where adaptation was the main driver of evolutionary change. Building on these findings, Motoo Kimura advanced the neutral theory of molecular evolution, which advocates that selection in multicellular eukaryotes is weak and that most genomic changes are neutral and due to random drift. This was further elaborated by Jack King and Thomas Jukes, in their paper “Non-Darwinian Evolution”, where they pointed out that the observed changes seen in proteins and the types of polymorphisms observed in populations only become understandable when we take into account biochemistry and Kimura’s new theory. Fifty years later, most molecular biologists remain unaware of these fundamental advances. Their adaptionist viewpoint fails to explain data collected from new powerful technologies which can detect exceedingly rare biochemical events. For example, high throughput sequencing routinely detects RNA transcripts being produced from almost the entire genome yet are present less than one copy per thousand cells and appear to lack any function. Molecular biologists must now reincorporate ideas from classical biochemistry and absorb modern concepts from molecular evolution, to craft a new lens through which they can evaluate the functionality of transcriptional units, and make sense of our messy, intricate, and complicated genome.
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44
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Urbaniec J, Xu Y, Hu Y, Hingley-Wilson S, McFadden J. Phenotypic heterogeneity in persisters: a novel 'hunker' theory of persistence. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:fuab042. [PMID: 34355746 PMCID: PMC8767447 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistence has been linked to treatment failure since its discovery over 70 years ago and understanding formation, nature and survival of this key antibiotic refractory subpopulation is crucial to enhancing treatment success and combatting the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The term 'persistence' is often used interchangeably with other terms such as tolerance or dormancy. In this review we focus on 'antibiotic persistence' which we broadly define as a feature of a subpopulation of bacterial cells that possesses the non-heritable character of surviving exposure to one or more antibiotics; and persisters as cells that possess this characteristic. We discuss novel molecular mechanisms involved in persister cell formation, as well as environmental factors which can contribute to increased antibiotic persistence in vivo, highlighting recent developments advanced by single-cell studies. We also aim to provide a comprehensive model of persistence, the 'hunker' theory which is grounded in intrinsic heterogeneity of bacterial populations and a myriad of 'hunkering down' mechanisms which can contribute to antibiotic survival of the persister subpopulation. Finally, we discuss antibiotic persistence as a 'stepping-stone' to AMR and stress the urgent need to develop effective anti-persister treatment regimes to treat this highly clinically relevant bacterial sub-population.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Urbaniec
- Department of Microbial Sciences and University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU27XH, UK
| | - Ye Xu
- Department of Microbial Sciences and University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU27XH, UK
| | - Y Hu
- Farnborough Sensonic limited, Farnborough road, GU14 7NA, UK
| | - S Hingley-Wilson
- Department of Microbial Sciences and University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU27XH, UK
| | - J McFadden
- Department of Microbial Sciences and University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU27XH, UK
- Quantum biology doctoral training centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU27XH, UK
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45
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Gupta KR, Gwin CM, Rahlwes KC, Biegas KJ, Wang C, Park JH, Liu J, Swarts BM, Morita YS, Rego EH. An essential periplasmic protein coordinates lipid trafficking and is required for asymmetric polar growth in mycobacteria. eLife 2022; 11:80395. [PMID: 36346214 PMCID: PMC9678360 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacteria, including the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, grow by inserting new cell wall material at their poles. This process and that of division are asymmetric, producing a phenotypically heterogeneous population of cells that respond non-uniformly to stress (Aldridge et al., 2012; Rego et al., 2017). Surprisingly, deletion of a single gene - lamA - leads to more symmetry, and to a population of cells that is more uniformly killed by antibiotics (Rego et al., 2017). How does LamA create asymmetry? Here, using a combination of quantitative time-lapse imaging, bacterial genetics, and lipid profiling, we find that LamA recruits essential proteins involved in cell wall synthesis to one side of the cell - the old pole. One of these proteins, MSMEG_0317, here renamed PgfA, was of unknown function. We show that PgfA is a periplasmic protein that interacts with MmpL3, an essential transporter that flips mycolic acids in the form of trehalose monomycolate (TMM), across the plasma membrane. PgfA interacts with a TMM analog suggesting a direct role in TMM transport. Yet our data point to a broader function as well, as cells with altered PgfA levels have differences in the abundance of other lipids and are differentially reliant on those lipids for survival. Overexpression of PgfA, but not MmpL3, restores growth at the old poles in cells missing lamA. Together, our results suggest that PgfA is a key determinant of polar growth and cell envelope composition in mycobacteria, and that the LamA-mediated recruitment of this protein to one side of the cell is a required step in the establishment of cellular asymmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuldeepkumar R Gupta
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Celena M Gwin
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Kathryn C Rahlwes
- Department of Microbiology, University of MassachusettsAmherstUnited States
| | - Kyle J Biegas
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan UniversityMount PleasantUnited States,Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Program, Central Michigan UniversityMount PleasantUnited States
| | - Chunyan Wang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States,Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale UniversityWest HavenUnited States
| | - Jin Ho Park
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States,Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale UniversityWest HavenUnited States
| | - Benjamin M Swarts
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan UniversityMount PleasantUnited States,Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Program, Central Michigan UniversityMount PleasantUnited States
| | - Yasu S Morita
- Department of Microbiology, University of MassachusettsAmherstUnited States
| | - E Hesper Rego
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
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46
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Li J, Claudi B, Fanous J, Chicherova N, Cianfanelli FR, Campbell RAA, Bumann D. Tissue compartmentalization enables Salmonella persistence during chemotherapy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2113951118. [PMID: 34911764 PMCID: PMC8713819 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113951118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial chemotherapy can fail to eradicate the pathogen, even in the absence of antimicrobial resistance. Persisting pathogens can subsequently cause relapsing diseases. In vitro studies suggest various mechanisms of antibiotic persistence, but their in vivo relevance remains unclear because of the difficulty of studying scarce pathogen survivors in complex host tissues. Here, we localized and characterized rare surviving Salmonella in mouse spleen using high-resolution whole-organ tomography. Chemotherapy cleared >99.5% of the Salmonella but was inefficient against a small Salmonella subset in the white pulp. Previous models could not explain these findings: drug exposure was adequate, Salmonella continued to replicate, and host stresses induced only limited Salmonella drug tolerance. Instead, antimicrobial clearance required support of Salmonella-killing neutrophils and monocytes, and the density of such cells was lower in the white pulp than in other spleen compartments containing higher Salmonella loads. Neutrophil densities declined further during treatment in response to receding Salmonella loads, resulting in insufficient support for Salmonella clearance from the white pulp and eradication failure. However, adjunctive therapies sustaining inflammatory support enabled effective clearance. These results identify uneven Salmonella tissue colonization and spatiotemporal inflammation dynamics as main causes of Salmonella persistence and establish a powerful approach to investigate scarce but impactful pathogen subsets in complex host environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiagui Li
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Joseph Fanous
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Dirk Bumann
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
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47
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Molloy A, Harrison J, McGrath JS, Owen Z, Smith C, Liu X, Li X, Cox JAG. Microfluidics as a Novel Technique for Tuberculosis: From Diagnostics to Drug Discovery. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112330. [PMID: 34835455 PMCID: PMC8618277 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112330] [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: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global healthcare crisis, with an estimated 5.8 million new cases and 1.5 million deaths in 2020. TB is caused by infection with the major human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is difficult to rapidly diagnose and treat. There is an urgent need for new methods of diagnosis, sufficient in vitro models that capably mimic all physiological conditions of the infection, and high-throughput drug screening platforms. Microfluidic-based techniques provide single-cell analysis which reduces experimental time and the cost of reagents, and have been extremely useful for gaining insight into monitoring microorganisms. This review outlines the field of microfluidics and discusses the use of this novel technique so far in M. tuberculosis diagnostics, research methods, and drug discovery platforms. The practices of microfluidics have promising future applications for diagnosing and treating TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Molloy
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK; (A.M.); (J.H.)
| | - James Harrison
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK; (A.M.); (J.H.)
| | - John S. McGrath
- Sphere Fluidics Limited, The McClintock Building, Suite 7, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6GP, UK; (J.S.M.); (Z.O.); (C.S.); (X.L.); (X.L.)
| | - Zachary Owen
- Sphere Fluidics Limited, The McClintock Building, Suite 7, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6GP, UK; (J.S.M.); (Z.O.); (C.S.); (X.L.); (X.L.)
| | - Clive Smith
- Sphere Fluidics Limited, The McClintock Building, Suite 7, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6GP, UK; (J.S.M.); (Z.O.); (C.S.); (X.L.); (X.L.)
| | - Xin Liu
- Sphere Fluidics Limited, The McClintock Building, Suite 7, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6GP, UK; (J.S.M.); (Z.O.); (C.S.); (X.L.); (X.L.)
| | - Xin Li
- Sphere Fluidics Limited, The McClintock Building, Suite 7, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6GP, UK; (J.S.M.); (Z.O.); (C.S.); (X.L.); (X.L.)
| | - Jonathan A. G. Cox
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK; (A.M.); (J.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-121-204-5011
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48
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Rifamycin antibiotics and the mechanisms of their failure. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2021; 74:786-798. [PMID: 34400805 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-021-00462-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Rifamycins are a class of antibiotics that were first discovered in 1957 and are known for their use in treating tuberculosis (TB). Rifamycins exhibit bactericidal activity against many Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting RNA polymerase (RNAP); however, resistance is prevalent and the mechanisms range from primary target modification and antibiotic inactivation to cytoplasmic exclusion. Further, phenotypic resistance, in which only a subpopulation of bacteria grow in concentrations exceeding their minimum inhibitory concentration, and tolerance, which is characterized by reduced rates of bacterial cell death, have been identified as additional causes of rifamycin failure. Here we summarize current understanding and recent developments regarding this critical antibiotic class.
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49
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Li C, Gong Y, Wang X, Xu J, Ma B. Integrated Addressable Dynamic Droplet Array (aDDA) as Sub-Nanoliter Reactors for High-Coverage Genome Sequencing of Single Yeast Cells. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2100325. [PMID: 34296526 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202100325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An addressable dynamic droplet array (aDDA) is presented that combines the advantages of static droplet arrays and continuous-flow droplet platforms. Modular fabrication is employed to create a self-contained integrated aDDA. All the sample preparation steps, including single-cell isolation, cell lysis, amplification, and product retrieval, are performed in sequence within a sub-nanoliter (≈300 pL) droplet. Sequencing-based validation suggests that aDDA reduces the amplification bias of multiple displacement amplification (MDA) and elevates the percentage of one-yeast-cell genome recovery to 91%, as compared to the average of 26% using conventional, 20 µL volume MDA reactions. Thus, aDDA is a valuable addition to the toolbox for high-genome-coverage sequencing of single microbial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Li
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Yanhai Gong
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Xixian Wang
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Bo Ma
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
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50
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Flow Cytometry Analysis of Mycobacteria and Mycobacteria-Infected Immune Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34235657 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1460-0_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Flow cytometry enables the measurement of tens of features on individual cells from complex mixtures. Flow cytometry enables high-throughput quantification of cell size, gene and protein expression. In the case of studies of host-pathogen interactions, this tool provides a facile way of identifying cells that have been successfully infected by a pathogen. Several recent technological advances have greatly improved throughput and the number of features that can be simultaneously monitored by this technique. Here, we describe common workflows to study Mycobacterium tuberculosis heterogeneity and host-M. tuberculosis interactions using flow cytometry and related technologies.
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