1
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Weimann A, Dinan AM, Ruis C, Bernut A, Pont S, Brown K, Ryan J, Santos L, Ellison L, Ukor E, Pandurangan AP, Krokowski S, Blundell TL, Welch M, Blane B, Judge K, Bousfield R, Brown N, Bryant JM, Kukavica-Ibrulj I, Rampioni G, Leoni L, Harrison PT, Peacock SJ, Thomson NR, Gauthier J, Fothergill JL, Levesque RC, Parkhill J, Floto RA. Evolution and host-specific adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Science 2024; 385:eadi0908. [PMID: 38963857 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi0908] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
The major human bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes multidrug-resistant infections in people with underlying immunodeficiencies or structural lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). We show that a few environmental isolates, driven by horizontal gene acquisition, have become dominant epidemic clones that have sequentially emerged and spread through global transmission networks over the past 200 years. These clones demonstrate varying intrinsic propensities for infecting CF or non-CF individuals (linked to specific transcriptional changes enabling survival within macrophages); have undergone multiple rounds of convergent, host-specific adaptation; and have eventually lost their ability to transmit between different patient groups. Our findings thus explain the pathogenic evolution of P. aeruginosa and highlight the importance of global surveillance and cross-infection prevention in averting the emergence of future epidemic clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Weimann
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adam M Dinan
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christopher Ruis
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Audrey Bernut
- Laboratory of Pathogens and Host Immunity (LPHI), UMR5235, CNRS/Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Stéphane Pont
- Laboratory of Pathogens and Host Immunity (LPHI), UMR5235, CNRS/Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Karen Brown
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Lung Infection, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Judy Ryan
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lúcia Santos
- Department of Physiology, Bioscience Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Louise Ellison
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emem Ukor
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Lung Infection, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Arun P Pandurangan
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sina Krokowski
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tom L Blundell
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Martin Welch
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Beth Blane
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kim Judge
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Rachel Bousfield
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Irena Kukavica-Ibrulj
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Giordano Rampioni
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Livia Leoni
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrick T Harrison
- Department of Physiology, Bioscience Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Sharon J Peacock
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nicholas R Thomson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jeff Gauthier
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Jo L Fothergill
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Roger C Levesque
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Julian Parkhill
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - R Andres Floto
- Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- University of Cambridge Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Lung Infection, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, Cambridge, UK
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2
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Torrillo PA, Lieberman TD. Reversions mask the contribution of adaptive evolution in microbiomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.14.557751. [PMID: 37745437 PMCID: PMC10515931 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.14.557751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
When examining bacterial genomes for evidence of past selection, the results obtained depend heavily on the mutational distance between chosen genomes. Even within a bacterial species, genomes separated by larger mutational distances exhibit stronger evidence of purifying selection as assessed byd N / d S , the normalized ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutations. Here, we show that the classical interpretation of this scale-dependence, weak purifying selection, leads to problematic mutation accumulation when applied to available gut microbiome data. We propose an alternative, adaptive reversion model with exactly opposite implications for dynamical intuition and applications ofd N / d S . Reversions that occur and sweep within-host populations are nearly guaranteed in microbiomes due to large population sizes, short generation times, and variable environments. Using analytical and simulation approaches, we show that adaptive reversion can explain thed N / d S decay given only dozens of locally-fluctuating selective pressures, which is realistic in the context of Bacteroides genomes. The success of the adaptive reversion model argues for interpreting low values ofd N / d S obtained from long-time scales with caution, as they may emerge even when adaptive sweeps are frequent. Our work thus inverts the interpretation of an old observation in bacterial evolution, illustrates the potential of mutational reversions to shape genomic landscapes over time, and highlights the importance of studying bacterial genomic evolution on short time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A. Torrillo
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Tami D. Lieberman
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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3
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Eklöf J, Alispahic IA, Armbruster K, Lapperre TS, Browatzki A, Overgaard RH, Harboe ZB, Janner J, Moberg M, Ulrik CS, Andreassen HF, Weinreich UM, Kjærgaard JL, Villadsen J, Fenlev CS, Jensen TT, Christensen CW, Bangsborg J, Ostergaard C, Ghathian KSA, Jordan A, Klausen TW, Nielsen TL, Wilcke T, Seersholm N, Sivapalan P, Jensen JUS. Systemic antibiotics for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in outpatients with non-hospitalised exacerbations of pre-existing lung diseases: a randomised clinical trial. Respir Res 2024; 25:236. [PMID: 38844921 PMCID: PMC11157704 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-024-02860-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The effect of dual systemic antibiotic therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with pre-existing lung disease is unknown. To assess whether dual systemic antibiotics against P. aeruginosa in outpatients with COPD, non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis, or asthma can improve outcomes. METHODS Multicenter, randomised, open-label trial conducted at seven respiratory outpatient clinics in Denmark. Outpatients with COPD, non-CF bronchiectasis, or asthma with a current P. aeruginosa-positive lower respiratory tract culture (clinical routine samples obtained based on symptoms of exacerbation not requiring hospitalisation), regardless of prior P. aeruginosa-status, no current need for hospitalisation, and at least two moderate or one hospitalisation-requiring exacerbation within the last year were eligible. Patients were assigned 1:1 to 14 days of dual systemic anti-pseudomonal antibiotics or no antibiotic treatment. Primary outcome was time to prednisolone or antibiotic-requiring exacerbation or death from day 20 to day 365. RESULTS The trial was stopped prematurely based in lack of recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic, this decision was endorsed by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board. Forty-nine outpatients were included in the study. There was a reduction in risk of the primary outcome in the antibiotic group compared to the control group (HR 0.51 (95%CI 0.27-0.96), p = 0.037). The incidence of admissions with exacerbation within one year was 1.1 (95%CI 0.6-1.7) in the dual antibiotic group vs. 2.9 (95%CI 1.3-4.5) in the control group, p = 0.037. CONCLUSIONS Use of dual systemic antibiotics for 14 days against P. aeruginosa in outpatients with chronic lung diseases and no judged need for hospitalisation, improved clinical outcomes markedly. The main limitation was the premature closure of the trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03262142, registration date 2017-08-25.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Eklöf
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark.
| | - Imane Achir Alispahic
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Karin Armbruster
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Therese Sophie Lapperre
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Andrea Browatzki
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, North Zealand, Denmark
| | - Rikke Holmen Overgaard
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, North Zealand, Denmark
| | - Zitta Barrella Harboe
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, North Zealand, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Julie Janner
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Mia Moberg
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | | | - Helle Frost Andreassen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Ulla Møller Weinreich
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Jakob Lyngby Kjærgaard
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Jenny Villadsen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Camilla Sund Fenlev
- Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | - Jette Bangsborg
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Christian Ostergaard
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | | | - Alexander Jordan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Tobias Wirenfeldt Klausen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Thyge Lynghøj Nielsen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, North Zealand, Denmark
| | - Torgny Wilcke
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Niels Seersholm
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Pradeesh Sivapalan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens-Ulrik Stæhr Jensen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Herlev Gentofte University Hospital, Section of Respiratory Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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4
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Laborda P, Molin S, Johansen HK, Martínez JL, Hernando-Amado S. Role of bacterial multidrug efflux pumps during infection. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:226. [PMID: 38822187 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-04042-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Multidrug efflux pumps are protein complexes located in the cell envelope that enable bacteria to expel, not only antibiotics, but also a wide array of molecules relevant for infection. Hence, they are important players in microbial pathogenesis. On the one hand, efflux pumps can extrude exogenous compounds, including host-produced antimicrobial molecules. Through this extrusion, pathogens can resist antimicrobial agents and evade host defenses. On the other hand, efflux pumps also have a role in the extrusion of endogenous compounds, such as bacterial intercommunication signaling molecules, virulence factors or metabolites. Therefore, efflux pumps are involved in the modulation of bacterial behavior and virulence, as well as in the maintenance of the bacterial homeostasis under different stresses found within the host. This review delves into the multifaceted roles that efflux pumps have, shedding light on their impact on bacterial virulence and their contribution to bacterial infection. These observations suggest that strategies targeting bacterial efflux pumps could both reinvigorate the efficacy of existing antibiotics and modulate the bacterial pathogenicity to the host. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of bacterial efflux pumps can be pivotal for the development of new effective strategies for the management of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Laborda
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 9301, Denmark.
| | - Søren Molin
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Helle Krogh Johansen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, 9301, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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5
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Shepherd MJ, Fu T, Harrington NE, Kottara A, Cagney K, Chalmers JD, Paterson S, Fothergill JL, Brockhurst MA. Ecological and evolutionary mechanisms driving within-patient emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41579-024-01041-1. [PMID: 38689039 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01041-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The ecological and evolutionary mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence within patients and how these vary across bacterial infections are poorly understood. Increasingly widespread use of pathogen genome sequencing in the clinic enables a deeper understanding of these processes. In this Review, we explore the clinical evidence to support four major mechanisms of within-patient AMR emergence in bacteria: spontaneous resistance mutations; in situ horizontal gene transfer of resistance genes; selection of pre-existing resistance; and immigration of resistant lineages. Within-patient AMR emergence occurs across a wide range of host niches and bacterial species, but the importance of each mechanism varies between bacterial species and infection sites within the body. We identify potential drivers of such differences and discuss how ecological and evolutionary analysis could be embedded within clinical trials of antimicrobials, which are powerful but underused tools for understanding why these mechanisms vary between pathogens, infections and individuals. Ultimately, improving understanding of how host niche, bacterial species and antibiotic mode of action combine to govern the ecological and evolutionary mechanism of AMR emergence in patients will enable more predictive and personalized diagnosis and antimicrobial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Shepherd
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Taoran Fu
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Niamh E Harrington
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Anastasia Kottara
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Kendall Cagney
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - James D Chalmers
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Steve Paterson
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Joanne L Fothergill
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Michael A Brockhurst
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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6
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Jiang B, Qiu H, Lu C, Lu M, Li Y, Dai W. Uncovering the GacS-mediated role in evolutionary progression through trajectory reconstruction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3856-3869. [PMID: 38477346 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The genetic diversities of subpopulations drive the evolution of pathogens and affect their ability to infect hosts and cause diseases. However, most studies to date have focused on the identification and characterization of adaptive mutations in single colonies, which do not accurately reflect the phenotypes of an entire population. Here, to identify the composition of variant subpopulations within a pathogen population, we developed a streamlined approach that combines high-throughput sequencing of the entire population cells with genotyping of single colonies. Using this method, we reconstructed a detailed quorum-sensing (QS) evolutionary trajectory in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results revealed a new adaptive mutation in the gacS gene, which codes for a histidine kinase sensor of a two-component system (TCS), during QS evolution. This mutation reduced QS activity, allowing the variant to sweep throughout the whole population, while still being vulnerable to invasion by the emerging QS master regulator LasR-null mutants. By tracking the evolutionary trajectory, we found that mutations in gacS facilitated QS-rewiring in the LasR-null mutant. This rapid QS revertant caused by inactive GacS was found to be associated with the promotion of ribosome biogenesis and accompanied by a trade-off of reduced bacterial virulence on host cells. In conclusion, our findings highlight the crucial role of the global regulator GacS in modulating the progression of QS evolution and the virulence of the pathogen population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Jiang
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Huifang Qiu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Chenghui Lu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mingqi Lu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yuanhao Li
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Weijun Dai
- Integrative Microbiology Research Center, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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7
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García-Villada L, Degtyareva NP, Brooks AM, Goldberg JB, Doetsch PW. A role for the stringent response in ciprofloxacin resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8598. [PMID: 38615146 PMCID: PMC11016087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59188-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of nosocomial infections and the leading cause of chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Antibiotic treatment remains challenging because P. aeruginosa is resistant to high concentrations of antibiotics and has a remarkable ability to acquire mutations conferring resistance to multiple groups of antimicrobial agents. Here we report that when P. aeruginosa is plated on ciprofloxacin (cipro) plates, the majority of cipro-resistant (ciproR) colonies observed at and after 48 h of incubation carry mutations in genes related to the Stringent Response (SR). Mutations in one of the major SR components, spoT, were present in approximately 40% of the ciproR isolates. Compared to the wild-type strain, most of these isolates had decreased growth rate, longer lag phase and altered intracellular ppGpp content. Also, 75% of all sequenced mutations were insertions and deletions, with short deletions being the most frequently occurring mutation type. We present evidence that most of the observed mutations are induced on the selective plates in a subpopulation of cells that are not instantly killed by cipro. Our results suggests that the SR may be an important contributor to antibiotic resistance acquisition in P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ashley M Brooks
- Integrative Bioinformatics, Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, NIEHS, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Joanna B Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Paul W Doetsch
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, NIEHS, Durham, NC, USA.
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8
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Caruso L, Mellini M, Catalano Gonzaga O, Astegno A, Forte E, Di Matteo A, Giuffrè A, Visca P, Imperi F, Leoni L, Rampioni G. Hydrogen sulfide production does not affect antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0007524. [PMID: 38445869 PMCID: PMC10989007 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00075-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been proposed to protect bacteria from antibiotics, pointing to H2S-producing enzymes as possible targets for the development of antibiotic adjuvants. Here, MIC assays performed with Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutants producing altered H2S levels demonstrate that H2S does not affect antibiotic resistance in this bacterium. Moreover, correlation analyses in a large collection of P. aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolates argue against the protective role of H2S from antibiotic activity during chronic lung infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Mellini
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Elena Forte
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Adele Di Matteo
- CNR Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Visca
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Imperi
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Livia Leoni
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Giordano Rampioni
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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9
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Laborda P, Lolle S, Hernando-Amado S, Alcalde-Rico M, Aanæs K, Martínez JL, Molin S, Johansen HK. Mutations in the efflux pump regulator MexZ shift tissue colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa to a state of antibiotic tolerance. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2584. [PMID: 38519499 PMCID: PMC10959964 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46938-w] [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: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in mexZ, encoding a negative regulator of the expression of the mexXY efflux pump genes, are frequently acquired by Pseudomonas aeruginosa at early stages of lung infection. Although traditionally related to resistance to the first-line drug tobramycin, mexZ mutations are associated with low-level aminoglycoside resistance when determined in the laboratory, suggesting that their selection during infection may not be necessarily, or only, related to tobramycin therapy. Here, we show that mexZ-mutated bacteria tend to accumulate inside the epithelial barrier of a human airway infection model, thus colonising the epithelium while being protected against diverse antibiotics. This phenotype is mediated by overexpression of lecA, a quorum sensing-controlled gene, encoding a lectin involved in P. aeruginosa tissue invasiveness. We find that lecA overexpression is caused by a disrupted equilibrium between the overproduced MexXY and another efflux pump, MexAB, which extrudes quorum sensing signals. Our results indicate that mexZ mutations affect the expression of quorum sensing-regulated pathways, thus promoting tissue invasiveness and protecting bacteria from the action of antibiotics within patients, something unnoticeable using standard laboratory tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Laborda
- Department of Clinical Microbiology 9301, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Signe Lolle
- Department of Clinical Microbiology 9301, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Manuel Alcalde-Rico
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, CSIC, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Kasper Aanæs
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery & Audiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Søren Molin
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Helle Krogh Johansen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology 9301, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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10
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Ledger EL, Smith DJ, Teh JJ, Wood ME, Whibley PE, Morrison M, Goldberg JB, Reid DW, Wells TJ. Impact of CFTR Modulation on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in People With Cystic Fibrosis. J Infect Dis 2024:jiae051. [PMID: 38442240 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a multidrug-resistant pathogen causing recalcitrant pulmonary infections in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators have been developed that partially correct the defective chloride channel driving disease. Despite the many clinical benefits, studies in adults have demonstrated that while P. aeruginosa sputum load decreases, chronic infection persists. Here, we investigate how P. aeruginosa in pwCF may change in the altered lung environment after CFTR modulation. METHODS P. aeruginosa strains (n = 105) were isolated from the sputum of 11 chronically colonized pwCF at baseline and up to 21 months posttreatment with elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor or tezacaftor-ivacaftor. Phenotypic characterization and comparative genomics were performed. RESULTS Clonal lineages of P. aeruginosa persisted after therapy, with no evidence of displacement by alternative strains. We identified commonly mutated genes among patient isolates that may be positively selected for in the CFTR-modulated lung. However, classic chronic P. aeruginosa phenotypes such as mucoid morphology were sustained, and isolates remained just as resistant to clinically relevant antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS Despite the clinical benefits of CFTR modulators, clonal lineages of P. aeruginosa persist that may prove just as difficult to manage in the future, especially in pwCF with advanced lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Ledger
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Daniel J Smith
- Northside Clinical Unit, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jing Jie Teh
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Michelle E Wood
- Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Page E Whibley
- Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mark Morrison
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Joanna B Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - David W Reid
- Northside Clinical Unit, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Brisbane, Australia
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Timothy J Wells
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Brisbane, Australia
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11
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Böhning J, Tarafder AK, Bharat TA. The role of filamentous matrix molecules in shaping the architecture and emergent properties of bacterial biofilms. Biochem J 2024; 481:245-263. [PMID: 38358118 PMCID: PMC10903470 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210301] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Numerous bacteria naturally occur within spatially organised, multicellular communities called biofilms. Moreover, most bacterial infections proceed with biofilm formation, posing major challenges to human health. Within biofilms, bacterial cells are embedded in a primarily self-produced extracellular matrix, which is a defining feature of all biofilms. The biofilm matrix is a complex, viscous mixture primarily composed of polymeric substances such as polysaccharides, filamentous protein fibres, and extracellular DNA. The structured arrangement of the matrix bestows bacteria with beneficial emergent properties that are not displayed by planktonic cells, conferring protection against physical and chemical stresses, including antibiotic treatment. However, a lack of multi-scale information at the molecular level has prevented a better understanding of this matrix and its properties. Here, we review recent progress on the molecular characterisation of filamentous biofilm matrix components and their three-dimensional spatial organisation within biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Böhning
- Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, U.K
| | - Abul K. Tarafder
- Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, U.K
| | - Tanmay A.M. Bharat
- Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, U.K
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12
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Hofstaedter CE, Chandler CE, Met CM, Gillespie JJ, Harro JM, Goodlett DR, Rasko DA, Ernst RK. Divergent Pseudomonas aeruginosa LpxO enzymes perform site-specific lipid A 2-hydroxylation. mBio 2024; 15:e0282323. [PMID: 38131669 PMCID: PMC10865791 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02823-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa can survive in a myriad of environments, partially due to modifications of its lipid A, the membrane anchor of lipopolysaccharide. We previously demonstrated that divergent late acyltransferase paralogs, HtrB1 and HtrB2, add acyloxyacyl laurate to lipid A 2- and 2'-acyl chains, respectively. The genome of P. aeruginosa also has genes which encode two dioxygenase enzymes, LpxO1 and LpxO2, that individually hydroxylate a specific secondary laurate. LpxO1 acts on the 2'-acyloxyacyl laurate (added by HtrB2), whereas LpxO2 acts on the 2-acyloxyacyl laurate (added by HtrB1) in a site-specific manner. Furthermore, while both enzyme pairs are evolutionarily linked, phylogenomic analysis suggests the LpxO1/HtrB2 enzyme pair as being of ancestral origin, present throughout the Pseudomonas lineage, whereas the LpxO2/HtrB1 enzyme pair likely arose via horizontal gene transfer and has been retained in P. aeruginosa over time. Using a murine pulmonary infection model, we showed that both LpxO1 and LpxO2 enzymes are functional in vivo, as direct analysis of in vivo lipid A structure from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed 2-hydroxylated lipid A. Gene expression analysis reveals increased lpxO2 but unchanged lpxO1 expression in vivo, suggesting differential regulation of these enzymes during infection. We also demonstrate that loss-of-function mutations arise in lpxO1 and lpxO2 during chronic lung infection in people with cystic fibrosis (CF), indicating a potential role for pathogenesis and airway adaptation. Collectively, our study characterizes lipid A 2-hydroxylation during P. aeruginosa airway infection that is regulated by two distinct lipid A dioxygenase enzymes.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes severe infection in hospitalized and chronically ill individuals. During infection, P. aeruginosa undergoes adaptive changes to evade host defenses and therapeutic interventions, increasing mortality and morbidity. Lipid A structural alteration is one such change that P. aeruginosa isolates undergo during chronic lung infection in CF. Investigating genetic drivers of this lipid A structural variation is crucial in understanding P. aeruginosa adaptation during infection. Here, we describe two lipid A dioxygenases with acyl-chain site specificity, each with different evolutionary origins. Further, we show that loss of function in these enzymes occurs in CF clinical isolates, suggesting a potential pathoadaptive phenotype. Studying these bacterial adaptations provides insight into selection pressures of the CF airway on P. aeruginosa phenotypes that persist during chronic infection. Understanding these adaptive changes may ultimately provide clinicians better control over bacterial populations during chronic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey E. Hofstaedter
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Courtney E. Chandler
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Charles M. Met
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph J. Gillespie
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Janette M. Harro
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David R. Goodlett
- Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - David A. Rasko
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Pathogen Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert K. Ernst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Pathogen Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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13
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Vanderwoude J, Azimi S, Read TD, Diggle SP. The role of hypermutation and collateral sensitivity in antimicrobial resistance diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations in cystic fibrosis lung infection. mBio 2024; 15:e0310923. [PMID: 38171021 PMCID: PMC10865868 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03109-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen which causes chronic, drug-resistant lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In this study, we explore the role of genomic diversification and evolutionary trade-offs in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) diversity within P. aeruginosa populations sourced from CF lung infections. We analyzed 300 clinical isolates from four CF patients (75 per patient) and found that genomic diversity is not a consistent indicator of phenotypic AMR diversity. Remarkably, some genetically less diverse populations showed AMR diversity comparable to those with significantly more genetic variation. We also observed that hypermutator strains frequently exhibited increased sensitivity to antimicrobials, contradicting expectations from their treatment histories. Investigating potential evolutionary trade-offs, we found no substantial evidence of collateral sensitivity among aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, or fluoroquinolone antibiotics, nor did we observe trade-offs between AMR and growth in conditions mimicking CF sputum. Our findings suggest that (i) genomic diversity is not a prerequisite for phenotypic AMR diversity, (ii) hypermutator populations may develop increased antimicrobial sensitivity under selection pressure, (iii) collateral sensitivity is not a prominent feature in CF strains, and (iv) resistance to a single antibiotic does not necessarily lead to significant fitness costs. These insights challenge prevailing assumptions about AMR evolution in chronic infections, emphasizing the complexity of bacterial adaptation during infection.IMPORTANCEUpon infection in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung, Pseudomonas aeruginosa rapidly acquires genetic mutations, especially in genes involved in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), often resulting in diverse, treatment-resistant populations. However, the role of bacterial population diversity within the context of chronic infection is still poorly understood. In this study, we found that hypermutator strains of P. aeruginosa in the CF lung undergoing treatment with tobramycin evolved increased sensitivity to tobramycin relative to non-hypermutators within the same population. This finding suggests that antimicrobial treatment may only exert weak selection pressure on P. aeruginosa populations in the CF lung. We further found no evidence for collateral sensitivity in these clinical populations, suggesting that collateral sensitivity may not be a robust, naturally occurring phenomenon for this microbe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelly Vanderwoude
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sheyda Azimi
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Timothy D. Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stephen P. Diggle
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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14
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Mould DL, Finger CE, Conaway A, Botelho N, Stuut SE, Hogan DA. Citrate cross-feeding by Pseudomonas aeruginosa supports lasR mutant fitness. mBio 2024; 15:e0127823. [PMID: 38259061 PMCID: PMC10865840 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01278-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cross-feeding of metabolites between subpopulations can affect cell phenotypes and population-level behaviors. In chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections, subpopulations with loss-of-function (LOF) mutations in the lasR gene are common. LasR, a transcription factor often described for its role in virulence factor expression, also impacts metabolism, which, in turn, affects interactions between LasR+ and LasR- genotypes. Prior transcriptomic analyses suggested that citrate, a metabolite secreted by many cell types, induces virulence factor production when both genotypes are together. An unbiased analysis of the intracellular metabolome revealed broad differences including higher levels of citrate in lasR LOF mutants. Citrate consumption by LasR- strains required the CbrAB two-component system, which relieves carbon catabolite repression and is elevated in lasR LOF mutants. Within mixed communities, the citrate-responsive two-component system TctED and its gene targets OpdH (porin) and TctABC (citrate transporter) that are predicted to be under catabolite repression control were induced and required for enhanced RhlR/I-dependent signaling, pyocyanin production, and fitness of LasR- strains. Citrate uptake by LasR- strains markedly increased pyocyanin production in co-culture with Staphylococcus aureus, which also secretes citrate and frequently co-infects with P. aeruginosa. This citrate-induced restoration of virulence factor production by LasR- strains in communities with diverse species or genotypes may offer an explanation for the contrast observed between the markedly deficient virulence factor production of LasR- strains in monocultures and their association with the most severe forms of cystic fibrosis lung infections. These studies highlight the impact of secreted metabolites in mixed microbial communities.IMPORTANCECross-feeding of metabolites can change community composition, structure, and function. Here, we unravel a cross-feeding mechanism between frequently co-observed isolate genotypes in chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections. We illustrate an example of how clonally derived diversity in a microbial communication system enables intra- and inter-species cross-feeding. Citrate, a metabolite released by many cells including P. aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, was differentially consumed between genotypes. Since these two pathogens frequently co-occur in the most severe cystic fibrosis lung infections, the cross-feeding-induced virulence factor expression and fitness described here between diverse genotypes exemplify how co-occurrence can facilitate the development of worse disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dallas L. Mould
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Carson E. Finger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Amy Conaway
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Nico Botelho
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Stacie E. Stuut
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Deborah A. Hogan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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15
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Yang X, Zeng Q, Gou S, Wu Y, Ma X, Zou H, Zhao K. Phenotypic heterogeneity unveils a negative correlation between antibiotic resistance and quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1327675. [PMID: 38410387 PMCID: PMC10895058 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1327675] [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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Colonization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the lung environments frequently leads to the enrichment of strains displaying enhanced antibiotic resistance and reduced production of quorum-sensing (QS) controlled products. However, the relationship between the emergence of QS deficient variants and antibiotic resistance remains less understood. In this study, 67 P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from the lungs of 14 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, followed by determining their genetic relationship, QS-related phenotypes and resistance to commonly used antibiotics. The integrity of P. aeruginosa QS system was checked by DNA sequencing. The relationship between the QS system and antibiotic resistance was then assessed by correlation analyses. The function of the LasR protein and bacterial virulence were evaluated through homology modeling and nematode-infection assay. The influence of antibiotic on the development of extracellular protease production ability of P. aeruginosa was tested by an evolutionary experiment. The results showed that P. aeruginosa clinical strains displayed abundant diversity in phenotype and genotype. The production of extracellular proteases was significantly negatively correlated with antibiotic resistance. The strains with enhanced antibiotic resistance also showed a notable overlap with the mutation of lasR gene, which is the core regulatory gene of P. aeruginosa QS system. Molecular docking and Caenorhabditis elegans infection assays further suggested that P. aeruginosa with impaired LasR protein could also have varying pathogenicity. Moreover, in vitro evolution experiments demonstrated that antibiotic-mediated selective pressure, particularly from Levofloxacin contributed to the emergence of extracellular protease-negative strains. Therefore, this study provides evidence for the connection of P. aeruginosa QS system and antibiotic resistance, and holds significance for developing targeted strategies to address antibiotic resistance and improving the management of antibiotic-resistant infections in chronic respiratory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiting Yang
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianglin Zeng
- Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shiyi Gou
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoling Ma
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hang Zou
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Kelei Zhao
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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16
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Deery J, Carmody M, Flavin R, Tomanek M, O'Keeffe M, McGlacken GP, Reen FJ. Comparative genomics reveals distinct diversification patterns among LysR-type transcriptional regulators in the ESKAPE pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001205. [PMID: 38421269 PMCID: PMC10926688 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001205] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a harmful nosocomial pathogen associated with cystic fibrosis and burn wounds, encodes for a large number of LysR-type transcriptional regulator proteins. To understand how and why LTTR proteins evolved with such frequency and to establish whether any relationships exist within the distribution we set out to identify the patterns underpinning LTTR distribution in P. aeruginosa and to uncover cluster-based relationships within the pangenome. Comparative genomic studies revealed that in the JGI IMG database alone ~86 000 LTTRs are present across the sequenced genomes (n=699). They are widely distributed across the species, with core LTTRs present in >93 % of the genomes and accessory LTTRs present in <7 %. Analysis showed that subsets of core LTTRs can be classified as either variable (typically specific to P. aeruginosa) or conserved (and found to be distributed in other Pseudomonas species). Extending the analysis to the more extensive Pseudomonas database, PA14 rooted analysis confirmed the diversification patterns and revealed PqsR, the receptor for the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) and 2-heptyl-4-quinolone (HHQ) quorum-sensing signals, to be amongst the most variable in the dataset. Successful complementation of the PAO1 pqsR - mutant using representative variant pqsR sequences suggests a degree of structural promiscuity within the most variable of LTTRs, several of which play a prominent role in signalling and communication. These findings provide a new insight into the diversification of LTTR proteins within the P. aeruginosa species and suggests a functional significance to the cluster, conservation and distribution patterns identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Deery
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Muireann Carmody
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Chemistry, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Rhiannon Flavin
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Malwina Tomanek
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Maria O'Keeffe
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard P. McGlacken
- School of Chemistry, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - F. Jerry Reen
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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17
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Espaillat A, Colque CA, Rago D, La Rosa R, Molin S, Johansen HK. Adaptive Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Human Airways Shows Phenotypic Convergence Despite Diverse Patterns of Genomic Changes. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae022. [PMID: 38366124 PMCID: PMC10883414 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae022] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Selective forces in the environment drive bacterial adaptation to novel niches, choosing the fitter variants in the population. However, in dynamic and changing environments, the evolutionary processes controlling bacterial adaptation are difficult to monitor. Here, we follow 9 people with cystic fibrosis chronically infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as a proxy for bacterial adaptation. We identify and describe the bacterial changes and evolution occurring between 15 and 35 yr of within-host evolution. We combine whole-genome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and metabolomics and compare the evolutionary trajectories directed by the adaptation of 4 different P. aeruginosa lineages to the lung. Our data suggest divergent evolution at the genomic level for most of the genes, with signs of convergent evolution with respect to the acquisition of mutations in regulatory genes, which drive the transcriptional and metabolomic program at late time of evolution. Metabolomics further confirmed convergent adaptive phenotypic evolution as documented by the reduction of the quorum-sensing molecules acyl-homoserine lactone, phenazines, and rhamnolipids (except for quinolones). The modulation of the quorum-sensing repertoire suggests that similar selective forces characterize at late times of evolution independent of the patient. Collectively, our data suggest that similar environments and similar P. aeruginosa populations in the patients at prolonged time of infection are associated with an overall reduction of virulence-associated features and phenotypic convergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akbar Espaillat
- Department of Clinical Microbiology 9301, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| | | | - Daniela Rago
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Ruggero La Rosa
- Department of Clinical Microbiology 9301, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Søren Molin
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Helle Krogh Johansen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology 9301, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
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18
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Jensen PØ, Olsen P, Dungu AM, Egelund GB, Jensen AV, Ravn P, Lindegaard B, Hertz FB, Bjarnsholt T, Faurholt-Jepsen D, Kolpen M. Bacterial aerobic respiration is a major consumer of oxygen in sputum from patients with acute lower respiratory tract infection. APMIS 2024. [PMID: 38284501 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial aerobic respiration may determine the outcome of antibiotic treatment in experimental settings, but the clinical relevance of bacterial aerobic respiration for the outcome of antibiotic treatment has not been tested. Therefore, we hypothesized that bacterial aerobic respiration is higher in sputum from patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections (aLRTI), than in sputum from patients with chronic LRTI (cLRTI), where the bacteria persist despite antibiotic treatment. The bacterial aerobic respiration was determined according to the dynamics of the oxygen (O2 ) concentration in sputum from aLRTI patients (n = 52). This result was evaluated by comparison to previously published data from patients with cLRTI. O2 consumption resulting in anoxic zones was more frequent in sputum with detected bacterial pathogens. The bacterial aerobic respiration in aLRTI sputum approximated 55% of the total O2 consumption, which was significantly higher than previously published for cLRTI. The bacterial aerobic respiration in sputum was higher in aLRTI patients than previously seen in cLRTI patients, indicating the presence of bacteria with a sensitive physiology in aLRTI. These variations in bacterial physiology between aLRTI patients and cLRTI patients may contribute the huge difference in treatment success between the two patient groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Østrup Jensen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute for Inflammation Research, Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pernille Olsen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Arnold Matovu Dungu
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark
| | - Gertrud Baunbaek Egelund
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark
| | - Andreas Vestergaard Jensen
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark
| | - Pernille Ravn
- Department of Medicine Section for Infectious Diseases, Herlev- Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Birgitte Lindegaard
- Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark
| | | | - Thomas Bjarnsholt
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Mette Kolpen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Dekker JP. Within-Host Evolution of Bacterial Pathogens in Acute and Chronic Infection. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY 2024; 19:203-226. [PMID: 37832940 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-051122-111408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens undergo remarkable adaptive change in response to the selective forces they encounter during host colonization and infection. Studies performed over the past few decades have demonstrated that many general evolutionary processes can be discerned during the course of host adaptation, including genetic diversification of lineages, clonal succession events, convergent evolution, and balanced fitness trade-offs. In some cases, elevated mutation rates resulting from mismatch repair or proofreading deficiencies accelerate evolution, and active mobile genetic elements or phages may facilitate genome plasticity. The host immune response provides another critical component of the fitness landscapes guiding adaptation, and selection operating on pathogens at this level may lead to immune evasion and the establishment of chronic infection. This review summarizes recent advances in this field, with a special focus on different forms of bacterial genome plasticity in the context of infection, and considers clinical consequences of adaptive changes for the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Dekker
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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20
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Nozick SH, Ozer EA, Medernach R, Kochan TJ, Kumar R, Mills JO, Wunderlink RG, Qi C, Hauser AR. Phenotypes of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa hypermutator lineage that emerged during prolonged mechanical ventilation in a patient without cystic fibrosis. mSystems 2024; 9:e0048423. [PMID: 38132670 PMCID: PMC10804958 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00484-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypermutator lineages of Pseudomonas aeruginosa arise frequently during the years of airway infection experienced by patients with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis but are rare in the absence of chronic infection and structural lung disease. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, large numbers of patients have remained mechanically ventilated for extended periods of time. These patients are prone to acquire bacterial pathogens that persist for many weeks and have the opportunity to evolve within the pulmonary environment. However, little is known about what types of adaptations occur in these bacteria and whether these adaptations mimic those observed in chronic infections. We describe a COVID-19 patient with a secondary P. aeruginosa lung infection in whom the causative bacterium persisted for >50 days. Over the course of this infection, a hypermutator lineage of P. aeruginosa emerged and co-existed with a non-hypermutator lineage. Compared to the parental lineage, the hypermutator lineage evolved to be less cytotoxic and less virulent. Genomic analyses of the hypermutator lineage identified numerous mutations, including in the mismatch repair gene mutL and other genes frequently mutated in individuals with cystic fibrosis. Together, these findings demonstrate that hypermutator lineages can emerge when P. aeruginosa persists following acute infections such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and that these lineages have the potential to affect patient outcomes.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa may evolve to accumulate large numbers of mutations in the context of chronic infections such as those that occur in individuals with cystic fibrosis. However, these "hypermutator" lineages are rare following acute infections. Here, we describe a non-cystic fibrosis patient with COVID-19 pneumonia who remained mechanically ventilated for months. The patient became infected with a strain of P. aeruginosa that evolved to become a hypermutator. We demonstrate that hypermutation led to changes in cytotoxicity and virulence. These findings are important because they demonstrate that P. aeruginosa hypermutators can emerge following acute infections and that they have the potential to affect patient outcomes in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia H. Nozick
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Egon A. Ozer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Robert J. Havey Institute for Global Health, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Rachel Medernach
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Travis J. Kochan
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Rebecca Kumar
- />Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jori O. Mills
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Richard G. Wunderlink
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Chao Qi
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alan R. Hauser
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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21
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Grote A, Piscon B, Manson AL, Adani B, Cohen H, Livny J, Earl AM, Gal-Mor O. Persistent Salmonella infections in humans are associated with mutations in the BarA/SirA regulatory pathway. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:79-92.e7. [PMID: 38211565 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.12.001] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Several bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella enterica, can cause persistent infections in humans by mechanisms that are poorly understood. By comparing genomes of isolates longitudinally collected from 256 prolonged salmonellosis patients, we identified repeated mutations in global regulators, including the barA/sirA two-component regulatory system, across multiple patients and Salmonella serovars. Comparative RNA-seq analysis revealed that distinct mutations in barA/sirA led to diminished expression of Salmonella pathogenicity islands 1 and 4 genes, which are required for Salmonella invasion and enteritis. Moreover, barA/sirA mutants were attenuated in an acute salmonellosis mouse model and induced weaker transcription of host immune responses. In contrast, in a persistent infection mouse model, these mutants exhibited long-term colonization and prolonged shedding. Taken together, these findings suggest that selection of mutations in global virulence regulators facilitates persistent Salmonella infection in humans, by attenuating Salmonella virulence and inducing a weaker host inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Grote
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Bar Piscon
- Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Abigail L Manson
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Boaz Adani
- Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Helit Cohen
- Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Jonathan Livny
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Ashlee M Earl
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Ohad Gal-Mor
- Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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22
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Ruhluel D, Fisher L, Barton TE, Leighton H, Kumar S, Amores Morillo P, O’Brien S, Fothergill JL, Neill DR. Secondary messenger signalling influences Pseudomonas aeruginosa adaptation to sinus and lung environments. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae065. [PMID: 38647527 PMCID: PMC11102083 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a cause of chronic respiratory tract infections in people with cystic fibrosis (CF), non-CF bronchiectasis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Prolonged infection allows the accumulation of mutations and horizontal gene transfer, increasing the likelihood of adaptive phenotypic traits. Adaptation is proposed to arise first in bacterial populations colonizing upper airway environments. Here, we model this process using an experimental evolution approach. Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, which is not airway adapted, was serially passaged, separately, in media chemically reflective of upper or lower airway environments. To explore whether the CF environment selects for unique traits, we separately passaged PAO1 in airway-mimicking media with or without CF-specific factors. Our findings demonstrated that all airway environments-sinus and lungs, under CF and non-CF conditions-selected for loss of twitching motility, increased resistance to multiple antibiotic classes, and a hyper-biofilm phenotype. These traits conferred increased airway colonization potential in an in vivo model. CF-like conditions exerted stronger selective pressures, leading to emergence of more pronounced phenotypes. Loss of twitching was associated with mutations in type IV pili genes. Type IV pili mediate surface attachment, twitching, and induction of cAMP signalling. We additionally identified multiple evolutionary routes to increased biofilm formation involving regulation of cyclic-di-GMP signalling. These included the loss of function mutations in bifA and dipA phosphodiesterase genes and activating mutations in the siaA phosphatase. These data highlight that airway environments select for traits associated with sessile lifestyles and suggest upper airway niches support emergence of phenotypes that promote establishment of lung infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilem Ruhluel
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Ronald Ross Building, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Lewis Fisher
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas E Barton
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Hollie Leighton
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Ronald Ross Building, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Sumit Kumar
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Paula Amores Morillo
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Ronald Ross Building, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Siobhan O’Brien
- Department of Microbiology, Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, 2, Ireland
| | - Joanne L Fothergill
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Ronald Ross Building, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel R Neill
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
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23
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Bottery MJ, Johansen HK, Pitchford JW, Friman VP. Co-occurring microflora and mucin drive Pseudomonas aeruginosa diversification and pathoadaptation. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae043. [PMID: 38707844 PMCID: PMC11067959 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
While several environmental factors contribute to the evolutionary diversification of the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa during cystic fibrosis lung infections, relatively little is known about the impact of the surrounding microbiota. By using in vitro experimental evolution, we show that the presence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Staphylococcus aureus, or them both, prevent the evolution of loss of virulence, which repeatedly occurs in the absence of these species due to mutations in regulators of the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal quorum sensing system, vqsM and pqsR. Moreover, the strength of the effect of co-occurring species is attenuated through changes in the physical environment by the addition of mucin, resulting in selection for phenotypes resembling those evolved in the absence of the co-occurring species. Together, our findings show that variation in mucosal environment and the surrounding polymicrobial environment can determine the evolutionary trajectory of P. aeruginosa, partly explaining its diversification and pathoadaptation from acute to chronic phenotype during cystic fibrosis lung infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Bottery
- Division of Evolution Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Helle Krogh Johansen
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen 9301, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Jon W Pitchford
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Ville-Petri Friman
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
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24
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Mostacci N, Wüthrich TM, Siegwald L, Kieser S, Steinberg R, Sakwinska O, Latzin P, Korten I, Hilty M. Informed interpretation of metagenomic data by StrainPhlAn enables strain retention analyses of the upper airway microbiome. mSystems 2023; 8:e0072423. [PMID: 37916972 PMCID: PMC10734448 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00724-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The usage of 16S rRNA gene sequencing has become the state-of-the-art method for the characterization of the microbiota in health and respiratory disease. The method is reliable for low biomass samples due to prior amplification of the 16S rRNA gene but has limitations as species and certainly strain identification is not possible. However, the usage of metagenomic tools for the analyses of microbiome data from low biomass samples is not straight forward, and careful optimization is needed. In this work, we show that by validating StrainPhlAn 3 results with the data from bacterial cultures, the strain-level tracking of the respiratory microbiome is feasible despite the high content of host DNA being present when parameters are carefully optimized to fit low biomass microbiomes. This work further proposes that strain retention analyses are feasible, at least for more abundant species. This will help to better understand the longitudinal dynamics of the upper respiratory microbiome during health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Mostacci
- Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tsering Monika Wüthrich
- Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Biomedical Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Léa Siegwald
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Silas Kieser
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ruth Steinberg
- Graduate School for Biomedical Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Olga Sakwinska
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Latzin
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Insa Korten
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Markus Hilty
- Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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25
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Srinivasan A, Sajeevan A, Rajaramon S, David H, Solomon AP. Solving polymicrobial puzzles: evolutionary dynamics and future directions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1295063. [PMID: 38145044 PMCID: PMC10748482 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1295063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Polymicrobial infections include various microorganisms, often necessitating different treatment methods than a monomicrobial infection. Scientists have been puzzled by the complex interactions within these communities for generations. The presence of specific microorganisms warrants a chronic infection and impacts crucial factors such as virulence and antibiotic susceptibility. Game theory is valuable for scenarios involving multiple decision-makers, but its relevance to polymicrobial infections is limited. Eco-evolutionary dynamics introduce causation for multiple proteomic interactions like metabolic syntropy and niche segregation. The review culminates both these giants to form evolutionary dynamics (ED). There is a significant amount of literature on inter-bacterial interactions that remain unsynchronised. Such raw data can only be moulded by analysing the ED involved. The review culminates the inter-bacterial interactions in multiple clinically relevant polymicrobial infections like chronic wounds, CAUTI, otitis media and dental carries. The data is further moulded with ED to analyse the niche colonisation of two notoriously competitive bacteria: S.aureus and P.aeruginosa. The review attempts to develop a future trajectory for polymicrobial research by following recent innovative strategies incorporating ED to curb polymicrobial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Adline Princy Solomon
- Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, India
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26
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Crow J, Geng H, Schultz D. Short-term evolution of antibiotic responses in highly dynamic environments favors loss of regulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569327. [PMID: 38076825 PMCID: PMC10705423 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569327] [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: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Microbes inhabit natural environments that are remarkably dynamic, with sudden environmental shifts that require immediate action by the cell. To cope with changing environments, microbes are equipped with regulated response mechanisms that are only activated when needed. However, when exposed to extreme environments such as clinical antibiotic treatments, complete loss of regulation is frequently observed. Although recent studies suggest that the initial evolution of microbes in new environments tends to favor mutations in regulatory pathways, it is not clear how this evolution is affected by how quickly conditions change (i.e. dynamics), or which mechanisms are commonly used to implement new regulation. Here, we perform experimental evolution on continuous cultures of E. coli carrying the tetracycline resistance tet operon to identify specific types of mutations that adapt drug responses to different dynamical regimens of drug administration. When cultures are evolved under gradually increasing tetracycline concentrations, we observe no mutations in the tet operon, but a predominance of fine-tuning mutations increasing the affinity of alternative efflux pump AcrB to tetracycline. When cultures are instead periodically exposed to large drug doses, all populations developed transposon insertions in repressor TetR, resulting in loss of regulation of efflux pump TetA. We use a mathematical model of the dynamics of antibiotic responses to show that sudden exposure to large drug concentrations can overwhelm regulated responses, which cannot induce resistance fast enough, resulting in fitness advantage for constitutive expression of resistance. These results help explain the loss of regulation of antibiotic resistance by opportunistic pathogens evolving in clinical environments. Our experiment supports the notion that initial evolution in new ecological niches proceeds largely through regulatory mutations and suggests that transposon insertions are a main mechanism driving this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Crow
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dartmouth – Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Hao Geng
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dartmouth – Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Daniel Schultz
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dartmouth – Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH, USA
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27
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Hibbert TM, Whiteley M, Renshaw SA, Neill DR, Fothergill JL. Emerging strategies to target virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infections. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37999716 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2285995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that is responsible for infections in people living with chronic respiratory conditions, such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB). Traditionally, in people with chronic respiratory disorders, P. aeruginosa infection has been managed with a combination of inhaled and intravenous antibiotic therapies. However, due in part to the prolonged use of antibiotics in these people, the emergence of multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa strains is a growing concern. The development of anti-virulence therapeutics may provide a new means of treating P. aeruginosa lung infections whilst also combatting the AMR crisis, as these agents are presumed to exert reduced pressure for the emergence of drug resistance as compared to antibiotics. However, the pipeline for developing anti-virulence therapeutics is poorly defined, and it is currently unclear as to whether in vivo and in vitro models effectively replicate the complex pulmonary environment sufficiently to enable development and testing of such therapies for future clinical use. Here, we discuss potential targets for P. aeruginosa anti-virulence therapeutics and the effectiveness of the current models used to study them. Focus is given to the difficulty of replicating the virulence gene expression patterns of P. aeruginosa in the CF and NCFB lung under laboratory conditions and to the challenges this poses for anti-virulence therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tegan M Hibbert
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Marvin Whiteley
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Centre for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stephen A Renshaw
- The Bateson Centre and Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Daniel R Neill
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Joanne L Fothergill
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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28
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Vanderwoude J, Azimi S, Read TD, Diggle SP. The Role of Hypermutation and Collateral Sensitivity in Antimicrobial Resistance Diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Populations in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.14.544983. [PMID: 37398156 PMCID: PMC10312765 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.14.544983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen which causes chronic, drug-resistant lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In this study, we explore the role of genomic diversification and evolutionary trade-offs in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) diversity within P. aeruginosa populations sourced from CF lung infections. We analyzed 300 clinical isolates from four CF patients (75 per patient), and found that genomic diversity is not a consistent indicator of phenotypic AMR diversity. Remarkably, some genetically less diverse populations showed AMR diversity comparable to those with significantly more genetic variation. We also observed that hypermutator strains frequently exhibited increased sensitivity to antimicrobials, contradicting expectations from their treatment histories. Investigating potential evolutionary trade-offs, we found no substantial evidence of collateral sensitivity among aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, or fluoroquinolone antibiotics, nor did we observe trade-offs between AMR and growth in conditions mimicking CF sputum. Our findings suggest that (i) genomic diversity is not a prerequisite for phenotypic AMR diversity; (ii) hypermutator populations may develop increased antimicrobial sensitivity under selection pressure; (iii) collateral sensitivity is not a prominent feature in CF strains, and (iv) resistance to a single antibiotic does not necessarily lead to significant fitness costs. These insights challenge prevailing assumptions about AMR evolution in chronic infections, emphasizing the complexity of bacterial adaptation during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelly Vanderwoude
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sheyda Azimi
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Timothy D. Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stephen P. Diggle
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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29
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Fujita H, Ushio M, Suzuki K, Abe MS, Yamamichi M, Okazaki Y, Canarini A, Hayashi I, Fukushima K, Fukuda S, Kiers ET, Toju H. Metagenomic analysis of ecological niche overlap and community collapse in microbiome dynamics. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1261137. [PMID: 38033594 PMCID: PMC10684785 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1261137] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Species utilizing the same resources often fail to coexist for extended periods of time. Such competitive exclusion mechanisms potentially underly microbiome dynamics, causing breakdowns of communities composed of species with similar genetic backgrounds of resource utilization. Although genes responsible for competitive exclusion among a small number of species have been investigated in pioneering studies, it remains a major challenge to integrate genomics and ecology for understanding stable coexistence in species-rich communities. Here, we examine whether community-scale analyses of functional gene redundancy can provide a useful platform for interpreting and predicting collapse of bacterial communities. Through 110-day time-series of experimental microbiome dynamics, we analyzed the metagenome-assembled genomes of co-occurring bacterial species. We then inferred ecological niche space based on the multivariate analysis of the genome compositions. The analysis allowed us to evaluate potential shifts in the level of niche overlap between species through time. We hypothesized that community-scale pressure of competitive exclusion could be evaluated by quantifying overlap of genetically determined resource-use profiles (metabolic pathway profiles) among coexisting species. We found that the degree of community compositional changes observed in the experimental microbiome was correlated with the magnitude of gene-repertoire overlaps among bacterial species, although the causation between the two variables deserves future extensive research. The metagenome-based analysis of genetic potential for competitive exclusion will help us forecast major events in microbiome dynamics such as sudden community collapse (i.e., dysbiosis).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Fujita
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Masayuki Ushio
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
- Department of Ocean Science (OCES), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kenta Suzuki
- Integrated Bioresource Information Division, BioResource Research Center, RIKEN, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Masato S. Abe
- Faculty of Culture and Information Science, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masato Yamamichi
- Center for Frontier Research, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
- Department of International Health and Medical Anthropology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yusuke Okazaki
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Alberto Canarini
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Ibuki Hayashi
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Keitaro Fukushima
- Faculty of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Shinji Fukuda
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Gut Environmental Design Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
- Transborder Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Laboratory for Regenerative Microbiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - E. Toby Kiers
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hirokazu Toju
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
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30
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Gheorghita AA, Wozniak DJ, Parsek MR, Howell PL. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm exopolysaccharides: assembly, function, and degradation. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad060. [PMID: 37884397 PMCID: PMC10644985 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The biofilm matrix is a fortress; sheltering bacteria in a protective and nourishing barrier that allows for growth and adaptation to various surroundings. A variety of different components are found within the matrix including water, lipids, proteins, extracellular DNA, RNA, membrane vesicles, phages, and exopolysaccharides. As part of its biofilm matrix, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is genetically capable of producing three chemically distinct exopolysaccharides - alginate, Pel, and Psl - each of which has a distinct role in biofilm formation and immune evasion during infection. The polymers are produced by highly conserved mechanisms of secretion, involving many proteins that span both the inner and outer bacterial membranes. Experimentally determined structures, predictive modelling of proteins whose structures are yet to be solved, and structural homology comparisons give us insight into the molecular mechanisms of these secretion systems, from polymer synthesis to modification and export. Here, we review recent advances that enhance our understanding of P. aeruginosa multiprotein exopolysaccharide biosynthetic complexes, and how the glycoside hydrolases/lyases within these systems have been commandeered for antimicrobial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea A Gheorghita
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Medical Science Building, 1 King's College Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Daniel J Wozniak
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 776 Biomedical Research Tower, 460 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University College, Biological Sciences Bldg, 105, 484 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Matthew R Parsek
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Health Sciences Bldg, 1705 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195-7735, United States
| | - P Lynne Howell
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Medical Science Building, 1 King's College Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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Sastre-Femenia MÀ, Fernández-Muñoz A, Gomis-Font MA, Taltavull B, López-Causapé C, Arca-Suárez J, Martínez-Martínez L, Cantón R, Larrosa N, Oteo-Iglesias J, Zamorano L, Oliver A. Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibiotic susceptibility profiles, genomic epidemiology and resistance mechanisms: a nation-wide five-year time lapse analysis. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2023; 34:100736. [PMID: 37753216 PMCID: PMC10518487 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa healthcare-associated infections are one of the top antimicrobial resistance threats world-wide. In order to analyze the current trends, we performed a Spanish nation-wide high-resolution analysis of the susceptibility profiles, the genomic epidemiology and the resistome of P. aeruginosa over a five-year time lapse. Methods A total of 3.180 nonduplicated P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from two Spanish nation-wide surveys performed in October 2017 and 2022 were analyzed. MICs of 13 antipseudomonals were determined by ISO-EUCAST. Multidrug resistance (MDR)/extensively drug resistance (XDR)/difficult to treat resistance (DTR)/pandrug resistance (PDR) profiles were defined following established criteria. All XDR/DTR isolates were subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS). Findings A decrease in resistance to all tested antibiotics, including older and newer antimicrobials, was observed in 2022 vs 2017. Likewise, a major reduction of XDR (15.2% vs 5.9%) and DTR (4.2 vs 2.1%) profiles was evidenced, and even more patent among ICU isolates [XDR (26.0% vs 6.0%) and DTR (8.9% vs 2.6%)] (p < 0.001). The prevalence of Extended-spectrum β-lactamase/carbapenemase production was slightly lower in 2022 (2.1%. vs 3.1%, p = 0.064). However, there was a significant increase in the proportion of carbapenemase production among carbapenem-resistant strains (29.4% vs 18.1%, p = 0.0246). While ST175 was still the most frequent clone among XDR, a slight reduction in its prevalence was noted (35.9% vs 45.5%, p = 0.106) as opposed to ST235 which increased significantly (24.3% vs 12.3%, p = 0.0062). Interpretation While the generalized decrease in P. aeruginosa resistance, linked to a major reduction in the prevalence of XDR strains, is encouraging, the negative counterpart is the increase in the proportion of XDR strains producing carbapenemases, associated to the significant advance of the concerning world-wide disseminated hypervirulent high-risk clone ST235. Continued high-resolution surveillance, integrating phenotypic and genomic data, is necessary for understanding resistance trends and analyzing the impact of national plans on antimicrobial resistance. Funding MSD and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea-NextGenerationEU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Àngel Sastre-Femenia
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), CIBERINFEC, Palma de Mallorca, España
| | - Almudena Fernández-Muñoz
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), CIBERINFEC, Palma de Mallorca, España
| | - María Antonia Gomis-Font
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), CIBERINFEC, Palma de Mallorca, España
| | - Biel Taltavull
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), CIBERINFEC, Palma de Mallorca, España
| | - Carla López-Causapé
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), CIBERINFEC, Palma de Mallorca, España
| | - Jorge Arca-Suárez
- Servicio de Microbiología, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, Instituto Investigación Biomédica A Coruña (INIBIC), CIBERINFEC, A Coruña, España
| | - Luis Martínez-Martínez
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Departamento de Química Agrícola, Edafología y Microbiología, Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), CIBERINFEC, Córdoba, España
| | - Rafael Cantón
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal- IRYCIS, CIBERINFEC, Madrid, España
| | - Nieves Larrosa
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Vall d`Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CIBERINFEC, Barcelona, España
| | - Jesús Oteo-Iglesias
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España
| | - Laura Zamorano
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), CIBERINFEC, Palma de Mallorca, España
| | - Antonio Oliver
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), CIBERINFEC, Palma de Mallorca, España
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Raghuram V, Gunoskey JJ, Hofstetter KS, Jacko NF, Shumaker MJ, Hu YJ, Read TD, David MZ. Comparison of genomic diversity between single and pooled Staphylococcus aureus colonies isolated from human colonization cultures. Microb Genom 2023; 9:001111. [PMID: 37934072 PMCID: PMC10711313 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001111] [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: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The most common approach to sampling the bacterial populations within an infected or colonized host is to sequence genomes from a single colony obtained from a culture plate. However, it is recognized that this method does not capture the genetic diversity in the population. Sequencing a mixture of several colonies (pool-seq) is a better approach to detect population heterogeneity, but it is more complex to analyse due to different types of heterogeneity, such as within-clone polymorphisms, multi-strain mixtures, multi-species mixtures and contamination. Here, we compared 8 single-colony isolates (singles) and pool-seq on a set of 2286 Staphylococcus aureus culture samples to identify features that can distinguish pure samples, samples undergoing intraclonal variation and mixed strain samples. The samples were obtained by swabbing 3 body sites on 85 human participants quarterly for a year, who initially presented with a methicillin-resistant S. aureus skin and soft-tissue infection (SSTI). We compared parameters such as sequence quality, contamination, allele frequency, nucleotide diversity and pangenome diversity in each pool to those for the corresponding singles. Comparing singles from the same culture plate, we found that 18% of sample collections contained mixtures of multiple multilocus sequence types (MLSTs or STs). We showed that pool-seq data alone could predict the presence of multi-ST populations with 95% accuracy. We also showed that pool-seq could be used to estimate the number of intra-clonal polymorphic sites in the population. Additionally, we found that the pool may contain clinically relevant genes such as antimicrobial resistance markers that may be missed when only examining singles. These results highlight the potential advantage of analysing genome sequences of total populations obtained from clinical cultures rather than single colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Raghuram
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jessica J. Gunoskey
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Katrina S. Hofstetter
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Natasia F. Jacko
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Margot J. Shumaker
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Yi-Juan Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Timothy D. Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael Z. David
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
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Pérez-Vázquez M, López-Causapé C, Corral-Lugo A, McConnell MJ, Oteo-Iglesias J, Oliver A, Martín-Galiano AJ. Mutation Analysis in Regulator DNA-Binding Regions for Antimicrobial Efflux Pumps in 17,000 Pseudomonas aeruginosa Genomes. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2486. [PMID: 37894144 PMCID: PMC10609311 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations leading to upregulation of efflux pumps can produce multiple drug resistance in the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Changes in their DNA binding regions, i.e., palindromic operators, can compromise pump depression and subsequently enhance resistance against several antibacterials and biocides. Here, we have identified (pseudo)palindromic repeats close to promoters of genes encoding 13 core drug-efflux pumps of P. aeruginosa. This framework was applied to detect mutations in these repeats in 17,292 genomes. Eighty-nine percent of isolates carried at least one mutation. Eight binary genetic properties potentially related to expression were calculated for mutations. These included palindromicity reduction, mutation type, positioning within the repeat and DNA-bending shift. High-risk ST298, ST308 and ST357 clones commonly carried four conserved mutations while ST175 and the cystic fibrosis-linked ST649 clones showed none. Remarkably, a T-to-C transition in the fourth position of the upstream repeat for mexEF-oprN was nearly exclusive of the high-risk ST111 clone. Other mutations were associated with high-risk sublineages using sample geotemporal metadata. Moreover, 1.5% of isolates carried five or more mutations suggesting they undergo an alternative program for regulation of their effluxome. Overall, P. aeruginosa shows a wide range of operator mutations with a potential effect on efflux pump expression and antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Pérez-Vázquez
- Reference and Research Laboratory for Antibiotic Resistance and Health Care Infections, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.P.-V.); (J.O.-I.)
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (C.L.-C.); (A.O.)
| | - Carla López-Causapé
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (C.L.-C.); (A.O.)
- Microbiology Department-Research Institute Biomedical Islas Baleares (IdISDBa), Hospital Son Espases, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Andrés Corral-Lugo
- Intrahospital Infections Unit, National Centre for Microbiology, ISCIII, Majadahonda, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Michael J. McConnell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA;
| | - Jesús Oteo-Iglesias
- Reference and Research Laboratory for Antibiotic Resistance and Health Care Infections, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.P.-V.); (J.O.-I.)
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (C.L.-C.); (A.O.)
| | - Antonio Oliver
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (C.L.-C.); (A.O.)
- Microbiology Department-Research Institute Biomedical Islas Baleares (IdISDBa), Hospital Son Espases, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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Zhao K, Yang X, Zeng Q, Zhang Y, Li H, Yan C, Li JS, Liu H, Du L, Wu Y, Huang G, Huang T, Zhang Y, Zhou H, Wang X, Chu Y, Zhou X. Evolution of lasR mutants in polymorphic Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations facilitates chronic infection of the lung. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5976. [PMID: 37749088 PMCID: PMC10519970 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41704-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic infection with the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa often leads to coexistence of heterogeneous populations carrying diverse mutations. In particular, loss-of-function mutations affecting the quorum-sensing regulator LasR are often found in bacteria isolated from patients with lung chronic infection and cystic fibrosis. Here, we study the evolutionary dynamics of polymorphic P. aeruginosa populations using isolates longitudinally collected from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We find that isolates deficient in production of different sharable extracellular products are sequentially selected in COPD airways, and lasR mutants appear to be selected first due to their quorum-sensing defects. Polymorphic populations including lasR mutants display survival advantages in animal models of infection and modulate immune responses. Our study sheds light on the multistage evolution of P. aeruginosa populations during their adaptation to host lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelei Zhao
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China.
| | - Xiting Yang
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Qianglin Zeng
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Yige Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Heyue Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, China
| | - Chaochao Yan
- Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Shirley Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Huan Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Liangming Du
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Gui Huang
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Huang
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Yamei Zhang
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinrong Wang
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiwen Chu
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China.
| | - Xikun Zhou
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China.
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Kenna DTD, Payne Z, Lee DA, Keane AM, Turton J, Zamarreño DV, Schaefer U, Hopkins KL, Meunier D, Dhillon R, Duckers J, Speight L, Turton JF. Investigating Pseudomonas aeruginosa population structure and frequency of cross-infection in UK cystic fibrosis clinics - a reference laboratory perspective. J Cyst Fibros 2023; 22:894-900. [PMID: 37271666 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcf.2023.05.017] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to describe the UK Pseudomonas aeruginosa population structure amongst people with cystic fibrosis (PWCF), and to examine evidence for cross-infection. METHODS Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) typing was performed on 4640 isolates from 2619 PWCF received from 55 hospital laboratories between 2017 and 2019. A combination of whole genome sequence (WGS)-based analysis of four clusters from one hospital, and epidemiological analysis of shared strains in twelve hospitals evaluated cross-infection. RESULTS Of 2619 PWCF, 1324 (51%) harboured common clusters or known transmissible strains, while 1295 carried unique strains/those shared among small numbers of patients. Of the former, 9.5% (250 patients) harboured the Liverpool epidemic strain (LES), followed in prevalence by clone C (7.8%; 205 patients), cluster A (5%;130 patients), and cluster D (3.6%; 94 patients). WGS analysis of 10 LES isolates, 9 of cluster D and 6 isolates each of cluster A and clone C from one hospital revealed LES formed the tightest cluster (between 7 and 205 SNPs), and cluster D the loosest (between 53 and 1531 SNPs). Hospital-specific shared strains were found in some centres, although cross-infection was largely historical, with few new acquisitions. Fifty-nine PWCF (2.3%) harboured "high-risk" clones; one ST235 isolate carried a blaIMP-1 allele. CONCLUSION Of 2619 PWCF who had P. aeruginosa isolates submitted for VNTR, 51% harboured either common clusters or known transmissible strains, of which LES was the most common. Limited evidence of recent patient-to-patient strain transmission was found, suggesting cross-infection prevention measures and surveillance effectively reduce transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dervla T D Kenna
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Unit-Reference Services, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK.
| | - Zoë Payne
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Unit-Reference Services, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - David A Lee
- Data and Analytics, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Ann-Marie Keane
- Data and Analytics, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Jack Turton
- HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU & Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Dania V Zamarreño
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Unit-Reference Services, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Ulf Schaefer
- Data and Analytics, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Katie L Hopkins
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Unit-Reference Services, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK; HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU & Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Danièle Meunier
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Unit-Reference Services, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK; HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU & Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Rishi Dhillon
- Public Health Wales Microbiology Cardiff, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK
| | - Jamie Duckers
- All Wales Adult CF Service, University Hospital Llandough, CF64 2XX, UK
| | - Lorraine Speight
- All Wales Adult CF Service, University Hospital Llandough, CF64 2XX, UK
| | - Jane F Turton
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Unit-Reference Services, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK; HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU & Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
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36
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Büttner H, Hörl J, Krabbe J, Hertweck C. Discovery and Biosynthesis of Anthrochelin, a Growth-Promoting Metallophore of the Human Pathogen Luteibacter anthropi. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300322. [PMID: 37191164 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300322] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Various human pathogens have emerged from environmental strains by adapting to higher growth temperatures and the ability to produce virulence factors. A remarkable example of a pathoadapted bacterium is found in the genus Luteibacter, which typically comprises harmless soil microbes, yet Luteibacter anthropi was isolated from the blood of a diseased child. Up until now, nothing has been known about the specialized metabolism of this pathogen. By comparative genome analyses we found that L. anthropi has a markedly higher biosynthetic potential than other bacteria of this genus and uniquely bears an NRPS gene locus tentatively coding for the biosynthesis of a metallophore. By metabolic profiling, stable isotope labeling, and NMR investigation of a gallium complex, we identified a new family of salicylate-derived nonribosomal peptides named anthrochelins A-D. Surprisingly, anthrochelins feature a C-terminal homocysteine tag, which might be introduced during peptide termination. Mutational analyses provided insight into the anthrochelin assembly and revealed the unexpected involvement of a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase in oxazole formation. Notably, this heterocycle plays a key role in the binding of metals, especially copper(II). Bioassays showed that anthrochelin significantly promotes the growth of L. anthropi in the presence of low and high copper concentrations, which occur during infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Büttner
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection, Biology, HKI, Dept. of Biomolecular Chemistry, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Johannes Hörl
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection, Biology, HKI, Dept. of Biomolecular Chemistry, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Jana Krabbe
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection, Biology, HKI, Dept. of Biomolecular Chemistry, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection, Biology, HKI, Dept. of Biomolecular Chemistry, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
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Hastings CJ, Syed SS, Marques CNH. Subversion of the Complement System by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0001823. [PMID: 37436150 PMCID: PMC10464199 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00018-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen heavily implicated in chronic diseases. Immunocompromised patients that become infected with P. aeruginosa usually are afflicted with a lifelong chronic infection, leading to worsened patient outcomes. The complement system is an integral piece of the first line of defense against invading microorganisms. Gram-negative bacteria are thought to be generally susceptible to attack from complement; however, P. aeruginosa can be an exception, with certain strains being serum resistant. Various molecular mechanisms have been described that confer P. aeruginosa unique resistance to numerous aspects of the complement response. In this review, we summarize the current published literature regarding the interactions of P. aeruginosa and complement, as well as the mechanisms used by P. aeruginosa to exploit various complement deficiencies and the strategies used to disrupt or hijack normal complement activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody James Hastings
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
- Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Shazrah Salim Syed
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
- Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Cláudia Nogueira Hora Marques
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
- Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
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38
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Chandler CE, Hofstaedter CE, Hazen TH, Rasko DA, Ernst RK. Genomic and Functional Characterization of Longitudinal Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates from Young Patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0155623. [PMID: 37358436 PMCID: PMC10433850 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01556-23] [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: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) suffer from frequent and recurring microbial airway infections. The Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common organisms isolated from CF patient airways. P. aeruginosa establishes chronic infections that persist throughout a patient's lifetime and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Throughout the course of infection, P. aeruginosa must evolve and adapt from an initial state of early, transient colonization to chronic colonization of the airways. Here, we examined isolates of P. aeruginosa from children under the age of 3 years old with CF to determine genetic adaptations the bacterium undergoes during this early stage of colonization and infection. These isolates were collected when early aggressive antimicrobial therapy was not the standard of care and therefore highlight strain evolution under limited antibiotic pressure. Examination of specific phenotypic adaptations, such as lipid A palmitoylation, antibiotic resistance, and loss of quorum sensing, did not reveal a clear genetic basis for such changes. Additionally, we demonstrate that the geography of patient origin, within the United States or among other countries, does not appear to significantly influence genetic adaptation. In summary, our results support the long-standing model that patients acquire individual isolates of P. aeruginosa that subsequently become hyperadapted to the patient-specific airway environment. This study provides a multipatient genomic analysis of isolates from young CF patients in the United States and contributes data regarding early colonization and adaptation to the growing body of research about P. aeruginosa evolution in the context of CF airway disease. IMPORTANCE Chronic lung infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is of major concern for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). During infection, P. aeruginosa undergoes genomic and functional adaptation to the hyperinflammatory CF airway, resulting in worsening lung function and pulmonary decline. All studies that describe these adaptations use P. aeruginosa obtained from older children or adults during late chronic lung infection; however, children with CF can be infected with P. aeruginosa as early as 3 months of age. Therefore, it is unclear when these genomic and functional adaptations occur over the course of CF lung infection, as access to P. aeruginosa isolates in children during early infection is limited. Here, we present a unique cohort of CF patients who were identified as being infected with P. aeruginosa at an early age prior to aggressive antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, we performed genomic and functional characterization of these isolates to address whether chronic CF P. aeruginosa phenotypes are present during early infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E. Chandler
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Casey E. Hofstaedter
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tracy H. Hazen
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David A. Rasko
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Pathogen Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert K. Ernst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Pathogen Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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39
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Collins AJ, Whitaker RJ. CRISPR Comparison Toolkit: Rapid Identification, Visualization, and Analysis of CRISPR Array Diversity. CRISPR J 2023; 6:386-400. [PMID: 37459160 PMCID: PMC10457644 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0080] [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: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems provide immunity against mobile genetic elements (MGEs) through sequence-specific targeting by spacer sequences encoded in CRISPR arrays. Spacers are highly variable between microbial strains and can be acquired rapidly, making them well suited for use in strain typing of closely related organisms. However, no tools are currently available to automate the process of reconstructing strain histories using CRISPR spacers. We therefore developed the CRISPR Comparison Toolkit (CCTK) to enable analyses of array relationships. The CCTK includes tools to identify arrays, analyze relationships between arrays using CRISPRdiff and CRISPRtree, and predict targets of spacers. CRISPRdiff visualizes arrays and highlights the similarities between them. CRISPRtree infers a phylogenetic tree from array relationships and presents a hypothesis of the evolutionary history of the arrays. The CCTK unifies several CRISPR analysis tools into a single command line application, including the first tool to infer phylogenies from array relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan J. Collins
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Rachel J. Whitaker
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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40
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Diaz Caballero J, Wheatley RM, Kapel N, López-Causapé C, Van der Schalk T, Quinn A, Shaw LP, Ogunlana L, Recanatini C, Xavier BB, Timbermont L, Kluytmans J, Ruzin A, Esser M, Malhotra-Kumar S, Oliver A, MacLean RC. Mixed strain pathogen populations accelerate the evolution of antibiotic resistance in patients. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4083. [PMID: 37438338 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39416-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance poses a global health threat, but the within-host drivers of resistance remain poorly understood. Pathogen populations are often assumed to be clonal within hosts, and resistance is thought to emerge due to selection for de novo variants. Here we show that mixed strain populations are common in the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa. Crucially, resistance evolves rapidly in patients colonized by multiple strains through selection for pre-existing resistant strains. In contrast, resistance evolves sporadically in patients colonized by single strains due to selection for novel resistance mutations. However, strong trade-offs between resistance and growth rate occur in mixed strain populations, suggesting that within-host diversity can also drive the loss of resistance in the absence of antibiotic treatment. In summary, we show that the within-host diversity of pathogen populations plays a key role in shaping the emergence of resistance in response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel M Wheatley
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford, UK
| | - Natalia Kapel
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford, UK
| | - Carla López-Causapé
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Thomas Van der Schalk
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Angus Quinn
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford, UK
| | - Liam P Shaw
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford, UK
| | - Lois Ogunlana
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford, UK
| | - Claudia Recanatini
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Basil Britto Xavier
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Leen Timbermont
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Jan Kluytmans
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alexey Ruzin
- Microbial Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Mark Esser
- Microbial Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Surbhi Malhotra-Kumar
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Antonio Oliver
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - R Craig MacLean
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford, UK.
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41
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Yekani M, Azargun R, Sharifi S, Nabizadeh E, Nahand JS, Ansari NK, Memar MY, Soki J. Collateral sensitivity: An evolutionary trade-off between antibiotic resistance mechanisms, attractive for dealing with drug-resistance crisis. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1418. [PMID: 37448730 PMCID: PMC10336338 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1418] [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: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The discovery and development of antimicrobial drugs were one of the most significant advances in medicine, but the evolution of microbial resistance limited the efficiency of these drugs. Aim This paper reviews the collateral sensitivity in bacteria and its potential and limitation as a new target for treating infections. Results and Discussion Knowledge mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobial agents are useful to trace a practical approach to treat and control of resistant pathogens. The effect of a resistance mechanism to certain antibiotics on the susceptibility or resistance to other drugs is a key point that may be helpful for applying a strategy to control resistance challenges. In an evolutionary trade-off known as collateral sensitivity, the resistance mechanism to a certain drug may be mediated by the hypersensitivity to other drugs. Collateral sensitivity has been described for different drugs in various bacteria, but the molecular mechanisms affecting susceptibility are not well demonstrated. Collateral sensitivity could be studied to detect its potential in the battle against resistance crisis as well as in the treatment of pathogens adapting to antibiotics. Collateral sensitivity-based antimicrobial therapy may have the potential to limit the emergence of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Yekani
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of MedicineKashan University of Medical SciencesKashanIran
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research CenterTabriz University of Medical SciencesTabrizIran
- Student Research CommitteeKashan University of Medical SciencesKashanIran
| | - Robab Azargun
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of MedicineMaragheh University of Medical ScienceMaraghehIran
| | - Simin Sharifi
- Dental and Periodontal Research CenterTabriz University of Medical SciencesTabrizIran
| | - Edris Nabizadeh
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research CenterTabriz University of Medical SciencesTabrizIran
| | - Javid Sadri Nahand
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research CenterTabriz University of Medical SciencesTabrizIran
| | - Navideh Karimi Ansari
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of MedicineTabriz University of Medical SciencesTabrizIran
| | - Mohammad Yousef Memar
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research CenterTabriz University of Medical SciencesTabrizIran
| | - Jozsef' Soki
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Albert Szent‐Györgyi Faculty of MedicineUniversity of SzegedSzegedHungary
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42
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Anne F, Gwenaëlle G, Isabelle S, Pierre F. Improved engineering of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to study the adaptation of pyoverdine production under intra- or inter- specific bacterial competition. J Microbiol Methods 2023; 210:106753. [PMID: 37271375 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2023.106753] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a common cause of chronic infections, particularly feared by cystic fibrosis patients. PA colonizes the lung where it adapts to the local environment, and/or to treatments by drugs. This genotypic and phenotypic adaptation, in turns, influences its interaction with its environment, like bacteria from the microbiota. As an example, to access iron, PA produces and secretes two siderophores, pyoverdine and pyochelin that are iron chelators scavenging iron from the environment and bringing it back into the bacterial cells. Siderophores production depends on the level of iron starvation, on the presence of other bacteria, etc. this latter component being less well investigated. Even if studies on bacterial interactions, and their evolution, have been increasing since several years, we are still facing a lack of tools, for example, to specifically follow the growth of PA isolates in such competitive environments. We thus improved a cloning method to gain time in the cloning steps, to lower the polar effects, and to accurately follow the interactions of any PA isolate with other bacteria. For that, a fluorescent reporter gene was inserted between two genes, the glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase (glmS) and PA5548. This reporter was efficiently produced either from an inducible or a house-keeping promoter, and its expression did not lead to polar effects. We used this strain to study intra and inter-specific bacterial competitions for iron between different lung pathogens. We thus grew wild-type PA together either with an isogenic PA ΔpvdS variant, that does not produce the most efficient siderophore pyoverdine, or with Klebsiella pneumoniae or Acinetobacter baumanii, two other lung pathogens. We finally monitored the effect of the loss of pvdS on the competition between PA and the other bacterial species. These studies enabled us to differentiate intra from inter specific competitions, both arising in the lung environment, and pinpoint the importance of the bacterial specie for the adaptation of pyoverdine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forster Anne
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242, ESBS, Bld Sébastien Brant, F-67413 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR7242, ESBS, Bld Sébastien Brant, F-67412 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France
| | - Graulier Gwenaëlle
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242, ESBS, Bld Sébastien Brant, F-67413 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR7242, ESBS, Bld Sébastien Brant, F-67412 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France
| | - Schalk Isabelle
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242, ESBS, Bld Sébastien Brant, F-67413 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR7242, ESBS, Bld Sébastien Brant, F-67412 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France
| | - Fechter Pierre
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR7242, ESBS, Bld Sébastien Brant, F-67413 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR7242, ESBS, Bld Sébastien Brant, F-67412 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France.
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43
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Raghuram V, Gunoskey JJ, Hofstetter KS, Jacko NF, Shumaker MJ, Hu YJ, Read TD, David MZ. Comparison of genomic diversity between single and pooled Staphylococcus aureus colonies isolated from human colonisation cultures. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.14.544959. [PMID: 37397999 PMCID: PMC10312683 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.14.544959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The most common approach to sampling the bacterial populations within an infected or colonised host is to sequence genomes from a single colony obtained from a culture plate. However, it is recognized that this method does not capture the genetic diversity in the population. An alternative is to sequence a mixture containing multiple colonies ("pool-seq"), but this has the disadvantage that it is a non-homogeneous sample, making it difficult to perform specific experiments. We compared differences in measures of genetic diversity between eight single-colony isolates (singles) and pool-seq on a set of 2286 S. aureus culture samples. The samples were obtained by swabbing three body sites on 85 human participants quarterly for a year, who initially presented with a methicillin-resistant S. aureus skin and soft-tissue infection (SSTI). We compared parameters such as sequence quality, contamination, allele frequency, nucleotide diversity and pangenome diversity in each pool to the corresponding singles. Comparing singles from the same culture plate, we found that 18% of sample collections contained mixtures of multiple Multilocus sequence types (MLSTs or STs). We showed that pool-seq data alone could predict the presence of multi-ST populations with 95% accuracy. We also showed that pool-seq could be used to estimate the number of polymorphic sites in the population. Additionally, we found that the pool may contain clinically relevant genes such as antimicrobial resistance markers that may be missed when only examining singles. These results highlight the potential advantage of analysing genome sequences of total populations obtained from clinical cultures rather than single colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Raghuram
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jessica J. Gunoskey
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katrina S. Hofstetter
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Natasia F. Jacko
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Margot J. Shumaker
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yi-Juan Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Timothy D. Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael Z. David
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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44
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Chung J, Eisha S, Park S, Morris AJ, Martin I. How Three Self-Secreted Biofilm Exopolysaccharides of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Psl, Pel, and Alginate, Can Each Be Exploited for Antibiotic Adjuvant Effects in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108709. [PMID: 37240055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In cystic fibrosis (CF), pulmonary infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a cause of increased morbidity and mortality, especially in patients for whom infection becomes chronic and there is reliance on long-term suppressive therapies. Current antimicrobials, though varied mechanistically and by mode of delivery, are inadequate not only due to their failure to eradicate infection but also because they do not halt the progression of lung function decline over time. One of the reasons for this failure is thought to be the biofilm mode of growth of P. aeruginosa, wherein self-secreted exopolysaccharides (EPSs) provide physical protection against antibiotics and an array of niches with resulting metabolic and phenotypic heterogeneity. The three biofilm-associated EPSs secreted by P. aeruginosa (alginate, Psl, and Pel) are each under investigation and are being exploited in ways that potentiate antibiotics. In this review, we describe the development and structure of P. aeruginosa biofilms before examining each EPS as a potential therapeutic target for combating pulmonary infection with P. aeruginosa in CF, with a particular focus on the current evidence for these emerging therapies and barriers to bringing these therapies into clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Chung
- Department of Translational Medicine, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Shafinaz Eisha
- Department of Translational Medicine, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Subin Park
- Department of Translational Medicine, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Amanda J Morris
- Department of Translational Medicine, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Isaac Martin
- Department of Translational Medicine, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
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Lewin GR, Kapur A, Cornforth DM, Duncan RP, Diggle FL, Moustafa DA, Harrison SA, Skaar EP, Chazin WJ, Goldberg JB, Bomberger JM, Whiteley M. Application of a quantitative framework to improve the accuracy of a bacterial infection model. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221542120. [PMID: 37126703 PMCID: PMC10175807 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221542120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Laboratory models are critical to basic and translational microbiology research. Models serve multiple purposes, from providing tractable systems to study cell biology to allowing the investigation of inaccessible clinical and environmental ecosystems. Although there is a recognized need for improved model systems, there is a gap in rational approaches to accomplish this goal. We recently developed a framework for assessing the accuracy of microbial models by quantifying how closely each gene is expressed in the natural environment and in various models. The accuracy of the model is defined as the percentage of genes that are similarly expressed in the natural environment and the model. Here, we leverage this framework to develop and validate two generalizable approaches for improving model accuracy, and as proof of concept, we apply these approaches to improve models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infecting the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. First, we identify two models, an in vitro synthetic CF sputum medium model (SCFM2) and an epithelial cell model, that accurately recapitulate different gene sets. By combining these models, we developed the epithelial cell-SCFM2 model which improves the accuracy of over 500 genes. Second, to improve the accuracy of specific genes, we mined publicly available transcriptome data, which identified zinc limitation as a cue present in the CF lung and absent in SCFM2. Induction of zinc limitation in SCFM2 resulted in accurate expression of 90% of P. aeruginosa genes. These approaches provide generalizable, quantitative frameworks for microbiological model improvement that can be applied to any system of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina R. Lewin
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
- Emory-Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Center, Atlanta, GA30332
| | - Ananya Kapur
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15219
| | - Daniel M. Cornforth
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
- Emory-Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Center, Atlanta, GA30332
| | - Rebecca P. Duncan
- Emory-Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Center, Atlanta, GA30332
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA30322
| | - Frances L. Diggle
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
- Emory-Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Center, Atlanta, GA30332
| | - Dina A. Moustafa
- Emory-Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Center, Atlanta, GA30332
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA30322
| | - Simone A. Harrison
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
| | - Eric P. Skaar
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN37232
| | - Walter J. Chazin
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
| | - Joanna B. Goldberg
- Emory-Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Center, Atlanta, GA30332
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA30322
| | - Jennifer M. Bomberger
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15219
| | - Marvin Whiteley
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
- Emory-Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Center, Atlanta, GA30332
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Cramer N, Klockgether J, Tümmler B. Microevolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the airways of people with cystic fibrosis. Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 83:102328. [PMID: 37116385 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The chronic infections of cystic fibrosis (CF) airways with Pseudomonas aeruginosa are a paradigm of how environmental bacteria can conquer, adapt, and persist in an atypical habitat and successfully evade defense mechanisms and chemotherapy in a susceptible host. The within-host evolution of intraclonal diversity has been examined by whole-genome sequencing, phenotyping, and competitive fitness experiments of serial P. aeruginosa isolates collected from CF airways since onset of colonization for a period of up to 40 years. The spectrum of de novo mutations and the adaptation of phenotype and fitness of the bacterial progeny were more influenced by the living conditions in the CF lung than by the clone type of their ancestor and its genetic repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Cramer
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jens Klockgether
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Burkhard Tümmler
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, D-30625 Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany.
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47
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Souche A, Vandenesch F, Doléans-Jordheim A, Moreau K. How Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Hijack the Host Immune Response in the Context of Cystic Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076609. [PMID: 37047579 PMCID: PMC10094765 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a serious genetic disease that leads to premature death, mainly due to impaired lung function. CF lungs are characterized by ongoing inflammation, impaired immune response, and chronic bacterial colonization. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) are the two most predominant bacterial agents of these chronic infections. Both can colonize the lungs for years by developing host adaptation strategies. In this review, we examined the mechanisms by which SA and PA adapt to the host immune response. They are able to bypass the physical integrity of airway epithelia, evade recognition, and then modulate host immune cell proliferation. They also modulate the immune response by regulating cytokine production and by counteracting the activity of neutrophils and other immune cells. Inhibition of the immune response benefits not only the species that implements them but also other species present, and we therefore discuss how these mechanisms can promote the establishment of coinfections in CF lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubin Souche
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France
- Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69002 Lyon, France
| | - François Vandenesch
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France
- Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69002 Lyon, France
| | - Anne Doléans-Jordheim
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France
- Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69002 Lyon, France
| | - Karen Moreau
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France
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48
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Li T, Luo D, Ning N, Liu X, Chen F, Zhang L, Bao C, Li Z, Li D, Gu H, Qu F, Yang X, Huang Y, Li B, Wang H. Acinetobacter baumannii adaptation to the host pH microenvironment is mediated by allelic variation in a single residue of BauA protein. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad079. [PMID: 37065616 PMCID: PMC10098034 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii has been listed as one of the most critical pathogens in nosocomial infections; however, the key genes and mechanisms to adapt to the host microenvironment lack in-depth understanding. In this study, a total of 76 isolates (from 8 to 12 isolates per patient, spanning 128 to 188 days) were longitudinally collected from eight patients to investigate the within-host evolution of A. baumannii. A total of 70 within-host mutations were identified, 80% of which were nonsynonymous, indicating the important role of positive selection. Several evolutionary strategies of A. baumannii to increase its potential to adapt to the host microenvironment were identified, including hypermutation and recombination. Six genes were mutated in isolates from two or more patients, including two TonB-dependent receptor genes (bauA and BJAB07104_RS00665). In particular, the siderophore receptor gene bauA was mutated in multiple isolates from four patients with three MLST types, and all mutations were at amino acid 391 in ligand-binding sites. With 391T or 391A, BauA was more strongly bound to siderophores, which promoted the iron-absorption activity of A. baumannii at acidic or neutral pH, respectively. Through the A/T mutation at site 391 of BauA, A. baumannii displayed two reversible phases to adapt to distinct pH microenvironments. In conclusion, we demonstrated the comprehensive within-host evolutionary dynamics of A. baumannii, and discovered a key mutation of BauA site 391 as a genetic switch to adapt to different pH values, which may represent a model in the pathogen evolutionary adaption of the host microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Deyan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Nianzhi Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xiong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Fanghong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Liangyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Chunmei Bao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, No. 100 West Fourth Ring Road, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Zhan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Deyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Hongjing Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Fen Qu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, No. 100 West Fourth Ring Road, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Xiaolan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yanyu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Boan Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, No. 100 West Fourth Ring Road, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
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49
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Li L, Zhong Q, Zhao Y, Bao J, Liu B, Zhong Z, Wang J, Yang L, Zhang T, Cheng M, Wu N, Zhu T, Le S. First-in-human application of double-stranded RNA bacteriophage in the treatment of pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:862-867. [PMID: 36636832 PMCID: PMC10034620 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
A double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) phage phiYY is able to kill a pyomelanin-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain, which was isolated from a 40-year-old man with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and chronic lung infection. Phage therapy was used as a last resort for this patient. The three-course nebulized phiYY treatment was used to reduce the bacterial burden and clinical symptoms of the patient. Recurrences of P. aeruginosa infections were observed 1-3 days post phage therapy. The recurrent isolates exhibited distinct antibiotic-susceptibility profiles compared with the original strain yet were still susceptible to phiYY. This assay represents the application of dsRNA phage in the treatment of chronic lung infection, albeit the safety and efficacy of the dsRNA phage require further assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Li
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiu Zhong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yunze Zhao
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Juan Bao
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- CreatiPhage Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhuojun Zhong
- Department of Microbiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lan Yang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengjun Cheng
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- CreatiPhage Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Nannan Wu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- CreatiPhage Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Tongyu Zhu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai Le
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Phage, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Microbiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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50
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Saber MM, Donner J, Levade I, Acosta N, Parkins MD, Boyle B, Levesque RC, Nguyen D, Shapiro BJ. Single nucleotide variants in Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations from sputum correlate with baseline lung function and predict disease progression in individuals with cystic fibrosis. Microb Genom 2023; 9. [PMID: 37052589 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000981] [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: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The severity and progression of lung disease are highly variable across individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) and are imperfectly predicted by mutations in the human gene CFTR, lung microbiome variation or other clinical factors. The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) dominates airway infections in most CF adults. Here we hypothesized that within-host genetic variation of Pa populations would be associated with lung disease severity. To quantify Pa genetic variation within CF sputum samples, we used deep amplicon sequencing (AmpliSeq) of 209 Pa genes previously associated with pathogenesis or adaptation to the CF lung. We trained machine learning models using Pa single nucleotide variants (SNVs), microbiome diversity data and clinical factors to classify lung disease severity at the time of sputum sampling, and to predict lung function decline after 5 years in a cohort of 54 adult CF patients with chronic Pa infection. Models using Pa SNVs alone classified lung disease severity with good sensitivity and specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: AUROC=0.87). Models were less predictive of lung function decline after 5 years (AUROC=0.74) but still significantly better than random. The addition of clinical data, but not sputum microbiome diversity data, yielded only modest improvements in classifying baseline lung function (AUROC=0.92) and predicting lung function decline (AUROC=0.79), suggesting that Pa AmpliSeq data account for most of the predictive value. Our work provides a proof of principle that Pa genetic variation in sputum tracks lung disease severity, moderately predicts lung function decline and could serve as a disease biomarker among CF patients with chronic Pa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteza M Saber
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jannik Donner
- Department of Medicine, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Inès Levade
- Department of Medicine, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicole Acosta
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Michael D Parkins
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Brian Boyle
- Integrative Systems Biology Institute, University of Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Roger C Levesque
- Integrative Systems Biology Institute, University of Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Dao Nguyen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Meakins Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - B Jesse Shapiro
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McGill Genome Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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