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Charkhian H, Soleimannezhadbari E, Bodaqlouei A, Lotfollahi L, Lotfi H, Yousefi N, Shojadel E, Gholinejad Z. Assessment of bacteriocin production by clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and their potential as therapeutic agents. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:175. [PMID: 38872163 PMCID: PMC11170890 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02450-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: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bacterial infections and the rising antimicrobial resistance pose a significant threat to public health. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces bacteriocins like pyocins, especially S-type pyocins, which are promising for biological applications. This research focuses on clinical P. aeruginosa isolates to assess their bacteriocin production, inhibitory spectrum, chemical structure, antibacterial agents, and preservative potential. METHODS The identification of P. aeruginosa was conducted through both phenotypic and molecular approaches. The inhibitory spectrum and antibacterial potential of the isolates were assessed. The kinetics of antibacterial peptide production were investigated, and the activity of bacteriocin was quantified in arbitrary units (AU ml-1). Physico-chemical characterization of the antibacterial peptides was performed. Molecular weight estimation was carried out using SDS-PAGE. qRT-PCR analysis was employed to validate the expression of the selected candidate gene. RESULT The antibacterial activity of P. aeruginosa was attributed to the secretion of bacteriocin compounds, which belong to the S-type pyocin family. The use of mitomycin C led to a significant 65.74% increase in pyocin production by these isolates. These S-type pyocins exhibited the ability to inhibit the growth of both Gram-negative (P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris) and Gram-positive (S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. hirae, S. pyogenes, and S. mutans) bacteria. The molecular weight of S-type pyocin was 66 kDa, and its gene expression was confirmed through qRT-PCR. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that S-type pyocin hold significant potential as therapeutic agents against pathogenic strains. The Physico-chemical resistance of S-type pyocin underscores its potential for broad applications in the pharmaceutical, hygiene, and food industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Charkhian
- Young Researchers Club, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Ehsan Soleimannezhadbari
- Young Researchers Club, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Amin Bodaqlouei
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Lida Lotfollahi
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
| | - Hajie Lotfi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Nesa Yousefi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Ehsan Shojadel
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Zafar Gholinejad
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
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2
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Goult JD, Van DCL, Taylor YV, Inns PG, Kaminska R, Vesely M, Kleanthous C, Paci E. Structural constraints of pyocin S2 import through the ferripyoverdine receptor FpvAI. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae124. [PMID: 38577260 PMCID: PMC10994204 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
TonB-dependent transporters (TBDTs) mediate energized transport of essential nutrients into gram-negative bacteria. TBDTs are increasingly being exploited for the delivery of antibiotics to drug-resistant bacteria. While much is known about ground state complexes of TBDTs, few details have emerged about the transport process itself. In this study, we exploit bacteriocin parasitization of a TBDT to probe the mechanics of transport. Previous work has shown that the N-terminal domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-specific bacteriocin pyocin S2 (PyoS2NTD) is imported through the pyoverdine receptor FpvAI. PyoS2NTD transport follows the opening of a proton-motive force-dependent pore through FpvAI and the delivery of its own TonB box that engages TonB. We use molecular models and simulations to formulate a complete translocation pathway for PyoS2NTD that we validate using protein engineering and cytotoxicity measurements. We show that following partial removal of the FpvAI plug domain which occludes the channel, the pyocin's N-terminus enters the channel by electrostatic steering and ratchets to the periplasm. Application of force, mimicking that exerted by TonB, leads to unraveling of PyoS2NTD as it squeezes through the channel. Remarkably, while some parts of PyoS2NTD must unfold, complete unfolding is not required for transport, a result we confirmed by disulfide bond engineering. Moreover, the section of the FpvAI plug that remains embedded in the channel appears to serve as a buttress against which PyoS2NTD is pushed to destabilize the domain. Our study reveals the limits of structural deformation that accompanies import through a TBDT and the role the TBDT itself plays in accommodating transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Goult
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Daniel C L Van
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Yasmin V Taylor
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Patrick G Inns
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Martin Vesely
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Emanuele Paci
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Bologna, Bologna 40127, Italy
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3
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Leung PB, Matanza XM, Roche B, Ha KP, Cheung HC, Appleyard S, Collins T, Flanagan O, Marteyn BS, Clements A. Shigella sonnei utilises colicins during inter-bacterial competition. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2024; 170:001434. [PMID: 38376387 PMCID: PMC10924462 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001434] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The mammalian colon is one of the most densely populated habitats currently recognised, with 1011-1013 commensal bacteria per gram of colonic contents. Enteric pathogens must compete with the resident intestinal microbiota to cause infection. Among these enteric pathogens are Shigella species which cause approximately 125 million infections annually, of which over 90 % are caused by Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei. Shigella sonnei was previously reported to use a Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) to outcompete E. coli and S. flexneri in in vitro and in vivo experiments. S. sonnei strains have also been reported to harbour colicinogenic plasmids, which are an alternative anti-bacterial mechanism that could provide a competitive advantage against the intestinal microbiota. We sought to determine the contribution of both T6SS and colicins to the anti-bacterial killing activity of S. sonnei. We reveal that whilst the T6SS operon is present in S. sonnei, there is evidence of functional degradation of the system through SNPs, indels and IS within key components of the system. We created strains with synthetically inducible T6SS operons but were still unable to demonstrate anti-bacterial activity of the T6SS. We demonstrate that the anti-bacterial activity observed in our in vitro assays was due to colicin activity. We show that S. sonnei no longer displayed anti-bacterial activity against bacteria that were resistant to colicins, and removal of the colicin plasmid from S. sonnei abrogated anti-bacterial activity of S. sonnei. We propose that the anti-bacterial activity demonstrated by colicins may be sufficient for niche competition by S. sonnei within the gastrointestinal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. B. Leung
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - X. M. Matanza
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - B. Roche
- Universite de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UPR9002, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - K. P. Ha
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - H. C. Cheung
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - S. Appleyard
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - T. Collins
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - O. Flanagan
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - B. S. Marteyn
- Universite de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UPR9002, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS), F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Inserm U1225, Unité de Pathogenèse des Infections Vasculaires, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - A. Clements
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
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Taillefer B, Giraud JF, Cascales E. No fitness cost entailed by type VI secretion system synthesis, assembly, contraction, or disassembly in enteroaggregative Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0035723. [PMID: 37971272 PMCID: PMC10729742 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00357-23] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Bacteria use weapons to deliver effectors into target cells. One of these weapons, the type VI secretion system (T6SS), assembles a contractile tail acting as a spring to propel a toxin-loaded needle. Due to its size and mechanism of action, the T6SS was intuitively thought to be energetically costly. Here, using a combination of mutants and growth measurements in liquid medium, on plates, and in competition experiments, we show that the T6SS does not entail a growth cost to enteroaggregative Escherichia coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Taillefer
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM, UMR 7255), Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée (IMM), Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Julien F. Giraud
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM, UMR 7255), Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée (IMM), Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Eric Cascales
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM, UMR 7255), Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée (IMM), Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Marseille, France
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Choi GH, Fugaban JII, Dioso CM, Bucheli JEV, Holzapfel WH, Todorov SD. Antimicrobial Peptides (Bacteriocins) Produced by Lactococcus lactis and Pediococcus pentosaceus Strains with Activity Against Clinical and Food-Borne Pathogens. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2023:10.1007/s12602-023-10188-x. [PMID: 38038837 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-023-10188-x] [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] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriocins are ribosomal-synthesized peptides with antimicrobial activity, produced by different groups of bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Most of the produced by LAB bacteriocins can be described with rather broad spectra of inhibition and they offer suggested applications in food preservation and pharmaceutical sector. Different LAB were isolated from fermented food products and fruits, obtained from the region of Pohang, Korea, and identified based on physiological, biochemical, and molecular methods. The promising isolates, Pediococcus pentosaceus 732, Lactococcus lactis 808, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 431, were identified based on biochemical, physiological, and biomolecular approaches, including 16S rRNA partial sequencing, and were evaluated for production of bacteriocin, including stability in presence of enzymes, chemicals, pH, and temperatures. Adherence properties for the expressed bacteriocins by P. pentosaceus 732, Lc. lactis 808, and Lc. lactis subsp. lactis 431 were evaluated at presence of selected chemicals, pH, and temperatures. The presence of bacteriocin genes in the strains was investigated and analyzed. The bacterial effect of bacteriocin produced by studied strains on Listeria spp. and Staphylococcus spp. has been shown for actively growing and stationary cells. Similar growth and bacteriocin production were observed when studied strains were cultured in MRS at 30 °C or 37 °C. The presence of nisin operon with some point mutations on the genomic DNA was recorded based on the performed PCR reactions targeting different genes associated with nisin expression for both lactococcal strains. Pediocin PA-1 operon was evaluated in a similar manner for P. pentosaceus 732.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gee Hyeun Choi
- ProBacLab, Department of Advanced Convergence, Handong Global University, 37554, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Joanna Ivy Irorita Fugaban
- ProBacLab, Department of Advanced Convergence, Handong Global University, 37554, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Clarizza May Dioso
- HEM Laboratory, Department of Advanced Convergence, Handong Global University, 37554, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Environmental Technology and Food Technology, Ghent University Global Campus, 119, Songdomunhawa-Ro, Yeonsu-Gu, Incheon, 21985, South Korea
| | - Jorge Enrique Vazquez Bucheli
- ProBacLab, Department of Advanced Convergence, Handong Global University, 37554, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
- HEM Laboratory, Department of Advanced Convergence, Handong Global University, 37554, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel
- HEM Laboratory, Department of Advanced Convergence, Handong Global University, 37554, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov
- ProBacLab, Department of Advanced Convergence, Handong Global University, 37554, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea.
- ProBacLab, Laboratório de Microbiologia de Alimentos, Departamento de Alimentos e Nutrição Experimental, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil.
- CISAS-Center for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability, Instituto Politécnico de Viana Do Castelo, 4900-347, Viana Do Castelo, Portugal.
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6
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Williams-Jones DP, Webby MN, Press CE, Gradon JM, Armstrong SR, Szczepaniak J, Kleanthous C. Tunable force transduction through the Escherichia coli cell envelope. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2306707120. [PMID: 37972066 PMCID: PMC10666116 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306707120] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria is not energised and so processes requiring a driving force must connect to energy-transduction systems in the inner membrane (IM). Tol (Tol-Pal) and Ton are related, proton motive force- (PMF-) coupled assemblies that stabilise the OM and import essential nutrients, respectively. Both rely on proton-harvesting IM motor (stator) complexes, which are homologues of the flagellar stator unit Mot, to transduce force to the OM through elongated IM force transducer proteins, TolA and TonB, respectively. How PMF-driven motors in the IM generate mechanical work at the OM via force transducers is unknown. Here, using cryoelectron microscopy, we report the 4.3Å structure of the Escherichia coli TolQR motor complex. The structure reaffirms the 5:2 stoichiometry seen in Ton and Mot and, with motor subunits related to each other by 10 to 16° rotation, supports rotary motion as the default for these complexes. We probed the mechanism of force transduction to the OM through in vivo assays of chimeric TolA/TonB proteins where sections of their structurally divergent, periplasm-spanning domains were swapped or replaced by an intrinsically disordered sequence. We find that TolA mutants exhibit a spectrum of force output, which is reflected in their respective abilities to both stabilise the OM and import cytotoxic colicins across the OM. Our studies demonstrate that structural rigidity of force transducer proteins, rather than any particular structural form, drives the efficient conversion of PMF-driven rotary motions of 5:2 motor complexes into physiologically relevant force at the OM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa N. Webby
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Cara E. Press
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Jan M. Gradon
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie R. Armstrong
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Joanna Szczepaniak
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3QU, United Kingdom
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7
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Abstract
TonB-dependent transporters (TBDTs) are present in all gram-negative bacteria and mediate energy-dependent uptake of molecules that are too scarce or large to be taken up efficiently by outer membrane (OM) diffusion channels. This process requires energy that is derived from the proton motive force and delivered to TBDTs by the TonB-ExbBD motor complex in the inner membrane. Together with the need to preserve the OM permeability barrier, this has led to an extremely complex and fascinating transport mechanism for which the fundamentals, despite decades of research, are still unclear. In this review, we describe our current understanding of the transport mechanism of TBDTs, their potential role in the delivery of novel antibiotics, and the important contributions made by TBDT-associated (lipo)proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustinas Silale
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom; ,
| | - Bert van den Berg
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom; ,
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8
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Taillefer B, Grandjean MM, Herrou J, Robert D, Mignot T, Sebban-Kreuzer C, Cascales E. Qualitative and Quantitative Methods to Measure Antibacterial Activity Resulting from Bacterial Competition. Bio Protoc 2023; 13:e4706. [PMID: 37449039 PMCID: PMC10336571 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In the environment, bacteria compete for niche occupancy and resources; they have, therefore, evolved a broad variety of antibacterial weapons to destroy competitors. Current laboratory techniques to evaluate antibacterial activity are usually labor intensive, low throughput, costly, and time consuming. Typical assays rely on the outgrowth of colonies of prey cells on selective solid media after competition. Here, we present fast, inexpensive, and complementary optimized protocols to qualitatively and quantitively measure antibacterial activity. The first method is based on the degradation of a cell-impermeable chromogenic substrate of the β-galactosidase, a cytoplasmic enzyme released during lysis of the attacked reporter strain. The second method relies on the lag time required for the attacked cells to reach a defined optical density after the competition, which is directly dependent on the initial number of surviving cells. Key features First method utilizes the release of β-galactosidase as a proxy for bacterial lysis. Second method is based on the growth timing of surviving cells. Combination of two methods discriminates between cell death and lysis, cell death without lysis, or survival to quasi-lysis. Methods optimized to various bacterial species such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Myxococcus xanthus. Graphical overview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Taillefer
- Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IM2B), Aix-Marseille Univ–CNRS, UMR7255, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier CS7071, 13402 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Marie M. Grandjean
- Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IM2B), Aix-Marseille Univ–CNRS, UMR7255, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier CS7071, 13402 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Julien Herrou
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne (LCB), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IM2B), Aix-Marseille Univ–CNRS, UMR7283, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier CS7071, 13402 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Donovan Robert
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne (LCB), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IM2B), Aix-Marseille Univ–CNRS, UMR7283, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier CS7071, 13402 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Tâm Mignot
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne (LCB), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IM2B), Aix-Marseille Univ–CNRS, UMR7283, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier CS7071, 13402 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Corinne Sebban-Kreuzer
- Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IM2B), Aix-Marseille Univ–CNRS, UMR7255, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier CS7071, 13402 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Eric Cascales
- Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IM2B), Aix-Marseille Univ–CNRS, UMR7255, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier CS7071, 13402 Marseille Cedex 09, France
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Torrez Lamberti MF, Terán LC, Lopez FE, de Las Mercedes Pescaretti M, Delgado MA. Genomic and proteomic characterization of two strains of Shigella flexneri 2 isolated from infants' stool samples in Argentina. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:495. [PMID: 35804311 PMCID: PMC9264714 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08711-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Shigella specie is a globally important intestinal pathogen disseminated all over the world. In this study we analyzed the genome and the proteomic component of two Shigella flexneri 2a clinical isolates, collected from pediatric patients with gastroenteritis of the Northwest region of Argentina (NWA) in two periods of time, with four years of difference. Our goal was to determine putative changes at molecular levels occurred during these four years, that could explain the presence of this Shigella`s serovar as the prevalent pathogen in the population under study. Results As previously reported, our findings support the idea of Shigella has a conserved “core” genome, since comparative studies of CI133 and CI172 genomes performed against 80 genomes obtained from the NCBI database, showed that there is a large number of genes shared among all of them. However, we observed that CI133 and CI172 harbors a small number of strain-specific genes, several of them present in mobile genetic elements, supporting the hypothesis that these isolates were established in the population by horizontal acquisition of genes. These differences were also observed at proteomic level, where it was possible to detect the presence of certain secreted proteins in a culture medium that simulates the host environment. Conclusion Great similarities were observed between the CI133 and CI172 strains, confirming the high percentage of genes constituting the “core” genome of S. flexneri 2. However, numerous strain specific genes were also determined. The presence of the here identified molecular elements into other strain of our culture collation, is currently used to develop characteristic markers of local pathogens. In addition, the most outstanding result of this study was the first description of a S. flexneri 2 producing Colicin E, as one of the characteristics that allows S. flexneri 2 to persist in the microbial community. These findings could also contribute to clarify the mechanism and the evolution strategy used by this pathogen to specifically colonize, survive, and cause infection within the NWA population. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08711-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica F Torrez Lamberti
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT. Chacabuco 461, 5Q7R+96, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Lucrecia C Terán
- Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos (CERELA-CONICET), Chacabuco 145, 5Q9R+3J, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Fabián E Lopez
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT. Chacabuco 461, 5Q7R+96, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.,Universidad Nacional de Chilecito (UNdeC), 9 de Julio 22, F5360CKB, Chilecito, La Rioja, Argentina
| | - María de Las Mercedes Pescaretti
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT. Chacabuco 461, 5Q7R+96, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - Mónica A Delgado
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT. Chacabuco 461, 5Q7R+96, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.
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10
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Baerentsen R, Tang CM, Exley RM. Et tu, Neisseria? Conflicts of Interest Between Neisseria Species. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:913292. [PMID: 35811666 PMCID: PMC9263626 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.913292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are two obligate human pathogens that have evolved to be uniquely adapted to their host. The meningococcus is frequently carried asymptomatically in the nasopharynx, while gonococcal infection of the urogenital tract usually elicits a marked local inflammatory response. Other members of the Neisseria genus are abundant in the upper airway where they could engage in co-operative or competitive interactions with both these pathogens. Here, we briefly outline the potential sites of contact between Neisseria spp. in the body, with emphasis on the upper airway, and describe the growing yet circumstantial evidence for antagonism from carriage studies and human volunteer challenge models with Neisseria lactamica. Recent laboratory studies have characterized antagonistic mechanisms that enable competition between Neisseria species. Several of these mechanisms, including Multiple Adhesin family (Mafs), Two Partner Secretion Systems, and Type VI secretion system, involve direct contact between bacteria; the genetic organisation of these systems, and the domain structure of their effector molecules have striking similarities. Additionally, DNA from one species of Neisseria can be toxic to another species, following uptake. More research is needed to define the full repertoire of antagonistic mechanisms in Neisseria spp., their distribution in strains, their range of activity, and contribution to survival in vivo. Understanding the targets of effectors could reveal how antagonistic relationships between close relatives shape subsequent interactions between pathogens and their hosts.
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11
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Chaouche AA, Houot L, Duché D, Iobbi-Nivol C, Giudici-Orticoni MT, Fons M, Méjean V. The Tol-Pal system of Escherichia coli plays an unexpected role in the import of the oxyanions chromate and phosphate. Res Microbiol 2022; 173:103967. [PMID: 35660524 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2022.103967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Chromate is a toxic metal that enters bacteria by using oxyanion importers. Here, we show that each mutant of the Tol-Pal system of Escherichia coli exhibited increased chromate resistance. This system, which spans the cell envelope, plays a major role in envelope integrity and septation. The ΔtolQR mutant accumulated three-fold less chromate than the wild-type. Addition of phosphate but not sulfate to rich medium drastically reduced chromate toxicity and import in the wild-type strain. Furthermore, the intracellular concentration of free inorganic phosphate was significantly reduced for the ΔtolR mutant in comparison to the wild-type strain. Moreover, extracellular labelled phosphate was significantly less incorporated into the ΔtolR mutant. Finally, two distinct TolQR mutant complexes, specifically affected in Tol-Pal energization without affecting the TolQRA complex structure, did not complement the ΔtolQR mutant for inorganic phosphate accumulation. We thus propose that, while the Pst system is well known to import inorganic phosphate, the Tol-Pal system participates to phosphate uptake in particular at medium to high extracellular phosphate concentrations. Since mutations disabling the Tol-Pal system lead to pleiotropic effects, chromate resistance and reduced inorganic phosphate import could occur from an indirect effect of mutations in components of the Tol-Pal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amine Ali Chaouche
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, BIP UMR 7281, IMM, IM2B, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, CS70071, 13402, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
| | - Laetitia Houot
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LISM UMR 7255, IMM, IM2B, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, CS70071, 13402, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
| | - Denis Duché
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LISM UMR 7255, IMM, IM2B, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, CS70071, 13402, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
| | - Chantal Iobbi-Nivol
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, BIP UMR 7281, IMM, IM2B, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, CS70071, 13402, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
| | - Marie-Thérèse Giudici-Orticoni
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, BIP UMR 7281, IMM, IM2B, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, CS70071, 13402, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
| | - Michel Fons
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, BIP UMR 7281, IMM, IM2B, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, CS70071, 13402, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
| | - Vincent Méjean
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, BIP UMR 7281, IMM, IM2B, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, CS70071, 13402, Marseille Cedex 09, France
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12
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Webby MN, Williams-Jones DP, Press C, Kleanthous C. Force-Generation by the Trans-Envelope Tol-Pal System. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:852176. [PMID: 35308353 PMCID: PMC8928145 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.852176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tol-Pal system spans the cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria, transducing the potential energy of the proton motive force (PMF) into dissociation of the TolB-Pal complex at the outer membrane (OM), freeing the lipoprotein Pal to bind the cell wall. The primary physiological role of Tol-Pal is to maintain OM integrity during cell division through accumulation of Pal molecules at division septa. How the protein complex couples the PMF at the inner membrane into work at the OM is unknown. The effectiveness of this trans-envelope energy transduction system is underscored by the fact that bacteriocins and bacteriophages co-opt Tol-Pal as part of their import/infection mechanisms. Mechanistic understanding of this process has been hindered by a lack of structural data for the inner membrane TolQ-TolR stator, of its complexes with peptidoglycan (PG) and TolA, and of how these elements combined power events at the OM. Recent studies on the homologous stators of Ton and Mot provide a starting point for understanding how Tol-Pal works. Here, we combine ab initio protein modeling with previous structural data on sub-complexes of Tol-Pal as well as mutagenesis, crosslinking, co-conservation analysis and functional data. Through this composite pooling of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo data, we propose a mechanism for force generation in which PMF-driven rotary motion within the stator drives conformational transitions within a long TolA helical hairpin domain, enabling it to reach the TolB-Pal complex at the OM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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13
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Budiardjo SJ, Stevens JJ, Calkins AL, Ikujuni AP, Wimalasena VK, Firlar E, Case DA, Biteen JS, Kaelber JT, Slusky JSG. Colicin E1 opens its hinge to plug TolC. eLife 2022; 11:73297. [PMID: 35199644 PMCID: PMC9020818 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The double membrane architecture of Gram-negative bacteria forms a barrier that is impermeable to most extracellular threats. Bacteriocin proteins evolved to exploit the accessible, surface-exposed proteins embedded in the outer membrane to deliver cytotoxic cargo. Colicin E1 is a bacteriocin produced by, and lethal to, Escherichia coli that hijacks the outer membrane proteins (OMPs) TolC and BtuB to enter the cell. Here, we capture the colicin E1 translocation domain inside its membrane receptor, TolC, by high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to obtain the first reported structure of a bacteriocin bound to TolC. Colicin E1 binds stably to TolC as an open hinge through the TolC pore—an architectural rearrangement from colicin E1’s unbound conformation. This binding is stable in live E. coli cells as indicated by single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. Finally, colicin E1 fragments binding to TolC plug the channel, inhibiting its native efflux function as an antibiotic efflux pump, and heightening susceptibility to three antibiotic classes. In addition to demonstrating that these protein fragments are useful starting points for developing novel antibiotic potentiators, this method could be expanded to other colicins to inhibit other OMP functions. Bacteria are constantly warring with each other for space and resources. As a result, they have developed a range of molecular weapons to poison, damage or disable other cells. For instance, bacteriocins are proteins that can latch onto structures at the surface of enemy bacteria and push toxins through their outer membrane. Bacteria are increasingly resistant to antibiotics, representing a growing concern for modern healthcare. One way that they are able to survive is by using ‘efflux pumps’ studded through their external membranes to expel harmful drugs before these can cause damage. Budiardjo et al. wanted to test whether bacteriocins could interfere with this defence mechanism by blocking efflux pumps. Bacteriocins are usually formed of binding elements (which recognise specific target proteins) and of a ‘killer tail’ that can stab the cell. Experiments showed that the binding parts of a bacteriocin could effectively ‘plug’ efflux pumps in Escherichia coli bacteria: high-resolution molecular microscopy revealed how the bacteriocin fragment binds to the pump, while fluorescent markers showed that it attached to the surface of E. coli and stopped the efflux pumps from working. As a result, lower amounts of antibiotics were necessary to kill the bacteria when bacteriocins were present. The work by Budiardjo et al. could lead to new ways to combat bacteria that will reduce the need for current antibiotics. In the future, bacteriocins could also be harnessed to target other proteins than efflux pumps, allowing scientists to manipulate a range of bacterial processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Jimmy Budiardjo
- Center for Computational Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
| | - Jacqueline J Stevens
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
| | - Anna L Calkins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Ayotunde P Ikujuni
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
| | | | - Emre Firlar
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, United States
| | - David A Case
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, United States
| | - Julie S Biteen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Jason T Kaelber
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, United States
| | - Joanna S G Slusky
- Center for Computational Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
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14
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Unraveling the Uncharacterized Domain of Carocin S2: A Ribonuclease Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Bacteriocin. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020359. [PMID: 35208813 PMCID: PMC8878655 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Carocin S2 is a bacteriocin with a low molecular weight generated by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum 3F3 strain. The caroS2K gene, which is found in the genomic DNA alongside the caroS2I gene, which codes for an immunity protein, encodes this bacteriocin. We explored the residues responsible for Carocin S2’s cytotoxic or RNA-se activity using a structure-based mutagenesis approach. The minimal antibiotic functional region starts at Lys691 and ends at Arg783, according to mutational research. Two residues in the identified region, Phe760 and Ser762, however, are unable to demonstrate this activity, suggesting that these sites may interact with another domain. Small modifications in the secondary structure of mutant caroS2K were revealed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence (ITF), showing ribosomal RNA cleavage in the active site. A co-immunoprecipitation test indicated that the immunity protein CaroS2I binds to CaroS2K’s C-terminus, while a region under the uncharacterized Domain III inhibits association of N-terminally truncated CaroS2K from interacting with CaroS2I. Carocin S2, a ribosomal ribonuclease bacteriocin, is the first to be identified with a domain III that encodes the cytotoxic residues as well as the binding sites between its immunity and killer proteins.
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15
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Calcuttawala F, Pal A, Nath P, Kar R, Hazra D, Pal R. Structural and functional insights into colicin: a new paradigm in drug discovery. Arch Microbiol 2021; 204:37. [PMID: 34928429 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02689-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Colicins are agents of allelopathic interactions produced by certain enterobacteria which give them a competitive advantage in the environment. These protein molecules are mostly encoded by plasmids. The colicin operon consists of the activity, immunity and the lysis genes. The activity protein is responsible for the killing activity, the immunity protein protects the producer cell from the lethal action of colicin and the lysis protein facilitates its release. Colicins are primarily composed of three domains, namely the receptor-binding domain, the translocation domain and the cytotoxic domain. The protein molecule binds to its cognate receptor on the target cell via the receptor-binding domain and undergoes translocation into the cell either via the Tol system or the Ton system. After gaining entry into the target cell, there are various mechanisms by which colicins exert their lethality. These comprise DNase activity, RNase activity and pore formation in the target cell membrane or peptidoglycan synthesis inhibition. This review gives a detailed insight into the structural and functional aspect of colicins and their mode of action. This knowledge is of immense significance because colicins are being considered as very useful alternatives to conventional antibiotics in the treatment of multidrug-resistant infections. Besides, they also have a negligible harmful impact on the commensals. Thus, before tapping their therapeutic potential, it is imperative to know their structure and mechanism of action in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatema Calcuttawala
- Department of Microbiology, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, 700156, India.
| | - Ankita Pal
- Department of Microbiology, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, 700156, India
| | - Papri Nath
- Department of Microbiology, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, 700156, India
| | - Riya Kar
- Department of Microbiology, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, 700156, India
| | - Debraj Hazra
- Department of Microbiology, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, 700156, India
| | - Rajat Pal
- Department of Microbiology, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, 700156, India
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16
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Oulas A, Zachariou M, Chasapis CT, Tomazou M, Ijaz UZ, Schmartz GP, Spyrou GM, Vlamis-Gardikas A. Putative Antimicrobial Peptides Within Bacterial Proteomes Affect Bacterial Predominance: A Network Analysis Perspective. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:752674. [PMID: 34867874 PMCID: PMC8636115 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.752674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The predominance of bacterial taxa in the gut, was examined in view of the putative antimicrobial peptide sequences (AMPs) within their proteomes. The working assumption was that compatible bacteria would share homology and thus immunity to their putative AMPs, while competing taxa would have dissimilarities in their proteome-hidden AMPs. A network-based method ("Bacterial Wars") was developed to handle sequence similarities of predicted AMPs among UniProt-derived protein sequences from different bacterial taxa, while a resulting parameter ("Die" score) suggested which taxa would prevail in a defined microbiome. T he working hypothesis was examined by correlating the calculated Die scores, to the abundance of bacterial taxa from gut microbiomes from different states of health and disease. Eleven publicly available 16S rRNA datasets and a dataset from a full shotgun metagenomics served for the analysis. The overall conclusion was that AMPs encrypted within bacterial proteomes affected the predominance of bacterial taxa in chemospheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasis Oulas
- Bioinformatics Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Margarita Zachariou
- Bioinformatics Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Christos T Chasapis
- NMR Center, Instrumental Analysis Laboratory, School of Natural Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Marios Tomazou
- Bioinformatics Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Umer Z Ijaz
- School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - George M Spyrou
- Bioinformatics Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Alexios Vlamis-Gardikas
- Division of Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Natural Products, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
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17
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Recruitment of the TolA protein to cell constriction sites in Escherichia coli via three separate mechanisms, and a critical role for FtsWI activity in recruitment of both TolA and TolQ. J Bacteriol 2021; 204:e0046421. [PMID: 34748387 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00464-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tol-Pal system of Gram-negative bacteria helps maintain integrity of the cell envelope and ensures that invagination of the envelope layers during cell fission occurs in a well-coordinated manner. In E. coli, the five Tol-Pal proteins (TolQ, R, A, B and Pal) accumulate at cell constriction sites in a manner that normally requires the activity of the cell constriction initiation protein FtsN. While septal recruitment of TolR, TolB and Pal also requires the presence of TolQ and/or TolA, each of the the latter two can recognize constriction sites independently of the other system proteins. What attracts TolQ or TolA to these sites is unclear. We show that FtsN attracts both proteins in an indirect fashion, and that PBP1A, PBP1B and CpoB are dispensable for their septal recruitment. However, the β-lactam aztreonam readily interferes with septal accumulation of both TolQ and TolA, indicating that FtsN-stimulated production of septal peptidoglycan by the FtsWI synthase is critical to their recruitment. We also discovered that each of TolA's three domains can recognize division sites in a separate fashion. Notably, the middle domain (TolAII) is responsible for directing TolA to constriction sites in the absence of other Tol-Pal proteins and CpoB, while recruitment of TolAI and TolAIII requires TolQ and a combination of TolB, Pal, and CpoB, respectively. Additionally, we describe the construction and use of functional fluorescent sandwich fusions of the ZipA division protein, which should be more broadly valuable in future studies of the E. coli cell division machinery. IMPORTANCE Cell division (cytokinesis) is a fundamental biological process that is incompletely understood for any organism. Division of bacterial cells relies on a ring-like machinery called the septal ring or divisome that assembles along the circumference of the mother cell at the site where constriction will eventually occur. In the well-studied bacterium Escherichia coli, this machinery contains over thirty distinct proteins. We studied how two such proteins, TolA and TolQ, which also play a role in maintaining integrity of the outer-membrane, are recruited to the machinery. We find that TolA can be recruited by three separate mechanisms, and that both proteins rely on the activity of a well-studied cell division enzyme for their recruitment.
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18
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Francis MLR, Webby MN, Housden NG, Kaminska R, Elliston E, Chinthammit B, Lukoyanova N, Kleanthous C. Porin threading drives receptor disengagement and establishes active colicin transport through Escherichia coli OmpF. EMBO J 2021; 40:e108610. [PMID: 34515361 PMCID: PMC8561637 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021108610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria deploy weapons to kill their neighbours during competition for resources and to aid survival within microbiomes. Colicins were the first such antibacterial system identified, yet how these bacteriocins cross the outer membrane (OM) of Escherichia coli is unknown. Here, by solving the structures of translocation intermediates via cryo‐EM and by imaging toxin import, we uncover the mechanism by which the Tol‐dependent nuclease colicin E9 (ColE9) crosses the bacterial OM. We show that threading of ColE9’s disordered N‐terminal domain through two pores of the trimeric porin OmpF causes the colicin to disengage from its primary receptor, BtuB, and reorganises the translocon either side of the membrane. Subsequent import of ColE9 through the lumen of a single OmpF subunit is driven by the proton‐motive force, which is delivered by the TolQ‐TolR‐TolA‐TolB assembly. Our study answers longstanding questions, such as why OmpF is a better translocator than OmpC, and reconciles the mechanisms by which both Tol‐ and Ton‐dependent bacteriocins cross the bacterial outer membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa N Webby
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emma Elliston
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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19
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Modular Lipoprotein Toxins Transferred by Outer Membrane Exchange Target Discrete Cell Entry Pathways. mBio 2021; 12:e0238821. [PMID: 34517761 PMCID: PMC8546572 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02388-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria compete against related individuals by delivering toxins. In myxobacteria, a key delivery and kin discrimination mechanism is called outer membrane (OM) exchange (OME). Here, cells that display compatible polymorphic cell surface receptors recognize one another and bidirectionally transfer OM content. Included in the cargo is a suite of polymorphic SitA lipoprotein toxins. Consequently, OME between compatible cells that are not clonemates results in intoxication, while exchange between clonemates is harmonious because cells express a cognate repertoire of immunity proteins, which themselves are not transferred. SitA toxins belong to six nonhomologous families classified by sequence conservation within their N-terminal “escort domains” (EDs), while their C termini contain polymorphic nucleases that target the cytoplasmic compartment. To investigate how toxins delivered to the OM by OME translocate to the cytoplasm, we selected transposon mutants resistant to each family. Our screens identified eight genes that conferred resistance in a SitA family-specific manner. Most of these genes are predicted to localize to the cell envelope, and some resemble proteins that colicins exploit to gain cell entry. By constructing functional chimeric SitAs between families, we show that the ED determines the specificity of resistance. Importantly, a mutant that confers resistance to all six SitA families was discovered. This gene was named traC and plays an accessory role with traAB in OME. This work thus provides insight into the mechanism of kin discrimination in myxobacteria and provides working models for how SitA toxins exploit host proteins to gain cytoplasmic entry.
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20
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Abstract
Colicins are protein antibiotics deployed by Escherichia coli to eliminate competing strains. Colicins frequently exploit outer membrane (OM) nutrient transporters to penetrate the selectively permeable bacterial cell envelope. Here, by applying live-cell fluorescence imaging, we were able to monitor the entry of the pore-forming toxin colicin B (ColB) into E. coli and localize it within the periplasm. We further demonstrate that single-stranded DNA coupled to ColB can also be transported to the periplasm, emphasizing that the import routes of colicins can be exploited to carry large cargo molecules into bacteria. Moreover, we characterize the molecular mechanism of ColB association with its OM receptor FepA by applying a combination of photoactivated cross-linking, mass spectrometry, and structural modeling. We demonstrate that complex formation is coincident with large-scale conformational changes in the colicin. Thereafter, active transport of ColB through FepA involves the colicin taking the place of the N-terminal half of the plug domain that normally occludes this iron transporter. IMPORTANCE Decades of excessive use of readily available antibiotics has generated a global problem of antibiotic resistance and, hence, an urgent need for novel antibiotic solutions. Bacteriocins are protein-based antibiotics produced by bacteria to eliminate closely related competing bacterial strains. Bacteriocin toxins have evolved to bypass the complex cell envelope in order to kill bacterial cells. Here, we uncover the cellular penetration mechanism of a well-known but poorly understood bacteriocin called colicin B that is active against Escherichia coli. Moreover, we demonstrate that the colicin B-import pathway can be exploited to deliver conjugated DNA cargo into bacterial cells. Our work leads to a better understanding of the way bacteriocins, as potential alternative antibiotics, execute their mode of action as well as highlighting how they might even be exploited in the genomic manipulation of Gram-negative bacteria.
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21
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The conserved serine transporter SdaC moonlights to enable self recognition. J Bacteriol 2021; 204:e0034721. [PMID: 34662238 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00347-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells can use self recognition to achieve cooperative behaviors. Self-recognition genes are thought to principally evolve in tandem with partner self-recognition alleles. However, other constraints on protein evolution could exist. Here, we have identified an interaction outside of self-recognition loci that could constrain the sequence variation of a self-recognition protein. We show that during collective swarm expansion in Proteus mirabilis, self-recognition signaling co-opts SdaC, a serine transporter. Serine uptake is crucial for bacterial survival and colonization. Single-residue variants of SdaC reveal that self recognition requires an open conformation of the protein; serine transport is dispensable. A distant ortholog from Escherichia coli is sufficient for self recognition; however, a paralogous serine transporter, YhaO, is not. Thus, SdaC couples self recognition and serine transport, likely through a shared molecular interface. Self recognition proteins may follow the framework of a complex interaction network rather than an isolated two-protein system. Understanding molecular and ecological constraints on self-recognition proteins lays the groundwork for insights into the evolution of self recognition and emergent collective behaviors. Importance Bacteria can receive secret messages from kin during migration. For Proteus mirabilis, these messages are necessary for virulence in multi-species infections. We show that a serine transporter-conserved among gamma-enterobacteria- enables self recognition. Molecular co-option of nutrient uptake could limit the sequence variation of these message proteins. SdaC is the primary transporter for L-serine, a vital metabolite for colonization during disease. Unlike many self-recognition receptors, SdaC is sufficiently conserved between species to achieve recognition. The predicted open conformation is shared by transport and recognition. SdaC reveals the interdependence of communication and nutrient acquisition. As the broader interactions of self-recognition proteins are studied, features shared among microbial self-recognition systems, such as Dictyostelium spp. and Neurospora spp., could emerge.
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22
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Carpena N, Richards K, Bello Gonzalez TDJ, Bravo-Blas A, Housden NG, Gerasimidis K, Milling SWF, Douce G, Malik DJ, Walker D. Targeted Delivery of Narrow-Spectrum Protein Antibiotics to the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract in a Murine Model of Escherichia coli Colonization. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:670535. [PMID: 34721311 PMCID: PMC8551963 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.670535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriocins are narrow-spectrum protein antibiotics that could potentially be used to engineer the human gut microbiota. However, technologies for targeted delivery of proteins to the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract in preclinical animal models are currently lacking. In this work, we have developed methods for the microencapsulation of Escherichia coli targeting bacteriocins, colicin E9 and Ia, in a pH responsive formulation to allow their targeted delivery and controlled release in an in vivo murine model of E. coli colonization. Membrane emulsification was used to produce a water-in-oil emulsion with the water-soluble polymer subsequently cross-linked to produce hydrogel microcapsules. The microcapsule fabrication process allowed control of the size of the drug delivery system and a near 100% yield of the encapsulated therapeutic cargo. pH-triggered release of the encapsulated colicins was achieved using a widely available pH-responsive anionic copolymer in combination with alginate biopolymers. In vivo experiments using a murine E. coli intestinal colonization model demonstrated that oral delivery of the encapsulated colicins resulted in a significant decrease in intestinal colonization and reduction in E. coli shedding in the feces of the animals. Employing controlled release drug delivery systems such as that described here is essential to enable delivery of new protein therapeutics or other biological interventions for testing within small animal models of infection. Such approaches may have considerable value for the future development of strategies to engineer the human gut microbiota, which is central to health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Carpena
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Kerry Richards
- Chemical Engineering Department, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alberto Bravo-Blas
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Konstantinos Gerasimidis
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Simon W. F. Milling
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian Douce
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Danish J. Malik
- Chemical Engineering Department, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Walker
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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Arunmanee W, Duangkaew M, Taweecheep P, Aphicho K, Lerdvorasap P, Pitchayakorn J, Intasuk C, Jiraratmetacon R, Syamsidi A, Chanvorachote P, Chaotham C, Pornputtapong N. Resurfacing receptor binding domain of Colicin N to enhance its cytotoxic effect on human lung cancer cells. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:5225-5234. [PMID: 34630940 PMCID: PMC8479544 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Colicin N (ColN) is a bacteriocin secreted by Escherichia coli (E. coli) to kill other Gram-negative bacteria by forcefully generating ion channels in the inner membrane. In addition to its bactericidal activity, ColN have been reported to selectively induce apoptosis in human lung cancer cells via the suppression of integrin modulated survival pathway. However, ColN showed mild toxicity against human lung cancer cells which could be improved for further applications. The protein resurfacing strategy was chosen to engineer ColN by extensive mutagenesis at solvent-exposed residues on ColN. The highly accessible Asp and Glu on wildtype ColN (ColNWT) were replaced by Lys to create polycationic ColN (ColN+12). Previous studies have shown that increase of positive charges on proteins leads to the enhancement of mammalian cell penetration as well as increased interaction with negatively charged surface of cancer cells. Those solvent-exposed residues of ColN were identified by Rosetta and AvNAPSA (Average number of Neighboring Atoms Per Sidechain Atom) approaches. The findings revealed that the structural features and stability of ColN+12 determined by circular dichroism were similar to ColNWT. Furthermore, the toxicity of ColN+12 was cancer selective. Human lung cancer cells, H460 and H23, were sensitive to ColN but human dermal papilla cells were not. ColN+12 also showed more potent toxicity than ColNWT in cancer cells. This confirmed that polycationic resurfacing method has enabled us to improve the anticancer activity of ColN towards human lung cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanatchaporn Arunmanee
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Methawee Duangkaew
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Pornchanok Taweecheep
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Kanokpol Aphicho
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Panuwat Lerdvorasap
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Jesada Pitchayakorn
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Chayada Intasuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Runglada Jiraratmetacon
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Armini Syamsidi
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, Tadulako University, Central Sulawesi 94118, Indonesia
| | - Pithi Chanvorachote
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Cell-based Drug and Health Products Development Research Unit, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Chatchai Chaotham
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Cell-based Drug and Health Products Development Research Unit, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Natapol Pornputtapong
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Corresponding author.
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24
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Peterson SB, Bertolli SK, Mougous JD. The Central Role of Interbacterial Antagonism in Bacterial Life. Curr Biol 2021; 30:R1203-R1214. [PMID: 33022265 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The study of bacteria interacting with their environment has historically centered on strategies for obtaining nutrients and resisting abiotic stresses. We argue this focus has deemphasized a third facet of bacterial life that is equally central to their existence: namely, the threat to survival posed by antagonizing bacteria. The diversity and ubiquity of interbacterial antagonism pathways is becoming increasingly apparent, and the insidious manner by which interbacterial toxins disarm their targets emphasizes the highly evolved nature of these processes. Studies examining the role of antagonism in natural communities reveal it can serve many functions, from facilitating colonization of naïve habitats to maintaining bacterial community stability. The pervasiveness of antagonistic pathways is necessarily matched by an equally extensive array of defense strategies. These overlap with well characterized, central stress response pathways, highlighting the contribution of bacterial interactions to shaping cell physiology. In this review, we build the case for the ubiquity and importance of interbacterial antagonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Brook Peterson
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Savannah K Bertolli
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Joseph D Mougous
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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25
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Abstract
Bacteria often secrete diffusible protein toxins (bacteriocins) to kill bystander cells during interbacterial competition. Here, we use biochemical, biophysical and structural analyses to show how a bacteriocin exploits TolC, a major outer-membrane antibiotic efflux channel in Gram-negative bacteria, to transport itself across the outer membrane of target cells. Klebicin C (KlebC), a rRNase toxin produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae, binds TolC of a related species (K. quasipneumoniae) with high affinity through an N-terminal, elongated helical hairpin domain common amongst bacteriocins. The KlebC helical hairpin opens like a switchblade to bind TolC. A cryo-EM structure of this partially translocated state, at 3.1 Å resolution, reveals that KlebC associates along the length of the TolC channel. Thereafter, the unstructured N-terminus of KlebC protrudes beyond the TolC iris, presenting a TonB-box sequence to the periplasm. Association with proton-motive force-linked TonB in the inner membrane drives toxin import through the channel. Finally, we demonstrate that KlebC binding to TolC blocks drug efflux from bacteria. Our results indicate that TolC, in addition to its known role in antibiotic export, can function as a protein import channel for bacteriocins. Bacteria can secrete diffusible protein toxins that kill competing bacteria. Here, the authors use biochemical, biophysical and structural analyses to show how one of these toxins exploits TolC (a major antibiotic efflux channel) to transport itself across the outer membrane of target cells.
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26
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Kell DB. A protet-based, protonic charge transfer model of energy coupling in oxidative and photosynthetic phosphorylation. Adv Microb Physiol 2021; 78:1-177. [PMID: 34147184 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Textbooks of biochemistry will explain that the otherwise endergonic reactions of ATP synthesis can be driven by the exergonic reactions of respiratory electron transport, and that these two half-reactions are catalyzed by protein complexes embedded in the same, closed membrane. These views are correct. The textbooks also state that, according to the chemiosmotic coupling hypothesis, a (or the) kinetically and thermodynamically competent intermediate linking the two half-reactions is the electrochemical difference of protons that is in equilibrium with that between the two bulk phases that the coupling membrane serves to separate. This gradient consists of a membrane potential term Δψ and a pH gradient term ΔpH, and is known colloquially as the protonmotive force or pmf. Artificial imposition of a pmf can drive phosphorylation, but only if the pmf exceeds some 150-170mV; to achieve in vivo rates the imposed pmf must reach 200mV. The key question then is 'does the pmf generated by electron transport exceed 200mV, or even 170mV?' The possibly surprising answer, from a great many kinds of experiment and sources of evidence, including direct measurements with microelectrodes, indicates it that it does not. Observable pH changes driven by electron transport are real, and they control various processes; however, compensating ion movements restrict the Δψ component to low values. A protet-based model, that I outline here, can account for all the necessary observations, including all of those inconsistent with chemiosmotic coupling, and provides for a variety of testable hypotheses by which it might be refined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B Kell
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative, Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
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27
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Vornhagen J, Bassis CM, Ramakrishnan S, Hein R, Mason S, Bergman Y, Sunshine N, Fan Y, Holmes CL, Timp W, Schatz MC, Young VB, Simner PJ, Bachman MA. A plasmid locus associated with Klebsiella clinical infections encodes a microbiome-dependent gut fitness factor. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009537. [PMID: 33930099 PMCID: PMC8115787 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is an important cause of healthcare-associated infections, which increases patient morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization costs. Gut colonization by Kp is consistently associated with subsequent Kp disease, and patients are predominantly infected with their colonizing strain. Our previous comparative genomics study, between disease-causing and asymptomatically colonizing Kp isolates, identified a plasmid-encoded tellurite (TeO3-2)-resistance (ter) operon as strongly associated with infection. However, TeO3-2 is extremely rare and toxic to humans. Thus, we used a multidisciplinary approach to determine the biological link between ter and Kp infection. First, we used a genomic and bioinformatic approach to extensively characterize Kp plasmids encoding the ter locus. These plasmids displayed substantial variation in plasmid incompatibility type and gene content. Moreover, the ter operon was genetically independent of other plasmid-encoded virulence and antibiotic resistance loci, both in our original patient cohort and in a large set (n = 88) of publicly available ter operon-encoding Kp plasmids, indicating that the ter operon is likely playing a direct, but yet undescribed role in Kp disease. Next, we employed multiple mouse models of infection and colonization to show that 1) the ter operon is dispensable during bacteremia, 2) the ter operon enhances fitness in the gut, 3) this phenotype is dependent on the colony of origin of mice, and 4) antibiotic disruption of the gut microbiota eliminates the requirement for ter. Furthermore, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we show that the ter operon enhances Kp fitness in the gut in the presence of specific indigenous microbiota, including those predicted to produce short chain fatty acids. Finally, administration of exogenous short-chain fatty acids in our mouse model of colonization was sufficient to reduce fitness of a ter mutant. These findings indicate that the ter operon, strongly associated with human infection, encodes factors that resist stress induced by the indigenous gut microbiota during colonization. This work represents a substantial advancement in our molecular understanding of Kp pathogenesis and gut colonization, directly relevant to Kp disease in healthcare settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Vornhagen
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Christine M. Bassis
- Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases Division, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Srividya Ramakrishnan
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Robert Hein
- Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases Division, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Sophia Mason
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Yehudit Bergman
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Nicole Sunshine
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Yunfan Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Caitlyn L. Holmes
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Winston Timp
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Michael C. Schatz
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, United States of America
| | - Vincent B. Young
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases Division, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Patricia J. Simner
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Michael A. Bachman
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
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Szczepaniak J, Press C, Kleanthous C. The multifarious roles of Tol-Pal in Gram-negative bacteria. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 44:490-506. [PMID: 32472934 PMCID: PMC7391070 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the 1960s several groups reported the isolation and preliminary genetic mapping of
Escherichia coli strains tolerant towards the
action of colicins. These pioneering studies kick-started two new fields in bacteriology;
one centred on how bacteriocins like colicins exploit the Tol (or more commonly Tol-Pal)
system to kill bacteria, the other on the physiological role of this cell
envelope-spanning assembly. The following half century has seen significant advances in
the first of these fields whereas the second has remained elusive, until recently. Here,
we review work that begins to shed light on Tol-Pal function in Gram-negative bacteria.
What emerges from these studies is that Tol-Pal is an energised system with fundamental,
interlinked roles in cell division – coordinating the re-structuring of peptidoglycan at
division sites and stabilising the connection between the outer membrane and underlying
cell wall. This latter role is achieved by Tol-Pal exploiting the proton motive force to
catalyse the accumulation of the outer membrane peptidoglycan associated lipoprotein Pal
at division sites while simultaneously mobilising Pal molecules from around the cell.
These studies begin to explain the diverse phenotypic outcomes of tol-pal
mutations, point to other cell envelope roles Tol-Pal may have and raise many new
questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Szczepaniak
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Cara Press
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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29
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Genetic Evidence for SecY Translocon-Mediated Import of Two Contact-Dependent Growth Inhibition (CDI) Toxins. mBio 2021; 12:mBio.03367-20. [PMID: 33531386 PMCID: PMC7858069 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03367-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Many bacterial species interact via direct cell-to-cell contact using CDI systems, which provide a mechanism to inject toxins that inhibit bacterial growth into one another. Here, we find that two CDI toxins, one that depolarizes membranes and another that degrades RNA, exploit the universally conserved SecY translocon machinery used to export proteins for target cell entry. The C-terminal (CT) toxin domains of contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) CdiA proteins target Gram-negative bacteria and must breach both the outer and inner membranes of target cells to exert growth inhibitory activity. Here, we examine two CdiA-CT toxins that exploit the bacterial general protein secretion machinery after delivery into the periplasm. A Ser281Phe amino acid substitution in transmembrane segment 7 of SecY, the universally conserved channel-forming subunit of the Sec translocon, decreases the cytotoxicity of the membrane depolarizing orphan10 toxin from enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli EC869. Target cells expressing secYS281F and lacking either PpiD or YfgM, two SecY auxiliary factors, are fully protected from CDI-mediated inhibition either by CdiA-CTo10EC869 or by CdiA-CTGN05224, the latter being an EndoU RNase CdiA toxin from Klebsiella aerogenes GN05224 that has a related cytoplasm entry domain. RNase activity of CdiA-CTGN05224 was reduced in secYS281F target cells and absent in secYS281F ΔppiD or secYS281F ΔyfgM target cells during competition co-cultures. Importantly, an allele-specific mutation in secY (secYG313W) renders ΔppiD or ΔyfgM target cells specifically resistant to CdiA-CTGN05224 but not to CdiA-CTo10EC869, further suggesting a direct interaction between SecY and the CDI toxins. Our results provide genetic evidence of a unique confluence between the primary cellular export route for unfolded polypeptides and the import pathways of two CDI toxins.
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Paquette SJ, Reuter T. Escherichia coli: Physiological Clues Which Turn On the Synthesis of Antimicrobial Molecules. Vet Sci 2020; 7:E184. [PMID: 33233401 PMCID: PMC7712815 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7040184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic pathogens, like Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a food safety and health risk. To battle the increasing emergence of virulent microbes, novel mitigation strategies are needed. One strategy being considered to combat pathogens is antimicrobial compounds produced by microbes, coined microcins. However, effectors for microcin production are poorly understood, particularly in the context of complex physiological responses along the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT). Previously, we identified an E. coli competitor capable of producing a strong diffusible antimicrobial with microcin-associated characteristics. Our objective was to examine how molecule production of this competitor is affected by physiological properties associated with the GIT, namely the effects of carbon source, bile salt concentration and growth phase. Using previously described liquid- and agar-based assays determined that carbon sources do not affect antimicrobial production of E. coli O103F. However, bile salt concentrations affected production significantly, suggesting that E. coli O103F uses cues along the GIT to modulate the expression of antimicrobial production. Furthermore, E. coli O103F produces the molecule during the exponential phase, contrary to most microcins identified to date. The results underscored the importance of experimental design to identify producers of antimicrobials. To detect antimicrobials, conventional microbiological methods can be a starting point, but not the gold standard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah-Jo Paquette
- University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada;
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V6, Canada
| | - Tim Reuter
- University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada;
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V6, Canada
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31
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Cambré A, Aertsen A. Bacterial Vivisection: How Fluorescence-Based Imaging Techniques Shed a Light on the Inner Workings of Bacteria. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2020; 84:e00008-20. [PMID: 33115939 PMCID: PMC7599038 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00008-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise in fluorescence-based imaging techniques over the past 3 decades has improved the ability of researchers to scrutinize live cell biology at increased spatial and temporal resolution. In microbiology, these real-time vivisections structurally changed the view on the bacterial cell away from the "watery bag of enzymes" paradigm toward the perspective that these organisms are as complex as their eukaryotic counterparts. Capitalizing on the enormous potential of (time-lapse) fluorescence microscopy and the ever-extending pallet of corresponding probes, initial breakthroughs were made in unraveling the localization of proteins and monitoring real-time gene expression. However, later it became clear that the potential of this technique extends much further, paving the way for a focus-shift from observing single events within bacterial cells or populations to obtaining a more global picture at the intra- and intercellular level. In this review, we outline the current state of the art in fluorescence-based vivisection of bacteria and provide an overview of important case studies to exemplify how to use or combine different strategies to gain detailed information on the cell's physiology. The manuscript therefore consists of two separate (but interconnected) parts that can be read and consulted individually. The first part focuses on the fluorescent probe pallet and provides a perspective on modern methodologies for microscopy using these tools. The second section of the review takes the reader on a tour through the bacterial cell from cytoplasm to outer shell, describing strategies and methods to highlight architectural features and overall dynamics within cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Cambré
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Abram Aertsen
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Leuven, Belgium
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FusB Energizes Import across the Outer Membrane through Direct Interaction with Its Ferredoxin Substrate. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02081-20. [PMID: 33109756 PMCID: PMC7593965 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02081-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytopathogenic Pectobacterium spp. import ferredoxin into the periplasm for proteolytic processing and iron release via the ferredoxin uptake system. Although the ferredoxin receptor FusA and the processing protease FusC have been identified, the mechanistic basis of ferredoxin import is poorly understood. In this work, we demonstrate that protein translocation across the outer membrane is dependent on the TonB-like protein FusB. In contrast to the loss of FusC, loss of FusB or FusA abolishes ferredoxin transport to the periplasm, demonstrating that FusA and FusB work in concert to transport ferredoxin across the outer membrane. In addition to an interaction with the "TonB box" region of FusA, FusB also forms a complex with the ferredoxin substrate, with complex formation required for substrate transport. These data suggest that ferredoxin transport requires energy transduction from the cytoplasmic membrane via FusB both for removal of the FusA plug domain and for substrate translocation through the FusA barrel.IMPORTANCE The ability to acquire iron is key to the ability of bacteria to cause infection. Plant-pathogenic Pectobacterium spp. are able to acquire iron from plants by transporting the iron-containing protein ferredoxin into the cell from proteolytic processing. In this work, we show that the TonB-like protein FusB plays a key role in transporting ferredoxin across the bacterial outer membrane by directly energizing its transport into the cell. The direct interaction of the TonB-like protein with substrate is unprecedented and explains the requirement for the system-specific TonB homologue in the ferredoxin uptake system. Since multiple genes encoding TonB-like proteins are commonly found in the genomes of Gram-negative bacteria, this may be a common mechanism for the uptake of atypical substrates via TonB-dependent receptors.
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Molecular Structure and Functional Analysis of Pyocin S8 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals the Essential Requirement of a Glutamate Residue in the H-N-H Motif for DNase Activity. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:JB.00346-20. [PMID: 32817098 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00346-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious threat to public health, making the development of new antimicrobials an urgent necessity. Pyocins are protein antibiotics produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to kill closely related cells during intraspecific competition. Here, we report an in-depth biochemical, microbicidal, and structural characterization of a new S-type pyocin, named S8. Initially, we described the domain organization and secondary structure of S8. Subsequently, we observed that a recombinant S8 composed of the killing subunit in complex with the immunity (ImS8) protein killed the strain PAO1. Furthermore, mutation of a highly conserved glutamic acid to alanine (Glu100Ala) completely inhibited this antimicrobial activity. The integrity of the H-N-H motif is probably essential in the killing activity of S8, as Glu100 is a highly conserved residue of this motif. Next, we observed that S8 is a metal-dependent endonuclease, as EDTA treatment abolished its ability to cleave supercoiled pUC18 plasmid. Supplementation of apo S8 with Ni2+ strongly induced this DNase activity, whereas Mn2+ and Mg2+ exhibited moderate effects and Zn2+ was inhibitory. Additionally, S8 bound Zn2+ with a higher affinity than Ni2+ and the Glu100Ala mutation decreased the affinity of S8 for these metals, as shown by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Finally, we describe the crystal structure of the Glu100Ala S8 DNase-ImS8 complex at 1.38 Å, which gave us new insights into the endonuclease activity of S8. Our results reinforce the possibility of using pyocin S8 as an alternative therapy for infections caused by MDR strains, while leaving commensal human microbiota intact.IMPORTANCE Pyocins are proteins produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains that participate in intraspecific competition and host-pathogen interactions. They were first described in the 1950s and since then have gained attention as possible new antibiotics. However, there is still only scarce information about the molecular mechanisms by which these molecules induce cell death. Here, we show that the metal-dependent endonuclease activity of pyocin S8 is involved with its antimicrobial action against strain PAO1. We also describe that this killing activity is dependent on a conserved Glu residue within the H-N-H motif. The potency and selectivity of pyocin S8 toward a narrow spectrum of P. aeruginosa strains make this protein an attractive antimicrobial alternative for combatting MDR strains, while leaving commensal human microbiota intact.
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34
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Bosák J, Hrala M, Micenková L, Šmajs D. Non-antibiotic antibacterial peptides and proteins of Escherichia coli: efficacy and potency of bacteriocins. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2020; 19:309-322. [PMID: 32856960 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2020.1816824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria drives the search for alternative antimicrobial therapies. Bacteriocins represent a potential alternative to antibiotic treatment. In contrast to antibiotics, bacteriocins are peptides or proteins that have relatively narrow spectra of antibacterial activities and are produced by a wide range of bacterial species. Bacteriocins of Escherichia coli are historically classified as microcins and colicins, and, until now, more than 30 different bacteriocin types have been identified and characterized. AREAS COVERED We performed bibliographical searches of online databases to review the literature regarding bacteriocins produced by E. coli with respect to their occurrence, bacteriocin role in bacterial colonization and pathogenicity, and application of their antimicrobial effect. EXPERT OPINION The potential use of bacteriocins for applications in human and animal medicine and the food industry includes (i) the use of bacteriocin-producing probiotic strains, (ii) recombinant production in plants and application in food, and (iii) application of purified bacteriocins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juraj Bosák
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Matěj Hrala
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Micenková
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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35
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Jansen KB, Inns PG, Housden NG, Hopper JTS, Kaminska R, Lee S, Robinson CV, Bayley H, Kleanthous C. Bifurcated binding of the OmpF receptor underpins import of the bacteriocin colicin N into Escherichia coli. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:9147-9156. [PMID: 32398259 PMCID: PMC7335789 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Colicins are Escherichia coli-specific bacteriocins that translocate across the outer bacterial membrane by a poorly understood mechanism. Group A colicins typically parasitize the proton-motive force-linked Tol system in the inner membrane via porins after first binding an outer membrane protein receptor. Recent studies have suggested that the pore-forming group A colicin N (ColN) instead uses lipopolysaccharide as a receptor. Contrary to this prevailing view, using diffusion-precipitation assays, native state MS, isothermal titration calorimetry, single-channel conductance measurements in planar lipid bilayers, and in vivo fluorescence imaging, we demonstrate here that ColN uses OmpF both as its receptor and translocator. This dual function is achieved by ColN having multiple distinct OmpF-binding sites, one located within its central globular domain and another within its disordered N terminus. We observed that the ColN globular domain associates with the extracellular surface of OmpF and that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enhances this binding. Approximately 90 amino acids of ColN then translocate through the porin, enabling the ColN N terminus to localize within the lumen of an OmpF subunit from the periplasmic side of the membrane, a binding mode reminiscent of that observed for the nuclease colicin E9. We conclude that bifurcated engagement of porins is intrinsic to the import mechanism of group A colicins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sejeong Lee
- Chemistry Research laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Carol V Robinson
- Chemistry Research laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hagan Bayley
- Chemistry Research laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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36
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Abstract
Bacteria have evolved a wide range of mechanisms to harm and kill their competitors, including chemical, mechanical and biological weapons. Here we review the incredible diversity of bacterial weapon systems, which comprise antibiotics, toxic proteins, mechanical weapons that stab and pierce, viruses, and more. The evolution of bacterial weapons is shaped by many factors, including cell density and nutrient abundance, and how strains are arranged in space. Bacteria also employ a diverse range of combat behaviours, including pre-emptive attacks, suicidal attacks, and reciprocation (tit-for-tat). However, why bacteria carry so many weapons, and why they are so often used, remains poorly understood. By comparison with animals, we argue that the way that bacteria live - often in dense and genetically diverse communities - is likely to be key to their aggression as it encourages them to dig in and fight alongside their clonemates. The intensity of bacterial aggression is such that it can strongly affect communities, via complex coevolutionary and eco-evolutionary dynamics, which influence species over space and time. Bacterial warfare is a fascinating topic for ecology and evolution, as well as one of increasing relevance. Understanding how bacteria win wars is important for the goal of manipulating the human microbiome and other important microbial systems.
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37
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Atanaskovic I, Mosbahi K, Sharp C, Housden NG, Kaminska R, Walker D, Kleanthous C. Targeted Killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Pyocin G Occurs via the Hemin Transporter Hur. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:3869-3880. [PMID: 32339530 PMCID: PMC7322526 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a priority pathogen for the development of new antibiotics, particularly because multi-drug-resistant strains of this bacterium cause serious nosocomial infections and are the leading cause of death in cystic fibrosis patients. Pyocins, bacteriocins of P. aeruginosa, are potent and diverse protein antibiotics that are deployed during bacterial competition. Pyocins are produced by more than 90% of P. aeruginosa strains and may have utility as last resort antibiotics against this bacterium. In this study, we explore the antimicrobial activity of a newly discovered pyocin called pyocin G (PyoG). We demonstrate that PyoG has broad killing activity against a collection of clinical P. aeruginosa isolates and is active in a Galleria mellonella infection model. We go on to identify cell envelope proteins that are necessary for the import of PyoG and its killing activity. PyoG recognizes bacterial cells by binding to Hur, an outer-membrane TonB-dependent transporter. Both pyocin and Hur interact with TonB1, which in complex with ExbB-ExbD links the proton motive force generated across the inner membrane with energy-dependent pyocin translocation across the outer membrane. Inner-membrane translocation of PyoG is dependent on the conserved inner-membrane AAA+ ATPase/protease, FtsH. We also report a functional exploration of the PyoG receptor. We demonstrate that Hur can bind to hemin in vitro and that this interaction is blocked by PyoG, confirming the role of Hur in hemin acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Atanaskovic
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Khedidja Mosbahi
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow, UK
| | - Connor Sharp
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Nicholas G Housden
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Daniel Walker
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow, UK
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK.
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38
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Behrens HM, Lowe ED, Gault J, Housden NG, Kaminska R, Weber TM, Thompson CMA, Mislin GLA, Schalk IJ, Walker D, Robinson CV, Kleanthous C. Pyocin S5 Import into Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals a Generic Mode of Bacteriocin Transport. mBio 2020; 11:e03230-19. [PMID: 32156826 PMCID: PMC7064778 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03230-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyocin S5 (PyoS5) is a potent protein bacteriocin that eradicates the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in animal infection models, but its import mechanism is poorly understood. Here, using crystallography, biophysical and biochemical analyses, and live-cell imaging, we define the entry process of PyoS5 and reveal links to the transport mechanisms of other bacteriocins. In addition to its C-terminal pore-forming domain, elongated PyoS5 comprises two novel tandemly repeated kinked 3-helix bundle domains that structure-based alignments identify as key import domains in other pyocins. The central domain binds the lipid-bound common polysaccharide antigen, allowing the pyocin to accumulate on the cell surface. The N-terminal domain binds the ferric pyochelin transporter FptA while its associated disordered region binds the inner membrane protein TonB1, which together drive import of the bacteriocin across the outer membrane. Finally, we identify the minimal requirements for sensitizing Escherichia coli toward PyoS5, as well as other pyocins, and suggest that a generic pathway likely underpins the import of all TonB-dependent bacteriocins across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.IMPORTANCE Bacteriocins are toxic polypeptides made by bacteria to kill their competitors, making them interesting as potential antibiotics. Here, we reveal unsuspected commonalities in bacteriocin uptake pathways, through molecular and cellular dissection of the import pathway for the pore-forming bacteriocin pyocin S5 (PyoS5), which targets Pseudomonas aeruginosa In addition to its C-terminal pore-forming domain, PyoS5 is composed of two tandemly repeated helical domains that we also identify in other pyocins. Functional analyses demonstrate that they have distinct roles in the import process. One recognizes conserved sugars projected from the surface, while the other recognizes a specific outer membrane siderophore transporter, FptA, in the case of PyoS5. Through engineering of Escherichia coli cells, we show that pyocins can be readily repurposed to kill other species. This suggests basic ground rules for the outer membrane translocation step that likely apply to many bacteriocins targeting Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Behrens
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Edward D Lowe
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Gault
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas G Housden
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - T Moritz Weber
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Catriona M A Thompson
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gaëtan L A Mislin
- UMR 7242, Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, ESBS, Illkirch, France
| | - Isabelle J Schalk
- UMR 7242, Biotechnologie et Signalisation Cellulaire, ESBS, Illkirch, France
| | - Daniel Walker
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Carol V Robinson
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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39
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Paquette SJ, Reuter T. Properties of an Antimicrobial Molecule Produced by an Escherichia coli Champion. Antibiotics (Basel) 2019; 9:E6. [PMID: 31877806 PMCID: PMC7168273 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Over recent decades, the number and frequency of severe pathogen infections have been increasing. Pathogen mitigation strategies in human medicine or in livestock operations are vital to combat emerging arsenals of bacterial virulence and defense mechanisms. Since the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, the competitive nature of bacteria has been considered for the potential treatment or mitigation of pathogens. Previously, we identified a strong E. coli competitor with probiotic properties producing a diffusible antimicrobial molecule(s) that inhibited the growth of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Our current objective was to isolate and examine the properties of this antimicrobial molecule(s). Molecules were isolated by filter sterilization after 12 h incubation, and bacterial inhibition was compared to relevant controls. Isolated antimicrobial molecule(s) and controls were subjected to temperature, pH, or protease digestion treatments. Changes in inhibition properties were evaluated by comparing the incremental cell growth in the presence of treated and untreated antimicrobial molecule(s). No treatment affected the antimicrobial molecule(s) properties of STEC inhibition, suggesting that at least one molecule produced is an efficacious microcin. The molecule persistence to physiochemical and enzymatic treatments could open a wide window to technical industry-scale applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah-Jo Paquette
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, #100-5401 1st Ave. South, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V6, Canada;
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V6, Canada
| | - Tim Reuter
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, #100-5401 1st Ave. South, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V6, Canada;
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40
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Denkovskienė E, Paškevičius Š, Misiūnas A, Stočkūnaitė B, Starkevič U, Vitkauskienė A, Hahn-Löbmann S, Schulz S, Giritch A, Gleba Y, Ražanskienė A. Broad and Efficient Control of Klebsiella Pathogens by Peptidoglycan-Degrading and Pore-Forming Bacteriocins Klebicins. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15422. [PMID: 31659220 PMCID: PMC6817936 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51969-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the genus Klebsiella are important nosocomial pathogens, readily acquiring resistance to all known antibiotics. Bacteriocins, non-antibiotic antibacterial proteins, have been earlier proposed as potential therapeutic agents for control of other Gram-negative species such as Escherichia, Pseudomonas and Salmonella. This study is the first report describing pore-forming and peptidoglycan-degrading bacteriocins klebicins from Klebsiella. We have identified, cloned, expressed in plants and characterized nine pore-forming and peptidoglycan-degrading bacteriocins from different Klebsiella species. We demonstrate that klebicins can be used for broad and efficient control of 101 of the 107 clinical isolates representing five Klebsiella species, including multi-drug resistant pathovars and pathovars resistant to carbapenem antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Šarūnas Paškevičius
- Nomads UAB, Geležinio vilko 29A, LT-01112, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Vilnius University, Institute of Biotechnology, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | | | - Urtė Starkevič
- Nomads UAB, Geležinio vilko 29A, LT-01112, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Astra Vitkauskienė
- Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Eivenių g. 2, LT-50161, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Simone Hahn-Löbmann
- Nomad Bioscience GmbH, Biozentrum Halle, Weinbergweg 22, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Steve Schulz
- Nomad Bioscience GmbH, Biozentrum Halle, Weinbergweg 22, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Anatoli Giritch
- Nomad Bioscience GmbH, Biozentrum Halle, Weinbergweg 22, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Yuri Gleba
- Nomad Bioscience GmbH, Biozentrum Halle, Weinbergweg 22, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
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41
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Hahn-Löbmann S, Stephan A, Schulz S, Schneider T, Shaverskyi A, Tusé D, Giritch A, Gleba Y. Colicins and Salmocins - New Classes of Plant-Made Non-antibiotic Food Antibacterials. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:437. [PMID: 31024601 PMCID: PMC6465592 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Recently, several plant-made recombinant proteins received favorable regulatory review as food antibacterials in the United States through the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) regulatory procedure, and applications for others are pending. These food antimicrobials, along with approved biopharmaceuticals and vaccines, represent new classes of products manufactured in green plants as production hosts. We present results of new research and development and summarize regulatory, economic and business aspects of the antibacterial proteins colicins and salmocins as new food processing aids.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Daniel Tusé
- DT/Consulting Group, Sacramento, CA, United States
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42
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Atanaskovic I, Kleanthous C. Tools and Approaches for Dissecting Protein Bacteriocin Import in Gram-Negative Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:646. [PMID: 31001227 PMCID: PMC6455109 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriocins of Gram-negative bacteria are typically multi-domain proteins that target and kill bacteria of the same or closely related species. There is increasing interest in protein bacteriocin import; from a fundamental perspective to understand how folded proteins are imported into bacteria and from an applications perspective as species-specific antibiotics to combat multidrug resistant bacteria. In order to translocate across the cell envelope and cause cell death, protein bacteriocins hijack nutrient uptake pathways. Their import is energized by parasitizing intermembrane protein complexes coupled to the proton motive force, which delivers a toxic domain into the cell. A plethora of genetic, structural, biochemical, and biophysical methods have been applied to find cell envelope components involved in bacteriocin import since their discovery almost a century ago. Here, we review the various approaches that now exist for investigating how protein bacteriocins translocate into Gram-negative bacteria and highlight areas of research that will need methodological innovations to fully understand this process. We also highlight recent studies demonstrating how bacteriocins can be used to probe organization and architecture of the Gram-negative cell envelope itself.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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43
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Sharp C, Boinett C, Cain A, Housden NG, Kumar S, Turner K, Parkhill J, Kleanthous C. O-Antigen-Dependent Colicin Insensitivity of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol 2019; 201:e00545-18. [PMID: 30510143 PMCID: PMC6351738 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00545-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria presents a significant barrier for molecules entering the cell. Nevertheless, colicins, which are antimicrobial proteins secreted by Escherichia coli, can target other E. coli cells by binding to cell surface receptor proteins and activating their import, resulting in cell death. Previous studies have documented high rates of nonspecific resistance (insensitivity) of various E. coli strains toward colicins that is independent of colicin-specific immunity and is instead associated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer membrane. This observation poses a contradiction: why do E. coli strains have colicin-expressing plasmids, which are energetically costly to retain, if cells around them are likely to be naturally insensitive to the colicin they produce? Here, using a combination of transposon sequencing and phenotypic microarrays, we show that colicin insensitivity of uropathogenic E. coli sequence type 131 (ST131) is dependent on the production of its O-antigen but that minor changes in growth conditions render the organism sensitive toward colicins. The reintroduction of O-antigen into E. coli K-12 demonstrated that it is the density of O-antigen that is the dominant factor governing colicin insensitivity. We also show, by microscopy of fluorescently labelled colicins, that growth conditions affect the degree of occlusion by O-antigen of outer membrane receptors but not the clustered organization of receptors. The result of our study demonstrate that environmental conditions play a critical role in sensitizing E. coli toward colicins and that O-antigen in LPS is central to this role.IMPORTANCEEscherichia coli infections can be a major health burden, especially with the organism becoming increasingly resistant to "last-resort" antibiotics such as carbapenems. Although colicins are potent narrow-spectrum antimicrobials with potential as future antibiotics, high levels of naturally occurring colicin insensitivity have been documented which could limit their efficacy. We identify O-antigen-dependent colicin insensitivity in a clinically relevant uropathogenic E. coli strain and show that this insensitivity can be circumvented by minor changes to growth conditions. The results of our study suggest that colicin insensitivity among E. coli organisms has been greatly overestimated, and as a consequence, colicins could in fact be effective species-specific antimicrobials targeting pathogenic E. coli such as uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor Sharp
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Amy Cain
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nicholas G Housden
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sandip Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Turner
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | | | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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44
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On mechanisms of colicin import: the outer membrane quandary. Biochem J 2018; 475:3903-3915. [PMID: 30541793 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Current problems in the understanding of colicin import across the Escherichia coli outer membrane (OM), involving a range of cytotoxic mechanisms, are discussed: (I) Crystal structure analysis of colicin E3 (RNAase) with bound OM vitamin B12 receptor, BtuB, and of the N-terminal translocation (T) domain of E3 and E9 (DNAase) inserted into the OM OmpF porin, provide details of the initial interaction of the colicin central receptor (R)- and N-terminal T-domain with OM receptors/translocators. (II) Features of the translocon include: (a) high-affinity (K d ≈ 10-9 M) binding of the E3 receptor-binding R-domain E3 to BtuB; (b) insertion of disordered colicin N-terminal domain into the OmpF trimer; (c) binding of the N-terminus, documented for colicin E9, to the TolB protein on the periplasmic side of OmpF. Reinsertion of the colicin N-terminus into the second of the three pores in OmpF implies a colicin anchor site on the periplasmic side of OmpF. (III) Studies on the insertion of nuclease colicins into the cytoplasmic compartment imply that translocation proceeds via the C-terminal catalytic domain, proposed here to insert through the unoccupied third pore of the OmpF trimer, consistent with in vitro occlusion of OmpF channels by the isolated E3 C-terminal domain. (IV) Discussion of channel-forming colicins focuses mainly on colicin E1 for which BtuB is receptor and the OM TolC protein the proposed translocator. The ability of TolC, part of a multidrug efflux pump, for which there is no precedent for an import function, to provide a trans-periplasmic import pathway for colicin E1, is questioned on the basis of an unfavorable hairpin conformation of colicin N-terminal peptides inserted into TolC.
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45
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Min S, Jin Y, Hou CY, Kim J, Green JJ, Kang TJ, Cho SW. Bacterial tRNase-Based Gene Therapy with Poly(β-Amino Ester) Nanoparticles for Suppressing Melanoma Tumor Growth and Relapse. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7:e1800052. [PMID: 29888531 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201800052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Here, a novel anticancer gene therapy with a bacterial tRNase gene, colicin D or virulence associated protein C (VapC), is suggested using biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles, such as poly(β-amino esters) (PBAEs) as carriers. These genes are meticulously selected, aiming at inhibiting translation in the recipients by hydrolyzing specific tRNA species. In terms of nanoparticles, out of 9 PBAE formulations, a leading polymer, (polyethylene oxide)4 -bis-amine end-capped poly(1,4-butanediol diacrylate-co-5-amino-1-pentanol) (B4S5E5), is identified that displays higher gene delivery efficacy to cancer cells compared with the leading commercial reagent Lipofectamine 2000. Interestingly, the B4S5E5 PBAE nanoparticles complexed with colicin D or VapC plasmid DNA induce significant toxicity highly specific to cancer cells by triggering apoptosis. In contrast, the PBAE nanoparticles do not induce these cytotoxic effects in noncancerous cells. In a mouse melanoma model of grafted murine B16-F10 cells, it is demonstrated that treatment with PBAE nanoparticles complexed with these tRNase genes significantly reduces tumor growth rate and delays tumor relapse. Moreover, increased stability of PBAE by PEGylation further enhances the therapeutic effect of tRNase gene treatment and improves survival of animals. This study highlights a nonviral gene therapy that is highly promising for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungjin Min
- Department of Biotechnology; Yonsei University; Seoul 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonhee Jin
- Department of Biotechnology; Yonsei University; Seoul 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Chen Yuan Hou
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; Dongguk University-Seoul; Seoul 04620 Republic of Korea
| | - Jayoung Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering; Translational Tissue Engineering Center; Institute for Nanobiotechnology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore MD 21231 USA
| | - Jordan J. Green
- Department of Biomedical Engineering; Translational Tissue Engineering Center; Institute for Nanobiotechnology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore MD 21231 USA
| | - Taek Jin Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; Dongguk University-Seoul; Seoul 04620 Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Woo Cho
- Department of Biotechnology; Yonsei University; Seoul 03722 Republic of Korea
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46
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Housden NG, Rassam P, Lee S, Samsudin F, Kaminska R, Sharp C, Goult JD, Francis ML, Khalid S, Bayley H, Kleanthous C. Directional Porin Binding of Intrinsically Disordered Protein Sequences Promotes Colicin Epitope Display in the Bacterial Periplasm. Biochemistry 2018; 57:4374-4381. [PMID: 29949342 PMCID: PMC6093495 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Protein
bacteriocins are potent narrow spectrum antibiotics that
exploit outer membrane porins to kill bacteria by poorly understood
mechanisms. Here, we determine how colicins, bacteriocins specific
for Escherichia coli, engage the trimeric porin OmpF
to initiate toxin entry. The N-terminal ∼80 residues of the
nuclease colicin ColE9 are intrinsically unstructured and house two
OmpF binding sites (OBS1 and OBS2) that reside within the pores of
OmpF and which flank an epitope that binds periplasmic TolB. Using
a combination of molecular dynamics simulations, chemical trimerization,
isothermal titration calorimetry, fluorescence microscopy, and single
channel recording planar lipid bilayer measurements, we show that
this arrangement is achieved by OBS2 binding from the extracellular
face of OmpF, while the interaction of OBS1 occurs from the periplasmic
face of OmpF. Our study shows how the narrow pores of oligomeric porins
are exploited by colicin disordered regions for direction-specific
binding, which ensures the constrained presentation of an activating
signal within the bacterial periplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas G Housden
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Oxford , South Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3QU , U.K
| | - Patrice Rassam
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Oxford , South Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3QU , U.K
| | - Sejeong Lee
- Department of Chemistry , University of Oxford , 12 Mansfield Road , Oxford OX1 3TA , U.K
| | - Firdaus Samsudin
- Department of Chemistry , University of Southampton , University Road , Southampton SO17 1BJ , U.K
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Oxford , South Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3QU , U.K
| | - Connor Sharp
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Oxford , South Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3QU , U.K
| | - Jonathan D Goult
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Oxford , South Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3QU , U.K
| | - Marie-Louise Francis
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Oxford , South Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3QU , U.K
| | - Syma Khalid
- Department of Chemistry , University of Southampton , University Road , Southampton SO17 1BJ , U.K
| | - Hagan Bayley
- Department of Chemistry , University of Oxford , 12 Mansfield Road , Oxford OX1 3TA , U.K
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Oxford , South Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3QU , U.K
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Bacterial iron acquisition mediated by outer membrane translocation and cleavage of a host protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:6840-6845. [PMID: 29891657 PMCID: PMC6042079 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1800672115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is a highly impermeable barrier to a range of toxic chemicals and is responsible for the resistance of these bacteria to important classes of antibiotics. In this work, we show that plant pathogenic Pectobacterium spp. acquire iron from the small, stable, and abundant iron-containing plant protein ferredoxin by transporting ferredoxin across the outer membrane for intracellular processing by a highly specific protease, which induces iron release. The presence of homologous uptake and processing proteins in a range of important animal and plant pathogens suggests an exploitable route through which large molecules can penetrate the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Iron is an essential micronutrient for most bacteria and is obtained from iron-chelating siderophores or directly from iron-containing host proteins. For Gram-negative bacteria, classical iron transport systems consist of an outer membrane receptor, a periplasmic binding protein, and an inner membrane ABC transporter, which work in concert to deliver iron from the cell surface to the cytoplasm. We recently showed that Pectobacterium spp. are able to acquire iron from ferredoxin, a small and stable 2Fe-2S iron sulfur cluster containing protein and identified the ferredoxin receptor, FusA, a TonB-dependent receptor that binds ferredoxin on the cell surface. The genetic context of fusA suggests an atypical iron acquisition system, lacking a periplasmic binding protein, although the mechanism through which iron is extracted from the captured ferredoxin has remained unknown. Here we show that FusC, an M16 family protease, displays a highly targeted proteolytic activity against plant ferredoxin, and that growth enhancement of Pectobacterium due to iron acquisition from ferredoxin is FusC-dependent. The periplasmic location of FusC indicates a mechanism in which ferredoxin is imported into the periplasm via FusA before cleavage by FusC, as confirmed by the uptake and accumulation of ferredoxin in the periplasm in a strain lacking fusC. The existence of homologous uptake systems in a range of pathogenic bacteria suggests that protein uptake for nutrient acquisition may be widespread in bacteria and shows that, similar to their endosymbiotic descendants mitochondria and chloroplasts, bacteria produce dedicated protein import systems.
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Rassam P, Long KR, Kaminska R, Williams DJ, Papadakos G, Baumann CG, Kleanthous C. Intermembrane crosstalk drives inner-membrane protein organization in Escherichia coli. Nat Commun 2018. [PMID: 29540681 PMCID: PMC5852019 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03521-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria depend on energised protein complexes that connect the two membranes of the cell envelope. However, β-barrel outer-membrane proteins (OMPs) and α-helical inner-membrane proteins (IMPs) display quite different organisation. OMPs cluster into islands that restrict their lateral mobility, while IMPs generally diffuse throughout the cell. Here, using live cell imaging of Escherichia coli, we demonstrate that when transient, energy-dependent transmembrane connections are formed, IMPs become subjugated by the inherent organisation of OMPs and that such connections impact IMP function. We show that while establishing a translocon for import, the colicin ColE9 sequesters the IMPs of the proton motive force (PMF)-linked Tol-Pal complex into islands mirroring those of colicin-bound OMPs. Through this imposed organisation, the bacteriocin subverts the outer-membrane stabilising role of Tol-Pal, blocking its recruitment to cell division sites and slowing membrane constriction. The ordering of IMPs by OMPs via an energised inter-membrane bridge represents an emerging functional paradigm in cell envelope biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrice Rassam
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.,Laboratoire de Bioimagerie et Pathologie, UMR 7021, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de pharmacie, 74 Route du Rhin, 67401, Illkirch, France
| | - Kathleen R Long
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.,Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - David J Williams
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.,Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Grigorios Papadakos
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.,Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | | | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.
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Chassaing B, Cascales E. Antibacterial Weapons: Targeted Destruction in the Microbiota. Trends Microbiol 2018; 26:329-338. [PMID: 29452951 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in health, particularly in promoting intestinal metabolic capacity and in maturing the immune system. The intestinal microbiota also mediates colonization resistance against pathogenic bacteria, hence protecting the host from infections. In addition, some bacterial pathogens deliver toxins that target phylogenetically related or distinct bacterial species in order to outcompete and establish within the microbiota. The most widely distributed weapons include bacteriocins, as well as contact-dependent growth inhibition and type VI secretion systems. In this review, we discuss important advances about the impact of such antibacterial systems on shaping the intestinal microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Chassaing
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Eric Cascales
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM), Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée (IMM), Aix-Marseille Univ - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR7255, Marseille, France.
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Investigation of the Escherichia coli membrane transporters involved in the secretion of d-lactate-based oligomers by loss-of-function screening. J Biosci Bioeng 2017; 124:635-640. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2017.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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