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Agbavor C, Zimnicka A, Kumar A, George JL, Torres M, Prehna G, Alonzo F, Durrant JD, Freitag NE, Cahoon LA. The chaperone PrsA2 regulates the secretion, stability, and folding of listeriolysin O during Listeria monocytogenes infection. mBio 2024; 15:e0074324. [PMID: 38809022 PMCID: PMC11253611 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00743-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria rely on secreted virulence factors to cause disease in susceptible hosts. However, in Gram-positive bacteria, the mechanisms underlying secreted protein activation and regulation post-membrane translocation remain largely unknown. Using proteomics, we identified several proteins that are dependent on the secreted chaperone PrsA2. We followed with phenotypic, biochemical, and biophysical assays and computational analyses to examine the regulation of a detected key secreted virulence factor, listeriolysin O (LLO), and its interaction with PrsA2 from the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). Critical to Lm virulence is internalization by host cells and the subsequent action of the cholesterol-dependent pore-forming toxin, LLO, which enables bacterial escape from the host cell phagosome. Since Lm is a Gram-positive organism, the space between the cell membrane and wall is solvent exposed. Therefore, we hypothesized that the drop from neutral to acidic pH as the pathogen is internalized into a phagosome is critical to regulating the interaction of PrsA2 with LLO. Here, we demonstrate that PrsA2 directly interacts with LLO in a pH-dependent manner. We show that PrsA2 protects and sequesters LLO under neutral pH conditions where LLO can be observed to aggregate. In addition, we identify molecular features of PrsA2 that are required for interaction and ultimately the folding and activity of LLO. Moreover, protein-complex modeling suggests that PrsA2 interacts with LLO via its cholesterol-binding domain. These findings highlight a mechanism by which a Gram-positive secretion chaperone regulates the secretion, stability, and folding of a pore-forming toxin under conditions relevant to host cell infection. IMPORTANCE Lm is a ubiquitous food-borne pathogen that can cause severe disease to vulnerable populations. During infection, Lm relies on a wide repertoire of secreted virulence factors including the LLO that enables the bacterium to invade the host and spread from cell to cell. After membrane translocation, secreted factors must become active in the challenging bacterial cell membrane-wall interface. However, the mechanisms required for secreted protein folding and function are largely unknown. Lm encodes a chaperone, PrsA2, that is critical for the activity of secreted factors. Here, we show that PrsA2 directly associates and protects the major Lm virulence factor, LLO, under conditions corresponding to the host cytosol, where LLO undergoes irreversible denaturation. Additionally, we identify molecular features of PrsA2 that enable its interaction with LLO. Together, our results suggest that Lm and perhaps other Gram-positive bacteria utilize secreted chaperones to regulate the activity of pore-forming toxins during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Agbavor
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Adriana Zimnicka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Allison Kumar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jada L. George
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Madeline Torres
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gerd Prehna
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Francis Alonzo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jacob D. Durrant
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nancy E. Freitag
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Laty A. Cahoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Rahman MM, Zamakhaeva S, Rush JS, Chaton CT, Kenner CW, Hla YM, Tsui HCT, Uversky VN, Winkler ME, Korotkov KV, Korotkova N. O-glycosylation of intrinsically disordered regions regulates homeostasis of membrane proteins in streptococci. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.05.592596. [PMID: 38746434 PMCID: PMC11092751 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.05.592596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Proteins harboring intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) lacking stable secondary or tertiary structures are abundant across the three domains of life. These regions have not been systematically studied in prokaryotes. Our genome-wide analysis identifies extracytoplasmic serine/threonine-rich IDRs in several biologically important membrane proteins in streptococci. We demonstrate that these IDRs are O-glycosylated with glucose by glycosyltransferases GtrB and PgtC2 in Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and with N-acetylgalactosamine by a Pgf-dependent mechanism in Streptococcus mutans. Absence of glycosylation leads to a defect in biofilm formation under ethanol-stressed conditions in S. mutans. We link this phenotype to the C-terminal IDR of a post-translocation secretion chaperone PrsA. O-glycosylation of the IDR protects this region from proteolytic degradation. The IDR length attenuates the efficiency of glycosylation and, consequently, the expression level of PrsA. Taken together, our data reveal that O-glycosylation of IDRs functions as a dynamic switch of protein homeostasis in streptococci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad M. Rahman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Svetlana Zamakhaeva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Rush
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Catherine T. Chaton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Cameron W. Kenner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yin Mon Hla
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Vladimir N. Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Malcolm E. Winkler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Konstantin V. Korotkov
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Natalia Korotkova
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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3
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Ukleja M, Kricks L, Torrens G, Peschiera I, Rodrigues-Lopes I, Krupka M, García-Fernández J, Melero R, Del Campo R, Eulalio A, Mateus A, López-Bravo M, Rico AI, Cava F, Lopez D. Flotillin-mediated stabilization of unfolded proteins in bacterial membrane microdomains. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5583. [PMID: 38961085 PMCID: PMC11222466 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49951-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The function of many bacterial processes depends on the formation of functional membrane microdomains (FMMs), which resemble the lipid rafts of eukaryotic cells. However, the mechanism and the biological function of these membrane microdomains remain unclear. Here, we show that FMMs in the pathogen methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are dedicated to confining and stabilizing proteins unfolded due to cellular stress. The FMM scaffold protein flotillin forms a clamp-shaped oligomer that holds unfolded proteins, stabilizing them and favoring their correct folding. This process does not impose a direct energy cost on the cell and is crucial to survival of ATP-depleted bacteria, and thus to pathogenesis. Consequently, FMM disassembling causes the accumulation of unfolded proteins, which compromise MRSA viability during infection and cause penicillin re-sensitization due to PBP2a unfolding. Thus, our results indicate that FMMs mediate ATP-independent stabilization of unfolded proteins, which is essential for bacterial viability during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Ukleja
- Department of Microbiology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Lara Kricks
- Department of Microbiology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Gabriel Torrens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, SE-901 87, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). Umeå Center for Microbial Research (UCMR). Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Umeå, SE-901 87, Sweden
| | - Ilaria Peschiera
- Department of Microbiology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Ines Rodrigues-Lopes
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marcin Krupka
- Department of Microbiology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Julia García-Fernández
- Department of Microbiology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Roberto Melero
- Department of Structural Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Rosa Del Campo
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal Hospital, 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Eulalio
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, Center for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - André Mateus
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). Umeå Center for Microbial Research (UCMR). Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Umeå, SE-901 87, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, SE-901 87, Sweden
| | - María López-Bravo
- Department of Microbiology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Ana I Rico
- Department of Microbiology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Felipe Cava
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, SE-901 87, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). Umeå Center for Microbial Research (UCMR). Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Umeå, SE-901 87, Sweden
| | - Daniel Lopez
- Department of Microbiology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, 28049, Spain.
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4
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He Q, Meneely J, Grant IR, Chin J, Fanning S, Situ C. Phytotherapeutic potential against MRSA: mechanisms, synergy, and therapeutic prospects. Chin Med 2024; 19:89. [PMID: 38909250 PMCID: PMC11193263 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-024-00960-8] [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: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rising resistance to antimicrobials, particularly in the case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), represents a formidable global health challenge. Consequently, it is imperative to develop new antimicrobial solutions. This study evaluated 68 Chinese medicinal plants renowned for their historical applications in treating infectious diseases. METHODS The antimicrobial efficacy of medicinal plants were evaluated by determining their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against MRSA. Safety profiles were assessed on human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Mechanistic insights were obtained through fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (FM and TEM). Synergistic effects with vancomycin were investigated using the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI). RESULTS Rheum palmatum L., Arctium lappa L. and Paeonia suffructicosaas Andr. have emerged as potential candidates with potent anti-MRSA properties, with an impressive low MIC of 7.8 µg/mL, comparable to the 2 µg/mL MIC of vancomycin served as the antibiotic control. Crucially, these candidates demonstrated significant safety profiles when evaluated on Caco-2 and HepG2 cells. Even at 16 times the MIC, the cell viability ranged from 83.3% to 95.7%, highlighting their potential safety. FM and TEM revealed a diverse array of actions against MRSA, such as disrupting the cell wall and membrane, interference with nucleoids, and inducing morphological alterations resembling pseudo-multicellular structures in MRSA. Additionally, the synergy between vancomycin and these three plant extracts was evident against MRSA (FICI < 0.5). Notably, aqueous extract of R. palmatum at 1/4 MIC significantly reduced the vancomycin MIC from 2 µg/mL to 0.03 µg/mL, making a remarkable 67-fold decrease. CONCLUSIONS This study unveil new insights into the mechanistic actions and pleiotropic antibacterial effectiveness of these medicinal plants against resistant bacteria, providing robust evidence for their potential use as standalone or in conjunction with antibiotics, to effectively combat antimicrobial resistance, particularly against MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi He
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Julie Meneely
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Irene R Grant
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Jason Chin
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Séamus Fanning
- University College Dublin Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Chen Situ
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK.
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Jiang K, Li W, Tong M, Xu J, Chen Z, Yang Y, Zang Y, Jiao X, Liu C, Lim B, Jiang X, Wang J, Wu D, Wang M, Liu SJ, Shao F, Gao X. Bacteroides fragilis ubiquitin homologue drives intraspecies bacterial competition in the gut microbiome. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:70-84. [PMID: 38082149 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01541-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Interbacterial antagonism and associated defensive strategies are both essential during bacterial competition. The human gut symbiont Bacteroides fragilis secretes a ubiquitin homologue (BfUbb) that is toxic to a subset of B. fragilis strains in vitro. In the present study, we demonstrate that BfUbb lyses certain B. fragilis strains by non-covalently binding and inactivating an essential peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase). BfUbb-sensitivity profiling of B. fragilis strains revealed a key tyrosine residue (Tyr119) in the PPIase and strains that encode a glutamic acid residue at Tyr119 are resistant to BfUbb. Crystal structural analysis and functional studies of BfUbb and the BfUbb-PPIase complex uncover a unique disulfide bond at the carboxy terminus of BfUbb to mediate the interaction with Tyr119 of the PPIase. In vitro coculture assays and mouse studies show that BfUbb confers a competitive advantage for encoding strains and this is further supported by human gut metagenome analyses. Our findings reveal a previously undescribed mechanism of bacterial intraspecies competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Weixun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ming Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jinghua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhe Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yuanrong Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xuyao Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Bentley Lim
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xianzhi Jiang
- Microbiome Research Center, Moon (Guangzhou) Biotech Co. Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Dalei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mingyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shuang-Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Shao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
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6
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Lade H, Kim JS. Molecular Determinants of β-Lactam Resistance in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): An Updated Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1362. [PMID: 37760659 PMCID: PMC10525618 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12091362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, particularly in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), has become a significant health concern worldwide. The acquired mecA gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which takes over the activities of endogenous PBPs and, due to its low affinity for β-lactam antibiotics, is the main determinant of MRSA. In addition to PBP2a, other genetic factors that regulate cell wall synthesis, cell signaling pathways, and metabolism are required to develop high-level β-lactam resistance in MRSA. Although several genetic factors that modulate β-lactam resistance have been identified, it remains unclear how they alter PBP2a expression and affect antibiotic resistance. This review describes the molecular determinants of β-lactam resistance in MRSA, with a focus on recent developments in our understanding of the role of mecA-encoded PBP2a and on other genetic factors that modulate the level of β-lactam resistance. Understanding the molecular determinants of β-lactam resistance can aid in developing novel strategies to combat MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jae-Seok Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul 05355, Republic of Korea;
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7
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Monteiro KLC, Silva ON, Dos Santos Nascimento IJ, Mendonça Júnior FJB, Aquino PGV, da Silva-Júnior EF, de Aquino TM. Medicinal Chemistry of Inhibitors Targeting Resistant Bacteria. Curr Top Med Chem 2022; 22:1983-2028. [PMID: 35319372 DOI: 10.2174/1568026622666220321124452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of antibiotics was a revolutionary feat that provided countless health benefits. The identification of penicillin by Alexander Fleming initiated the era of antibiotics, represented by constant discoveries that enabled effective treatments for the different classes of diseases caused by bacteria. However, the indiscriminate use of these drugs allowed the emergence of resistance mechanisms of these microorganisms against the available drugs. In addition, the constant discoveries in the 20th century generated a shortage of new molecules, worrying health agencies and professionals about the appearance of multidrug-resistant strains against available drugs. In this context, the advances of recent years in molecular biology and microbiology have allowed new perspectives in drug design and development, using the findings related to the mechanisms of bacterial resistance to generate new drugs that are not affected by such mechanisms and supply new molecules to be used to treat resistant bacterial infections. Besides, a promising strategy against bacterial resistance is the combination of drugs through adjuvants, providing new expectations in designing new antibiotics and new antimicrobial therapies. Thus, this manuscript will address the main mechanisms of bacterial resistance under the understanding of medicinal chemistry, showing the main active compounds against efflux mechanisms, and also the application of the use of drug delivery systems, and finally, the main potential natural products as adjuvants or with promising activity against resistant strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadja Luana Chagas Monteiro
- Research Group on Therapeutic Strategies - GPET, Laboratory of Synthesis and Research in Medicinal Chemistry - LSPMED, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-970, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| | - Osmar Nascimento Silva
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University Center of Anápolis, Unievangélica, 75083-515, Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Igor José Dos Santos Nascimento
- Research Group on Therapeutic Strategies - GPET, Laboratory of Synthesis and Research in Medicinal Chemistry - LSPMED, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-970, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| | | | | | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-970, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| | - Thiago Mendonça de Aquino
- Research Group on Therapeutic Strategies - GPET, Laboratory of Synthesis and Research in Medicinal Chemistry - LSPMED, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-970, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
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8
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Sionov RV, Banerjee S, Bogomolov S, Smoum R, Mechoulam R, Steinberg D. Targeting the Achilles' Heel of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by the Endocannabinoid Anandamide. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:7798. [PMID: 35887146 PMCID: PMC9319909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a major health issue that requires new therapeutic approaches. Accumulating data suggest that it is possible to sensitize these bacteria to antibiotics by combining them with inhibitors targeting efflux pumps, the low-affinity penicillin-binding protein PBP2a, cell wall teichoic acid, or the cell division protein FtsZ. We have previously shown that the endocannabinoid Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine; AEA) could sensitize drug-resistant S. aureus to a variety of antibiotics, among others, through growth arrest and inhibition of drug efflux. Here, we looked at biochemical alterations caused by AEA. We observed that AEA increased the intracellular drug concentration of a fluorescent penicillin and augmented its binding to membrane proteins with concomitant altered membrane distribution of these proteins. AEA also prevented the secretion of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and reduced the cell wall teichoic acid content, both processes known to require transporter proteins. Notably, AEA was found to inhibit membrane ATPase activity that is necessary for transmembrane transport. AEA did not affect the membrane GTPase activity, and the GTPase cell division protein FtsZ formed the Z-ring of the divisome normally in the presence of AEA. Rather, AEA caused a reduction in murein hydrolase activities involved in daughter cell separation. Altogether, this study shows that AEA affects several biochemical processes that culminate in the sensitization of the drug-resistant bacteria to antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Vogt Sionov
- Biofilm Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (S.B.); (S.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Shreya Banerjee
- Biofilm Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (S.B.); (S.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Sergei Bogomolov
- Biofilm Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (S.B.); (S.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Reem Smoum
- Institute for Drug Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (R.S.); (R.M.)
| | - Raphael Mechoulam
- Institute for Drug Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (R.S.); (R.M.)
| | - Doron Steinberg
- Biofilm Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (S.B.); (S.B.); (D.S.)
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9
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Finding New Fundamental Pieces for the Bacterial Cell Division Puzzle. mBio 2022; 13:e0073722. [PMID: 35735744 PMCID: PMC9426480 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00737-22] [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: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The division of bacterial cells into two daughter cells requires a precise balance of more than a dozen highly conserved proteins that coordinate chromosome segregation with the synthesis of the novel cell envelope. The paradigms of cell division were established in rod-shaped bacteria and this fundamental process is far less characterized in spherical bacteria. In a search for novel, essential cell division proteins in Staphylococci, Myrbråten et al. used combined depletion and subcellular localization analyses to identify the staphylococcal morphology determinant, SmdA, that is exclusively found in cocci. Knockdown of smdA results in severe division defects and increased sensitivity to cell wall targeting antibiotics. Although determining the precise role of SmdA in S. aureus cell division will require further research, this study provides a striking example of how researchers can assign functions to genes that are too fundamental to cell biology to allow genetic inactivation.
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10
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An Interplay of Multiple Positive and Negative Factors Governs Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2022; 86:e0015921. [PMID: 35420454 PMCID: PMC9199415 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00159-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics has made Staphylococcus aureus a clinical burden on a global scale. MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) is commonly known as a superbug. The ability of MRSA to proliferate in the presence of β-lactams is attributed to the acquisition of mecA, which encodes the alternative penicillin binding protein, PBP2A, which is insensitive to the antibiotics. Most MRSA isolates exhibit low-level β-lactam resistance, whereby additional genetic adjustments are required to develop high-level resistance. Although several genetic factors that potentiate or are required for high-level resistance have been identified, how these interact at the mechanistic level has remained elusive. Here, we discuss the development of resistance and assess the role of the associated components in tailoring physiology to accommodate incoming mecA.
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11
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Abstract
Cell division and cell wall synthesis in staphylococci need to be precisely coordinated and controlled to allow the cell to multiply while maintaining its nearly spherical shape. The mechanisms ensuring correct placement of the division plane and synthesis of new cell wall have been studied intensively. However, hitherto unknown factors and proteins are likely to play key roles in this complex interplay. Here, we identified and investigated a protein with a major influence on cell morphology in Staphylococcus aureus. The protein, named SmdA (for staphylococcal morphology determinant A), is a membrane protein with septum-enriched localization. By CRISPRi knockdown and overexpression combined with different microscopy techniques, we demonstrated that proper levels of SmdA were necessary for cell division, including septum formation and cell splitting. We also identified conserved residues in SmdA that were critical for its functionality. Pulldown and bacterial two-hybrid interaction experiments showed that SmdA interacted with several known cell division and cell wall synthesis proteins, including penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and EzrA. Notably, SmdA also affected susceptibility to cell wall targeting antibiotics, particularly in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Together, our results showed that S. aureus was dependent on balanced amounts of membrane attached SmdA to carry out proper cell division.
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Ersoy SC, Chan LC, Yeaman MR, Chambers HF, Proctor RA, Ludwig KC, Schneider T, Manna AC, Cheung A, Bayer AS. Impacts of NaHCO3 on β-Lactam Binding to PBP2a Protein Variants Associated with the NaHCO3-Responsive versus NaHCO3-Non-Responsive Phenotypes. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11040462. [PMID: 35453214 PMCID: PMC9028190 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11040462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) regulates resistance to β-lactams via preferential production of an alternative penicillin-binding protein (PBP), PBP2a. PBP2a binds many β-lactam antibiotics with less affinity than PBPs which are predominant in methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) strains. A novel, rather frequent in vitro phenotype was recently identified among clinical MRSA bloodstream isolates, termed “NaHCO3-responsiveness”. This phenotype features β-lactam susceptibility of certain MRSA strains only in the presence of NaHCO3. Two distinct PBP2a variants, 246G and 246E, have been linked to the NaHCO3-responsive and NaHCO3-non-responsive MRSA phenotypes, respectively. To determine the mechanistic impact of PBP2a variants on β-lactam susceptibility, binding profiles of a fluorescent penicillin probe (Bocillin-FL) to each purified PBP2a variant were assessed and compared to whole-cell binding profiles characterized by flow cytometry in the presence vs. absence of NaHCO3. These investigations revealed that NaHCO3 differentially influenced the binding of the fluorescent penicillin, Bocillin-FL, to the PBP2a variants, with binding intensity and rate of binding significantly enhanced in the 246G compared to the 246E variant. Of note, the NaHCO3-β-lactam (oxacillin)-responsive JE2 strain, which natively harbors the 246G variant, had enhanced Bocillin-FL whole-cell binding following exposure to NaHCO3. This NaHCO3-mediated increase in whole-cell Bocillin-FL binding was not observed in the NaHCO3-non-responsive parental strain, COL, which contains the 246E PBP2a variant. Surprisingly, genetic swaps of the mecA coding sites between JE2 and COL did not alter the NaHCO3-enhanced binding seen in JE2 vs. COL. These data suggest that the non-coding regions of mecA may be involved in NaHCO3-responsiveness. This investigation also provides strong evidence that the NaHCO3-responsive phenotype in MRSA may involve NaHCO3-mediated increases in both initial cell surface β-lactam binding, as well as ultimate PBP2a binding of β-lactams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selvi C. Ersoy
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA; (S.C.E.); (L.C.C.); (M.R.Y.)
| | - Liana C. Chan
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA; (S.C.E.); (L.C.C.); (M.R.Y.)
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Michael R. Yeaman
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA; (S.C.E.); (L.C.C.); (M.R.Y.)
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Henry F. Chambers
- School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA 94143, USA;
| | - Richard A. Proctor
- Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology/Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715, USA;
| | - Kevin C. Ludwig
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, D-53113 Bonn, Germany; (K.C.L.); (T.S.)
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, D-53113 Bonn, Germany; (K.C.L.); (T.S.)
| | - Adhar C. Manna
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (A.C.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Ambrose Cheung
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (A.C.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Arnold S. Bayer
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA; (S.C.E.); (L.C.C.); (M.R.Y.)
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-310-222-6422
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Bhowmik D, Das BJ, Hazarika M, Chanda DD, Bhattacharjee A. Transcriptional analysis of prsA and vraTS regulatory system in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus against oxacillin stress. Indian J Med Microbiol 2021; 40:57-60. [PMID: 34774342 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2021.10.009] [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: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The prsA and vraTSR regulatory systems play a unique role in methicillin resistance by modifying the peptidoglycan cell wall PBP2 and involving cell wall stress response in Staphylococcus aureus. This study was designed to observe the transcriptional response of prsA and vraTSR system under oxacillin stress in S.aureus. METHODS In this study, three clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and a laboratory strain were examined. All the isolates were tested for mecA gene by PCR assay and were also tested for prsA, vraT, vraS and vraR gene. The transcriptional responses of the prsA gene along with the vraTSR regulatory system in these isolates was observed under normal conditions and exposed to 2 μg/ml and 4 μg/ml of oxacillin stress by quantitative real-time PCR assay. RESULTS The result of transcriptional analysis confirmed that under oxacillin stress, the expressions of vraS and vraT are increased with the increase in the concentration of oxacillin. However, prsA has shown no significant expression under oxacillin stress. CONCLUSION Although prsA did not show any specific expressional pattern, the study highlights the role of vraS and vraT regulatory system in conferring a methicillin-resistant phenotype when exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of oxacillin, which could act as a potential target for the next-generation antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Debadatta Dhar Chanda
- Department of Microbiology, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India
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Zhuang H, Zhu F, Lan P, Ji S, Sun L, Chen Y, Wang Z, Jiang S, Zhang L, Zhu Y, Jiang Y, Chen Y, Yu Y. A random forest model based on core genome allelic profiles of MRSA for penicillin plus potassium clavulanate susceptibility prediction. Microb Genom 2021; 7. [PMID: 34554083 PMCID: PMC8715440 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000610] [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: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment failure of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections remains problematic in clinical practice because therapeutic options are limited. Penicillin plus potassium clavulanate combination (PENC) was shown to have potential for treating some MRSA infections. We investigated the susceptibility of MRSA isolates and constructed a drug susceptibility prediction model for the phenotype of the PENC. We determined the minimum inhibitory concentration of PENC for MRSA (n=284) in a teaching hospital (SRRSH-MRSA). PENC susceptibility genotypes were analysed using a published genotyping scheme based on the mecA sequence. mecA expression in MRSA isolates was analysed by qPCR. We established a random forest model for predicting PENC-susceptible phenotypes using core genome allelic profiles from cgMLST analysis. We identified S2-R isolates with susceptible mecA genotypes but PENC-resistant phenotypes; these isolates expressed mecA at higher levels than did S2 MRSA (2.61 vs 0.98, P<0.05), indicating the limitation of using a single factor for predicting drug susceptibility. Using the data of selected UK-sourced MRSA (n=74) and MRSA collected in a previous national survey (NA-MRSA, n=471) as a training set, we built a model with accuracies of 0.94 and 0.93 for SRRSH-MRSA and UK-sourced MRSA (n=287, NAM-MRSA) validation sets. The AUROC of this model for SRRSH-MRSA and NAM-MRSA was 0.96 and 0.97. Although the source of the training set data affects the scope of application of the prediction model, our data demonstrated the power of the machine learning approach in predicting susceptibility from cgMLST results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemu Zhuang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Feiteng Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Peng Lan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Shujuan Ji
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Lu Sun
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yiyi Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Zhengan Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Shengnan Jiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Linyue Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yiwei Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yan Jiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yunsong Yu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province; Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
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Liu P, Hao Z, Liu M, Niu M, Sun P, Yan S, Zhao L, Zhao X. Genetic mutations in adaptive evolution of growth-independent vancomycin-tolerant Staphylococcus aureus. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 76:2765-2773. [PMID: 34302174 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibiotic tolerance allows bacteria to overcome antibiotic treatment transiently and potentially accelerates the emergence of resistance. However, our understanding of antibiotic tolerance at the genetic level during adaptive evolution of Staphylococcus aureus remains incomplete. We sought to identify the mutated genes and verify the role of these genes in the formation of vancomycin tolerance in S. aureus. METHODS Vancomycin-susceptible S. aureus strain Newman was used to induce vancomycin-tolerant isolates in vitro by cyclic exposure under a high concentration of vancomycin (20× MIC). WGS and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify the genetic mutations. The function of mutated genes in vancomycin-tolerant isolates were verified by gene complementation. Other phenotypes of vancomycin-tolerant isolates were also determined, including mutation frequency, autolysis, lysostaphin susceptibility, cell wall thickness and cross-tolerance. RESULTS A series of vancomycin-tolerant S. aureus (VTSA) strains were isolated and 18 mutated genes were identified by WGS. Among these genes, pbp4, htrA, stp1, pth and NWMN_1068 were confirmed to play roles in VTSA formation. Mutation of mutL promoted the emergence of VTSA. All VTSA showed no changes in growth phenotype. Instead, they exhibited reduced autolysis, decreased lysostaphin susceptibility and thickened cell walls. In addition, all VTSA strains were cross-tolerant to antibiotics targeting cell wall synthesis but not to quinolones and lipopeptides. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that genetic mutations are responsible for emergence of phenotypic tolerance and formation of vancomycin tolerance may lie in cell wall changes in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilong Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Zehua Hao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Miaomiao Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingze Niu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Shunhua Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Lixiu Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
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16
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Villanueva M, Roch M, Lasa I, Renzoni A, Kelley WL. The Role of ArlRS and VraSR in Regulating Ceftaroline Hypersusceptibility in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10070821. [PMID: 34356742 PMCID: PMC8300640 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10070821] [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: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections are a global health problem. New control strategies, including fifth-generation cephalosporins such as ceftaroline, have been developed, however rare sporadic resistance has been reported. Our study aimed to determine whether disruption of two-component environmental signal systems detectably led to enhanced susceptibility to ceftaroline in S. aureus CA-MRSA strain MW2 at sub-MIC concentrations where cells normally continue to grow. A collection of sequential mutants in all fifteen S. aureus non-essential two-component systems (TCS) was first screened for ceftaroline sub-MIC susceptibility, using the spot population analysis profile method. We discovered a role for both ArlRS and VraSR TCS as determinants responsible for MW2 survival in the presence of sub-MIC ceftaroline. Subsequent analysis showed that dual disruption of both arlRS and vraSR resulted in a very strong ceftaroline hypersensitivity phenotype. Genetic complementation analysis confirmed these results and further revealed that arlRS and vraSR likely regulate some common pathway(s) yet to be determined. Our study shows that S. aureus uses particular TCS environmental sensing systems for this type of defense and illustrates the proof of principle that if these TCS were inhibited, the efficacy of certain antibiotics might be considerably enhanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite Villanueva
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University Hospital and Medical School of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland; (M.V.); (M.R.)
- Departament de Investigación y Desarrollo, Bioinsectis SL, 31110 Noain, Spain
| | - Melanie Roch
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University Hospital and Medical School of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland; (M.V.); (M.R.)
| | - Iñigo Lasa
- Laboratory of Microbial Pathogenesis, Navarrabiomed, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra (CHN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
| | - Adriana Renzoni
- Service of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital and Medical School of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland;
| | - William L. Kelley
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University Hospital and Medical School of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland; (M.V.); (M.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-22-379-5651
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In vitro antagonistic inhibitory effects of palm seed crude oils and their main constituent, lauric acid, with oxacillin in Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:177. [PMID: 33420288 PMCID: PMC7794437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80481-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus are a serious global threat, and with the emergence of antibiotic resistance, even more difficult to treat. One of the possible complications in antistaphylococcal therapy represents negative interactions of antibiotics with food. In this study, the in vitro interaction between oxacillin and crude palm seed oil from Astrocaryum vulgare, Cocos nucifera, and Elaeis guineensis against nine strains of S. aureus was determined using the checkerboard method. Lauric acid was identified as a major constituent of all tested oils by gas chromatography. The results showed strong concentration dependent antagonistic interactions between palm oils and oxacillin with values of fractional inhibitory concentrations indices ranging from 4.02 to 8.56 at concentrations equal or higher than 1024 µg/mL of the tested oils. Similarly, lauric acid in combination with oxacillin produced antagonistic action with fractional inhibitory concentration indices ranging from 4.01 to 4.28 at 1024 µg/mL. These findings suggest that interference between oxacillin and palm oils and their constituents can negatively affect the treatment of staphylococcal infections in humans and other animals.
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18
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Rossi R, Ciofalo M. An Updated Review on the Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Molecular Hybrids and Conjugates Bearing Imidazole Moiety. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25215133. [PMID: 33158247 PMCID: PMC7663458 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25215133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid growth of serious infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria, especially the nosocomial ESKAPE pathogens, has been acknowledged by Governments and scientists and is one of the world's major health problems. Various strategies have been and are currently investigated and developed to reduce and/or delay the bacterial resistance. One of these strategies regards the design and development of antimicrobial hybrids and conjugates. This unprecedented critical review, in which our continuing interest in the synthesis and evaluation of the bioactivity of imidazole derivatives is testified, aims to summarise and comment on the results obtained from the end of the 1900s until February 2020 in studies conducted by numerous international research groups on the synthesis and evaluation of the antibacterial properties of imidazole-based molecular hybrids and conjugates in which the pharmacophoric constituents of these compounds are directly covalently linked or connected through a linker or spacer. In this review, significant attention was paid to summarise the strategies used to overcome the antibiotic resistance of pathogens whose infections are difficult to treat with conventional antibiotics. However, it does not include literature data on the synthesis and evaluation of the bioactivity of hybrids and conjugates in which an imidazole moiety is fused with a carbo- or heterocyclic subunit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renzo Rossi
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, University of Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi, 3, I-56124 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (R.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Maurizio Ciofalo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 4, I-90128 Palermo, Italy
- Correspondence: (R.R.); (M.C.)
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Abstract
The nares of one in three humans are colonized by Staphylococcus aureus. In these environments, and arguably on all mucosal surfaces, bacteria encounter fatty acids with antimicrobial properties. Our study uncovers that S. aureus releases membrane vesicles (MVs) that act as decoys to protect the bacterium against antimicrobial fatty acids (AFAs). The AFA-neutralizing effects of MVs were neither strain specific nor restricted to one particular AFA. Hence, MVs may represent “public goods” playing an overlooked role in shaping bacterial communities in AFA-rich environments such as the skin and nose. Intriguingly, in addition to MV biogenesis, S. aureus modulates MV composition in response to exposure to AFAs, including an increased release of lipoproteins. These MVs strongly stimulate the innate immunity via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). TLR2-mediated inflammation, which helps to fight infections, may exacerbate inflammatory disorders like atopic dermatitis. Our study highlights intricate immune responses preventing infections from colonizing bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen, which colonizes one in three otherwise healthy humans. This significant spread of S. aureus is largely due to its ability to circumvent innate immune responses, including antimicrobial fatty acids (AFAs) on the skin and in nasal secretions. In response to AFAs, S. aureus swiftly induces resistance mechanisms, which have yet to be completely elucidated. Here, we identify membrane vesicle (MV) release as a resistance strategy used by S. aureus to sequester host-specific AFAs. MVs protect S. aureus against a wide array of AFAs. Strikingly, beside MV production, S. aureus modulates MV composition upon exposure to AFAs. MVs purified from bacteria grown in the presence of linoleic acid display a distinct protein content and are enriched in lipoproteins, which strongly activate Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). Cumulatively, our findings reveal the protective capacities of MVs against AFAs, which are counteracted by an increased TLR2-mediated innate immune response. IMPORTANCE The nares of one in three humans are colonized by Staphylococcus aureus. In these environments, and arguably on all mucosal surfaces, bacteria encounter fatty acids with antimicrobial properties. Our study uncovers that S. aureus releases membrane vesicles (MVs) that act as decoys to protect the bacterium against antimicrobial fatty acids (AFAs). The AFA-neutralizing effects of MVs were neither strain specific nor restricted to one particular AFA. Hence, MVs may represent “public goods” playing an overlooked role in shaping bacterial communities in AFA-rich environments such as the skin and nose. Intriguingly, in addition to MV biogenesis, S. aureus modulates MV composition in response to exposure to AFAs, including an increased release of lipoproteins. These MVs strongly stimulate the innate immunity via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). TLR2-mediated inflammation, which helps to fight infections, may exacerbate inflammatory disorders like atopic dermatitis. Our study highlights intricate immune responses preventing infections from colonizing bacteria.
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Panchal VV, Griffiths C, Mosaei H, Bilyk B, Sutton JAF, Carnell OT, Hornby DP, Green J, Hobbs JK, Kelley WL, Zenkin N, Foster SJ. Evolving MRSA: High-level β-lactam resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is associated with RNA Polymerase alterations and fine tuning of gene expression. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008672. [PMID: 32706832 PMCID: PMC7380596 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Most clinical MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) isolates exhibit low-level β-lactam resistance (oxacillin MIC 2-4 μg/ml) due to the acquisition of a novel penicillin binding protein (PBP2A), encoded by mecA. However, strains can evolve high-level resistance (oxacillin MIC ≥256 μg/ml) by an unknown mechanism. Here we have developed a robust system to explore the basis of the evolution of high-level resistance by inserting mecA into the chromosome of the methicillin-sensitive S. aureus SH1000. Low-level mecA-dependent oxacillin resistance was associated with increased expression of anaerobic respiratory and fermentative genes. High-level resistant derivatives had acquired mutations in either rpoB (RNA polymerase subunit β) or rpoC (RNA polymerase subunit β') and these mutations were shown to be responsible for the observed resistance phenotype. Analysis of rpoB and rpoC mutants revealed decreased growth rates in the absence of antibiotic, and alterations to, transcription elongation. The rpoB and rpoC mutations resulted in decreased expression to parental levels, of anaerobic respiratory and fermentative genes and specific upregulation of 11 genes including mecA. There was however no direct correlation between resistance and the amount of PBP2A. A mutational analysis of the differentially expressed genes revealed that a member of the S. aureus Type VII secretion system is required for high level resistance. Interestingly, the genomes of two of the high level resistant evolved strains also contained missense mutations in this same locus. Finally, the set of genetically matched strains revealed that high level antibiotic resistance does not incur a significant fitness cost during pathogenesis. Our analysis demonstrates the complex interplay between antibiotic resistance mechanisms and core cell physiology, providing new insight into how such important resistance properties evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viralkumar V. Panchal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Caitlin Griffiths
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Hamed Mosaei
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Bohdan Bilyk
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua A. F. Sutton
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver T. Carnell
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - David P. Hornby
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Jeffrey Green
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Jamie K. Hobbs
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - William L. Kelley
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University Hospital and Medical School of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nikolay Zenkin
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Simon J. Foster
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Fergestad ME, Stamsås GA, Morales Angeles D, Salehian Z, Wasteson Y, Kjos M. Penicillin-binding protein PBP2a provides variable levels of protection toward different β-lactams in Staphylococcus aureus RN4220. Microbiologyopen 2020; 9:e1057. [PMID: 32419377 PMCID: PMC7424258 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is resistant to most β-lactams due to the expression of an extra penicillin-binding protein, PBP2a, with low β-lactam affinity. It has long been known that heterologous expression of the PBP2a-encoding mecA gene in methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) provides protection towards β-lactams, however, some reports suggest that the degree of protection can vary between different β-lactams. To test this more systematically, we introduced an IPTG-inducible mecA into the MSSA laboratory strain RN4220. We confirm, by growth assays as well as single-cell microfluidics time-lapse microscopy experiments, that PBP2a expression protects against β-lactams in S. aureus RN4220. By testing a panel of ten different β-lactams, we conclude that there is also a great variation in the level of protection conferred by PBP2a. Expression of PBP2a resulted in an only fourfold increase in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for imipenem, while a 32-fold increase in MIC was observed for cefaclor and cephalexin. Interestingly, in our experimental setup, PBP2a confers the highest protection against cefaclor and cephalexin-two β-lactams that are known to have a high specific affinity toward the transpeptidase PBP3 of S. aureus. Notably, using a single-cell microfluidics setup we demonstrate a considerable phenotypic variation between cells upon β-lactam exposure and show that mecA-expressing S. aureus can survive β-lactam concentrations much higher than the minimal inhibitory concentrations. We discuss possible explanations and implications of these results including important aspects regarding treatment of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marte Ekeland Fergestad
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.,Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Gro Anita Stamsås
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Danae Morales Angeles
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Zhian Salehian
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Yngvild Wasteson
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Morten Kjos
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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22
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Chen D, Sun Z, Liu Y, Li Z, Liang H, Chen L, Xu X, Yang J, Ma G, Huo X. Eleucanainones A and B: Two Dimeric Structures from the Bulbs of Eleutherine americana with Anti-MRSA Activity. Org Lett 2020; 22:3449-3453. [PMID: 32293190 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.0c00903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Two naphthoquinone-derived heterodimers with unprecedented carbon skeletons, eleucanainones A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the bulbs of Eleutherine americana. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined to be the first examples of dibenzofuran- and naphthalenone-containing naphthoquinone dimers. Compound 1 exhibited significant anti-MRSA activity in vitro with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.78 μg/mL by downregulation of basal expression of agrA, cidA, icaA and sarA in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Deli Chen
- Hainan Branch of the Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Resources Conservation and Development of Southern Medicine), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 4 Yaogu Fourth Road, Haikou 570311, China.,Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 151, Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhaocui Sun
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 151, Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yangyang Liu
- Hainan Branch of the Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Resources Conservation and Development of Southern Medicine), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 4 Yaogu Fourth Road, Haikou 570311, China
| | - Zongyang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, 3002# Sungang Road, Futian District, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Hanqiao Liang
- Department of Biomedicine, Beijing City University, No. 269, North Fourth Ring Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, 3002# Sungang Road, Futian District, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Xudong Xu
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 151, Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junshan Yang
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 151, Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Guoxu Ma
- Hainan Branch of the Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Resources Conservation and Development of Southern Medicine), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 4 Yaogu Fourth Road, Haikou 570311, China.,Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 151, Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaowei Huo
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Quality Control of Hebei Province, Hebei University, No. 180, East Wusi Road, Baoding 071002, China
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