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Krusenstjerna AC, Jusufovic N, Saylor TC, Stevenson B. DnaA modulates the gene expression and morphology of the Lyme disease spirochete. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.08.598065. [PMID: 38895450 PMCID: PMC11185795 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.08.598065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
All bacteria encode a multifunctional DNA-binding protein, DnaA, which initiates chromosomal replication. Despite having the most complex, segmented bacterial genome, little is known about Borrelia burgdorferi DnaA and its role in maintaining the spirochete's physiology. In this work we utilized inducible CRISPR-interference and overexpression to modulate cellular levels of DnaA to better understand this essential protein. Dysregulation of DnaA, either up or down, increased or decreased cell lengths, respectively, while also significantly slowing replication rates. Using fluorescent microscopy, we found the DnaA CRISPRi mutants had increased numbers of chromosomes with irregular spacing patterns. DnaA-depleted spirochetes also exhibited a significant defect in helical morphology. RNA-seq of the conditional mutants showed significant changes in the levels of transcripts involved with flagellar synthesis, elongation, cell division, virulence, and other functions. These findings demonstrate that the DnaA plays a commanding role in maintaining borrelial growth dynamics and protein expression, which are essential for the survival of the Lyme disease spirochete. IMPORTANCE Lyme disease is the most prevalent tick-borne infection in the Northern Hemisphere. Borrelia burgdorferi , the causative spirochete bacteria, has been maintained in nature for millennia in a consistent enzootic cycle between Ixodes ticks and various small vertebrate hosts. During the tick's blood meal, B. burgdorferi substantially increases its replication rate, alters its repertoire of outer surface proteins, and disseminates into the new vertebrate host. Across eubacteria, DnaA is the master regulatory protein that initiates chromosomal replication and acts as a transcription factor to regulate specific pathways. Here, we describe the roles that B. burgdorferi DnaA has on the physiology and gene expression of this medically important pathogen.
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Holub MN, Wahhab A, Rouse JR, Danner R, Hackner LG, Duris CB, McClune ME, Dressler JM, Strle K, Jutras BL, Edelstein AI, Lochhead RB. Peptidoglycan in osteoarthritis synovial tissue is associated with joint inflammation. Arthritis Res Ther 2024; 26:77. [PMID: 38532447 PMCID: PMC10967045 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-024-03293-x] [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: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Peptidoglycan (PG) is an arthritogenic bacterial cell wall component whose role in human osteoarthritis is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine if PG is present in synovial tissue of osteoarthritis patients at the time of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and if its presence is associated with inflammation and patient reported outcomes. METHODS Intraoperative synovial tissue and synovial fluid samples were obtained from 56 patients undergoing primary TKA, none of whom had history of infection. PG in synovial tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM). Synovial tissue inflammation and fibrosis were assessed by histopathology and synovial fluid cytokine quantification. Primary human fibroblasts isolated from arthritis synovial tissue were stimulated with PG to determine inflammatory cytokine response. RESULTS A total of 33/56 (59%) of primary TKA synovial tissue samples were positive for PG by IHC, and PG staining colocalized with markers of synovial macrophages and fibroblasts by IFM. Synovial tissue inflammation and elevated IL-6 in synovial fluid positively correlated with PG positivity. Primary human fibroblasts stimulated with PG secreted high levels of IL-6, consistent with ex vivo findings. Interestingly, we observed a significant inverse correlation between PG and age at time of TKA, indicating younger age at time of TKA was associated with higher PG levels. CONCLUSION Peptidoglycan is commonly found in synovial tissue from patients undergoing TKA. Our data indicate that PG may play an important role in inflammatory synovitis, particularly in patients who undergo TKA at a relatively younger age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan N Holub
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, BSB room 2850, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Amanda Wahhab
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Joseph R Rouse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Rebecca Danner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Lauren G Hackner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Christine B Duris
- Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Mecaila E McClune
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jules M Dressler
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Klemen Strle
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brandon L Jutras
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Adam I Edelstein
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Robert B Lochhead
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, BSB room 2850, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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Zamba-Campero M, Soliman D, Yu H, Lasseter AG, Chang YY, Liu J, Aravind L, Jewett MW, Storz G, Adams PP. Broadly conserved FlgV controls flagellar assembly and Borrelia burgdorferi dissemination in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.09.574855. [PMID: 38260563 PMCID: PMC10802407 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.09.574855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Flagella propel pathogens through their environments yet are expensive to synthesize and are immunogenic. Thus, complex hierarchical regulatory networks control flagellar gene expression. Spirochetes are highly motile bacteria, but peculiarly in the Lyme spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, the archetypal flagellar regulator σ28 is absent. We rediscovered gene bb0268 in B. burgdorferi as flgV, a broadly-conserved gene in the flagellar superoperon alongside σ28 in many Spirochaetes, Firmicutes and other phyla, with distant homologs in Epsilonproteobacteria. We found that B. burgdorferi FlgV is localized within flagellar motors. B. burgdorferi lacking flgV construct fewer and shorter flagellar filaments and are defective in cell division and motility. During the enzootic cycle, B. burgdorferi lacking flgV survive and replicate in Ixodes ticks but are attenuated for dissemination and infection in mice. Our work defines infection timepoints when spirochete motility is most crucial and implicates FlgV as a broadly distributed structural flagellar component that modulates flagellar assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Zamba-Campero
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Daniel Soliman
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Huaxin Yu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Amanda G. Lasseter
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, 32827, USA
| | - Yuen-Yan Chang
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - L. Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Mollie W. Jewett
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, 32827, USA
| | - Gisela Storz
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Philip P. Adams
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, 32827, USA
- Postdoctoral Research Associate Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Independent Research Scholar Program, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Sze CW, Zhang K, Lynch MJ, Iyer R, Crane BR, Schwartz I, Li C. A chemosensory-like histidine kinase is dispensable for chemotaxis in vitro but regulates the virulence of Borrelia burgdorferi through modulating the stability of RpoS. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011752. [PMID: 38011206 PMCID: PMC10703414 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As an enzootic pathogen, the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi possesses multiple copies of chemotaxis proteins, including two chemotaxis histidine kinases (CHK), CheA1 and CheA2. Our previous study showed that CheA2 is a genuine CHK that is required for chemotaxis; however, the role of CheA1 remains mysterious. This report first compares the structural features that differentiate CheA1 and CheA2 and then provides evidence to show that CheA1 is an atypical CHK that controls the virulence of B. burgdorferi through modulating the stability of RpoS, a key transcriptional regulator of the spirochete. First, microscopic analyses using green-fluorescence-protein (GFP) tags reveal that CheA1 has a unique and dynamic cellular localization. Second, loss-of-function studies indicate that CheA1 is not required for chemotaxis in vitro despite sharing a high sequence and structural similarity to its counterparts from other bacteria. Third, mouse infection studies using needle inoculations show that a deletion mutant of CheA1 (cheA1mut) is able to establish systemic infection in immune-deficient mice but fails to do so in immune-competent mice albeit the mutant can survive at the inoculation site for up to 28 days. Tick and mouse infection studies further demonstrate that CheA1 is dispensable for tick colonization and acquisition but essential for tick transmission. Lastly, mechanistic studies combining immunoblotting, protein turnover, mutagenesis, and RNA-seq analyses reveal that depletion of CheA1 affects RpoS stability, leading to reduced expression of several RpoS-regulated virulence factors (i.e., OspC, BBK32, and DbpA), likely due to dysregulated clpX and lon protease expression. Bulk RNA-seq analysis of infected mouse skin tissues further show that cheA1mut fails to elicit mouse tnf-α, il-10, il-1β, and ccl2 expression, four important cytokines for Lyme disease development and B. burgdorferi transmigration. Collectively, these results reveal a unique role and regulatory mechanism of CheA1 in modulating virulence factor expression and add new insights into understanding the regulatory network of B. burgdorferi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching Wooen Sze
- Department of Oral Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Oral Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Lynch
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Radha Iyer
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, United States of America
| | - Brian R. Crane
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Ira Schwartz
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, United States of America
| | - Chunhao Li
- Department of Oral Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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Muok AR, Kurniyati K, Cassidy CK, Olsthoorn FA, Ortega DR, Mabrouk AS, Li C, Briegel A. A new class of protein sensor links spirochete pleomorphism, persistence, and chemotaxis. mBio 2023; 14:e0159823. [PMID: 37607060 PMCID: PMC10653840 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01598-23] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE A new class of bacterial protein sensors monitors intracellular levels of S-adenosylmethionine to modulate cell morphology, chemotaxis, and biofilm formation. Simultaneous regulation of these behaviors enables bacterial pathogens to survive within their niche. This sensor, exemplified by Treponema denticola CheWS, is anchored to the chemotaxis array and its sensor domain is located below the chemotaxis rings. This position may allow the sensor to directly interact with the chemotaxis histidine kinase CheA. Collectively, these data establish a critical role of CheWS in pathogenesis and further illustrate the impact of studying non-canonical chemotaxis proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. R. Muok
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - K. Kurniyati
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Philips Research Institute for Oral Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - C. K. Cassidy
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - F. A. Olsthoorn
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - D. R. Ortega
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - A. Sidi Mabrouk
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - C. Li
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Philips Research Institute for Oral Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - A. Briegel
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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He H, Pramanik AS, Swanson SK, Johnson DK, Florens L, Zückert WR. A Borrelia burgdorferi LptD homolog is required for flipping of surface lipoproteins through the spirochetal outer membrane. Mol Microbiol 2023; 119:752-767. [PMID: 37170643 PMCID: PMC10330739 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15072] [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: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Borrelia spirochetes are unique among diderm bacteria in their lack of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer membrane (OM) and their abundance of surface-exposed lipoproteins with major roles in transmission, virulence, and pathogenesis. Despite their importance, little is known about how surface lipoproteins are translocated through the periplasm and the OM. Here, we characterized Borrelia burgdorferi BB0838, a distant homolog of the OM LPS assembly protein LptD. Using a CRISPR interference approach, we showed that BB0838 is required for cell growth and envelope stability. Upon BB0838 knockdown, surface lipoprotein OspA was retained in the inner leaflet of the OM, as determined by its inaccessibility to in situ proteolysis but its presence in OM vesicles. The topology of the OM porin/adhesin P66 remained unaffected. Quantitative mass spectrometry of the B. burgdorferi membrane-associated proteome confirmed the selective periplasmic retention of surface lipoproteins under BB0838 knockdown conditions. Additional analysis identified a single in situ protease-accessible BB0838 peptide that mapped to a predicted β-barrel surface loop. Alphafold Multimer modeled a B. burgdorferi LptB2 FGCAD complex spanning the periplasm. Together, this suggests that BB0838/LptDBb facilitates the essential terminal step in spirochetal surface lipoprotein secretion, using an orthologous OM component of a pathway that secretes LPS in proteobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan He
- University of Kansas School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Ankita S. Pramanik
- University of Kansas School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | | | - David K. Johnson
- University of Kansas, Computational Chemical Biology Core, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Laurence Florens
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Wolfram R. Zückert
- University of Kansas School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
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Hayes KA, Dressler JM, Norris SJ, Edmondson DG, Jutras BL. A large screen identifies beta-lactam antibiotics which can be repurposed to target the syphilis agent. NPJ ANTIMICROBIALS AND RESISTANCE 2023; 1:4. [PMID: 38686211 PMCID: PMC11057208 DOI: 10.1038/s44259-023-00006-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Syphilis, caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (hereafter called T. pallidum), is re-emerging as a worldwide sexually transmitted infection. A single intramuscular dose of benzathine penicillin G is the preferred syphilis treatment option. Both supply shortage concerns and the potential for acquired antibiotic resistance further the need to broaden the repertoire of syphilis therapeutics. We reasoned that other β-lactams may be equally or more effective at targeting the disease-causing agent, Treponema pallidum, but have yet to be discovered due to a previous lack of a continuous in vitro culture system. Recent technical advances with respect to in vitro T. pallidum propagation allowed us to conduct a high-throughput screen of almost 100 β-lactams. Using several molecular and cellular approaches that we developed or adapted, we identified and confirmed the efficacy of several β-lactams that were similar to or outperformed the current standard, benzathine penicillin G. These options are either currently used to treat bacterial infections or are synthetic derivatives of naturally occurring compounds. Our studies not only identified additional potential therapeutics in the resolution of syphilis, but provide techniques to study the complex biology of T. pallidum-a spirochete that has plagued human health for centuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn A. Hayes
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Jules M. Dressler
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Steven J. Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX USA
| | - Diane G. Edmondson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX USA
| | - Brandon L. Jutras
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
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Holub MN, Wahhab A, Rouse JR, Danner R, McClune MM, Dressler JM, Strle K, Jutras BL, Edelstein AI, Lochhead RB. Peptidoglycan in osteoarthritis synovial tissue is associated with joint inflammation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2842385. [PMID: 37162851 PMCID: PMC10168439 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2842385/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Peptidoglycan (PG) is an arthritogenic bacterial cell wall component whose role in human osteoarthritis is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine if PG is present in synovial tissue of osteoarthritis patients at the time of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and if its presence is associated with inflammation and patient reported outcomes. Methods Intraoperative synovial tissue and synovial fluid samples were obtained from 56 patients undergoing primary TKA, none of whom had history of infection. PG in synovial tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Synovial tissue inflammation and fibrosis were assessed by histopathology and synovial fluid cytokine quantification. Primary human fibroblasts isolated from arthritis synovial tissue were stimulated with PG to determine inflammatory cytokine response. Results A total of 33/56 (59%) of primary TKA synovial tissue samples were positive for PG by IHC, with mean 8 PG occurrences per 10 mm2 of tissue in PG-positive samples. Synovial tissue inflammation and elevated IL-6 in synovial fluid positively correlated with PG positivity. Primary human fibroblasts stimulated with PG secreted high levels of IL-6, consistent with ex vivo findings. Interestingly, we observed a significant inverse correlation between PG and age at time of TKA, indicating younger age at time of TKA was associated with higher PG levels. Conclusion Peptidoglycan is commonly found in synovial tissue from patients undergoing TKA. Our data indicate that PG may play an important role in inflammatory synovitis, particularly in patients who undergo TKA at a relatively younger age.
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Kurniyati K, Chang Y, Guo W, Liu J, Malkowski MG, Li C. Anti-σ 28 Factor FlgM Regulates Flagellin Gene Expression and Flagellar Polarity of Treponema denticola. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0046322. [PMID: 36715541 PMCID: PMC9945498 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00463-22] [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: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
FlgM, an antagonist of FliA (also known as σ28), inhibits transcription of bacterial class 3 flagellar genes. It does so primarily through binding to free σ28 to prevent it from forming a complex with core RNA polymerase. We recently identified an FliA homolog (FliATd) in the oral spirochete Treponema denticola; however, its antagonist FlgM remained uncharacterized. Herein, we provide several lines of evidence that TDE0201 functions as an antagonist of FliATd. TDE0201 is structurally similar to FlgM proteins, although its sequence is not conserved. Heterologous expression of TDE0201 in Escherichia coli inhibits its flagellin gene expression and motility. Biochemical and mutational analyses demonstrate that TDE0201 binds to FliATd and prevents it from binding to the σ28-dependent promoter. Deletions of flgM genes typically enhance bacterial class 3 flagellar gene expression; however, deletion of TDE0201 has an opposite effect (e.g., the mutant has a reduced level of flagellins). Follow-up studies revealed that deletion of TDE0201 leads to FliATd turnover, which in turn impairs the expression of flagellin genes. Swimming plate, cell tracking, and cryo-electron tomography analyses further disclosed that deletion of TDE0201 impairs spirochete motility and alters flagellar number and polarity: i.e., instead of having bipolar flagella, the mutant has flagella only at one end of cells. Collectively, these results indicate that TDE0201 is a FlgM homolog but acts differently from its counterparts in other bacteria. IMPORTANCE Spirochetes are a group of bacteria that cause several human diseases. A unique aspect of spirochetes is that they have bipolar periplasmic flagella (PFs), which bestow on the spirochetes a unique spiral shape and distinct swimming behaviors. While the structure and function of PFs have been extensively studied in spirochetes, the molecular mechanism that regulates the PFs' morphogenesis and assembly is poorly understood. In this report, FlgM, an anti-σ28 factor, is identified and functionally characterized in the oral spirochete Treponema denticola. Our results show that FlgM regulates the number and polarity of PFs via a unique mechanism. Identification of FliA and FlgM in T. denticola sets a benchmark to investigate their roles in other spirochetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurni Kurniyati
- Department of Oral Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Yunjie Chang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Wangbiao Guo
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Michael G. Malkowski
- Department of Structural Biology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Chunhao Li
- Department of Oral Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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10
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Takacs CN, Wachter J, Xiang Y, Ren Z, Karaboja X, Scott M, Stoner MR, Irnov I, Jannetty N, Rosa PA, Wang X, Jacobs-Wagner C. Polyploidy, regular patterning of genome copies, and unusual control of DNA partitioning in the Lyme disease spirochete. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7173. [PMID: 36450725 PMCID: PMC9712426 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34876-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi, the tick-transmitted spirochete agent of Lyme disease, has a highly segmented genome with a linear chromosome and various linear or circular plasmids. Here, by imaging several chromosomal loci and 16 distinct plasmids, we show that B. burgdorferi is polyploid during growth in culture and that the number of genome copies decreases during stationary phase. B. burgdorferi is also polyploid inside fed ticks and chromosome copies are regularly spaced along the spirochete's length in both growing cultures and ticks. This patterning involves the conserved DNA partitioning protein ParA whose localization is controlled by a potentially phage-derived protein, ParZ, instead of its usual partner ParB. ParZ binds its own coding region and acts as a centromere-binding protein. While ParA works with ParZ, ParB controls the localization of the condensin, SMC. Together, the ParA/ParZ and ParB/SMC pairs ensure faithful chromosome inheritance. Our findings underscore the plasticity of cellular functions, even those as fundamental as chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantin N Takacs
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Sarafan ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Jenny Wachter
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
- Bacterial Vaccine Development Group, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Yingjie Xiang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zhongqing Ren
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Xheni Karaboja
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Molly Scott
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Matthew R Stoner
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Irnov Irnov
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Sarafan ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas Jannetty
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Patricia A Rosa
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Xindan Wang
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
| | - Christine Jacobs-Wagner
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
- Sarafan ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
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11
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Curtis MW, Fierros CH, Hahn BL, Surdel MC, Kessler J, Anderson PN, Vandewalle-Capo M, Bonde M, Zhu J, Bergström S, Coburn J. Identification of amino acid domains of Borrelia burgdorferi P66 that are surface exposed and important for localization, oligomerization, and porin function of the protein. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:991689. [PMID: 36211976 PMCID: PMC9539438 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.991689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
P66, a bifunctional integral outer membrane protein, is necessary for Borrelia burgdorferi to establish initial infection and to disseminate in mice. The integrin binding function of P66 facilitates extravasation and dissemination, but the role of its porin function during murine infection has not been investigated. A limitation to studying P66 porin function during mammalian infection has been the lack of structural information for P66. In this study, we experimentally characterized specific domains of P66 with regard to structure and function. First, we aligned the amino acid sequences of P66 from Lyme disease-causing Borrelia and relapsing fever-causing Borrelia to identify conserved and unique domains between these disease-causing clades. Then, we examined whether specific domains of P66 are exposed on the surface of the bacteria by introducing c-Myc epitope tags into each domain of interest. The c-Myc epitope tag inserted C-terminally to E33 (highly conserved domain), to T187 (integrin binding region domain and a non-conserved domain), and to E334 (non-conserved domain) were all detected on the surface of Borrelia burgdorferi. The c-Myc epitope tag inserted C-terminally to E33 and D303 in conserved domains disrupted P66 oligomerization and porin function. In a murine model of infection, the E33 and D303 mutants exhibited decreased infectivity and dissemination. Taken together, these results suggest the importance of these conserved domains, and potentially P66 porin function, in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Curtis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Christa H. Fierros
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Beth L. Hahn
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Matthew C. Surdel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Julie Kessler
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Phillip N. Anderson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Marine Vandewalle-Capo
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mari Bonde
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jieqing Zhu
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Sven Bergström
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jenifer Coburn
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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12
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Yuste RA, Muenkel M, Axarlis K, Gómez Benito MJ, Reuss A, Blacker G, Tal MC, Kraiczy P, Bastounis EE. Borrelia burgdorferi modulates the physical forces and immunity signaling in endothelial cells. iScience 2022; 25:104793. [PMID: 35992087 PMCID: PMC9389243 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), a vector-borne bacterial pathogen and the causative agent of Lyme disease, can spread to distant tissues in the human host by traveling in and through monolayers of endothelial cells (ECs) lining the vasculature. To examine whether Bb alters the physical forces of ECs to promote its dissemination, we exposed ECs to Bb and observed a sharp and transient increase in EC traction and intercellular forces, followed by a prolonged decrease in EC motility and physical forces. All variables returned to baseline at 24 h after exposure. RNA sequencing analysis revealed an upregulation of innate immune signaling pathways during early but not late Bb exposure. Exposure of ECs to heat-inactivated Bb recapitulated only the early weakening of EC mechanotransduction. The differential responses to live versus heat-inactivated Bb indicate a tight interplay between innate immune signaling and physical forces in host ECs and suggest their active modulation by Bb. Early exposure to Borrelia decreases endothelial cell motility and physical forces Early exposure to Borrelia also upregulates the host’s innate immune signaling pathways Host cell mechanics and signaling return to steady state at late exposure times Exposure to dead bacteria steadily reduces motility and physical forces of host cells
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13
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Controlled Proteolysis of an Essential Virulence Determinant Dictates Infectivity of Lyme Disease Pathogens. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0005922. [PMID: 35416705 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00059-22] [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] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Borrelia burgdorferi BB0323 protein undergoes a complex yet poorly defined proteolytic maturation event that generates N-terminal and C-terminal proteins with essential functions in cell growth and infection. Here, we report that a borrelial protease, B. burgdorferi high temperature requirement A protease (BbHtrA), cleaves BB0323 between asparagine (N) and leucine (L) at positions 236 and 237, while the replacement of these residues with alanine in the mutant protein prevents its cleavage, despite preserving its normal secondary structure. The N-terminal BB0323 protein binds BbHtrA, but its cleavage site mutant displays deficiency in such interaction. An isogenic borrelial mutant with NL-to-AA substitution in BB0323 (referred to as Bbbb0323NL) maintains normal growth yet is impaired for infection of mice or transmission from infected ticks. Notably, the BB0323 protein is still processed in Bbbb0323NL, albeit with lower levels of mature N-terminal BB0323 protein and multiple aberrantly processed polypeptides, which could result from nonspecific cleavages at other asparagine and leucine residues in the protein. The lack of infectivity of Bbbb0323NL is likely due to the impaired abundance or stoichiometry of a protein complex involving BB0238, another spirochete protein. Together, these studies highlight that a precise proteolytic event and a particular protein-protein interaction, involving multiple borrelial virulence determinants, are mutually inclusive and interconnected, playing essential roles in the infectivity of Lyme disease pathogens.
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14
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Xu H, Hu B, Flesher DA, Liu J, Motaleb MA. BB0259 Encompasses a Peptidoglycan Lytic Enzyme Function for Proper Assembly of Periplasmic Flagella in Borrelia burgdorferi. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:692707. [PMID: 34659138 PMCID: PMC8517470 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.692707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Assembly of the bacterial flagellar rod, hook, and filament requires penetration through the peptidoglycan (PG) sacculus and outer membrane. In most β- and γ-proteobacteria, the protein FlgJ has two functional domains that enable PG hydrolyzing activity to create pores, facilitating proper assembly of the flagellar rod. However, two distinct proteins performing the same functions as the dual-domain FlgJ are proposed in δ- and ε-proteobacteria as well as spirochetes. The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi genome possesses a FlgJ and a PG lytic SLT enzyme protein homolog (BB0259). FlgJ in B. burgdorferi is crucial for flagellar hook and filament assembly but not for the proper rod assembly reported in other bacteria. However, BB0259 has never been characterized. Here, we use cryo-electron tomography to visualize periplasmic flagella in different bb0259 mutant strains and provide evidence that the E580 residue of BB0259 is essential for PG-hydrolyzing activity. Without the enzyme activity, the flagellar hook fails to penetrate through the pores in the cell wall to complete assembly of an intact periplasmic flagellum. Given that FlgJ and BB0259 interact with each other, they likely coordinate the penetration through the PG sacculus and assembly of a functional flagellum in B. burgdorferi and other spirochetes. Because of its role, we renamed BB0259 as flagellar-specific lytic transglycosylase or LTaseBb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - David A. Flesher
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, United States
| | - Md A. Motaleb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
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15
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A simple method to detect Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato proteins in different sub-cellular compartments by immunofluorescence. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101808. [PMID: 34455142 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Spirochaetes constitute a unique phylum of bacteria, many of which cause severe clinical diseases. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s.l.)-the primary agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB)-is a quintessential member of this poorly understood phylum and the leading cause of tick-borne illness throughout most of the northern hemisphere. Despite its importance in human health, we lack a fundamental understanding of how B. burgdorferi s.l. is able to accomplish basic physiological tasks, such as DNA replication/segregation, and cell elongation or division. Recent advances in molecular tools to probe these essential cellular processes are great strides forward but require genetic manipulation. The latter is important since not all agents of LB are genetically tractable. Here, we describe a single method that is capable of fluorescently labeling B. burgdorferi s.l. proteins in different sub-cellular compartments. A comparative analysis of six different methods indicates that our optimized procedure outperforms all others and is the first to localize a cytoplasmic protein in B. burgdorferi s.l. by immunofluorescence. We contend that this strategy could be easily adapted to study the localization of any protein, in many Borrelia genospecies, information that will yield functional insights into the complex biology of this fascinating group of bacteria. In addition, it may provide new avenues of research in both in situ studies and in Lyme diagnostics.
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16
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Ticks Resist Skin Commensals with Immune Factor of Bacterial Origin. Cell 2021; 183:1562-1571.e12. [PMID: 33306955 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Ticks transmit a diverse array of microbes to vertebrate hosts, including human pathogens, which has led to a human-centric focus in this vector system. Far less is known about pathogens of ticks themselves. Here, we discover that a toxin in blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) horizontally acquired from bacteria-called domesticated amidase effector 2 (dae2)-has evolved to kill mammalian skin microbes with remarkable efficiency. Secreted into the saliva and gut of ticks, Dae2 limits skin-associated staphylococci in ticks while feeding. In contrast, Dae2 has no intrinsic ability to kill Borrelia burgdorferi, the tick-borne Lyme disease bacterial pathogen. These findings suggest ticks resist their own pathogens while tolerating symbionts. Thus, just as tick symbionts can be pathogenic to humans, mammalian commensals can be harmful to ticks. Our study underscores how virulence is context-dependent and bolsters the idea that "pathogen" is a status and not an identity.
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17
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Davis MM, Brock AM, DeHart TG, Boribong BP, Lee K, McClune ME, Chang Y, Cramer N, Liu J, Jones CN, Jutras BL. The peptidoglycan-associated protein NapA plays an important role in the envelope integrity and in the pathogenesis of the lyme disease spirochete. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009546. [PMID: 33984073 PMCID: PMC8118282 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial pathogen responsible for causing Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is an atypical Gram-negative spirochete that is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected Ixodes tick. In diderms, peptidoglycan (PG) is sandwiched between the inner and outer membrane of the cell envelope. In many other Gram-negative bacteria, PG is bound by protein(s), which provide both structural integrity and continuity between envelope layers. Here, we present evidence of a peptidoglycan-associated protein (PAP) in B. burgdorferi. Using an unbiased proteomics approach, we identified Neutrophil Attracting Protein A (NapA) as a PAP. Interestingly, NapA is a Dps homologue, which typically functions to bind and protect cellular DNA from damage during times of stress. While B. burgdorferi NapA is known to be involved in the oxidative stress response, it lacks the critical residues necessary for DNA binding. Biochemical and cellular studies demonstrate that NapA is localized to the B. burgdorferi periplasm and is indeed a PAP. Cryo-electron microscopy indicates that mutant bacteria, unable to produce NapA, have structural abnormalities. Defects in cell-wall integrity impact growth rate and cause the napA mutant to be more susceptible to osmotic and PG-specific stresses. NapA-linked PG is secreted in outer membrane vesicles and augments IL-17 production, relative to PG alone. Using microfluidics, we demonstrate that NapA acts as a molecular beacon-exacerbating the pathogenic properties of B. burgdorferi PG. These studies further our understanding of the B. burgdorferi cell envelope, provide critical information that underlies its pathogenesis, and highlight how a highly conserved bacterial protein can evolve mechanistically, while maintaining biological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisela M. Davis
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Aaron M. Brock
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Tanner G. DeHart
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Brittany P. Boribong
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Katherine Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Mecaila E. McClune
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Yunjie Chang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Cramer
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Caroline N. Jones
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Brandon L. Jutras
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
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18
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Chen Y, Vargas SM, Smith TC, Karna SLR, MacMackin Ingle T, Wozniak KL, Wormley FL, Seshu J. Borrelia peptidoglycan interacting Protein (BpiP) contributes to the fitness of Borrelia burgdorferi against host-derived factors and influences virulence in mouse models of Lyme disease. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009535. [PMID: 33882111 PMCID: PMC8092773 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall of the Lyme disease (LD) spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), contributes to structural and morphological integrity of Bb; is a persistent antigen in LD patients; and has a unique pentapeptide with L-Ornithine as the third amino acid that cross-links its glycan polymers. A borrelial homolog (BB_0167) interacted specifically with borrelilal PG via its peptidoglycan interacting motif (MHELSEKRARAIGNYL); was localized to the protoplasmic cylinder of Bb; and was designated as Borrelia peptidoglycan interacting Protein (BpiP). A bpiP mutant displayed no defect under in vitro growth conditions with similar levels of several virulence-related proteins. However, the burden of bpiP mutant in C3H/HeN mice at day 14, 28 and 62 post-infection was significantly lower compared to control strains. No viable bpiP mutant was re-isolated from any tissues at day 62 post-infection although bpiP mutant was able to colonize immunodeficient SCID at day 28 post-infection. Acquisition or transmission of bpiP mutant by Ixodes scapularis larvae or nymphs respectively, from and to mice, was significantly lower compared to control strains. Further analysis of bpiP mutant revealed increased sensitivity to vancomycin, osmotic stress, lysosomal extracts, human antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin-LL37, complement-dependent killing in the presence of day 14 post-infection mouse serum and increased internalization of CFSC-labeled bpiP mutant by macrophages and dendritic cells compared to control strains. These studies demonstrate the importance of accessory protein/s involved in sustaining integrity of PG and cell envelope during different phases of Bb infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Chen
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sean M. Vargas
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Trever C. Smith
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sai Lakshmi Rajasekhar Karna
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Taylor MacMackin Ingle
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Karen L. Wozniak
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Floyd L. Wormley
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Janakiram Seshu
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
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19
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Samrot AV, Sean TC, Bhavya KS, Sahithya CS, Chan-drasekaran S, Palanisamy R, Robinson ER, Subbiah SK, Mok PL. Leptospiral Infection, Pathogenesis and Its Diagnosis-A Review. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020145. [PMID: 33535649 PMCID: PMC7912936 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a perplexing conundrum for many. In the existing literature, the pathophysiological mechanisms pertaining to leptospirosis is still not understood in full. Considered as a neglected tropical zoonotic disease, leptospirosis is culminating as a serious problem worldwide, seemingly existing as co-infections with various other unrelated diseases, including dengue and malaria. Misdiagnosis is also common as non-specific symptoms are documented extensively in the literature. This can easily lead to death, as the severe form of leptospirosis (Weil's disease) manifests as a complex of systemic complications, especially renal failure. The virulence of Leptospira sp. is usually attributed to the outer membrane proteins, including LipL32. With an armament of virulence factors at their disposal, their ability to easily adhere, invade and replicate within cells calls for a swift refinement in research progress to establish their exact pathophysiological framework. As an effort to reconstitute the current knowledge on leptospirosis, the basis of leptospiral infection, including its risk factors, classification, morphology, transmission, pathogenesis, co-infections and clinical manifestations are highlighted in this review. The various diagnostic techniques are also outlined with emphasis on their respective pros and cons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony V. Samrot
- School of Bioscience, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Selangor 42610, Malaysia;
- Correspondence: (A.V.S.); (P.L.M.)
| | - Tan Chuan Sean
- School of Bioscience, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Selangor 42610, Malaysia;
| | - Karanam Sai Bhavya
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Chamarthy Sai Sahithya
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - SaiPriya Chan-drasekaran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Raji Palanisamy
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Emilin Renitta Robinson
- Department of Food Processing Technology, Karunya Institute of Technology and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641 114, India;
| | - Suresh Kumar Subbiah
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia;
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (BIHER), Selaiyur, Tamil Nadu 600 073, India
- Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
| | - Pooi Ling Mok
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (BIHER), Selaiyur, Tamil Nadu 600 073, India
- Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka P.O. Box 2014, Aljouf Province, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.V.S.); (P.L.M.)
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20
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A CRISPR interference platform for selective downregulation of gene expression in Borrelia burgdorferi. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02519-20. [PMID: 33257311 PMCID: PMC7851697 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02519-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease, an increasingly prevalent infection. While previous studies have provided important insight into B. burgdorferi biology, many aspects, including basic cellular processes, remain underexplored. To help speed up the discovery process, we adapted a CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) platform for use in B. burgdorferi For efficiency and flexibility of use, we generated various CRISPRi template constructs that produce different basal and induced levels of dcas9 and carry different antibiotic resistance markers. We characterized the effectiveness of our CRISPRi platform by targeting the motility and cell morphogenesis genes flaB, mreB, rodA, and ftsI, whose native expression levels span two orders of magnitude. For all four genes, we obtained gene repression efficiencies of at least 95%. We showed by darkfield microscopy and cryo-electron tomography that flagellin (FlaB) depletion reduced the length and number of periplasmic flagella, which impaired cellular motility and resulted in cell straightening. Depletion of FtsI caused cell filamentation, implicating this protein in cell division in B. burgdorferi Finally, localized cell bulging in MreB- and RodA-depleted cells matched the locations of new peptidoglycan insertion specific to spirochetes of the Borrelia genus. These results therefore implicate MreB and RodA in the particular mode of cell wall elongation of these bacteria. Collectively, our results demonstrate the efficiency and ease of use of our B. burgdorferi CRISPRi platform, which should facilitate future genetic studies of this important pathogen.IMPORTANCE Gene function studies are facilitated by the availability of rapid and easy-to-use genetic tools. Homologous recombination-based methods traditionally used to genetically investigate gene function remain cumbersome to perform in B. burgdorferi, as they often are relatively inefficient. In comparison, our CRISPRi platform offers an easy and fast method to implement as it only requires a single plasmid transformation step and IPTG addition to obtain potent (>95%) downregulation of gene expression. To facilitate studies of various genes in wild-type and genetically modified strains, we provide over 30 CRISPRi plasmids that produce distinct levels of dcas9 expression and carry different antibiotic resistance markers. Our CRISPRi platform represents a useful and efficient complement to traditional genetic and chemical methods to study gene function in B. burgdorferi.
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21
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DeHart TG, Kushelman MR, Hildreth SB, Helm RF, Jutras BL. The unusual cell wall of the Lyme disease spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi is shaped by a tick sugar. Nat Microbiol 2021; 6:1583-1592. [PMID: 34819646 PMCID: PMC8612929 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-01003-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Peptidoglycan-a mesh sac of glycans that are linked by peptides-is the main component of bacterial cell walls. Peptidoglycan provides structural strength, protects cells from osmotic pressure and contributes to shape. All bacterial glycans are repeating disaccharides of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) β-(1-4)-linked to N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc). Borrelia burgdorferi, the tick-borne Lyme disease pathogen, produces glycan chains in which MurNAc is occasionally replaced with an unknown sugar. Nuclear magnetic resonance, liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy and genetic analyses show that B. burgdorferi produces glycans that contain GlcNAc-GlcNAc. This unusual disaccharide is chitobiose, a component of its chitinous tick vector. Mutant bacteria that are auxotrophic for chitobiose have altered morphology, reduced motility and cell envelope defects that probably result from producing peptidoglycan that is stiffer than that in wild-type bacteria. We propose that the peptidoglycan of B. burgdorferi probably evolved by adaptation to obligate parasitization of a tick vector, resulting in a biophysical cell-wall alteration to withstand the atypical torque associated with twisting motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanner G. DeHart
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA
| | - Mara R. Kushelman
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA
| | - Sherry B. Hildreth
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA
| | - Richard F. Helm
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA
| | - Brandon L. Jutras
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Molecular and Cellular Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Center for Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA USA
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22
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Gupta A, Arora G, Rosen CE, Kloos Z, Cao Y, Cerny J, Sajid A, Hoornstra D, Golovchenko M, Rudenko N, Munderloh U, Hovius JW, Booth CJ, Jacobs-Wagner C, Palm NW, Ring AM, Fikrig E. A human secretome library screen reveals a role for Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein 1 in Lyme borreliosis. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1009030. [PMID: 33175909 PMCID: PMC7657531 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne illness in North America, is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Infection begins in the skin following a tick bite and can spread to the hearts, joints, nervous system, and other organs. Diverse host responses influence the level of B. burgdorferi infection in mice and humans. Using a systems biology approach, we examined potential molecular interactions between human extracellular and secreted proteins and B. burgdorferi. A yeast display library expressing 1031 human extracellular proteins was probed against 36 isolates of B. burgdorferi sensu lato. We found that human Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein 1 (PGLYRP1) interacted with the vast majority of B. burgdorferi isolates. In subsequent experiments, we demonstrated that recombinant PGLYRP1 interacts with purified B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan and exhibits borreliacidal activity, suggesting that vertebrate hosts may use PGLYRP1 to identify B. burgdorferi. We examined B. burgdorferi infection in mice lacking PGLYRP1 and observed an increased spirochete burden in the heart and joints, along with splenomegaly. Mice lacking PGLYRP1 also showed signs of immune dysregulation, including lower serum IgG levels and higher levels of IFNγ, CXCL9, and CXCL10.Taken together, our findings suggest that PGLYRP1 plays a role in the host’s response to B. burgdorferi and further demonstrate the utility of expansive yeast display screening in capturing biologically relevant interactions between spirochetes and their hosts. Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness in North America and is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease starts with a tick bite that leads to a skin rash and inflammation in other organs of the body, such as hearts and joints. B. burgdorferi uses many strategies to evade detection and persist in the human host. It is important to have efficient methods to be able to identify the various components of the immune system that interact with B. burgdorferi to better understand the disease process, but few currently exist. In this study, we used a novel yeast display screening assay of over 1,000 human immune proteins probed against several isolates of Borrelia to uncover biologically relevant interactions for the Lyme disease pathogen. We identified Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein 1 (PGLYRP1), an innate immune protein important in defense against bacteria, as a major candidate from this screen. We validated the interaction of PGLYRP1 with Borrelia and were able to use PGLYRP1-deficient mice as a model to understand the role of this protein in Lyme disease pathogenesis. Our study demonstrates the potential implications of yeast screens in uncovering important host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Gupta
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Connor E. Rosen
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Zachary Kloos
- Microbiology Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Yongguo Cao
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, and Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiri Cerny
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Andaleeb Sajid
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Dieuwertje Hoornstra
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Maryna Golovchenko
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology Czech Academy of Sciences, Buweiss, Czech Republic
| | - Natalie Rudenko
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology Czech Academy of Sciences, Buweiss, Czech Republic
| | - Ulrike Munderloh
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Joppe W. Hovius
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Carmen J. Booth
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Christine Jacobs-Wagner
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Noah W. Palm
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- * E-mail: (NWP); (AMR); (EF)
| | - Aaron M. Ring
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- * E-mail: (NWP); (AMR); (EF)
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail: (NWP); (AMR); (EF)
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Zhang K, He J, Cantalano C, Guo Y, Liu J, Li C. FlhF regulates the number and configuration of periplasmic flagella in Borrelia burgdorferi. Mol Microbiol 2020; 113:1122-1139. [PMID: 32039533 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi has 7-11 periplasmic flagella (PF) that arise from the cell poles and extend toward the midcell as a flat-ribbon, which is distinct from other bacteria. FlhF, a signal recognition particle (SRP)-like GTPase, has been found to regulate the flagellar number and polarity; however, its role in B. burgdorferi remains unknown. B. burgdorferi has an FlhF homolog (BB0270). Structural and biochemical analyses show that BB0270 has a similar structure and enzymatic activity as its counterparts from other bacteria. Genetics and cryo-electron tomography studies reveal that deletion of BB0270 leads to mutant cells that have less PF (4 ± 2 PF per cell tip) and fail to form a flat-ribbon, indicative of a role of BB0270 in the control of PF number and configuration. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that BB0270 localizes at the cell poles and controls the number and position of PF via regulating the flagellar protein stability and the polar localization of the MS-ring protein FliF. Our study not only provides the detailed characterizations of BB0270 and its profound impacts on flagellar assembly, morphology and motility in B. burgdorferi, but also unveils mechanistic insights into how spirochetes control their unique flagellar patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jun He
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Claudio Cantalano
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.,Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Youzhong Guo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.,Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chunhao Li
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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24
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Kuru E, Radkov A, Meng X, Egan A, Alvarez L, Dowson A, Booher G, Breukink E, Roper DI, Cava F, Vollmer W, Brun Y, VanNieuwenhze MS. Mechanisms of Incorporation for D-Amino Acid Probes That Target Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:2745-2756. [PMID: 31743648 PMCID: PMC6929685 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Bacteria exhibit a myriad of different morphologies,
through the
synthesis and modification of their essential peptidoglycan (PG) cell
wall. Our discovery of a fluorescent D-amino acid (FDAA)-based PG labeling approach provided a powerful method
for observing how these morphological changes occur. Given that PG
is unique to bacterial cells and a common target for antibiotics,
understanding the precise mechanism(s) for incorporation of (F)DAA-based
probes is a crucial determinant in understanding the role of PG synthesis
in bacterial cell biology and could provide a valuable tool in the
development of new antimicrobials to treat drug-resistant antibacterial
infections. Here, we systematically investigate the mechanisms of
FDAA probe incorporation into PG using two model organisms Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive). Our in vitro and in vivo data unequivocally demonstrate
that these bacteria incorporate FDAAs using two extracytoplasmic pathways:
through activity of their D,D-transpeptidases, and,
if present, by their L,D-transpeptidases and not
via cytoplasmic incorporation into a D-Ala-D-Ala
dipeptide precursor. Our data also revealed the unprecedented finding
that the DAA-drug, D-cycloserine, can be incorporated into
peptide stems by each of these transpeptidases, in addition to its
known inhibitory activity against D-alanine racemase and D-Ala-D-Ala ligase. These mechanistic findings enabled
development of a new, FDAA-based, in vitro labeling approach that
reports on subcellular distribution of muropeptides, an especially
important attribute to enable the study of bacteria with poorly defined
growth modes. An improved understanding of the incorporation mechanisms
utilized by DAA-based probes is essential when interpreting results
from high resolution experiments and highlights the antimicrobial
potential of synthetic DAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erkin Kuru
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Atanas Radkov
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Xin Meng
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Alexander Egan
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Alvarez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Amanda Dowson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Garrett Booher
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Eefjan Breukink
- Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - David I. Roper
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Felipe Cava
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
| | - Yves Brun
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Michael S. VanNieuwenhze
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
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25
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Borrelia burgdorferi peptidoglycan is a persistent antigen in patients with Lyme arthritis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:13498-13507. [PMID: 31209025 PMCID: PMC6613144 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1904170116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common vector-borne disease in North America. If early infection is untreated, it can result in late-stage manifestations, including arthritis. Although antibiotics are generally effective at all stages of the disease, arthritis may persist in some patients for months to several years despite oral and intravenous antibiotic treatment. Excessive, dysregulated host immune responses are thought to play an important role in this outcome, but the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. This study identifies the B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan, a major component of the cell wall, as an immunogen likely to contribute to inflammation during infection and in cases of postinfectious Lyme arthritis. Lyme disease is a multisystem disorder caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. A common late-stage complication of this disease is oligoarticular arthritis, often involving the knee. In ∼10% of cases, arthritis persists after appropriate antibiotic treatment, leading to a proliferative synovitis typical of chronic inflammatory arthritides. Here, we provide evidence that peptidoglycan (PG), a major component of the B. burgdorferi cell envelope, may contribute to the development and persistence of Lyme arthritis (LA). We show that B. burgdorferi has a chemically atypical PG (PGBb) that is not recycled during cell-wall turnover. Instead, this pathogen sheds PGBb fragments into its environment during growth. Patients with LA mount a specific immunoglobulin G response against PGBb, which is significantly higher in the synovial fluid than in the serum of the same patient. We also detect PGBb in 94% of synovial fluid samples (32 of 34) from patients with LA, many of whom had undergone oral and intravenous antibiotic treatment. These same synovial fluid samples contain proinflammatory cytokines, similar to those produced by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with PGBb. In addition, systemic administration of PGBb in BALB/c mice elicits acute arthritis. Altogether, our study identifies PGBb as a likely contributor to inflammatory responses in LA. Persistence of this antigen in the joint may contribute to synovitis after antibiotics eradicate the pathogen. Furthermore, our finding that B. burgdorferi sheds immunogenic PGBb fragments during growth suggests a potential role for PGBb in the immunopathogenesis of other Lyme disease manifestations.
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26
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Shi H, Bratton BP, Gitai Z, Huang KC. How to Build a Bacterial Cell: MreB as the Foreman of E. coli Construction. Cell 2019. [PMID: 29522748 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.02.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cell shape matters across the kingdoms of life, and cells have the remarkable capacity to define and maintain specific shapes and sizes. But how are the shapes of micron-sized cells determined from the coordinated activities of nanometer-sized proteins? Here, we review general principles that have surfaced through the study of rod-shaped bacterial growth. Imaging approaches have revealed that polymers of the actin homolog MreB play a central role. MreB both senses and changes cell shape, thereby generating a self-organizing feedback system for shape maintenance. At the molecular level, structural and computational studies indicate that MreB filaments exhibit tunable mechanical properties that explain their preference for certain geometries and orientations along the cylindrical cell body. We illustrate the regulatory landscape of rod-shape formation and the connectivity between cell shape, cell growth, and other aspects of cell physiology. These discoveries provide a framework for future investigations into the architecture and construction of microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Handuo Shi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Benjamin P Bratton
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Zemer Gitai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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27
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Abstract
Spatial organization is a hallmark of all living systems. Even bacteria, the smallest forms of cellular life, display defined shapes and complex internal organization, showcasing a highly structured genome, cytoskeletal filaments, localized scaffolding structures, dynamic spatial patterns, active transport, and occasionally, intracellular organelles. Spatial order is required for faithful and efficient cellular replication and offers a powerful means for the development of unique biological properties. Here, we discuss organizational features of bacterial cells and highlight how bacteria have evolved diverse spatial mechanisms to overcome challenges cells face as self-replicating entities.
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Takacs CN, Kloos ZA, Scott M, Rosa PA, Jacobs-Wagner C. Fluorescent Proteins, Promoters, and Selectable Markers for Applications in the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:e01824-18. [PMID: 30315081 PMCID: PMC6275353 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01824-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most widely reported vector-borne disease in the United States. Its incidence is rapidly increasing, and disease symptoms can be debilitating. The need to understand the biology of the disease agent, the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is thus evermore pressing. Despite important advances in B. burgdorferi genetics, the array of molecular tools available for use in this organism remains limited, especially for cell biological studies. Here, we adapt a palette of bright and mostly monomeric fluorescent proteins for versatile use and multicolor imaging in B. burgdorferi We also characterize two novel antibiotic selection markers and establish the feasibility of their use in conjunction with extant markers. Last, we describe a set of promoters of low and intermediate strengths that allow fine-tuning of gene expression levels. These molecular tools complement and expand current experimental capabilities in B. burgdorferi, which will facilitate future investigation of this important human pathogen. To showcase the usefulness of these reagents, we used them to investigate the subcellular localization of BB0323, a B. burgdorferi lipoprotein essential for survival in the host and vector environments. We show that BB0323 accumulates at the cell poles and future division sites of B. burgdorferi cells, highlighting the complex subcellular organization of this spirochete.IMPORTANCE Genetic manipulation of the Lyme disease spirochete B. burgdorferi remains cumbersome, despite significant progress in the field. The scarcity of molecular reagents available for use in this pathogen has slowed research efforts to study its unusual biology. Of interest, B. burgdorferi displays complex cellular organization features that have yet to be understood. These include an unusual morphology and a highly fragmented genome, both of which are likely to play important roles in the bacterium's transmission, infectivity, and persistence. Here, we complement and expand the array of molecular tools available for use in B. burgdorferi by generating and characterizing multiple fluorescent proteins, antibiotic selection markers, and promoters of varied strengths. These tools will facilitate investigations in this important human pathogen, as exemplified by the polar and midcell localization of the cell envelope regulator BB0323, which we uncovered using these reagents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantin N Takacs
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Zachary A Kloos
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Microbiology Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Molly Scott
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Patricia A Rosa
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Christine Jacobs-Wagner
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale West Campus, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Identifying Vancomycin as an Effective Antibiotic for Killing Borrelia burgdorferi. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.01201-18. [PMID: 30126963 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01201-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis. Antibiotic therapy of early acute infection is effective for most patients, but 10 to 20% go on to develop posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). The nature of PTLDS remains unknown, but currently approved antibiotics for the treatment of Lyme disease do not appear to impact these symptoms after they have developed. We reason that minimizing the time the pathogen interacts with the host will diminish the probability of developing PTLDS, irrespective of its nature. This calls for an efficient eradication of the pathogen during acute infection. In search of a superior killing antibiotic, we examined approved antibiotics for their ability to kill B. burgdorferi Vancomycin proved more effective in killing the pathogen in vitro than ceftriaxone, the standard of care for disseminated B. burgdorferi infection. Both compounds were also the most effective in killing stationary-phase cells. This is surprising, given that inhibitors of cell wall biosynthesis are known to only kill growing bacteria. We found that peptidoglycan synthesis continues in stationary-phase cells of B. burgdorferi, explaining this paradox. A combination of vancomycin and gemifloxacin sterilized a stationary-phase culture of B. burgdorferi Examination of the action of antibiotics in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice showed that doxycycline, a standard of care for uncomplicated acute infection, did not clear the pathogen. In contrast, both ceftriaxone and vancomycin cleared the infection. A trial examining the early use of more potent antibiotics on the development of PTLDS may be warranted.
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Kurniyati K, Liu J, Zhang JR, Min Y, Li C. A pleiotropic role of FlaG in regulating the cell morphogenesis and flagellar homeostasis at the cell poles of Treponema denticola. Cell Microbiol 2018; 21:e12886. [PMID: 29935042 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
FlaG homologue has been found in several bacteria including spirochetes; however, its function is poorly characterised. In this report, we investigated the role of TDE1473, a putative FlaG, in the spirochete Treponema denticola, a keystone pathogen of periodontitis. TDE1473 resides in a large gene operon that is controlled by a σ70 -like promoter and encodes a putative FlaG protein of 123 amino acids. TDE1473 can be detected in the periplasmic flagella (PFs) of T. denticola, suggesting that it is a flagella-associated protein. Consistently, in vitro studies demonstrate that the recombinant TDE1473 interacts with the PFs in a dose-dependent manner and that such an interaction requires FlaA, a flagellar filament sheath protein. Deletion of TDE1473 leads to long and less motile mutant cells. Cryo-electron tomography analysis reveal that the wild-type cells have 2-3 PFs with nearly homogenous lengths (ranging from 3 to 6 μm), whereas the mutant cells have less intact PFs with disparate lengths (ranging from 0.1 to 9 μm). The phenotype of T. denticola TDE1473 mutant reported here is different from its counterparts in other bacteria, which provides insight into further understanding the role of FlaG in the regulation of bacterial cell morphogenesis and flagellation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurni Kurniyati
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis & Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jing-Ren Zhang
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunjiang Min
- School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, West Anhui University, Lu'an, China
| | - Chunhao Li
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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Abstract
Peptidoglycan is an essential component of the cell wall that protects bacteria from environmental stress. A carefully coordinated biosynthesis of peptidoglycan during cell elongation and division is required for cell viability. This biosynthesis involves sophisticated enzyme machineries that dynamically synthesize, remodel, and degrade peptidoglycan. However, when and where bacteria build peptidoglycan, and how this is coordinated with cell growth, have been long-standing questions in the field. The improvement of microscopy techniques has provided powerful approaches to study peptidoglycan biosynthesis with high spatiotemporal resolution. Recent development of molecular probes further accelerated the growth of the field, which has advanced our knowledge of peptidoglycan biosynthesis dynamics and mechanisms. Here, we review the technologies for imaging the bacterial cell wall and its biosynthesis activity. We focus on the applications of fluorescent d-amino acids, a newly developed type of probe, to visualize and study peptidoglycan synthesis and dynamics, and we provide direction for prospective research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atanas D Radkov
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.,Current affiliation: Biophysics and Biochemistry Department, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA;
| | - Yen-Pang Hsu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA; , ,
| | - Garrett Booher
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA; , ,
| | - Michael S VanNieuwenhze
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA; , ,
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Abstract
Bacterial cell division has been studied extensively under laboratory conditions. Despite being a key event in the bacterial cell cycle, cell division has not been explored in vivo in bacterial pathogens interacting with their hosts. We discovered in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium a gene absent in nonpathogenic bacteria and encoding a peptidoglycan synthase with 63% identity to penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3). PBP3 is an essential cell division-specific peptidoglycan synthase that builds the septum required to separate daughter cells. Since S. Typhimurium carries genes that encode a PBP3 paralog—which we named PBP3SAL—and PBP3, we hypothesized that there are different cell division events in host and nonhost environments. To test this, we generated S. Typhimurium isogenic mutants lacking PBP3SAL or the hitherto considered essential PBP3. While PBP3 alone promotes cell division under all conditions tested, the mutant producing only PBP3SAL proliferates under acidic conditions (pH ≤ 5.8) but does not divide at neutral pH. PBP3SAL production is tightly regulated with increased levels as bacteria grow in media acidified up to pH 4.0 and in intracellular bacteria infecting eukaryotic cells. PBP3SAL activity is also strictly dependent on acidic pH, as shown by beta-lactam antibiotic binding assays. Live-cell imaging microscopy revealed that PBP3SAL alone is sufficient for S. Typhimurium to divide within phagosomes of the eukaryotic cell. Additionally, we detected much larger amounts of PBP3SAL than those of PBP3 in vivo in bacteria colonizing mouse target organs. Therefore, PBP3SAL evolved in S. Typhimurium as a specialized peptidoglycan synthase promoting cell division in the acidic intraphagosomal environment. During bacterial cell division, daughter cells separate by a transversal structure known as the division septum. The septum is a continuum of the cell wall and therefore is composed of membrane(s) and a peptidoglycan layer. To date, actively growing bacteria were reported to have only a “cell division-specific” peptidoglycan synthase required for the last steps of septum formation and consequently, essential for bacterial life. Here, we discovered that Salmonella enterica has two peptidoglycan synthases capable of synthesizing the division septum. One of these enzymes, PBP3SAL, is present only in bacterial pathogens and evolved in Salmonella to function exclusively in acidic environments. PBP3SAL is used preferentially by Salmonella to promote cell division in vivo in mouse target organs and inside acidified phagosomes. Our data challenge the concept of only one essential cell division-specific peptidoglycan synthase and demonstrate that pathogens can divide in defined host locations using alternative mechanisms.
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Abstract
The last three decades have witnessed an explosion of discoveries about the mechanistic details of binary fission in model bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Caulobacter crescentus. This was made possible not only by advances in microscopy that helped answer questions about cell biology but also by clever genetic manipulations that directly and easily tested specific hypotheses. More recently, research using understudied organisms, or nonmodel systems, has revealed several alternate mechanistic strategies that bacteria use to divide and propagate. In this review, we highlight new findings and compare these strategies to cell division mechanisms elucidated in model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prahathees J Eswara
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620;
| | - Kumaran S Ramamurthi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-5132;
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Eskandarian HA, Odermatt PD, Ven JXY, Hannebelle MTM, Nievergelt AP, Dhar N, McKinney JD, Fantner GE. Division site selection linked to inherited cell surface wave troughs in mycobacteria. Nat Microbiol 2017. [PMID: 28650475 DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.94] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Cell division is tightly controlled in space and time to maintain cell size and ploidy within narrow bounds. In bacteria, the canonical Minicell (Min) and nucleoid occlusion (Noc) systems together ensure that division is restricted to midcell after completion of chromosome segregation1. It is unknown how division site selection is controlled in bacteria that lack homologues of the Min and Noc proteins, including mycobacteria responsible for tuberculosis and other chronic infections2. Here, we use correlated optical and atomic-force microscopy3,4 to demonstrate that morphological landmarks (waveform troughs) on the undulating surface of mycobacterial cells correspond to future sites of cell division. Newborn cells inherit wave troughs from the (grand)mother cell and ultimately divide at the centre-most wave trough, making these morphological features the earliest known landmark of future division sites. In cells lacking the chromosome partitioning (Par) system, missegregation of chromosomes is accompanied by asymmetric cell division at off-centre wave troughs, resulting in the formation of anucleate cells. These results demonstrate that inherited morphological landmarks and chromosome positioning together restrict mycobacterial division to the midcell position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haig A Eskandarian
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,School of Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascal D Odermatt
- School of Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Joëlle X Y Ven
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,School of Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mélanie T M Hannebelle
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,School of Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Adrian P Nievergelt
- School of Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Neeraj Dhar
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - John D McKinney
- School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Georg E Fantner
- School of Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Hyde JA. Borrelia burgdorferi Keeps Moving and Carries on: A Review of Borrelial Dissemination and Invasion. Front Immunol 2017; 8:114. [PMID: 28270812 PMCID: PMC5318424 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi is the etiological agent of Lyme disease, a multisystemic, multistage, inflammatory infection resulting in patients experiencing cardiac, neurological, and arthritic complications when not treated with antibiotics shortly after exposure. The spirochetal bacterium transmits through the Ixodes vector colonizing the dermis of a mammalian host prior to hematogenous dissemination and invasion of distal tissues all the while combating the immune response as it traverses through its pathogenic lifecycle. The innate immune response controls the borrelial burden in the dermis, but is unable to clear the infection and thereby prevent progression of disease. Dissemination in the mammalian host requires temporal regulation of virulence determinants to allow for vascular interactions, invasion, and colonization of distal tissues. Virulence determinants and/or adhesins are highly heterogenetic among environmental B. burgdorferi strains with particular genotypes being associated with the ability to disseminate to specific tissues and the severity of disease, but fail to generate cross-protective immunity between borrelial strains. The unique motility of B. burgdorferi rendered by the endoflagella serves a vital function for dissemination and protection from immune recognition. Progress has been made toward understanding the chemotactic regulation coordinating the activity of the two polar localized flagellar motors and their role in borrelial virulence, but this regulation is not yet fully understood. Distinct states of motility allow for dynamic interactions between several B. burgdorferi adhesins and host targets that play roles in transendothelial migration. Transmigration across endothelial and blood-brain barriers allows for the invasion of tissues and elicits localized immune responses. The invasive nature of B. burgdorferi is lacking in proactive mechanisms to modulate disease, such as secretion systems and toxins, but recent work has shown degradation of host extracellular matrices by B. burgdorferi contributes to the invasive capabilities of the pathogen. Additionally, B. burgdorferi may use invasion of eukaryotic cells for immune evasion and protection against environmental stresses. This review provides an overview of B. burgdorferi mechanisms for dissemination and invasion in the mammalian host, which are essential for pathogenesis and the development of persistent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny A Hyde
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center , Bryan, TX , USA
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Cellular microbiology: How pathogens divide. Nat Rev Microbiol 2016; 14:604-5. [PMID: 27573578 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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38
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QnAs with Christine Jacobs-Wagner. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:9129-30. [PMID: 27506783 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1611062113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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