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Liao M, Gong H, Shen K, Wang Z, Li R, Campana M, Hu X, Lu JR. Unlocking roles of cationic and aromatic residues in peptide amphiphiles in treating drug-resistant gram-positive pathogens. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 672:209-223. [PMID: 38838629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a rising threat to global health because the number of essential antibiotics used for treating MDR infections is increasingly compromised. In this work we report a group of new amphiphilic peptides (AMPs) derived from the well-studied G3 (G(IIKK)3I-NH2) to fight infections from Gram-positive bacteria including susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), focusing on membrane interactions. Time-dependent killing experiments revealed that substitutions of II by WW (GWK), II by FF (GFK) and KK by RR (GIR) resulted in improved bactericidal efficiencies compared to G3 (GIK) on both S. aureus and MRSA, with the order of GWK > GIR > GFK > GIK. Electronic microscopy imaging revealed structural disruptions of AMP binding to bacterial cell walls. Fluorescence assays including AMP binding to anionic lipoteichoic acids (LTA) in cell-free and cell systems indicated concentration and time-dependent membrane destabilization associated with bacterial killing. Furthermore, AMP's binding to anionic plasma membrane via similar fluorescence assays revealed a different extent of membrane depolarization and leakage. These observations were supported by the penetration of AMPs into the LTA barrier and the subsequent structural compromise to the cytoplasmic membrane as revealed from SANS (small angle neutron scattering). Both experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that GWK and GIR could make the membrane more rigid but less effective in diffusive efficiency than GIK and GFK through forming intramembrane peptide nanoaggregates associated with hydrophobic mismatch and formation of fluidic and rigid patches. The reported peptide-aggregate-induced phase-separation emerged as a crucial factor in accelerated membrane disintegration and fast bacterial killing. This work has demonstrated the importance of membrane interactions to the development of more effective AMPs and the relevance of the approaches as reported in assisting this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingrui Liao
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Haoning Gong
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Kangcheng Shen
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Ziwei Wang
- National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Renzhi Li
- Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Mario Campana
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron & Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Xuzhi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
| | - Jian R Lu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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Lu QY, Wang ZJ, Bai LY, Zu WB, Zhou ZS, Zhu YY, Zhao YL, Luo XD. Diterpenoids of Caryopteris trichosphaera W. W. Sm. inhibiting MRSA and VRE in vitro and in vivo. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024:118805. [PMID: 39251150 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2024] [Revised: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Caryopteris trichosphaera W. W. Sm., a traditional ethnic medicine, was recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica for treating wound infection by pathogenic infection. However, its antibacterial potential and bioactive compositions against drug-resistant bacteria need to be validated. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the chemical constituents of C. trichosphaera and explore its anti-MRSA component in vitro and in vivo, together with the antibacterial mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bioactive constituents investigation was carried out by phytochemical method and antibacterial screening. The antibacterial mechanism was predicted by network pharmacology, which was further validated by time-kill analysis, membrane function tests, multigenerational resistance induction assay and biofilm test, and metabolomics analysis in vitro. In addition, MRSA-induced epidermal infection in mice was selected to evaluate its pharmacological effect in vivo. RESULTS Six antibacterial diterpenoids against MRSA and VRE with MIC values 4-32 μg/mL from C. trichosphaera were reported for the first time, in which the major compound cativic acid (1) disrupted MRSA cell membranes by modulating permeability, depolarization, and fluidity while increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. It also displayed remarkable anti-biofilm activity without inducing bacterial resistance or cytotoxicity. Moreover, cativic acid affected MRSA biosynthesis of cofactors, amino acid biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism by metabolomics analysis. Furthermore, cativic acid accelerated wound healing in MRSA-infected mouse skin wounds, even better than vancomycin. CONCLUSIONS The results supported the traditional use of C. trichosphaera, and presented unreported anti-MRSA agent, cativic acid, as a plant-derived bactericide in vitro and in vivo for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Yu Lu
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao-Jie Wang
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Yu Bai
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Biao Zu
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong-Shun Zhou
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Yan Zhu
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun-Li Zhao
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Dong Luo
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China; State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Fulgencio S, Scaccaglia M, Frei A. Exploration of Rhenium Bisquinoline Tricarbonyl Complexes for their Antibacterial Properties. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400435. [PMID: 38785033 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400435] [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: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Metal complexes have emerged as a promising source for novel classes of antibacterial agents to combat the rise of antimicrobial resistance around the world. In the exploration of the transition metal chemical space for novel metalloantibiotics, the rhenium tricarbonyl moiety has been identified as a promising scaffold. Here we have prepared eight novel rhenium bisquinoline tricarbonyl complexes and explored their antibacterial properties. Significant activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was observed. However, all complexes also showed significant toxicity against human cells, putting into question the prospects of this specific rhenium compound class as metalloantibiotics. To better understand their biological effects, we conduct the first mode of action studies on rhenium bisquinoline complexes and show that they are able to form pores through bacterial membranes. Their straight-forward synthesis and tuneability suggests that further optimisation of this compound class could lead to compounds with enhanced bacterial specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Fulgencio
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mirco Scaccaglia
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Angelo Frei
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, U.K
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4
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Koshak AE, Elfaky MA, Abdallah HM, Albadawi DAI, Mohamed GA, Ibrahim SRM, Alzain AA, Khafagy ES, Rajab AAH, Hegazy WAH. Arctigenin from Burdock Root Exhibits Potent Antibacterial and Anti-Virulence Properties against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 34:1642-1652. [PMID: 39049476 PMCID: PMC11380511 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2403.03003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Arctium lappa (Burdock) root is used in various culinary applications especially in Asian Cuisine. Arctigenin (ARC) is a polyphenolic compound abundant in the roots of the burdock plant from which it derives its name. The emergence of bacterial resistance is a growing global worry, specifically due to the declining availability of new antibiotics. Screening for the antibacterial candidates among the safe natural products is a promising approach. The present study was aimed to assess the antibacterial activity of ARC against Pseudomonas aeruginosa exploring its effect on the bacterial cell membrane. Furthermore, the anti-virulence activities and anti-quorum sensing (QS) activities of ARC were in vitro, in vivo and in silico assessed against P. aeruginosa. The current results showed the ARC antibacterial activity was owed to its disruption effect of the cell membrane. ARC at sub-MIC significantly decreased the formation of biofilm, motility, production of extracellular enzymes and in vivo protected mice against P. aeruginosa. These anti-virulence activities of ARC are owed to its interference with bacterial QS and its expression. Furthermore, ARC showed mild effect on mammalian erythrocytes, low probability to induce resistance and synergistically combined with antibiotics. In summary, the promising anti-virulence properties of ARC indicate its potential as an effective supplement to conventional antibiotics for treating severe P. aeruginosa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulrahman E Koshak
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud A Elfaky
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hossam M Abdallah
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dina A I Albadawi
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gamal A Mohamed
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabrin R M Ibrahim
- Department of Chemistry, Preparatory Year Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah 21442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahim A Alzain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Wad Madani 21111, Sudan
| | - El-Sayed Khafagy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Azza A H Rajab
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Egypt
| | - Wael A H Hegazy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Egypt
- Pharmacy Program, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oman College of Health Sciences, Muscat 113, Oman
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5
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Nickerson CA, McLean RJC, Barrila J, Yang J, Thornhill SG, Banken LL, Porterfield DM, Poste G, Pellis NR, Ott CM. Microbiology of human spaceflight: microbial responses to mechanical forces that impact health and habitat sustainability. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024:e0014423. [PMID: 39158275 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00144-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYUnderstanding the dynamic adaptive plasticity of microorganisms has been advanced by studying their responses to extreme environments. Spaceflight research platforms provide a unique opportunity to study microbial characteristics in new extreme adaptational modes, including sustained exposure to reduced forces of gravity and associated low fluid shear force conditions. Under these conditions, unexpected microbial responses occur, including alterations in virulence, antibiotic and stress resistance, biofilm formation, metabolism, motility, and gene expression, which are not observed using conventional experimental approaches. Here, we review biological and physical mechanisms that regulate microbial responses to spaceflight and spaceflight analog environments from both the microbe and host-microbe perspective that are relevant to human health and habitat sustainability. We highlight instrumentation and technology used in spaceflight microbiology experiments, their limitations, and advances necessary to enable next-generation research. As spaceflight experiments are relatively rare, we discuss ground-based analogs that mimic aspects of microbial responses to reduced gravity in spaceflight, including those that reduce mechanical forces of fluid flow over cell surfaces which also simulate conditions encountered by microorganisms during their terrestrial lifecycles. As spaceflight mission durations increase with traditional astronauts and commercial space programs send civilian crews with underlying health conditions, microorganisms will continue to play increasingly critical roles in health and habitat sustainability, thus defining a new dimension of occupational health. The ability of microorganisms to adapt, survive, and evolve in the spaceflight environment is important for future human space endeavors and provides opportunities for innovative biological and technological advances to benefit life on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A Nickerson
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Robert J C McLean
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer Barrila
- Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Jiseon Yang
- Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Laura L Banken
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - D Marshall Porterfield
- Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - George Poste
- Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | | | - C Mark Ott
- Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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6
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Melcrová A, Klein C, Roos WH. Membrane-Active Antibiotics Affect Domains in Bacterial Membranes as the First Step of Their Activity. NANO LETTERS 2024. [PMID: 39145544 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
The need to combat antimicrobial resistance is becoming more and more pressing. Here we investigate the working mechanism of a small cationic agent, N-alkylamide 3d, by conventional and high-speed atomic force microscopy. We show that N-alkylamide 3d interacts with the membrane of Staphylococcus aureus, where it changes the organization and dynamics of lipid domains. After this initial step, supramolecular structures of the antimicrobial agent attach on top of the affected membrane gradually, covering it entirely. These results demonstrate that lateral domains in the bacterial membranes might be affected by small antimicrobial agents more often than anticipated. At the same time, we show a new dual-step activity of N-alkylamide 3d that not only destroys the lateral membrane organization but also effectively covers the whole membrane with aggregates. This final step could render the membrane inaccessible from the outside and possibly prevent signaling and waste disposal of living bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adéla Melcrová
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 9712 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Christiaan Klein
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 9712 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter H Roos
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 9712 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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7
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Moreira R, Yang Y, Luo Y, Gilmore MS, van der Donk W. Bibacillin 1: A two-component lantibiotic from Bacillus thuringiensis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.13.607848. [PMID: 39185197 PMCID: PMC11343131 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.13.607848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Here we describe bibacillin 1 - a two-component lantibiotic from Bacillus thuringiensis. The peptides that comprise bibacillin 1 are modified by a class II lanthipeptide synthetase Bib1M producing two peptides with non-overlapping ring patterns that are reminiscent of cerecidin and the short component of the enterococcal cytolysin (CylLS"), a virulence factor associated with human disease. Stereochemical analysis demonstrated that each component contains LL-methyllanthionine and DL-lanthionine. The mature bibacillin 1 peptides showed cooperative bactericidal activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including members of ESKAPE pathogens, and weak hemolytic activity. Optimal ratio studies suggest that bibacillin 1 works best when the components are present in a 1:1 ratio, but near optimal activity was observed at ratios strongly favouring one component over the other, suggesting that the two peptides may have different but complementary targets. Mechanism of action studies suggest a lipid II-independent killing action distinguishing bibacillin 1 from two other two-component lantibiotics haloduracin and lacticin 3147. One of the two components of bibacillin 1 showed cross reactivity with the cytolysin regulatory system. These result support the involvement of bibacillin 1 in quorum sensing and raise questions about the impact of CylLS"-like natural products on lanthipeptide expression in diverse bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Moreira
- Department of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61822, USA
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61822, USA
| | - Youran Luo
- Department of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61822, USA
| | - Michael S. Gilmore
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02144, USA
| | - Wilfred van der Donk
- Department of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61822, USA
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8
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van Groesen E, Mons E, Kotsogianni I, Arts M, Tehrani KHME, Wade N, Lysenko V, Stel FM, Zwerus JT, De Benedetti S, Bakker A, Chakraborty P, van der Stelt M, Scheffers DJ, Gooskens J, Smits WK, Holden K, Gilmour PS, Willemse J, Hitchcock CA, van Hasselt JGC, Schneider T, Martin NI. Semisynthetic guanidino lipoglycopeptides with potent in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eabo4736. [PMID: 39110780 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abo4736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Gram-positive bacterial infections present a major clinical challenge, with methicillin- and vancomycin-resistant strains continuing to be a cause for concern. In recent years, semisynthetic vancomycin derivatives have been developed to overcome this problem as exemplified by the clinically used telavancin, which exhibits increased antibacterial potency but has also raised toxicity concerns. Thus, glycopeptide antibiotics with enhanced antibacterial activities and improved safety profiles are still necessary. We describe the development of a class of highly potent semisynthetic glycopeptide antibiotics, the guanidino lipoglycopeptides, which contain a positively charged guanidino moiety bearing a variable lipid group. These glycopeptides exhibited enhanced in vitro activity against a panel of Gram-positive bacteria including clinically relevant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant strains, showed minimal toxicity toward eukaryotic cells, and had a low propensity for resistance selection. Mechanistically, guanidino lipoglycopeptides engaged with bacterial cell wall precursor lipid II with a higher binding affinity than vancomycin. Binding to both wild-type d-Ala-d-Ala lipid II and the vancomycin-resistant d-Ala-d-Lac variant was confirmed, providing insight into the enhanced activity of guanidino lipoglycopeptides against vancomycin-resistant isolates. The in vivo efficacy of guanidino lipoglycopeptide EVG7 was evaluated in a S. aureus murine thigh infection model and a 7-day sepsis survival study, both of which demonstrated superiority to vancomycin. Moreover, the minimal to mild kidney effects at supratherapeutic doses of EVG7 indicate an improved therapeutic safety profile compared with vancomycin. These findings position guanidino lipoglycopeptides as candidates for further development as antibacterial agents for the treatment of clinically relevant multidrug-resistant Gram-positive infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma van Groesen
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Elma Mons
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ioli Kotsogianni
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Melina Arts
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Kamaleddin H M E Tehrani
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Nicola Wade
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Vladyslav Lysenko
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Florence M Stel
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Jordy T Zwerus
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Stefania De Benedetti
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexander Bakker
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Parichita Chakraborty
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9700 AB Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Mario van der Stelt
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Dirk-Jan Scheffers
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9700 AB Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Jairo Gooskens
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases (LUCID), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases (LUCID), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Kirsty Holden
- Evotec (U.K.) Ltd., Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 4TG UK
| | | | - Joost Willemse
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - J G Coen van Hasselt
- Division of Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Nathaniel I Martin
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
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9
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Hernández-Ortiz N, Sánchez-Murcia PA, Gil-Campillo C, Domenech M, Lucena-Agell D, Hortigüela R, Velázquez S, Camarasa MJ, Bustamante N, de Castro S, Menéndez M. Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of an unusual class of non-cationic fatty amine-tripeptide conjugates as novel synthetic antimicrobial agents. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1428409. [PMID: 39156106 PMCID: PMC11329928 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1428409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cationic ultrashort lipopeptides (USLPs) are promising antimicrobial candidates to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. Using DICAMs, a newly synthesized family of tripeptides with net charges from -2 to +1 and a fatty amine conjugated to the C-terminus, we demonstrate that anionic and neutral zwitterionic USLPs can possess potent antimicrobial and membrane-disrupting activities against prevalent human pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. The strongest antimicrobials completely halt bacterial growth at low micromolar concentrations, reduce bacterial survival by several orders of magnitude, and may kill planktonic cells and biofilms. All of them comprise either an anionic or neutral zwitterionic peptide attached to a long fatty amine (16-18 carbon atoms) and show a preference for anionic lipid membranes enriched in phosphatidylglycerol (PG), which excludes electrostatic interactions as the main driving force for DICAM action. Hence, the hydrophobic contacts provided by the long aliphatic chains of their fatty amines are needed for DICAM's membrane insertion, while negative-charge shielding by salt counterions would reduce electrostatic repulsions. Additionally, we show that other components of the bacterial envelope, including the capsular polysaccharide, can influence the microbicidal activity of DICAMs. Several promising candidates with good-to-tolerable therapeutic ratios are identified as potential agents against S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes. Structural characteristics that determine the preference for a specific pathogen or decrease DICAM toxicity have also been investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Hernández-Ortiz
- Instituto de Química-Física “Blas Cabrera” (IQF), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro A. Sánchez-Murcia
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Laboratory of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Otto-Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Celia Gil-Campillo
- Instituto de Química-Física “Blas Cabrera” (IQF), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mirian Domenech
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Lucena-Agell
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Hortigüela
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonsoles Velázquez
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Camarasa
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Noemí Bustamante
- Instituto de Química-Física “Blas Cabrera” (IQF), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia de Castro
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Margarita Menéndez
- Instituto de Química-Física “Blas Cabrera” (IQF), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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10
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Buijs NP, Vlaming HC, Kotsogianni I, Arts M, Willemse J, Duan Y, Alexander FM, Cochrane SA, Schneider T, Martin NI. A classic antibiotic reimagined: Rationally designed bacitracin variants exhibit potent activity against vancomycin-resistant pathogens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315310121. [PMID: 38990944 PMCID: PMC11260088 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315310121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacitracin is a macrocyclic peptide antibiotic that is widely used as a topical treatment for infections caused by gram-positive bacteria. Mechanistically, bacitracin targets bacteria by specifically binding to the phospholipid undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (C55PP), which plays a key role in the bacterial lipid II cycle. Recent crystallographic studies have shown that when bound to C55PP, bacitracin adopts a highly ordered amphipathic conformation. In doing so, all hydrophobic side chains align on one face of the bacitracin-C55PP complex, presumably interacting with the bacterial cell membrane. These insights led us to undertake structure-activity investigations into the individual contribution of the nonpolar amino acids found in bacitracin. To achieve this we designed, synthesized, and evaluated a series of bacitracin analogues, a number of which were found to exhibit significantly enhanced antibacterial activity against clinically relevant, drug-resistant pathogens. As for the natural product, these next-generation bacitracins were found to form stable complexes with C55PP. The structure-activity insights thus obtained serve to inform the design of C55PP-targeting antibiotics, a key and underexploited antibacterial strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ned P. Buijs
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Halana C. Vlaming
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Ioli Kotsogianni
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Melina Arts
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn53115, Germany
| | - Joost Willemse
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Yunhao Duan
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Francesca M. Alexander
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University, BelfastBT9 5AG, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen A. Cochrane
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University, BelfastBT9 5AG, United Kingdom
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn53115, Germany
| | - Nathaniel I. Martin
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden2333 BE, The Netherlands
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11
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Jekhmane S, Derks MGN, Maity S, Slingerland CJ, Tehrani KHME, Medeiros-Silva J, Charitou V, Ammerlaan D, Fetz C, Consoli NA, Cochrane RVK, Matheson EJ, van der Weijde M, Elenbaas BOW, Lavore F, Cox R, Lorent JH, Baldus M, Künzler M, Lelli M, Cochrane SA, Martin NI, Roos WH, Breukink E, Weingarth M. Host defence peptide plectasin targets bacterial cell wall precursor lipid II by a calcium-sensitive supramolecular mechanism. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1778-1791. [PMID: 38783023 PMCID: PMC11222147 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01696-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a leading cause of mortality, calling for the development of new antibiotics. The fungal antibiotic plectasin is a eukaryotic host defence peptide that blocks bacterial cell wall synthesis. Here, using a combination of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, atomic force microscopy and activity assays, we show that plectasin uses a calcium-sensitive supramolecular killing mechanism. Efficient and selective binding of the target lipid II, a cell wall precursor with an irreplaceable pyrophosphate, is achieved by the oligomerization of plectasin into dense supra-structures that only form on bacterial membranes that comprise lipid II. Oligomerization and target binding of plectasin are interdependent and are enhanced by the coordination of calcium ions to plectasin's prominent anionic patch, causing allosteric changes that markedly improve the activity of the antibiotic. Structural knowledge of how host defence peptides impair cell wall synthesis will likely enable the development of superior drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shehrazade Jekhmane
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maik G N Derks
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sourav Maity
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis J Slingerland
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kamaleddin H M E Tehrani
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - João Medeiros-Silva
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vicky Charitou
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Danique Ammerlaan
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Céline Fetz
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Naomi A Consoli
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) and Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Risonanze Magnetiche MetalloProteine (CIRMMP), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Rachel V K Cochrane
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Eilidh J Matheson
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Mick van der Weijde
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Barend O W Elenbaas
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Francesca Lavore
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud Cox
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joseph H Lorent
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marc Baldus
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Markus Künzler
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Moreno Lelli
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) and Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Risonanze Magnetiche MetalloProteine (CIRMMP), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Stephen A Cochrane
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Nathaniel I Martin
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter H Roos
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eefjan Breukink
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Markus Weingarth
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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12
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Freeman CD, Hansen T, Urbauer R, Wilkinson BJ, Singh VK, Hines KM. Defective pgsA contributes to increased membrane fluidity and cell wall thickening in Staphylococcus aureus with high-level daptomycin resistance. mSphere 2024; 9:e0011524. [PMID: 38752757 PMCID: PMC11332330 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00115-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Daptomycin is a membrane-targeting last-resort antimicrobial therapeutic for the treatment of infections caused by methicillin- and/or vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In the rare event of failed daptomycin therapy, the source of resistance is often attributable to mutations directly within the membrane phospholipid biosynthetic pathway of S. aureus or in the regulatory systems that control cell envelope response and membrane homeostasis. Here we describe the structural changes to the cell envelope in a daptomycin-resistant isolate of S. aureus strain N315 that has acquired mutations in the genes most commonly reported associated with daptomycin resistance: mprF, yycG, and pgsA. In addition to the decreased phosphatidylglycerol (PG) levels that are the hallmark of daptomycin resistance, the mutant with high-level daptomycin resistance had increased branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) in its membrane lipids, increased membrane fluidity, and increased cell wall thickness. However, the successful utilization of isotope-labeled straight-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in lipid synthesis suggested that the aberrant BCFA:SCFA ratio arose from upstream alteration in fatty acid synthesis rather than a structural preference in PgsA. Transcriptomics studies revealed that expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase (pdhB) was suppressed in the daptomycin-resistant isolate, which is known to increase BCFA levels. While complementation with an additional copy of pdhB had no effect, complementation of the pgsA mutation resulted in increased PG formation, reduction in cell wall thickness, restoration of normal BCFA levels, and increased daptomycin susceptibility. Collectively, these results demonstrate that pgsA contributes to daptomycin resistance through its influence on membrane fluidity and cell wall thickness, in addition to phosphatidylglycerol levels. IMPORTANCE The cationic lipopeptide antimicrobial daptomycin has become an essential tool for combating infections with Staphylococcus aureus that display reduced susceptibility to β-lactams or vancomycin. Since daptomycin's activity is based on interaction with the negatively charged membrane of S. aureus, routes to daptomycin-resistance occur through mutations in the lipid biosynthetic pathway surrounding phosphatidylglycerols and the regulatory systems that control cell envelope homeostasis. Therefore, there are many avenues to achieve daptomycin resistance and several different, and sometimes contradictory, phenotypes of daptomycin-resistant S. aureus, including both increased and decreased cell wall thickness and membrane fluidity. This study is significant because it demonstrates the unexpected influence of a lipid biosynthesis gene, pgsA, on membrane fluidity and cell wall thickness in S. aureus with high-level daptomycin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tayte Hansen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville, Missouri, USA
| | - Ramona Urbauer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Brian J. Wilkinson
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Vineet K. Singh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville, Missouri, USA
| | - Kelly M. Hines
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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13
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Barbuti MD, Lambert E, Myrbråten IS, Ducret A, Stamsås GA, Wilhelm L, Liu X, Salehian Z, Veening JW, Straume D, Grangeasse C, Perez C, Kjos M. The function of CozE proteins is linked to lipoteichoic acid biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus. mBio 2024; 15:e0115724. [PMID: 38757970 PMCID: PMC11237490 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01157-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Coordinated membrane and cell wall synthesis is vital for maintaining cell integrity and facilitating cell division in bacteria. However, the molecular mechanisms that underpin such coordination are poorly understood. Here we uncover the pivotal roles of the staphylococcal proteins CozEa and CozEb, members of a conserved family of membrane proteins previously implicated in bacterial cell division, in the biosynthesis of lipoteichoic acids (LTA) and maintenance of membrane homeostasis in Staphylococcus aureus. We establish that there is a synthetic lethal relationship between CozE and UgtP, the enzyme synthesizing the LTA glycolipid anchor Glc2DAG. By contrast, in cells lacking LtaA, the flippase of Glc2DAG, the essentiality of CozE proteins was alleviated, suggesting that the function of CozE proteins is linked to the synthesis and flipping of the glycolipid anchor. CozE proteins were indeed found to modulate the flipping activity of LtaA in vitro. Furthermore, CozEb was shown to control LTA polymer length and stability. Together, these findings establish CozE proteins as novel players in membrane homeostasis and LTA biosynthesis in S. aureus.IMPORTANCELipoteichoic acids are major constituents of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. These anionic polymers are important virulence factors and modulators of antibiotic susceptibility in the important pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. They are also critical for maintaining cell integrity and facilitating proper cell division. In this work, we discover that a family of membrane proteins named CozE is involved in the biosynthesis of lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) in S. aureus. CozE proteins have previously been shown to affect bacterial cell division, but we here show that these proteins affect LTA length and stability, as well as the flipping of glycolipids between membrane leaflets. This new mechanism of LTA control may thus have implications for the virulence and antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Disen Barbuti
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | | | - Ine Storaker Myrbråten
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Adrien Ducret
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, CNRS UM 5086, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Gro Anita Stamsås
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Linus Wilhelm
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, CNRS UM 5086, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Xue Liu
- Department of Pathogen, Biology, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Zhian Salehian
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Jan-Willem Veening
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Straume
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Christophe Grangeasse
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, CNRS UM 5086, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Camilo Perez
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Morten Kjos
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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14
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Marinho Righetto G, Alves Santos-Filho N, Oliveira Catarin Nunes L, André C, Souza JM, Andricopulo AD, Martins Bispo PJ, Cilli EM, Camargo ILBDC. Optimizing Bothropstoxin-I-Derived Peptides: Exploring the Antibacterial Potential of p-BthW. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:23662-23674. [PMID: 38854567 PMCID: PMC11154919 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are an emerging class of antibiotics that present a series of advantageous characteristics such as wide structural variety, broad spectrum of activity, and low propensity to select for resistance. They are found in all classes of life as defense molecules. A group of peptides derived from the protein Bothropstoxin-I has been previously studied as an alternative treatment against multi-drug-resistant bacteria. The peptide p-BthTX-I (sequence: KKYRYHLKPFCKK) and its homodimer, linked by disulfide oxidation through the residues of Cys11 and the serum degradation product [sequence: (KKYRYHLKPFC)2], were evaluated and showed similar antimicrobial activity. In this study, we synthesized an analogue of p-BthTX-I that uses the strategy of Fmoc-Lys(Fmoc)-OH in the C-terminal region for dimerization and tryptophan for all aromatic amino acids to provide better membrane interactions. This analogue, named p-BthW, displayed potent antibacterial activity at lower concentrations and maintained the same hemolytic levels as the original molecule. Our assessment revealed that p-BthW has a quick in vitro bactericidal action and prolonged post-antibiotic effect, comparable to the action of polymyxin B. The mode of action of p-BthW seems to rely not only on membrane depolarization but also on necrosis-like effects, especially in Gram-negative bacteria. Overall, the remarkable results regarding the propensity to develop resistance reaffirmed the great potential of the developed molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Marinho Righetto
- Laboratory
of Molecular Epidemiology and Microbiology, Department of Physics
and Interdisciplinary Science, University
of Sao Paulo, 13563-120 São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Norival Alves Santos-Filho
- Department
of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, São Paulo State University, 14800-060 Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Letícia Oliveira Catarin Nunes
- Department
of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, São Paulo State University, 14800-060 Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Camille André
- Infectious
Disease Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye
and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Julia Medeiros Souza
- Laboratory
of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry, Department of Physics and
Interdisciplinary Science, University of
Sao Paulo, 13563-120 São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Adriano Defini Andricopulo
- Laboratory
of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry, Department of Physics and
Interdisciplinary Science, University of
Sao Paulo, 13563-120 São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Paulo José Martins Bispo
- Infectious
Disease Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye
and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Eduardo Maffud Cilli
- Department
of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, São Paulo State University, 14800-060 Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Ilana Lopes Baratella da Cunha Camargo
- Laboratory
of Molecular Epidemiology and Microbiology, Department of Physics
and Interdisciplinary Science, University
of Sao Paulo, 13563-120 São Carlos, Brazil
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15
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Sidarta M, Lorente Martín AI, Monsalve A, Marinho Righetto G, Schäfer AB, Wenzel M. Lipid phase separation impairs membrane thickness sensing by the Bacillus subtilis sensor kinase DesK. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0392523. [PMID: 38717171 PMCID: PMC11237406 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03925-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Membrane fluidity and thickness have emerged as crucial factors for the activity of and resistance to several antimicrobials. However, the lack of tools to study membrane fluidity and, in particular, thickness in living bacteria limits our understanding of this interplay. The Bacillus subtilis histidine kinase/phosphatase DesK is a molecular sensor that directly detects membrane thickness. It controls activity of DesR, which regulates expression of the lipid desaturase Des, known for its role in cold adaptation and daptomycin susceptibility. We hypothesized that this property could be exploited to develop biosensors and reporters for antibiotic-induced changes in membrane fluidity and thickness. To test this, we designed three assays based on the des system: activation of the Pdes promoter as reporter for membrane thickening, localization of DesK-GFP(green-fluorescent protein) as proxy for rigidified membrane domains, and antibiotic sensitivity of des, desK, and desR deletion mutants as readout for the importance of membrane rigidification/thickening under the tested condition. While we could not confirm the suitability of the des system as reporter for antibiotic-induced changes in membrane thickness, we did observe that des expression is only activated by mild temperature shocks, likely due to partitioning of the sensor DesK into fluid membrane domains upon phase separation, precluding effective thickness sensing under harsh cold shock and antibiotic stress conditions. Similarly, we did not observe any sensitivity of the deletion mutants to either temperature or antibiotic stress, raising the question to what extent the des system contributes to fluidity adaptation under these conditions. IMPORTANCE The B. subtilis des system is a prime model for direct molecular membrane thickness sensor and, as such, has been well studied in vitro. Our study shows that our understanding of its function in vivo and its importance under temperature and antibiotic stress is still very limited. Specifically, our results suggest that (i) the des system senses very subtle membrane fluidity changes that escape detection by established fluidity reporters like laurdan; (ii) membrane thickness sensing by DesK is impaired by phase separation due to partitioning of the protein into the fluid phase; and (iii) fluidity adaptations by Des are too subtle to elicit growth defects under rigidifying conditions, raising the question of how much the des system contributes to adaptation of overall membrane fluidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margareth Sidarta
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ana I. Lorente Martín
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anuntxi Monsalve
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gabriela Marinho Righetto
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
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16
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Morris SM, Wiens L, Rose O, Fritz G, Rogers T, Gebhard S. Regulatory interactions between daptomycin- and bacitracin-responsive pathways coordinate the cell envelope antibiotic resistance response of Enterococcus faecalis. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:1148-1163. [PMID: 38646792 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Enterococcal infections frequently show high levels of antibiotic resistance, including to cell envelope-acting antibiotics like daptomycin (DAP). While we have a good understanding of the resistance mechanisms, less is known about the control of such resistance genes in enterococci. Previous work unveiled a bacitracin resistance network, comprised of the sensory ABC transporter SapAB, the two-component system (TCS) SapRS and the resistance ABC transporter RapAB. Interestingly, components of this system have recently been implicated in DAP resistance, a role usually regulated by the TCS LiaFSR. To better understand the regulation of DAP resistance and how this relates to mutations observed in DAP-resistant clinical isolates of enterococci, we here explored the interplay between these two regulatory pathways. Our results show that SapR regulates an additional resistance operon, dltXABCD, a known DAP resistance determinant, and show that LiaFSR regulates the expression of sapRS. This regulatory structure places SapRS-target genes under dual control, where expression is directly controlled by SapRS, which itself is up-regulated through LiaFSR. The network structure described here shows how Enterococcus faecalis coordinates its response to cell envelope attack and can explain why clinical DAP resistance often emerges via mutations in regulatory components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sali M Morris
- Life Sciences Department, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Laura Wiens
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Olivia Rose
- Life Sciences Department, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Georg Fritz
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Tim Rogers
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Susanne Gebhard
- Life Sciences Department, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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17
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Koshak AE, Elfaky MA, Albadawi DAI, Abdallah HM, Mohamed GA, Ibrahim SRM, Alzain AA, Khafagy ES, Elsayed EM, Hegazy WAH. Piceatannol: a renaissance in antibacterial innovation unveiling synergistic potency and virulence disruption against serious pathogens. Int Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s10123-024-00532-8. [PMID: 38767683 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-024-00532-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
In the relentless battle against multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria, piceatannol emerges as a beacon of hope, showcasing unparalleled antibacterial efficacy and a unique ability to disrupt virulence factors. Our study illuminates the multifaceted prowess of piceatannol against prominent pathogens-Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Notably, piceatannol demonstrated a remarkable ability to inhibit biofilm formation, reduce bacterial mobility, and diminish extracellular enzyme synthesis.Mechanistic insights into piceatannol's activity unraveled its impact on membrane potential, proton motive force, and ATP production. Furthermore, our study delved into piceatannol's anti-quorum sensing (QS) activity, showcasing its potential to downregulate QS-encoding genes and affirming its affinity to critical QS receptors through molecular docking. Crucially, piceatannol exhibited a low propensity for resistance development, positioning it as a promising candidate for combating antibiotic-resistant strains. Its mild effect on red blood cells (RBCs) suggests safety even at higher concentrations, reinforcing its potential translational value. In an in vivo setting, piceatannol demonstrated protective capabilities, significantly reducing pathogenesis in mice infected with P. aeruginosa and P. mirabilis. This comprehensive analysis positions piceatannol as a renaissance in antibacterial innovation, offering a versatile and effective strategy to confront the evolving challenges posed by resilient Gram-negative pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulrahman E Koshak
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud A Elfaky
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dina A I Albadawi
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hossam M Abdallah
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Gamal A Mohamed
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabrin R M Ibrahim
- Department of Chemistry, Batterjee Medical College, Preparatory Year Program, Jeddah, 21442, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt
| | - Abdulrahim A Alzain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Wad Madani, 21111, Sudan
| | - El-Sayed Khafagy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt
| | - Eslam M Elsayed
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, 35043, Germany
- Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, 35043, Germany
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Wael A H Hegazy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
- Pharmacy Program, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oman College of Health Sciences, Muscat, 113, Oman
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18
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Wang C, Ji Y, Huo X, Li X, Lu W, Zhang Z, Dong W, Wang X, Chen H, Tan C. Discovery of Salifungin as a Repurposed Antibiotic against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus with Limited Resistance Development. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:1576-1589. [PMID: 38581387 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Exploring novel antimicrobial drugs and strategies has become essential to the fight MRSA-associated infections. Herein, we found that membrane-disrupted repurposed antibiotic salifungin had excellent bactericidal activity against MRSA, with limited development of drug resistance. Furthermore, adding salifungin effectively decreased the minimum inhibitory concentrations of clinical antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus. Evaluations of the mechanism demonstrated that salifungin disrupted the level of H+ and K+ ions using hydrophilic and lipophilic groups to interact with bacterial membranes, causing the disruption of bacterial proton motive force followed by impacting on bacterial the function of the respiratory chain and adenosine 5'-triphosphate, thereby inhibiting phosphatidic acid biosynthesis. Moreover, salifungin also significantly inhibited the formation of bacterial biofilms and eliminated established bacterial biofilms by interfering with bacterial membrane potential and inhibiting biofilm-associated gene expression, which was even better than clinical antibiotics. Finally, salifungin exhibited efficacy comparable to or even better than that of vancomycin in the MRSA-infected animal models. In conclusion, these results indicate that salifungin can be a potential drug for treating MRSA-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Yueyue Ji
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Xingyu Huo
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaodan Li
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Wenjia Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Zhaoran Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Wenqi Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Xiangru Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Huanchun Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
| | - Chen Tan
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430000, Hubei, China
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19
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Nair ZJ, Gao IH, Firras A, Chong KKL, Hill ED, Choo PY, Colomer-Winter C, Chen Q, Manzano C, Pethe K, Kline KA. An essential protease, FtsH, influences daptomycin resistance acquisition in Enterococcus faecalis. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:1021-1038. [PMID: 38527904 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Daptomycin is a last-line antibiotic commonly used to treat vancomycin-resistant Enterococci, but resistance evolves rapidly and further restricts already limited treatment options. While genetic determinants associated with clinical daptomycin resistance (DAPR) have been described, information on factors affecting the speed of DAPR acquisition is limited. The multiple peptide resistance factor (MprF), a phosphatidylglycerol-modifying enzyme involved in cationic antimicrobial resistance, is linked to DAPR in pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Since Enterococcus faecalis encodes two paralogs of mprF and clinical DAPR mutations do not map to mprF, we hypothesized that functional redundancy between the paralogs prevents mprF-mediated resistance and masks other evolutionary pathways to DAPR. Here, we performed in vitro evolution to DAPR in mprF mutant background. We discovered that the absence of mprF results in slowed DAPR evolution and is associated with inactivating mutations in ftsH, resulting in the depletion of the chaperone repressor HrcA. We also report that ftsH is essential in the parental, but not in the ΔmprF, strain where FtsH depletion results in growth impairment in the parental strain, a phenotype associated with reduced extracellular acidification and reduced ability for metabolic reduction. This presents FtsH and HrcA as enticing targets for developing anti-resistance strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeus Jaren Nair
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Antimicrobial Drug Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme, Graduate College, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Iris Hanxing Gao
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Aslam Firras
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kelvin Kian Long Chong
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme, Graduate College, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eric D Hill
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pei Yi Choo
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cristina Colomer-Winter
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Qingyan Chen
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Caroline Manzano
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kevin Pethe
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Antimicrobial Drug Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kimberly A Kline
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Antimicrobial Drug Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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20
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Srivastava D, Patra N. Elucidating Daptomycin's Antibacterial Efficacy: Insights into the Tripartite Complex with Lipid II and Phospholipids in Bacterial Septum Membrane. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38690887 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
This study elucidated the mechanism of formation of a tripartite complex containing daptomycin (Dap), lipid II, and phospholipid phosphatidylglycerol in the bacterial septum membrane, which was previously reported as the cause of the antibacterial action of Dap against gram-positive bacteria via molecular dynamics and enhanced sampling methods. Others have suggested that this transient complex ushers in the inhibition of cell wall synthesis by obstructing the downstream polymerization and cross-linking processes involving lipid II, which is absent in the presence of cardiolipin lipid in the membrane. In this work, we observed that the complex was stabilized by Ca2+-mediated electrostatic interactions between Dap and lipid head groups, hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonds, and salt bridges between the lipopeptide and lipids and was associated with Dap concentration-dependent membrane depolarization, thinning of the bilayer, and increased lipid tail disorder. Residues Orn6 and Kyn13, along with the DXDG motif, made simultaneous contact with constituent lipids, hence playing a crucial role in the formation of the complex. Incorporating cardiolipin into the membrane model led to its competitively displacing lipid II away from the Dap, reducing the lifetime of the complex and the nonexistence of lipid tail disorder and membrane depolarization. No evidence of water permeation inside the membrane hydrophobic interior was noted in all of the systems studied. Additionally, it was shown that using hydrophobic contacts between Dap and lipids as collective variables for enhanced sampling gave rise to a free energy barrier for the translocation of the lipopeptide. A better understanding of Dap's antibacterial mechanism, as studied through this work, will help develop lipopeptide-based antibiotics for rising Dap-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diship Srivastava
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad, Dhanbad 826004, India
| | - Niladri Patra
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad, Dhanbad 826004, India
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21
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Janzing NBM, Senges CHR, Dietze P, Haltli B, Marchbank DH, Kerr RG, Bandow JE. Mechanism of action of pseudopteroxazole and pseudopterosin G: Diterpenes from marine origin. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300390. [PMID: 38158717 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Pseudopteroxazole (Ptx) and the pseudopterosins are marine natural products with promising antibacterial potential. While Ptx has attracted interest for its antimycobacterial activity, pseudopterosins are active against several clinically relevant pathogens. Both compound classes exhibit low cytotoxicity and accessibility to targeted synthesis, yet their antibacterial mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the modes of action of Ptx and pseudopterosin G (PsG) in Bacillus subtilis employing an unbiased approach that combines gel-based proteomics with a mathematical similarity analysis of response profiles. Proteomic responses to sublethal concentrations of Ptx and PsG were compared to a library of antibiotic stress response profiles revealing that both induce a stress response characteristic for agents targeting the bacterial cell envelope by interfering with membrane-bound steps of cell wall biosynthesis. Microscopy-based assays confirmed that both compounds compromise the integrity of the bacterial cell wall without disrupting the membrane potential. Furthermore, LC-MSE analysis showed that the greater potency of PsG against B. subtilis, reflected in a lower MIC and a more pronounced proteomic response, may be rooted in a more effective association with and penetration of B. subtilis cells. We conclude that Ptx and PsG target the integrity of the gram-positive cell wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas B M Janzing
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christoph H R Senges
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Pascal Dietze
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Bradley Haltli
- University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
- Nautilus Biosciences Croda, Charlottetown, Canada
| | - Douglas H Marchbank
- University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
- Nautilus Biosciences Croda, Charlottetown, Canada
| | - Russell G Kerr
- University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
| | - Julia E Bandow
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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22
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Zheng EJ, Valeri JA, Andrews IW, Krishnan A, Bandyopadhyay P, Anahtar MN, Herneisen A, Schulte F, Linnehan B, Wong F, Stokes JM, Renner LD, Lourido S, Collins JJ. Discovery of antibiotics that selectively kill metabolically dormant bacteria. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:712-728.e9. [PMID: 38029756 PMCID: PMC11031330 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
There is a need to discover and develop non-toxic antibiotics that are effective against metabolically dormant bacteria, which underlie chronic infections and promote antibiotic resistance. Traditional antibiotic discovery has historically favored compounds effective against actively metabolizing cells, a property that is not predictive of efficacy in metabolically inactive contexts. Here, we combine a stationary-phase screening method with deep learning-powered virtual screens and toxicity filtering to discover compounds with lethality against metabolically dormant bacteria and favorable toxicity profiles. The most potent and structurally distinct compound without any obvious mechanistic liability was semapimod, an anti-inflammatory drug effective against stationary-phase E. coli and A. baumannii. Integrating microbiological assays, biochemical measurements, and single-cell microscopy, we show that semapimod selectively disrupts and permeabilizes the bacterial outer membrane by binding lipopolysaccharide. This work illustrates the value of harnessing non-traditional screening methods and deep learning models to identify non-toxic antibacterial compounds that are effective in infection-relevant contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica J Zheng
- Program in Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jacqueline A Valeri
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ian W Andrews
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Aarti Krishnan
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Parijat Bandyopadhyay
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Melis N Anahtar
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alice Herneisen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Fabian Schulte
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Brooke Linnehan
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Felix Wong
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jonathan M Stokes
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Lars D Renner
- Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research and the Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Department of Biological Engineering, and Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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23
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Freeman CD, Hansen T, Urbauer R, Wilkinson BJ, Singh VK, Hines KM. Defective pgsA contributes to increased membrane fluidity and cell wall thickening in S. aureus with high-level daptomycin resistance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.04.11.536441. [PMID: 37090586 PMCID: PMC10120677 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.11.536441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Daptomycin is a membrane-targeting last-resort antimicrobial therapeutic for the treatment of infections caused by methicillin- and/or vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In the rare event of failed daptomycin therapy, the source of resistance is often attributable to mutations directly within the membrane phospholipid biosynthetic pathway of S. aureus or in the regulatory systems that control cell envelope response and membrane homeostasis. Here we describe the structural changes to the cell envelope in a daptomycin-resistant isolate of S. aureus strain N315 that has acquired mutations in the genes most commonly reported associated with daptomycin-resistance: mprF, yycG, and pgsA. In addition to the decreased phosphatidylglycerol (PG) levels that are the hallmark of daptomycin-resistance, the mutant with high-level daptomycin resistance had increased branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) in its membrane lipids, increased membrane fluidity, and increased cell wall thickness. However, the successful utilization of isotope-labeled straight-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in lipid synthesis suggested that the aberrant BCFA:SCFA ratio arose from upstream alteration in fatty acid synthesis rather than a structural preference in PgsA. RT-qPCR studies revealed that expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase (pdhB) was suppressed in the daptomycin-resistant isolate, which is known to increase BCFA levels. While complementation with an additional copy of pdhB had no effect, complementation of the pgsA mutation resulted in increased PG formation, reduction in cell wall thickness, restoration of normal BCFA levels, and increased daptomycin susceptibility. Collectively, these results demonstrate that pgsA contributes to daptomycin resistance through its influence on membrane fluidity and cell wall thickness, in addition to phosphatidylglycerol levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tayte Hansen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville, MO, USA
| | - Ramona Urbauer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Brian J. Wilkinson
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | - Vineet K. Singh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville, MO, USA
| | - Kelly M. Hines
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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24
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Ghosh S, Sen S, Jash M, Ghosh S, Jana A, Roy R, Mukherjee N, Mukherjee D, Sarkar J, Ghosh S. Synergistic Augmentation of Beta-Lactams: Exploring Quinoline-Derived Amphipathic Small Molecules as Antimicrobial Potentiators against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:1267-1285. [PMID: 38442370 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The escalation of bacterial resistance against existing therapeutic antimicrobials has reached a critical peak, leading to the rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Stringent pathways in novel drug discovery hinder our progress in this survival race. A promising approach to combat emerging antibiotic resistance involves enhancing conventional ineffective antimicrobials using low-toxicity small molecule adjuvants. Recent research interest lies in weak membrane-perturbing agents with unique cyclic hydrophobic components, addressing a significant gap in antimicrobial drug exploration. Our study demonstrates that quinoline-based amphipathic small molecules, SG-B-52 and SG-B-22, significantly reduce MICs of selected beta-lactam antibiotics (ampicillin and amoxicillin) against lethal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Mechanistically, membrane perturbation, depolarization, and ROS generation drive cellular lysis and death. These molecules display minimal in vitro and in vivo toxicity, showcased through hemolysis assays, cell cytotoxicity analysis, and studies on albino Wistar rats. SG-B-52 exhibits impressive biofilm-clearing abilities against MRSA biofilms, proposing a strategy to enhance beta-lactam antibiosis and encouraging the development of potent antimicrobial potentiators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surojit Ghosh
- Smart Healthcare Department, Interdisciplinary Research Platform, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Samya Sen
- iHUB Drishti Foundation, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Moumita Jash
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Satyajit Ghosh
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Aniket Jana
- Smart Healthcare Department, Interdisciplinary Research Platform, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Rajsekhar Roy
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Nabanita Mukherjee
- Smart Healthcare Department, Interdisciplinary Research Platform, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Dipro Mukherjee
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Jayita Sarkar
- Centre for Research and Development of Scientific Instruments (CRDSI), Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 342030, India
| | - Surajit Ghosh
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
- Smart Healthcare Department, Interdisciplinary Research Platform, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
- iHUB Drishti Foundation, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
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25
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Nakahara H, Hiranita T, Shibata O. A Sigma 1 Receptor Agonist Alters Fluidity and Stability of Lipid Monolayers. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:6484-6492. [PMID: 38470245 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Interactions between the sigma1 receptor agonist PRE-084 and various lipid monolayers, including dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), DPP-ethanolamine (DPPE), DPP-glycerol (DPPG), DPP-serine (DPPS), palmitoylsphingomyelin (PSM), and cholesterol (Ch), were investigated to elucidate the effects of PRE-084 on membrane fluidity and stability. Their interactions with sigma1 receptor agonists have potential implications for neuroprotection, antidepressant, analgesic, and cognitive enhancement effects. In this study, we observed that the presence of PRE-084 in the subphase led to increased fluidity in DPPC and DPPE monolayers, whereas decreasing fluidity was observed in DPPG, DPPS, and PSM monolayers. The interaction of PRE-084 with Ch monolayers was found to be distinct from its interaction with other lipids. Fluorescence microscopy images revealed changes in the size and shape of liquid-condensed domains in the presence of PRE-084, supporting the notion of altered membrane fluidity. Our findings provide new insights into the interaction of PRE-084 with lipid monolayers and its potential implications for biological and membrane science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromichi Nakahara
- Department of Industrial Pharmacy, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, 22-1 Tamagawa-cho, Minami-ku, Fukuoka 815-8511, Japan
| | - Takato Hiranita
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA
- Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA
| | - Osamu Shibata
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, Sasebo, Nagasaki 859-3298, Japan
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26
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Dombach JL, Christensen GL, Allgood SC, Quintana JLJ, Detweiler CS. Inhibition of multiple staphylococcal growth states by a small molecule that disrupts membrane fluidity and voltage. mSphere 2024; 9:e0077223. [PMID: 38445864 PMCID: PMC10964410 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00772-23] [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: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
New molecular approaches to disrupting bacterial infections are needed. The bacterial cell membrane is an essential structure with diverse potential lipid and protein targets for antimicrobials. While rapid lysis of the bacterial cell membrane kills bacteria, lytic compounds are generally toxic to whole animals. In contrast, compounds that subtly damage the bacterial cell membrane could disable a microbe, facilitating pathogen clearance by the immune system with limited compound toxicity. A previously described small molecule, D66, terminates Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infection of macrophages and reduces tissue colonization in mice. The compound dissipates bacterial inner membrane voltage without rapid cell lysis under broth conditions that permeabilize the outer membrane or disable efflux pumps. In standard media, the cell envelope protects Gram-negative bacteria from D66. We evaluated the activity of D66 in Gram-positive bacteria because their distinct envelope structure, specifically the absence of an outer membrane, could facilitate mechanism of action studies. We observed that D66 inhibited Gram-positive bacterial cell growth, rapidly increased Staphylococcus aureus membrane fluidity, and disrupted membrane voltage while barrier function remained intact. The compound also prevented planktonic staphylococcus from forming biofilms and a disturbed three-dimensional structure in 1-day-old biofilms. D66 furthermore reduced the survival of staphylococcal persister cells and of intracellular S. aureus. These data indicate that staphylococcal cells in multiple growth states germane to infection are susceptible to changes in lipid packing and membrane conductivity. Thus, agents that subtly damage bacterial cell membranes could have utility in preventing or treating disease.IMPORTANCEAn underutilized potential antibacterial target is the cell membrane, which supports or associates with approximately half of bacterial proteins and has a phospholipid makeup distinct from mammalian cell membranes. Previously, an experimental small molecule, D66, was shown to subtly damage Gram-negative bacterial cell membranes and to disrupt infection of mammalian cells. Here, we show that D66 increases the fluidity of Gram-positive bacterial cell membranes, dissipates membrane voltage, and inhibits the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus in several infection-relevant growth states. Thus, compounds that cause membrane damage without lysing cells could be useful for mitigating infections caused by S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Dombach
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Grace L. Christensen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Samual C. Allgood
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Joaquin L. J. Quintana
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Corrella S. Detweiler
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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27
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Zbylicki BR, Murphy CE, Petsche JA, Müh U, Dobrila HA, Ho TD, Daum MN, Pannullo AG, Weiss DS, Ellermeier CD. Identification of Clostridioides difficile mutants with increased daptomycin resistance. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0036823. [PMID: 38376203 PMCID: PMC10955854 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00368-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Daptomycin is a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic used to treat infections caused by some Gram-positive bacteria. Daptomycin disrupts synthesis of the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall by inserting into the cytoplasmic membrane and binding multiple forms of the undecaprenyl carrier lipid required for PG synthesis. Membrane insertion requires phosphatidylglycerol, so studies of daptomycin can provide insight into assembly and maintenance of the cytoplasmic membrane. Here, we studied the effects of daptomycin on Clostridioides difficile, the leading cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea. We observed that growth of C. difficile strain R20291 in the presence of sub-MIC levels of daptomycin resulted in a chaining phenotype, minicell formation, and lysis-phenotypes broadly consistent with perturbation of membranes and PG synthesis. We also selected for and characterized eight mutants with elevated daptomycin resistance. The mutations in these mutants were mapped to four genes: cdsA (cdr20291_2041), ftsH2 (cdr20291_3396), esrR (cdr20291_1187), and draS (cdr20291_2456). Of these four genes, only draS has been characterized previously. Follow-up studies indicate these mutations confer daptomycin resistance by two general mechanisms: reducing the amount of phosphatidylglycerol in the cytoplasmic membrane (cdsA) or altering the regulation of membrane processes (ftsH2, esrR, and draS). Thus, the mutants described here provide insights into phospholipid synthesis and identify signal transduction systems involved in cell envelope biogenesis and stress response in C. difficile. IMPORTANCE C. difficile is the leading cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea and is a threat to public health due to the risk of recurrent infections. Understanding biosynthesis of the atypical cell envelope of C. difficile may provide insight into novel drug targets to selectively inhibit C. difficile. Here, we identified mutations that increased daptomycin resistance and allowed us to better understand phospholipid synthesis, cell envelope biogenesis, and stress response in C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianne R. Zbylicki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Claire E. Murphy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Jennifer A. Petsche
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Ute Müh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Horia A. Dobrila
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Theresa D. Ho
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Mikaela N. Daum
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Anthony G. Pannullo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - David S. Weiss
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Craig D. Ellermeier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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28
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Kadaikunnan S, Vijayaragavan P, Rathi MA, Balamuralikrishnan B, Alharbi NS, Gopalakrishnan VK, Purushothaman S, Sivanesan R. Antibacterial and biofilm disruptive nonribosomal lipopeptides from Streptomyces parvulus against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17:450-456. [PMID: 38262082 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, new drugs for the treatment of various diseases, thereby the emergence of antimicrobial resistance tremendously increased because of the increased consumption rate of various drugs. However, the irrational use of antibiotics increases the microbial resistance along with that the frequency of mortality associated with infections is higher. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were effectively against various bacteria and the unrestricted application of antibiotics lead to the emergence of drug resistance. The present study was aimed to detect the antibacterial properties of lipopeptide novel drug producing Streptomyces parvulus. METHODS A lipopeptide-producing S. parvulus was isolated from the soil sample. The inhibitory effect of lipopeptide was detected against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Bactericidal activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were assayed. The IC50 value was analysed against ovarian and human melanoma cell lines. The experimental mouse model was infected withKlebsiella pneumoniae and treated with lipopeptide and bactericidal activity was determined. RESULTS The results indicated that the antibacterial activity of lipopeptide ranges from 13 ± 1 mm to 32 ± 2 mm against Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. The lowest MIC value was noted as 1.5 ± 0.1 µg/mL against K. pneumoniae and the highest against E. aerogenes (7.5 ± 0.2 µg/mL). The IC50 value was considerably high for the ovarian cell lines and human melanoma cell lines (426 µg/mL and 503 µg/mL). At 25 µg/mL concentration of lipopeptide, only 16.4% inhibition was observed in the ovarian cell line whereas 20.2% inhibition was achieved at this concentration in the human melanoma cell line. Lipopeptide inhibited bacterial growth and was completely inhibited at a concentration of 20 µg/mL. Lipopeptide reduced bacterial load in experimental mice compared to control (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Lipopeptide activity and its non-toxic nature reveal that it may serve as a lead molecule in the development of a novel drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shine Kadaikunnan
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - P Vijayaragavan
- Bioprocess Engineering Division, Smykon Biotech Pvt Ltd, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu 629201, India
| | - M A Rathi
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Research Centre, FASCM, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore 641 021, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Naiyf S Alharbi
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - V K Gopalakrishnan
- School of Medicine, Bule Hora University Institute of Health, Bule Hora University, Bule Hora, Ethiopia.
| | - Sumitha Purushothaman
- Bioprocess Engineering Division, Smykon Biotech Pvt Ltd, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu 629201, India
| | - Ravikumar Sivanesan
- Department of Zoology Rajah Serfoji Govt. College (Autonomous), Tamil Nadu 613005, India
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29
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Schäfer AB, Sidarta M, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Marinho Righetto G, Arshad A, Wenzel M. Dissecting antibiotic effects on the cell envelope using bacterial cytological profiling: a phenotypic analysis starter kit. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0327523. [PMID: 38289933 PMCID: PMC10913488 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03275-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic analysis assays such as bacterial cytological profiling (BCP) have become increasingly popular for antibiotic mode of action analysis. A plethora of dyes, protein fusions, and reporter strains are available and have been used for this purpose, enabling both rapid mode of action categorization and in-depth analysis of antibiotic mechanisms. However, non-expert researchers may struggle choosing suitable assays and interpreting results. This is a particular problem for antibiotics that have multiple or complex targets, such as the bacterial cell envelope. Here, we set out to curate a minimal set of accessible and affordable phenotypic assays that allow distinction between membrane and cell wall targets, can identify dual-action inhibitors, and can be implemented in most research environments. To this end, we employed BCP, membrane potential, fluidity, and cell wall synthesis assays. To assess specificity and ease of interpretation, we tested three well-characterized and commercially available reference antibiotics: the potassium ionophore valinomycin, the lipid II-binding glycopeptide vancomycin, and the dual-action lantibiotic nisin, which binds lipid II and forms a membrane pore. Based on our experiments, we suggest a minimal set of BCP, a membrane-potentiometric probe, and fluorescent protein fusions to MinD and MreB as basic assay set and recommend complementing these assays with Laurdan-based fluidity measurements and a PliaI reporter fusion, where indicated. We believe that our results can provide guidance for researchers who wish to use phenotypic analysis for mode of action studies but do not possess the specialized equipment or expert knowledge to employ the full breadth of possible techniques.IMPORTANCEPhenotypic analysis assays using specialized fluorescence fusions and dyes have become increasingly popular in antibiotic mode of action analysis. However, it can be difficult to implement these methods due to the need for specialized equipment and/or the complexity of bacterial cell biology and physiology, making the interpretation of results difficult for non-experts. This is especially problematic for compounds that have multiple or pleiotropic effects, such as inhibitors of the bacterial cell envelope. In order to make phenotypic analysis assays accessible to labs, whose primary expertise is not bacterial cell biology, or with limited equipment and resources, a set of simple and broadly accessible assays is needed that is easy to implement, execute, and interpret. Here, we have curated a set of assays and strains that does not need highly specialized equipment, can be performed in most labs, and is straightforward to interpret without knowing the intricacies of bacterial cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Margareth Sidarta
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gabriela Marinho Righetto
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Aysha Arshad
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
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30
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Ouyang X, Hoeksma J, Beenker WA, van der Beek S, den Hertog J. Harzianic acid exerts antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and targets the cell membrane. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1332774. [PMID: 38348189 PMCID: PMC10860749 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1332774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The thermophilic fungus Oidiodendron flavum is a saprobe that is commonly isolated from soil. Here, we identified a Gram-positive bacteria-selective antimicrobial secondary metabolite from this fungal species, harzianic acid (HA). Using Bacillus subtilis strain 168 combined with dynamic bacterial morphology imaging, we found that HA targeted the cell membrane. To further study the antimicrobial activity of HA, we isolated an HA-resistant strain, Bacillus subtilis strain M9015, and discovered that the mutant had more translucent colonies than the wild type strain, showed cross resistance to rifampin, and harbored five mutations in the coding region of four distinct genes. Further analysis of these genes indicated that the mutation in atpE might be responsible for the translucency of the colonies, and mutation in mdtR for resistance to both HA and rifampin. We conclude that HA is an antimicrobial agent against Gram-positive bacteria that targets the cell membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Ouyang
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Institute Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Jelmer Hoeksma
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Wouter A.G. Beenker
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Jeroen den Hertog
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Institute Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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31
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Sekar A, Gil D, Tierney P, McCanne M, Daesety V, Trendafilova D, Muratoglu OK, Oral E. Synergistic use of anti-inflammatory ketorolac and gentamicin to target staphylococcal biofilms. J Transl Med 2024; 22:102. [PMID: 38273276 PMCID: PMC10809490 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04871-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While antibiotics remain our primary tools against microbial infection, increasing antibiotic resistance (inherent and acquired) is a major detriment to their efficacy. A practical approach to maintaining or reversing the efficacy of antibiotics is the use of other commonly used therapeutics, which show synergistic antibacterial action with antibiotics. Here, we investigated the extent of antibacterial synergy between the antibiotic gentamicin and the anti-inflammatory ketorolac regarding the dynamics of biofilm growth, the rate of acquired resistance, and the possible mechanism of synergy. METHODS Control (ATCC 12600, ATCC 35984) and clinical strains (L1101, L1116) of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis with varying antibiotic susceptibility profiles were used in this study to simulate implant-material associated low-risk and high-risk biofilms in vitro. The synergistic action of gentamicin sulfate (GS) and ketorolac tromethamine (KT), against planktonic staphylococcal strains were determined using the fractional inhibitory concentration measurement assay. Nascent (6 h) and established (24 h) biofilms were grown on 316L stainless steel plates and the synergistic biofilm eradication activity was determined and characterized using adherent bacteria count, minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) measurement for GS, visualization by live/dead imaging, scanning electron microscopy, gene expression of biofilm-associated genes, and bacterial membrane fluidity assessment. RESULTS Gentamicin-ketorolac (GS-KT) combination demonstrated synergistic antibacterial action against planktonic Staphylococci. Control and clinical strains showed distinct biofilm growth dynamics and an increase in biofilm maturity was shown to confer further resistance to gentamicin for both 'low-risk' and 'high-risk' biofilms. The addition of ketorolac enhanced the antibiofilm activity of gentamicin against acquired resistance in staphylococcal biofilms. Mechanistic studies revealed that the synergistic action of gentamicin-ketorolac interferes with biofilm morphology and subverts bacterial stress response altering bacterial physiology, membrane dynamics, and biofilm properties. CONCLUSION The results of this study have a significant impact on the local administration of antibiotics and other therapeutic agents commonly used in the prevention and treatment of orthopaedic infections. Further, these results warrant the study of synergy for the concurrent or sequential administration of non-antibiotic drugs for antimicrobial effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amita Sekar
- Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
| | - Dmitry Gil
- Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
| | - Peyton Tierney
- Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Madeline McCanne
- Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Vikram Daesety
- Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | | | - Orhun K Muratoglu
- Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
| | - Ebru Oral
- Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
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32
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Kamal El-sagheir A, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Abd El-Gaber MK, Aboraia AS, Persson J, Schäfer AB, Wenzel M, Omar FA. N4-Substituted Piperazinyl Norfloxacin Derivatives with Broad-Spectrum Activity and Multiple Mechanisms on Gyrase, Topoisomerase IV, and Bacterial Cell Wall Synthesis. ACS BIO & MED CHEM AU 2023; 3:494-506. [PMID: 38144255 PMCID: PMC10739246 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.3c00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Fluoroquinolones are an important class of antibiotics with broad-spectrum antibacterial and antitubercular activity. Here, we describe the design and synthesis of a series of 38 N4-substituted piperazinyl norfloxacin derivatives. Their activity and mechanism of action were characterized using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches. Several compounds displayed interesting activities against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and few displayed antimycobacterial activity, whereby some were as potent as norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Molecular docking experiments suggested that the new derivatives inhibit both DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase IV in a similar manner as norfloxacin. Selecting the most promising candidates for experimental mode of action analysis, we confirmed DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV as targets of all tested compounds using enzymatic in vitro assays. Phenotypic analysis of both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis confirmed a typical gyrase inhibition phenotype for all of the tested compounds. Assessment of possible additional targets revealed three compounds with unique effects on the B. subtilis cell wall synthesis machinery, suggesting that they may have an additional target in this pathway. Comparison with known cell wall synthesis inhibitors showed that the new compounds elicit a distinct and, so far, unique phenotype, suggesting that they act differently from known cell wall synthesis inhibitors. Interestingly, our phenotypic analysis revealed that both norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin displayed additional cellular effects as well, which may be indicative of the so far unknown additional mechanisms of fluoroquinolones.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Ahmed S. Aboraia
- Medicinal
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Jonatan Persson
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Farghaly A. Omar
- Medicinal
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
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Pruitt EL, Zhang R, Ross DH, Ashford NK, Chen X, Alonzo F, Bush MF, Werth BJ, Xu L. Elucidating the impact of bacterial lipases, human serum albumin, and FASII inhibition on the utilization of exogenous fatty acids by Staphylococcus aureus. mSphere 2023; 8:e0036823. [PMID: 38014966 PMCID: PMC10732024 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00368-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Incorporation of host-derived exogenous fatty acids (eFAs), particularly unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), by Staphylococcus aureus could affect the bacterial membrane fluidity and susceptibility to antimicrobials. In this work, we found that glycerol ester hydrolase (Geh) is the primary lipase hydrolyzing cholesteryl esters and, to a lesser extent, triglycerides and that human serum albumin (HSA) could serve as a buffer of eFAs, where low levels of HSA facilitate the utilization of eFAs but high levels of HSA inhibit it. The fact that the type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) inhibitor, AFN-1252, leads to an increase in UFA content even in the absence of eFA suggests that membrane property modulation is part of its mechanism of action. Thus, Geh and/or the FASII system look to be promising targets to enhance S. aureus killing in a host environment by restricting eFA utilization or modulating membrane properties, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L. Pruitt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rutan Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Dylan H. Ross
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Xi Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago-Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Francis Alonzo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago-Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Matthew F. Bush
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Brian J. Werth
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Libin Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Kamal El-Sagheir AM, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Abd El-Gaber MK, Aboraia AS, Persson J, Schäfer AB, Wenzel M, Omar FA. Rational design, synthesis, molecular modeling, biological activity, and mechanism of action of polypharmacological norfloxacin hydroxamic acid derivatives. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:2593-2610. [PMID: 38099058 PMCID: PMC10718593 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00309d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluoroquinolones are broad-spectrum antibiotics that target gyrase and topoisomerase IV, involved in DNA compaction and segregation. We synthesized 28 novel norfloxacin hydroxamic acid derivatives with additional metal-chelating and hydrophobic pharmacophores, designed to enable interactions with additional drug targets. Several compounds showed equal or better activity than norfloxacin against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and mycobacteria, with MICs as low as 0.18 μM. The most interesting derivatives were selected for in silico, in vitro, and in vivo mode of action studies. Molecular docking, enzyme inhibition, and bacterial cytological profiling confirmed inhibition of gyrase and topoisomerase IV for all except two tested derivatives (10f and 11f). Further phenotypic analysis revealed polypharmacological effects on peptidoglycan synthesis for four derivatives (16a, 17a, 17b, 20b). Interestingly, compounds 17a, 17b, and 20b, showed never seen before effects on cell wall synthetic enzymes, including MreB, MurG, and PonA, suggesting a novel mechanism of action, possibly impairing the lipid II cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
| | | | - Ahmed S Aboraia
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University Assiut 71526 Egypt
| | - Jonatan Persson
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Farghaly A Omar
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University Assiut 71526 Egypt
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Cebrián R, Lucas R, Fernández-Cantos MV, Slot K, Peñalver P, Martínez-García M, Párraga-Leo A, de Paz MV, García F, Kuipers OP, Morales JC. Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of aminoalkyl resveratrol derivatives inspired by cationic peptides. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2023; 38:267-281. [PMID: 36600674 PMCID: PMC9828810 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2146685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern, far from being resolved. The need of new drugs against new targets is imminent. In this work, we present a family of aminoalkyl resveratrol derivatives with antibacterial activity inspired by the properties of cationic amphipathic antimicrobial peptides. Surprisingly, the newly designed molecules display modest activity against aerobically growing bacteria but show surprisingly good antimicrobial activity against anaerobic bacteria (Gram-negative and Gram-positive) suggesting specificity towards this bacterial group. Preliminary studies into the action mechanism suggest that activity takes place at the membrane level, while no cross-resistance with traditional antibiotics is observed. Actually, some good synergistic relations with existing antibiotics were found against Gram-negative pathogens. However, some cytotoxicity was observed, despite their low haemolytic activity. Our results show the importance of the balance between positively charged moieties and hydrophobicity to improve antimicrobial activity, setting the stage for the design of new drugs based on these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Cebrián
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs. GRANADA, University Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, Spain,CONTACT Rubén Cebrián University Hospital San Cecilio,Clinical Microbiology Department, Av. de la Innovación s/n, 18061, Granada, Spain
| | - Ricardo Lucas
- Department of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - María Victoria Fernández-Cantos
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen Slot
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Pablo Peñalver
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-García
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Párraga-Leo
- Department of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - María Violante de Paz
- Department of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Federico García
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs. GRANADA, University Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, Spain
| | - Oscar P. Kuipers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands,Oscar P. Kuipers University of Groningen, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Genetics, Nijenborgh 7, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Juan Carlos Morales
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain,Juan Carlos Morales Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Avda. del Conocimiento 17, Armilla, 18016Granada, Spain
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36
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Kamal El-sagheir A, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Abd El-Gaber MK, Aboraia AS, Persson J, Schäfer AB, Wenzel M, Omar FA. Design, Synthesis, Molecular Modeling, Biological Activity, and Mechanism of Action of Novel Amino Acid Derivatives of Norfloxacin. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:43271-43284. [PMID: 38024743 PMCID: PMC10653056 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Two series of N4-substituted piperazinyl amino acid derivatives of norfloxacin (24 new compounds) were designed and synthesized to attain structural surrogates with additional binding sites and enhanced antibacterial activity. Synthesized derivatives showed increased antibacterial and antimycobacterial activity compared to their lead structure, norfloxacin. Molecular modeling studies supported the notion that the derivatives can establish additional bonds with the target enzymes gyrase and topoisomerase IV. In vitro enzyme inhibition assays confirmed that the tested compounds were significant inhibitors of these enzymes. Inhibition of gyrase and topoisomerase IV was then confirmed in living bacterial cells using bacterial cytological profiling of both Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis, revealing a typical topoisomerase inhibition phenotype characterized by severe nucleoid packing defects. Several derivatives exhibited additional effects on the Gram-positive cell wall synthesis machinery and/or the cytoplasmic membrane, which likely contributed to their increased antibacterial activity. While we could not identify specific cell wall or membrane targets, membrane depolarization was not observed. Our experiments further suggest that cell wall synthesis inhibition most likely occurs outside the membrane-bound lipid II cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 412 96, Sweden
| | | | - Ahmed S. Aboraia
- Medicinal
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Jonatan Persson
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 412 96, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg 405 30, Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 412 96, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg 405 30, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 412 96, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg 405 30, Sweden
| | - Farghaly A. Omar
- Medicinal
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
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37
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Wang B, van der Kloet F, Hamoen LW. Induction of the CtsR regulon improves Xylanase production in Bacillus subtilis. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:231. [PMID: 37946188 PMCID: PMC10633939 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02239-3] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The bacterium Bacillus subtilis is extensively used for the commercial production of enzymes due to its efficient protein secretion capacity. However, the efficiency of secretion varies greatly between enzymes, and despite many years of research, optimization of enzyme production is still largely a matter of trial-and-error. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis seems a useful tool to identify relevant secretion bottlenecks, yet to this day, only a limited number of transcriptome studies have been published that focus on enzyme secretion in B. subtilis. Here, we examined the effect of high-level expression of the commercially important enzyme endo-1,4-β-xylanase XynA on the B. subtilis transcriptome using RNA-seq. RESULTS Using the novel gene-set analysis tool GINtool, we found a reduced activity of the CtsR regulon when XynA was overproduced. This regulon comprises several protein chaperone genes, including clpC, clpE and clpX, and is controlled by transcriptional repression. CtsR levels are directly controlled by regulated proteolysis, involving ClpC and its cognate protease ClpP. When we abolished this negative feedback, by inactivating the repressor CtsR, the XynA production increased by 25%. CONCLUSIONS Overproduction of enzymes can reduce the pool of Clp protein chaperones in B. subtilis, presumably due to negative feedback regulation. Breaking this feedback can improve enzyme production yields. Considering the conserved nature of Clp chaperones and their regulation, this method might benefit high-yield enzyme production in other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biwen Wang
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, C3.108, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frans van der Kloet
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, C3.108, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Leendert W Hamoen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, C3.108, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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38
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Wu C, Lower BA, Moreira R, Dorantes D, Le T, Giurgiu C, Shi Y, van der Donk WA. Investigation into the mechanism of action of the antimicrobial peptide epilancin 15X. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1247222. [PMID: 38029153 PMCID: PMC10652874 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1247222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Addressing the current antibiotic-resistance challenge would be aided by the identification of compounds with novel mechanisms of action. Epilancin 15X, a lantibiotic produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis 15 × 154, displays antimicrobial activity in the submicromolar range against a subset of pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria. S. epidermidis is a common member of the human skin or mucosal microbiota. We here investigated the mechanism of action of epilancin 15X. The compound is bactericidal against Staphylococcus carnosus as well as Bacillus subtilis and appears to kill these bacteria by membrane disruption. Structure-activity relationship studies using engineered analogs show that its conserved positively charged residues and dehydroamino acids are important for bioactivity, but the N-terminal lactyl group is tolerant of changes. Epilancin 15X treatment negatively affects fatty acid synthesis, RNA translation, and DNA replication and transcription without affecting cell wall biosynthesis. The compound appears localized to the surface of bacteria and is most potent in disrupting the membranes of liposomes composed of negatively charged membrane lipids in a lipid II independent manner. Epilancin 15X does not elicit a LiaRS response in B. subtilis but did upregulate VraRS in S. carnosus. Treatment of S. carnosus or B. subtilis with epilancin 15X resulted in an aggregation phenotype in microscopy experiments. Collectively these studies provide new information on epilancin 15X activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - B. Alexis Lower
- Department of Chemistry, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Ryan Moreira
- Department of Chemistry, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Darian Dorantes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Tung Le
- Department of Chemistry, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Constantin Giurgiu
- Department of Chemistry, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Yanxiang Shi
- Department of Chemistry, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Wilfred A. van der Donk
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
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39
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Pannullo AG, Zbylicki BR, Ellermeier CD. Identification of DraRS in Clostridioides difficile, a Two-Component Regulatory System That Responds to Lipid II-Interacting Antibiotics. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0016423. [PMID: 37439672 PMCID: PMC10601625 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00164-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen that results in 220,000 infections, 12,000 deaths, and upwards of $1 billion in medical costs in the United States each year. C. difficile is highly resistant to a variety of antibiotics, but we have a poor understanding of how C. difficile senses and responds to antibiotic stress and how such sensory systems affect clinical outcomes. We have identified a spontaneous C. difficile mutant that displays increased daptomycin resistance. We performed whole-genome sequencing and found a nonsense mutation, S605*, in draS, which encodes a putative sensor histidine kinase of a two-component system (TCS). The draSS605* mutant has an ~4- to 8-fold increase in the daptomycin MIC compared to the wild type (WT). We found that the expression of constitutively active DraRD54E in the WT increases daptomycin resistance 8- to 16-fold and increases bacitracin resistance ~4-fold. We found that a selection of lipid II-inhibiting compounds leads to the increased activity of the luciferase-based reporter PdraR-slucopt, including vancomycin, bacitracin, ramoplanin, and daptomycin. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we identified the DraRS regulon. Interestingly, we found that DraRS can induce the expression of the previously identified hex locus required for the synthesis of a novel glycolipid produced in C. difficile. Our data suggest that the induction of the hex locus by DraR explains some, but not all, of the DraR-induced daptomycin and bacitracin resistance. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and represents an urgent concern due to the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and the rate of recurrent infections. C. difficile encodes ~50 annotated two-component systems (TCSs); however, only a few have been studied. The function of these unstudied TCSs is not known. Here, we show that the TCS DraRS plays a role in responding to a subset of lipid II-inhibiting antibiotics and mediates resistance to daptomycin and bacitracin in part by inducing the expression of the recently identified hex locus, which encodes enzymes required for the production of a novel glycolipid in C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony G. Pannullo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Brianne R. Zbylicki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Craig D. Ellermeier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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40
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Podoll JD, Rosen E, Wang W, Gao Y, Zhang J, Wang X. A small-molecule membrane fluidizer re-sensitizes methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to β-lactam antibiotics. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0005123. [PMID: 37681969 PMCID: PMC10583677 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00051-23] [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: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel antibacterial agents and strategies are urgently needed to fight against the ongoing global antibiotic resistance problem. While natural products remain the main source in antibiotic discovery, synthetic antibacterials provide an attractive alternative and may evade the ancient antibiotic resistance. Herein, we report a small molecule that re-sensitizes methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to β-lactam antibiotics with extremely low potential for resistance development. It belongs to a new class of broad-spectrum antibacterials, trypyricins, which share similar structural characteristics and mechanism of action to the cationic antimicrobial peptides. Mechanistic studies indicated that trypyricins fluidize and disrupt bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. These results suggested that trypyricins represent a promising new class of antibacterials and may be further developed as antibiotic adjuvants to fight against resistant bacteria in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma Rosen
- Recreo Pharmaceuticals Inc, Yale Circle, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Yuefeng Gao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Recreo Pharmaceuticals Inc, Yale Circle, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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41
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Krok E, Stephan M, Dimova R, Piatkowski L. Tunable biomimetic bacterial membranes from binary and ternary lipid mixtures and their application in antimicrobial testing. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2023; 1865:184194. [PMID: 37328023 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2023.184194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The reconstruction of accurate yet simplified mimetic models of cell membranes is a very challenging goal of synthetic biology. To date, most of the research focuses on the development of eukaryotic cell membranes, while reconstitution of their prokaryotic counterparts has not been fully addressed, and the proposed models do not reflect well the complexity of bacterial cell envelopes. Here, we describe the reconstitution of biomimetic bacterial membranes with an increasing level of complexity, developed from binary and ternary lipid mixtures. Giant unilamellar vesicles composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE); PC and phosphatidylglycerol (PG); PE and PG; PE, PG and cardiolipin (CA) at varying molar ratios were successfully prepared by the electroformation method. Each of the proposed mimetic models focuses on reproducing specific membrane features such as membrane charge, curvature, leaflets asymmetry, or the presence of phase separation. GUVs were characterized in terms of size distribution, surface charge, and lateral organization. Finally, the developed models were tested against the lipopeptide antibiotic daptomycin. The obtained results showed a clear dependency of daptomycin binding efficiency on the amount of negatively charged lipid species present in the membrane. We anticipate that the models proposed here can be applied not only in antimicrobial testing but also serve as platforms for studying fundamental biological processes in bacteria as well as their interaction with physiologically relevant biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Krok
- Poznan University of Technology, Faculty of Materials Engineering and Technical Physics, Institute of Physics, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznan, Poland; Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Mareike Stephan
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Lukasz Piatkowski
- Poznan University of Technology, Faculty of Materials Engineering and Technical Physics, Institute of Physics, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
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42
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Kado T, Akbary Z, Motooka D, Sparks IL, Melzer ES, Nakamura S, Rojas ER, Morita YS, Siegrist MS. A cell wall synthase accelerates plasma membrane partitioning in mycobacteria. eLife 2023; 12:e81924. [PMID: 37665120 PMCID: PMC10547480 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lateral partitioning of proteins and lipids shapes membrane function. In model membranes, partitioning can be influenced both by bilayer-intrinsic factors like molecular composition and by bilayer-extrinsic factors such as interactions with other membranes and solid supports. While cellular membranes can departition in response to bilayer-intrinsic or -extrinsic disruptions, the mechanisms by which they partition de novo are largely unknown. The plasma membrane of Mycobacterium smegmatis spatially and biochemically departitions in response to the fluidizing agent benzyl alcohol, then repartitions upon fluidizer washout. By screening for mutants that are sensitive to benzyl alcohol, we show that the bifunctional cell wall synthase PonA2 promotes membrane partitioning and cell growth during recovery from benzyl alcohol exposure. PonA2's role in membrane repartitioning and regrowth depends solely on its conserved transglycosylase domain. Active cell wall polymerization promotes de novo membrane partitioning and the completed cell wall polymer helps to maintain membrane partitioning. Our work highlights the complexity of membrane-cell wall interactions and establishes a facile model system for departitioning and repartitioning cellular membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takehiro Kado
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
| | - Zarina Akbary
- Department of Biology, New York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka UniversityOsakaJapan
| | - Ian L Sparks
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
| | - Emily S Melzer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
| | - Shota Nakamura
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka UniversityOsakaJapan
| | - Enrique R Rojas
- Department of Biology, New York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Yasu S Morita
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
- Molecular and Cellular Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
| | - M Sloan Siegrist
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
- Molecular and Cellular Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
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43
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Kozon-Markiewicz D, Kopiasz RJ, Głusiec M, Łukasiak A, Bednarczyk P, Jańczewski D. Membrane lytic activity of antibacterial ionenes, critical role of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cardiolipin (CL). Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2023; 229:113480. [PMID: 37536168 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanism by which an antibacterial agent interacts with a model membrane provides vital information for better design of future antibiotics. In this study, we investigated two antibacterial polymers, hydrophilic C0-T-p and hydrophobic C8-T-p ionenes, known for their potent antimicrobial activity and ability to disrupt the integrity of lipid bilayers. Our hypothesize is that the composition of a lipid bilayer alters the mechanism of ionenes action, potentially providing an explanation for the observed differences in their bioactivity and selectivity. Calcein release experiments utilizing a range of liposomes to examine the impact of (i) cardiolipin (CL) to phosphatidylglycerol (PG) ratio, (ii) overall vesicle charge, and (iii) phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to phosphatidylcholine (PC) ratio on the activity of ionenes were performed. Additionally, polymer-bilayer interactions were also investigated through vesicle fusion assay and the black lipid membrane (BLM) technique The activity of C0-T-p is strongly influenced by the amount of cardiolipin, while the activity of C8-T-p primarily depends on the overall vesicle charge. Consequently, C0-T-p acts through interactions with CL, whereas C8-T-p modifies the bulk properties of the membrane in a less-specific manner. Moreover, the presence of a small amount of PC in the membrane makes the vesicle resistant to permeabilization by tested molecules. Intriguingly, more hydrophilic C0-T-p retains higher membrane activity compared to the hydrophobic C8-T-p. However, both ionenes induce vesicle fusion and increase lipid bilayer ion permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafał J Kopiasz
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Martyna Głusiec
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Łukasiak
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Bednarczyk
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dominik Jańczewski
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warsaw, Poland.
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44
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Nguyen AH, Tran TT, Panesso D, Hood K, Polamraju V, Zhang R, Khan A, Miller WR, Mileykovskaya E, Shamoo Y, Xu L, Vitrac H, Arias CA. Molecular Basis of Cell Membrane Adaptation in Daptomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.02.551704. [PMID: 37577577 PMCID: PMC10418189 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.02.551704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Daptomycin is a last-resort lipopeptide antibiotic that disrupts cell membrane (CM) and peptidoglycan homeostasis. Enterococcus faecalis has developed a sophisticated mechanism to avoid daptomycin killing by re-distributing CM anionic phospholipids away from the septum. The CM changes are orchestrated by a three-component regulatory system, designated LiaFSR, with a possible contribution of cardiolipin synthase (Cls). However, the mechanism by which LiaFSR controls the CM response and the role of Cls are unknown. Here, we show that cardiolipin synthase activity is essential for anionic phospholipid redistribution and daptomycin resistance since deletion of the two genes ( cls1 and cls2 ) encoding Cls abolished CM remodeling. We identified LiaY, a transmembrane protein regulated by LiaFSR, as an important mediator of CM remodeling required for re-distribution of anionic phospholipid microdomains via interactions with Cls1. Together, our insights provide a mechanistic framework on the enterococcal response to cell envelope antibiotics that could be exploited therapeutically.
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45
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Mitchison-Field LM, Belin BJ. Bacterial lipid biophysics and membrane organization. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 74:102315. [PMID: 37058914 PMCID: PMC10523990 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
The formation of lateral microdomains is emerging as a central organizing principle in bacterial membranes. These microdomains are targets of antibiotic development and have the potential to enhance natural product synthesis, but the rules governing their assembly are unclear. Previous studies have suggested that microdomain formation is promoted by lipid phase separation, particularly by cardiolipin (CL) and isoprenoid lipids, and there is strong evidence that CL biosynthesis is required for recruitment of membrane proteins to cell poles and division sites. New work demonstrates that additional bacterial lipids may mediate membrane protein localization and function, opening the field for mechanistic evaluation of lipid-driven membrane organization in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna My Mitchison-Field
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brittany J Belin
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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46
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Rimal B, Chang J, Liu C, Rashid R, Singh M, Kim SJ. The effects of daptomycin on cell wall biosynthesis in Enterococcal faecalis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12227. [PMID: 37507537 PMCID: PMC10382475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39486-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Daptomycin is a cyclic lipodepsipeptide antibiotic reserved for the treatment of serious infections by multidrug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens. Its mode of action is considered to be multifaceted, encompassing the targeting and depolarization of bacterial cell membranes, alongside the inhibition of cell wall biosynthesis. To characterize the daptomycin mode of action, 15N cross-polarization at magic-angle spinning NMR measurements were performed on intact whole cells of Staphylococcus aureus grown in the presence of a sub-inhibitory concentration of daptomycin in a chemically defined media containing L-[ϵ-15N]Lys. Daptomycin-treated cells showed a reduction in the lysyl-ε-amide intensity that was consistent with cell wall thinning. However, the reduced lysyl-ε-amine intensity at 10 ppm indicated that the daptomycin-treated cells did not accumulate in Park's nucleotide, the cytoplasmic peptidoglycan (PG) precursor. Consequently, daptomycin did not inhibit the transglycosylation step of PG biosynthesis. To further elucidate the daptomycin mode of action, the PG composition of daptomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis grown in the presence of daptomycin was analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Sixty-nine muropeptide ions correspond to PG with varying degrees of modifications including crosslinking, acetylation, alanylation, and 1,6-anhydrous ring formation at MurNAc were quantified. Analysis showed that the cell walls of daptomycin-treated E. faecalis had a significant reduction in PG crosslinking which was accompanied by an increase in lytic transglycosylase activities and a decrease in PG-stem modifications by the carboxypeptidases. The changes in PG composition suggest that daptomycin inhibits cell wall biosynthesis by impeding the incorporation of nascent PG into the cell walls by transpeptidases and maturation by carboxypeptidases. As a result, the newly formed cell walls become highly susceptible to degradation by the autolysins, resulting in thinning of the cell wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binayak Rimal
- Institute of Biomedical Studies, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76798, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - James Chang
- Department of Chemistry One Bear Place #97046, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76798, USA
| | - Chengyin Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Howard University, Washington, DC, 20059, USA
| | - Raiyan Rashid
- Department of Chemistry, Howard University, Washington, DC, 20059, USA
| | - Manmilan Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Sung Joon Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Howard University, Washington, DC, 20059, USA.
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47
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Almeida PF. In Search of a Molecular View of Peptide-Lipid Interactions in Membranes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023. [PMID: 37478368 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Lipid bilayer membranes are often represented as a continuous nonpolar slab with a certain thickness bounded by two more polar interfaces. Phenomena such as peptide binding to the membrane surface, folding, insertion, translocation, and diffusion are typically interpreted on the basis of this view. In this Perspective, I argue that this membrane representation as a hydrophobic continuum solvent is not adequate to understand peptide-lipid interactions. Lipids are not small compared to membrane-active peptides: their sizes are similar. Therefore, peptide diffusion needs to be understood in terms of free volume, not classical continuum mechanics; peptide solubility or partitioning in membranes cannot be interpreted in terms of hydrophobic mismatch between membrane thickness and peptide length; peptide folding and translocation, often involving cationic peptides, can only be understood if realizing that lipids adapt to the presence of peptides and the membrane may undergo considerable lipid redistribution in the process. In all of those instances, the detailed molecular interactions between the peptide residues and the lipid components are essential to understand the mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo F Almeida
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403, United States
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48
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Melcrová A, Maity S, Melcr J, de Kok NAW, Gabler M, van der Eyden J, Stensen W, Svendsen JSM, Driessen AJM, Marrink SJ, Roos WH. Lateral membrane organization as target of an antimicrobial peptidomimetic compound. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4038. [PMID: 37419980 PMCID: PMC10328936 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39726-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the leading concerns in medical care. Here we study the mechanism of action of an antimicrobial cationic tripeptide, AMC-109, by combining high speed-atomic force microscopy, molecular dynamics, fluorescence assays, and lipidomic analysis. We show that AMC-109 activity on negatively charged membranes derived from Staphylococcus aureus consists of two crucial steps. First, AMC-109 self-assembles into stable aggregates consisting of a hydrophobic core and a cationic surface, with specificity for negatively charged membranes. Second, upon incorporation into the membrane, individual peptides insert into the outer monolayer, affecting lateral membrane organization and dissolving membrane nanodomains, without forming pores. We propose that membrane domain dissolution triggered by AMC-109 may affect crucial functions such as protein sorting and cell wall synthesis. Our results indicate that the AMC-109 mode of action resembles that of the disinfectant benzalkonium chloride (BAK), but with enhanced selectivity for bacterial membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adéla Melcrová
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Sourav Maity
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Josef Melcr
- Molecular Dynamics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences & Biotechnology Institute, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Niels A W de Kok
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences & Biotechnology Institute, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Mariella Gabler
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jonne van der Eyden
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wenche Stensen
- Department of Chemistry, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - John S M Svendsen
- Department of Chemistry, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Arnold J M Driessen
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences & Biotechnology Institute, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Molecular Dynamics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences & Biotechnology Institute, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wouter H Roos
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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49
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Pruitt EL, Zhang R, Ross DH, Ashford NK, Chen X, Alonzo F, Bush MF, Werth BJ, Xu L. Elucidating the Impact of Bacterial Lipases, Human Serum Albumin, and FASII Inhibition on the Utilization of Exogenous Fatty Acids by Staphylococcus aureus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.29.547085. [PMID: 37425828 PMCID: PMC10327171 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.29.547085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus only synthesizes straight-chain or branched-chain saturated fatty acids (SCFAs or BCFAs) via the type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) pathway, but as a highly adaptive pathogen, S. aureus can also utilize host-derived exogenous fatty acids (eFAs), including SCFAs and unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). S. aureus secretes three lipases, Geh, sal1, and SAUSA300_0641, which could perform the function of releasing fatty acids from host lipids. Once released, the FAs are phosphorylated by the fatty acid kinase, FakA, and incorporated into the bacterial lipids. In this study, we determined the substrate specificity of S. aureus secreted lipases, the effect of human serum albumin (HSA) on eFA incorporation, and the effect of FASII inhibitor, AFN-1252, on eFA incorporation using comprehensive lipidomics. When grown with major donors of fatty acids, cholesteryl esters (CEs) and triglycerides (TGs), Geh was found to be the primary lipase responsible for hydrolyzing CEs, but other lipases could compensate for the function of Geh in hydrolyzing TGs. Lipidomics showed that eFAs were incorporated into all major S. aureus lipid classes and that fatty acid-containing HSA can serve as a source of eFAs. Furthermore, S. aureus grown with UFAs displayed decreased membrane fluidity and increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Exposure to AFN-1252 enhanced UFAs in the bacterial membrane, even without a source of eFAs, indicating a FASII pathway modification. Thus, the incorporation of eFAs alters the S. aureus lipidome, membrane fluidity, and ROS formation, which could affect host-pathogen interactions and susceptibility to membrane-targeting antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L. Pruitt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rutan Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Dylan H. Ross
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Xi Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago-Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Francis Alonzo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago-Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Matthew F. Bush
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Brian J. Werth
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Libin Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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50
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Tymoszewska A, Szylińska M, Aleksandrzak-Piekarczyk T. The LiaFSR-LiaX System Mediates Resistance of Enterococcus faecium to Peptide Antibiotics and to Aureocin A53- and Enterocin L50-Like Bacteriocins. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0034323. [PMID: 37219451 PMCID: PMC10269926 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00343-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains are currently a leading cause of difficult-to-treat nosocomial infections. The emerging resistance of enterococci to last-resort antibiotics, such as daptomycin, prompts a search for alternative antimicrobials. Aureocin A53- and enterocin L50-like bacteriocins are potent antimicrobial agents that form daptomycin-like cationic complexes and have a similar cell envelope-targeting mechanism of action, suggesting their potential as next-generation antibiotics. However, to ensure their safe use, the mechanisms of resistance to these bacteriocins and cross-resistance to antibiotics need to be well understood. Here, we investigated the genetic basis of E. faecium's resistance to aureocin A53- and enterocin L50-like bacteriocins and compared it with that to antibiotics. First, we selected spontaneous mutants resistant to the bacteriocin BHT-B and identified adaptive mutations in the liaFSR-liaX genes encoding the LiaFSR stress response regulatory system and the daptomycin-sensing protein LiaX, respectively. We then demonstrated that a gain-of-function mutation in liaR increases the expression of liaFSR, liaXYZ, cell wall remodeling-associated genes, and hypothetical genes involved in protection against various antimicrobials. Finally, we showed that adaptive mutations or overexpression of liaSR or liaR alone results in cross-resistance to other aureocin A53- and enterocin L50-like bacteriocins, as well as antibiotics targeting specific components of the cell envelope (daptomycin, ramoplanin, gramicidin) or ribosomes (kanamycin and gentamicin). Based on the obtained results, we concluded that activation of the LiaFSR-mediated stress response confers resistance to peptide antibiotics and bacteriocins via a cascade of reactions, eventually leading to cell envelope remodeling. IMPORTANCE Pathogenic enterococci carry virulence factors and a considerable resistome, which makes them one of the most serious and steadily increasing causes of hospital epidemiological risks. Accordingly, Enterococcus faecium is classified into a top-priority ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) group of six highly virulent and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens for which novel antimicrobial agents need to be developed urgently. Alternative measures, such as the use of bacteriocins, separately or in combination with other antimicrobial agents (e.g., antibiotics), could be a potential solution, especially since several international health agencies recommend and support the development of such interventions. Nevertheless, in order to exploit their efficacy, more basic research on the mechanisms of cell killing and the development of resistance to bacteriocins is needed. The present study fills some of the knowledge gaps regarding the genetic basis of the development of resistance to potent antienterococcal bacteriocins, pointing out the common and divergent features regarding the cross-resistance to antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Tymoszewska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences (IBB PAS), Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marlena Szylińska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences (IBB PAS), Warsaw, Poland
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