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Kim YH, Choi YK, Kim MG, Seo HS, Park S, Lee SH. Key factors for the survival of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum IDCC 3501 in manufacturing and storage. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:12. [PMID: 38157004 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12854-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Functional microbiome development has steadily increased; with this, the viability of microbial strains must be maintained not only after the manufacturing process but also at the time of consumption. Survival is threatened by various unavoidable factors during freeze-drying and shelf storage. Here, the aim was to optimize the manufacturing process of the functional strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum IDCC 3501 after freeze-drying and storage. Explosive growth was achieved using a medium composition with two nitrogen sources and a mineral, and growth was drastically improved by neutralizing the medium pH during the culture of L. plantarum IDCC 3501. Culture optimization involved a smaller cell size, leading to less intracellular free water. Moreover, when maltodextrin (MD) powder was directly added to the harvested cells, some intracellular free water was extracted from the bacterial cells, resulting in a dramatic increase in the viability of L. plantarum IDCC 3501 after freeze-drying and subsequent storage. Furthermore, MD enhanced survival in a dose-dependent manner. Bacterial survival was correlated with lysozyme tolerance; therefore, the positive result might have been caused by the osmotic dehydration of intracellular free water, which would potentially damage the bacterial cells via ice crystallization and/or a phase transition during freeze-drying. These critical factors of L. plantarum IDCC 3501 processing provide perspectives on survival issues for manufacturing microbiome strains. KEY POINTS: • Culture conditions for probiotic bacteria were optimized for high growth yield. • Osmotic dehydration improved bacterial survival after manufacturing and shelf storage. • Reduction in intracellular free water content is crucial for intact survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Hoo Kim
- Research Laboratories, ILDONG Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hwaseong, 18449, South Korea
- Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, South Korea
| | | | - Min-Goo Kim
- Research Laboratories, ILDONG Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hwaseong, 18449, South Korea
| | - Han Sol Seo
- Research Laboratories, ILDONG Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hwaseong, 18449, South Korea
| | - Saerom Park
- R&D Team, Choi Lab Inc, Seoul, 01811, South Korea
| | - Sang Hyun Lee
- Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, South Korea.
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Miettinen TP, Gomez AL, Wu Y, Wu W, Usherwood TR, Hwang Y, Roller BRK, Polz MF, Manalis SR. Cell size, density, and nutrient dependency of unicellular algal gravitational sinking velocities. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn8356. [PMID: 38968348 PMCID: PMC11225777 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn8356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic phytoplankton, also known as algae, form the basis of marine food webs and drive marine carbon sequestration. Algae must regulate their motility and gravitational sinking to balance access to light at the surface and nutrients in deeper layers. However, the regulation of gravitational sinking remains largely unknown, especially in motile species. Here, we quantify gravitational sinking velocities according to Stokes' law in diverse clades of unicellular marine microalgae to reveal the cell size, density, and nutrient dependency of sinking velocities. We identify a motile algal species, Tetraselmis sp., that sinks faster when starved due to a photosynthesis-driven accumulation of carbohydrates and a loss of intracellular water, both of which increase cell density. Moreover, the regulation of cell sinking velocities is connected to proliferation and can respond to multiple nutrients. Overall, our work elucidates how cell size and density respond to environmental conditions to drive the vertical migration of motile algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teemu P. Miettinen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Annika L. Gomez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yanqi Wu
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Weida Wu
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thomas R. Usherwood
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Harvard-MIT Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yejin Hwang
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Benjamin R. K. Roller
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Martin F. Polz
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Scott R. Manalis
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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3
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Karczewska M, Wang AY, Narajczyk M, Słomiński B, Szalewska-Pałasz A, Nowicki D. Antibacterial activity of t-cinnamaldehyde: An approach to its mechanistic principle towards enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 132:155845. [PMID: 38964154 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compounds of natural origin are potent source of drugs with unique mechanisms of action. Among phytochemicals, trans-cinnamaldehyde (t-CA) exhibits a wide range of biological activity, thus has been used for centuries to fight bacterial and fungal infections. However, the molecular basis of these properties has not been fully covered. Considering that difficult-to-control infections are becoming a rising global problem, there is a need to elucidate the molecular potential of t-CA. PURPOSE To evaluate the antibacterial activity of t-CA against Shiga-toxigenic E. coli strains and elucidate its mechanism of action based on the inhibition of the virulence factor expression. METHODS The antimicrobial potential of t-CA was assessed with two-fold microdilution and time-kill assays. Further evaluation included bioluminescence suppression assays, quantification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and assessment of NAD+/NADH ratios. Morphological changes post t-CA exposure were examined using transmission electron microscopy. RNA sequencing and radiolabeling of nucleotides elucidated the metabolic alterations induced by t-CA. Toxin expression level was monitored through the application of fusion proteins, monitoring of bacteriophage development, and fluorescence microscopy studies. Lastly, the therapeutic efficacy in vivo was assessed using Galleria mellonella infection model. RESULTS A comprehensive study of t-CA's bioactivity showed unique properties affecting bacterial metabolism and morphology, resulting in significant bacterial cell deformation and effective virulence inhibition. Elucidation of the underlying mechanisms indicated that t-CA activates the global regulatory system, the stringent response, manifested by its alarmone, (p)ppGpp, overproduction mediated by the RelA enzyme, thereby inhibiting bacterial proliferation. Intriguingly, t-CA effectively downregulates Shiga toxin gene expression via alarmone molecules, indicating its potential for therapeutic effect. In vivo validation demonstrated a significant improvement in larval survival rates post- t-CA treatment with 50 mg/kg (p < 0.05), akin to the efficacy observed with azithromycin, thus indicating its effectiveness against EHEC infections (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these results reveal the robust antibacterial capabilities of t-CA, warranting its further exploration as a viable anti-infective agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Karczewska
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ai Yan Wang
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Narajczyk
- Bioimaging Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Bartosz Słomiński
- Department of Medical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Szalewska-Pałasz
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dariusz Nowicki
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland.
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Model MA, Guo R, Fasina K, Jin R, Clements RJ, Leff LG. Measurement of protein concentration in bacteria and small organelles under a light transmission microscope. J Mol Recognit 2024:e3099. [PMID: 38923720 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.3099] [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: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Protein concentration (PC) is an essential characteristic of cells and organelles; it determines the extent of macromolecular crowding effects and serves as a sensitive indicator of cellular health. A simple and direct way to quantify PC is provided by brightfield-based transport-of-intensity equation (TIE) imaging combined with volume measurements. However, since TIE is based on geometric optics, its applicability to micrometer-sized particles is not clear. Here, we show that TIE can be used on particles with sizes comparable to the wavelength. At the same time, we introduce a new ImageJ plugin that allows TIE image processing without resorting to advanced mathematical programs. To convert TIE data to PC, knowledge of particle volumes is essential. The volumes of bacteria or other isolated particles can be measured by displacement of an external absorbing dye ("transmission-through-dye" or TTD microscopy), and for spherical intracellular particles, volumes can be estimated from their diameters. We illustrate the use of TIE on Escherichia coli, mammalian nucleoli, and nucleolar fibrillar centers. The method is easy to use and achieves high spatial resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Model
- Department of Biological Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - R Guo
- Department of Computer Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - K Fasina
- Department of Biological Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - R Jin
- Department of Computer Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - R J Clements
- Department of Biological Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - L G Leff
- Department of Biological Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
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Wu W, Ishamuddin SH, Quinn TW, Yerrum S, Zhang Y, Debaize LL, Kao PL, Duquette SM, Murakami MA, Mohseni M, Chow KH, Miettinen TP, Ligon KL, Manalis SR. Measuring single-cell density with high throughput enables dynamic profiling of immune cell and drug response from patient samples. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.25.591092. [PMID: 38712225 PMCID: PMC11071500 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.591092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Cell density, the ratio of cell mass to volume, is an indicator of molecular crowding and therefore a fundamental determinant of cell state and function. However, existing density measurements lack the precision or throughput to quantify subtle differences in cell states, particularly in primary samples. Here we present an approach for measuring the density of 30,000 single cells per hour with a precision of 0.03% (0.0003 g/mL) by integrating fluorescence exclusion microscopy with a suspended microchannel resonator. Applying this approach to human lymphocytes, we discovered that cell density and its variation decrease as cells transition from quiescence to a proliferative state, suggesting that the level of molecular crowding decreases and becomes more regulated upon entry into the cell cycle. Using a pancreatic cancer patient-derived xenograft model, we found that the ex vivo density response of primary tumor cells to drug treatment can predict in vivo tumor growth response. Our method reveals unexpected behavior in molecular crowding during cell state transitions and suggests density as a new biomarker for functional precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weida Wu
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main St building 76, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 21 Ames St #56-651, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sarah H. Ishamuddin
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main St building 76, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thomas W. Quinn
- Center for Patient-Derived Models, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 21 Burlington Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Smitha Yerrum
- Center for Patient-Derived Models, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 21 Burlington Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ye Zhang
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main St building 76, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lydie L. Debaize
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Pei-Lun Kao
- Center for Patient-Derived Models, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 21 Burlington Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sarah Marie Duquette
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main St building 76, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 21 Ames St #56-651, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Mark A. Murakami
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Morvarid Mohseni
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb, 250 Water St, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Kin-Hoe Chow
- Center for Patient-Derived Models, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 21 Burlington Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Teemu P. Miettinen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main St building 76, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Keith L. Ligon
- Center for Patient-Derived Models, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 21 Burlington Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, 415 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Scott R. Manalis
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main St building 76, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 21 Ames St #56-651, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, 415 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 33 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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6
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Thappeta Y, Cañas-Duarte SJ, Kallem T, Fragasso A, Xiang Y, Gray W, Lee C, Cegelski L, Jacobs-Wagner C. Glycogen phase separation drives macromolecular rearrangement and asymmetric division in E. coli. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.19.590186. [PMID: 38659787 PMCID: PMC11042326 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.19.590186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria often experience nutrient limitation in nature and the laboratory. While exponential and stationary growth phases are well characterized in the model bacterium Escherichia coli, little is known about what transpires inside individual cells during the transition between these two phases. Through quantitative cell imaging, we found that the position of nucleoids and cell division sites becomes increasingly asymmetric during transition phase. These asymmetries were coupled with spatial reorganization of proteins, ribosomes, and RNAs to nucleoid-centric localizations. Results from live-cell imaging experiments, complemented with genetic and 13C whole-cell nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies, show that preferential accumulation of the storage polymer glycogen at the old cell pole leads to the observed rearrangements and asymmetric divisions. In vitro experiments suggest that these phenotypes are likely due to the propensity of glycogen to phase separate in crowded environments, as glycogen condensates exclude fluorescent proteins under physiological crowding conditions. Glycogen-associated differences in cell sizes between strains and future daughter cells suggest that glycogen phase separation allows cells to store large glucose reserves without counting them as cytoplasmic space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashna Thappeta
- Sarafan Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Silvia J. Cañas-Duarte
- Sarafan Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Till Kallem
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alessio Fragasso
- Sarafan Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yingjie Xiang
- Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - William Gray
- Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Cheyenne Lee
- Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | | | - Christine Jacobs-Wagner
- Sarafan Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
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Magkiriadou S, Stepp WL, Newman DK, Manley S, Racki LR. Polyphosphate affects cytoplasmic and chromosomal dynamics in nitrogen-starved Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313004121. [PMID: 38564631 PMCID: PMC11009631 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313004121] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Polyphosphate (polyP) synthesis is a ubiquitous stress and starvation response in bacteria. In diverse species, mutants unable to make polyP have a wide variety of physiological defects, but the mechanisms by which this simple polyanion exerts its effects remain unclear. One possibility is that polyP's many functions stem from global effects on the biophysical properties of the cell. We characterize the effect of polyphosphate on cytoplasmic mobility under nitrogen-starvation conditions in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using fluorescence microscopy and particle tracking, we quantify the motion of chromosomal loci and cytoplasmic tracer particles. In the absence of polyP and upon starvation, we observe a 2- to 10-fold increase in mean cytoplasmic diffusivity. Tracer particles reveal that polyP also modulates the partitioning between a "more mobile" and a "less mobile" population: Small particles in cells unable to make polyP are more likely to be "mobile" and explore more of the cytoplasm, particularly during starvation. Concomitant with this larger freedom of motion in polyP-deficient cells, we observe decompaction of the nucleoid and an increase in the steady-state concentration of ATP. The dramatic polyP-dependent effects we observe on cytoplasmic transport properties occur under nitrogen starvation, but not carbon starvation, suggesting that polyP may have distinct functions under different types of starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Magkiriadou
- Laboratory of Experimental Biophysics, Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, LausanneCH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Willi L. Stepp
- Laboratory of Experimental Biophysics, Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, LausanneCH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Dianne K. Newman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Suliana Manley
- Laboratory of Experimental Biophysics, Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, LausanneCH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Lisa R. Racki
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA92037
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8
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Moreno-Fenoll C, Ardré M, Rainey PB. Polar accumulation of pyoverdin and exit from stationary phase. MICROLIFE 2024; 5:uqae001. [PMID: 38370141 PMCID: PMC10873284 DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Pyoverdin is a water-soluble metal-chelator synthesized by members of the genus Pseudomonas and used for the acquisition of insoluble ferric iron. Although freely diffusible in aqueous environments, preferential dissemination of pyoverdin among adjacent cells, fine-tuning of intracellular siderophore concentrations, and fitness advantages to pyoverdin-producing versus nonproducing cells, indicate control of location and release. Here, using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy to track single cells in growing microcolonies of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25, we show accumulation of pyoverdin at cell poles. Accumulation occurs on cessation of cell growth, is achieved by cross-feeding in pyoverdin-nonproducing mutants and is reversible. Moreover, accumulation coincides with localization of a fluorescent periplasmic reporter, suggesting that pyoverdin accumulation at cell poles is part of the general cellular response to starvation. Compatible with this conclusion is absence of non-accumulating phenotypes in a range of pyoverdin mutants. Analysis of the performance of pyoverdin-producing and nonproducing cells under conditions promoting polar accumulation shows an advantage to accumulation on resumption of growth after stress. Examination of pyoverdin polar accumulation in a multispecies community and in a range of laboratory and natural species of Pseudomonas, including P. aeruginosa PAO1 and P. putida KT2440, confirms that the phenotype is characteristic of Pseudomonas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Moreno-Fenoll
- Laboratory of Biophysics and Evolution, CBI, ESPCI Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
- Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Maxime Ardré
- Laboratory of Biophysics and Evolution, CBI, ESPCI Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Paul B Rainey
- Laboratory of Biophysics and Evolution, CBI, ESPCI Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
- Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
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9
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Ortiz-Cortés LY, Aréchiga-Carvajal ET, Ventura-Canseco LMC, Ruíz-Valdiviezo VM, Gutiérrez-Miceli FA, Alvarez-Gutiérrez PE. Analysis of phenotypic changes in high temperature and low pH extreme conditions of Alicyclobacillus sendaiensis PA2 related with the cell wall and sporulation genes. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:53. [PMID: 38180563 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03735-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The A. sendaiensis PA2 is a polyextremophile bacterium. In this study, we analyze the A. sendaiensis PA2 genome. The genome was assembled and annotated. The A. sendaiensis PA2 genome structure consists of a 2,956,928 bp long chromosome and 62.77% of G + C content. 3056 CDSs were predicted, and 2921 genes were assigned to a putative function. The ANIm and ANIb value resulted in 97.17% and 96.65%, the DDH value was 75.5%, and the value of TETRA (Z-score) was 0.98. Comparative genomic analyses indicated that three systems are enriched in A. sendaiensis PA2. This strain has phenotypic changes in cell wall during batch culture at 65 °C, pH 5.0 and without carbon and nitrogen source. The presence of unique genes of cell wall and sporulation subsystem could be related to the adaptation of A. sendaiensis PA2 to hostile conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Yaret Ortiz-Cortés
- Tecnológico Nacional de México/IT de Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Carretera Panamericana Km 1080, Col. Terán, 29050, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
| | | | | | - Victor Manuel Ruíz-Valdiviezo
- Tecnológico Nacional de México/IT de Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Carretera Panamericana Km 1080, Col. Terán, 29050, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
| | - Federico Antonio Gutiérrez-Miceli
- Tecnológico Nacional de México/IT de Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Carretera Panamericana Km 1080, Col. Terán, 29050, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
| | - Peggy Elizabeth Alvarez-Gutiérrez
- Tecnológico Nacional de México/IT de Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Carretera Panamericana Km 1080, Col. Terán, 29050, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México.
- CONAHCYT/IT de Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Carretera Panamericana Km 1080, Col. Terán, 29050, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México.
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10
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Chen T, Liu T, Wu Z, Wang B, Chen Q, Zhang M, Liang E, Ni J. Virus-pathogen interactions improve water quality along the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Canal. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1719-1732. [PMID: 37524909 PMCID: PMC10504254 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01481-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens and viruses are the leading causes of global waterborne diseases. Here, we discovered an interesting natural paradigm of water "self-purification" through virus-pathogen interactions over a 1432 km continuum along the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Canal (MR-SNWDC) in China, the largest water transfer project in the world. Due to the extremely low total phosphorus (TP) content (ND-0.02 mg/L) in the MR-SNWDC, the whole canal has experienced long-lasting phosphorus (P) limitation since its operation in 2015. Based on 4443 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and 40,261 nonredundant viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) derived from our recent monitoring campaign, we found that residential viruses experiencing extreme P constraints had to adopt special adaptive strategies by harboring smaller genomes to minimize nucleotide replication, DNA repair, and posttranslational modification costs. With the decreasing P supply downstream, bacterial pathogens showed repressed environmental fitness and growth potential, and a weakened capacity to maintain P acquisition, membrane formation, and ribonucleotide biosynthesis. Consequently, the unique viral predation effects under P limitation, characterized by enhanced viral lytic infections and an increased abundance of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) genes linked to viral nuclear DNA replication cycles, led to unexpectedly lower health risks from waterborne bacterial pathogens in the downstream water-receiving areas. These findings highlighted the great potential of water self-purification associated with virus-pathogen dynamics for water-quality improvement and sustainable water resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Chen
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Tang Liu
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, PR China
| | - Zongzhi Wu
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Bingxue Wang
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Qian Chen
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Materials Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Mi Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, PR China
| | - Enhang Liang
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Jinren Ni
- Eco-environment and Resource Efficiency Research Laboratory, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China.
- Environmental Microbiome and Innovative Genomics Laboratory, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, PR China.
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11
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Chan WT, Garcillán-Barcia MP, Yeo CC, Espinosa M. Type II bacterial toxin-antitoxins: hypotheses, facts, and the newfound plethora of the PezAT system. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad052. [PMID: 37715317 PMCID: PMC10532202 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are entities found in the prokaryotic genomes, with eight reported types. Type II, the best characterized, is comprised of two genes organized as an operon. Whereas toxins impair growth, the cognate antitoxin neutralizes its activity. TAs appeared to be involved in plasmid maintenance, persistence, virulence, and defence against bacteriophages. Most Type II toxins target the bacterial translational machinery. They seem to be antecessors of Higher Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes Nucleotide-binding (HEPN) RNases, minimal nucleotidyltransferase domains, or CRISPR-Cas systems. A total of four TAs encoded by Streptococcus pneumoniae, RelBE, YefMYoeB, Phd-Doc, and HicAB, belong to HEPN-RNases. The fifth is represented by PezAT/Epsilon-Zeta. PezT/Zeta toxins phosphorylate the peptidoglycan precursors, thereby blocking cell wall synthesis. We explore the body of knowledge (facts) and hypotheses procured for Type II TAs and analyse the data accumulated on the PezAT family. Bioinformatics analyses showed that homologues of PezT/Zeta toxin are abundantly distributed among 14 bacterial phyla mostly in Proteobacteria (48%), Firmicutes (27%), and Actinobacteria (18%), showing the widespread distribution of this TA. The pezAT locus was found to be mainly chromosomally encoded whereas its homologue, the tripartite omega-epsilon-zeta locus, was found mostly on plasmids. We found several orphan pezT/zeta toxins, unaccompanied by a cognate antitoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Ting Chan
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Pilar Garcillán-Barcia
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C/Albert Einstein 22, PCTCAN, 39011 Santander, Spain
| | - Chew Chieng Yeo
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology (CeRIDB), Faculty of Medicine
, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Jalan Sultan Mahumd, 20400 Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Manuel Espinosa
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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12
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Maliszewska I, Goldeman W. Increasing photoeradication's efficiency of Acinetobacter baumannii by polyphosphonic chelating agents. Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther 2023; 43:103672. [PMID: 37364665 DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2023.103672] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid (EDTMP), nitrilotri(methylphosphonic acid (ATMP) and zoledronic acid were studied to enhance the methylene blue-mediated photodynamic inactivation of Acinetobacter baumannii. Laser light (wavelength 638 nm; standard light output 40 mW) was used in all experiment. Planktonic cultures were irradiated for 10, 20 and 30 min which corresponded to the light dose of 63 Jcm‒ 2, 126 Jcm‒2 and 189 Jcm‒2. Biocidal effect depended on the exposure time and it was shown that MB alone caused the highest reduction in the number of viable cells by 3.10 ± 0.2 log10 units after 30 min of irradiation. A significantly more effective killing effect was achieved when the bacteria were pre-treated with zoledronate, ATMP, or EDTMP (prior to photosensitisation) as the number of viable bacteria was reduced by 4.04±0.2 log10, 3.95±0.2 log10 and 4.01 ± 0.2 log10, respectively. The photo-killing effect caused by MB against biofilm pre-incubated with zoledronate, ATMP, or EDTMP and the number of viable bacteria was reduced by 0.80±0.1 log10, 1.25±0.05 log10 and 0.65±0.05 log10, respectively. Polyphosphonic chelating agents increased the efficiency of photo-destruction of A. baumannii by increasing the amount of bound photosensitizer by planktonic cells and biofilm, and increasing the detachment of live planktonic cells from the biofilm. The presence of glucose in the photosensitizing system significantly affected the bacterial photo-elimination. Pre-incubation of planktonic bacteria with the studied polyphosphonic chelating agents in the presence of glucose, and then exposure to light (with MB) for 30 min caused the lethal effect. This photo-eradication protocol (in the case of biofilms) reduced the number of viable bacteria by 2.05±0.2 log10, 3.2±0.2 log10 and 2.02±0.2 log10 for zoledronic acid, ATMP and EDTMP, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Maliszewska
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27 Wrocław 50-370, Poland.
| | - Waldemar Goldeman
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27 Wrocław 50-370, Poland
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13
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Teh WK, Ding Y, Gubellini F, Filloux A, Poyart C, Givskov M, Dramsi S. Characterization of TelE, a T7SS LXG Effector Exhibiting a Conserved C-Terminal Glycine Zipper Motif Required for Toxicity. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0148123. [PMID: 37432124 PMCID: PMC10434224 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01481-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (SGG) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen strongly associated with colorectal cancer. Here, through comparative genomics analysis, we demonstrated that the genetic locus encoding the type VIIb secretion system (T7SSb) machinery is uniquely present in SGG in two different arrangements. SGG UCN34 carrying the most prevalent T7SSb genetic arrangement was chosen as the reference strain. To identify the effectors secreted by this secretion system, we inactivated the essC gene encoding the motor of this machinery. A comparison of the proteins secreted by UCN34 wild type and its isogenic ΔessC mutant revealed six T7SSb effector proteins, including the expected WXG effector EsxA and three LXG-containing proteins. In this work, we characterized an LXG-family toxin named herein TelE promoting the loss of membrane integrity. Seven homologs of TelE harboring a conserved glycine zipper motif at the C terminus were identified in different SGG isolates. Scanning mutagenesis of this motif showed that the glycine residue at position 470 was crucial for TelE membrane destabilization activity. TelE activity was antagonized by a small protein TipE belonging to the DUF5085 family. Overall, we report herein a unique SGG T7SSb effector exhibiting a toxic activity against nonimmune bacteria. IMPORTANCE In this study, 38 clinical isolates of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (SGG) were sequenced and a genetic locus encoding the type VIIb secretion system (T7SSb) was found conserved and absent from 16 genomes of the closely related S. gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus (SGP). The T7SSb is a bona fide pathogenicity island. Here, we report that the model organism SGG strain UCN34 secretes six T7SSb effectors. One of the six effectors named TelE displayed a strong toxicity when overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Our results indicate that TelE is probably a pore-forming toxin whose activity can be antagonized by a specific immunity protein named TipE. Overall, we report a unique toxin-immunity protein pair and our data expand the range of effectors secreted through T7SSb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wooi Keong Teh
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yichen Ding
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Alain Filloux
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Poyart
- Université de Paris, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Service de Bactériologie, Centre National de Référence des Streptocoques, Groupe Hospitalier Paris Centre site Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Michael Givskov
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Costerton Biofilm Centre, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Shaynoor Dramsi
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Biology of Gram-positive Pathogens Unit, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR2001, Paris, France
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14
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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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15
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Schink S, Ammar C, Chang Y, Zimmer R, Basan M. Analysis of proteome adaptation reveals a key role of the bacterial envelope in starvation survival. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 18:e11160. [PMID: 36479616 PMCID: PMC9728487 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202211160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria reorganize their physiology upon entry to stationary phase. What part of this reorganization improves starvation survival is a difficult question because the change in physiology includes a global reorganization of the proteome, envelope, and metabolism of the cell. In this work, we used several trade-offs between fast growth and long survival to statistically score over 2,000 Escherichia coli proteins for their global correlation with death rate. The combined ranking allowed us to narrow down the set of proteins that positively correlate with survival and validate the causal role of a subset of proteins. Remarkably, we found that important survival genes are related to the cell envelope, i.e., periplasm and outer membrane, because the maintenance of envelope integrity of E. coli plays a crucial role during starvation. Our results uncover a new protective feature of the outer membrane that adds to the growing evidence that the outer membrane is not only a barrier that prevents abiotic substances from reaching the cytoplasm but also essential for bacterial proliferation and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severin Schink
- Systems Biology DepartmentHarvard Medical SchoolMABostonUSA
| | - Constantin Ammar
- Systems Biology DepartmentHarvard Medical SchoolMABostonUSA,Institute of InformaticsLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunichGermany,Department of Proteomics and Signal TransductionMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMartinsriedGermany
| | - Yu‐Fang Chang
- Systems Biology DepartmentHarvard Medical SchoolMABostonUSA
| | - Ralf Zimmer
- Institute of InformaticsLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunichGermany
| | - Markus Basan
- Systems Biology DepartmentHarvard Medical SchoolMABostonUSA
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16
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Cesar S, Sun J, Huang KC. Cellular memory of rapid growth is sensitive to nutrient depletion during starvation. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1016371. [DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1016371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria frequently encounter nutrient fluctuations in natural environments, yet we understand little about their ability to maintain physiological memory of previous food sources. Starvation is a particularly acute case, in which cells must balance adaptation to stresses with limited nutrient supply. Here, we show that Escherichia coli cells immediately accelerate and decelerate in growth upon transitions from spent to fresh media and vice versa, respectively, and memory of rapid growth can be maintained for many hours under constant flow of spent medium. However, after transient exposure of stationary-phase cells to fresh medium, subsequent aerobic incubation in increasingly spent medium led to lysis and limited growth when rejuvenated in fresh medium. Growth defects were avoided by incubation in anaerobic spent medium or water, suggesting that defects were caused by respiration during the process of nutrient depletion in spent medium. These findings highlight the importance of respiration for stationary phase survival and underscore the broad range of starvation outcomes depending on environmental history.
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17
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Recent advances of integrated microfluidic systems for fungal and bacterial analysis. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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18
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Liechti GW. Localized Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis in Chlamydia trachomatis Conforms to the Polarized Division and Cell Size Reduction Developmental Models. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:733850. [PMID: 34956109 PMCID: PMC8699169 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.733850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell size regulation in bacteria is a function of two basic cellular processes: the expansion of the cell envelope and its constriction at spatially defined points at what will eventually become the division plane. In most bacterial species, both cell wall expansion and restriction are dependent on peptidoglycan (PG), a structural polymer comprised of sugars and amino acids that imparts strength and rigidity to bacterial membranes. Pathogenic Chlamydia species are unique in that their cell walls contain very little PG, which is restricted almost entirely to the apparent division plane of the microbe's replicative forms. Very little is known about the degree to which PG affects the size and shape of C. trachomatis during its division process, and recent studies suggest the process is initiated via a polarized mechanism. We conducted an imaging study to ascertain the dimensions, orientation, and relative density of chlamydial PG throughout the organism's developmental cycle. Our analysis indicates that PG in replicating C. trachomatis can be associated with four, broad structural forms; polar/septal disks, small/thick rings, large rings, and small/thin rings. We found that PG density appeared to be highest in septal disks and small/thick rings, indicating that these structures likely have high PG synthesis to degradation ratios. We also discovered that as C. trachomatis progresses through its developmental cycle PG structures, on average, decrease in total volume, indicating that the average cell volume of chlamydial RBs likely decreases over time. When cells infected with C. trachomatis are treated with inhibitors of critical components of the microbe's two distinct PG synthases, we observed drastic differences in the ratio of PG synthesis to degradation, as well as the volume and shape of PG-containing structures. Overall, our results suggest that C. trachomatis PG synthases differentially regulate the expansion and contraction of the PG ring during both the expansion and constriction of the microbe's cell membrane during cell growth and division, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- George W Liechti
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, United States
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19
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Krause K, Pyrczak-Felczykowska A, Karczewska M, Narajczyk M, Herman-Antosiewicz A, Szalewska-Pałasz A, Nowicki D. Dietary Isothiocyanates, Sulforaphane and 2-Phenethyl Isothiocyanate, Effectively Impair Vibrio cholerae Virulence. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10187. [PMID: 34638525 PMCID: PMC8508596 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae represents a constant threat to public health, causing widespread infections, especially in developing countries with a significant number of fatalities and serious complications every year. The standard treatment by oral rehydration does not eliminate the source of infection, while increasing antibiotic resistance among pathogenic V. cholerae strains makes the therapy difficult. Thus, we assessed the antibacterial potential of plant-derived phytoncides, isothiocyanates (ITC), against V. cholerae O365 strain. Sulforaphane (SFN) and 2-phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) ability to inhibit bacterial growth was assessed. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values indicate that these compounds possess antibacterial activity and are also effective against cells growing in a biofilm. Tested ITC caused accumulation of stringent response alarmone, ppGpp, which indicates induction of the global stress response. It was accompanied by bacterial cytoplasm shrinkage, the inhibition of the DNA, and RNA synthesis as well as downregulation of the expression of virulence factors. Most importantly, ITC reduced the toxicity of V. cholerae in the in vitro assays (against Vero and HeLa cells) and in vivo, using Galleria mellonella larvae as an infection model. In conclusion, our data indicate that ITCs might be considered promising antibacterial agents in V. cholerae infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaudyna Krause
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (K.K.); (M.K.); (A.S.-P.)
| | | | - Monika Karczewska
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (K.K.); (M.K.); (A.S.-P.)
| | - Magdalena Narajczyk
- Department of Electron Microscopy, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Anna Herman-Antosiewicz
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Agnieszka Szalewska-Pałasz
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (K.K.); (M.K.); (A.S.-P.)
| | - Dariusz Nowicki
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (K.K.); (M.K.); (A.S.-P.)
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20
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Jin YT, Jin TY, Zhang ZL, Ye YN, Deng Z, Wang J, Guo FB. Quantitative elucidation of associations between nucleotide identity and physicochemical properties of amino acids and the functional insight. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:4042-4048. [PMID: 34527183 PMCID: PMC8346530 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on codon property would deepen our understanding of the origin of primitive life and enlighten biotechnical application. Here, we proposed a quantitative measurement of codon-amino acid association and found that seven out of 13 physicochemical properties have stronger associations with the nucleotide identity at the second codon position, indicating that protein structure and function may associate more closely with it than the other two sites. When extending the effect of codon-amino acid association to protein level, it was found that the correlation between the second codon position (measured by the relative frequencies of nucleobase T and A at this codon site) and hydrophobicity (by the form of GRAVY value) became stronger with 96% genomes having R > 0.90 and p < 1e-60. Furthermore, we revealed that informational genes encoding proteins have lower GRAVY values than operational proteins (p < 3e-37) in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. The above results reveal a complete link from codon identity (A2 versus T2) to amino acid property (hydrophilic versus hydrophobic) and then to protein functions (informational versus operational). Hence, our work may help to understand how the nucleotide sequence determines protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ting Jin
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, 430071 Wuhan, China
| | - Tian-Yue Jin
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Zhi-Li Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 611731 Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan-Nong Ye
- Department of Medical Informatics, Bioinformatics and BioMedical Bigdata Mining Laboratory, School of Big Health, Guizhou Medical University, 550025 Guiyang, China
| | - Zixin Deng
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, 430071 Wuhan, China
| | - Ju Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, 300070 Tianjin, China
| | - Feng-Biao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, 430071 Wuhan, China
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21
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Robust surface-to-mass coupling and turgor-dependent cell width determine bacterial dry-mass density. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2021416118. [PMID: 34341116 PMCID: PMC8364103 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021416118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular biomass density is an important variable for cellular physiology. It defines the crowded state of the cytoplasm and thus influences macromolecular interactions and transport. To control density during growth, bacteria must expand their cell volumes in synchrony with biomass. The regulation of volume growth and biomass density remain fundamentally not understood—in bacteria or any other organism. Using advanced microscopy, we demonstrate that cells control dry-mass density indirectly through two independent processes. First, cells expand surface area, rather than volume, in proportion with biomass growth. Second, cell width is controlled independently, with an important influence of turgor pressure. Our findings overturn a long-standing paradigm of mass-density constancy in bacteria and reveal fundamental determinants of dry-mass density and shape. During growth, cells must expand their cell volumes in coordination with biomass to control the level of cytoplasmic macromolecular crowding. Dry-mass density, the average ratio of dry mass to volume, is roughly constant between different nutrient conditions in bacteria, but it remains unknown whether cells maintain dry-mass density constant at the single-cell level and during nonsteady conditions. Furthermore, the regulation of dry-mass density is fundamentally not understood in any organism. Using quantitative phase microscopy and an advanced image-analysis pipeline, we measured absolute single-cell mass and shape of the model organisms Escherichia coli and Caulobacter crescentus with improved precision and accuracy. We found that cells control dry-mass density indirectly by expanding their surface, rather than volume, in direct proportion to biomass growth—according to an empirical surface growth law. At the same time, cell width is controlled independently. Therefore, cellular dry-mass density varies systematically with cell shape, both during the cell cycle or after nutrient shifts, while the surface-to-mass ratio remains nearly constant on the generation time scale. Transient deviations from constancy during nutrient shifts can be reconciled with turgor-pressure variations and the resulting elastic changes in surface area. Finally, we find that plastic changes of cell width after nutrient shifts are likely driven by turgor variations, demonstrating an important regulatory role of mechanical forces for width regulation. In conclusion, turgor-dependent cell width and a slowly varying surface-to-mass coupling constant are the independent variables that determine dry-mass density.
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22
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Bergkessel M. Bacterial transcription during growth arrest. Transcription 2021; 12:232-249. [PMID: 34486930 PMCID: PMC8632087 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2021.1968761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria in most natural environments spend substantial periods of time limited for essential nutrients and not actively dividing. While transcriptional activity under these conditions is substantially reduced compared to that occurring during active growth, observations from diverse organisms and experimental approaches have shown that new transcription still occurs and is important for survival. Much of our understanding of transcription regulation has come from measuring transcripts in exponentially growing cells, or from in vitro experiments focused on transcription from highly active promoters by the housekeeping RNA polymerase holoenzyme. The fact that transcription during growth arrest occurs at low levels and is highly heterogeneous has posed challenges for its study. However, new methods of measuring low levels of gene expression activity, even in single cells, offer exciting opportunities for directly investigating transcriptional activity and its regulation during growth arrest. Furthermore, much of the rich structural and biochemical data from decades of work on the bacterial transcriptional machinery is also relevant to growth arrest. In this review, the physiological changes likely affecting transcription during growth arrest are first considered. Next, possible adaptations to help facilitate ongoing transcription during growth arrest are discussed. Finally, new insights from several recently published datasets investigating mRNA transcripts in single bacterial cells at various growth phases will be explored. Keywords: Growth arrest, stationary phase, RNA polymerase, nucleoid condensation, population heterogeneity.
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