1
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Kansari M, Idiris F, Szurmant H, Kubař T, Schug A. Mechanism of activation and autophosphorylation of a histidine kinase. Commun Chem 2024; 7:196. [PMID: 39227740 PMCID: PMC11371814 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01272-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Histidine kinases (HK) are one of the main prokaryotic signaling systems. Two structurally conserved catalytic domains inside the HK enable autokinase, phosphotransfer, and phosphatase activities. Here, we focus on a detailed mechanistic understanding of the functional cycle of the WalK HK by a multi-scale simulation approach, consisting of classical as well as hybrid QM/MM molecular dynamics simulation. Strikingly, a conformational transition induced solely in DHp leads to the correct activated conformation in CA crucial for autophosphorylation. This finding explains how variable sensor domains induce the transition from inactive to active state. The subsequent autophosphorylation inside DHp proceeds via a penta-coordinated transition state to a protonated phosphohistidine intermediate. This intermediate is consequently deprotonated by a suitable nearby base. The reaction energetics are controlled by the final proton acceptor and presence of a magnesium cation. The slow rates of the process result from the high energy barrier of the conformational transition between inactive and active states. The phosphorylation step exhibits a lower barrier and down-the-hill energetics. Thus, our work suggests a detailed mechanistic model for HK autophosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayukh Kansari
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Fathia Idiris
- Steinbuch Centre for Computing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Hendrik Szurmant
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Tomáš Kubař
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Alexander Schug
- Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg/Essen, Essen, Germany.
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2
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Duport C, Armengaud J, Schmitt C, Morin D, Lacapère JJ. Elucidating the pivotal role of TSPO in porphyrin-related cellular processes, in Bacillus cereus. Biochimie 2024; 224:51-61. [PMID: 38423451 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.02.008] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
A structural homolog of the mammalian TSPO has been identified in the human pathogen Bacillus cereus. BcTSPO, in its recombinant form, has previously been shown to bind and degrade porphyrins. In this study, we generated a ΔtspO mutant strain in B. cereus ATCC 14579 and assessed the impact of the absence of BcTSPO on cellular proteomics and physiological characteristics. The proteomic analysis revealed correlations between the lack of BcTSPO and the observed growth defects, increased oxygen consumption, ATP deficiency, heightened tryptophan catabolism, reduced motility, and impaired biofilm formation in the ΔtspO mutant strain. Our results also suggested that BcTSPO plays a crucial role in regulating intracellular levels of metabolites from the coproporphyrin-dependent branch of the heme biosynthetic pathway. This regulation potentially underlies alterations in the metabolic landscape, emphasizing the pivotal role of BcTSPO in B. cereus aerobic metabolism. Notably, our study unveils, for the first time, the involvement of TSPO in tryptophan metabolism. These findings underscore the multifaceted role of TSPO, not only in metabolic pathways but also potentially in the microorganism's virulence mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean Armengaud
- Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), SPI, 30200, Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | - Caroline Schmitt
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Centre Français des Porphyries, Hôpital Louis Mourier, 92700, Colombes, France; INSERM U1149, Center for Research on Inflammation (CRI), Université de Paris, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Didier Morin
- INSERM, U955, équipe 3, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, 94010, Creteil, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Lacapère
- Sorbonne Université, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, CNRS UMR 7203, Laboratoire des BioMolécules (LBM), 4 place Jussieu, F-75005, Paris, France
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3
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Majdi C, Meffre P, Benfodda Z. Recent advances in the development of bacterial response regulators inhibitors as antibacterial and/or antibiotic adjuvant agent: A new approach to combat bacterial resistance. Bioorg Chem 2024; 150:107606. [PMID: 38968903 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107606] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
The number of new antibacterial agents currently being discovered is insufficient to combat bacterial resistance. It is extremely challenging to find new antibiotics and to introduce them to the pharmaceutical market. Therefore, special attention must be given to find new strategies to combat bacterial resistance and prevent bacteria from developing resistance. Two-component system is a transduction system and the most prevalent mechanism employed by bacteria to respond to environmental changes. This signaling system consists of a membrane sensor histidine kinase that perceives environmental stimuli and a response regulator which acts as a transcription factor. The approach consisting of developing response regulators inhibitors with antibacterial activity or antibiotic adjuvant activity is a novel approach that has never been previously reviewed. In this review we report for the first time, the importance of targeting response regulators and summarizing all existing studies carried out from 2008 until now on response regulators inhibitors as antibacterial agents or / and antibiotic adjuvants. Moreover, we describe the antibacterial activity and/or antibiotic adjuvants activity against the studied bacterial strains and the mechanism of different response regulator inhibitors when it's possible.
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4
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Toussaint F, Henry de Frahan M, Poncelet F, Ladrière JM, Horvath P, Fremaux C, Hols P. Unveiling the regulatory network controlling natural transformation in lactococci. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011340. [PMID: 38950059 PMCID: PMC11244767 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011340] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Lactococcus lactis is a lactic acid bacterium of major importance for food fermentation and biotechnological applications. The ability to manipulate its genome quickly and easily through competence for DNA transformation would accelerate its general use as a platform for a variety of applications. Natural transformation in this species requires the activation of the master regulator ComX. However, the growth conditions that lead to spontaneous transformation, as well as the regulators that control ComX production, are unknown. Here, we identified the carbon source, nitrogen supply, and pH as key factors controlling competence development in this species. Notably, we showed that these conditions are sensed by three global regulators (i.e., CcpA, CodY, and CovR), which repress comX transcription directly. Furthermore, our systematic inactivation of known signaling systems suggests that classical pheromone-sensing regulators are not involved. Finally, we revealed that the ComX-degrading MecA-ClpCP machinery plays a predominant role based on the identification of a single amino-acid substitution in the adaptor protein MecA of a highly transformable strain. Contrasting with closely-related streptococci, the master competence regulator in L. lactis is regulated both proximally by general sensors and distantly by the Clp degradation machinery. This study not only highlights the diversity of regulatory networks for competence control in Gram-positive bacteria, but it also paves the way for the use of natural transformation as a tool to manipulate this biotechnologically important bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Toussaint
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Marie Henry de Frahan
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Félix Poncelet
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Jean-Marc Ladrière
- IFF Health & Biosciences, Danisco France SAS, Dangé-Saint-Romain, France
| | - Philippe Horvath
- IFF Health & Biosciences, Danisco France SAS, Dangé-Saint-Romain, France
| | - Christophe Fremaux
- IFF Health & Biosciences, Danisco France SAS, Dangé-Saint-Romain, France
| | - Pascal Hols
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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5
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Sharkey LKR, Guerillot R, Walsh CJ, Turner AM, Lee JYH, Neville SL, Klatt S, Baines SL, Pidot SJ, Rossello FJ, Seemann T, McWilliam HEG, Cho E, Carter GP, Howden BP, McDevitt CA, Hachani A, Stinear TP, Monk IR. The two-component system WalKR provides an essential link between cell wall homeostasis and DNA replication in Staphylococcus aureus. mBio 2023; 14:e0226223. [PMID: 37850732 PMCID: PMC10746227 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02262-23] [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: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The opportunistic human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus uses an array of protein sensing systems called two-component systems (TCS) to sense environmental signals and adapt its physiology in response by regulating different genes. This sensory network is key to S. aureus versatility and success as a pathogen. Here, we reveal for the first time the full extent of the regulatory network of WalKR, the only staphylococcal TCS that is indispensable for survival under laboratory conditions. We found that WalKR is a master regulator of cell growth, coordinating the expression of genes from multiple, fundamental S. aureus cellular processes, including those involved in maintaining cell wall metabolism, protein biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism, and the initiation of DNA replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam K. R. Sharkey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Romain Guerillot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Calum J. Walsh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adrianna M. Turner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jean Y. H. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephanie L. Neville
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephan Klatt
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah L. Baines
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sacha J. Pidot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fernando J. Rossello
- University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Torsten Seemann
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Centre for Pathogen Genomics, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hamish E. G. McWilliam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ellie Cho
- Biological Optical Microscopy Platform, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Glen P. Carter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Benjamin P. Howden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Centre for Pathogen Genomics, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher A. McDevitt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Abderrahman Hachani
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Timothy P. Stinear
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Centre for Pathogen Genomics, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian R. Monk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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6
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Lim S. A Review of the Bacterial Phosphoproteomes of Beneficial Microbes. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11040931. [PMID: 37110354 PMCID: PMC10145908 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11040931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The number and variety of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) found and characterized in bacteria over the past ten years have increased dramatically. Compared to eukaryotic proteins, most post-translational protein changes in bacteria affect relatively few proteins because the majority of modified proteins exhibit substoichiometric modification levels, which makes structural and functional analyses challenging. In addition, the number of modified enzymes in bacterial species differs widely, and degrees of proteome modification depend on environmental conditions. Nevertheless, evidence suggests that protein PTMs play essential roles in various cellular processes, including nitrogen metabolism, protein synthesis and turnover, the cell cycle, dormancy, spore germination, sporulation, persistence, and virulence. Additional investigations on protein post-translational changes will undoubtedly close knowledge gaps in bacterial physiology and create new means of treating infectious diseases. Here, we describe the role of the post-translation phosphorylation of major bacterial proteins and review the progress of research on phosphorylated proteins depending on bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sooa Lim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Hoseo University, Asan-si 31499, Republic of Korea
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7
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Baran A, Kwiatkowska A, Potocki L. Antibiotics and Bacterial Resistance-A Short Story of an Endless Arms Race. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065777. [PMID: 36982857 PMCID: PMC10056106 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the undisputed development of medicine, antibiotics still serve as first-choice drugs for patients with infectious disorders. The widespread use of antibiotics results from a wide spectrum of their actions encompassing mechanisms responsible for: the inhibition of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis, the disruption of cell membrane integrity, the suppression of nucleic acids and/or proteins synthesis, as well as disturbances of metabolic processes. However, the widespread availability of antibiotics, accompanied by their overprescription, acts as a double-edged sword, since the overuse and/or misuse of antibiotics leads to a growing number of multidrug-resistant microbes. This, in turn, has recently emerged as a global public health challenge facing both clinicians and their patients. In addition to intrinsic resistance, bacteria can acquire resistance to particular antimicrobial agents through the transfer of genetic material conferring resistance. Amongst the most common bacterial resistance strategies are: drug target site changes, increased cell wall permeability to antibiotics, antibiotic inactivation, and efflux pumps. A better understanding of the interplay between the mechanisms of antibiotic actions and bacterial defense strategies against particular antimicrobial agents is crucial for developing new drugs or drug combinations. Herein, we provide a brief overview of the current nanomedicine-based strategies that aim to improve the efficacy of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Baran
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Pigonia 1, 35-310 Rzeszow, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Kwiatkowska
- Institute of Physical Culture Studies, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszów, ul. Towarnickiego 3, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Leszek Potocki
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Pigonia 1, 35-310 Rzeszow, Poland
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8
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Kwan JMC, Qiao Y. Mechanistic Insights into the Activities of Major Families of Enzymes in Bacterial Peptidoglycan Assembly and Breakdown. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202200693. [PMID: 36715567 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Serving as an exoskeletal scaffold, peptidoglycan is a polymeric macromolecule that is essential and conserved across all bacteria, yet is absent in mammalian cells; this has made bacterial peptidoglycan a well-established excellent antibiotic target. In addition, soluble peptidoglycan fragments derived from bacteria are increasingly recognised as key signalling molecules in mediating diverse intra- and inter-species communication in nature, including in gut microbiota-host crosstalk. Each bacterial species encodes multiple redundant enzymes for key enzymatic activities involved in peptidoglycan assembly and breakdown. In this review, we discuss recent findings on the biochemical activities of major peptidoglycan enzymes, including peptidoglycan glycosyltransferases (PGT) and transpeptidases (TPs) in the final stage of peptidoglycan assembly, as well as peptidoglycan glycosidases, lytic transglycosylase (LTs), amidases, endopeptidases (EPs) and carboxypeptidases (CPs) in peptidoglycan turnover and metabolism. Biochemical characterisation of these enzymes provides valuable insights into their substrate specificity, regulation mechanisms and potential modes of inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeric Mun Chung Kwan
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,LKC School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore, Singapore, 208232, Singapore
| | - Yuan Qiao
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore
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Alkatheri AH, Yap PSX, Abushelaibi A, Lai KS, Cheng WH, Erin Lim SH. Microbial Genomics: Innovative Targets and Mechanisms. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020190. [PMID: 36830101 PMCID: PMC9951906 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) has become an increasing threat to global health because bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics over time. Scientists worldwide are searching for new approaches that go beyond traditional antibiotic discovery and development pipelines. Advances in genomics, however, opened up an unexplored therapeutic opportunity for the discovery of new antibacterial agents. Genomic approaches have been used to discover several novel antibiotics that target critical processes for bacterial growth and survival, including histidine kinases (HKs), LpxC, FabI, peptide deformylase (PDF), and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AaRS). In this review, we will discuss the use of microbial genomics in the search for innovative and promising drug targets as well as the mechanisms of action for novel antimicrobial agents. We will also discuss future directions on how the utilization of the microbial genomics approach could improve the odds of antibiotic development having a more successful outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Hussain Alkatheri
- Health Sciences Division, Abu Dhabi Women’s College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi 41012, United Arab Emirates
| | - Polly Soo-Xi Yap
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Selangor 47500, Malaysia
| | - Aisha Abushelaibi
- Office of Campus Director, Abu Dhabi Colleges, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi 41012, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kok-Song Lai
- Health Sciences Division, Abu Dhabi Women’s College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi 41012, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wan-Hee Cheng
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Persiaran Perdana BBN, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
| | - Swee-Hua Erin Lim
- Health Sciences Division, Abu Dhabi Women’s College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi 41012, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence:
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10
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Gonçalves LG, Santos S, Gomes LP, Armengaud J, Miragaia M, Coelho AV. Skin-to-blood pH shift triggers metabolome and proteome global remodelling in Staphylococcus epidermidis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1000737. [PMID: 36246270 PMCID: PMC9554481 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1000737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is one of the most common bacteria of the human skin microbiota. Despite its role as a commensal, S. epidermidis has emerged as an opportunistic pathogen, associated with 80% of medical devices related infections. Moreover, these bacteria are extremely difficult to treat due to their ability to form biofilms and accumulate resistance to almost all classes of antimicrobials. Thus new preventive and therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with S. epidermidis colonisation and disease are still poorly understood. A deeper understanding of the metabolic and cellular processes associated with response to environmental factors characteristic of SE ecological niches in health and disease might provide new clues on colonisation and disease processes. Here we studied the impact of pH conditions, mimicking the skin pH (5.5) and blood pH (7.4), in a S. epidermidis commensal strain by means of next-generation proteomics and 1H NMR-based metabolomics. Moreover, we evaluated the metabolic changes occurring during a sudden pH change, simulating the skin barrier break produced by a catheter. We found that exposure of S. epidermidis to skin pH induced oxidative phosphorylation and biosynthesis of peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acids and betaine. In contrast, at blood pH, the bacterial assimilation of monosaccharides and its oxidation by glycolysis and fermentation was promoted. Additionally, several proteins related to virulence and immune evasion, namely extracellular proteases and membrane iron transporters were more abundant at blood pH. In the situation of an abrupt skin-to-blood pH shift we observed the decrease in the osmolyte betaine and changes in the levels of several metabolites and proteins involved in cellular redoxl homeostasis. Our results suggest that at the skin pH S. epidermidis cells are metabolically more active and adhesion is promoted, while at blood pH, metabolism is tuned down and cells have a more virulent profile. pH increase during commensal-to-pathogen conversion appears to be a critical environmental signal to the remodelling of the S. epidermidis metabolism toward a more pathogenic state. Targeting S. epidermidis proteins induced by pH 7.4 and promoting the acidification of the medical device surface or surrounding environment might be new strategies to treat and prevent S. epidermidis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Gafeira Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Susana Santos
- Laboratory of Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Laidson Paes Gomes
- Laboratory of Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Jean Armengaud
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, SPI, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | - Maria Miragaia
- Laboratory of Bacterial Evolution and Molecular Epidemiology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Maria Miragaia,
| | - Ana Varela Coelho
- Laboratory of Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
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11
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Chen H, Yu C, Wu H, Li G, Li C, Hong W, Yang X, Wang H, You X. Recent Advances in Histidine Kinase-Targeted Antimicrobial Agents. Front Chem 2022; 10:866392. [PMID: 35860627 PMCID: PMC9289397 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.866392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens significantly limited the number of effective antibiotics available clinically, which urgently requires new drug targets to screen, design, and develop novel antibacterial drugs. Two-component system (TCS), which is comprised of a histidine kinase (HK) and a response regulator (RR), is a common mechanism whereby bacteria can sense a range of stimuli and make an appropriate adaptive response. HKs as the sensor part of the bacterial TCS can regulate various processes such as growth, vitality, antibiotic resistance, and virulence, and have been considered as a promising target for antibacterial drugs. In the current review, we highlighted the structural basis and functional importance of bacterial TCS especially HKs as a target in the discovery of new antimicrobials, and summarize the latest research progress of small-molecule HK-inhibitors as potential novel antimicrobial drugs reported in the past decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongtong Chen
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chengqi Yu
- School of Basic Medical Science, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Han Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine (Minzu University of China), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Congran Li
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Hong
- Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyi Yang
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine (Minzu University of China), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- Institute of National Security, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Xuefu You
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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12
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Douarre PE, Sévellec Y, Le Grandois P, Soumet C, Bridier A, Roussel S. FepR as a Central Genetic Target in the Adaptation to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds and Cross-Resistance to Ciprofloxacin in Listeria monocytogenes. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:864576. [PMID: 35663878 PMCID: PMC9158494 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The foodborne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes, (Lm), frequently undergoes selection pressure associated with the extensive use of disinfectants, such as quaternary ammonium compounds, which are widely used in food processing plants. The repeated exposure to sub-inhibitory biocide concentrations can induce increased tolerance to these compounds, but can also trigger the development of antibiotic resistance, and both increase the risk of food contamination and persistence in food production environments. Although the acquisition of genes can explain biocide tolerance, the genetic mechanisms underlying the adaptive cross-resistance to antibiotics remain unclear. We previously showed that repeated exposure to benzalkonium chloride (BC) and didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC) led to reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin in Lm strains from diverse sources. Here, we compared the genomes of 16 biocide-adapted and 10 parental strains to identify the molecular mechanisms of fluoroquinolone cross-resistance. A core genome SNP analysis identified various mutations in the transcriptional regulator fepR (lmo2088) for 94% of the adapted strains and mutations in other effectors at a lower frequency. FepR is a local repressor of the MATE fluoroquinolone efflux pump FepA. The impact of the mutations on the structure and function of the protein was assessed by performing in silico prediction and protein homology modeling. Our results show that 75% of the missense mutations observed in fepR are located in the HTH domain of the protein, within the DNA interaction site. These mutations are predicted to reduce the activity of the regulator, leading to the overexpression of the efflux pump responsible for the ciprofloxacin-enhanced resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Emmanuel Douarre
- Maisons-Alfort Laboratory for Food Safety, Salmonella and Listeria Unit, University of Paris-Est, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Yann Sévellec
- Maisons-Alfort Laboratory for Food Safety, Salmonella and Listeria Unit, University of Paris-Est, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Patricia Le Grandois
- Antibiotics, Biocides, Residues and Resistance Unit, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), Fougères, France
| | - Christophe Soumet
- Antibiotics, Biocides, Residues and Resistance Unit, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), Fougères, France
| | - Arnaud Bridier
- Antibiotics, Biocides, Residues and Resistance Unit, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), Fougères, France
| | - Sophie Roussel
- Maisons-Alfort Laboratory for Food Safety, Salmonella and Listeria Unit, University of Paris-Est, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), Maisons-Alfort, France
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13
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The WalRK Two-Component System Is Essential for Proper Cell Envelope Biogenesis in Clostridioides difficile. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0012122. [PMID: 35575581 PMCID: PMC9210968 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00121-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The WalR-WalK two-component regulatory system (TCS) is found in all Firmicutes, in which it regulates the expression of multiple genes required for remodeling the cell envelope during growth and division. Unlike most TCSs, WalRK is essential for viability, so it has attracted interest as a potential antibiotic target. In this study, we used overexpression of WalR and CRISPR interference to investigate the Wal system of Clostridioides difficile, a major cause of hospital-associated diarrhea in high-income countries. We confirmed that the wal operon is essential and identified morphological defects and cell lysis as the major terminal phenotypes of altered wal expression. We also used transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify over 150 genes whose expression changes in response to WalR levels. This gene set is enriched in cell envelope genes and includes genes encoding several predicted PG hydrolases and proteins that could regulate PG hydrolase activity. A distinct feature of the C. difficile cell envelope is the presence of an S-layer, and we found that WalR affects expression of several genes which encode S-layer proteins. An unexpected finding was that some Wal-associated phenotypic defects were inverted in comparison to what has been reported for other Firmicutes. For example, downregulation of Wal signaling caused C. difficile cells to become longer rather than shorter, as in Bacillus subtilis. Likewise, downregulation of Wal rendered C. difficile more sensitive to vancomycin, whereas reduced Wal activity is linked to increased vancomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. IMPORTANCE The WalRK two-component system (TCS) is essential for coordinating synthesis and turnover of peptidoglycan in Firmicutes. We investigated the WalRK TCS in Clostridioides difficile, an important bacterial pathogen with an atypical cell envelope. We confirmed that WalRK is essential and regulates cell envelope biogenesis, although several of the phenotypic changes we observed were opposite to what has been reported for other Firmicutes. We also identified over 150 genes whose expression is controlled either directly or indirectly by WalR. Overall, our findings provide a foundation for future investigations of an important regulatory system and potential antibiotic target in C. difficile.
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14
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Lin YC, Wu CY, Huang HT, Lu MK, Hu WS, Lee KT. Bacillus subtilis natto Derivatives Inhibit Enterococcal Biofilm Formation via Restructuring of the Cell Envelope. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:785351. [PMID: 34956152 PMCID: PMC8695906 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.785351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterococcus faecalis is considered a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Treatment of these infections has become a major challenge for clinicians because some E. faecalis strains are resistant to multiple clinically used antibiotics. Moreover, the presence of E. faecalis biofilms can make infections with E. faecalis more difficult to eradicate with current antibiotic therapies. Thus, our aim in this study was to investigate the effects of probiotic derivatives against E. faecalis biofilm formation. Bacillus subtilis natto is a probiotic strain isolated from Japanese fermented soybean foods, and its culture fluid potently inhibited adherence to Caco-2 cell monolayers, aggregation, and biofilm production without inhibiting the growth of E. faecalis. An apparent decrease in the thickness of E. faecalis biofilms was observed through confocal laser scanning microscopy. In addition, exopolysaccharide synthesis in E. faecalis biofilms was reduced by B. subtilis natto culture fluid treatment. Carbohydrate composition analysis also showed that carbohydrates in the E. faecalis cell envelope were restructured. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing revealed that the culture fluid of B. subtilis natto downregulated the transcription of genes involved in the WalK/WalR two-component system, peptidoglycan biosynthesis and membrane glycolipid biosynthesis, which are all crucial for E. faecalis cell envelope synthesis and biofilm formation. Collectively, our work shows that some derivatives present in the culture fluid of B. subtilis natto may be useful for controlling E. faecalis biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chieh Lin
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Yi Wu
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Tse Huang
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Kuang Lu
- Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Shou Hu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Kung-Ta Lee
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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15
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Genome-based characterization of a plasmid-associated micrococcin P1 biosynthetic gene cluster and virulence factors in Mammaliicoccus sciuri IMDO-S72. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 88:e0208821. [PMID: 34936836 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02088-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of the de novo assembled genome of Mammaliicoccus sciuri IMDO-S72 revealed the genetically encoded machinery behind its earlier reported antibacterial phenotype and gave further insight into the repertoire of putative virulence factors of this recently reclassified species. A plasmid-encoded biosynthetic gene cluster was held responsible for the antimicrobial activity of M. sciuri IMDO-S72, comprising genes involved in thiopeptide production. The compound encoded by this gene cluster was structurally identified as micrococcin P1. Further examination of its genome highlighted the ubiquitous presence of innate virulence factors mainly involved in surface colonization. Determinants contributing to aggressive virulence were generally absent, with exception of a plasmid-associated ica cluster. The native antibiotic resistance genes sal(A) and mecA were detected within the genome, amongst others, but were not consistently linked with a resistant phenotype. While mobile genetic elements were identified within the genome, such as an untypeable SCC element, they proved to be generally free of virulence- and antibiotic-related genes. These results further suggest a commensal lifestyle of M. sciuri and indicate the association of antibiotic resistance determinants with mobile genetic elements, as an important factor in conferring antibiotic resistance, in addition to their unilateral annotation. Importance Mammaliicoccus sciuri has been put forward as an important carrier of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes, which can be transmitted to clinically important staphylococcal species such as Staphylococcus aureus. As a common inhabitant of mammal skin, this species is believed to have a predominant commensal lifestyle although it has been reported as an opportunistic pathogen in some cases. This study provides an extensive genome-wide description of its putative virulence potential taking into consideration the genomic context in which these genes appear, an aspect that is often overlooked during virulence analysis. Additional genome and biochemical analysis linked M. sciuri with the production of micrococcin P1, gaining further insight to which extent these biosynthetic gene cluster are distributed amongst different related species. The frequent plasmid-associated character hints that these traits can be horizontally transferred and might confer a competitive advantage to its recipient within its ecological niche.
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16
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Ma P, Phillips-Jones MK. Membrane Sensor Histidine Kinases: Insights from Structural, Ligand and Inhibitor Studies of Full-Length Proteins and Signalling Domains for Antibiotic Discovery. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26165110. [PMID: 34443697 PMCID: PMC8399564 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26165110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need to find new antibacterial agents to combat bacterial infections, including agents that inhibit novel, hitherto unexploited targets in bacterial cells. Amongst novel targets are two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) which are the main mechanism by which bacteria sense and respond to environmental changes. TCSs typically comprise a membrane-embedded sensory protein (the sensor histidine kinase, SHK) and a partner response regulator protein. Amongst promising targets within SHKs are those involved in environmental signal detection (useful for targeting specific SHKs) and the common themes of signal transmission across the membrane and propagation to catalytic domains (for targeting multiple SHKs). However, the nature of environmental signals for the vast majority of SHKs is still lacking, and there is a paucity of structural information based on full-length membrane-bound SHKs with and without ligand. Reasons for this lack of knowledge lie in the technical challenges associated with investigations of these relatively hydrophobic membrane proteins and the inherent flexibility of these multidomain proteins that reduces the chances of successful crystallisation for structural determination by X-ray crystallography. However, in recent years there has been an explosion of information published on (a) methodology for producing active forms of full-length detergent-, liposome- and nanodisc-solubilised membrane SHKs and their use in structural studies and identification of signalling ligands and inhibitors; and (b) mechanisms of signal sensing and transduction across the membrane obtained using sensory and transmembrane domains in isolation, which reveal some commonalities as well as unique features. Here we review the most recent advances in these areas and highlight those of potential use in future strategies for antibiotic discovery. This Review is part of a Special Issue entitled “Interactions of Bacterial Molecules with Their Ligands and Other Chemical Agents” edited by Mary K. Phillips-Jones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pikyee Ma
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland;
| | - Mary K. Phillips-Jones
- National Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK
- Correspondence:
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17
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Castro BE, Berrio M, Vargas ML, Carvajal LP, Millan LV, Rios R, Hernandez AK, Rincon S, Cubides P, Forero E, Dinh A, Seas C, Munita JM, Arias CA, Reyes J, Diaz L. Detection of heterogeneous vancomycin intermediate resistance in MRSA isolates from Latin America. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 75:2424-2431. [PMID: 32562543 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkaa221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vancomycin is a common first-line option for MRSA infections. The heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) phenotype is associated with therapeutic failure. However, hVISA isolates are usually reported as vancomycin susceptible by routine susceptibility testing procedures. OBJECTIVES To detect and characterize the hVISA phenotype in MRSA isolates causing infections in nine Latin American countries. METHODS We evaluated a total of 1189 vancomycin-susceptible MRSA isolates recovered during 2006-08 and 2011-14. After an initial screening of hVISA using glycopeptide-supplemented agar strategies, the detection of hVISA was performed by Etest (GRD) and Macro-method (MET). Isolates deemed to be hVISA were subjected to population analysis profile/AUC (PAP/AUC) and WGS for further characterization. Finally, we interrogated alterations in predicted proteins associated with the development of the VISA phenotype in both hVISA and vancomycin-susceptible S. aureus (VSSA) genomes. RESULTS A total of 39 MRSA isolates (3.3%) were classified as hVISA (1.4% and 5.6% in MRSA recovered from 2006-08 and 2011-14, respectively). Most of the hVISA strains (95%) belonged to clonal complex (CC) 5. Only 6/39 hVISA isolates were categorized as hVISA by PAP/AUC, with 6 other isolates close (0.87-0.89) to the cut-off (0.9). The majority of the 39 hVISA isolates exhibited the Leu-14→Ile (90%) and VraT Glu-156→Gly (90%) amino acid substitutions in WalK. Additionally, we identified 10 substitutions present only in hVISA isolates, involving WalK, VraS, RpoB and RpoC proteins. CONCLUSIONS The hVISA phenotype exhibits low frequency in Latin America. Amino acid substitutions in proteins involved in cell envelope homeostasis and RNA synthesis were commonly identified. Our results suggest that Etest-based methods are an important alternative for the detection of hVISA clinical isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betsy E Castro
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Monica L Vargas
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Lina P Carvajal
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Lina V Millan
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rafael Rios
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Angie K Hernandez
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Sandra Rincon
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paola Cubides
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Erika Forero
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - An Dinh
- Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Carlos Seas
- Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Jose M Munita
- Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Genomics and Resistant Microbes (GeRM) Group, Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Universidad del Desarrollo School of Medicine, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Initiative for Collaborative Research On Bacterial Resistance (MICROB-R), Santiago, Chile
| | - Cesar A Arias
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.,Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jinnethe Reyes
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.,Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Lorena Diaz
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.,Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Millennium Initiative for Collaborative Research On Bacterial Resistance (MICROB-R), Santiago, Chile
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18
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Claisse O, Chaïb A, Jaomanjaka F, Philippe C, Barchi Y, Lucas PM, Le Marrec C. Distribution of Prophages in the Oenococcus oeni Species. Microorganisms 2021; 9:856. [PMID: 33923461 PMCID: PMC8074189 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Oenococcus oeni is the most exploited lactic acid bacterium in the wine industry and drives the malolactic fermentation of wines. Although prophage-like sequences have been identified in the species, many are not characterized, and a global view of their integration and distribution amongst strains is currently lacking. In this work, we analyzed the complete genomes of 231 strains for the occurrence of prophages, and analyzed their size and positions of insertion. Our data show the limited variation in the number of prophages in O. oeni genomes, and that six sites of insertion within the bacterial genome are being used for site-specific recombination. Prophage diversity patterns varied significantly for different host lineages, and environmental niches. Overall, the findings highlight the pervasive presence of prophages in the O. oeni species, their role as a major source of within-species bacterial diversity and drivers of horizontal gene transfer. Our data also have implications for enhanced understanding of the prophage recombination events which occurred during evolution of O. oeni, as well as the potential of prophages in influencing the fitness of these bacteria in their distinct niches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Claire Le Marrec
- Unité de Recherche Œnologie, Bordeaux INP, University of Bordeaux, INRAE, ISVV, F-33882 Bordeaux, France; (O.C.); (A.C.); (F.J.); (C.P.); (Y.B.); (P.M.L.)
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19
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Centurion VB, Lacerda-Júnior GV, Duarte AWF, Silva TR, Silva LJ, Rosa LH, Oliveira VM. Dynamics of microbial stress responses driven by abiotic changes along a temporal gradient in Deception Island, Maritime Antarctica. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143671. [PMID: 33248775 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Whalers Bay (WB), Deception Island, is an environment that can drastically change its temperature within a few meters. The main forms of life inhabiting this environment are microorganisms, which, due to the high diversity and their adaptive potential, can survive and thrive under harsh stress conditions. However, the genetic potential and mechanisms to cope with fluctuating adverse conditions as well as what extent environmental variations shape the microbial community over the years it is still unknown in Antarctic environments. In this work, sediments collected in a transect in Whalers Bay, Deception Island, during the Austral Summers of 2014, 2015 and 2017 were analyzed using shotgun metagenomics. Sequence data were further processed with the SqueezeMeta tool for assembly, gene prediction, mapping, taxonomic and functional annotations. Results showed that stress-related functions had the influence of temperatures and solar radiation observed in the years of 2015 and 2017. The most differentiated functions were the ones related to oxidative stress, comparing 2014 vs 2015 and 2014 vs 2017. The genes coding for HSP20 and oxidoreductases (nrdH, grxA, korC and korD), as well as the genes clpE, cspL, and operons mtrAB and vicKR, were differentially enriched between the years, most of them found in gram-positive bacteria. The selective pressures of temperature and radiation may have favored the growth of gram-positive bacteria in 2017, with emphasis on Arthrobacter genus. Data gathered in this work showed that temperature and solar radiation could potentially be the primary driving forces shaping the repertoire of stress-response genes for the maintenance of microbial diversity in WB Antarctic sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- V B Centurion
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology, and Agriculture (CPQBA), State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Paulínia, SP CEP 13081-970, Brazil; Biology Institute, State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP CEP: 13083-862, Brazil.
| | - G V Lacerda-Júnior
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology, and Agriculture (CPQBA), State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Paulínia, SP CEP 13081-970, Brazil; Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation - EMBRAPA, Jaguariúna, SP CEP 13820-000, Brazil
| | - A W F Duarte
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology, and Agriculture (CPQBA), State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Paulínia, SP CEP 13081-970, Brazil; Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca - UFAL, Arapiraca, AL CEP 57309-005, Brazil
| | - T R Silva
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology, and Agriculture (CPQBA), State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Paulínia, SP CEP 13081-970, Brazil
| | - L J Silva
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation - EMBRAPA, Jaguariúna, SP CEP 13820-000, Brazil
| | - L H Rosa
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 31270-901, Brazil.
| | - V M Oliveira
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology, and Agriculture (CPQBA), State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Paulínia, SP CEP 13081-970, Brazil.
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20
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Patel Y, Zhao H, Helmann JD. A regulatory pathway that selectively up-regulates elongasome function in the absence of class A PBPs. eLife 2020; 9:57902. [PMID: 32897856 PMCID: PMC7478892 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria surround themselves with peptidoglycan, an adaptable enclosure that contributes to cell shape and stability. Peptidoglycan assembly relies on penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) acting in concert with SEDS-family transglycosylases RodA and FtsW, which support cell elongation and division respectively. In Bacillus subtilis, cells lacking all four PBPs with transglycosylase activity (aPBPs) are viable. Here, we show that the alternative sigma factor σI is essential in the absence of aPBPs. Defects in aPBP-dependent wall synthesis are compensated by σI-dependent upregulation of an MreB homolog, MreBH, which localizes the LytE autolysin to the RodA-containing elongasome complex. Suppressor analysis reveals that cells unable to activate this σI stress response acquire gain-of-function mutations in the essential histidine kinase WalK, which also elevates expression of sigI, mreBH and lytE. These results reveal compensatory mechanisms that balance the directional peptidoglycan synthesis arising from the elongasome complex with the more diffusive action of aPBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesha Patel
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Heng Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - John D Helmann
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
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21
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Olivieri FA, Burastero O, Drusin SI, Defelipe LA, Wetzler DE, Turjanski A, Marti M. Conformational and Reaction Dynamic Coupling in Histidine Kinases: Insights from Hybrid QM/MM Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:833-842. [PMID: 31923359 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Histidine kinases (HK) of bacterial two-component systems represent a hallmark of allosterism in proteins, being able to detect a signal through the sensor domain and transmit this information through the protein matrix to the kinase domain which, once active, autophosphorylates a specific histidine residue. Inactive-to-active transition results in a large conformational change that moves the kinase on top of the histidine. In the present work, we use several molecular simulation techniques (Molecular Dynamics, Hybrid QM/MM, and constant pH molecular dynamics) to study the activation and autophosphorylation reactions in L. plantarum WalK, a cis-acting HK. In agreement with previous results, we show that the chemical step requires tight coupling with the conformational step in order to maintain the histidine phosphoacceptor in the correct tautomeric state, with a reactive δ-nitrogen. During the conformational transition, the kinase domain is never released and walks along the HK helix axis, breaking and forming several conserved residue-based contacts. The phosphate transfer reaction is concerted in the transition state region and is catalyzed through the stabilization of the negative developing charge of transferring phosphate along the reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico A Olivieri
- Departamento de Quı́mica Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,Instituto de Quı́mica Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET , Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Osvaldo Burastero
- Departamento de Quı́mica Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,Instituto de Quı́mica Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET , Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Salvador I Drusin
- Departamento de Quı́mica Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,Instituto de Quı́mica Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET , Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,Área Fı́sica, Departamento de Quı́mico-Fı́sica, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquı́micas y Farmacéuticas , Universidad Nacional de Rosario , Suipacha 531 , S2002LRK Rosario , Santa Fe , Argentina
| | - Lucas A Defelipe
- Departamento de Quı́mica Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,Instituto de Quı́mica Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET , Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg , Notkestrasse 85 , D-22607 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Diana E Wetzler
- Departamento de Quı́mica Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,Instituto de Quı́mica Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET , Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Adrián Turjanski
- Departamento de Quı́mica Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,Instituto de Quı́mica Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET , Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Marcelo Marti
- Departamento de Quı́mica Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales , Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina.,Instituto de Quı́mica Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET , Ciudad Universitaria , Intendente Guiraldes 2160 , C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires , Argentina
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22
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Gray DA, Wenzel M. More Than a Pore: A Current Perspective on the In Vivo Mode of Action of the Lipopeptide Antibiotic Daptomycin. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:E17. [PMID: 31947747 PMCID: PMC7168178 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Daptomycin is a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic, which was discovered in 1987 and entered the market in 2003. To date, it serves as last resort antibiotic to treat complicated skin infections, bacteremia, and right-sided endocarditis caused by Gram-positive pathogens, most prominently methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Daptomycin was the last representative of a novel antibiotic class that was introduced to the clinic. It is also one of the few membrane-active compounds that can be applied systemically. While membrane-active antibiotics have long been limited to topical applications and were generally excluded from systemic drug development, they promise slower resistance development than many classical drugs that target single proteins. The success of daptomycin together with the emergence of more and more multi-resistant superbugs attracted renewed interest in this compound class. Studying daptomycin as a pioneering systemic membrane-active compound might help to pave the way for future membrane-targeting antibiotics. However, more than 30 years after its discovery, the exact mechanism of action of daptomycin is still debated. In particular, there is a prominent discrepancy between in vivo and in vitro studies. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge on the mechanism of daptomycin against Gram-positive bacteria and try to offer explanations for these conflicting observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Declan Alan Gray
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK;
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
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23
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Rosales-Hurtado M, Meffre P, Szurmant H, Benfodda Z. Synthesis of histidine kinase inhibitors and their biological properties. Med Res Rev 2019; 40:1440-1495. [PMID: 31802520 DOI: 10.1002/med.21651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria represent a significant and ever-increasing cause of morbidity and mortality. There is thus an urgent need to develop efficient and well-tolerated antibacterials targeting unique cellular processes. Numerous studies have led to the identification of new biological targets to fight bacterial resistance. Two-component signal transduction systems are widely employed by bacteria to translate external and cellular signals into a cellular response. They are ubiquitous in bacteria, absent in the animal kingdom and are integrated into various virulence pathways. Several chemical series, including isothiazolidones, imidazolium salts, benzoxazines, salicylanilides, thiophenes, thiazolidiones, benzimidazoles, and other derivatives deduced by different approaches have been reported in the literature to have histidine kinase (HK) inhibitory activity. In this review, we report on the design and the synthesis of these HKs inhibitors and their potential to serve as antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hendrik Szurmant
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
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24
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Brunet YR, Wang X, Rudner DZ. SweC and SweD are essential co-factors of the FtsEX-CwlO cell wall hydrolase complex in Bacillus subtilis. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008296. [PMID: 31437162 PMCID: PMC6705773 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The peptidoglycan (PG) sacculus is composed of long glycan strands cross-linked together by short peptides forming a covalently closed meshwork that protects the bacterial cell from osmotic lysis and specifies its shape. PG hydrolases play essential roles in remodeling this three-dimensional network during growth and division but how these autolytic enzymes are regulated remains poorly understood. The FtsEX ABC transporter-like complex has emerged as a broadly conserved regulatory module in controlling cell wall hydrolases in diverse bacterial species. In most characterized examples, this complex regulates distinct PG hydrolases involved in cell division and is intimately associated with the cytokinetic machinery called the divisome. However, in the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis the FtsEX complex is required for cell wall elongation where it regulates the PG hydrolase CwlO that acts along the lateral cell wall. To investigate whether additional factors are required for FtsEX function outside the divisome, we performed a synthetic lethal screen taking advantage of the conditional essentiality of CwlO. This screen identified two uncharacterized factors (SweD and SweC) that are required for CwlO activity. We demonstrate that these proteins reside in a membrane complex with FtsX and that amino acid substitutions in residues adjacent to the ATPase domain of FtsE partially bypass the requirement for them. Collectively our data indicate that SweD and SweC function as essential co-factors of FtsEX in controlling CwlO during cell wall elongation. We propose that factors analogous to SweDC function to support FtsEX activity outside the divisome in other bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick R. Brunet
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Xindan Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - David Z. Rudner
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
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