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Cherrak Y, Salazar MA, Yilmaz K, Kreuzer M, Hardt WD. Commensal E. coli limits Salmonella gut invasion during inflammation by producing toxin-bound siderophores in a tonB-dependent manner. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002616. [PMID: 38865418 PMCID: PMC11168627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002616] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract is densely colonized by a polymicrobial community known as the microbiota which serves as primary line of defence against pathogen invasion. The microbiota can limit gut-luminal pathogen growth at different stages of infection. This can be traced to specific commensal strains exhibiting direct or indirect protective functions. Although these mechanisms hold the potential to develop new approaches to combat enteric pathogens, they remain far from being completely described. In this study, we investigated how a mouse commensal Escherichia coli can outcompete Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Tm). Using a salmonellosis mouse model, we found that the commensal E. coli 8178 strain relies on a trojan horse trap strategy to limit S. Tm expansion in the inflamed gut. Combining mutants and reporter tools, we demonstrated that inflammation triggers the expression of the E. coli 8178 antimicrobial microcin H47 toxin which, when fused to salmochelin siderophores, can specifically alter S. Tm growth. This protective function was compromised upon disruption of the E. coli 8178 tonB-dependent catecholate siderophore uptake system, highlighting a previously unappreciated crosstalk between iron intake and microcin H47 activity. By identifying the genetic determinants mediating S. Tm competition, our work not only provides a better mechanistic understanding of the protective function displayed by members of the gut microbiota but also further expands the general contribution of microcins in bacterial antagonistic relationships. Ultimately, such insights can open new avenues for developing microbiota-based approaches to better control intestinal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yassine Cherrak
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miguel Angel Salazar
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Koray Yilmaz
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Kreuzer
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Wolf-Dietrich Hardt
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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2
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Li W, Zeng Z, Zhou D, Wang G, Wang Z, Li Y, Han Y, Qin M, Luo C, Feng S, Cao W. Effect of oral administration of microcin Y on growth performance, intestinal barrier function and gut microbiota of chicks challenged with Salmonella Pullorum. Vet Res 2024; 55:66. [PMID: 38778424 PMCID: PMC11112776 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-024-01321-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The lasso peptide microcin Y (MccY) effectively inhibits various serotypes of Salmonella in vitro, but the antibacterial effect against S. Pullorum in poultry is still unclear. This study was the first to evaluate the safety and anti-S. Pullorum infection of MccY in specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks. The safety test showed that the body weight, IgA and IgM levels of serum, and cecal microbiota structure of 3 groups of chicks orally administrated with different doses of MccY (5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg) for 14 days were not significantly different from those of the control group. Then, the chicks were randomized into 3 groups for the experiment of anti-S. Pullorum infection: (I) negative control group (NC), (II) S. Pullorum-challenged group (SP, 5 × 108 CFU/bird), (III) MccY-treated group (MccY, 20 mg/kg). The results indicated that compared to the SP group, treatment of MccY increased body weight and average daily gain (P < 0.05), reduced S. Pullorum burden in feces, liver, and cecum (P < 0.05), enhanced the thymus, and decreased the spleen and liver index (P < 0.05). Additionally, MccY increased the jejunal villus height, lowered the jejunal and ileal crypt depth (P < 0.05), and upregulated the expression of IL-4, IL-10, ZO-1 in the jejunum and ileum, as well as CLDN-1 in the jejunum (P < 0.05) compared to the SP group. Furthermore, MccY increased probiotic flora (Barnesiella, etc.), while decreasing (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of pathogenic flora (Escherichia and Salmonella, etc.) compared to the SP group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiwei Zeng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Di Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guyao Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zepeng Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Han
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Miaomiao Qin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Changqi Luo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Saixiang Feng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccine Innovation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Weisheng Cao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccine Innovation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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3
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Sugrue I, Ross RP, Hill C. Bacteriocin diversity, function, discovery and application as antimicrobials. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41579-024-01045-x. [PMID: 38730101 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01045-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriocins are potent antimicrobial peptides that are produced by bacteria. Since their discovery almost a century ago, diverse peptides have been discovered and described, and some are currently used as commercial food preservatives. Many bacteriocins exhibit extensively post-translationally modified structures encoded on complex gene clusters, whereas others have simple linear structures. The molecular structures, mechanisms of action and resistance have been determined for a number of bacteriocins, but most remain incompletely characterized. These gene-encoded peptides are amenable to bioengineering strategies and heterologous expression, enabling metagenomic mining and modification of novel antimicrobials. The ongoing global antimicrobial resistance crisis demands that novel therapeutics be developed to combat infectious pathogens. New compounds that are target-specific and compatible with the resident microbiota would be valuable alternatives to current antimicrobials. As bacteriocins can be broad or narrow spectrum in nature, they are promising tools for this purpose. However, few bacteriocins have gone beyond preclinical trials and none is currently used therapeutically in humans. In this Review, we explore the broad diversity in bacteriocin structure and function, describe identification and optimization methods and discuss the reasons behind the lack of translation beyond the laboratory of these potentially valuable antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Sugrue
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - R Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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4
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Li S, Zhang YX. Sensitive delivery systems and novel encapsulation technologies for live biotherapeutic products and probiotics. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024; 50:371-384. [PMID: 37074732 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2202237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Live biotherapeutic product (LBP), a type of biological product, holds promise for the prevention or treatment of metabolic disease and pathogenic infection. Probiotics are live microorganisms that improve the intestinal microbial balance and beneficially affect the health of the host when ingested in sufficient numbers. These biological products possess the advantages of inhibition of pathogens, degradation of toxins, and modulation of immunity. The application of LBP and probiotic delivery systems has attracted great interest to researchers. The initial used technologies for LBP and probiotic encapsulation are traditional capsules and microcapsules. However, the stability and targeted delivery capability require further improved. The specific sensitive materials can greatly improve the delivery efficiency of LBPs and probiotics. The specific sensitive delivery systems show advantages over traditional ones due to their better properties of biocompatibility, biodegradability, innocuousness, and stability. Moreover, some new technologies, including layer-by-layer encapsulation, polyelectrolyte complexation, and electrohydrodynamic technology, show great potential in LBP and probiotic delivery. In this review, novel delivery systems and new technologies of LBPs and probiotics were presented, and the challenges and prospects were explored in specific sensitive materials for LBP and probiotic delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Li
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yi-Xuan Zhang
- School of Life Science and Biopharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
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5
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Bhattarai SK, Du M, Zeamer AL, Morzfeld BM, Kellogg TD, Firat K, Benjamin A, Bean JM, Zimmerman M, Mardi G, Vilbrun SC, Walsh KF, Fitzgerald DW, Glickman MS, Bucci V. Commensal antimicrobial resistance mediates microbiome resilience to antibiotic disruption. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadi9711. [PMID: 38232140 PMCID: PMC11017772 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi9711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Despite their therapeutic benefits, antibiotics exert collateral damage on the microbiome and promote antimicrobial resistance. However, the mechanisms governing microbiome recovery from antibiotics are poorly understood. Treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the world's most common infection, represents the longest antimicrobial exposure in humans. Here, we investigate gut microbiome dynamics over 20 months of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) and 6 months of drug-sensitive TB treatment in humans. We find that gut microbiome dynamics and TB clearance are shared predictive cofactors of the resolution of TB-driven inflammation. The initial severe taxonomic and functional microbiome disruption, pathobiont domination, and enhancement of antibiotic resistance that initially accompanied long-term antibiotics were countered by later recovery of commensals. This resilience was driven by the competing evolution of antimicrobial resistance mutations in pathobionts and commensals, with commensal strains with resistance mutations reestablishing dominance. Fecal-microbiota transplantation of the antibiotic-resistant commensal microbiome in mice recapitulated resistance to further antibiotic disruption. These findings demonstrate that antimicrobial resistance mutations in commensals can have paradoxically beneficial effects by promoting microbiome resilience to antimicrobials and identify microbiome dynamics as a predictor of disease resolution in antibiotic therapy of a chronic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakti K Bhattarai
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Microbiome Dynamics, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Muxue Du
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Abigail L Zeamer
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Microbiome Dynamics, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Benedikt M Morzfeld
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Microbiome Dynamics, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Tasia D Kellogg
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Microbiome Dynamics, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Kaya Firat
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Anna Benjamin
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - James M Bean
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Matthew Zimmerman
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Gertrude Mardi
- Haitian Study Group for Kaposi’s Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections (GHESKIO), Port-au-Prince, Haiti
| | - Stalz Charles Vilbrun
- Haitian Study Group for Kaposi’s Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections (GHESKIO), Port-au-Prince, Haiti
| | - Kathleen F Walsh
- Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Michael S Glickman
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Vanni Bucci
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Microbiome Dynamics, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Immunology and Microbiology Program, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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6
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Hu M, Zhang T, Miao M, Li K, Luan Q, Sun G. Expectations for employing Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 in food science and nutrition. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38189668 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2023.2301416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
As a promising probiotic strain, Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) has been demonstrated to confer beneficial effects on intestinal health, immune function, and pathogen prevention. Additionally, EcN has also been widely studied due to its clear genomic information, tractable gene regulation, and simple growth conditions. This review summarizes the various applications potential of EcN in food science and nutrition, including inflammation prevention, tumor-targeting therapy, antibacterial agents for food, and nutrient production with a focus on specific case studies. Moreover, we highlight the major challenges of employing EcN in food science and nutrition, including regulatory approval, stability during food processing, and consumer acceptance. Finally, we conclude with a discussion on perspectives related to employing EcN in food science and nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ming Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kewen Li
- Baolingbao Biology Co., Ltd, Yucheng, Shandong, China
| | - Qingmin Luan
- Baolingbao Biology Co., Ltd, Yucheng, Shandong, China
| | - Guilian Sun
- Baolingbao Biology Co., Ltd, Yucheng, Shandong, China
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7
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Burz SD, Causevic S, Dal Co A, Dmitrijeva M, Engel P, Garrido-Sanz D, Greub G, Hapfelmeier S, Hardt WD, Hatzimanikatis V, Heiman CM, Herzog MKM, Hockenberry A, Keel C, Keppler A, Lee SJ, Luneau J, Malfertheiner L, Mitri S, Ngyuen B, Oftadeh O, Pacheco AR, Peaudecerf F, Resch G, Ruscheweyh HJ, Sahin A, Sanders IR, Slack E, Sunagawa S, Tackmann J, Tecon R, Ugolini GS, Vacheron J, van der Meer JR, Vayena E, Vonaesch P, Vorholt JA. From microbiome composition to functional engineering, one step at a time. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0006323. [PMID: 37947420 PMCID: PMC10732080 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00063-23] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYCommunities of microorganisms (microbiota) are present in all habitats on Earth and are relevant for agriculture, health, and climate. Deciphering the mechanisms that determine microbiota dynamics and functioning within the context of their respective environments or hosts (the microbiomes) is crucially important. However, the sheer taxonomic, metabolic, functional, and spatial complexity of most microbiomes poses substantial challenges to advancing our knowledge of these mechanisms. While nucleic acid sequencing technologies can chart microbiota composition with high precision, we mostly lack information about the functional roles and interactions of each strain present in a given microbiome. This limits our ability to predict microbiome function in natural habitats and, in the case of dysfunction or dysbiosis, to redirect microbiomes onto stable paths. Here, we will discuss a systematic approach (dubbed the N+1/N-1 concept) to enable step-by-step dissection of microbiome assembly and functioning, as well as intervention procedures to introduce or eliminate one particular microbial strain at a time. The N+1/N-1 concept is informed by natural invasion events and selects culturable, genetically accessible microbes with well-annotated genomes to chart their proliferation or decline within defined synthetic and/or complex natural microbiota. This approach enables harnessing classical microbiological and diversity approaches, as well as omics tools and mathematical modeling to decipher the mechanisms underlying N+1/N-1 microbiota outcomes. Application of this concept further provides stepping stones and benchmarks for microbiome structure and function analyses and more complex microbiome intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Dan Burz
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Senka Causevic
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alma Dal Co
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marija Dmitrijeva
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Engel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Garrido-Sanz
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gilbert Greub
- Institut de microbiologie, CHUV University Hospital Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Clara Margot Heiman
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Christoph Keel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Soon-Jae Lee
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julien Luneau
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Malfertheiner
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sara Mitri
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bidong Ngyuen
- Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Omid Oftadeh
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, EPF Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Grégory Resch
- Center for Research and Innovation in Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences, CHUV University Hospital Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Asli Sahin
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, EPF Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ian R. Sanders
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Emma Slack
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Janko Tackmann
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robin Tecon
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Jordan Vacheron
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Evangelia Vayena
- Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology, EPF Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascale Vonaesch
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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8
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Bartram E, Asai M, Gabant P, Wigneshweraraj S. Enhancing the antibacterial function of probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle: when less is more. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0097523. [PMID: 37930328 PMCID: PMC10686094 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00975-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Probiotic bacteria confer multiple health benefits, including preventing the growth, colonization, or carriage of harmful bacteria in the gut. Bacteriocins are antibacterial peptides produced by diverse bacteria, and their production is tightly regulated and coordinated at the transcriptional level. A popular strategy for enhancing the antibacterial properties of probiotic bacteria is to retrofit them with the ability to overproduce heterologous bacteriocins. This is often achieved from non-native constitutive promoters or in response to host or pathogen signal from synthetic promoters. How the dysregulated overproduction of heterologous bacteriocins affects the fitness and antibacterial efficacy of the retrofitted probiotic bacteria is often overlooked. We have conferred the prototypical probiotic Escherichia coli strain Nissle (EcN) the ability to produce microcin C (McC) from the wild-type promoter and two mutant promoters that allow, relative to the wild-type promoter, high and low amounts of McC production. This was done by introducing specific changes to the sequence of the wild-type promoter driving transcription of the McC operon while ensuring that the modified promoters respond to native regulation. By studying the transcriptomic responses and antibacterial efficacy of the retrofitted EcN bacteria in a Galleria mellonella infection model of enterohemorrhagic E. coli, we show that EcN bacteria that produce the lowest amount of McC display the highest antibacterial efficacy with little-to-none undesired collateral impact on their fitness. The results highlight considerations researchers may take into account when retrofitting probiotic bacteria with heterogenous gene products for therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic applications. Bacteria that resist killing by antibiotics are a major risk to modern medicine. The use of beneficial "probiotic" bacteria to make antibiotic-like compounds at the site of infection in the body is emerging as a popular alternative to the use of conventional antibiotics. A potential drawback of engineering probiotic bacteria in this way is that producing antibiotic-like compounds could impart undesired side effects on the performance of such bacteria, thereby compromising their intended use. This study highlights considerations researchers may take into account when engineering probiotic bacteria for therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Bartram
- Section of Molecular Microbiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Masanori Asai
- Section of Molecular Microbiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sivaramesh Wigneshweraraj
- Section of Molecular Microbiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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9
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Kulikova AV, Parker JK, Davies BW, Wilke CO. Semantic search using protein large language models detects class II microcins in bacterial genomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.15.567263. [PMID: 38014091 PMCID: PMC10680697 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.15.567263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Class II microcins are antimicrobial peptides that have shown some potential as novel antibiotics. However, to date only ten class II microcins have been described, and discovery of novel microcins has been hampered by their short length and high sequence divergence. Here, we ask if we can use numerical embeddings generated by protein large language models to detect microcins in bacterial genome assemblies and whether this method can outperform sequence-based methods such as BLAST. We find that embeddings detect known class II microcins much more reliably than does BLAST and that any two microcins tend to have a small distance in embedding space even though they typically are highly diverged at the sequence level. In datasets of Escherichia coli , Klebsiella spp., and Enterobacter spp. genomes, we further find novel putative microcins that were previously missed by sequence-based search methods.
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10
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Kim H, Jang JH, Jung IY, Kim HR, Cho JH. Novel Genetically Engineered Probiotics for Targeted Elimination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Intestinal Colonization. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2645. [PMID: 37893018 PMCID: PMC10604247 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102645] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The intestinal carriage rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are notably elevated in immunosuppressed individuals and hospitalized patients, increasing the risk of infection and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. A potential solution to this issue lies in autonomous antibacterial therapy, remaining inactive until a pathogen is detected, and releasing antibacterial compounds on demand to eliminate the pathogen. This study focuses on the development of genetically engineered probiotics capable of detecting and eradicating P. aeruginosa by producing and secreting PA2-GNU7, a P. aeruginosa-selective antimicrobial peptide (AMP), triggered by the presence of P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecule N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3OC12HSL). To achieve this goal, plasmid-based systems were constructed to produce AMPs in response to 3OC12HSL and secrete them into the extracellular medium using either the microcin V secretion system or YebF as a carrier protein. Following the transfer of these plasmid-based systems to Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN), we successfully demonstrated the ability of the engineered EcN to express and secrete PA2-GNU7, leading to the inhibition of P. aeruginosa growth in vitro. In addition, in a mouse model of intestinal P. aeruginosa colonization, the administration of engineered EcN resulted in reduced levels of P. aeruginosa in both the feces and the colon. These findings suggest that engineered EcN holds promise as a potential option for combating intestinal P. aeruginosa colonization, thus mitigating the risk of future endogenous infections in vulnerable patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Kim
- Research Institute of Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea; (H.K.); (J.H.J.)
| | - Ju Hye Jang
- Research Institute of Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea; (H.K.); (J.H.J.)
| | - In Young Jung
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea; (I.Y.J.); (H.R.K.)
| | - Ha Rang Kim
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea; (I.Y.J.); (H.R.K.)
| | - Ju Hyun Cho
- Research Institute of Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea; (H.K.); (J.H.J.)
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea; (I.Y.J.); (H.R.K.)
- Division of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
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Intestinal colonization with multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales: screening, epidemiology, clinical impact, and strategies to decolonize carriers. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2023; 42:229-254. [PMID: 36680641 PMCID: PMC9899200 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-023-04548-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The clinical impact of infections due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)- and/or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (Ent) has reached dramatic levels worldwide. Infections due to these multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens-especially Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae-may originate from a prior asymptomatic intestinal colonization that could also favor transmission to other subjects. It is therefore desirable that gut carriers are rapidly identified to try preventing both the occurrence of serious endogenous infections and potential transmission. Together with the infection prevention and control countermeasures, any strategy capable of effectively eradicating the MDR-Ent from the intestinal tract would be desirable. In this narrative review, we present a summary of the different aspects linked to the intestinal colonization due to MDR-Ent. In particular, culture- and molecular-based screening techniques to identify carriers, data on prevalence and risk factors in different populations, clinical impact, length of colonization, and contribution to transmission in various settings will be overviewed. We will also discuss the standard strategies (selective digestive decontamination, fecal microbiota transplant) and those still in development (bacteriophages, probiotics, microcins, and CRISPR-Cas-based) that might be used to decolonize MDR-Ent carriers.
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