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Zhu Y, Dou Q, Du L, Wang Y. QseB/QseC: a two-component system globally regulating bacterial behaviors. Trends Microbiol 2023:S0966-842X(23)00046-X. [PMID: 36849330 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
QseB/QseC is a two-component system that is involved in the regulation of multiple bacterial behaviors by regulating quorum sensing, bacterial pathogenicity, and antibiotic resistance. Thus, QseB/QseC could provide a target for new antibiotic development. Recently, QseB/QseC has been found to confer survival advantages to environmental bacteria under stress conditions. The molecular mechanistic understanding of QseB/QseC has become an active area of research and revealed some emerging themes, including a deeper understanding of QseB/QseC regulation in different pathogens and environmental bacteria, the functional difference of QseB/QseC among species, and the possibility of analyzing QseB/QseC evolution. Here, we discuss the progression of QseB/QseC studies and describe several unresolved issues and future directions. Resolving these issues is among the challenges of future QseB/QseC studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Zhu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Qin Dou
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Liangcheng Du
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Yan Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
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Lv J, Zhu J, Wang T, Xie X, Wang T, Zhu Z, Chen L, Zhong F, Du H. The Role of the Two-Component QseBC Signaling System in Biofilm Formation and Virulence of Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC43816. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:817494. [PMID: 35464966 PMCID: PMC9019566 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.817494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) is an evolving infectious pathogen associated with high mortality. The convergence of hypervirulence and multidrug resistance further challenges the clinical treatment options for K. pneumoniae infections. The QseBC two-component system (TCS) is a component of quorum-sensing regulatory cascade and functions as a global regulator of biofilm growth, bacterial motility, and virulence in Escherichia coli. However, the functional mechanisms of QseBC in hvKP have not been reported, and we aim to examine the role of QseBC in regulating virulence in hvKP strain ATCC43816. The CRISPR-Cas9 system was used to construct qseB, qseC, and qseBC knockout in ATCC43816. No significant alterations in the growth and antibiotic susceptibility were detected between wild-type and mutants. The deletion of qseC led to an increase of biofilm formation, resistance to serum killing, and high mortality in the G. mellonella model. RNAseq differential gene expression analysis exhibited that gene-associated biofilm formation (glgC, glgP, glgA, gcvA, bcsA, ydaM, paaF, ptsG), bacterial type VI secretion system (virB4, virB6, virB10, vgrG, hcp), and biosynthesis of siderophore (entC, entD, entE) were significantly upregulated in comparison with the wild-type control. In addition, qseB, ygiW (encode OB-family protein), and AraC family transcriptional regulator IT767_23090 genes showed highest expressions in the absence of QseC, which might be related to increased virulence. The study provided new insights into the functional importance of QseBC in regulating the virulence of hvKP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingnan Lv
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Suzhou Science and Technology Town Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaofang Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhichen Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, NJ, United States.,Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ, United States
| | - Fengyun Zhong
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hong Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Velusamy SK, Sampathkumar V, Godboley D, Fine DH. Survival of an Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans quorum sensing luxS mutant in the mouths of Rhesus monkeys: insights into ecological adaptation. Mol Oral Microbiol 2017; 32:432-442. [PMID: 28383798 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Experiments were designed to explore a prominent autoinducer-2 (AI-2) producing gene (luxS) related to colonization and survival of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, a low abundance member of the indigenous flora, that forms a key component of the dysbiotic flora in localized aggressive periodontitis. The luxS gene was disrupted in a primate strain of A. actinomycetemcomitans before implantation into the oral cavity of Rhesus monkeys (Rh). The colonization efficiency of the luxS mutant (RhAa-VS4) was compared with the parental wild-type strain (RhAa3) (positive control) and a ltxA mutant (RhAa-VS2) (negative control). The in vivo results showed that the luxS mutation had minimal impact on A. actinomycetemcomitans colonization compared with the wild-type RhAa3 strain. In vitro studies revealed that there was a significant upregulation of attachment-related genes aae, apiA, and flp in the RhAa-VS4 strain compared with RhAa3. Biofilm forming ability was also significantly increased in the RhAa-VS4 strain compared with RhAa3, whereas the AI-2 signal was ablated. The exogenous addition of the AI-2 precursor dihydroxy pentanedione allowed the RhAa-VS4 strain to achieve RhAa3 biofilm levels. This is the first primate study to test the relevance of LuxS in vivo. In vitro assessment suggests that in vivo survival of the RhAa-VS4 strain was due to the production of signaling AI-2 molecules derived from other members of the flora as well as the upregulation of genes related to attachment and biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senthil K Velusamy
- Department of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Vandana Sampathkumar
- Department of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Dipti Godboley
- Department of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Daniel H Fine
- Department of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
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Weigel WA, Demuth DR. QseBC, a two-component bacterial adrenergic receptor and global regulator of virulence in Enterobacteriaceae and Pasteurellaceae. Mol Oral Microbiol 2015; 31:379-97. [PMID: 26426681 PMCID: PMC5053249 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The QseBC two-component system (TCS) is associated with quorum sensing and functions as a global regulator of virulence. Based on sequence similarity within the sensor domain and conservation of an acidic motif essential for signal recognition, QseBC is primarily distributed in the Enterobacteriaceae and Pasteurellaceae. In Escherichia coli, QseC responds to autoinducer-3 and/or epinephrine/norepinephrine. Binding of epinephrine/norepinephrine is inhibited by adrenergic antagonists; hence QseC functions as a bacterial adrenergic receptor. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans QseC is activated by a combination of epinephrine/norepinephrine and iron, whereas only iron activates the Haemophilus influenzae sensor. QseC phosphorylates QseB but there is growing evidence that QseB is activated by non-cognate sensors and regulated by dephosphorylation via QseC. Interestingly, the QseBC signaling cascades and regulons differ significantly. In enterohemorrhagic E. coli, QseC induces expression of a second adrenergic TCS and phosphorylates two non-cognate response regulators, each of which induces specific sets of virulence genes. This signaling pathway integrates with other regulatory mechanisms mediated by transcriptional regulators QseA and QseD and a fucose-sensing TCS and likely controls the level and timing of virulence gene expression. In contrast, A. actinomycetemcomitans QseC signals through QseB to regulate genes involved in anaerobic metabolism and energy production, which may prime cellular metabolism for growth in an anaerobic host niche. QseC represents a novel target for therapeutic intervention and small molecule inhibitors already show promise as broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Further characterization of QseBC signaling may identify additional differences in QseBC function and inform further development of new therapeutics to control microbial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- W A Weigel
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville, School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - D R Demuth
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville, School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA
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Weigel WA, Demuth DR, Torres-Escobar A, Juárez-Rodríguez MD. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans QseBC is activated by catecholamines and iron and regulates genes encoding proteins associated with anaerobic respiration and metabolism. Mol Oral Microbiol 2015; 30:384-98. [PMID: 25923132 PMCID: PMC4660874 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans QseBC regulates its own expression and is essential for biofilm growth and virulence. However, the signal that activates the QseC sensor has not been identified and the qseBC regulon has not been defined. In this study, we show that QseC is activated by catecholamine hormones and iron but not by either component alone. Activation of QseC requires an EYRDD motif in the periplasmic domain of the sensor and site-specific mutations in EYRDD or the deletion of the periplasmic domain inhibits catecholamine/iron-dependent induction of the ygiW-qseBC operon. Catecholamine/iron-dependent induction of transcription also requires interaction of the QseB response regulator with its binding site in the ygiW-qseBC promoter. Whole genome microarrays were used to compare gene expression profiles of A. actinomycetemcomitans grown in a chemically defined medium with and without catecholamine and iron supplementation. Approximately 11.5% of the A. actinomycetemcomitans genome was differentially expressed by at least two-fold upon exposure to catecholamines and iron. The expression of ferritin was strongly induced, suggesting that intracellular iron storage capacity is increased upon QseBC activation. Consistent with this, genes encoding iron binding and transport proteins were down-regulated by QseBC. Strikingly, 57% of the QseBC up-regulated genes (56/99) encode proteins associated with anaerobic metabolism and respiration. Most of these up-regulated genes were recently reported to be induced during in vivo growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans. These results suggest that detection of catecholamines and iron by QseBC may alter the cellular metabolism of A. actinomycetemcomitans for increased fitness and growth in an anaerobic host environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- W A Weigel
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - D R Demuth
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - A Torres-Escobar
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - M D Juárez-Rodríguez
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA
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