The uptake of bacteria and amino acids by Ophryoscolex caudatus, Diploplastron affine and some other rumen Entodiniomorphid protozoa

Comparisons of Salmonella conjugation and virulence gene hyperexpression mediated by rumen protozoa from domestic and exotic ruminants

Recent studies have identified a phenomenon in which ciliated protozoa engulf Salmonella and the intra-protozoal environment hyperactivates virulence gene expression and provides a venue for conjugal transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmids. The former observation is relegated to Salmonella bearing the SGI1 multiresistance integron while the latter phenomenon appears to be a more generalized event for recipient Salmonella. Our previous studies have assessed virulence gene hyperexpression only with protozoa from the bovine rumen while conjugal transfer has been demonstrated in rumen protozoa from cattle and goats. The present study examined virulence gene hyperexpression for Salmonella exposed to rumen protozoa obtained from cattle, sheep, goats, or two African ruminants (giraffe and bongo). Conjugal transfer was also assessed in these protozoa using Salmonella as the recipient. Virulence gene hyperexpression was only observed following exposure to the rumen protozoa from cattle and sheep while elevated virulence was also observed in these animals. Conjugal transfer events were, however, observed in all protozoa evaluated. It therefore appears that the protozoa-based hypervirulence is not universal to all ruminants while conjugal transfer is more ubiquitous.

Involvement of a Salmonella genomic island 1 gene in the rumen protozoan-mediated enhancement of invasion for multiple-antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

Multiple-antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium is a food-borne pathogen that may be more virulent than related strains lacking the multiresistance phenotype. Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium phage type DT104 is the most prevalent of these multiresistant/hypervirulent strains. Multiresistance in DT104 is conferred by an integron structure, designated Salmonella genomic island 1 (SGI1), while we recently demonstrated DT104 hyperinvasion mediated by rumen protozoa (RPz) that are normal flora of cattle. Hyperinvasion was also observed in other Salmonella strains, i.e., other S. enterica serovar Typhimurium phage types and other S. enterica serovars, like S. enterica serovar Infantis, possessing SGI1, while DT104 strains lacking SGI1 were not hyperinvasive. Herein we attempted to identify SGI1 genes involved in the RPz-mediated hyperinvasion of Salmonella strains bearing SGI1. Transposon mutagenesis, coupled with a novel reporter system, revealed the involvement of an SGI1 gene previously designated SO13. Disruption of SO13 expression led to an abrogation of hyperinvasion as assessed by tissue culture invasion assays and by bovine challenge experiments. However, hyperinvasion was not observed in non-SGI1-bearing strains of Salmonella engineered to express SO13. That is, SO13 and another SGI1 gene(s) may coordinately upregulate invasion in DT104 exposed to RPz.

Exposure to rumen protozoa leads to enhancement of pathogenicity of and invasion by multiple-antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica bearing SGI1

Multiple-antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium is a food-borne pathogen that has been purported to be more virulent than antibiotic-sensitive counterparts. The paradigm for this multiresistant/hyperpathogenic phenotype is Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium phage type DT104 (DT104). The basis for the multiresistance in DT104 is related to an integron structure designated SGI1, but factors underlying hyperpathogenicity have not been completely identified. Since protozoa have been implicated in the alteration of virulence in Legionella and Mycobacterium spp., we attempted to assess the possibility that protozoa may contribute to the putative hypervirulence of DT104. Our study reveals that DT104 can be more invasive, as determined by a tissue culture invasion assay, after surviving within protozoa originating from the bovine rumen. The enhancement of invasion was correlated with hypervirulence in a bovine infection model in which we observed a more rapid progression of disease and a greater recovery rate for the pathogen. Fewer DT104 cells were recovered from tissues of infected animals when protozoa were lysed by preinfection chemical defaunation of the bovine or ovine rumen. The protozoan-mediated hypervirulence phenotype was observed only in DT104 and other Salmonella strains, including serovars Agona and Infantis, possessing SGI1.

The rate of uptake and metabolism of starch grains and cellulose particles by Entodinium species, Eudiplodinium maggii, some other entodiniomorphid protozoa and natural protozoal populations taken from the ovine rumen

The rates of engulfment and breakdown of starch grains and cellulose particles and of the rate of synthesis of amylopectin from cellulose by individual species of entodiniomorphid protozoa (grown in vivo and in vitro) and incubated anaerobically in vitro were studied. Rates of starch uptake varied from 2.3 to 770 micrograms/mg protozoal protein/min; the lowest was found with Diploplastron affine and the highest with Entodinium spp. on initial incubation with starch grains. The rate of starch breakdown varied from 0.49 to 8.6 micrograms/mg protein/min; the rate was dependent on the initial starch concentration inside the protozoa. Eudiplodinium maggii engulfed cellulose particles more rapidly (2-7 times) than rice starch grains and digested the cellulose at rates of 10 to 16.5 micrograms/mg protein/min. In a mixture of starch grains and cellulose particles, it engulfed the latter at 1.35 to 25 times the rate of the former. Eudiplodinium maggii and Epidinium caudatum, but not Entodinium spp. or Dip. affine, synthesized an amylopectin-like material from cellulose at rates of 0.4 to 4.75 micrograms/mg protein/min. If these reactions occur in the rumen in vivo, up to 9 g of amylopectin could be synthesized from cellulose each day by the entodiniomorphid protozoa.

The uptake and utilization of Entodinium caudatum, bacteria, free amino acids and glucose by the rumen ciliate Entodinium bursa

Washed suspensions of Entodinium bursa were incubated anaerobically with Entodinium caudatum, ten species of bacteria and a yeast. The rate of uptake and digestion of these micro-organisms was investigated. Protozoa grown in vivo did not engulf Proteus mirabilis or Klebsiella aerogenes but rapidly took up Bacillus megaterium. Selenomonas ruminantium, Torulopsis glabrata and Streptococcus bovis, although only the last was digested with release of soluble material into the medium. Protozoa grown in vitro engulfed each of the bacteria tested, taking up Megasphaera elsdenii and Proteus mirabilis most rapidly. Individual bacterial species and mixed rumen bacteria were engulfed more rapidly (up to 20 times) by protozoa grown in vivo than those grown in vitro, although the latter digested over 80% of the B. megaterium, Escherichia coli and P. mirabilis taken up. Labelled Ent. caudatum was extensively digested after engulfment by Ent. bursa. Some of the digestion products were released into the medium but individual amino acids were transferred as such from Ent. caudatum protein to Ent. bursa protein. Engulfed bacteria and polysaccharide granules were transferred intact from one protozoon to the other. Free amino acids were also taken up intact from the medium into protozoal protein but there was little biosynthesis of amino acids from glucose. When available for engulfment Ent. caudatum was quantitatively a much more valuable source of amino acids for protein synthesis by Ent. bursa than free amino acids or bacteria.