1
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Xi Y, Li X, Liu L, Xiu F, Yi X, Chen H, You X. Sneaky tactics: Ingenious immune evasion mechanisms of Bartonella. Virulence 2024; 15:2322961. [PMID: 38443331 PMCID: PMC10936683 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2322961] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative Bartonella species are facultative intracellular bacteria that can survive in the harsh intracellular milieu of host cells. They have evolved strategies to evade detection and degradation by the host immune system, which ensures their proliferation in the host. Following infection, Bartonella alters the initial immunogenic surface-exposed proteins to evade immune recognition via antigen or phase variation. The diverse lipopolysaccharide structures of certain Bartonella species allow them to escape recognition by the host pattern recognition receptors. Additionally, the survival of mature erythrocytes and their resistance to lysosomal fusion further complicate the immune clearance of this species. Certain Bartonella species also evade immune attacks by producing biofilms and anti-inflammatory cytokines and decreasing endothelial cell apoptosis. Overall, these factors create a challenging landscape for the host immune system to rapidly and effectively eradicate the Bartonella species, thereby facilitating the persistence of Bartonella infections and creating a substantial obstacle for therapeutic interventions. This review focuses on the effects of three human-specific Bartonella species, particularly their mechanisms of host invasion and immune escape, to gain new perspectives in the development of effective diagnostic tools, prophylactic measures, and treatment options for Bartonella infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Xi
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Xinru Li
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Feichen Xiu
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Xinchao Yi
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Hongliang Chen
- Chenzhou NO.1 People’s Hospital, The Affiliated Chenzhou Hospital, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, ChenZhou, China
| | - Xiaoxing You
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China
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2
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Jin X, Gou Y, Xin Y, Li J, Sun J, Li T, Feng J. Advancements in understanding the molecular and immune mechanisms of Bartonella pathogenicity. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1196700. [PMID: 37362930 PMCID: PMC10288214 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1196700] [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: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonellae are considered to be emerging opportunistic pathogens. The bacteria are transmitted by blood-sucking arthropods, and their hosts are a wide range of mammals including humans. After a protective barrier breach in mammals, Bartonella colonizes endothelial cells (ECs), enters the bloodstream, and infects erythrocytes. Current research primarily focuses on investigating the interaction between Bartonella and ECs and erythrocytes, with recent attention also paid to immune-related aspects. Various molecules related to Bartonella's pathogenicity have been identified. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the newly described molecular and immune responses associated with Bartonella's pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxia Jin
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Translation and Lanzhou Center for Tuberculosis Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuze Gou
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuxian Xin
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jingwei Li
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Translation and Lanzhou Center for Tuberculosis Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jingrong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tingting Li
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Translation and Lanzhou Center for Tuberculosis Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jie Feng
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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3
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Kumadaki K, Suzuki N, Tatematsu K, Doi Y, Tsukamoto K. Comparison of Biological Activities of BafA Family Autotransporters within Bartonella Species Derived from Cats and Rodents. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0018622. [PMID: 36744895 PMCID: PMC10016083 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00186-22] [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] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonella species are hemotropic, facultative intracellular bacteria, some of which cause zoonoses, that are widely disseminated among many mammals, including humans. During infection in humans, vascular endothelial cells play a crucial role as a replicative niche for Bartonella, and some are capable of promoting vascular proliferation. Along with well-studied pathogenic factors such as a trimeric autotransporter adhesin BadA or VirB/D4 type IV secretion system, bacteria-secreted protein BafA is also involved in Bartonella-induced vasoproliferation. Genes encoding BafA orthologs have been found in the genomes of most Bartonella species, but their functionality remains unclear. In this study, we focused on three cat-derived zoonotic species (B. henselae, B. koehlerae, and B. clarridgeiae) and two rodent-derived species (B. grahamii and B. doshiae) and compared the activity of BafA derived from each species. Recombinant BafA proteins of B. henselae, B. koehlerae, B. clarridgeiae, and B. grahamii, species that also cause human disease, induced cell proliferation and tube formation in cultured endothelial cells, while BafA derived from B. doshiae, a species that is rarely found in humans, showed neither activity. Additionally, treatment of cells with these BafA proteins increased phosphorylation of both vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, with the exception of B. doshiae BafA. Differential bafA mRNA expression and BafA secretion among the species likely contributed to the differences in the cell proliferation phenotype of the bacteria-infected cells. These findings suggest that the biological activity of BafA may be involved in the infectivity or pathogenicity of Bartonella species in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayo Kumadaki
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Natsumi Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kaoru Tatematsu
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yohei Doi
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kentaro Tsukamoto
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
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4
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Suzuki N, Kumadaki K, Tatematsu K, Doi Y, Tsukamoto K. The autotransporter BafA contributes to the proangiogenic potential of Bartonella elizabethae. Microbiol Immunol 2023; 67:248-257. [PMID: 36810719 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.13057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Bartonella elizabethae is a rat-borne zoonotic bacterium that causes human infectious endocarditis or neuroretinitis. Recently, a case of bacillary angiomatosis (BA) resulting from this organism was reported, leading to speculation that B. elizabethae may also trigger vasoproliferation. However, there are no reports of B. elizabethae promoting human vascular endothelial cell (EC) proliferation or angiogenesis, and to date, the effects of this bacterium on ECs are unknown. We recently identified a proangiogenic autotransporter, BafA, secreted from B. henselae and B. quintana, which are recognized as Bartonella spp. responsible for BA in humans. Here, we hypothesized that B. elizabethae also harbored a functional bafA gene and examined the proangiogenic activity of recombinant B. elizabethae-derived BafA. The bafA gene of B. elizabethae, which was found to share a 51.1% amino acid sequence identity with BafA of B. henselae and 52.5% with that of B. quintana in the passenger domain, was located in a syntenic region of the genome. The recombinant protein of the N-terminal passenger domain of B. elizabethae-BafA facilitated EC proliferation and capillary structure formation. Furthermore, it upregulated the receptor signaling pathway of vascular endothelial growth factor, as observed in B. henselae-BafA. Taken together, B. elizabethae-derived BafA stimulates human EC proliferation and may contribute to the proangiogenic potential of this bacterium. So far, functional bafA genes have been found in all BA-causing Bartonella spp., supporting the key role BafA may play in BA pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsumi Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Kayo Kumadaki
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Kaoru Tatematsu
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Yohei Doi
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.,Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kentaro Tsukamoto
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
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5
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Yoshimoto S, Aoki S, Ohara Y, Ishikawa M, Suzuki A, Linke D, Lupas AN, Hori K. Identification of the adhesive domain of AtaA from Acinetobacter sp. Tol 5 and its application in immobilizing Escherichia coli. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 10:1095057. [PMID: 36698637 PMCID: PMC9868564 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1095057] [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: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell immobilization is an important technique for efficiently utilizing whole-cell biocatalysts. We previously invented a method for bacterial cell immobilization using AtaA, a trimeric autotransporter adhesin from the highly sticky bacterium Acinetobacter sp. Tol 5. However, except for Acinetobacter species, only one bacterium has been successfully immobilized using AtaA. This is probably because the heterologous expression of large AtaA (1 MDa), that is a homotrimer of polypeptide chains composed of 3,630 amino acids, is difficult. In this study, we identified the adhesive domain of AtaA and constructed a miniaturized AtaA (mini-AtaA) to improve the heterologous expression of ataA. In-frame deletion mutants were used to perform functional mapping, revealing that the N-terminal head domain is essential for the adhesive feature of AtaA. The mini-AtaA, which contains a homotrimer of polypeptide chains from 775 amino acids and lacks the unnecessary part for its adhesion, was properly expressed in E. coli, and a larger amount of molecules was displayed on the cell surface than that of full-length AtaA (FL-AtaA). The immobilization ratio of E. coli cells expressing mini-AtaA on a polyurethane foam support was significantly higher compared to the cells with or without FL-AtaA expression, respectively. The expression of mini-AtaA in E. coli had little effect on the cell growth and the activity of another enzyme reflecting the production level, and the immobilized E. coli cells could be used for repetitive enzymatic reactions as a whole-cell catalyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shogo Yoshimoto
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sota Aoki
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yuki Ohara
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masahito Ishikawa
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Atsuo Suzuki
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Dirk Linke
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Andrei N. Lupas
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katsutoshi Hori
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan,*Correspondence: Katsutoshi Hori,
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6
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Taber R, Pankowski A, Ludwig AL, Jensen M, Magsamen V, Lashnits E. Bartonellosis in Dogs and Cats, an Update. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2022; 52:1163-1192. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2022.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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7
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Thibau A, Vaca DJ, Bagowski M, Hipp K, Bender D, Ballhorn W, Linke D, Kempf VAJ. Adhesion of Bartonella henselae to Fibronectin Is Mediated via Repetitive Motifs Present in the Stalk of Bartonella Adhesin A. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0211722. [PMID: 36165788 PMCID: PMC9602544 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02117-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Adhesion to host cells is the first and most crucial step in infections with pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria and is often mediated by trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs). Bartonella henselae targets the extracellular matrix glycoprotein fibronectin (Fn) via the Bartonella adhesin A (BadA) attaching the bacteria to the host cell. The TAA BadA is characterized by a highly repetitive passenger domain consisting of 30 neck/stalk domains with various degrees of similarity. To elucidate the motif sequences mediating Fn binding, we generated 10 modified BadA constructs and verified their expression via Western blotting, confocal laser scanning, and electron microscopy. We analyzed their ability to bind human plasma Fn using quantitative whole-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and fluorescence microscopy. Polyclonal antibodies targeting a 15-mer amino acid motif sequence proved to reduce Fn binding. We suggest that BadA adheres to Fn in a cumulative effort with quick saturation primarily via unpaired β-strands appearing in motifs repeatedly present throughout the neck/stalk region. In addition, we demonstrated that the length of truncated BadA constructs correlates with the immunoreactivity of human patient sera. The identification of BadA-Fn binding regions will support the development of new "antiadhesive" compounds inhibiting the initial adherence of B. henselae and other TAA-expressing pathogens to host cells. IMPORTANCE Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are important virulence factors and are widely present in various pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. TAA-expressing bacteria cause a wide spectrum of human diseases, such as cat scratch disease (Bartonella henselae), enterocolitis (Yersinia enterocolitica), meningitis (Neisseria meningitis), and bloodstream infections (multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii). TAA-targeted antiadhesive strategies (against, e.g., Bartonella adhesin A [BadA], Yersinia adhesin A [YadA], Neisseria adhesin A [NadA], and Acinetobacter trimeric autotransporter [Ata]) might represent a universal strategy to counteract such bacterial infections. BadA is one of the best characterized TAAs, and because of its high number of (sub)domains, it serves as an attractive adhesin to study the domain-function relationship of TAAs in the infection process. The identification of common binding motifs between TAAs (here, BadA) and their major binding partner (here, fibronectin) provides a basis toward the design of novel "antiadhesive" compounds preventing the initial adherence of Gram-negative bacteria in infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Thibau
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Diana J. Vaca
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Marlene Bagowski
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Katharina Hipp
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Bender
- Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Wibke Ballhorn
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Dirk Linke
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Volkhard A. J. Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
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8
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Interaction of Bartonella henselae with Fibronectin Represents the Molecular Basis for Adhesion to Host Cells. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0059822. [PMID: 35435766 PMCID: PMC9241615 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00598-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Deciphering the mechanisms of bacterial host cell adhesion is a clue for preventing infections. We describe the underestimated role that the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin plays in the adhesion of human-pathogenic
Bartonella henselae
to host cells.
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9
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Thibau A, Hipp K, Vaca DJ, Chowdhury S, Malmström J, Saragliadis A, Ballhorn W, Linke D, Kempf VAJ. Long-Read Sequencing Reveals Genetic Adaptation of Bartonella Adhesin A Among Different Bartonella henselae Isolates. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:838267. [PMID: 35197960 PMCID: PMC8859334 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.838267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae is the causative agent of cat scratch disease and other clinical entities such as endocarditis and bacillary angiomatosis. The life cycle of this pathogen, with alternating host conditions, drives evolutionary and host-specific adaptations. Human, feline, and laboratory adapted B. henselae isolates often display genomic and phenotypic differences that are related to the expression of outer membrane proteins, for example the Bartonella adhesin A (BadA). This modularly-structured trimeric autotransporter adhesin is a major virulence factor of B. henselae and is crucial for the initial binding to the host via the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin and collagen. By using next-generation long-read sequencing we demonstrate a conserved genome among eight B. henselae isolates and identify a variable genomic badA island with a diversified and highly repetitive badA gene flanked by badA pseudogenes. Two of the eight tested B. henselae strains lack BadA expression because of frameshift mutations. We suggest that active recombination mechanisms, possibly via phase variation (i.e., slipped-strand mispairing and site-specific recombination) within the repetitive badA island facilitate reshuffling of homologous domain arrays. The resulting variations among the different BadA proteins might contribute to host immune evasion and enhance long-term and efficient colonisation in the differing host environments. Considering the role of BadA as a key virulence factor, it remains important to check consistently and regularly for BadA surface expression during experimental infection procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Thibau
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Katharina Hipp
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Diana J Vaca
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sounak Chowdhury
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Malmström
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Athanasios Saragliadis
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Wibke Ballhorn
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dirk Linke
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Volkhard A J Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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10
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Ishii S, Yoshimoto S, Hori K. Single-cell adhesion force mapping of a highly sticky bacterium in liquid. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 606:628-634. [PMID: 34416455 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The sticky bacterium Acinetobacter sp. Tol 5 adheres to various material surfaces via its cell surface nanofiber protein, AtaA. This adhesiveness has only been evaluated based on the amount of cells adhering to a surface. In this study, the adhesion force mapping of a single Tol 5 cell in liquid using the quantitative imaging mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the adhesion of Tol 5 was near 2 nN, which was 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than that of other adhesive bacteria. The adhesion force of a cell became stronger with the increase in AtaA molecules present on the cell surface. Many fibers of peritrichate AtaA molecules simultaneously interact with a surface, strongly attaching the cell to the surface. The adhesion force of a Tol 5 cell was drastically reduced in the presence of 1% casamino acids but not in deionized water (DW), although both liquids decrease the adhesiveness of Tol 5 cells, suggesting that DW and casamino acids inhibit the cell approaching step and the subsequent direct interaction step of AtaA with surfaces, respectively. Heterologous production of AtaA provided non-adhesive Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 cells with a strong adhesion force to AFM tip surfaces of silicon and gold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Ishii
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
| | - Shogo Yoshimoto
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Hori
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan.
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11
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Okaro U, George S, Anderson B. What Is in a Cat Scratch? Growth of Bartonella henselae in a Biofilm. Microorganisms 2021; 9:835. [PMID: 33919891 PMCID: PMC8070961 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae (B. henselae) is a gram-negative bacterium that causes cat scratch disease, bacteremia, and endocarditis, as well as other clinical presentations. B. henselae has been shown to form a biofilm in vitro that likely plays a role in the establishment and persistence of the bacterium in the host. Biofilms are also known to form in the cat flea vector; hence, the ability of this bacterium to form a biofilm has broad biological significance. The release of B. henselae from a biofilm niche appears to be important in disease persistence and relapse in the vertebrate host but also in transmission by the cat flea vector. It has been shown that the BadA adhesin of B. henselae is critical for adherence and biofilm formation. Thus, the upregulation of badA is important in initiating biofilm formation, and down-regulation is important in the release of the bacterium from the biofilm. We summarize the current knowledge of biofilm formation in Bartonella species and the role of BadA in biofilm formation. We discuss the evidence that defines possible mechanisms for the regulation of the genes required for biofilm formation. We further describe the regulation of those genes in the conditions that mimic both the arthropod vector and the mammalian host for B. henselae. The treatment for persistent B. henselae infection remains a challenge; hence, a better understanding of the mechanisms by which this bacterium persists in its host is critical to inform future efforts to develop drugs to treat such infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udoka Okaro
- Foundational Sciences Directorate, Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA;
| | - Sierra George
- Department of Molecular Medicine, MDC7, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - Burt Anderson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, MDC7, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
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12
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Khalil HS, Øgaard J, Leo JC. Coaggregation properties of trimeric autotransporter adhesins. Microbiologyopen 2020; 9:e1109. [PMID: 32864901 PMCID: PMC7568254 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) comprise a group of virulence‐related proteins in Gram‐negative bacteria. Members of this family bind to extracellular matrix components such as collagen and fibronectin, but also they exhibit several other functions, such as conferring serum resistance and autoaggregation. Autoaggregation promoted by TAAs is homotypic and mediated by the sticky, globular head domains of these lollipop‐like molecules. However, whether TAAs mediate heterotypic interactions (i.e., coaggregation) has not been studied. To address this question, we investigated the coaggregation of two model TAA groups: YadA from the enteropathogenic Yersiniae and the immunoglobulin‐binding Eib proteins from Escherichia coli. To study TAA coaggregation, we coexpressed a fluorescent label together with a particular TAA and followed the aggregative interactions using fluorescence microscopy and quantified the interactions using a novel script implemented in Fiji. Our results show that there is coaggregation between some populations expressing different TAAs, which can be explained by relatively high sequence similarity between the interacting TAAs. Generally, the level of coaggregation correlated with the sequence similarity. However, some TAAs did not interact despite high sequence similarity, showing exclusion of bacteria producing a noncompatible TAA. These data demonstrate that TAAs can mediate bacterial coaggregation, but in some cases prevent coaggregation of bacteria with disparate TAAs. Our results have implications for the ecology of TAA‐producing bacteria, where coaggregation may promote co‐operation whereas exclusion might be an indication of competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hawzeen S Khalil
- Section for Evolution and Genetics, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jonas Øgaard
- Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jack C Leo
- Section for Evolution and Genetics, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Antimicrobial Resistance, Omics and Microbiota Group, Department of Biosciences, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
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13
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The Bartonella autotransporter BafA activates the host VEGF pathway to drive angiogenesis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3571. [PMID: 32678094 PMCID: PMC7366657 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17391-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria of the genus Bartonella can induce vasoproliferative lesions during infection. The underlying mechanisms are unclear, but involve secretion of an unidentified mitogenic factor. Here, we use functional transposon-mutant screening in Bartonella henselae to identify such factor as a pro-angiogenic autotransporter, called BafA. The passenger domain of BafA induces cell proliferation, tube formation and sprouting of microvessels, and drives angiogenesis in mice. BafA interacts with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-2 and activates the downstream signaling pathway, suggesting that BafA functions as a VEGF analog. A BafA homolog from a related pathogen, Bartonella quintana, is also functional. Our work unveils the mechanistic basis of vasoproliferative lesions observed in bartonellosis, and we propose BafA as a key pathogenic factor contributing to bacterial spread and host adaptation. Pathogenic bacteria of the genus Bartonella can induce vasoproliferative lesions during infection. Here, Tsukamoto et al. show that this effect is caused by a secreted protein that induces cell proliferation and angiogenesis by acting as an analog of the host’s vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
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Thibau A, Dichter AA, Vaca DJ, Linke D, Goldman A, Kempf VAJ. Immunogenicity of trimeric autotransporter adhesins and their potential as vaccine targets. Med Microbiol Immunol 2020; 209:243-263. [PMID: 31788746 PMCID: PMC7247748 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-019-00649-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The current problem of increasing antibiotic resistance and the resurgence of numerous infections indicate the need for novel vaccination strategies more than ever. In vaccine development, the search for and the selection of adequate vaccine antigens is the first important step. In recent years, bacterial outer membrane proteins have become of major interest, as they are the main proteins interacting with the extracellular environment. Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are important virulence factors in many Gram-negative bacteria, are localised on the bacterial surface, and mediate the first adherence to host cells in the course of infection. One example is the Neisseria adhesin A (NadA), which is currently used as a subunit in a licensed vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis. Other TAAs that seem promising vaccine candidates are the Acinetobacter trimeric autotransporter (Ata), the Haemophilus influenzae adhesin (Hia), and TAAs of the genus Bartonella. Here, we review the suitability of various TAAs as vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Thibau
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alexander A. Dichter
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Diana J. Vaca
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dirk Linke
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Adrian Goldman
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Volkhard A. J. Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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15
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Kiessling AR, Malik A, Goldman A. Recent advances in the understanding of trimeric autotransporter adhesins. Med Microbiol Immunol 2020; 209:233-242. [PMID: 31865405 PMCID: PMC7247746 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-019-00652-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Adhesion is the initial step in the infection process of gram-negative bacteria. It is usually followed by the formation of biofilms that serve as a hub for further spread of the infection. Type V secretion systems engage in this process by binding to components of the extracellular matrix, which is the first step in the infection process. At the same time they provide protection from the immune system by either binding components of the innate immune system or by establishing a physical layer against aggressors. Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are of particular interest in this family of proteins as they possess a unique structural composition which arises from constraints during translocation. The sequence of individual domains can vary dramatically while the overall structure can be very similar to one another. This patchwork approach allows researchers to draw conclusions of the underlying function of a specific domain in a structure-based approach which underscores the importance of solving structures of yet uncharacterized TAAs and their individual domains to estimate the full extent of functions of the protein a priori. Here, we describe recent advances in understanding the translocation process of TAAs and give an overview of structural motifs that are unique to this class of proteins. The role of BpaC in the infection process of Burkholderia pseudomallei is highlighted as an exceptional example of a TAA being at the centre of infection initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas R. Kiessling
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT England, UK
| | - Anchal Malik
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT England, UK
| | - Adrian Goldman
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT England, UK
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FIN-0014 Helsinki, Finland
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16
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Native display of a huge homotrimeric protein fiber on the cell surface after precise domain deletion. J Biosci Bioeng 2019; 129:412-417. [PMID: 31653547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2019.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
AtaA, a trimeric autotransporter adhesin from Acinetobacter sp. Tol 5, exhibits nonspecific, high adhesiveness to abiotic surfaces. For identification of the functional domains of AtaA, precise design of domain-deletion mutants is necessary so as not to cause undesirable structural distortion. Here, we designed and constructed three types of AtaA mutants from which the same domain, FGG1, was deleted. The first mutant was designed to preserve the periodicity of hydrophobic residues in the coiled-coil segments sandwiching the deleted region. After the deletion, the protein was properly displayed on the cell surface and had the same adhesive function as the wild type. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy showed that its isolated passenger domain had the same fiber structure as in the AtaA wild type. In contrast, a mutant designed to disturb the coiled-coil periodicity at the deletion site failed to reach the cell surface. Although secretion occurred for the mutant designed with a flexible connector between the coiled coils, the cells exhibited a decrease in adhesiveness. Furthermore, TEM imaging of the mutant fibers showed bending at the fiber tip and changes in their CD spectrum indicated a decrease in secondary structure content. Thus, we succeeded to natively display the huge homotrimeric fiber structure of AtaA on the cell surface after precise deletion of a domain, maintaining the proper folding state and adhesive function by preserving its coiled-coil periodicity. This strategy enables us to construct various domain-deletion mutants of AtaA without structural distortion for complete functional mapping.
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17
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Deng H, Wu S, Song Q, Zhang J, Sang F, Sun X, Xu T, Gao Y, Zhao B. Cloning and identification of Bartonella α-enolase as a plasminogen-binding protein. Microb Pathog 2019; 135:103651. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.103651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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18
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Meuskens I, Saragliadis A, Leo JC, Linke D. Type V Secretion Systems: An Overview of Passenger Domain Functions. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1163. [PMID: 31214135 PMCID: PMC6555100 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria secrete proteins for different purposes such as communication, virulence functions, adhesion to surfaces, nutrient acquisition, or growth inhibition of competing bacteria. For secretion of proteins, Gram-negative bacteria have evolved different secretion systems, classified as secretion systems I through IX to date. While some of these systems consist of multiple proteins building a complex spanning the cell envelope, the type V secretion system, the subject of this review, is rather minimal. Proteins of the Type V secretion system are often called autotransporters (ATs). In the simplest case, a type V secretion system consists of only one polypeptide chain with a β-barrel translocator domain in the membrane, and an extracellular passenger or effector region. Depending on the exact domain architecture of the protein, type V secretion systems can be further separated into sub-groups termed type Va through e, and possibly another recently identified subtype termed Vf. While this classification works well when it comes to the architecture of the proteins, this is not the case for the function(s) of the secreted passenger. In this review, we will give an overview of the functions of the passengers of the different AT classes, shedding more light on the variety of functions carried out by type V secretion systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dirk Linke
- Department of Biosciences, Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Garcia-Quintanilla M, Dichter AA, Guerra H, Kempf VAJ. Carrion's disease: more than a neglected disease. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:141. [PMID: 30909982 PMCID: PMC6434794 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3390-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections with Bartonella bacilliformis result in Carrion's disease in humans. In the first phase of infection, the pathogen causes a hemolytic fever ("Oroya fever") with case-fatality rates as high as ~90% in untreated patients, followed by a chronical phase resulting in angiogenic skin lesions ("verruga peruana"). Bartonella bacilliformis is endemic to South American Andean valleys and is transmitted via sand flies (Lutzomyia spp.). Humans are the only known reservoir for this old disease and therefore no animal infection model is available. In the present review, we provide the current knowledge on B. bacilliformis and its pathogenicity factors, vectors, possible unknown reservoirs, established and potential infection models and immunological aspects of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meritxell Garcia-Quintanilla
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alexander A Dichter
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Humberto Guerra
- Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia and the Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Lima, Peru
| | - Volkhard A J Kempf
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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20
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Deng H, Pang Q, Zhao B, Vayssier-Taussat M. Molecular Mechanisms of Bartonella and Mammalian Erythrocyte Interactions: A Review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:431. [PMID: 30619777 PMCID: PMC6299047 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonellosis is an infectious disease caused by Bartonella species that are distributed worldwide with animal and public health impact varying according to Bartonella species, infection phase, immunological characteristics, and geographical region. Bartonella is widely present in various mammals including cats, rodents, ruminants, and humans. At least 13 Bartonella species or subspecies are zoonotic. Each species has few reservoir animals in which it is often asymptomatic. Bartonella infection may lead to various clinical symptoms in humans. As described in the B.tribocorum-rat model, when Bartonella was seeded into the blood stream, they could escape immunity, adhered to and invaded host erythrocytes. They then replicated and persisted in the infected erythrocytes for several weeks. This review summarizes the current knowledge of how Bartonella prevent phagocytosis and complement activation, what pathogenesis factors are involved in erythrocyte adhesion and invasion, and how Bartonella could replicate and persist in mammalian erythrocytes. Current advances in research will help us to decipher molecular mechanisms of interactions between Bartonella and mammalian erythrocytes and may help in the development of biological strategies for the prevention and control of bartonellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongkuan Deng
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Qiuxiang Pang
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Bosheng Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Muriel Vayssier-Taussat
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne, Maisons-Alfort, France
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21
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Abstract
Since the reclassification of the genus Bartonella in 1993, the number of species has grown from 1 to 45 currently designated members. Likewise, the association of different Bartonella species with human disease continues to grow, as does the range of clinical presentations associated with these bacteria. Among these, blood-culture-negative endocarditis stands out as a common, often undiagnosed, clinical presentation of infection with several different Bartonella species. The limitations of laboratory tests resulting in this underdiagnosis of Bartonella endocarditis are discussed. The varied clinical picture of Bartonella infection and a review of clinical aspects of endocarditis caused by Bartonella are presented. We also summarize the current knowledge of the molecular basis of Bartonella pathogenesis, focusing on surface adhesins in the two Bartonella species that most commonly cause endocarditis, B. henselae and B. quintana. We discuss evidence that surface adhesins are important factors for autoaggregation and biofilm formation by Bartonella species. Finally, we propose that biofilm formation is a critical step in the formation of vegetative masses during Bartonella-mediated endocarditis and represents a potential reservoir for persistence by these bacteria.
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Defining the Mechanical Determinants of Kingella kingae Adherence to Host Cells. J Bacteriol 2017; 199:JB.00314-17. [PMID: 28874408 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00314-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Kingella kingae is an important pathogen in young children and initiates infection by colonizing the posterior pharynx. Adherence to pharyngeal epithelial cells is an important first step in the process of colonization. In the present study, we sought to elucidate the interplay of type IV pili (T4P), a trimeric autotransporter adhesin called Knh, and the polysaccharide capsule in K. kingae adherence to host cells. Using adherence assays performed under shear stress, we observed that a strain expressing only Knh was capable of higher levels of adherence than a strain expressing only T4P. Using atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we established that the capsule had a mean depth of 700 nm and that Knh was approximately 110 nm long. Using cationic ferritin capsule staining and thin-section transmission electron microscopy, we found that when bacteria expressing retractile T4P were in close contact with host cells, the capsule was absent at the point of contact between the bacterium and the host cell membrane. In a T4P retraction-deficient mutant, the capsule depth remained intact and adherence levels were markedly reduced. These results support the following model: T4P make initial contact with the host cell and mediate low-strength adherence. T4P retract, pulling the organism closer to the host cell and displacing the capsule, allowing Knh to be exposed and mediate high-strength, tight adherence to the host cell surface. This report provides the first description of the mechanical displacement of capsule enabling intimate bacterial adherence to host cells.IMPORTANCE Adherence to host cells is an important first step in bacterial colonization and pathogenicity. Kingella kingae has three surface factors that are involved in adherence: type IV pili (T4P), a trimeric autotransporter adhesin called Knh, and a polysaccharide capsule. Our results suggest that T4P mediate initial contact and low-strength adherence to host cells. T4P retraction draws the bacterium closer to the host cell and causes the displacement of capsule. This displacement exposes Knh and allows Knh to mediate high-strength adherence to the host cell. This work provides new insight into the interplay of T4P, a nonpilus adhesin, and a capsule and their effects on bacterial adherence to host cells.
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23
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Abstract
Type V secretion denotes a variety of secretion systems that cross the outer membrane in Gram-negative bacteria but that depend on the Sec machinery for transport through the inner membrane. They are possibly the simplest bacterial secretion systems, because they consist only of a single polypeptide chain (or two chains in the case of two-partner secretion). Their seemingly autonomous transport through the outer membrane has led to the term "autotransporters" for various subclasses of type V secretion. In this chapter, we review the structure and function of these transporters and review recent findings on additional factors involved in the secretion process, which have put the term "autotransporter" to debate.
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24
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Analysis of Endothelial Adherence of Bartonella henselae and Acinetobacter baumannii Using a Dynamic Human Ex Vivo Infection Model. Infect Immun 2015; 84:711-22. [PMID: 26712205 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01502-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial adherence determines the virulence of many human-pathogenic bacteria. Experimental approaches elucidating this early infection event in greater detail have been performed using mainly methods of cellular microbiology. However, in vitro infections of cell monolayers reflect the in vivo situation only partially, and animal infection models are not available for many human-pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, ex vivo infection of human organs might represent an attractive method to overcome these limitations. We infected whole human umbilical cords ex vivo with Bartonella henselae or Acinetobacter baumannii under dynamic flow conditions mimicking the in vivo infection situation of human endothelium. For this purpose, methods for quantifying endothelium-adherent wild-type and trimeric autotransporter adhesin (TAA)-deficient bacteria were set up. Data revealed that (i) A. baumannii binds in a TAA-dependent manner to endothelial cells, (ii) this organ infection model led to highly reproducible adherence rates, and furthermore, (iii) this model allowed to dissect the biological function of TAAs in the natural course of human infections. These findings indicate that infection models using ex vivo human tissue samples ("organ microbiology") might be a valuable tool in analyzing bacterial pathogenicity with the capacity to replace animal infection models at least partially.
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25
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Qin W, Wang L, Lei L. New findings on the function and potential applications of the trimeric autotransporter adhesin. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2015; 108:1-14. [PMID: 26014492 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-015-0477-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are located on the surface of many pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. TAAs belong to the autotransporter protein family and consist of three identical monomers. These obligate homotrimeric proteins are secreted through the bacterial type Vc secretion system and share a common molecular organization that each monomer consists of a N-terminal "passenger" domain and a C-terminal translocation domain. TAAs are important virulence factors that are involved in bacterial life cycle and participate in mediating infection, invasion, dissemination and evasion of host immune responses. TAAs have also proved to be useful for many applications, such as vaccines and disease biomarkers. We here mainly focused on new findings on bio-function and application of TAAs in addition to their common structure and secretion mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanhai Qin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Xi'an Road 5333, Changchun, China,
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26
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Bassler J, Hernandez Alvarez B, Hartmann MD, Lupas AN. A domain dictionary of trimeric autotransporter adhesins. Int J Med Microbiol 2014; 305:265-75. [PMID: 25583454 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2014.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are modular, highly repetitive outer membrane proteins that mediate adhesion to external surfaces in many Gram-negative bacteria. In recent years, several TAAs have been investigated in considerable detail, also at the structural level. However, in their vast majority, putative TAAs in prokaryotic genomes remain poorly annotated, due to their sequence diversity and changeable domain architecture. In order to achieve an automated annotation of these proteins that is both detailed and accurate we have taken a domain dictionary approach, in which we identify recurrent domains by sequence comparisons, produce bioinformatic descriptors for each domain type, and connect these to structural information where available. We implemented this approach in a web-based platform, daTAA, in 2008 and demonstrated its applicability by reconstructing the complete fiber structure of a TAA conserved in enterobacteria. Here we review current knowledge on the domain structure of TAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Bassler
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstr. 35, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Birte Hernandez Alvarez
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstr. 35, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Marcus D Hartmann
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstr. 35, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andrei N Lupas
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstr. 35, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
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27
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Jacquot A, Sakamoto C, Razafitianamarahavo A, Caillet C, Merlin J, Fahs A, Ghigo JM, Duval JFL, Beloin C, Francius G. The dynamics and pH-dependence of Ag43 adhesins' self-association probed by atomic force spectroscopy. NANOSCALE 2014; 6:12665-12681. [PMID: 25208582 DOI: 10.1039/c4nr03312d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Self-associating auto-transporter (SAAT) adhesins are two-domain cell surface proteins involved in bacteria auto-aggregation and biofilm formation. Antigen 43 (Ag43) is a SAAT adhesin commonly found in Escherichia coli whose variant Ag43a has been shown to promote persistence of uropathogenic E. coli within the bladder. The recent resolution of the tri-dimensional structure of the 499 amino-acids' β-domain in Ag43a has shed light on the possible mechanism governing the self-recognition of SAAT adhesins, in particular the importance of trans-interactions between the L shaped β-helical scaffold of two α-domains of neighboring adhesins. In this study, we use single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) and dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) to unravel the dynamics of Ag43-self association under various pH and molecular elongation rate conditions that mimic the situations encountered by E. coli in its natural environment. Results evidenced an important stretchability of Ag43α with unfolding of sub-domains leading to molecular extension as long as 150 nm. Nanomechanical analysis of molecular stretching data suggested that self-association of Ag43 can lead to the formation of dimers and tetramers driven by rapid and weak cis- as well as slow but strong trans-interaction forces with a magnitude as large as 100-250 pN. The dynamics of cis- and trans-interactions were demonstrated to be strongly influenced by pH and applied shear force, thus suggesting that environmental conditions can modulate Ag43-mediated aggregation of bacteria at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien Jacquot
- Université de Lorraine, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour l'Environnement, UMR 7564, Villers-lès-Nancy, F-54601, France
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Heterologous expression of Bartonella adhesin A in Escherichia coli by exchange of trimeric autotransporter adhesin domains results in enhanced adhesion properties and a pathogenic phenotype. J Bacteriol 2014; 196:2155-65. [PMID: 24682330 DOI: 10.1128/jb.01461-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human-pathogenic Bartonella henselae causes cat scratch disease and vasculoproliferative disorders. An important pathogenicity factor of B. henselae is the trimeric autotransporter adhesin (TAA) Bartonella adhesin A (BadA), which is modularly constructed, consisting of a head, a long and repetitive neck-stalk module, and a membrane anchor. BadA is involved in bacterial autoagglutination, binding to extracellular matrix proteins and host cells, and in proangiogenic reprogramming. The slow growth of B. henselae and limited tools for genetic manipulation are obstacles for detailed examination of BadA and its domains. Here, we established a recombinant expression system for BadA mutants in Escherichia coli allowing functional analysis of particular BadA domains. Using a BadA mutant lacking 21 neck-stalk repeats (BadA HN23), the BadA HN23 signal sequence was exchanged with that of E. coli OmpA, and the BadA membrane anchor was additionally replaced with that of Yersinia adhesin A (YadA). Constructs were cloned in E. coli, and hybrid protein expression was detected by immunoblotting, fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry. Functional analysis revealed that BadA hybrid proteins mediate autoagglutination and binding to collagen and endothelial cells. In vivo, expression of this BadA construct correlated with higher pathogenicity of E. coli in a Galleria mellonella infection model.
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29
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Ruiz-Ranwez V, Posadas DM, Estein SM, Abdian PL, Martin FA, Zorreguieta A. The BtaF trimeric autotransporter of Brucella suis is involved in attachment to various surfaces, resistance to serum and virulence. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79770. [PMID: 24236157 PMCID: PMC3827427 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 10/02/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The adhesion of bacterial pathogens to host cells is an event that determines infection, and ultimately invasion and intracellular multiplication. Several evidences have recently shown that this rule is also truth for the intracellular pathogen Brucella. Brucella suis displays the unipolar BmaC and BtaE adhesins, which belong to the monomeric and trimeric autotransporter (TA) families, respectively. It was previously shown that these adhesins are involved in bacterial adhesion to host cells and components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In this work we describe the role of a new member of the TA family of B. suis (named BtaF) in the adhesive properties of the bacterial surface. BtaF conferred the bacteria that carried it a promiscuous adhesiveness to various ECM components and the ability to attach to an abiotic surface. Furthermore, BtaF was found to participate in bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells and was required for full virulence in mice. Similar to BmaC and BtaE, the BtaF adhesin was expressed in a small subpopulation of bacteria, and in all cases, it was detected at the new pole generated after cell division. Interestingly, BtaF was also implicated in the resistance of B. suis to porcine serum. Our findings emphasize the impact of TAs in the Brucella lifecycle.
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30
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Lu YY, Franz B, Truttmann MC, Riess T, Gay-Fraret J, Faustmann M, Kempf VAJ, Dehio C. Bartonella henselae trimeric autotransporter adhesin BadA expression interferes with effector translocation by the VirB/D4 type IV secretion system. Cell Microbiol 2012; 15:759-78. [PMID: 23163798 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2012] [Revised: 11/07/2012] [Accepted: 11/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The Gram-negative, zoonotic pathogen Bartonella henselae is the aetiological agent of cat scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis and peliosis hepatis in humans. Two pathogenicity factors of B. henselae - each displaying multiple functions in host cell interaction - have been characterized in greater detail: the trimeric autotransporter Bartonella adhesin A (BadA) and the type IV secretion system VirB/D4 (VirB/D4 T4SS). BadA mediates, e.g. binding to fibronectin (Fn), adherence to endothelial cells (ECs) and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VirB/D4 translocates several Bartonella effector proteins (Beps) into the cytoplasm of infected ECs, resulting, e.g. in uptake of bacterial aggregates via the invasome structure, inhibition of apoptosis and activation of a proangiogenic phenotype. Despite this knowledge of the individual activities of BadA or VirB/D4 it is unknown whether these major virulence factors affect each other in their specific activities. In this study, expression and function of BadA and VirB/D4 were analysed in a variety of clinical B. henselae isolates. Data revealed that most isolates have lost expression of either BadA or VirB/D4 during in vitro passages. However, the phenotypic effects of coexpression of both virulence factors was studied in one clinical isolate that was found to stably coexpress BadA and VirB/D4, as well as by ectopic expression of BadA in a strain expressing VirB/D4 but not BadA. BadA, which forms a dense layer on the bacterial surface, negatively affected VirB/D4-dependent Bep translocation and invasome formation by likely preventing close contact between the bacterial cell envelope and the host cell membrane. In contrast, BadA-dependent Fn binding, adhesion to ECs and VEGF secretion were not affected by a functional VirB/D4 T4SS. The obtained data imply that the essential virulence factors BadA and VirB/D4 are likely differentially expressed during different stages of the infection cycle of Bartonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Yueh Lu
- Focal Area Infection Biology, Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
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Eicher SC, Dehio C. Bartonellaentry mechanisms into mammalian host cells. Cell Microbiol 2012; 14:1166-73. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2012.01806.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2012] [Revised: 04/11/2012] [Accepted: 04/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone C. Eicher
- Research Area Infection BiologyBiozentrum of the University of Basel Klingelbergstrasse 70 CH‐4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Christoph Dehio
- Research Area Infection BiologyBiozentrum of the University of Basel Klingelbergstrasse 70 CH‐4056 Basel Switzerland
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