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Li Y, Pan T, Cao R, Li W, He Z, Sun B. Nitrate Reductase NarGHJI Modulates Virulence via Regulation of agr Expression in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain USA300 LAC. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0359622. [PMID: 37199609 PMCID: PMC10269880 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03596-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogenic bacterium with a widespread distribution that can cause diverse severe diseases. The membrane-bound nitrate reductase NarGHJI serves respiratory function. However, little is known about its contribution to virulence. In this study, we demonstrated that narGHJI disruption results in the downregulation of virulence genes (e.g., RNAIII, agrBDCA, hla, psmα, and psmβ) and reduces the hemolytic activity of the methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain USA300 LAC. Moreover, we provided evidence that NarGHJI participates in regulating host inflammatory response. A mouse model of subcutaneous abscess and Galleria mellonella survival assay demonstrated that the ΔnarG mutant was significantly less virulent than the wild type. Interestingly, NarGHJI contributes to virulence in an agr-dependent manner, and the role of NarGHJI differs between different S. aureus strains. Our study highlights the novel role of NarGHJI in regulating virulence, thereby providing a new theoretical reference for the prevention and control of S. aureus infection. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is a notorious pathogen that poses a great threat to human health. The emergence of drug-resistant strains has significantly increased the difficulty of preventing and treating S. aureus infection and enhanced the pathogenic ability of the bacterium. This indicates the importance of identifying novel pathogenic factors and revealing the regulatory mechanisms through which they regulate virulence. The nitrate reductase NarGHJI is mainly involved in bacterial respiration and denitrification, which can enhance bacterial survival. We demonstrated that narGHJI disruption results in the downregulation of the agr system and agr-dependent virulence genes, suggesting that NarGHJI participates in the regulation of S. aureus virulence in an agr-dependent manner. Moreover, the regulatory approach is strain specific. This study provides a new theoretical reference for the prevention and control of S. aureus infection and reveals new targets for the development of therapeutic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ting Pan
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruobing Cao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhien He
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Baolin Sun
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
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Bleul L, Francois P, Wolz C. Two-Component Systems of S. aureus: Signaling and Sensing Mechanisms. Genes (Basel) 2021; 13:genes13010034. [PMID: 35052374 PMCID: PMC8774646 DOI: 10.3390/genes13010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus encodes 16 two-component systems (TCSs) that enable the bacteria to sense and respond to changing environmental conditions. Considering the function of these TCSs in bacterial survival and their potential role as drug targets, it is important to understand the exact mechanisms underlying signal perception. The differences between the sensing of appropriate signals and the transcriptional activation of the TCS system are often not well described, and the signaling mechanisms are only partially understood. Here, we review present insights into which signals are sensed by histidine kinases in S. aureus to promote appropriate gene expression in response to diverse environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bleul
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tubingen, Germany;
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections”, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 6, 72076 Tubingen, Germany
| | - Patrice Francois
- Genomic Research Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Service, University Hospitals of Geneva University Medical Center, Michel Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
| | - Christiane Wolz
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tubingen, Germany;
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections”, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 6, 72076 Tubingen, Germany
- Correspondence:
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3
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Pardoux R, Dolla A, Aubert C. Metal-containing PAS/GAF domains in bacterial sensors. Coord Chem Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2021.214000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
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Matilla MA, Velando F, Martín-Mora D, Monteagudo-Cascales E, Krell T. A catalogue of signal molecules that interact with sensor kinases, chemoreceptors and transcriptional regulators. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 46:6356564. [PMID: 34424339 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved many different signal transduction systems that sense signals and generate a variety of responses. Generally, most abundant are transcriptional regulators, sensor histidine kinases and chemoreceptors. Typically, these systems recognize their signal molecules with dedicated ligand-binding domains (LBDs), which, in turn, generate a molecular stimulus that modulates the activity of the output module. There are an enormous number of different LBDs that recognize a similarly diverse set of signals. To give a global perspective of the signals that interact with transcriptional regulators, sensor kinases and chemoreceptors, we manually retrieved information on the protein-ligand interaction from about 1,200 publications and 3D structures. The resulting 811 proteins were classified according to the Pfam family into 127 groups. These data permit a delineation of the signal profiles of individual LBD families as well as distinguishing between families that recognize signals in a promiscuous manner and those that possess a well-defined ligand range. A major bottleneck in the field is the fact that the signal input of many signaling systems is unknown. The signal repertoire reported here will help the scientific community design experimental strategies to identify the signaling molecules for uncharacterised sensor proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - Félix Velando
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - David Martín-Mora
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - Elizabet Monteagudo-Cascales
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
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Price EE, Román-Rodríguez F, Boyd JM. Bacterial approaches to sensing and responding to respiration and respiration metabolites. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:1009-1021. [PMID: 34387370 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial respiration of diverse substrates is a primary contributor to the diversity of life. Respiration also drives alterations in the geosphere and tethers ecological nodes together. It provides organisms with a means to dissipate reductants and generate potential energy in the form of an electrochemical gradient. Mechanisms have evolved to sense flux through respiratory pathways and sense the altered concentrations of respiration substrates or byproducts. These genetic regulatory systems promote efficient utilization of respiration substrates, as well as fine tune metabolism to promote cellular fitness and negate the accumulation of toxic byproducts. Many bacteria can respire one or more chemicals, and these regulatory systems promote the prioritization of high energy metabolites. Herein we focus on regulatory paradigms and discuss systems that sense the concentrations of respiration substrates and flux through respiratory pathways. This is a broad field of study, and therefore we focus on key fundamental and recent developments and highlight specific systems that capture the diversity of sensing mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Price
- Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Franklin Román-Rodríguez
- Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Boyd
- Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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Unden G, Klein R. Sensing of O 2 and nitrate by bacteria: alternative strategies for transcriptional regulation of nitrate respiration by O 2 and nitrate. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:5-14. [PMID: 33089915 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Many bacteria are able to use O2 and nitrate as alternative electron acceptors for respiration. Strategies for regulation in response to O2 and nitrate can vary considerably. In the paradigmatic system of E. coli (and γ-proteobacteria), regulation by O2 and nitrate is established by the O2 -sensor FNR and the two-component system NarX-NarL (for nitrate regulation). Expression of narGHJI is regulated by the binding of FNR and NarL to the promoter. A similar strategy by individual regulation in response to O2 and nitrate is verified in many genera by the use of various types of regulators. Otherwise, in the soil bacteria Bacillus subtilis (Firmicutes) and Streptomyces (Actinobacteria), nitrate respiration is subject to anaerobic induction, without direct nitrate induction. In contrast, the NreA-NreB-NreC two-component system of Staphylococcus (Firmicutes) performs joint sensing of O2 and nitrate by interacting O2 and nitrate sensors. The O2 -sensor NreB phosphorylates the response regulator NreC to activate narGHJI expression. NreC-P transmits the signal for anaerobiosis to the promoter. The nitrate sensor NreA modulates NreB function by converting NreB in the absence of nitrate from the kinase to a phosphatase that dephosphorylates NreC-P. Thus, widely different strategies for coordinating the response to O2 and nitrate have evolved in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gottfried Unden
- Microbiology and Wine Research, Institute for Molecular Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, 55099, Germany
| | - Robin Klein
- Microbiology and Wine Research, Institute for Molecular Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, 55099, Germany
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Sangare L, Chen W, Wang C, Chen X, Wu M, Zhang X, Zang J. Structural insights into the conformational change of Staphylococcus aureus NreA at C-terminus. Biotechnol Lett 2020; 42:787-795. [PMID: 31970556 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-020-02807-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an anaerobic facultative microorganism that features the NreABC system for nitrate respiration. NreB is the sensor histidine kinase that phosphorylates the response regulator NreC to stimulate the expression of target genes. NreA is a nitrate sensor which dissociates from NreB in the present of nitrate and relieves its inhibition on NreB. However, the molecular basis of how NreA regulate NreB remains unknown. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of nitrate-bound NreA from S. aureus (SaNreA/NO3-) and its apoNreA-like mutant SaNreAY94A in complex with ethanediol (SaNreAY94A/EDO). Structural comparison reveals that the C-terminal loop in SaNreA/NO3- rearranges to an α-helix (α7) in SaNreAY94A/EDO, which converts an acidic pocket on the surface to a positively charged region. This conformational change of SaNreA C-terminus might play a role in SaNreB binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lancine Sangare
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.,Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.,Institute Superior Agronomic and Veterinary of Faranah, 131, Faranah, Guinea
| | - Wanbiao Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.,Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Chengliang Wang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.,Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Xiaobao Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.,Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Minhao Wu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.,Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.,Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Jianye Zang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China. .,Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.
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