1
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Mueller Brown K, Eutsey R, Gazioglu O, Wang D, Vallon A, Rosch JW, Yesilkaya H, Hiller NL. Peptide maturation molecules act as molecular gatekeepers to coordinate cell-cell communication in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114432. [PMID: 38963762 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114432] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) encodes several cell-cell communication systems, notably multiple members of the Rgg/SHP and the Tpr/Phr families. Until now, members of these diverse communication systems were thought to work independently. Our study reveals that the ABC transporter PptAB and the transmembrane enzyme Eep act as a molecular link between Rgg/SHP and TprA/PhrA systems. We demonstrate that PptAB/Eep activates the Rgg/SHP systems and represses the TprA/PhrA system. Specifically, they regulate the respective precursor peptides (SHP and PhrA) before these leave the cell. This dual mode of action leads to temporal coordination of these systems, producing an overlap between their respective regulons during host cell infection. Thus, we have identified a single molecular mechanism that targets diverse cell-cell communication systems in Spn. Moreover, these molecular components are encoded by many gram-positive bacteria, suggesting that this mechanism may be broadly conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Mueller Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rory Eutsey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ozcan Gazioglu
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Derek Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Amanda Vallon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jason W Rosch
- Department of Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hasan Yesilkaya
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - N Luisa Hiller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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2
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Hiller NL, Orihuela CJ. Biological puzzles solved by using Streptococcus pneumoniae: a historical review of the pneumococcal studies that have impacted medicine and shaped molecular bacteriology. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0005924. [PMID: 38809015 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00059-24] [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: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The major human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae has been the subject of intensive clinical and basic scientific study for over 140 years. In multiple instances, these efforts have resulted in major breakthroughs in our understanding of basic biological principles as well as fundamental tenets of bacterial pathogenesis, immunology, vaccinology, and genetics. Discoveries made with S. pneumoniae have led to multiple major public health victories that have saved the lives of millions. Studies on S. pneumoniae continue today, where this bacterium is being used to dissect the impact of the host on disease processes, as a powerful cell biology model, and to better understand the consequence of human actions on commensal bacteria at the population level. Herein we review the major findings, i.e., puzzle pieces, made with S. pneumoniae and how, over the years, they have come together to shape our understanding of this bacterium's biology and the practice of medicine and modern molecular biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Luisa Hiller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Carlos J Orihuela
- Department of Microbiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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3
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Kareem BO, Gazioglu O, Mueller Brown K, Habtom M, Glanville DG, Oggioni MR, Andrew PW, Ulijasz AT, Hiller NL, Yesilkaya H. Environmental and genetic regulation of Streptococcus pneumoniae galactose catabolic pathways. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5171. [PMID: 38886409 PMCID: PMC11183247 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49619-w] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient utilization of nutrients is crucial for microbial survival and virulence. The same nutrient may be utilized by multiple catabolic pathways, indicating that the physical and chemical environments for induction as well as their functional roles may differ. Here, we study the tagatose and Leloir pathways for galactose catabolism of the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. We show that galactose utilization potentiates pneumococcal virulence, the induction of galactose catabolic pathways is influenced differentially by the concentration of galactose and temperature, and sialic acid downregulates galactose catabolism. Furthermore, the genetic regulation and in vivo induction of each pathway differ, and both galactose catabolic pathways can be turned off with a galactose analogue in a substrate-specific manner, indicating that galactose catabolic pathways can be potential drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banaz O Kareem
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Iraq
| | - Ozcan Gazioglu
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Karina Mueller Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Medhanie Habtom
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - David G Glanville
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Marco R Oggioni
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Bologna, Italy
| | - Peter W Andrew
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Andrew T Ulijasz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - N Luisa Hiller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hasan Yesilkaya
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
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4
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Gao S, Wang Y, Yuan S, Zuo J, Jin W, Shen Y, Grenier D, Yi L, Wang Y. Cooperation of quorum sensing and central carbon metabolism in the pathogenesis of Gram-positive bacteria. Microbiol Res 2024; 282:127655. [PMID: 38402726 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127655] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS), an integral component of bacterial communication, is essential in coordinating the collective response of diverse bacterial pathogens. Central carbon metabolism (CCM), serving as the primary metabolic hub for substances such as sugars, lipids, and amino acids, plays a crucial role in the life cycle of bacteria. Pathogenic bacteria often utilize CCM to regulate population metabolism and enhance the synthesis of specific cellular structures, thereby facilitating in adaptation to the host microecological environment and expediting infection. Research has demonstrated that QS can both directly or indirectly affect the CCM of numerous pathogenic bacteria, thus altering their virulence and pathogenicity. This article reviews the interplay between QS and CCM in Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, details the molecular mechanisms by which QS modulates CCM, and lays the groundwork for investigating bacterial pathogenicity and developing innovative infection treatment drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuji Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, China; Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang 471003, China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, China; Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang 471003, China
| | - Shuo Yuan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, China; Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang 471003, China
| | - Jing Zuo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, China; Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang 471003, China
| | - Wenjie Jin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, China; Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang 471003, China
| | - Yamin Shen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, China; Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang 471003, China
| | - Daniel Grenier
- Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Buccale, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Li Yi
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang 471003, China; College of Life Science, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang 471934, China.
| | - Yang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, China; Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang 471003, China.
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5
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Gao S, Jin W, Quan Y, Li Y, Shen Y, Yuan S, Yi L, Wang Y, Wang Y. Bacterial capsules: Occurrence, mechanism, and function. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2024; 10:21. [PMID: 38480745 PMCID: PMC10937973 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-024-00497-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In environments characterized by extended multi-stress conditions, pathogens develop a variety of immune escape mechanisms to enhance their ability to infect the host. The capsules, polymers that bacteria secrete near their cell wall, participates in numerous bacterial life processes and plays a crucial role in resisting host immune attacks and adapting to their niche. Here, we discuss the relationship between capsules and bacterial virulence, summarizing the molecular mechanisms of capsular regulation and pathogenesis to provide new insights into the research on the pathogenesis of pathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuji Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Wenjie Jin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Yingying Quan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Yue Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Yamin Shen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Shuo Yuan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Li Yi
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China
- College of Life Science, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang, 471934, China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China.
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China.
| | - Yang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China.
- Henan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Detection and Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Livestock and Poultry, Luoyang, 471003, China.
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6
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Rueff AS, van Raaphorst R, Aggarwal SD, Santos-Moreno J, Laloux G, Schaerli Y, Weiser JN, Veening JW. Synthetic genetic oscillators demonstrate the functional importance of phenotypic variation in pneumococcal-host interactions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7454. [PMID: 37978173 PMCID: PMC10656556 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43241-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic variation is the phenomenon in which clonal cells display different traits even under identical environmental conditions. This plasticity is thought to be important for processes including bacterial virulence, but direct evidence for its relevance is often lacking. For instance, variation in capsule production in the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae has been linked to different clinical outcomes, but the exact relationship between variation and pathogenesis is not well understood due to complex natural regulation. In this study, we use synthetic oscillatory gene regulatory networks (GRNs) based on CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) together with live cell imaging and cell tracking within microfluidics devices to mimic and test the biological function of bacterial phenotypic variation. We provide a universally applicable approach for engineering intricate GRNs using only two components: dCas9 and extended sgRNAs (ext-sgRNAs). Our findings demonstrate that variation in capsule production is beneficial for pneumococcal fitness in traits associated with pathogenesis providing conclusive evidence for this longstanding question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Stéphanie Rueff
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Renske van Raaphorst
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 75 Avenue Hippocrate, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Surya D Aggarwal
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Javier Santos-Moreno
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Géraldine Laloux
- de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 75 Avenue Hippocrate, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yolanda Schaerli
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jeffrey N Weiser
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jan-Willem Veening
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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7
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Wahlenmayer ER, Hammers DE. Streptococcal peptides and their roles in host-microbe interactions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1282622. [PMID: 37915845 PMCID: PMC10617681 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1282622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Streptococcus encompasses many bacterial species that are associated with hosts, ranging from asymptomatic colonizers and commensals to pathogens with a significant global health burden. Streptococci produce numerous factors that enable them to occupy their host-associated niches, many of which alter their host environment to the benefit of the bacteria. The ability to manipulate host immune systems to either evade detection and clearance or induce a hyperinflammatory state influences whether bacteria are able to survive and persist in a given environment, while also influencing the propensity of the bacteria to cause disease. Several bacterial factors that contribute to this inter-species interaction have been identified. Recently, small peptides have become increasingly appreciated as factors that contribute to Streptococcal relationships with their hosts. Peptides are utilized by streptococci to modulate their host environment in several ways, including by directly interacting with host factors to disrupt immune system function and signaling to other bacteria to control the expression of genes that contribute to immune modulation. In this review, we discuss the many contributions of Streptococcal peptides in terms of their ability to contribute to pathogenesis and disruption of host immunity. This discussion will highlight the importance of continuing to elucidate the functions of these Streptococcal peptides and pursuing the identification of new peptides that contribute to modulation of host environments. Developing a greater understanding of how bacteria interact with their hosts has the potential to enable the development of techniques to inhibit these peptides as therapeutic approaches against Streptococcal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel E. Hammers
- Biology Department, Houghton University, Houghton, NY, United States
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8
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Hu D, Laczkovich I, Federle MJ, Morrison DA. Identification and Characterization of Negative Regulators of Rgg1518 Quorum Sensing in Streptococcus pneumoniae. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0008723. [PMID: 37341600 PMCID: PMC10367586 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00087-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is an agent of otitis media, septicemia, and meningitis and remains the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia regardless of vaccine use. Of the various strategies that S. pneumoniae takes to enhance its potential to colonize the human host, quorum sensing (QS) is an intercellular communication process that provides coordination of gene expression at a community level. Numerous putative QS systems are identifiable in the S. pneumoniae genome, but their gene-regulatory activities and contributions to fitness have yet to be fully evaluated. To contribute to assessing regulatory activities of rgg paralogs present in the D39 genome, we conducted transcriptomic analysis of mutants of six QS regulators. Our results find evidence that at least four QS regulators impact the expression of a polycistronic operon (encompassing genes spd_1517 to spd_1513) that is directly controlled by the Rgg/SHP1518 QS system. As an approach to unravel the convergent regulation placed on the spd_1513-1517 operon, we deployed transposon mutagenesis screening in search of upstream regulators of the Rgg/SHP1518 QS system. The screen identified two types of insertion mutants that result in increased activity of Rgg1518-dependent transcription, one type being where the transposon inserted into pepO, an annotated endopeptidase, and the other type being insertions in spxB, a pyruvate oxidase. We demonstrate that pneumococcal PepO degrades SHP1518 to prevent activation of Rgg/SHP1518 QS. Moreover, the glutamic acid residue in the conserved "HExxH" domain is indispensable for the catalytic function of PepO. Finally, we confirmed the metalloendopeptidase property of PepO, which requires zinc ions, but not other ions, to facilitate peptidyl hydrolysis. IMPORTANCE Streptococcus pneumoniae uses quorum sensing to communicate and regulate virulence. In our study, we focused on one Rgg quorum sensing system (Rgg/SHP1518) and found that multiple other Rgg regulators also control it. We further identified two enzymes that inhibit Rgg/SHP1518 signaling and revealed and validated one enzyme's mechanisms for breaking down quorum sensing signaling molecules. Our findings shed light on the complex regulatory network of quorum sensing in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duoyi Hu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Irina Laczkovich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael J. Federle
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Donald A. Morrison
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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9
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Rueff AS, van Raaphorst R, Aggarwal S, Santos-Moreno J, Laloux G, Schaerli Y, Weiser JN, Veening JW. Rewiring capsule production by CRISPRi-based genetic oscillators demonstrates a functional role of phenotypic variation in pneumococcal-host interactions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.03.543575. [PMID: 37398107 PMCID: PMC10312626 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.03.543575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic variation is the phenomenon in which clonal cells display different traits even under identical environmental conditions. This plasticity is thought to be important for processes including bacterial virulence1-8, but direct evidence for its relevance is often lacking. For instance, variation in capsule production in the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae has been linked to different clinical outcomes9-14, but the exact relationship between variation and pathogenesis is not well understood due to complex natural regulation15-20. In this study, we used synthetic oscillatory gene regulatory networks (GRNs) based on CRISPR interference together with live cell microscopy and cell tracking within microfluidics devices to mimic and test the biological function of bacterial phenotypic variation. We provide a universally applicable approach for engineering intricate GRNs using only two components: dCas9 and extended sgRNAs (ext-sgRNAs). Our findings demonstrate that variation in capsule production is beneficial for pneumococcal fitness in traits associated with pathogenesis providing conclusive evidence for this longstanding question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Stéphanie Rueff
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Renske van Raaphorst
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 75 Avenue Hippocrate, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Surya Aggarwal
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Javier Santos-Moreno
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Present address: Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Géraldine Laloux
- de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 75 Avenue Hippocrate, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yolanda Schaerli
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jeffrey N. Weiser
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jan-Willem Veening
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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10
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Discovery of Unannotated Small Open Reading Frames in Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 Involved in Quorum Sensing and Virulence Using Ribosome Profiling. mBio 2022; 13:e0124722. [PMID: 35852327 PMCID: PMC9426450 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01247-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae, an opportunistic human pathogen, is the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia and an agent of otitis media, septicemia, and meningitis. Although genomic and transcriptomic studies of S. pneumoniae have provided detailed perspectives on gene content and expression programs, they have lacked information pertaining to the translational landscape, particularly at a resolution that identifies commonly overlooked small open reading frames (sORFs), whose importance is increasingly realized in metabolism, regulation, and virulence. To identify protein-coding sORFs in S. pneumoniae, antibiotic-enhanced ribosome profiling was conducted. Using translation inhibitors, 114 novel sORFs were detected, and the expression of a subset of them was experimentally validated. Two loci associated with virulence and quorum sensing were examined in deeper detail. One such sORF, rio3, overlaps with the noncoding RNA srf-02 that was previously implicated in pathogenesis. Targeted mutagenesis parsing rio3 from srf-02 revealed that rio3 is responsible for the fitness defect seen in a murine nasopharyngeal colonization model. Additionally, two novel sORFs located adjacent to the quorum sensing receptor rgg1518 were found to impact regulatory activity. Our findings emphasize the importance of sORFs present in the genomes of pathogenic bacteria and underscore the utility of ribosome profiling for identifying the bacterial translatome.
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11
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Abdullah IT, Ulijasz AT, Girija UV, Tam S, Andrew P, Hiller NL, Wallis R, Yesilkaya H. Structure‐function analysis for development of peptide inhibitors for a Gram positive quorum sensing system. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:1464-1478. [PMID: 35575437 PMCID: PMC9233744 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The Streptococcus pneumoniae Rgg144/SHP144 regulator‐peptide quorum sensing (QS) system is critical for nutrient utilization, oxidative stress response, and virulence. Here, we characterized this system by assessing the importance of each residue within the active short hydrophobic peptide (SHP) by alanine‐scanning mutagenesis and testing the resulting peptides for receptor binding and activation of the receptor. Interestingly, several of the mutations had little effect on binding to Rgg144 but reduced transcriptional activation appreciably. In particular, a proline substitution (P21A) reduced transcriptional activation by 29‐fold but bound with a 3‐fold higher affinity than the wild‐type SHP. Consistent with the function of Rgg144, the mutant peptide led to decreased utilization of mannose and increased susceptibility to superoxide generator paraquat. Pangenome comparison showed full conservation of P21 across SHP144 allelic variants. Crystallization of Rgg144 in the absence of peptide revealed a comparable structure to the DNA bound and free forms of its homologs suggesting similar mechanisms of activation. Together, these analyses identify key interactions in a critical pneumococcal QS system. Further manipulation of the SHP has the potential to facilitate the development of inhibitors that are functional across strains. The approach described here is likely to be effective across QS systems in multiple species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Tajer Abdullah
- Department of Respiratory Sciences University of Leicester Leicester United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, College of Science University of Kirkuk Iraq
| | - Andrew T. Ulijasz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology Loyola University Chicago Maywood IL USA
| | | | - Sien Tam
- Department of Biological Sciences Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Peter Andrew
- Department of Respiratory Sciences University of Leicester Leicester United Kingdom
| | - N. Luisa Hiller
- Department of Biological Sciences Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Russell Wallis
- Department of Respiratory Sciences University of Leicester Leicester United Kingdom
| | - Hasan Yesilkaya
- Department of Respiratory Sciences University of Leicester Leicester United Kingdom
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