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Yang Y, Guo S, Hong CJ, Liang ZX, Ho CL. Initial cyclic-di-GMP upregulation triggers sporadic cellular expansion leading to improved cellular survival. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300542. [PMID: 38403404 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300542] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial second messenger c-di-GMP upregulation is associated with the transition from planktonic to sessile microbial lifestyle, inhibiting cellular motility, and virulence. However, in-depth elucidation of the cellular processes resulting from c-di-GMP upregulation has not been fully explored. Here, we report the role of upregulated cellular c-di-GMP in promoting planktonic cell growth of Escherichia coli K12 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. We found a rapid expansion of cellular growth during initial cellular c-di-GMP upregulation, resulting in a larger planktonic bacterial population. The initial increase in c-di-GMP levels promotes bacterial swarming motility during the growth phase, which is subsequently inhibited by the continuous increase of c-di-GMP, and ultimately facilitates the formation of biofilms. We demonstrated that c-di-GMP upregulation triggers key bacterial genes linked to bacterial growth, swarming motility, and biofilm formation. These genes are mainly controlled by the master regulatory genes csgD and csrA. This study provides us a glimpse of the bacterial behavior of evading potential threats through adapting lifestyle changes via c-di-GMP regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongshuai Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
| | - Siyu Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
| | - Can-Jian Hong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhao-Xun Liang
- Division of Structural Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chun Loong Ho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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Fu J, Zhang Y, Lin S, Zhang W, Shu G, Lin J, Li H, Xu F, Tang H, Peng G, Zhao L, Chen S, Fu H. Strategies for Interfering With Bacterial Early Stage Biofilms. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:675843. [PMID: 34168632 PMCID: PMC8217469 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.675843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilm-related bacteria show high resistance to antimicrobial treatments, posing a remarkable challenge to human health. Given bacterial dormancy and high expression of efflux pumps, persistent infections caused by mature biofilms are not easy to treat, thereby driving researchers toward the discovery of many anti-biofilm molecules that can intervene in early stage biofilms formation to inhibit further development and maturity. Compared with mature biofilms, early stage biofilms have fragile structures, vigorous metabolisms, and early attached bacteria are higher susceptibility to antimicrobials. Thus, removing biofilms at the early stage has evident advantages. Many reviews on anti-biofilm compounds that prevent biofilms formation have already been done, but most of them are based on compound classifications to introduce anti-biofilm effects. This review discusses the inhibitory effects of anti-biofilm compounds on early stage biofilms formation from the perspective of the mechanisms of action, including hindering reversible adhesion, reducing extracellular polymeric substances production, interfering in the quorum sensing, and modifying cyclic di-GMP. This information can be exploited further to help researchers in designing new molecules with anti-biofilm activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyuan Fu
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuning Zhang
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shiyu Lin
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gang Shu
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Juchun Lin
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haohuan Li
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Funeng Xu
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huaqiao Tang
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guangneng Peng
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shiqi Chen
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hualin Fu
- Innovative Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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Cho KH, Tryon RG, Kim JH. Screening for Diguanylate Cyclase (DGC) Inhibitors Mitigating Bacterial Biofilm Formation. Front Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00264 [doi link]] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Cho KH, Tryon RG, Kim JH. Screening for Diguanylate Cyclase (DGC) Inhibitors Mitigating Bacterial Biofilm Formation. Front Chem 2020; 8:264. [PMID: 32373581 PMCID: PMC7186502 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of bacteria in the natural environment organize themselves into communal biofilms. Biofilm formation benefits bacteria conferring resistance to harmful molecules (e.g., antibiotics, disinfectants, and host immune factors) and coordinating their gene expression through quorum sensing (QS). A primary signaling molecule promoting bacterial biofilm formation is the universal second messenger cyclic di-GMP. This dinucleotide predominantly controls the gene expression of motility, adhesins, and capsule production to coordinate biofilm formation. Cyclic di-GMP is synthesized by diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) that have a GGDEF domain and is degraded by phosphodiesterases (PDEs) containing either an EAL or an HD-GYP domain. Since high cellular c-di-GMP concentrations are correlated with promoting the ability of bacteria to form biofilms, numerous research endeavors to identify chemicals capable of inhibiting the c-di-GMP synthesis activity of DGCs have been performed in order to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation. This review describes currently identified chemical inhibitors that disturb the activity of DGCs and the methods of screening and assay for their discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyu Hong Cho
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, United States
| | - R Grant Tryon
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, United States
| | - Jeong-Ho Kim
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, United States
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Bähre H, Kaever V. Identification and Quantification of Cyclic Di-Guanosine Monophosphate and Its Linear Metabolites by Reversed-Phase LC-MS/MS. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1657:45-58. [PMID: 28889285 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7240-1_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic dinucleotides such as bis-(3',5')-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (3',3'-c-di-GMP) represent an important class of second messengers in bacteria and are involved in numerous (patho)physiological settings. Here, we describe a sensitive and specific quantification method for 3',3'-c-di-GMP by HPLC-coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Additionally, linear 3',3'-c-di-GMP metabolites, i.e., 5'-phosphoguanylyl-3',5'-guanosine (pGpG) and 5'-guanosine monophosphate (5'-GMP), as well as cyclic guanosine monophosphate (3',5'-cGMP) and 3',3' c-di-GMP analogues (2',3'-c-di-GMP and 2',2'-c-di-GMP) can be simultaneously determined by this method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Bähre
- Research Core Unit Metabolomics, Institute of Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Volkhard Kaever
- Research Core Unit Metabolomics, Institute of Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
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Logical-continuous modelling of post-translationally regulated bistability of curli fiber expression in Escherichia coli. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2015. [PMID: 26201334 PMCID: PMC4511525 DOI: 10.1186/s12918-015-0183-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacteria have developed a repertoire of signalling mechanisms that enable adaptive responses to fluctuating environmental conditions. The formation of biofilm, for example, allows persisting in times of external stresses, e.g. induced by antibiotics or a lack of nutrients. Adhesive curli fibers, the major extracellular matrix components in Escherichia coli biofilms, exhibit heterogeneous expression in isogenic cells exposed to identical external conditions. The dynamical mechanisms underlying this heterogeneity remain poorly understood. In this work, we elucidate the potential role of post-translational bistability as a source for this heterogeneity. RESULTS We introduce a structured modelling workflow combining logical network topology analysis with time-continuous deterministic and stochastic modelling. The aim is to evaluate the topological structure of the underlying signalling network and to identify and analyse model parameterisations that satisfy observations from a set of genetic knockout experiments. Our work supports the hypothesis that the phenotypic heterogeneity of curli expression in biofilm cells is induced by bistable regulation at the post-translational level. Stochastic modelling suggests diverse noise-induced switching behaviours between the stable states, depending on the expression levels of the c-di-GMP-producing (diguanylate cyclases, DGCs) and -degrading (phosphodiesterases, PDEs) enzymes and reveals the quantitative difference in stable c-di-GMP levels between distinct phenotypes. The most dominant type of behaviour is characterised by a fast switching from curli-off to curli-on with a slow switching in the reverse direction and the second most dominant type is a long-term differentiation into curli-on or curli-off cells. This behaviour may implicate an intrinsic feature of the system allowing for a fast adaptive response (curli-on) versus a slow transition to the curli-off state, in line with experimental observations. CONCLUSION The combination of logical and continuous modelling enables a thorough analysis of different determinants of bistable regulation, i.e. network topology and biochemical kinetics, and allows for an incorporation of experimental data from heterogeneous sources. Our approach yields a mechanistic explanation for the phenotypic heterogeneity of curli fiber expression. Furthermore, the presented work provides a detailed insight into the interactions between the multiple DGC- and PDE-type enzymes and the role of c-di-GMP in dynamical regulation of cellular decisions.
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Whiteley CG, Lee DJ. Bacterial diguanylate cyclases: structure, function and mechanism in exopolysaccharide biofilm development. Biotechnol Adv 2014; 33:124-141. [PMID: 25499693 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2014.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The ubiquitous bacterial cyclic di-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) emerges as an important messenger for the control of many bacterial cellular functions including virulence, motility, bioluminescence, cellulose biosynthesis, adhesion, secretion, community behaviour, biofilm formation and cell differentiation. The synthesis of this cyclic nucleotide arises from external stimuli on various signalling domains within the N-terminal region of a dimeric diguanylate cyclase. This initiates the condensation of two molecules of guanosine triphosphate juxtaposed to each other within the C-terminal region of the enzyme. The biofilm from pathogenic microbes is highly resistant to antimicrobial agents suggesting that diguanylate cyclase and its product - c-di-GMP - are key biomedical targets for the inhibition of biofilm development. Furthermore the formation and long-term stability of the aerobic granule, a superior biofilm for biological wastewater treatment, can be controlled by stimulation of c-di-GMP. Any modulation of the synthetic pathways for c-di-GMP is clearly advantageous in terms of medical, industrial and/or environmental bioremediation implications. This review discusses the structure and reaction of individual diguanylate cyclase enzymes with a focus on new directions in c-di-GMP research. Specific attention is made on the molecular mechanisms that control bacterial exopolysaccharide biofilm formation and aerobic granules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris G Whiteley
- Graduate Institute of Applied Science & Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Duu-Jong Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Leoni L, Landini P. Microbiological methods for target-oriented screening of biofilm inhibitors. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1147:175-186. [PMID: 24664833 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0467-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The ability of many pathogenic bacteria to grow as a biofilm results in lower susceptibility to antibiotic treatments and to the host immune response, thus leading to the development of chronic infections. The understanding that biofilms can play an important role in bacterial virulence has prompted the search for inhibitors of biofilm development and of biofilm-related cellular processes. In this report, we present two examples of target-based microbiological screenings for antimicrobials endowed with anti-biofilm activity, aimed respectively at the inhibition of the signal molecule cyclic di-GMP and of quorum sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Leoni
- Department of Sciences, Università "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
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Diethmaier C, Newman JA, Kovács ÁT, Kaever V, Herzberg C, Rodrigues C, Boonstra M, Kuipers OP, Lewis RJ, Stülke J. The YmdB phosphodiesterase is a global regulator of late adaptive responses in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2014; 196:265-75. [PMID: 24163345 PMCID: PMC3911264 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00826-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis mutants lacking ymdB are unable to form biofilms, exhibit a strong overexpression of the flagellin gene hag, and are deficient in SlrR, a SinR antagonist. Here, we report the functional and structural characterization of YmdB, and we find that YmdB is a phosphodiesterase with activity against 2',3'- and 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide monophosphates. The structure of YmdB reveals that the enzyme adopts a conserved phosphodiesterase fold with a binuclear metal center. Mutagenesis of a catalytically crucial residue demonstrates that the enzymatic activity of YmdB is essential for biofilm formation. The deletion of ymdB affects the expression of more than 800 genes; the levels of the σ(D)-dependent motility regulon and several sporulation genes are increased, and the levels of the SinR-repressed biofilm genes are decreased, confirming the role of YmdB in regulating late adaptive responses of B. subtilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Diethmaier
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joseph A. Newman
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Ákos T. Kovács
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Groningen, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Volkhard Kaever
- Research Core Unit for Mass Spectrometry-Metabolomics and Institute of Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christina Herzberg
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Cecilia Rodrigues
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Mirjam Boonstra
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Groningen, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Oscar P. Kuipers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Groningen, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Richard J. Lewis
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Jörg Stülke
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Antoniani D, Rossi E, Rinaldo S, Bocci P, Lolicato M, Paiardini A, Raffaelli N, Cutruzzolà F, Landini P. The immunosuppressive drug azathioprine inhibits biosynthesis of the bacterial signal molecule cyclic-di-GMP by interfering with intracellular nucleotide pool availability. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2013; 97:7325-36. [PMID: 23584245 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-013-4875-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Revised: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In Gram-negative bacteria, production of the signal molecule c-di-GMP by diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) is a key trigger for biofilm formation, which, in turn, is often required for the development of chronic bacterial infections. Thus, DGCs represent interesting targets for new chemotherapeutic drugs with anti-biofilm activity. We searched for inhibitors of the WspR protein, a Pseudomonas aeruginosa DGC involved in biofilm formation and production of virulence factors, using a set of microbiological assays developed in an Escherichia coli strain expressing the wspR gene. We found that azathioprine, an immunosuppressive drug used in the treatment of Crohn's disease, was able to inhibit WspR-dependent c-di-GMP biosynthesis in bacterial cells. However, in vitro enzymatic assays ruled out direct inhibition of WspR DGC activity either by azathioprine or by its metabolic derivative 2-amino-6-mercapto-purine riboside. Azathioprine is an inhibitor of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide (AICAR) transformylase, an enzyme involved in purine biosynthesis, which suggests that inhibition of c-di-GMP biosynthesis by azathioprine may be due to perturbation of intracellular nucleotide pools. Consistent with this hypothesis, WspR activity is abolished in an E. coli purH mutant strain, unable to produce AICAR transformylase. Despite its effect on WspR, azathioprine failed to prevent biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa; however, it affected production of extracellular structures in E. coli clinical isolates, suggesting efficient inhibition of c-di-GMP biosynthesis in this bacterium. Our results indicate that azathioprine can prevent biofilm formation in E. coli through inhibition of c-di-GMP biosynthesis and suggest that such inhibition might contribute to its anti-inflammatory activity in Crohn's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Antoniani
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Sharma IM, Dhanaraman T, Mathew R, Chatterji D. Synthesis and characterization of a fluorescent analogue of cyclic di-GMP. Biochemistry 2012; 51:5443-53. [PMID: 22715917 DOI: 10.1021/bi3003617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP), a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger, has emerged as a key controller of several biological processes. Numbers of reports that deal with the mechanistic aspects of this second messenger have appeared in the literature. However, the lack of a reporter tag attached to the c-di-GMP at times limits the understanding of further details. In this study, we have chemically coupled N-methylisatoic anhydride (MANT) with c-di-GMP, giving rise to Mant-(c-di-GMP) or MANT-CDG. We have characterized the chemical and physical properties and spectral behavior of MANT-CDG. The fluorescence of MANT-CDG is sensitive to changes in the microenvironment, which helped us study its interaction with three different c-di-GMP binding proteins (a diguanylate cyclase, a phosphodiesterase, and a PilZ domain-containing protein). In addition, we have shown here that MANT-CDG can inhibit diguanylate cyclase activity; however, it is hydrolyzed by c-di-GMP specific phosphodiesterase. Taken together, our data suggest that MANT-CDG behaves like native c-di-GMP, and this study raises the possibility that MANT-CDG will be a valuable research tool for the in vitro characterization of c-di-GMP signaling factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indra Mani Sharma
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
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