1
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Valentová L, Füzik T, Nováček J, Hlavenková Z, Pospíšil J, Plevka P. Structure and replication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage JBD30. EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00195-1. [PMID: 39143239 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00195-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are the most abundant biological entities on Earth, but our understanding of many aspects of their lifecycles is still incomplete. Here, we have structurally analysed the infection cycle of the siphophage Casadabanvirus JBD30. Using its baseplate, JBD30 attaches to Pseudomonas aeruginosa via the bacterial type IV pilus, whose subsequent retraction brings the phage to the bacterial cell surface. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of the baseplate-pilus complex show that the tripod of baseplate receptor-binding proteins attaches to the outer bacterial membrane. The tripod and baseplate then open to release three copies of the tape-measure protein, an event that is followed by DNA ejection. JBD30 major capsid proteins assemble into procapsids, which expand by 7% in diameter upon filling with phage dsDNA. The DNA-filled heads are finally joined with 180-nm-long tails, which bend easily because flexible loops mediate contacts between the successive discs of major tail proteins. It is likely that the structural features and replication mechanisms described here are conserved among siphophages that utilize the type IV pili for initial cell attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Valentová
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tibor Füzik
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Nováček
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Hlavenková
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Pospíšil
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Plevka
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
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2
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Peng Y, Tang H, Xiao H, Chen W, Song J, Zheng J, Liu H. Structures of Mature and Urea-Treated Empty Bacteriophage T5: Insights into Siphophage Infection and DNA Ejection. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8479. [PMID: 39126049 PMCID: PMC11313276 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158479] [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: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 07/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
T5 is a siphophage that has been extensively studied by structural and biochemical methods. However, the complete in situ structures of T5 before and after DNA ejection remain unknown. In this study, we used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine the structures of mature T5 (a laboratory-adapted, fiberless T5 mutant) and urea-treated empty T5 (lacking the tip complex) at near-atomic resolutions. Atomic models of the head, connector complex, tail tube, and tail tip were built for mature T5, and atomic models of the connector complex, comprising the portal protein pb7, adaptor protein p144, and tail terminator protein p142, were built for urea-treated empty T5. Our findings revealed that the aforementioned proteins did not undergo global conformational changes before and after DNA ejection, indicating that these structural features were conserved among most myophages and siphophages. The present study elucidates the underlying mechanisms of siphophage infection and DNA ejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuning Peng
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China; (Y.P.); (H.X.); (W.C.)
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100052, China;
| | - Huanrong Tang
- School of Computer Science, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China;
| | - Hao Xiao
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China; (Y.P.); (H.X.); (W.C.)
| | - Wenyuan Chen
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China; (Y.P.); (H.X.); (W.C.)
| | - Jingdong Song
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100052, China;
| | - Jing Zheng
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China; (Y.P.); (H.X.); (W.C.)
| | - Hongrong Liu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China; (Y.P.); (H.X.); (W.C.)
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3
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Mukherjee A, Kizziah JL, Hawkins NC, Nasef MO, Parker LK, Dokland T. Structure of the Portal Complex from Staphylococcus aureus Pathogenicity Island 1 Transducing Particles In Situ and In Isolation. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168415. [PMID: 38135177 PMCID: PMC10923094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168415] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen, and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. The evolution of pathogenicity and resistance in S. aureus often involves acquisition of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Bacteriophages play an especially important role, since transduction represents the main mechanism for horizontal gene transfer. S. aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPIs), including SaPI1, are MGEs that carry genes encoding virulence factors, and are mobilized at high frequency through interactions with specific "helper" bacteriophages, such as 80α, leading to packaging of the SaPI genomes into virions made from structural proteins supplied by the helper. Among these structural proteins is the portal protein, which forms a ring-like portal at a fivefold vertex of the capsid, through which the DNA is packaged during virion assembly and ejected upon infection of the host. We have used high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to determine structures of the S. aureus bacteriophage 80α portal itself, produced by overexpression, and in situ in the empty and full SaPI1 virions, and show how the portal interacts with the capsid. These structures provide a basis for understanding portal and capsid assembly and the conformational changes that occur upon DNA packaging and ejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amarshi Mukherjee
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - James L Kizziah
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - N'Toia C Hawkins
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Mohamed O Nasef
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Laura K Parker
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Terje Dokland
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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4
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Flores S, Malý M, Hrebík D, Plevka P, Černý J. Are kuravirus capsid diameters quantized? The first all-atom genome tracing method for double-stranded DNA viruses. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:e12. [PMID: 38084886 PMCID: PMC10853797 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The revolution in cryo-electron microscopy has resulted in unprecedented power to resolve large macromolecular complexes including viruses. Many methods exist to explain density corresponding to proteins and thus entire protein capsids have been solved at the all-atom level. However methods for nucleic acids lag behind, and no all-atom viral double-stranded DNA genomes have been published at all. We here present a method which exploits the spiral winding patterns of DNA in icosahedral capsids. The method quickly generates shells of DNA wound in user-specified, idealized spherical or cylindrical spirals. For transition regions, the method allows guided semiflexible fitting. For the kuravirus SU10, our method explains most of the density in a semiautomated fashion. The results suggest rules for DNA turns in the end caps under which two discrete parameters determine the capsid inner diameter. We suggest that other kuraviruses viruses may follow the same winding scheme, producing a discrete rather than continuous spectrum of capsid inner diameters. Our software may be used to explain the published density maps of other double-stranded DNA viruses and uncover their genome packaging principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Coulbourn Flores
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Ulls Väg 26, Uppsala, and Stockholm University, Tomtebodavägen 23A, Solna, Sweden
| | - Michal Malý
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prumyslova 595, Vestec 25250, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Hrebík
- Central European Institute of Technology, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Plevka
- Central European Institute of Technology, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Černý
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prumyslova 595, Vestec 25250, Czech Republic
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5
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Hawkins DEDP, Godwin OC, Antson AA. Viral Genomic DNA Packaging Machinery. Subcell Biochem 2024; 104:181-205. [PMID: 38963488 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-58843-3_9] [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: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Tailed double-stranded DNA bacteriophage employs a protein terminase motor to package their genome into a preformed protein shell-a system shared with eukaryotic dsDNA viruses such as herpesviruses. DNA packaging motor proteins represent excellent targets for antiviral therapy, with Letermovir, which binds Cytomegalovirus terminase, already licensed as an effective prophylaxis. In the realm of bacterial viruses, these DNA packaging motors comprise three protein constituents: the portal protein, small terminase and large terminase. The portal protein guards the passage of DNA into the preformed protein shell and acts as a protein interaction hub throughout viral assembly. Small terminase recognises the viral DNA and recruits large terminase, which in turn pumps DNA in an ATP-dependent manner. Large terminase also cleaves DNA at the termination of packaging. Multiple high-resolution structures of each component have been resolved for different phages, but it is only more recently that the field has moved towards cryo-EM reconstructions of protein complexes. In conjunction with highly informative single-particle studies of packaging kinetics, these structures have begun to inspire models for the packaging process and its place among other DNA machines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy E D P Hawkins
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK.
| | - Owen C Godwin
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK
- Structural Biology, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Alfred A Antson
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK.
- Structural Biology, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
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6
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Zheng J, Chen W, Xiao H, Yang F, Song J, Cheng L, Liu H. Asymmetric Structure of Podophage GP4 Reveals a Novel Architecture of Three Types of Tail Fibers. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168258. [PMID: 37660940 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168258] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophage tail fibers (or called tail spikes) play a critical role in the early stage of infection by binding to the bacterial surface. Podophages with known structures usually possess one or two types of fibers. Here, we resolved an asymmetric structure of the podophage GP4 to near-atomic resolution by cryo-EM. Our structure revealed a symmetry-mismatch relationship between the components of the GP4 tail with previously unseen topologies. In detail, two dodecameric adaptors (adaptors I and II), a hexameric nozzle, and a tail needle form a conserved tail body connected to a dodecameric portal occupying a unique vertex of the icosahedral head. However, five chain-like extended fibers (fiber I) and five tulip-like short fibers (fiber II) are anchored to a 15-fold symmetric fiber-tail adaptor, encircling the adaptor I, and six bamboo-like trimeric fibers (fiber III) are connected to the nozzle. Five fibers I, each composed of five dimers of the protein gp80 linked by an elongated rope protein, are attached to the five edges of the tail vertex of the icosahedral head. In this study, we identified a new structure of the podophage with three types of tail fibers, and such phages with different types of fibers may have a broad host range and/or infect host cells with considerably high efficiency, providing evolutionary advantages in harsh environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zheng
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Wenyuan Chen
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Hao Xiao
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China; State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100052, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Jingdong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100052, China
| | - Lingpeng Cheng
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China.
| | - Hongrong Liu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410082, China.
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7
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Mukherjee A, Kizziah JL, Hawkins NC, Nasef MO, Parker LK, Dokland T. Structure of the portal complex from Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity island 1 transducing particles in situ and in solution. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.18.557803. [PMID: 37786723 PMCID: PMC10541612 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.18.557803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen, and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. The evolution of pathogenicity and resistance in S. aureus often involves acquisition of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Bacteriophages play an especially important role, since transduction represents the main mechanism for horizontal gene transfer. S. aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPIs), including SaPI1, are MGEs that carry genes encoding virulence factors, and are mobilized at high frequency through interactions with specific "helper" bacteriophages, such as 80α, leading to packaging of the SaPI genomes into virions made from structural proteins supplied by the helper. Among these structural proteins is the portal protein, which forms a ring-like portal at a fivefold vertex of the capsid, through which the DNA is packaged during virion assembly and ejected upon infection of the host. We have used high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to determine structures of the S. aureus bacteriophage 80α portal in solution and in situ in the empty and full SaPI1 virions, and show how the portal interacts with the capsid. These structures provide a basis for understanding portal and capsid assembly and the conformational changes that occur upon DNA packaging and ejection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mohamed O. Nasef
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Laura K. Parker
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Terje Dokland
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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8
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Podgorski JM, Freeman K, Gosselin S, Huet A, Conway JF, Bird M, Grecco J, Patel S, Jacobs-Sera D, Hatfull G, Gogarten JP, Ravantti J, White SJ. A structural dendrogram of the actinobacteriophage major capsid proteins provides important structural insights into the evolution of capsid stability. Structure 2023; 31:282-294.e5. [PMID: 36649709 PMCID: PMC10071307 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.12.012] [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: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Many double-stranded DNA viruses, including tailed bacteriophages (phages) and herpesviruses, use the HK97-fold in their major capsid protein to make the capsomers of the icosahedral viral capsid. After the genome packaging at near-crystalline densities, the capsid is subjected to a major expansion and stabilization step that allows it to withstand environmental stresses and internal high pressure. Several different mechanisms for stabilizing the capsid have been structurally characterized, but how these mechanisms have evolved is still not understood. Using cryo-EM structure determination of 10 capsids, structural comparisons, phylogenetic analyses, and Alphafold predictions, we have constructed a detailed structural dendrogram describing the evolution of capsid structural stability within the actinobacteriophages. We show that the actinobacteriophage major capsid proteins can be classified into 15 groups based upon their HK97-fold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Podgorski
- Biology/Physics Building, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Unit-3125, Storrs, CT 06269-3125, USA
| | - Krista Freeman
- Clapp Hall, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Sophia Gosselin
- Biology/Physics Building, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Unit-3125, Storrs, CT 06269-3125, USA
| | - Alexis Huet
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - James F Conway
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mary Bird
- Biology/Physics Building, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Unit-3125, Storrs, CT 06269-3125, USA
| | - John Grecco
- Biology/Physics Building, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Unit-3125, Storrs, CT 06269-3125, USA
| | - Shreya Patel
- Biology/Physics Building, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Unit-3125, Storrs, CT 06269-3125, USA
| | - Deborah Jacobs-Sera
- Clapp Hall, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Graham Hatfull
- Clapp Hall, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Johann Peter Gogarten
- Biology/Physics Building, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Unit-3125, Storrs, CT 06269-3125, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268-3125, USA
| | - Janne Ravantti
- University of Helsinki, Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Simon J White
- Biology/Physics Building, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Unit-3125, Storrs, CT 06269-3125, USA.
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9
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Staphylococcus aureus Prophage-Encoded Protein Causes Abortive Infection and Provides Population Immunity against Kayviruses. mBio 2023; 14:e0249022. [PMID: 36779718 PMCID: PMC10127798 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02490-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Both temperate and obligately lytic phages have crucial roles in the biology of staphylococci. While superinfection exclusion among closely related temperate phages is a well-characterized phenomenon, the interactions between temperate and lytic phages in staphylococci are not understood. Here, we present a resistance mechanism toward lytic phages of the genus Kayvirus, mediated by the membrane-anchored protein designated PdpSau encoded by Staphylococcus aureus prophages, mostly of the Sa2 integrase type. The prophage accessory gene pdpSau is strongly linked to the lytic genes for holin and ami2-type amidase and typically replaces genes for the toxin Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL). The predicted PdpSau protein structure shows the presence of a membrane-binding α-helix in its N-terminal part and a cytoplasmic positively charged C terminus. We demonstrated that the mechanism of action of PdpSau does not prevent the infecting kayvirus from adsorbing onto the host cell and delivering its genome into the cell, but phage DNA replication is halted. Changes in the cell membrane polarity and permeability were observed from 10 min after the infection, which led to prophage-activated cell death. Furthermore, we describe a mechanism of overcoming this resistance in a host-range Kayvirus mutant, which was selected on an S. aureus strain harboring prophage 53 encoding PdpSau, and in which a chimeric gene product emerged via adaptive laboratory evolution. This first case of staphylococcal interfamily phage-phage competition is analogous to some other abortive infection defense systems and to systems based on membrane-destructive proteins. IMPORTANCE Prophages play an important role in virulence, pathogenesis, and host preference, as well as in horizontal gene transfer in staphylococci. In contrast, broad-host-range lytic staphylococcal kayviruses lyse most S. aureus strains, and scientists worldwide have come to believe that the use of such phages will be successful for treating and preventing bacterial diseases. The effectiveness of phage therapy is complicated by bacterial resistance, whose mechanisms related to therapeutic staphylococcal phages are not understood in detail. In this work, we describe a resistance mechanism targeting kayviruses that is encoded by a prophage. We conclude that the defense mechanism belongs to a broader group of abortive infections, which is characterized by suicidal behavior of infected cells that are unable to produce phage progeny, thus ensuring the survival of the host population. Since the majority of staphylococcal strains are lysogenic, our findings are relevant for the advancement of phage therapy.
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10
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Klumpp J, Dunne M, Loessner MJ. A perfect fit: Bacteriophage receptor-binding proteins for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 71:102240. [PMID: 36446275 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are the most abundant biological entity on earth, acting as the predators and evolutionary drivers of bacteria. Owing to their inherent ability to specifically infect and kill bacteria, phages and their encoded endolysins and receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) have enormous potential for development into precision antimicrobials for treatment of bacterial infections and microbial disbalances; or as biocontrol agents to tackle bacterial contaminations during various biotechnological processes. The extraordinary binding specificity of phages and RBPs can be exploited in various areas of bacterial diagnostics and monitoring, from food production to health care. We review and describe the distinctive features of phage RBPs, explain why they are attractive candidates for use as therapeutics and in diagnostics, discuss recent applications using RBPs, and finally provide our perspective on how synthetic technology and artificial intelligence-driven approaches will revolutionize how we use these tools in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Klumpp
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthew Dunne
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
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11
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Leprince A, Mahillon J. Phage Adsorption to Gram-Positive Bacteria. Viruses 2023; 15:196. [PMID: 36680236 PMCID: PMC9863714 DOI: 10.3390/v15010196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The phage life cycle is a multi-stage process initiated by the recognition and attachment of the virus to its bacterial host. This adsorption step depends on the specific interaction between bacterial structures acting as receptors and viral proteins called Receptor Binding Proteins (RBP). The adsorption process is essential as it is the first determinant of phage host range and a sine qua non condition for the subsequent conduct of the life cycle. In phages belonging to the Caudoviricetes class, the capsid is attached to a tail, which is the central player in the adsorption as it comprises the RBP and accessory proteins facilitating phage binding and cell wall penetration prior to genome injection. The nature of the viral proteins involved in host adhesion not only depends on the phage morphology (i.e., myovirus, siphovirus, or podovirus) but also the targeted host. Here, we give an overview of the adsorption process and compile the available information on the type of receptors that can be recognized and the viral proteins taking part in the process, with the primary focus on phages infecting Gram-positive bacteria.
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12
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Li F, Hou CFD, Yang R, Whitehead R, Teschke CM, Cingolani G. High-resolution cryo-EM structure of the Shigella virus Sf6 genome delivery tail machine. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadc9641. [PMID: 36475795 PMCID: PMC9728967 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adc9641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Sf6 is a bacterial virus that infects the human pathogen Shigella flexneri. Here, we describe the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Sf6 tail machine before DNA ejection, which we determined at a 2.7-angstrom resolution. We built de novo structures of all tail components and resolved four symmetry-mismatched interfaces. Unexpectedly, we found that the tail exists in two conformations, rotated by ~6° with respect to the capsid. The two tail conformers are identical in structure but differ solely in how the portal and head-to-tail adaptor carboxyl termini bond with the capsid at the fivefold vertex, similar to a diamond held over a five-pronged ring in two nonidentical states. Thus, in the mature Sf6 tail, the portal structure does not morph locally to accommodate the symmetry mismatch but exists in two energetic minima rotated by a discrete angle. We propose that the design principles of the Sf6 tail are conserved across P22-like Podoviridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenglin Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Chun-Feng David Hou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Ruoyu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Richard Whitehead
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 91 N Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Carolyn M. Teschke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 91 N Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Gino Cingolani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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13
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Hawkins NC, Kizziah JL, Hatoum-Aslan A, Dokland T. Structure and host specificity of Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteriophage Andhra. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eade0459. [PMID: 36449623 PMCID: PMC9710869 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade0459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is an opportunistic pathogen of the human skin, often associated with infections of implanted medical devices. Staphylococcal picoviruses are a group of strictly lytic, short-tailed bacteriophages with compact genomes that are attractive candidates for therapeutic use. Here, we report the structure of the complete virion of S. epidermidis-infecting phage Andhra, determined using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy, allowing atomic modeling of 11 capsid and tail proteins. The capsid is a T = 4 icosahedron containing a unique stabilizing capsid lining protein. The tail includes 12 trimers of a unique receptor binding protein (RBP), a lytic protein that also serves to anchor the RBPs to the tail stem, and a hexameric tail knob that acts as a gatekeeper for DNA ejection. Using structure prediction with AlphaFold, we identified the two proteins that comprise the tail tip heterooctamer. Our findings elucidate critical features for virion assembly, host recognition, and penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- N’Toia C. Hawkins
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - James L. Kizziah
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Asma Hatoum-Aslan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Terje Dokland
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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14
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CryoEM structure and assembly mechanism of a bacterial virus genome gatekeeper. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7283. [PMID: 36435855 PMCID: PMC9701221 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34999-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous viruses package their dsDNA genome into preformed capsids through a portal gatekeeper that is subsequently closed. We report the structure of the DNA gatekeeper complex of bacteriophage SPP1 (gp612gp1512gp166) in the post-DNA packaging state at 2.7 Å resolution obtained by single particle cryo-electron microscopy. Comparison of the native SPP1 complex with assembly-naïve structures of individual components uncovered the complex program of conformational changes leading to its assembly. After DNA packaging, gp15 binds via its C-terminus to the gp6 oligomer positioning gp15 subunits for oligomerization. Gp15 refolds its inner loops creating an intersubunit β-barrel that establishes different types of contacts with six gp16 subunits. Gp16 binding and oligomerization is accompanied by folding of helices that close the portal channel to keep the viral genome inside the capsid. This mechanism of assembly has broad functional and evolutionary implications for viruses of the prokaryotic tailed viruses-herpesviruses lineage.
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15
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N-Terminus Plays a Critical Role for Stabilizing the Filamentous Assembly and the Antifungal Activity of Bg_9562. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0160722. [PMID: 36005835 PMCID: PMC9603447 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01607-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bg_9562, a prophage tail-like protein was earlier shown to be required for bacterial mycophagy by Burkholderia gladioli strain NGJ1. The purified protein exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity; however, the structural and mechanistic details vis-à-vis its activity remained elusive. In this study, we have structurally characterized the protein Bg_9562 using negatively stained transmission electron microscopy, molecular modeling and mutagenesis. We find that Bg_9562 shows structural similarity to Gp13, a tail assembly chaperone. The transmission electron microscopy revealed that, Bg_9562 forms long flexible tubular structures. Molecular modeling of the filament like structure divulges that the inter subunit contacts are meditated largely through hydrophobic interactions. Using mutagenesis, we demonstrate that the N-terminal residues of the protein when deleted results in reduced activity and destabilization of filament formation. Overall, structure-function analysis opens up avenues for further utilization of the protein as a potent antifungal molecule. IMPORTANCE Burkholderia gladioli strain NGJ1, isolated from healthy rice seedling, was earlier demonstrated to have mycophagous properties on a broad range of fungi, including Rhizoctonia solani, a causal agent of deadly sheath blight disease of rice. The purified Bg_9562 protein exerts broad-spectrum antifungal activity. The protein also inhibits the growth of laboratory strain of Candida, an opportunistic human pathogen. In this study, we structurally characterize Bg_9562 using a combination of negative staining transmission electron microscopy, molecular modeling, mutagenesis, and functional antifungal assay. We show that the protein assembles into long filament like structures stabilized by N-terminus residues and this region is important for its activity. Our study has implications in utilizing Bg_9562 or its derivatives as antifungal molecule(s) which will provide environmentally friendly control of fungal diseases of plants and animals.
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16
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Tail proteins of phage SU10 reorganize into the nozzle for genome delivery. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5622. [PMID: 36153309 PMCID: PMC9509320 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33305-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli phage SU10 belongs to the genus Kuravirus from the class Caudoviricetes of phages with short non-contractile tails. In contrast to other short-tailed phages, the tails of Kuraviruses elongate upon cell attachment. Here we show that the virion of SU10 has a prolate head, containing genome and ejection proteins, and a tail, which is formed of portal, adaptor, nozzle, and tail needle proteins and decorated with long and short fibers. The binding of the long tail fibers to the receptors in the outer bacterial membrane induces the straightening of nozzle proteins and rotation of short tail fibers. After the re-arrangement, the nozzle proteins and short tail fibers alternate to form a nozzle that extends the tail by 28 nm. Subsequently, the tail needle detaches from the nozzle proteins and five types of ejection proteins are released from the SU10 head. The nozzle with the putative extension formed by the ejection proteins enables the delivery of the SU10 genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. It is likely that this mechanism of genome delivery, involving the formation of the tail nozzle, is employed by all Kuraviruses. E. coli phage SU10 has a short non-contractile tail. Here, the authors show that after cell binding, nozzle proteins and tail fibers of SU10 change conformation to form a nozzle that enables the delivery of the phage DNA into the bacterial cytoplasm.
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17
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Tarakanov RI, Lukianova AA, Evseev PV, Pilik RI, Tokmakova AD, Kulikov EE, Toshchakov SV, Ignatov AN, Dzhalilov FSU, Miroshnikov KA. Ayka, a Novel Curtobacterium Bacteriophage, Provides Protection against Soybean Bacterial Wilt and Tan Spot. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810913. [PMID: 36142829 PMCID: PMC9502298 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases caused by the Gram-positive bacterium Curtobacteriumflaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens (Cff) inflict substantial economic losses in soybean cultivation. Use of specific bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) for treatment of seeds and plants to prevent the development of bacterial infections is a promising approach for bioprotection in agriculture. Phage control has been successfully tested for a number of staple crops. However, this approach has never been applied to treat bacterial diseases of legumes caused by Cff, and no specific bacteriophages have been known to date. This paper presents detailed characteristics of the first lytic bacteriophage infecting this pathogen. Phage Ayka, related to φ29-like (Salasmaviridae) viruses, but representing a new subfamily, was shown to control the development of bacterial wilt and tan spot in vitro and in greenhouse plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashit I. Tarakanov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna A. Lukianova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Peter V. Evseev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Roksana I. Pilik
- Agrobiotechnology Department, Agrarian and Technological Institute, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna D. Tokmakova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, National Research University, Institutskiy Per, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701 Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugene E. Kulikov
- School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, National Research University, Institutskiy Per, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701 Moscow, Russia
- Research Center of Biotechnology, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prosp. 60-Letia Oktyabrya, 7-2, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Stepan V. Toshchakov
- Center for Genome Research, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq., 1, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander N. Ignatov
- Agrobiotechnology Department, Agrarian and Technological Institute, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Fevzi S.-U. Dzhalilov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: (F.S.-U.D.); (K.A.M.); Tel.: +7-(495)-335-5588 (K.A.M.)
| | - Konstantin A. Miroshnikov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: (F.S.-U.D.); (K.A.M.); Tel.: +7-(495)-335-5588 (K.A.M.)
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Ruml T. The Present and Future of Virology in the Czech Republic-A New Phoenix Made of Ashes? Viruses 2022; 14:v14061303. [PMID: 35746773 PMCID: PMC9231214 DOI: 10.3390/v14061303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Ruml
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
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19
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Samir S, El-Far A, Okasha H, Mahdy R, Samir F, Nasr S. Isolation and characterization of lytic bacteriophages from sewage at an egyptian tertiary care hospital against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates. Saudi J Biol Sci 2022; 29:3097-3106. [PMID: 35360502 PMCID: PMC8961222 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen to humans causing life-threatening infections. MRSA have the capability to grow resistance to many antibiotics, and phage therapy is one treatment option for this infection. Objectives The aim of the present study was to isolate and characterize the lytic bacteriophages specific to MRSA from domestic sewage water at a tertiary care hospital in Egypt. Methods Thirty MRSA strains were isolated from different clinical samples admitted to the microbiology lab at Theodor Bilharz Research institute (TBRI) hospital, Giza, Egypt. They were confirmed to be MRSA through phenotypic detection and conventional PCR for mecA gene. They were used for the isolation of phages from sewage water of TBRI hospital. Plaque assay was applied to purify and quantify the titer of the isolated phages. The host range of the isolated phages was detected using the spot test assay. The morphology of phages was confirmed using transmission electron microscope (TEM). Digestion of DNA extracted from phages with endonuclease enzymes including EcoRI and SmaI was performed. SDS-PAGE was performed to analyze MRSA specific phage proteins. As a positive control prophages were isolated from a mitomycin C (MitC) treated culture of S. aureus strain ATCC25923. Further characterization using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to select three known Staphylophages by detecting the endolysin gene of phage K, the polymerase gene of phage 44AHJD, and the minor tail gene of phage P68. Results Isolated phages in this research displayed a wide host range against MRSA using the spot test, out of thirty tested MRSA isolates 24 were sensitive and got lysed (80%). The titer of the phages was estimated to be 1.04 × 106 pfu/ml using plaque test. Identification of head and tail morphology of the phages was achieved using TEM and they were designated to tailed phages of order Caudovirales, they composed an icosahedral capsid. Prophages were isolated through MitC induction. DNA of phages was digested by endonuclease enzymes. Conventional PCR yielded 341 bp of phage K endolysin gene and phage P68 minor tail protein gene 501 bp. Protein analysis using SDS-PAGE showed 4 proteins of sizes between 42 kDa and 140 kDa. Conclusion Phages isolated here are alike to others mentioned in previous studies. The high broad host range of the isolated phages is promising to control MRSA and can be in the future commercially suitable for treatment as lysate preparations. Animal models of phage-bacterial interaction will be our next step that may help in resolving the multidrug resistant crisis of MRSA in Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safia Samir
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt
| | - Amira El-Far
- Microbiology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt
| | - Hend Okasha
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt
| | - Rania Mahdy
- Microbiology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt
| | - Fatima Samir
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt
| | - Sami Nasr
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt
- Corresponding author at: Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Cornish El-Nile Street, Warrak El-Hadar, Giza, 12411, Egypt
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20
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Wakinaka T, Matsutani M, Watanabe J, Mogi Y, Tokuoka M, Ohnishi A. Ribitol-Containing Wall Teichoic Acid of Tetragenococcus halophilus Is Targeted by Bacteriophage phiWJ7 as a Binding Receptor. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0033622. [PMID: 35311554 PMCID: PMC9045211 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00336-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetragenococcus halophilus, a halophilic lactic acid bacterium, is used in the fermentation process of soy sauce manufacturing. For many years, bacteriophage infections of T. halophilus have been a major industrial problem that causes fermentation failure. However, studies focusing on the mechanisms of tetragenococcal host-phage interactions are not sufficient. In this study, we generated two phage-insensitive derivatives from the parental strain T. halophilus WJ7, which is susceptible to the virulent phage phiWJ7. Whole-genome sequencing of the derivatives revealed that insertion sequences were transposed into a gene encoding poly(ribitol phosphate) polymerase (TarL) in both derivatives. TarL is responsible for the biosynthesis of ribitol-containing wall teichoic acid, and WJ7 was confirmed to contain ribitol in extracted wall teichoic acid, but the derivative was not. Cell walls of WJ7 irreversibly adsorbed phiWJ7, but those of the phage-insensitive derivatives did not. Additionally, 25 phiWJ7-insensitive derivatives were obtained, and they showed mutations not only in tarL but also in tarI and tarJ, which are responsible for the synthesis of CDP-ribitol. These results indicate that phiWJ7 targets the ribitol-containing wall teichoic acid of host cells as a binding receptor. IMPORTANCE Information about the mechanisms of host-phage interactions is required for the development of efficient strategies against bacteriophage infections. Here, we identified the ribitol-containing wall teichoic acid as a host receptor indispensable for bacteriophage infection. The complete genome sequence of tetragenococcal phage phiWJ7 belonging to the family Rountreeviridae is also provided here. This study could become the foundation for a better understanding of host-phage interactions of tetragenococci.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jun Watanabe
- Manufacturing Division, Yamasa Corporation, Choshi, Japan
- Faculty of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan
- Institute of Fermentation Sciences, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Mogi
- Manufacturing Division, Yamasa Corporation, Choshi, Japan
| | - Masafumi Tokuoka
- Department of Fermentation Science, Faculty of Applied Bio-Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Ohnishi
- Department of Fermentation Science, Faculty of Applied Bio-Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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Cryo-EM Structures of Two Bacteriophage Portal Proteins Provide Insights for Antimicrobial Phage Engineering. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122532. [PMID: 34960800 PMCID: PMC8703570 DOI: 10.3390/v13122532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread antibiotic resistance has returned attention to bacteriophages as a means of managing bacterial pathogenesis. Synthetic biology approaches to engineer phages have demonstrated genomic editing to broaden natural host ranges, or to optimise microbicidal action. Gram positive pathogens cause serious pastoral animal and human infections that are especially lethal in newborns. Such pathogens are targeted by the obligate lytic phages of the Salasmaviridae and Guelinviridae families. These phages have relatively small ~20 kb linear protein-capped genomes and their compact organisation, relatively few structural elements, and broad host range, are appealing from a phage-engineering standpoint. In this study, we focus on portal proteins, which are core elements for the assembly of such tailed phages. The structures of dodecameric portal complexes from Salasmaviridae phage GA1, which targets Bacillus pumilus, and Guelinviridae phage phiCPV4 that infects Clostridium perfringens, were determined at resolutions of 3.3 Å and 2.9 Å, respectively. Both are found to closely resemble the related phi29 portal protein fold. However, the portal protein of phiCPV4 exhibits interesting differences in the clip domain. These structures provide new insights on structural diversity in Caudovirales portal proteins and will be essential for considerations in phage structural engineering.
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22
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Hatoum-Aslan A. The phages of staphylococci: critical catalysts in health and disease. Trends Microbiol 2021; 29:1117-1129. [PMID: 34030968 PMCID: PMC8578144 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The phages that infect Staphylococcus species are dominant residents of the skin microbiome that play critical roles in health and disease. While temperate phages, which can integrate into the host genome, have the potential to promote staphylococcal pathogenesis, the strictly lytic variety are powerful antimicrobials that are being exploited for therapeutic applications. This article reviews recent insights into the diversity of staphylococcal phages and newly described mechanisms by which they influence host pathogenicity. The latest efforts to harness these viruses to eradicate staphylococcal infections are also highlighted. Decades of research has focused on the temperate phages of Staphylococcus aureus as model systems, thus underscoring the need to broaden basic research efforts to include diverse phages that infect other clinically relevant Staphylococcus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Hatoum-Aslan
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Microbiology, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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23
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Cui N, Yang F, Zhang JT, Sun H, Chen Y, Yu RC, Chen ZP, Jiang YL, Han SJ, Xu X, Li Q, Zhou CZ. Capsid Structure of Anabaena Cyanophage A-1(L). J Virol 2021; 95:e0135621. [PMID: 34549983 PMCID: PMC8610606 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01356-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
A-1(L) is a freshwater cyanophage with a contractile tail that specifically infects Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, one of the model strains for molecular studies of cyanobacteria. Although isolated for half a century, its structure remains unknown, which limits our understanding on the interplay between A-1(L) and its host. Here we report the 3.35 Å cryo-EM structure of A-1(L) capsid, representing the first near-atomic resolution structure of a phage capsid with a T number of 9. The major capsid gp4 proteins assemble into 91 capsomers, including 80 hexons: 20 at the center of the facet and 60 at the facet edge, in addition to 11 identical pentons. These capsomers further assemble into the icosahedral capsid, via gradually increasing curvatures. Different from the previously reported capsids of known-structure, A-1(L) adopts a noncovalent chainmail structure of capsid stabilized by two kinds of mortise-and-tenon inter-capsomer interactions: a three-layered interface at the pseudo 3-fold axis combined with the complementarity in shape and electrostatic potential around the 2-fold axis. This unique capsomer construction enables A-1(L) to possess a rigid capsid, which is solely composed of the major capsid proteins with an HK97 fold. IMPORTANCE Cyanobacteria are the most abundant photosynthetic bacteria, contributing significantly to the biomass production, O2 generation, and CO2 consumption on our planet. Their community structure and homeostasis in natural aquatic ecosystems are largely regulated by the corresponding cyanophages. In this study, we solved the structure of cyanophage A-1(L) capsid at near-atomic resolution and revealed a unique capsid construction. This capsid structure provides the molecular details for better understanding the assembly of A-1(L), and a structural platform for future investigation and application of A-1(L) in combination with its host Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. As the first isolated freshwater cyanophage that infects the genetically tractable model cyanobacterium, A-1(L) should become an ideal template for the genetic engineering and synthetic biology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Cui
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Feng Yang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jun-Tao Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Hui Sun
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Rong-Cheng Yu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Zhi-Peng Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yong-Liang Jiang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Shu-Jing Han
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xudong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qiong Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Cong-Zhao Zhou
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
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24
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Zhang JT, Yang F, Du K, Li WF, Chen Y, Jiang YL, Li Q, Zhou CZ. Structure and assembly pattern of a freshwater short-tailed cyanophage Pam1. Structure 2021; 30:240-251.e4. [PMID: 34727518 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite previous structural analyses of bacteriophages, quite little is known about the structures and assembly patterns of cyanophages. Using cryo-EM combined with crystallography, we solve the near-atomic-resolution structure of a freshwater short-tailed cyanophage, Pam1, which comprises a 400-Å-long tail and an icosahedral capsid of 650 Å in diameter. The outer capsid surface is reinforced by trimeric cement proteins with a β-sandwich fold, which structurally resemble the distal motif of Pam1's tailspike, suggesting its potential role in host recognition. At the portal vertex, the dodecameric portal and connected adaptor, followed by a hexameric needle head, form a DNA ejection channel, which is sealed by a trimeric needle. Moreover, we identify a right-handed rifling pattern that might help DNA to revolve along the wall of the ejection channel. Our study reveals the precise assembly pattern of a cyanophage and lays the foundation to support its practical biotechnological and environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Tao Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Feng Yang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Kang Du
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Wei-Fang Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Yuxing Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Yong-Liang Jiang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
| | - Qiong Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
| | - Cong-Zhao Zhou
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
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25
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Rao VB, Fokine A, Fang Q. The remarkable viral portal vertex: structure and a plausible model for mechanism. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 51:65-73. [PMID: 34619513 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Many icosahedral viruses including tailed bacteriophages and herpes viruses have a unique portal vertex where a dodecameric protein ring is associated with a fivefold capsid shell. While the peripheral regions of the portal ring are involved in capsid assembly, its central channel is used to transport DNA into and out of capsid during genome packaging and infection. Though the atomic structure of this highly conserved, turbine-shaped, portal is known for nearly two decades, its molecular mechanism remains a mystery. Recent high-resolution in situ structures reveal various conformational states of the portal and the asymmetric interactions between the 12-fold portal and the fivefold capsid. These lead to a valve-like mechanism for this symmetry-mismatched portal vertex that regulates DNA flow through the channel, a critical function for high fidelity assembly of an infectious virion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venigalla B Rao
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA.
| | - Andrei Fokine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Qianglin Fang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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26
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Kamiya R, Uchiyama J, Matsuzaki S, Murata K, Iwasaki K, Miyazaki N. Acid-stable capsid structure of Helicobacter pylori bacteriophage KHP30 by single-particle cryoelectron microscopy. Structure 2021; 30:300-312.e3. [PMID: 34597601 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2021.09.001] [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: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The acid-stable capsid structures of Helicobacter pylori phages KHP30 and KHP40 are solved at 2.7 and 3.0 Å resolutions by cryoelectron microscopy, respectively. The capsids have icosahedral T = 9 symmetry and consist of each 540 copies of 2 structural proteins, a major capsid protein, and a cement protein. The major capsid proteins form 12 pentagonal capsomeres occupying icosahedral vertexes and 80 hexagonal capsomeres located at icosahedral faces and edges. The major capsid protein has a unique protruding loop extending to the neighboring subunit that stabilizes hexagonal capsomeres. Furthermore, the capsid is decorated with trimeric cement proteins with a jelly roll motif. The cement protein trimer sits on the quasi-three-fold axis formed by three major capsid protein capsomeres, thereby enhancing the particle stability by connecting these capsomeres. Sequence and structure comparisons between the related Helicobacter pylori phages suggest a possible mechanism of phage adaptation to the human gastric environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Kamiya
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8777, Japan
| | - Jumpei Uchiyama
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology I, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan; Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Shigenobu Matsuzaki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kochi Gakuen University, Kochi 780-0955, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Murata
- National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Kenji Iwasaki
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8777, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Miyazaki
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8777, Japan.
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27
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Structural changes in bacteriophage T7 upon receptor-induced genome ejection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2102003118. [PMID: 34504014 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102003118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Many tailed bacteriophages assemble ejection proteins and a portal-tail complex at a unique vertex of the capsid. The ejection proteins form a transenvelope channel extending the portal-tail channel for the delivery of genomic DNA in cell infection. Here, we report the structure of the mature bacteriophage T7, including the ejection proteins, as well as the structures of the full and empty T7 particles in complex with their cell receptor lipopolysaccharide. Our near-atomic-resolution reconstruction shows that the ejection proteins in the mature T7 assemble into a core, which comprises a fourfold gene product 16 (gp16) ring, an eightfold gp15 ring, and a putative eightfold gp14 ring. The gp15 and gp16 are mainly composed of helix bundles, and gp16 harbors a lytic transglycosylase domain for degrading the bacterial peptidoglycan layer. When interacting with the lipopolysaccharide, the T7 tail nozzle opens. Six copies of gp14 anchor to the tail nozzle, extending the nozzle across the lipopolysaccharide lipid bilayer. The structures of gp15 and gp16 in the mature T7 suggest that they should undergo remarkable conformational changes to form the transenvelope channel. Hydrophobic α-helices were observed in gp16 but not in gp15, suggesting that gp15 forms the channel in the hydrophilic periplasm and gp16 forms the channel in the cytoplasmic membrane.
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28
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Obořilová R, Šimečková H, Pastucha M, Klimovič Š, Víšová I, Přibyl J, Vaisocherová-Lísalová H, Pantůček R, Skládal P, Mašlaňová I, Farka Z. Atomic force microscopy and surface plasmon resonance for real-time single-cell monitoring of bacteriophage-mediated lysis of bacteria. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:13538-13549. [PMID: 34477758 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr02921e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The growing incidence of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains presents a major challenge in modern medicine. Antibiotic resistance is often exhibited by Staphylococcus aureus, which causes severe infections in human and animal hosts and leads to significant economic losses. Antimicrobial agents with enzymatic activity (enzybiotics) and phage therapy represent promising and effective alternatives to classic antibiotics. However, new tools are needed to study phage-bacteria interactions and bacterial lysis with high resolution and in real-time. Here, we introduce a method for studying the lysis of S. aureus at the single-cell level in real-time using atomic force microscopy (AFM) in liquid. We demonstrate the ability of the method to monitor the effect of the enzyme lysostaphin on S. aureus and the lytic action of the Podoviridae phage P68. AFM allowed the topographic and biomechanical properties of individual bacterial cells to be monitored at high resolution over the course of their lysis, under near-physiological conditions. Changes in the stiffness of S. aureus cells during lysis were studied by analyzing force-distance curves to determine Young's modulus. This allowed observing a progressive decline in cellular stiffness corresponding to the disintegration of the cell envelope. The AFM experiments were complemented by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments that provided information on the kinetics of phage-bacterium binding and the subsequent lytic processes. This approach forms the foundation of an innovative framework for studying the lysis of individual bacteria that may facilitate the further development of phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radka Obořilová
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
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29
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Abdelsattar AS, Dawoud A, Makky S, Nofal R, Aziz RK, El-Shibiny A. Bacteriophages: from isolation to application. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2021; 23:337-360. [PMID: 33902418 DOI: 10.2174/1389201022666210426092002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are considered as a potential alternative to fight pathogenic bacteria during the antibiotic resistance era. With their high specificity, they are being widely used in various applications: medicine, food industry, agriculture, animal farms, biotechnology, diagnosis, etc. Many techniques have been designed by different researchers for phage isolation, purification, and amplification, each of which has strengths and weaknesses. However, all aim at having a reasonably pure phage sample that can be further characterized. Phages can be characterized based on their physiological, morphological or inactivation tests. Microscopy, in particular, has opened a wide gate not only for visualizing phage morphological structure, but also for monitoring biochemistry and behavior. Meanwhile, computational analysis of phage genomes provides more details about phage history, lifestyle, and potential for toxigenic or lysogenic conversion, which translate to safety in biocontrol and phage therapy applications. This review summarizes phage application pipelines at different levels and addresses specific restrictions and knowledge gaps in the field. Recently developed computational approaches, which are used in phage genome analysis, are critically assessed. We hope that this assessment provides researchers with useful insights for selection of suitable approaches for Phage-related research aims and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah S Abdelsattar
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza, 12578. Egypt
| | - Alyaa Dawoud
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza, 12578. Egypt
| | - Salsabil Makky
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza, 12578. Egypt
| | - Rana Nofal
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza, 12578. Egypt
| | - Ramy K Aziz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Qasr El-Ainy St, Cairo. Egypt
| | - Ayman El-Shibiny
- Center for Microbiology and Phage Therapy, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza, 12578. Egypt
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João J, Lampreia J, Prazeres DMF, Azevedo AM. Manufacturing of bacteriophages for therapeutic applications. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 49:107758. [PMID: 33895333 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages, or simply phages, are the most abundant biological entities on Earth. One of the most interesting characteristics of these viruses, which infect and use bacteria as their host organisms, is their high level of specificity. Since their discovery, phages became a tool for the comprehension of basic molecular biology and originated applications in a variety of areas such as agriculture, biotechnology, food safety, veterinary, pollution remediation and wastewater treatment. In particular, phages offer a solution to one of the major problems in public health nowadays, i.e. the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. In these situations, the use of virulent phages as therapeutic agents offers an alternative to the classic, antibiotic-based strategies. The development of phage therapies should be accompanied by the improvement of phage biomanufacturing processes, both at laboratory and industrial scales. In this review, we first present some historical and general aspects related with the discovery, usage and biology of phages and provide a brief overview of the most relevant phage therapy applications. Then, we showcase current processes used for the production and purification of phages and future alternatives in development. On the production side, key factors such as the bacterial physiological state, the conditions of phage infection and the operation parameters are described alongside with the different operation modes, from batch to semi-continuous and continuous. Traditional purification methods used in the initial phage isolation steps are then described followed by the presentation of current state-of-the-art purification approaches. Continuous purification of phages is finally presented as a future biomanufacturing trend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge João
- iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - João Lampreia
- iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Duarte Miguel F Prazeres
- iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Ana M Azevedo
- iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal.
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31
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Dunne M, Prokhorov NS, Loessner MJ, Leiman PG. Reprogramming bacteriophage host range: design principles and strategies for engineering receptor binding proteins. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 68:272-281. [PMID: 33744824 PMCID: PMC10163921 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) use specialized tail machinery to deliver proteins and genetic material into a bacterial cell during infection. Attached at the distal ends of their tails are receptor binding proteins (RBPs) that recognize specific molecules exposed on host bacteria surfaces. Since the therapeutic capacity of naturally occurring phages is often limited by narrow host ranges, there is significant interest in expanding their host range via directed evolution or structure-guided engineering of their RBPs. Here, we describe the design principles of different RBP engineering platforms and draw attention to the mechanisms linking RBP binding and the correct spatial and temporal attachment of the phage to the bacterial surface. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms will directly benefit future engineering of more effective phage-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Dunne
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Nikolai S Prokhorov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Petr G Leiman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA
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32
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Abstract
Twelve million people worldwide suffer from leishmaniasis, resulting in more than 30 thousand deaths annually. The disease has several variants that differ in their symptoms. Leishmania parasites cause a variety of symptoms, including mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, which results in the destruction of the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat. The species of Leishmania carrying Leishmania RNA virus 1 (LRV1), from the family Totiviridae, are more likely to cause severe disease and are less sensitive to treatment than those that do not contain the virus. Although the importance of LRV1 for the severity of leishmaniasis was discovered a long time ago, the structure of the virus remained unknown. Here, we present a cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the virus-like particle of LRV1 determined to a resolution of 3.65 Å. The capsid has icosahedral symmetry and is formed by 120 copies of a capsid protein assembled in asymmetric dimers. RNA genomes of viruses from the family Totiviridae are synthetized, but not capped at the 5′ end, by virus RNA polymerases. To protect viral RNAs from degradation, capsid proteins of the L-A totivirus cleave the 5′ caps of host mRNAs, creating decoys to overload the cellular RNA quality control system. Capsid proteins of LRV1 form positively charged clefts, which may be the cleavage sites for the 5′ cap of Leishmania mRNAs. The putative RNA binding site of LRV1 is distinct from that of the related L-A virus. The structure of the LRV1 capsid enables the rational design of compounds targeting the putative decapping site. Such inhibitors may be developed into a treatment for mucocutaneous leishmaniasis caused by LRV1-positive species of Leishmania. IMPORTANCE Twelve million people worldwide suffer from leishmaniasis, resulting in more than 30 thousand deaths annually. The disease has several variants that differ in their symptoms. The mucocutaneous form, which leads to disintegration of the nasal septum, lips, and palate, is caused predominantly by Leishmania parasites carrying Leishmania RNA virus 1 (LRV1). Here, we present the structure of the LRV1 capsid determined using cryo-electron microscopy. Capsid proteins of a related totivirus, L-A virus, protect viral RNAs from degradation by cleaving the 5′ caps of host mRNAs. Capsid proteins of LRV1 may have the same function. We show that the LRV1 capsid contains positively charged clefts that may be sites for the cleavage of mRNAs of Leishmania cells. The structure of the LRV1 capsid enables the rational design of compounds targeting the putative mRNA cleavage site. Such inhibitors may be used as treatments for mucocutaneous leishmaniasis.
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33
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Huang L, Xiang Y. Structures of the tailed bacteriophages that infect Gram-positive bacteria. Curr Opin Virol 2020; 45:65-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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34
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Horká M, Šalplachta J, Karásek P, Růžička F, Štveráková D, Pantůček R, Roth M. Rapid Isolation, Propagation, and Online Analysis of a Small Number of Therapeutic Staphylococcal Bacteriophages from a Complex Matrix. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:2745-2755. [PMID: 32856900 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A method for the fast isolation, propagation, and characterization of very low count bacteriophages active against pathogenic bacterial strains is described in this study. Bacteriophages with a count of 102 phage particles were dynamically adhered from the maximum 10 mL blood plasma sample onto the nanostructured part of the fused silica capillary. One-step propagation of phage particles of genus Kayvirus inside the etched capillary on 104 Staphylococcus aureus host cells increased their number to 6 × 104 phage particles. Phage particles were concentrated online and separated by capillary electrophoretic methods. No phage replication occurred when the phage-resistant S. aureus or Escherichia coli cells were used. Two-step phage propagation in the capillary allowed an increase in the total virion count to up to 6 × 105 phage particles and subsequent off-line matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of the phage zone collected after capillary electrophoresis. Relative standard deviations of the phage peak area were at most 2.3%. We expect that the method of isolating bacteriophages from blood plasma and their simultaneous identification will facilitate clinical studies of phage preparations and contribute to pharmacokinetics studies during phage therapy. This approach is also suitable for capturing and enriching new phages from the environment when a susceptible indicator strain is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Horká
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the CAS, Veveří 97, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šalplachta
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the CAS, Veveří 97, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Karásek
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the CAS, Veveří 97, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Růžička
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dana Štveráková
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Pantůček
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Roth
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the CAS, Veveří 97, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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35
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Kiss B, Mudra D, Török G, Mártonfalvi Z, Csík G, Herényi L, Kellermayer M. Single-particle virology. Biophys Rev 2020; 12:1141-1154. [PMID: 32880826 PMCID: PMC7471434 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-020-00747-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of advanced experimental methodologies, such as optical tweezers, scanning-probe and super-resolved optical microscopies, has led to the evolution of single-molecule biophysics, a field of science that allows direct access to the mechanistic detail of biomolecular structure and function. The extension of single-molecule methods to the investigation of particles such as viruses permits unprecedented insights into the behavior of supramolecular assemblies. Here we address the scope of viral exploration at the level of individual particles. In an era of increased awareness towards virology, single-particle approaches are expected to facilitate the in-depth understanding, and hence combating, of viral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bálint Kiss
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dorottya Mudra
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Török
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Mártonfalvi
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Csík
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Levente Herényi
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Miklós Kellermayer
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
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36
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Bárdy P, Füzik T, Hrebík D, Pantůček R, Thomas Beatty J, Plevka P. Structure and mechanism of DNA delivery of a gene transfer agent. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3034. [PMID: 32541663 PMCID: PMC7296036 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16669-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaproteobacteria, which are the most abundant microorganisms of temperate oceans, produce phage-like particles called gene transfer agents (GTAs) that mediate lateral gene exchange. However, the mechanism by which GTAs deliver DNA into cells is unknown. Here we present the structure of the GTA of Rhodobacter capsulatus (RcGTA) and describe the conformational changes required for its DNA ejection. The structure of RcGTA resembles that of a tailed phage, but it has an oblate head shortened in the direction of the tail axis, which limits its packaging capacity to less than 4,500 base pairs of linear double-stranded DNA. The tail channel of RcGTA contains a trimer of proteins that possess features of both tape measure proteins of long-tailed phages from the family Siphoviridae and tail needle proteins of short-tailed phages from the family Podoviridae. The opening of a constriction within the RcGTA baseplate enables the ejection of DNA into bacterial periplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavol Bárdy
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tibor Füzik
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Hrebík
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Pantůček
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - J Thomas Beatty
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z3, BC, Canada
| | - Pavel Plevka
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
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37
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Fang Q, Tang WC, Tao P, Mahalingam M, Fokine A, Rossmann MG, Rao VB. Structural morphing in a symmetry-mismatched viral vertex. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1713. [PMID: 32249784 PMCID: PMC7136217 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15575-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Large biological structures are assembled from smaller, often symmetric, sub-structures. However, asymmetry among sub-structures is fundamentally important for biological function. An extreme form of asymmetry, a 12-fold-symmetric dodecameric portal complex inserted into a 5-fold-symmetric capsid vertex, is found in numerous icosahedral viruses, including tailed bacteriophages, herpesviruses, and archaeal viruses. This vertex is critical for driving capsid assembly, DNA packaging, tail attachment, and genome ejection. Here, we report the near-atomic in situ structure of the symmetry-mismatched portal vertex from bacteriophage T4. Remarkably, the local structure of portal morphs to compensate for symmetry-mismatch, forming similar interactions in different capsid environments while maintaining strict symmetry in the rest of the structure. This creates a unique and unusually dynamic symmetry-mismatched vertex that is central to building an infectious virion. In icosahedral viruses, a symmetry-mismatched portal vertex is assembled by inserting a 12-fold-symmetric portal complex into a 5-fold-symmetric capsid environment. Here, the authors report a near-atomic-resolution in situ cryo-electron microscopy structure of this symmetrically mismatched viral vertex from bacteriophage T4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianglin Fang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Wei-Chun Tang
- Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Pan Tao
- Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Marthandan Mahalingam
- Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Andrei Fokine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Michael G Rossmann
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Venigalla B Rao
- Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA.
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38
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Titze I, Lehnherr T, Lehnherr H, Krömker V. Efficacy of Bacteriophages Against Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Bovine Mastitis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13030035. [PMID: 32110980 PMCID: PMC7151712 DOI: 10.3390/ph13030035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The lytic efficacy of bacteriophages against Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine milk was investigated in vitro, regarding possible applications in the therapy of udder inflammation caused by bacterial infections (mastitis). The host range of sequenced, lytic bacteriophages was determined against a collection of 92 Staphylococcus (S.) aureus isolates. The isolates originated from quarter foremilk samples of clinical and subclinical mastitis cases. A spot test and a subsequent plaque assay were used to determine the phage host range. According to their host range, propagation and storage properties, three phages, STA1.ST29, EB1.ST11, and EB1.ST27, were selected for preparing a bacteriophage mixture (1:1:1), which was examined for its lytic activity against S. aureus in pasteurized and raw milk. It was found that almost two thirds of the isolates could be lysed by at least one of the tested phages. The bacteriophage mixture was able to reduce the S. aureus germ density in pasteurized milk and its reduction ability was maintained in raw milk, with only a moderate decrease compared to the results in pasteurized milk. The significant reduction ability of the phage mixture in raw milk promotes further in vivo investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Titze
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Microbiology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, D-30453 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Tatiana Lehnherr
- Phage Technology Center GmbH, D-59199 Bönen, Germany; (T.L.); (H.L.)
| | - Hansjörg Lehnherr
- Phage Technology Center GmbH, D-59199 Bönen, Germany; (T.L.); (H.L.)
| | - Volker Krömker
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Microbiology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, D-30453 Hannover, Germany;
- Section for Production, Nutrition and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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Kizziah JL, Manning KA, Dearborn AD, Dokland T. Structure of the host cell recognition and penetration machinery of a Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008314. [PMID: 32069326 PMCID: PMC7048315 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of infections in humans. The emergence of virulent, antibiotic-resistant strains of S. aureus is a significant public health concern. Most virulence and resistance factors in S. aureus are encoded by mobile genetic elements, and transduction by bacteriophages represents the main mechanism for horizontal gene transfer. The baseplate is a specialized structure at the tip of bacteriophage tails that plays key roles in host recognition, cell wall penetration, and DNA ejection. We have used high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structure of the S. aureus bacteriophage 80α baseplate at 3.75 Å resolution, allowing atomic models to be built for most of the major tail and baseplate proteins, including two tail fibers, the receptor binding protein, and part of the tape measure protein. Our structure provides a structural basis for understanding host recognition, cell wall penetration and DNA ejection in viruses infecting Gram-positive bacteria. Comparison to other phages demonstrates the modular design of baseplate proteins, and the adaptations to the host that take place during the evolution of staphylococci and other pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L. Kizziah
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Keith A. Manning
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Altaira D. Dearborn
- Structural Virology Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Terje Dokland
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
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