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Cho THS, Pick K, Raivio TL. Bacterial envelope stress responses: Essential adaptors and attractive targets. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2023; 1870:119387. [PMID: 36336206 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Millions of deaths a year across the globe are linked to antimicrobial resistant infections. The need to develop new treatments and repurpose of existing antibiotics grows more pressing as the growing antimicrobial resistance pandemic advances. In this review article, we propose that envelope stress responses, the signaling pathways bacteria use to recognize and adapt to damage to the most vulnerable outer compartments of the microbial cell, are attractive targets. Envelope stress responses (ESRs) support colonization and infection by responding to a plethora of toxic envelope stresses encountered throughout the body; they have been co-opted into virulence networks where they work like global positioning systems to coordinate adhesion, invasion, microbial warfare, and biofilm formation. We highlight progress in the development of therapeutic strategies that target ESR signaling proteins and adaptive networks and posit that further characterization of the molecular mechanisms governing these essential niche adaptation machineries will be important for sparking new therapeutic approaches aimed at short-circuiting bacterial adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy H S Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Kat Pick
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Tracy L Raivio
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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2
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Fortney KR, Smith SN, van Rensburg JJ, Brothwell JA, Gardner JJ, Katz BP, Ahsan N, Duerfeldt AS, Mobley HLT, Spinola SM. CpxA Phosphatase Inhibitor Activates CpxRA and Is a Potential Treatment for Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in a Murine Model of Infection. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0243021. [PMID: 35297652 PMCID: PMC9045377 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02430-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
CpxRA is an envelope stress response system that is highly conserved in the Enterobacteriaceae. CpxA has kinase activity for CpxR and phosphatase activity for phospho-CpxR (CpxR-P), a transcription factor. In response to membrane stress, CpxR-P is produced and upregulates genes involved in membrane repair and downregulates genes that encode virulence factors that are trafficked across the cell membrane. Mutants that constitutively activate CpxRA in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are attenuated in murine models. We hypothesized that pharmacologic activation of CpxR could serve as an antimicrobial/antivirulence strategy and recently showed that 2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-amines activate the CpxRA system by inhibiting CpxA phosphatase activity. Here, we tested the ability of a series of three CpxRA-activating compounds with increasing potency to clear UPEC stain CFT073 in a murine urinary tract infection model. We show that these compounds are well tolerated and achieve sufficient levels to activate CpxR in the kidneys, bladder, and urine. Although the first two compounds were ineffective in promoting clearance of CFT073 in the murine model, the most potent derivative, compound 26, significantly reduced bacterial recovery in the urine and trended toward reducing bacterial recovery in the bladder and kidneys, with efficacy similar to ciprofloxacin. Treatment of CFT073 cultured in human urine with compound 26 fostered accumulation of CpxR-P and decreased the expression of proteins involved in siderophore biosynthesis and binding, heme degradation, and flagellar movement. These studies suggest that chemical activation of CpxRA may present a viable strategy for treating infections due to UPEC. IMPORTANCE The increasing prevalence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to antibiotic-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is a major public health concern. Bacteria contain proteins that sense their environment and have no human homologs and, thus, are attractive drug targets. CpxRA is a conserved sensing system whose function is to reduce stress in the bacterial cell membrane; activation of CpxRA reduces the expression of virulence determinants, which must cross the cell membrane to reach the bacterial surface. We previously identified a class of compounds that activate CpxRA. We show in a mouse UTI model that our most potent compound significantly reduced recovery of UPEC in the urine, trended toward reducing bacterial recovery in the bladder and kidneys, did not kill UPEC, and downregulated multiple proteins involved in UPEC virulence. Since these compounds do not act by a killing mechanism, they have potential to treat UTIs caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate R. Fortney
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Sara N. Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Julia J. van Rensburg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Julie A. Brothwell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Jessi J. Gardner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Barry P. Katz
- Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Nagib Ahsan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Mass Spectrometry, Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Adam S. Duerfeldt
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Harry L. T. Mobley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Stanley M. Spinola
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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3
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de Pina LC, da Silva FSH, Galvão TC, Pauer H, Ferreira RBR, Antunes LCM. The role of two-component regulatory systems in environmental sensing and virulence in Salmonella. Crit Rev Microbiol 2021; 47:397-434. [PMID: 33751923 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2021.1895067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Adaptation to environments with constant fluctuations imposes challenges that are only overcome with sophisticated strategies that allow bacteria to perceive environmental conditions and develop an appropriate response. The gastrointestinal environment is a complex ecosystem that is home to trillions of microorganisms. Termed microbiota, this microbial ensemble plays important roles in host health and provides colonization resistance against pathogens, although pathogens have evolved strategies to circumvent this barrier. Among the strategies used by bacteria to monitor their environment, one of the most important are the sensing and signalling machineries of two-component systems (TCSs), which play relevant roles in the behaviour of all bacteria. Salmonella enterica is no exception, and here we present our current understanding of how this important human pathogen uses TCSs as an integral part of its lifestyle. We describe important aspects of these systems, such as the stimuli and responses involved, the processes regulated, and their roles in virulence. We also dissect the genomic organization of histidine kinases and response regulators, as well as the input and output domains for each TCS. Lastly, we explore how these systems may be promising targets for the development of antivirulence therapeutics to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucindo Cardoso de Pina
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação Ciência para o Desenvolvimento, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Teca Calcagno Galvão
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Heidi Pauer
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Inovação em Doenças de Populações Negligenciadas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - L Caetano M Antunes
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Inovação em Doenças de Populações Negligenciadas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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4
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Van de Vyver T, Bogaert B, De Backer L, Joris F, Guagliardo R, Van Hoeck J, Merckx P, Van Calenbergh S, Ramishetti S, Peer D, Remaut K, De Smedt SC, Raemdonck K. Cationic Amphiphilic Drugs Boost the Lysosomal Escape of Small Nucleic Acid Therapeutics in a Nanocarrier-Dependent Manner. ACS NANO 2020; 14:4774-4791. [PMID: 32250113 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Small nucleic acid (NA) therapeutics, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA), are generally formulated in nanoparticles (NPs) to overcome the multiple extra- and intracellular barriers upon in vivo administration. Interaction with target cells typically triggers endocytosis and sequesters the NPs in endosomes, thus hampering the pharmacological activity of the encapsulated siRNAs that occurs in the cytosol. Unfortunately, for most state-of-the-art NPs, endosomal escape is largely inefficient. As a result, the bulk of the endocytosed NA drug is rapidly trafficked toward the degradative lysosomes that are considered as a dead end for siRNA nanomedicines. In contrast to this paradigm, we recently reported that cationic amphiphilic drugs (CADs) could strongly promote functional siRNA delivery from the endolysosomal compartment via transient induction of lysosomal membrane permeabilization. However, many questions still remain regarding the broader applicability of such a CAD adjuvant effect on NA delivery. Here, we report a drug repurposing screen (National Institutes of Health Clinical Collection) that allowed identification of 56 CAD adjuvants. We furthermore demonstrate that the CAD adjuvant effect is dependent on the type of nanocarrier, with NPs that generate an appropriate pool of decomplexed siRNA in the endolysosomal compartment being most susceptible to CAD-promoted gene silencing. Finally, the CAD adjuvant effect was verified on human ovarian cancer cells and for antisense oligonucleotides. In conclusion, this study strongly expands our current knowledge on how CADs increase the cytosolic release of small NAs, providing relevant insights to more rationally combine CAD adjuvants with NA-loaded NPs for future therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Van de Vyver
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bram Bogaert
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lynn De Backer
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Freya Joris
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Roberta Guagliardo
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jelter Van Hoeck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pieterjan Merckx
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Serge Van Calenbergh
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | | | | | - Katrien Remaut
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Koen Raemdonck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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5
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Kinoshita-Kikuta E, Kusamoto H, Ono S, Akayama K, Eguchi Y, Igarashi M, Okajima T, Utsumi R, Kinoshita E, Koike T. Quantitative monitoring of His and Asp phosphorylation in a bacterial signaling system by using Phos-tag Magenta/Cyan fluorescent dyes. Electrophoresis 2019; 40:3005-3013. [PMID: 31495938 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201900261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In the bacterial signaling mechanisms known as two-component systems (TCSs), signals are generally conveyed by means of a His-Asp phosphorelay. Each system consists of a histidine kinase (HK) and its cognate response regulator. Because of the labile nature of phosphorylated His and Asp residues, few approaches are available that permit a quantitative analysis of their phosphorylation status. Here, we show that the Phos-tag dye technology is suitable for the fluorescent detection of His- and Asp-phosphorylated proteins separated by SDS-PAGE. The dynamics of the His-Asp phosphorelay of recombinant EnvZ-OmpR, a TCS derived from Escherichia coli, were examined by SDS-PAGE followed by simple rapid staining with Phos-tag Magenta fluorescent dye. The technique permitted not only the quantitative monitoring of the autophosphorylation reactions of EnvZ and OmpR in the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or acetyl phosphate, respectively, but also that of the phosphotransfer reaction from EnvZ to OmpR, which occurs within 1 min in the presence of ATP. Furthermore, we demonstrate profiling of waldiomycin, an HK inhibitor, by using the Phos-tag Cyan gel staining. We believe that the Phos-tag dye technology provides a simple and convenient fluorometric approach for screening of HK inhibitors that have potential as new antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiko Kinoshita-Kikuta
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kusamoto
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Syogo Ono
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Keisuke Akayama
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yoko Eguchi
- Department of Science and Technology on Food Safety, Faculty of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kindai University, Wakayama, Japan
| | | | - Toshihide Okajima
- Department of Biomolecular Science and Reaction, Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryutaro Utsumi
- Department of Biomolecular Science and Reaction, Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eiji Kinoshita
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tohru Koike
- Department of Functional Molecular Science, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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6
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Li Y, Gardner JJ, Fortney KR, Leus IV, Bonifay V, Zgurskaya HI, Pletnev AA, Zhang S, Zhang ZY, Gribble GW, Spinola SM, Duerfeldt AS. First-generation structure-activity relationship studies of 2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-amines as CpxA phosphatase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2019; 29:1836-1841. [PMID: 31104993 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Genetic activation of the bacterial two-component signal transduction system, CpxRA, abolishes the virulence of a number of pathogens in human and murine infection models. Recently, 2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-amines were shown to activate the CpxRA system by inhibiting the phosphatase activity of CpxA. Herein we report the initial structure-activity relationships of this scaffold by focusing on three approaches 1) A-ring substitution, 2) B-ring deconstruction to provide N-arylated amino acid derivatives, and 3) C-ring elimination to give 2-ethylamino substituted indoles. These studies demonstrate that the A-ring is amenable to functionalization and provides a promising avenue for continued optimization of this chemotype. Further investigations revealed that the C-ring is not necessary for activity, although it likely provides conformational constraint that is beneficial to potency, and that the (R) stereochemistry is required at the primary amine. Simplification of the scaffold through deconstruction of the B-ring led to inactive compounds, highlighting the importance of the indole core. A new lead compound 26 was identified, which manifests a ∼30-fold improvement in CpxA phosphatase inhibition over the initial hit. Comparison of amino and des-amino derivatives in bacterial strains differing in membrane permeability and efflux capabilities demonstrate that the amine is required not only for target engagement but also for permeation and accumulation in Escherichia coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangxiong Li
- Institute for Natural Products Applications and Research Technologies, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States; Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States
| | - Jessi J Gardner
- Institute for Natural Products Applications and Research Technologies, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States; Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States
| | - Katherine R Fortney
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Inga V Leus
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States
| | - Vincent Bonifay
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States
| | - Helen I Zgurskaya
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States
| | - Alexandre A Pletnev
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover New Hampshire, 03755, United States
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Biochemistry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Zhong-Yin Zhang
- Biochemistry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States; Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States; The Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States
| | - Gordon W Gribble
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover New Hampshire, 03755, United States
| | - Stanley M Spinola
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States; Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Adam S Duerfeldt
- Institute for Natural Products Applications and Research Technologies, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States; Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, Norman, OK 73019-5251, United States.
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7
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Thanikkal EJ, Gahlot DK, Liu J, Fredriksson Sundbom M, Gurung JM, Ruuth K, Francis MK, Obi IR, Thompson KM, Chen S, Dersch P, Francis MS. The Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Cpx envelope stress system contributes to transcriptional activation of rovM. Virulence 2019; 10:37-57. [PMID: 30518290 PMCID: PMC6298763 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1556151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis possesses a number of regulatory systems that detect cell envelope damage caused by noxious extracytoplasmic stresses. The CpxA sensor kinase and CpxR response regulator two-component regulatory system is one such pathway. Active Cpx signalling upregulates various factors designed to repair and restore cell envelope integrity. Concomitantly, this pathway also down-regulates key determinants of virulence. In Yersinia, cpxA deletion accumulates high levels of phosphorylated CpxR (CpxR~P). Accumulated CpxR~P directly repressed rovA expression and this limited expression of virulence-associated processes. A second transcriptional regulator, RovM, also negatively regulates rovA expression in response to nutrient stress. Hence, this study aimed to determine if CpxR~P can influence rovA expression through control of RovM levels. We determined that the active CpxR~P isoform bound to the promoter of rovM and directly induced its expression, which naturally associated with a concurrent reduction in rovA expression. Site-directed mutagenesis of the CpxR~P binding sequence in the rovM promoter region desensitised rovM expression to CpxR~P. These data suggest that accumulated CpxR~P inversely manipulates the levels of two global transcriptional regulators, RovA and RovM, and this would be expected to have considerable influence on Yersinia pathophysiology and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edvin J Thanikkal
- a Department of Molecular Biology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b Umeå Centre for Microbial Research , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | - Dharmender K Gahlot
- a Department of Molecular Biology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b Umeå Centre for Microbial Research , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | - Junfa Liu
- a Department of Molecular Biology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b Umeå Centre for Microbial Research , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | | | - Jyoti M Gurung
- a Department of Molecular Biology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b Umeå Centre for Microbial Research , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | - Kristina Ruuth
- a Department of Molecular Biology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b Umeå Centre for Microbial Research , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | - Monika K Francis
- a Department of Molecular Biology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b Umeå Centre for Microbial Research , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | - Ikenna R Obi
- a Department of Molecular Biology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b Umeå Centre for Microbial Research , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | - Karl M Thompson
- c Department of Microbiology , College of Medicine, Howard University , Washington , DC , USA.,d Interdisciplinary Research Building , Howard University , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Shiyun Chen
- e Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety , Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , China
| | - Petra Dersch
- f Department of Molecular Infection Biology , Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research , Braunschweig , Germany
| | - Matthew S Francis
- a Department of Molecular Biology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,b Umeå Centre for Microbial Research , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
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8
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Horstmann N, Tran CN, Brumlow C, DebRoy S, Yao H, Nogueras Gonzalez G, Makthal N, Kumaraswami M, Shelburne SA. Phosphatase activity of the control of virulence sensor kinase CovS is critical for the pathogenesis of group A streptococcus. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007354. [PMID: 30379939 PMCID: PMC6231683 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The control of virulence regulator/sensor kinase (CovRS) two-component system is critical to the infectivity of group A streptococcus (GAS), and CovRS inactivating mutations are frequently observed in GAS strains causing severe human infections. CovS modulates the phosphorylation status and with it the regulatory effect of its cognate regulator CovR via its kinase and phosphatase activity. However, the contribution of each aspect of CovS function to GAS pathogenesis is unknown. We created isoallelic GAS strains that differ only by defined mutations which either abrogate CovR phosphorylation, CovS kinase or CovS phosphatase activity in order to test the contribution of CovR phosphorylation levels to GAS virulence, emergence of hypervirulent CovS-inactivated strains during infection, and GAS global gene expression. These sets of strains were created in both serotype M1 and M3 backgrounds, two prevalent GAS disease-causing serotypes, to ascertain whether our observations were serotype-specific. In both serotypes, GAS strains lacking CovS phosphatase activity (CovS-T284A) were profoundly impaired in their ability to cause skin infection or colonize the oropharynx in mice and to survive neutrophil killing in human blood. Further, response to the human cathelicidin LL-37 was abrogated. Hypervirulent GAS isolates harboring inactivating CovRS mutations were not recovered from mice infected with M1 strain M1-CovS-T284A and only sparsely recovered from mice infected with M3 strain M3-CovS-T284A late in the infection course. Consistent with our virulence data, transcriptome analyses revealed increased repression of a broad array of virulence genes in the CovS phosphatase deficient strains, including the genes encoding the key anti-phagocytic M protein and its positive regulator Mga, which are not typically part of the CovRS transcriptome. Taken together, these data establish a key role for CovS phosphatase activity in GAS pathogenesis and suggest that CovS phosphatase activity could be a promising therapeutic target in GAS without promoting emergence of hypervirulent CovS-inactivated strains. Group A streptococcus (GAS), also known as Streptococcus pyogenes, causes a broad array of human infections of varying severity. Tight control of production of virulence factors is critical to GAS pathogenesis, and the control of virulence two-component signaling system (CovRS) is central to this process. The activity of the bifunctional histidine kinase CovS determines the phosphorylation status and thereby the activity of its cognate response regulator CovR. Herein, we sought to determine how varying CovR phosphorylation level (CovR~P) impacts GAS pathophysiology. Using three infection models, we discovered that GAS strains lacking CovS phosphatase activity resulting in high CovR~P levels had markedly impaired infectivity. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the hypovirulent phenotype of CovS phosphatase deficient strains is due to down-regulation of numerous genes encoding GAS virulence factors. We identified repression of additional virulence genes that are typically not controlled by CovR, thus expanding the CovR regulon at high CovR~P concentrations. Our data indicate that phosphatase activity of CovS sensor kinase is crucial for spatiotemporal regulation of GAS virulence gene expression. Thus, we propose that targeting the phosphatase activity of CovS sensor kinase could be a promising novel therapeutic approach to combat GAS disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Horstmann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, United States of America
| | - Chau Nguyen Tran
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, United States of America
| | - Chelcy Brumlow
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, United States of America
| | - Sruti DebRoy
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, United States of America
| | - Hui Yao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, United States of America
| | - Graciela Nogueras Gonzalez
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, United States of America
| | - Nishanth Makthal
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Muthiah Kumaraswami
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Samuel A. Shelburne
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, United States of America
- Department of Genomic Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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9
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[1,2,5]Oxadiazolo[3,4-d]pyridazine 1,5,6-trioxides: efficient synthesis via the reaction of 3,4-bis(hydroxyimino)methyl)-1,2,5-oxadiazole 2-oxides with a mixture of concentrated nitric and trifluoroacetic acids and structural characterization. Tetrahedron Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2018.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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10
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Evaluation of CpxRA as a Therapeutic Target for Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Infections. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00798-17. [PMID: 29311237 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00798-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
CpxRA is an envelope stress response system found in all members of the family Enterobacteriaceae; CpxA has kinase activity for CpxR and phosphatase activity for phospho-CpxR, a transcription factor. CpxR also accepts phosphate groups from acetyl phosphate, a glucose metabolite. Activation of CpxR increases the transcription of genes encoding membrane repair and downregulates virulence determinants. We hypothesized that activation of CpxR could serve as an antimicrobial/antivirulence strategy and discovered compounds that activate CpxR in Escherichia coli by inhibiting CpxA phosphatase activity. As a prelude to testing such compounds in vivo, here we constructed cpxA (in the presence of glucose, CpxR is activated because of a lack of CpxA phosphatase) and cpxR (system absent) deletion mutants of uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) CFT073. By RNA sequencing, few transcriptional differences were noted between the cpxR mutant and its parent, but in the cpxA mutant, several UPEC virulence determinants were downregulated, including the fim and pap operons, and it exhibited reduced mannose-sensitive hemagglutination of guinea pig red blood cells in vitro In competition experiments with mice, both mutants were less fit than the parent in the urine, bladder, and kidney; these fitness defects were complemented in trans Unexpectedly, in single-strain challenges, only the cpxA mutant was attenuated for virulence in the kidney but not in the bladder or urine. For the cpxA mutant, this may be due to the preferential use of amino acids over glucose as a carbon source in the bladder and urine by UPEC. These studies suggest that CpxA phosphatase inhibitors may have some utility for treating complex urinary tract infections.
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11
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Gangaiah D, Raterman EL, Wu H, Fortney KR, Gao H, Liu Y, Jerse AE, Spinola SM. Both MisR (CpxR) and MisS (CpxA) Are Required for Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infection in a Murine Model of Lower Genital Tract Infection. Infect Immun 2017; 85:e00307-17. [PMID: 28652307 PMCID: PMC5563589 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00307-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
During infection, Neisseria gonorrhoeae senses and responds to stress; such responses may be modulated by MisRS (NGO0177 and NGO0176), a two-component system that is a homolog of CpxRA. In Escherichia coli, CpxRA senses and responds to envelope stress; CpxA is a sensor kinase/phosphatase for CpxR, a response regulator. When a cpxA mutant is grown in medium containing glucose, CpxR is phosphorylated by acetyl phosphate but cannot be dephosphorylated, resulting in constitutive activation. Kandler and coworkers (J. L. Kandler, C. L. Holley, J. L. Reimche, V. Dhulipala, J. T. Balthazar, A. Muszyński, R. W. Carlson, and W. M. Shafer, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 60:4690-4700, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00823-16) showed that MisR (CpxR) is required for the maintenance of membrane integrity and resistance to antimicrobial peptides, suggesting a role in gonococcal survival in vivo Here, we evaluated the contributions of MisR and MisS (CpxA) to gonococcal infection in a murine model of cervicovaginal colonization and identified MisR-regulated genes using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). The deletion of misR or misS severely reduced the capacity of N. gonorrhoeae to colonize mice or maintain infection over a 7-day period and reduced microbial fitness after exposure to heat shock. Compared to the wild type (WT), the inactivation of misR identified 157 differentially regulated genes, most of which encoded putative envelope proteins. The inactivation of misS identified 17 differentially regulated genes compared to the WT and 139 differentially regulated genes compared to the misR mutant, 111 of which overlapped those differentially expressed in the comparison of the WT versus the misR mutant. These data indicate that an intact MisRS system is required for gonococcal infection of mice. Provided the MisR is constitutively phosphorylated in the misS mutant, the data suggest that controlled but not constitutive activation is required for gonococcal infection in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharanesh Gangaiah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Erica L Raterman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Hong Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kate R Fortney
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Hongyu Gao
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Ann E Jerse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stanley M Spinola
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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12
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Drug discovery targeting heme-based sensors and their coupled activities. J Inorg Biochem 2017; 167:12-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2016.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Revised: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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13
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Boibessot T, Zschiedrich CP, Lebeau A, Bénimèlis D, Dunyach-Rémy C, Lavigne JP, Szurmant H, Benfodda Z, Meffre P. The Rational Design, Synthesis, and Antimicrobial Properties of Thiophene Derivatives That Inhibit Bacterial Histidine Kinases. J Med Chem 2016; 59:8830-8847. [PMID: 27575438 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria emphasizes the urgent need for novel antibacterial compounds targeting unique cellular processes. Two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) are commonly used by bacteria to couple environmental stimuli to adaptive responses, are absent in mammals, and are embedded in various pathogenic pathways. To attenuate these signaling pathways, we aimed to target the TCS signal transducer histidine kinase (HK) by focusing on their highly conserved adenosine triphosphate-binding domain. We used a structure-based drug design strategy that begins from an inhibitor-bound crystal structure and includes a significant number of structurally simplifiying "intuitive" modifications to arrive at the simple achiral, biaryl target structures. Thus, ligands were designed, leading to a series of thiophene derivatives. These compounds were synthesized and evaluated in vitro against bacterial HKs. We identified eight compounds with significant inhibitory activities against these proteins, two of which exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. The compounds were also evaluated as adjuvants for the treatment of resistant bacteria. One compound was found to restore the sensivity of these bacteria to the respective antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Boibessot
- EA7352 CHROME, Rue du Dr G. Salan, University of Nîmes , 30021 Nîmes cedex 1, France
| | - Christopher P Zschiedrich
- Basic Medical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona, California 91766, United States.,Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Alexandre Lebeau
- EA7352 CHROME, Rue du Dr G. Salan, University of Nîmes , 30021 Nîmes cedex 1, France
| | - David Bénimèlis
- EA7352 CHROME, Rue du Dr G. Salan, University of Nîmes , 30021 Nîmes cedex 1, France
| | - Catherine Dunyach-Rémy
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1047, Montpellier University , CHU de Nîmes, Place du Pr R. Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Lavigne
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1047, Montpellier University , CHU de Nîmes, Place du Pr R. Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France
| | - Hendrik Szurmant
- Basic Medical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona, California 91766, United States.,Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Zohra Benfodda
- EA7352 CHROME, Rue du Dr G. Salan, University of Nîmes , 30021 Nîmes cedex 1, France.,IBMM, UMR-CNRS5247, Université de Montpellier , Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Patrick Meffre
- EA7352 CHROME, Rue du Dr G. Salan, University of Nîmes , 30021 Nîmes cedex 1, France.,IBMM, UMR-CNRS5247, Université de Montpellier , Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
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14
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The MisR Response Regulator Is Necessary for Intrinsic Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide and Aminoglycoside Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:4690-700. [PMID: 27216061 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00823-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
During infection, the sexually transmitted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the gonococcus) encounters numerous host-derived antimicrobials, including cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) produced by epithelial and phagocytic cells. CAMPs have both direct and indirect killing mechanisms and help link the innate and adaptive immune responses during infection. Gonococcal CAMP resistance is likely important for avoidance of host nonoxidative killing systems expressed by polymorphonuclear granulocytes (e.g., neutrophils) and intracellular survival. Previously studied gonococcal CAMP resistance mechanisms include modification of lipid A with phosphoethanolamine by LptA and export of CAMPs by the MtrCDE efflux pump. In the related pathogen Neisseria meningitidis, a two-component regulatory system (2CRS) termed MisR-MisS has been shown to contribute to the capacity of the meningococcus to resist CAMP killing. We report that the gonococcal MisR response regulator but not the MisS sensor kinase is involved in constitutive and inducible CAMP resistance and is also required for intrinsic low-level resistance to aminoglycosides. The 4- to 8-fold increased susceptibility of misR-deficient gonococci to CAMPs and aminoglycosides was independent of phosphoethanolamine decoration of lipid A and the levels of the MtrCDE efflux pump and seemed to correlate with a general increase in membrane permeability. Transcriptional profiling and biochemical studies confirmed that expression of lptA and mtrCDE was not impacted by the loss of MisR. However, several genes encoding proteins involved in membrane integrity and redox control gave evidence of being MisR regulated. We propose that MisR modulates the levels of gonococcal susceptibility to antimicrobials by influencing the expression of genes involved in determining membrane integrity.
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15
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Chen S, Thompson KM, Francis MS. Environmental Regulation of Yersinia Pathophysiology. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:25. [PMID: 26973818 PMCID: PMC4773443 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Hallmarks of Yersinia pathogenesis include the ability to form biofilms on surfaces, the ability to establish close contact with eukaryotic target cells and the ability to hijack eukaryotic cell signaling and take over control of strategic cellular processes. Many of these virulence traits are already well-described. However, of equal importance is knowledge of both confined and global regulatory networks that collaborate together to dictate spatial and temporal control of virulence gene expression. This review has the purpose to incorporate historical observations with new discoveries to provide molecular insight into how some of these regulatory mechanisms respond rapidly to environmental flux to govern tight control of virulence gene expression by pathogenic Yersinia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan, China
| | - Karl M Thompson
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Howard University Washington, DC, USA
| | - Matthew S Francis
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden; Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden
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16
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Lima BP, Lennon CW, Ross W, Gourse RL, Wolfe AJ. In vitro evidence that RNA Polymerase acetylation and acetyl phosphate-dependent CpxR phosphorylation affect cpxP transcription regulation. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2016; 363:fnw011. [PMID: 26790713 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnw011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The central metabolite acetyl phosphate (acP) has long been proposed to influence transcription regulation by directly transferring its phosphoryl group to a number of response regulators in many bacterial species. Here, we provide in vitro evidence for this proposition and demonstrate, using an in vitro transcription system, that acP-dependent phosphorylation of aspartate 51 of CpxR induces transcription of one of its regulon members in E. coli, cpxP. We also used this in vitro transcription system to extend our previously reported in vivo data that hypothesized that acetylation of RNA polymerase (RNAP) influences acP-dependent cpxP transcription, using glutamine as a genetic mimic for acetylated arginine 291 of the carboxy-terminal domain of RNAP α subunit. The data we present here lend strong support to the hypothesis that acP has a direct effect on transcription regulation in E. coli via phosphorylation of CpxR, and that RNAP acetylation can modulate this response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno P Lima
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Health Sciences Division, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Christopher W Lennon
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Wilma Ross
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Richard L Gourse
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Alan J Wolfe
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Health Sciences Division, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
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