1
|
Li R, Zhu X, Zhang P, Wu X, Jin Q, Pan J. Ser/Thr protein kinase Stk1 phosphorylates the key transcriptional regulator AlgR to modulate virulence and resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Virulence 2024; 15:2367649. [PMID: 38898809 PMCID: PMC11197903 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2367649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections worldwide and has emerged as a serious public health threat, due in large part to its multiple virulence factors and remarkable resistance capabilities. Stk1, a eukaryotic-type Ser/Thr protein kinase, has been shown in our previous work to be involved in the regulation of several signalling pathways and biological processes. Here, we demonstrate that deletion of stk1 leads to alterations in several virulence- and resistance-related physiological functions, including reduced pyocyanin and pyoverdine production, attenuated twitching motility, and enhanced biofilm production, extracellular polysaccharide secretion, and antibiotic resistance. Moreover, we identified AlgR, an important transcriptional regulator, as a substrate for Stk1, with its phosphorylation at the Ser143 site catalysed by Stk1. Intriguingly, both the deletion of stk1 and the mutation of Ser143 of AlgR to Ala result in similar changes in the above-mentioned physiological functions. Furthermore, assays of algR expression in these strains suggest that changes in the phosphorylation state of AlgR, rather than its expression level, underlie changes in these physiological functions. These findings uncover Stk1-mediated phosphorylation of AlgR as an important mechanism for regulating virulence and resistance in P. aeruginosa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Zhu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qian Jin
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianyi Pan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Leinweber A, Laffont C, Lardi M, Eberl L, Pessi G, Kümmerli R. RNA-Seq reveals that Pseudomonas aeruginosa mounts growth medium-dependent competitive responses when sensing diffusible cues from Burkholderia cenocepacia. Commun Biol 2024; 7:995. [PMID: 39143311 PMCID: PMC11324955 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06618-3] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Most habitats host diverse bacterial communities, offering opportunities for inter-species interactions. While competition might often dominate such interactions, little is known about whether bacteria can sense competitors and mount adequate responses. The competition sensing hypothesis proposes that bacteria can use cues such as nutrient stress and cell damage to prepare for battle. Here, we tested this hypothesis by measuring transcriptome changes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa exposed to the supernatant of its competitor Burkholderia cenocepacia. We found that P. aeruginosa exhibited significant growth-medium-dependent transcriptome changes in response to competition. In an iron-rich medium, P. aeruginosa upregulated genes encoding the type-VI secretion system and the siderophore pyoverdine, whereas genes encoding phenazine toxins and hydrogen cyanide were upregulated under iron-limited conditions. Moreover, general stress response and quorum sensing regulators were upregulated upon supernatant exposure. Altogether, our results reveal nuanced competitive responses of P. aeruginosa when confronted with B. cenocepacia supernatant, integrating both environmental and social cues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Leinweber
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Clémentine Laffont
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Martina Lardi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Leo Eberl
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gabriella Pessi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Kümmerli
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen G, Fanouraki G, Anandhi Rangarajan A, Winkelman BT, Winkelman JT, Waters CM, Mukherjee S. Combinatorial control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm development by quorum-sensing and nutrient-sensing regulators. mSystems 2024:e0037224. [PMID: 39140783 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00372-24] [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: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections, inhabits and forms sessile antibiotic-resistant communities called biofilms in a wide range of biotic and abiotic environments. In this study, we examined how two global sensory signaling pathways-the RhlR quorum-sensing system and the CbrA/CbrB nutritional adaptation system-intersect to control biofilm development. Previous work has shown that individually these two systems repress biofilm formation. Here, we used biofilm analyses, RNA-seq, and reporter assays to explore the combined effect of information flow through RhlR and CbrA on biofilm development. We find that the ΔrhlRΔcbrA double mutant exhibits a biofilm morphology and an associated transcriptional response distinct from wildtype and the parent ΔrhlR and ΔcbrA mutants indicating codominance of each signaling pathway. The ΔrhlRΔcbrA mutant gains suppressor mutations that allow biofilm expansion; these mutations map to the crc gene resulting in loss of function of the carbon catabolite repression protein Crc. Furthermore, the combined absence of RhlR and CbrA leads to a drastic reduction in the abundance of the Crc antagonist small RNA CrcZ. Thus, CrcZ acts as the molecular convergence point for quorum- and nutrient-sensing cues. We find that in the absence of antagonism by CrcZ, Crc promotes the expression of biofilm matrix components-Pel exopolysaccharide, and CupB and CupC fimbriae. Therefore, this study uncovers a regulatory link between nutritional adaption and quorum sensing with potential implications for anti-biofilm targeting strategies.IMPORTANCEBacteria often form multicellular communities encased in an extracytoplasmic matrix called biofilms. Biofilm development is controlled by various environmental stimuli that are decoded and converted into appropriate cellular responses. To understand how information from two distinct stimuli is integrated, we used biofilm formation in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model and studied the intersection of two global sensory signaling pathways-quorum sensing and nutritional adaptation. Global transcriptomics on biofilm cells and reporter assays suggest parallel regulation of biofilms by each pathway that converges on the abundance of a small RNA antagonist of the carbon catabolite repression protein, Crc. We find a new role of Crc as it modulates the expression of biofilm matrix components in response to the environment. These results expand our understanding of the genetic regulatory strategies that allow P. aeruginosa to successfully develop biofilm communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gong Chen
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Georgia Fanouraki
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | - Jared T Winkelman
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Christopher M Waters
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Sampriti Mukherjee
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Holt JD, Schultz D, Nadell CD. Dispersal of a dominant competitor can drive multispecies coexistence in biofilms. Curr Biol 2024:S0960-9822(24)01017-0. [PMID: 39163856 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.078] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Despite competition for both space and nutrients, bacterial species often coexist within structured, surface-attached communities termed biofilms. While these communities play important, widespread roles in ecosystems and are agents of human infection, understanding how multiple bacterial species assemble to form these communities and what physical processes underpin the composition of multispecies biofilms remains an active area of research. Using a model three-species community composed of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis, we show with cellular-scale resolution that biased dispersal of the dominant community member, P. aeruginosa, prevents competitive exclusion from occurring, leading to the coexistence of the three species. A P. aeruginosa bqsS deletion mutant no longer undergoes periodic mass dispersal, leading to the local competitive exclusion of E. coli. Introducing periodic, asymmetric dispersal behavior into minimal models, parameterized by only maximal growth rate and local density, supports the intuition that biased dispersal of an otherwise dominant competitor can permit coexistence generally. Colonization experiments show that WT P. aeruginosa is superior at colonizing new areas, in comparison to ΔbqsS P. aeruginosa, but at the cost of decreased local competitive ability against E. coli and E. faecalis. Overall, our experiments document how one species' modulation of a competition-dispersal-colonization trade-off can go on to influence the stability of multispecies coexistence in spatially structured ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D Holt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Daniel Schultz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Carey D Nadell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rajewska M, Maciąg T, Narajczyk M, Jafra S. Carbon Source and Substrate Surface Affect Biofilm Formation by the Plant-Associated Bacterium Pseudomonas donghuensis P482. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8351. [PMID: 39125921 PMCID: PMC11312691 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158351] [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: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability of bacteria to colonize diverse environmental niches is often linked to their competence in biofilm formation. It depends on the individual characteristics of a strain, the nature of the colonized surface (abiotic or biotic), or the availability of certain nutrients. Pseudomonas donghuensis P482 efficiently colonizes the rhizosphere of various plant hosts, but a connection between plant tissue colonization and the biofilm formation ability of this strain has not yet been established. We demonstrate here that the potential of P482 to form biofilms on abiotic surfaces and the structural characteristics of the biofilm are influenced by the carbon source available to the bacterium, with glycerol promoting the process. Also, the type of substratum, polystyrene or glass, impacts the ability of P482 to attach to the surface. Moreover, P482 mutants in genes associated with motility or chemotaxis, the synthesis of polysaccharides, and encoding proteases or regulatory factors, which affect biofilm formation on glass, were fully capable of colonizing the root tissue of both tomato and maize hosts. Investigating the role of cellular factors in biofilm formation using these plant-associated bacteria shows that the ability of bacteria to form biofilm on abiotic surfaces does not necessarily mirror its ability to colonize plant tissues. Our research provides a broader perspective on the adaptation of these bacteria to various environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Rajewska
- Laboratory of Plant Microbiology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Tomasz Maciąg
- Institute of Biology, Department of Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Magdalena Narajczyk
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Sylwia Jafra
- Laboratory of Plant Microbiology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland;
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fihn CA, Lembke HK, Gaulin J, Bouchard P, Villarreal AR, Penningroth MR, Crone KK, Vogt GA, Gilbertsen AJ, Ayotte Y, de Oliveira LC, Serrano-Wu MH, Drouin N, Hung DT, Hunter RC, Carlson EE. Evaluation of Expanded 2-Aminobenzothiazole Library for Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence Phenotypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.02.539119. [PMID: 37205454 PMCID: PMC10187220 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.539119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a rapidly increasing threat to human health. New strategies to combat resistant organisms are desperately needed. One potential avenue is targeting two-component systems, which are the main bacterial signal transduction pathways used to regulate development, metabolism, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. These systems consist of a homodimeric membrane-bound sensor histidine kinase, and a cognate effector, the response regulator. The high sequence conservation in the catalytic and adenosine triphosphate-binding (CA) domain of histidine kinases and their essential role in bacterial signal transduction could enable broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Through this signal transduction, histidine kinases regulate multiple virulence mechanisms including toxin production, immune evasion, and antibiotic resistance. Targeting virulence, as opposed to development of bactericidal compounds, could reduce evolutionary pressure for acquired resistance. Additionally, compounds targeting the CA domain have the potential to impair multiple two-component systems that regulate virulence in one or more pathogens. We conducted structure-activity relationship studies of 2-aminobenzothiazole-based inhibitors designed to target the CA domain of histidine kinases. We found these compounds have anti-virulence activities in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, reducing motility phenotypes and toxin production associated with the pathogenic functions of this bacterium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Conrad A. Fihn
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Hannah K. Lembke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454, United States
| | - Jeffrey Gaulin
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Patricia Bouchard
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | - Alex R. Villarreal
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mitchell R. Penningroth
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Kathryn K. Crone
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Grace A. Vogt
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Adam J. Gilbertsen
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yann Ayotte
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | | | | | - Nathalie Drouin
- NMX Research and Solution Inc., 500 Cartier Boulevard W., Suite 6000, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H1Y 2R1
| | - Deborah T. Hung
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Ryan C. Hunter
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Minnesota, 689 23rd Ave Se Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Erin E. Carlson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Garber ME, Frank V, Kazakov AE, Incha MR, Nava AA, Zhang H, Valencia LE, Keasling JD, Rajeev L, Mukhopadhyay A. REC protein family expansion by the emergence of a new signaling pathway. mBio 2023; 14:e0262223. [PMID: 37991384 PMCID: PMC10746176 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02622-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE We explore when and why large classes of proteins expand into new sequence space. We used an unsupervised machine learning approach to observe the sequence landscape of REC domains of bacterial response regulator proteins. We find that within-gene recombination can switch effector domains and, consequently, change the regulatory context of the duplicated protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Garber
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Vered Frank
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Alexey E. Kazakov
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Matthew R. Incha
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Alberto A. Nava
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Hanqiao Zhang
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Luis E. Valencia
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jay D. Keasling
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Center for Biosustainability, Danish Technical University, Lyngby, Denmark
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lara Rajeev
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Aindrila Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Jeong GJ, Khan F, Tabassum N, Kim YM. Natural and synthetic molecules with potential to enhance biofilm formation and virulence properties in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-29. [PMID: 37968960 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2282459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa can efficiently adapt to changing environmental conditions due to its ubiquitous nature, intrinsic/acquired/adaptive resistance mechanisms, high metabolic versatility, and the production of numerous virulence factors. As a result, P. aeruginosa becomes an opportunistic pathogen, causing chronic infection in the lungs and several organs of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. Biofilm established by P. aeruginosa in host tissues and medical device surfaces has been identified as a major obstruction to antimicrobial therapy. P. aeruginosa is very likely to be closely associated with the various microorganisms in the host tissues or organs in a pathogenic or nonpathogenic behavior. Aside from host-derived molecules, other beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms produce a diverse range of secondary metabolites that either directly or indirectly favor the persistence of P. aeruginosa. Thus, it is critical to understand how P. aeruginosa interacts with different molecules and ions in the host and abiotic environment to produce extracellular polymeric substances and virulence factors. Thus, the current review discusses how various natural and synthetic molecules in the environment induce biofilm formation and the production of multiple virulence factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geum-Jae Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Fazlurrahman Khan
- Institute of Fisheries Sciences, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Chan DK, Dykema K, Fatima M, Harvey H, Qaderi I, Burrows LL. Nutrient Limitation Sensitizes Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Vancomycin. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1408-1423. [PMID: 37279282 PMCID: PMC10353551 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00167] [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: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Traditional antibacterial screens rely on growing bacteria in nutrient-replete conditions which are not representative of the natural environment or sites of infection. Instead, screening in more physiologically relevant conditions may reveal novel activity for existing antibiotics. Here, we screened a panel of antibiotics reported to lack activity against the opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, under low-nutrient and low-iron conditions, and discovered that the glycopeptide vancomycin inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa at low micromolar concentrations through its canonical mechanism of action, disruption of peptidoglycan crosslinking. Spontaneous vancomycin-resistant mutants underwent activating mutations in the sensor kinase of the two-component CpxSR system, which induced cross-resistance to almost all classes of β-lactams, including the siderophore antibiotic cefiderocol. Other mutations that conferred vancomycin resistance mapped to WapR, an α-1,3-rhamnosyltransferase involved in lipopolysaccharide core biosynthesis. A WapR P164T mutant had a modified LPS profile compared to wild type that was accompanied by increased susceptibility to select bacteriophages. We conclude that screening in nutrient-limited conditions can reveal novel activity for existing antibiotics and lead to discovery of new and impactful resistance mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Derek
C. K. Chan
- David Braley Center for Antibiotic
Discovery, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research,
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Katherine Dykema
- David Braley Center for Antibiotic
Discovery, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research,
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Mahrukh Fatima
- David Braley Center for Antibiotic
Discovery, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research,
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Hanjeong Harvey
- David Braley Center for Antibiotic
Discovery, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research,
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Ikram Qaderi
- David Braley Center for Antibiotic
Discovery, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research,
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Lori L. Burrows
- David Braley Center for Antibiotic
Discovery, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research,
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Escobar-Salom M, Barceló IM, Jordana-Lluch E, Torrens G, Oliver A, Juan C. Bacterial virulence regulation through soluble peptidoglycan fragments sensing and response: knowledge gaps and therapeutic potential. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad010. [PMID: 36893807 PMCID: PMC10039701 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the growing clinical-epidemiological threat posed by the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, new therapeutic options are urgently needed, especially against top nosocomial pathogens such as those within the ESKAPE group. In this scenario, research is pushed to explore therapeutic alternatives and, among these, those oriented toward reducing bacterial pathogenic power could pose encouraging options. However, the first step in developing these antivirulence weapons is to find weak points in the bacterial biology to be attacked with the goal of dampening pathogenesis. In this regard, during the last decades some studies have directly/indirectly suggested that certain soluble peptidoglycan-derived fragments display virulence-regulatory capacities, likely through similar mechanisms to those followed to regulate the production of several β-lactamases: binding to specific transcriptional regulators and/or sensing/activation of two-component systems. These data suggest the existence of intra- and also intercellular peptidoglycan-derived signaling capable of impacting bacterial behavior, and hence likely exploitable from the therapeutic perspective. Using the well-known phenomenon of peptidoglycan metabolism-linked β-lactamase regulation as a starting point, we gather and integrate the studies connecting soluble peptidoglycan sensing with fitness/virulence regulation in Gram-negatives, dissecting the gaps in current knowledge that need filling to enable potential therapeutic strategy development, a topic which is also finally discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Escobar-Salom
- Research Unit and Microbiology Department, University Hospital Son Espases-Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Crtra. Valldemossa 79, 07010 Palma, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC). Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel María Barceló
- Research Unit and Microbiology Department, University Hospital Son Espases-Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Crtra. Valldemossa 79, 07010 Palma, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC). Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Jordana-Lluch
- Research Unit and Microbiology Department, University Hospital Son Espases-Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Crtra. Valldemossa 79, 07010 Palma, Spain
| | - Gabriel Torrens
- Research Unit and Microbiology Department, University Hospital Son Espases-Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Crtra. Valldemossa 79, 07010 Palma, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC). Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University. Försörjningsvägen 2A, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Antonio Oliver
- Research Unit and Microbiology Department, University Hospital Son Espases-Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Crtra. Valldemossa 79, 07010 Palma, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC). Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Juan
- Research Unit and Microbiology Department, University Hospital Son Espases-Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Crtra. Valldemossa 79, 07010 Palma, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC). Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Shaw C, Hess M, Weimer BC. Two-component systems regulate bacterial virulence in response to the host gastrointestinal environment and metabolic cues. Virulence 2022; 13:1666-1680. [PMID: 36128741 PMCID: PMC9518994 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2127196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-component systems are ubiquitous signaling mechanisms in bacteria that enable intracellular changes from extracellular cues. These bacterial regulatory systems couple external stimuli to control genetic expression via an autophosphorylation cascade that transduces membrane signals to intracellular locations, thereby allowing bacteria to rapidly adapt to the changing environmental conditions. Well known to control basic cellular processes, it is evident that two-component systems also exercise control over virulence traits, such as motility, secretion systems, and stress responses that impact the complex cascade of networks that alter virulence traits. In the gastrointestinal system, cues for activation of virulence-related two-component systems include metal ions, host-derived metabolites, and gut conditions. The diversity and origin of these cues suggest that the host can exert control over enteric pathogenicity via regulation in the gastrointestinal system. With the rise in multi-drug resistant pathogens, the potential control of pathogenicity with host cues via two-component systems presents a potential alternative to antimicrobials. Though the signaling mechanism itself is well studied, to date there is no systematic review compiling the host-associated cues of two-component systems and virulence traits. This review highlights the direct link between the host gastrointestinal environment and pathogenicity by focusing on two-component systems that are associated with the genetic expression of virulence traits, and that are activated by host-derived cues. The direct link between the host gastrointestinal environment, metabolites, and pathogenicity established in this review both underscores the importance of host-derived cues on bacterial activity and presents an enticing therapeutic target in the fight against antimicrobial resistant pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Shaw
- Department of Animal Science, Systems Microbiology & Natural Products Laboratory, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Matthias Hess
- Department of Animal Science, Systems Microbiology & Natural Products Laboratory, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Bart C Weimer
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, 100K Pathogen Genome Project, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Dostert M, Belanger CR, Pedraz L, Alford MA, Blimkie TM, Falsafi RF, Bains M, Dhillon BK, Haney CH, Lee AH, Hancock REW. BosR: A novel biofilm-specific regulator in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1021021. [PMID: 36312952 PMCID: PMC9611778 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1021021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are the most common cause of bacterial infections in humans and notoriously hard to treat due to their ability to withstand antibiotics and host immune defenses. To overcome the current lack of effective antibiofilm therapies and guide future design, the identification of novel biofilm-specific gene targets is crucial. In this regard, transcriptional regulators have been proposed as promising targets for antimicrobial drug design. Therefore, a Transposon insertion sequencing approach was employed to systematically identify regulators phenotypically affecting biofilm growth in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 using the TnSeq analysis tools Bio-TraDIS and TRANSIT. A screen of a pool of 300,000 transposon insertion mutants identified 349 genes involved in biofilm growth on hydroxyapatite, including 47 regulators. Detection of 19 regulatory genes participating in well-established biofilm pathways validated the results. An additional 28 novel prospective biofilm regulators suggested the requirement for multiple one-component transcriptional regulators. Biofilm-defective phenotypes were confirmed for five one-component transcriptional regulators and a protein kinase, which did not affect motility phenotypes. The one-component transcriptional regulator bosR displayed a conserved role in P. aeruginosa biofilm growth since its ortholog in P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 was also required for biofilm growth. Microscopic analysis of a chromosomal deletion mutant of bosR confirmed the role of this regulator in biofilm growth. Overall, our results highlighted that the gene network driving biofilm growth is complex and involves regulators beyond the primarily studied groups of two-component systems and cyclic diguanylate signaling proteins. Furthermore, biofilm-specific regulators, such as bosR, might constitute prospective new drug targets to overcome biofilm infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Dostert
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Corrie R. Belanger
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Lucas Pedraz
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Morgan A. Alford
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Travis M. Blimkie
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Reza F. Falsafi
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Manjeet Bains
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Bhavjinder Kaur Dhillon
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cara H. Haney
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Amy H. Lee
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Robert E. W. Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Robert E. W. Hancock,
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mould DL, Stevanovic M, Ashare A, Schultz D, Hogan DA. Metabolic basis for the evolution of a common pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa variant. eLife 2022; 11:e76555. [PMID: 35502894 PMCID: PMC9224983 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes frequently evolve in reproducible ways. Here, we show that differences in specific metabolic regulation rather than inter-strain interactions explain the frequent presence of lasR loss-of-function (LOF) mutations in the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. While LasR contributes to virulence through its role in quorum sensing, lasR mutants have been associated with more severe disease. A model based on the intrinsic growth kinetics for a wild type strain and its LasR- derivative, in combination with an experimental evolution based genetic screen and further genetics analyses, indicated that differences in metabolism were sufficient to explain the rise of these common mutant types. The evolution of LasR- lineages in laboratory and clinical isolates depended on activity of the two-component system CbrAB, which modulates substrate prioritization through the catabolite repression control pathway. LasR- lineages frequently arise in cystic fibrosis lung infections and their detection correlates with disease severity. Our analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid metabolomes identified compounds that negatively correlate with lung function, and we show that these compounds support enhanced growth of LasR- cells in a CbrB-controlled manner. We propose that in vivo metabolomes contribute to pathogen evolution, which may influence the progression of disease and its treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dallas L Mould
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at DartmouthHanoverUnited States
| | - Mirjana Stevanovic
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at DartmouthHanoverUnited States
| | - Alix Ashare
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at DartmouthHanoverUnited States
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchock Medical CenterLebanonUnited States
| | - Daniel Schultz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at DartmouthHanoverUnited States
| | - Deborah A Hogan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at DartmouthHanoverUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Transcriptional Profiling of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1386:303-323. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-08491-1_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
15
|
Ducret V, Perron K, Valentini M. Role of Two-Component System Networks in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenesis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1386:371-395. [PMID: 36258080 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-08491-1_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Two-component systems (TCS) are the largest family of signaling systems in the bacterial kingdom. They enable bacteria to cope with a wide range of environmental conditions via the sensing of stimuli and the transduction of the signal into an appropriate cellular adaptation response. Pseudomonas aeruginosa possesses one of the richest arrays of TCSs in bacteria and they have been the subject of intense investigation for more than 20 years. Most of the P. aeruginosa TCSs characterized to date affect its pathogenesis, via the regulation of virulence factors expression, modulation of the synthesis of antibiotic/antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, and/or via linking virulence to energy metabolism. Here, we give an overview of the current knowledge on P. aeruginosa TCSs, citing key examples for each of the above-mentioned regulatory actions. We then conclude by mentioning few small molecule inhibitors of P. aeruginosa TCSs that have shown an antimicrobial action in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verena Ducret
- Microbiology Unit, Department of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Karl Perron
- Microbiology Unit, Department of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Martina Valentini
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Trouillon J, Imbert L, Villard AM, Vernet T, Attrée I, Elsen S. Determination of the two-component systems regulatory network reveals core and accessory regulations across Pseudomonas aeruginosa lineages. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:11476-11490. [PMID: 34718721 PMCID: PMC8599809 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa possesses one of the most complex bacterial regulatory networks, which largely contributes to its success as a pathogen. However, most of its transcription factors (TFs) are still uncharacterized and the potential intra-species variability in regulatory networks has been mostly ignored so far. Here, we used DAP-seq to map the genome-wide binding sites of all 55 DNA-binding two-component systems (TCSs) response regulators (RRs) across the three major P. aeruginosa lineages. The resulting networks encompass about 40% of all genes in each strain and contain numerous new regulatory interactions across most major physiological processes. Strikingly, about half of the detected targets are specific to only one or two strains, revealing a previously unknown large functional diversity of TFs within a single species. Three main mechanisms were found to drive this diversity, including differences in accessory genome content, as exemplified by the strain-specific plasmid in IHMA87 outlier strain which harbors numerous binding sites of conserved chromosomally-encoded RRs. Additionally, most RRs display potential auto-regulation or RR-RR cross-regulation, bringing to light the vast complexity of this network. Overall, we provide the first complete delineation of the TCSs regulatory network in P. aeruginosa that will represent an important resource for future studies on this pathogen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Trouillon
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS UMR 5075, Team Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Lionel Imbert
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS UMR 5075, 38044 Grenoble, France
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, EMBL, ISBG UAR 3518, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Anne-Marie Villard
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS UMR 5075, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Thierry Vernet
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS UMR 5075, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Ina Attrée
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS UMR 5075, Team Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Sylvie Elsen
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS UMR 5075, Team Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cellular Responses, 38044 Grenoble, France
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Abstract
Bacteria in the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) are significant pathogens for people with cystic fibrosis (CF) and are often extensively antibiotic resistant. Here, we assess the impacts of clinically observed mutations in fixL, which encodes the sensor histidine kinase FixL. FixL along with FixJ compose a two-component system that regulates multiple phenotypes. Mutations in fixL across two species, B. dolosa and B. multivorans, have shown evidence of positive selection during chronic lung infection in CF. Herein, we find that BCC carrying the conserved, ancestral fixL sequence have lower survival in macrophages and in murine pneumonia models than mutants carrying evolved fixL sequences associated with clinical decline in CF patients. In vitro phosphotransfer experiments found that one evolved FixL protein, W439S, has a reduced ability to autophosphorylate and phosphorylate FixJ, while LacZ reporter experiments demonstrate that B. dolosa carrying evolved fixL alleles has reduced fix pathway activity. Interestingly, B. dolosa carrying evolved fixL alleles was less fit in a soil assay than those strains carrying the ancestral allele, demonstrating that increased survival of these variants in macrophages and the murine lung comes at a potential expense in their environmental reservoir. Thus, modulation of the two-component system encoded by fixLJ by point mutations is one mechanism that allows BCC to adapt to the host infection environment.
Collapse
|