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Pita T, Feliciano JR, Leitão JH. Identification of Burkholderia cenocepacia non-coding RNAs expressed during Caenorhabditis elegans infection. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:3653-3671. [PMID: 37097504 PMCID: PMC10175445 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12530-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are key regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression in bacteria. Despite the identification of hundreds of bacterial sRNAs, their roles on bacterial physiology and virulence remain largely unknown, as is the case of bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). Bcc is a group of opportunistic pathogens with relatively large genomes that can cause lethal lung infections amongst cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. To characterise sRNAs expressed by Bcc bacteria when infecting a host, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was used as an infection model by the epidemic CF strain B. cenocepacia J2315. A total of 108 new and 31 previously described sRNAs with a predicted Rho independent terminator were identified, most of them located on chromosome 1. RIT11b, a sRNA downregulated under C. elegans infection conditions, was shown to directly affect B. cenocepacia virulence, biofilm formation, and swimming motility. RIT11b overexpression reduced the expression of the direct targets dusA and pyrC, involved in biofilm formation, epithelial cell adherence, and chronic infections in other organisms. The in vitro direct interaction of RIT11b with the dusA and pyrC messengers was demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the functional characterization of a sRNA directly involved in B. cenocepacia virulence. KEY POINTS: • 139 sRNAs expressed by B. cenocepacia during C. elegans infection were identified • The sRNA RIT11b affects B. cenocepacia virulence, biofilm formation, and motility • RIT11b directly binds to and regulates dusA and pyrC mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Pita
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, and Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana R Feliciano
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, and Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Jorge H Leitão
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, and Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal.
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2
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Bach E, Passaglia LMP, Jiao J, Gross H. Burkholderia in the genomic era: from taxonomy to the discovery of new antimicrobial secondary metabolites. Crit Rev Microbiol 2021; 48:121-160. [PMID: 34346791 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2021.1946009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Species of Burkholderia are highly versatile being found not only abundantly in soil, but also as plants and animals' commensals or pathogens. Their complex multireplicon genomes harbour an impressive number of polyketide synthase (PKS) and nonribosomal peptide-synthetase (NRPS) genes coding for the production of antimicrobial secondary metabolites (SMs), which have been successfully deciphered by genome-guided tools. Moreover, genome metrics supported the split of this genus into Burkholderia sensu stricto (s.s.) and five new other genera. Here, we show that the successful antimicrobial SMs producers belong to Burkholderia s.s. Additionally, we reviewed the occurrence, bioactivities, modes of action, structural, and biosynthetic information of thirty-eight Burkholderia antimicrobial SMs shedding light on their diversity, complexity, and uniqueness as well as the importance of genome-guided strategies to facilitate their discovery. Several Burkholderia NRPS and PKS display unusual features, which are reflected in their structural diversity, important bioactivities, and varied modes of action. Up to now, it is possible to observe a general tendency of Burkholderia SMs being more active against fungi. Although the modes of action and biosynthetic gene clusters of many SMs remain unknown, we highlight the potential of Burkholderia SMs as alternatives to fight against new diseases and antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelise Bach
- Departamento de Genética and Programa de Pós-graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luciane Maria Pereira Passaglia
- Departamento de Genética and Programa de Pós-graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Junjing Jiao
- Department for Pharmaceutical Biology, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Harald Gross
- Department for Pharmaceutical Biology, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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3
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An investigation of Burkholderia cepacia complex methylomes via SMRT sequencing and mutant analysis. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:e0068320. [PMID: 33753468 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00683-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial genomes can be methylated at particular motifs by methyltransferases (M). This DNA modification allows restriction endonucleases (R) to discriminate between self and foreign DNA. While the accepted primary function of such restriction modification (RM) systems is to degrade incoming foreign DNA, other roles of RM systems and lone R or M components have been found in genome protection, stability and the regulation of various phenotypes. The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is a group of closely related opportunistic pathogens with biotechnological potential. Here, we constructed and analysed mutants lacking various RM components in the clinical Bcc isolate Burkholderia cenocepacia H111 and used SMRT sequencing of single mutants to assign the B. cenocepacia H111 Ms to their cognate motifs. DNA methylation is shown to affect biofilm formation, cell shape, motility, siderophore production and membrane vesicle production. Moreover, DNA methylation had a large effect on the maintenance of the Bcc virulence megaplasmid pC3. Our data also suggest that the gp51 M-encoding gene, which is essential in H111 and is located within a prophage, is required for maintaining the bacteriophage in a lysogenic state, thereby ensuring a constant, low level of phage production within the bacterial population.ImportanceWhile genome sequence determines an organism's proteins, methylation of the nucleotides themselves can confer additional properties. In bacteria, Ms modify specific nucleotide motifs to allow discrimination of 'self' from 'non-self' DNA, e.g. from bacteriophages. Restriction enzymes detect 'non-self' methylation patterns and cut foreign DNA. Furthermore, methylation of promoter regions can influence gene expression and hence affect various phenotypes. In this study, we determined the methylated motifs of four strains from the Burkholderia cepacia complex of opportunistic pathogens. We deleted all genes encoding the restriction and modification components in one of these strains, Burkholderia cenocepacia H111. It is shown that DNA methylation affects various phenotypic traits, the most noteworthy being lysogenicity of a bacteriophage and maintenance of a virulence megaplasmid.
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4
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Shropshire H, Jones RA, Aguilo-Ferretjans MM, Scanlan DJ, Chen Y. Proteomics insights into the Burkholderia cenocepacia phosphorus stress response. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:5069-5086. [PMID: 33684254 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of Burkholderia species that are opportunistic pathogens causing high mortality rates in patients with cystic fibrosis. An environmental stress often encountered by these soil-dwelling and pathogenic bacteria is phosphorus limitation, an essential element for cellular processes. Here, we describe cellular and extracellular proteins differentially regulated between phosphate-deplete (0 mM, no added phosphate) and phosphate-replete (1 mM) growth conditions using a comparative proteomics (LC-MS/MS) approach. We observed a total of 128 and 65 unique proteins were downregulated and upregulated respectively, in the B. cenocepacia proteome. Of those downregulated proteins, many have functions in amino acid transport/metabolism. We have identified 24 upregulated proteins that are directly/indirectly involved in inorganic phosphate or organic phosphorus acquisition. Also, proteins involved in virulence and antimicrobial resistance were differentially regulated, suggesting B. cenocepacia experiences a dramatic shift in metabolism under these stress conditions. Overall, this study provides a baseline for further research into the biology of Burkholderia in response to phosphorus stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Shropshire
- BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.,School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Rebekah A Jones
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | | | - David J Scanlan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Yin Chen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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5
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McAvoy AC, Jaiyesimi O, Threatt PH, Seladi T, Goldberg JB, da Silva RR, Garg N. Differences in Cystic Fibrosis-Associated Burkholderia spp. Bacteria Metabolomes after Exposure to the Antibiotic Trimethoprim. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:1154-1168. [PMID: 32212725 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of closely related bacterial species with large genomes that infect immunocompromised individuals and those living with cystic fibrosis. Some of these species are found more frequently and cause more severe disease than others, yet metabolomic differences between these have not been described. Furthermore, our understanding of how these species respond to antibiotics is limited. We investigated the metabolomics differences between three most prevalent Burkholderia spp. associated with cystic fibrosis: B. cenocepacia, B. multivorans, and B. dolosa in the presence and absence of the antibiotic trimethoprim. Using a combination of supervised and unsupervised metabolomics data visualization and analysis tools, we describe the overall differences between strains of the same species and between species. Specifically, we report, for the first time, the role of the pyomelanin pathway in the metabolism of trimethoprim. We also report differences in the detection of known secondary metabolites such as fragin, ornibactin, and N-acylhomoserine lactones and their analogs in closely related strains. Furthermore, we highlight the potential for the discovery of new secondary metabolites in clinical strains of Burkholderia spp. The metabolomics differences described in this study highlight the personalized nature of closely related Burkholderia strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C. McAvoy
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-2000, United States
| | - Olakunle Jaiyesimi
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-2000, United States
| | - Paxton H. Threatt
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-2000, United States
| | - Tyler Seladi
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-2000, United States
| | - Joanna B. Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonology, Allergy/Immunology, Cystic Fibrosis and Sleep, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road NE, Suite 3009, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Emory-Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Ricardo R. da Silva
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Av. do Café - Vila Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Neha Garg
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-2000, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonology, Allergy/Immunology, Cystic Fibrosis and Sleep, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road NE, Suite 3009, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, ES&T, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, ES&T, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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6
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Tang R, Luo G, Zhao L, Huang L, Qin Y, Xu X, Su Y, Yan Q. The effect of a LysR-type transcriptional regulator gene of Pseudomonas plecoglossicida on the immune responses of Epinephelus coioides. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 89:420-427. [PMID: 30974221 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2019.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
As an important pathogen in aquaculture, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida has caused heavy losses. It was determined with RNA-seq that the expression of a LysR-type transcriptional regulator gene (L321_20267) of P. plecoglossicida at 18 °C was significantly higher than that at 28 °C, which was verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). RNAi significantly reduced the content of L321_20267 mRNA in P. plecoglossicida, with a maximal decrease of 90.63%. Compared with the wild-type strain, infection with the L321_20267-RNAi strain resulted in a 50% reduction in mortality and an onset time delay of Epinephelus coioides, as well as alleviation of the symptoms in E. coioides spleens. Compared with the wild-type strain of P. plecoglossicida, the L321_20267-RNAi strain resulted in a significant change in the spleen transcriptome of infected E. coioides. The results of GO and KEGG analysis showed that genes of serine hydrolase activity, the antigen processing and presentation pathway, the B cell receptor signalling pathway and the chemokine signalling pathway were most affected by the L321_20267 gene of P. plecoglossicida. Meanwhile, the immune genes were related to different numbers of miRNAs and lncRNAs, and some miRNAs were related to more than one gene. The results indicated that 1. L321_20267 is a virulence gene of P. plecoglossicida; 2. the upregulation of the immune pathways facilitated E. coioides to remove the L321_20267-RNAi strain compared with the wild-type strain of P. plecoglossicida; and 3. the immune genes were regulated by miRNA and lncRNA in a complex manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqiang Tang
- Fisheries College, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China
| | - Gang Luo
- Fisheries College, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China
| | - Lingmin Zhao
- Fisheries College, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China
| | - Lixing Huang
- Fisheries College, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China
| | - Yingxue Qin
- Fisheries College, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China
| | - Xiaojin Xu
- Fisheries College, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China
| | - Yongquan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker Breeding, Ningde, Fujian, 352000, China
| | - Qingpi Yan
- Fisheries College, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361021, China; State Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker Breeding, Ningde, Fujian, 352000, China.
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7
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Gomes MC, Tasrini Y, Subramoni S, Agnoli K, Feliciano JR, Eberl L, Sokol P, O’Callaghan D, Vergunst AC. The afc antifungal activity cluster, which is under tight regulatory control of ShvR, is essential for transition from intracellular persistence of Burkholderia cenocepacia to acute pro-inflammatory infection. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007473. [PMID: 30513124 PMCID: PMC6301696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen Burkholderia cenocepacia is particularly life-threatening for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Chronic lung infections with these bacteria can rapidly develop into fatal pulmonary necrosis and septicaemia. We have recently shown that macrophages are a critical site for replication of B. cenocepacia K56-2 and the induction of fatal pro-inflammatory responses using a zebrafish infection model. Here, we show that ShvR, a LysR-type transcriptional regulator that is important for biofilm formation, rough colony morphotype and inflammation in a rat lung infection model, is also required for the induction of fatal pro-inflammatory responses in zebrafish larvae. ShvR was not essential, however, for bacterial survival and replication in macrophages. Temporal, rhamnose-induced restoration of shvR expression in the shvR mutant during intramacrophage stages unequivocally demonstrated a key role for ShvR in transition from intracellular persistence to acute fatal pro-inflammatory disease. ShvR has been previously shown to tightly control the expression of the adjacent afc gene cluster, which specifies the synthesis of a lipopeptide with antifungal activity. Mutation of afcE, encoding an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, has been shown to give similar phenotypes as the shvR mutant. We found that, like shvR, afcE is also critical for the switch from intracellular persistence to fatal infection in zebrafish. The closely related B. cenocepacia H111 has been shown to be less virulent than K56-2 in several infection models, including Galleria mellonella and rats. Interestingly, constitutive expression of shvR in H111 increased virulence in zebrafish larvae to almost K56-2 levels in a manner that absolutely required afc. These data confirm a critical role for afc in acute virulence caused by B. cenocepacia that depends on strain-specific regulatory control by ShvR. We propose that ShvR and AFC are important virulence factors of the more virulent Bcc species, either through pro-inflammatory effects of the lipopeptide AFC, or through AFC-dependent membrane properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yara Tasrini
- VBMI, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Nîmes, France
| | - Sujatha Subramoni
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Kirsty Agnoli
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Leo Eberl
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pamela Sokol
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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8
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Magana M, Sereti C, Ioannidis A, Mitchell CA, Ball AR, Magiorkinis E, Chatzipanagiotou S, Hamblin MR, Hadjifrangiskou M, Tegos GP. Options and Limitations in Clinical Investigation of Bacterial Biofilms. Clin Microbiol Rev 2018; 31:e00084-16. [PMID: 29618576 PMCID: PMC6056845 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00084-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria can form single- and multispecies biofilms exhibiting diverse features based upon the microbial composition of their community and microenvironment. The study of bacterial biofilm development has received great interest in the past 20 years and is motivated by the elegant complexity characteristic of these multicellular communities and their role in infectious diseases. Biofilms can thrive on virtually any surface and can be beneficial or detrimental based upon the community's interplay and the surface. Advances in the understanding of structural and functional variations and the roles that biofilms play in disease and host-pathogen interactions have been addressed through comprehensive literature searches. In this review article, a synopsis of the methodological landscape of biofilm analysis is provided, including an evaluation of the current trends in methodological research. We deem this worthwhile because a keyword-oriented bibliographical search reveals that less than 5% of the biofilm literature is devoted to methodology. In this report, we (i) summarize current methodologies for biofilm characterization, monitoring, and quantification; (ii) discuss advances in the discovery of effective imaging and sensing tools and modalities; (iii) provide an overview of tailored animal models that assess features of biofilm infections; and (iv) make recommendations defining the most appropriate methodological tools for clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Magana
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Athens Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Sereti
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Athens Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
- Department of Microbiology, Thriassio General Hospital, Attiki, Greece
| | - Anastasios Ioannidis
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Athens Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece
| | - Courtney A Mitchell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Anthony R Ball
- Gliese 623b, Mendon, Massachusetts, USA
- GAMA Therapeutics LLC, Pepperell, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emmanouil Magiorkinis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens-Goudi, Greece
| | | | - Michael R Hamblin
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maria Hadjifrangiskou
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - George P Tegos
- Gliese 623b, Mendon, Massachusetts, USA
- GAMA Therapeutics LLC, Pepperell, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Duong LT, Schwarz S, Gross H, Breitbach K, Hochgräfe F, Mostertz J, Eske-Pogodda K, Wagner GE, Steinmetz I, Kohler C. GvmR - A Novel LysR-Type Transcriptional Regulator Involved in Virulence and Primary and Secondary Metabolism of Burkholderia pseudomallei. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:935. [PMID: 29867844 PMCID: PMC5964159 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia pseudomallei is a soil-dwelling bacterium able to survive not only under adverse environmental conditions, but also within various hosts which can lead to the disease melioidosis. The capability of B. pseudomallei to adapt to environmental changes is facilitated by the large number of regulatory proteins encoded by its genome. Among them are more than 60 uncharacterized LysR-type transcriptional regulators (LTTRs). Here we analyzed a B. pseudomallei mutant harboring a transposon in the gene BPSL0117 annotated as a LTTR, which we named gvmR (globally acting virulence and metabolism regulator). The gvmR mutant displayed a growth defect in minimal medium and macrophages in comparison with the wild type. Moreover, disruption of gvmR rendered B. pseudomallei avirulent in mice indicating a critical role of GvmR in infection. These defects of the mutant were rescued by ectopic expression of gvmR. To identify genes whose expression is modulated by GvmR, global transcriptome analysis of the B. pseudomallei wild type and gvmR mutant was performed using whole genome tiling microarrays. Transcript levels of 190 genes were upregulated and 141 genes were downregulated in the gvmR mutant relative to the wild type. Among the most downregulated genes in the gvmR mutant were important virulence factor genes (T3SS3, T6SS1, and T6SS2), which could explain the virulence defect of the gvmR mutant. In addition, expression of genes related to amino acid synthesis, glyoxylate shunt, iron-sulfur cluster assembly, and syrbactin metabolism (secondary metabolite) was decreased in the mutant. On the other hand, inactivation of GvmR increased expression of genes involved in pyruvate metabolism, ATP synthesis, malleobactin, and porin genes. Quantitative real-time PCR verified the differential expression of 27 selected genes. In summary, our data show that GvmR acts as an activating and repressing global regulator that is required to coordinate expression of a diverse set of metabolic and virulence genes essential for the survival in the animal host and under nutrient limitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linh Tuan Duong
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sandra Schwarz
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Harald Gross
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Pharmaceutical Institute, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research, Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Breitbach
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Falko Hochgräfe
- Competence Center Functional Genomics, Junior Research Group Pathoproteomics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jörg Mostertz
- Competence Center Functional Genomics, Junior Research Group Pathoproteomics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Kristin Eske-Pogodda
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gabriel E Wagner
- Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Ivo Steinmetz
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Christian Kohler
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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10
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Jenul C, Sieber S, Daeppen C, Mathew A, Lardi M, Pessi G, Hoepfner D, Neuburger M, Linden A, Gademann K, Eberl L. Biosynthesis of fragin is controlled by a novel quorum sensing signal. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1297. [PMID: 29602945 PMCID: PMC5878181 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03690-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the diazeniumdiolate class of natural compounds show potential for drug development because of their antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and antitumor activities. Yet, their biosynthesis has remained elusive to date. Here, we identify a gene cluster directing the biosynthesis of the diazeniumdiolate compound fragin in Burkholderia cenocepacia H111. We provide evidence that fragin is a metallophore and that metal chelation is the molecular basis of its antifungal activity. A subset of the fragin biosynthetic genes is involved in the synthesis of a previously undescribed cell-to-cell signal molecule, valdiazen. RNA-Seq analyses reveal that valdiazen controls fragin biosynthesis and affects the expression of more than 100 genes. Homologs of the valdiazen biosynthesis genes are found in various bacteria, suggesting that valdiazen-like compounds may constitute a new class of signal molecules. We use structural information, in silico prediction of enzymatic functions and biochemical data to propose a biosynthesis route for fragin and valdiazen. Fragin is a diazeniumdiolate metabolite with antifungal activity, produced by some bacteria. Here, Jenul et al. show that metal chelation is the molecular basis of fragin’s antifungal activity, and that a gene cluster directing fragin biosynthesis is also involved in the synthesis of a signal molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Jenul
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simon Sieber
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Daeppen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anugraha Mathew
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martina Lardi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gabriella Pessi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominic Hoepfner
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Neuburger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anthony Linden
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karl Gademann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Leo Eberl
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
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11
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Vanillic acid from Actinidia deliciosa impedes virulence in Serratia marcescens by affecting S-layer, flagellin and fatty acid biosynthesis proteins. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16328. [PMID: 29180790 PMCID: PMC5703977 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16507-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Serratia marcescens is one of the important nosocomial pathogens which rely on quorum sensing (QS) to regulate the production of biofilm and several virulence factors. Hence, blocking of QS has become a promising approach to quench the virulence of S. marcescens. For the first time, QS inhibitory (QSI) and antibiofilm potential of Actinidia deliciosa have been explored against S. marcescens clinical isolate (CI). A. deliciosa pulp extract significantly inhibited the virulence and biofilm production without any deleterious effect on the growth. Vanillic acid was identified as an active lead responsible for the QSI activity. Addition of vanillic acid to the growth medium significantly affected the QS regulated production of biofilm and virulence factors in a concentration dependent mode in S. marcescens CI, ATCC 14756 and MG1. Furthermore vanillic acid increased the survival of Caenorhabditis elegans upon S. marcescens infection. Proteomic analysis and mass spectrometric identification of differentially expressed proteins revealed the ability of vanillic acid to modulate the expression of proteins involved in S-layers, histidine, flagellin and fatty acid production. QSI potential of the vanillic acid observed in the current study paves the way for exploring it as a potential therapeutic candidate to treat S. marcescens infections.
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12
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Moreira LM, Soares MR, Facincani AP, Ferreira CB, Ferreira RM, Ferro MIT, Gozzo FC, Felestrino ÉB, Assis RAB, Garcia CCM, Setubal JC, Ferro JA, de Oliveira JCF. Proteomics-based identification of differentially abundant proteins reveals adaptation mechanisms of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri during Citrus sinensis infection. BMC Microbiol 2017; 17:155. [PMID: 28693412 PMCID: PMC5504864 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-017-1063-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac) is the causal agent of citrus canker. A proteomic analysis under in planta infectious and non-infectious conditions was conducted in order to increase our knowledge about the adaptive process of Xac during infection. RESULTS For that, a 2D-based proteomic analysis of Xac at 1, 3 and 5 days after inoculation, in comparison to Xac growth in NB media was carried out and followed by MALDI-TOF-TOF identification of 124 unique differentially abundant proteins. Among them, 79 correspond to up-regulated proteins in at least one of the three stages of infection. Our results indicate an important role of proteins related to biofilm synthesis, lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis, and iron uptake and metabolism as possible modulators of plant innate immunity, and revealed an intricate network of proteins involved in reactive oxygen species adaptation during Plants` Oxidative Burst response. We also identified proteins previously unknown to be involved in Xac-Citrus interaction, including the hypothetical protein XAC3981. A mutant strain for this gene has proved to be non-pathogenic in respect to classical symptoms of citrus canker induced in compatible plants. CONCLUSIONS This is the first time that a protein repertoire is shown to be active and working in an integrated manner during the infection process in a compatible host, pointing to an elaborate mechanism for adaptation of Xac once inside the plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro M Moreira
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas (DECBI), Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas (ICEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil. .,Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas (NUPEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil.
| | - Márcia R Soares
- Departamento de Bioquímica (DBq), Instituto de Química (IQ), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Agda P Facincani
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Tecnologia, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Cristiano B Ferreira
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Tecnologia, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael M Ferreira
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Tecnologia, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria I T Ferro
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Tecnologia, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Fábio C Gozzo
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Érica B Felestrino
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas (NUPEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Renata A B Assis
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas (NUPEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Camila Carrião M Garcia
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas (DECBI), Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas (ICEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil.,Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas (NUPEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - João C Setubal
- Departamento de Bioquímica (DB), Instituto de Química (IQ), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Biocomplexity Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jesus A Ferro
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Tecnologia, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Julio C F de Oliveira
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas (DCB), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Diadema, SP, Brazil
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13
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Use of Synthetic Hybrid Strains To Determine the Role of Replicon 3 in Virulence of the Burkholderia cepacia Complex. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.00461-17. [PMID: 28432094 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00461-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) displays a wealth of metabolic diversity with great biotechnological potential, but the utilization of these bacteria is limited by their opportunistic pathogenicity to humans. The third replicon of the Bcc, megaplasmid pC3 (0.5 to 1.4 Mb, previously chromosome 3), is important for various phenotypes, including virulence, antifungal, and proteolytic activities and the utilization of certain substrates. Approximately half of plasmid pC3 is well conserved throughout sequenced Bcc members, while the other half is not. To better locate the regions responsible for the key phenotypes, pC3 mutant derivatives of Burkholderia cenocepacia H111 carrying large deletions (up to 0.58 Mb) were constructed with the aid of the FLP-FRT (FRT, flippase recognition target) recombination system from Saccharomyces cerevisiae The conserved region was shown to confer near-full virulence in both Caenorhabditis elegans and Galleria mellonella infection models. Antifungal activity was unexpectedly independent of the part of pC3 bearing a previously identified antifungal gene cluster, while proteolytic activity was dependent on the nonconserved part of pC3, which encodes the ZmpA protease. To investigate to what degree pC3-encoded functions are dependent on chromosomally encoded functions, we transferred pC3 from Burkholderia cenocepacia K56-2 and Burkholderia lata 383 into other pC3-cured Bcc members. We found that although pC3 is highly important for virulence, it was the genetic background of the recipient that determined the pathogenicity level of the hybrid strain. Furthermore, we found that important phenotypes, such as antifungal activity, proteolytic activity, and some substrate utilization capabilities, can be transferred between Bcc members using pC3.IMPORTANCE The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is a group of closely related bacteria with great biotechnological potential. Some strains produce potent antifungal compounds and can promote plant growth or degrade environmental pollutants. However, their agricultural potential is limited by their opportunistic pathogenicity, particularly for cystic fibrosis patients. Despite much study, their virulence remains poorly understood. The third replicon, pC3, which is present in all Bcc isolates and is important for pathogenicity, stress resistance, and the production of antifungal compounds, has recently been reclassified from a chromosome to a megaplasmid. In this study, we identified regions on pC3 important for virulence and antifungal activity and investigated the role of the chromosomal background for the function of pC3 by exchanging the megaplasmid between different Bcc members. Our results may open a new avenue for the construction of antifungal but nonpathogenic Burkholderia hybrids. Such strains may have great potential as biocontrol strains for protecting fungus-borne diseases of plant crops.
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14
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Discovery of scmR as a global regulator of secondary metabolism and virulence in Burkholderia thailandensis E264. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E2920-E2928. [PMID: 28320949 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1619529114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria produce a diverse array of secondary metabolites that have been invaluable in the clinic and in research. These metabolites are synthesized by dedicated biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), which assemble architecturally complex molecules from simple building blocks. The majority of BGCs in a given bacterium are not expressed under normal laboratory growth conditions, and our understanding of how they are silenced is in its infancy. Here, we have addressed this question in the Gram-negative model bacterium Burkholderia thailandensis E264 using genetic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and chemical approaches. We report that a previously unknown, quorum-sensing-controlled LysR-type transcriptional regulator, which we name ScmR (for secondary metabolite regulator), serves as a global gatekeeper of secondary metabolism and a repressor of numerous BGCs. Transcriptionally, we find that 13 of the 20 BGCs in B. thailandensis are significantly (threefold or more) up- or down-regulated in a scmR deletion mutant (ΔscmR) Metabolically, the ΔscmR strain displays a hyperactive phenotype relative to wild type and overproduces a number of compound families by 18- to 210-fold, including the silent virulence factor malleilactone. Accordingly, the ΔscmR mutant is hypervirulent both in vitro and in a Caenorhabditis elegans model in vivo. Aside from secondary metabolism, ScmR also represses biofilm formation and transcriptionally activates ATP synthesis and stress response. Collectively, our data suggest that ScmR is a pleiotropic regulator of secondary metabolism, virulence, biofilm formation, and other stationary phase processes. A model for how the interplay of ScmR with pathway-specific transcriptional regulators coordinately silences virulence factor production is proposed.
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15
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Wong YC, Abd El Ghany M, Naeem R, Lee KW, Tan YC, Pain A, Nathan S. Candidate Essential Genes in Burkholderia cenocepacia J2315 Identified by Genome-Wide TraDIS. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1288. [PMID: 27597847 PMCID: PMC4993015 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia cenocepacia infection often leads to fatal cepacia syndrome in cystic fibrosis patients. However, antibiotic therapy rarely results in complete eradication of the pathogen due to its intrinsic resistance to many clinically available antibiotics. Recent attention has turned to the identification of essential genes as the proteins encoded by these genes may serve as potential targets for development of novel antimicrobials. In this study, we utilized TraDIS (Transposon Directed Insertion-site Sequencing) as a genome-wide screening tool to facilitate the identification of B. cenocepacia genes essential for its growth and viability. A transposon mutant pool consisting of approximately 500,000 mutants was successfully constructed, with more than 400,000 unique transposon insertion sites identified by computational analysis of TraDIS datasets. The saturated library allowed for the identification of 383 genes that were predicted to be essential in B. cenocepacia. We extended the application of TraDIS to identify conditionally essential genes required for in vitro growth and revealed an additional repertoire of 439 genes to be crucial for B. cenocepacia growth under nutrient-depleted conditions. The library of B. cenocepacia mutants can subsequently be subjected to various biologically related conditions to facilitate the discovery of genes involved in niche adaptation as well as pathogenicity and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee-Chin Wong
- Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Bangi, Malaysia
| | - Moataz Abd El Ghany
- Chemical and Life Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwal, Saudi Arabia; The Westmead Institute for Medical Research and The Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, SydneyNSW, Australia
| | - Raeece Naeem
- Chemical and Life Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Arnab Pain
- Chemical and Life Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sheila Nathan
- Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Bangi, Malaysia
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16
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Arnal L, Grunert T, Cattelan N, de Gouw D, Villalba MI, Serra DO, Mooi FR, Ehling-Schulz M, Yantorno OM. Bordetella pertussis Isolates from Argentinean Whooping Cough Patients Display Enhanced Biofilm Formation Capacity Compared to Tohama I Reference Strain. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1352. [PMID: 26696973 PMCID: PMC4672677 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pertussis is a highly contagious disease mainly caused by Bordetella pertussis. Despite the massive use of vaccines, since the 1950s the disease has become re-emergent in 2000 with a shift in incidence from infants to adolescents and adults. Clearly, the efficacy of current cellular or acellular vaccines, formulated from bacteria grown in stirred bioreactors is limited, presenting a challenge for future vaccine development. For gaining insights into the role of B. pertussis biofilm development for host colonization and persistence within the host, we examined the biofilm forming capacity of eight argentinean clinical isolates recovered from 2001 to 2007. All clinical isolates showed an enhanced potential for biofilm formation compared to the reference strain Tohama I. We further selected the clinical isolate B. pertussis 2723, exhibiting the highest biofilm biomass production, for quantitative proteomic profiling by means of two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with mass spectrometry, which was accompanied by targeted transcriptional analysis. Results revealed an elevated expression of several virulence factors, including adhesins involved in biofilm development. In addition, we observed a higher expression of energy metabolism enzymes in the clinical isolate compared to the Tohama I strain. Furthermore, all clinical isolates carried a polymorphism in the bvgS gene. This mutation was associated to an increased sensitivity to modulation and a faster rate of adhesion to abiotic surfaces. Thus, the phenotypic biofilm characteristics shown by the clinical isolates might represent an important, hitherto underestimated, adaptive strategy for host colonization and long time persistence within the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Arnal
- CINDEFI-Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tom Grunert
- Functional Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Natalia Cattelan
- CINDEFI-Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daan de Gouw
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen, Netherlands ; Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - María I Villalba
- CINDEFI-Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego O Serra
- CINDEFI-Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata Buenos Aires, Argentina ; Mikrobiologie, Institut for Biologie, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin Berlin, Germany
| | - Frits R Mooi
- Netherlands Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Monika Ehling-Schulz
- Functional Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Osvaldo M Yantorno
- CINDEFI-Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata Buenos Aires, Argentina
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17
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Sousa AM, Pereira MO, Lourenço A. MorphoCol: An ontology-based knowledgebase for the characterisation of clinically significant bacterial colony morphologies. J Biomed Inform 2015; 55:55-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2015.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Revised: 01/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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18
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Bacterial Adaptation during Chronic Respiratory Infections. Pathogens 2015; 4:66-89. [PMID: 25738646 PMCID: PMC4384073 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens4010066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Revised: 02/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic lung infections are associated with increased morbidity and mortality for individuals with underlying respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The process of chronic colonisation allows pathogens to adapt over time to cope with changing selection pressures, co-infecting species and antimicrobial therapies. These adaptations can occur due to environmental pressures in the lung such as inflammatory responses, hypoxia, nutrient deficiency, osmolarity, low pH and antibiotic therapies. Phenotypic adaptations in bacterial pathogens from acute to chronic infection include, but are not limited to, antibiotic resistance, exopolysaccharide production (mucoidy), loss in motility, formation of small colony variants, increased mutation rate, quorum sensing and altered production of virulence factors associated with chronic infection. The evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa during chronic lung infection has been widely studied. More recently, the adaptations that other chronically colonising respiratory pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Burkholderia cepacia complex and Haemophilus influenzae undergo during chronic infection have also been investigated. This review aims to examine the adaptations utilised by different bacterial pathogens to aid in their evolution from acute to chronic pathogens of the immunocompromised lung including CF and COPD.
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19
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Armitano J, Méjean V, Jourlin-Castelli C. Gram-negative bacteria can also form pellicles. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2014; 6:534-544. [PMID: 25756106 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in the bacterial pellicle, a biofilm floating at the air-liquid interface. Pellicles have been well studied in the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis, but far less in Gram-negative bacteria, where pellicle studies have mostly focused on matrix components rather than on the regulatory cascades involved. Several Gram-negative bacteria, including pathogenic bacteria, have been shown to be able to form a pellicle under static conditions. Here, we summarize the growing body of knowledge about pellicle formation in Gram-negative bacteria, especially about the components of the pellicle matrix. We also propose that the pellicle is a specific biofilm, and that its formation involves particular processes. Since this lifestyle concerns a growing number of bacteria, its properties undoubtedly deserve further investigation.
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20
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Fazli M, Almblad H, Rybtke ML, Givskov M, Eberl L, Tolker-Nielsen T. Regulation of biofilm formation in Pseudomonas and Burkholderia species. Environ Microbiol 2014; 16:1961-81. [PMID: 24592823 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In the present review, we describe and compare the molecular mechanisms that are involved in the regulation of biofilm formation by Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cenocepacia. Our current knowledge suggests that biofilm formation is regulated by cyclic diguanosine-5'-monophosphate (c-di-GMP), small RNAs (sRNA) and quorum sensing (QS) in all these bacterial species. The systems that employ c-di-GMP as a second messenger regulate the production of exopolysaccharides and surface proteins which function as extracellular matrix components in the biofilms formed by the bacteria. The systems that make use of sRNAs appear to regulate the production of exopolysaccharide biofilm matrix material in all these species. In the pseudomonads, QS regulates the production of extracellular DNA, lectins and biosurfactants which all play a role in biofilm formation. In B.cenocepacia QS regulates the expression of a large surface protein, lectins and extracellular DNA that all function as biofilm matrix components. Although the three regulatory systems all regulate the production of factors used for biofilm formation, the molecular mechanisms involved in transducing the signals into expression of the biofilm matrix components differ between the species. Under the conditions tested, exopolysaccharides appears to be the most important biofilm matrix components for P.aeruginosa, whereas large surface proteins appear to be the most important biofilm matrix components for P.putida, P.fluorescens, and B.cenocepacia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Fazli
- Department of International Health, Immunology, and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
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21
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Chen YS, Shieh WJ, Goldsmith CS, Metcalfe MG, Greer PW, Zaki SR, Chang HH, Chan H, Chen YL. Alteration of the phenotypic and pathogenic patterns of Burkholderia pseudomallei that persist in a soil environment. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2014; 90:469-79. [PMID: 24445207 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Melioidosis is caused by the soil-borne pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei. To investigate whether the distinct phenotypic and virulent characteristics result from environmental adaptations in the soil or from the host body, two pairs of isogenic strains were generated by passages in soil or mice. After cultivation in soil, the levels of 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid, biofilm formation, flagellar expression, and ultrastructure were altered in the bacteria. Uniformly fatal melioidosis developed as a result of infection with mouse-derived strains; however, the survival rates of mice infected with soil-derived strains prolonged. After primary infection or reinfection with soil-derived strains, the mice developed a low degree of bacterial hepatitis and bacterial colonization in the liver and bone marrow compared with mice that were infected with isogenic or heterogenic mouse-derived strains. We suggest that specific phenotypic and pathogenic patterns can be induced through infection with B. pseudomallei that has been cultured in different (soil versus mouse) environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Shen Chen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Science Education and Environmental Education, National Kaohsiung Normal University, Kaohsiung; Taiwan/Department of Internal Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Tzu-Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan; Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu-Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology, National Kaohsiung Normal University, Kaoshiung, Taiwan
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22
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Shinoy M, Dennehy R, Coleman L, Carberry S, Schaffer K, Callaghan M, Doyle S, McClean S. Immunoproteomic analysis of proteins expressed by two related pathogens, Burkholderia multivorans and Burkholderia cenocepacia, during human infection. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80796. [PMID: 24260482 PMCID: PMC3829912 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Accepted: 10/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that causes chronic infections in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). It is a highly antibiotic resistant organism and Bcc infections are rarely cleared from patients, once they are colonized. The two most clinically relevant species within Bcc are Burkholderia cenocepacia and Burkholderia multivorans. The virulence of these pathogens has not been fully elucidated and the virulence proteins expressed during human infection have not been identified to date. Furthermore, given its antibiotic resistance, prevention of infection with a prophylactic vaccine may represent a better alternative than eradication of an existing infection. We have compared the immunoproteome of two strains each from these two species of Bcc, with the aim of identifying immunogenic proteins which are common to both species. Fourteen immunoreactive proteins were exclusive to both B. cenocepacia strains, while 15 were exclusive to B. multivorans. A total of 15 proteins were immunogenic across both species. DNA-directed RNA polymerase, GroEL, 38kDa porin and elongation factor-Tu were immunoreactive proteins expressed by all four strains examined. Many proteins which were immunoreactive in both species, warrant further investigations in order to aid in the elucidation of the mechanisms of pathogenesis of this difficult organism. In addition, identification of some of these could also allow the development of protective vaccines which may prevent colonisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minu Shinoy
- Centre of Microbial Host Interactions, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ruth Dennehy
- Centre of Microbial Host Interactions, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
- Centre of Applied Science for Health, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lorraine Coleman
- Centre of Microbial Host Interactions, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
- Centre of Applied Science for Health, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephen Carberry
- Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Co Kildare, Ireland
| | - Kirsten Schaffer
- Department of Microbiology, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Máire Callaghan
- Centre of Microbial Host Interactions, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
- Centre of Applied Science for Health, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sean Doyle
- Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Co Kildare, Ireland
| | - Siobhán McClean
- Centre of Microbial Host Interactions, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
- Centre of Applied Science for Health, ITT Dublin, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
- * E-mail:
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23
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Common duckweed (Lemna minor) is a versatile high-throughput infection model for the Burkholderia cepacia complex and other pathogenic bacteria. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80102. [PMID: 24223216 PMCID: PMC3819297 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Accepted: 10/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) have emerged in recent decades as problematic pulmonary pathogens of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, with severe infections progressing to acute necrotizing pneumonia and sepsis. This study presents evidence that Lemna minor (Common duckweed) is useful as a plant model for the Bcc infectious process, and has potential as a model system for bacterial pathogenesis in general. To investigate the relationship between Bcc virulence in duckweed and Galleria mellonella (Greater wax moth) larvae, a previously established Bcc infection model, a duckweed survival assay was developed and used to determine LD50 values. A strong correlation (R2 = 0.81) was found between the strains’ virulence ranks in the two infection models, suggesting conserved pathways in these vastly different hosts. To broaden the application of the duckweed model, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and five isogenic mutants with previously established LD50 values in the larval model were tested against duckweed, and a strong correlation (R2 = 0.93) was found between their raw LD50 values. Potential virulence factors in B. cenocepacia K56-2 were identified using a high-throughput screen against single duckweed plants. In addition to the previously characterized antifungal compound (AFC) cluster genes, several uncharacterized genes were discovered including a novel lysR regulator, a histidine biosynthesis gene hisG, and a gene located near the gene encoding the recently characterized virulence factor SuhBBc. Finally, to demonstrate the utility of this model in therapeutic applications, duckweed was rescued from Bcc infection by treating with bacteriophage at 6-h intervals. It was observed that phage application became ineffective at a timepoint that coincided with a sharp increase in bacterial invasion of plant tissue. These results indicate that common duckweed can serve as an effective infection model for the investigation of bacterial virulence factors and therapeutic strategies to combat them.
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Zimaro T, Thomas L, Marondedze C, Garavaglia BS, Gehring C, Ottado J, Gottig N. Insights into xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri biofilm through proteomics. BMC Microbiol 2013; 13:186. [PMID: 23924281 PMCID: PMC3750573 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-13-186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (X. a. pv. citri) causes citrus canker that can result in defoliation and premature fruit drop with significant production losses worldwide. Biofilm formation is an important process in bacterial pathogens and several lines of evidence suggest that in X. a. pv. citri this process is a requirement to achieve maximal virulence since it has a major role in host interactions. In this study, proteomics was used to gain further insights into the functions of biofilms. Results In order to identify differentially expressed proteins, a comparative proteomic study using 2D difference gel electrophoresis was carried out on X. a. pv. citri mature biofilm and planktonic cells. The biofilm proteome showed major variations in the composition of outer membrane proteins and receptor or transport proteins. Among them, several porins and TonB-dependent receptor were differentially regulated in the biofilm compared to the planktonic cells, indicating that these proteins may serve in maintaining specific membrane-associated functions including signaling and cellular homeostasis. In biofilms, UDP-glucose dehydrogenase with a major role in exopolysaccharide production and the non-fimbrial adhesin YapH involved in adherence were over-expressed, while a polynucleotide phosphorylase that was demonstrated to negatively control biofilm formation in E. coli was down-regulated. In addition, several proteins involved in protein synthesis, folding and stabilization were up-regulated in biofilms. Interestingly, some proteins related to energy production, such as ATP-synthase were down-regulated in biofilms. Moreover, a number of enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle were differentially expressed. In addition, X. a. pv. citri biofilms also showed down-regulation of several antioxidant enzymes. The respective gene expression patterns of several identified proteins in both X. a. pv. citri mature biofilm and planktonic cells were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and shown to consistently correlate with those deduced from the proteomic study. Conclusions Differentially expressed proteins are enriched in functional categories. Firstly, proteins that are down-regulated in X. a. pv. citri biofilms are enriched for the gene ontology (GO) terms ‘generation of precursor metabolites and energy’ and secondly, the biofilm proteome mainly changes in ‘outer membrane and receptor or transport’. We argue that the differentially expressed proteins have a critical role in maintaining a functional external structure as well as enabling appropriate flow of nutrients and signals specific to the biofilm lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Zimaro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IBR-CONICET), Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
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Subramoni S, Sokol PA. Quorum sensing systems influence Burkholderia cenocepacia virulence. Future Microbiol 2013; 7:1373-87. [PMID: 23231487 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.12.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia cepacia complex strains communicate using N-acyl homoserine lactones and BDSF-dependent quorum sensing (QS) systems. Burkholderia cenocepacia QS systems include CepIR, CciIR, CepR2 and BDSF. Analysis of CepR, CciIR, CepR2 and RpfF (BDSF synthase) QS regulons revealed that these QS systems both independently regulate and coregulate many target genes, often in an opposing manner. The role of QS and several QS-regulated genes in virulence has been determined using vertebrate, invertebrate and plant infection models. Virulence phenotypes are strain and model dependent, suggesting that different QS-regulated genes are important depending on the strain and type of infection. QS inhibitors in combination with antibiotics can reduce biofilm formation and virulence in infection models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujatha Subramoni
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
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Subramoni S, Agnoli K, Eberl L, Lewenza S, Sokol PA. Role of Burkholderia cenocepacia afcE and afcF genes in determining lipid-metabolism-associated phenotypes. Microbiology (Reading) 2013; 159:603-614. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.064683-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sujatha Subramoni
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kirsty Agnoli
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Plant Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Leo Eberl
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Plant Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Shawn Lewenza
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Pamela A. Sokol
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Transposon mutagenesis of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis identifies genes that contribute to invasiveness in human and chicken cells and survival in egg albumen. Infect Immun 2012; 80:4203-15. [PMID: 22988017 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00790-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is an important food-borne pathogen, and chickens are a primary reservoir of human infection. While most knowledge about Salmonella pathogenesis is based on research conducted on Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis is known to have pathobiology specific to chickens that impacts epidemiology in humans. Therefore, more information is needed about S. Enteritidis pathobiology in comparison to that of S. Typhimurium. We used transposon mutagenesis to identify S. Enteritidis virulence genes by assay of invasiveness in human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells and chicken liver (LMH) cells and survival within chicken (HD-11) macrophages as a surrogate marker for virulence. A total of 4,330 transposon insertion mutants of an invasive G1 Nal(r) strain were screened using Caco-2 cells. This led to the identification of attenuating mutations in a total of 33 different loci, many of which include genes previously known to contribute to enteric infection (e.g., Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 [SPI-1], SPI-4, SPI-5, CS54, fliH, fljB, csgB, spvR, and rfbMN) in S. Enteritidis and other Salmonella serovars. Several genes or genomic islands that have not been reported previously (e.g., SPI-14, ksgA, SEN0034, SEN2278, and SEN3503) or that are absent in S. Typhimurium or in most other Salmonella serovars (e.g., pegD, SEN1152, SEN1393, and SEN1966) were also identified. Most mutants with reduced Caco-2 cell invasiveness also showed significantly reduced invasiveness in chicken liver cells and impaired survival in chicken macrophages and in egg albumen. Consequently, these genes may play an important role during infection of the chicken host and also contribute to successful egg contamination by S. Enteritidis.
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O'Grady EP, Viteri DF, Sokol PA. A unique regulator contributes to quorum sensing and virulence in Burkholderia cenocepacia. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37611. [PMID: 22624054 PMCID: PMC3356288 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia cenocepacia causes chronic and life-threatening respiratory infections in immunocompromized people. The B. cenocepacia N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-dependent quorum sensing system relies on the production of AHLs by the synthases CepI and CciI while CepR, CciR and CepR2 control expression of many genes important for pathogenesis. Downstream from, and co-transcribed with cepI, lies BCAM1871 encoding a hypothetical protein that was uncharacterized prior to this study. Orthologs of B. cenocepacia BCAM1871 are uniquely found in Burkholderia spp and are conserved in their genomic locations in pathogenic Burkholderia. We observed significant effects on AHL activity upon mutation or overexpression of BCAM1871, although these effects were more subtle than those observed for CepI indicating BCAM1871 acts as an enhancer of AHL activity. Transcription of cepI, cepR and cciIR was significantly reduced in the BCAM1871 mutant. Swimming and swarming motilities as well as transcription of fliC, encoding flagellin, were significantly reduced in the BCAM1871 mutant. Protease activity and transcription of zmpA and zmpB, encoding extracellular zinc metalloproteases, were undetectable in the BCAM1871 mutant indicating a more significant effect of mutating BCAM1871 than cepI. Exogenous addition of OHL restored cepI, cepR and fliC transcription but had no effect on motility, protease activity or zmpA or zmpB transcription suggesting AHL-independent effects. The BCAM1871 mutant exhibited significantly reduced virulence in rat chronic respiratory and nematode infection models. Gene expression and phenotypic assays as well as vertebrate and invertebrate infection models showed that BCAM1871 significantly contributes to pathogenesis in B. cenocepacia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pamela A. Sokol
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
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O'Grady EP, Sokol PA. Burkholderia cenocepacia differential gene expression during host-pathogen interactions and adaptation to the host environment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2011; 1:15. [PMID: 22919581 PMCID: PMC3417382 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2011.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2011] [Accepted: 11/20/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) are important in medical, biotechnological, and agricultural disciplines. These bacteria naturally occur in soil and water environments and have adapted to survive in association with plants and animals including humans. All Bcc species are opportunistic pathogens including Burkholderia cenocepacia that causes infections in cystic fibrosis and chronic granulomatous disease patients. The adaptation of B. cenocepacia to the host environment was assessed in a rat chronic respiratory infection model and compared to that of high cell-density in vitro grown cultures using transcriptomics. The distribution of genes differentially expressed on chromosomes 1, 2, and 3 was relatively proportional to the size of each genomic element, whereas the proportion of plasmid-encoded genes differentially expressed was much higher relative to its size and most genes were induced in vivo. The majority of genes encoding known virulence factors, components of types II and III secretion systems and chromosome 2-encoded type IV secretion system were similarly expressed between in vitro and in vivo environments. Lower expression in vivo was detected for genes encoding N-acyl-homoserine lactone synthase CepI, orphan LuxR homolog CepR2, zinc metalloproteases ZmpA and ZmpB, LysR-type transcriptional regulator ShvR, nematocidal protein AidA, and genes associated with flagellar motility, Flp type pilus formation, and type VI secretion. Plasmid-encoded type IV secretion genes were markedly induced in vivo. Additional genes induced in vivo included genes predicted to be involved in osmotic stress adaptation or intracellular survival, metal ion, and nutrient transport, as well as those encoding outer membrane proteins. Genes identified in this study are potentially important for virulence during host–pathogen interactions and may be associated with survival and adaptation to the host environment during chronic lung infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoin P O'Grady
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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