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Fathallah N, Elkady WM, Zahran SA, Darwish KM, Elhady SS, Elkhawas YA. Unveiling the Multifaceted Capabilities of Endophytic Aspergillus flavus Isolated from Annona squamosa Fruit Peels against Staphylococcus Isolates and HCoV 229E-In Vitro and In Silico Investigations. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:656. [PMID: 38794226 PMCID: PMC11124496 DOI: 10.3390/ph17050656] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, there has been a surge towards searching for primitive treatment strategies to discover novel therapeutic approaches against multi-drug-resistant pathogens. Endophytes are considered unexplored yet perpetual sources of several secondary metabolites with therapeutic significance. This study aims to isolate and identify the endophytic fungi from Annona squamosa L. fruit peels using morphological, microscopical, and transcribed spacer (ITS-rDNA) sequence analysis; extract the fungus's secondary metabolites by ethyl acetate; investigate the chemical profile using UPLC/MS; and evaluate the potential antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antiviral activities. An endophytic fungus was isolated and identified as Aspergillus flavus L. from the fruit peels. The UPLC/MS revealed seven compounds with various chemical classes. The antimicrobial activity of the fungal ethyl acetate extract (FEA) was investigated against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative standard strains, in addition to resistant clinical isolates using the agar diffusion method. The CPE-inhibition assay was used to identify the potential antiviral activity of the crude fungal extract against low pathogenic human coronavirus (HCoV 229E). Selective Gram-positive antibacterial and antibiofilm activities were evident, demonstrating pronounced efficacy against both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). However, the extract exhibited very weak activity against Gram-negative bacterial strains. The ethyl acetate extract of Aspergillus flavus L exhibited an interesting antiviral activity with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 27.2 µg/mL against HCoV 229E. Furthermore, in silico virtual molecular docking-coupled dynamics simulation highlighted the promising affinity of the identified metabolite, orienting towards three MRSA biotargets and HCoV 229E main protease as compared to reported reference inhibitors/substrates. Finally, ADME analysis was conducted to evaluate the potential oral bioavailability of the identified metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha Fathallah
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University in Egypt, Cairo 11835, Egypt;
| | - Wafaa M. Elkady
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University in Egypt, Cairo 11835, Egypt;
| | - Sara A. Zahran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University in Egypt, Cairo 11835, Egypt;
| | - Khaled M. Darwish
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt;
| | - Sameh S. Elhady
- King Abdulaziz University Herbarium, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Center for Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yasmin A. Elkhawas
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University in Egypt, Cairo 11835, Egypt;
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2
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Jantarug K, Tripathi V, Morin B, Iizuka A, Kuehl R, Morgenstern M, Clauss M, Khanna N, Bumann D, Rivera-Fuentes P. A Far-Red Fluorescent Probe to Visualize Gram-Positive Bacteria in Patient Samples. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:1545-1551. [PMID: 38632685 PMCID: PMC11091877 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00060] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Gram-positive bacteria, in particular Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), are the leading bacterial cause of death in high-income countries and can cause invasive infections at various body sites. These infections are associated with prolonged hospital stays, a large economic burden, considerable treatment failure, and high mortality rates. So far, there is only limited knowledge about the specific locations where S. aureus resides in the human body during various infections. Hence, the visualization of S. aureus holds significant importance in microbiological research. Herein, we report the development and validation of a far-red fluorescent probe to detect Gram-positive bacteria, with a focus on staphylococci, in human biopsies from deep-seated infections. This probe displays strong fluorescence and low background in human tissues, outperforming current tools for S. aureus detection. Several applications are demonstrated, including fixed- and live-cell imaging, flow cytometry, and super-resolution bacterial imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Benedict Morin
- Department
of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Aya Iizuka
- Department
of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Richard Kuehl
- Department
of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
- Division
of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
- Center for
Musculoskeletal Infections (ZMSI), Department for Orthopaedics and
Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Mario Morgenstern
- Center for
Musculoskeletal Infections (ZMSI), Department for Orthopaedics and
Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Martin Clauss
- Center for
Musculoskeletal Infections (ZMSI), Department for Orthopaedics and
Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Nina Khanna
- Department
of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
- Division
of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
- Department
of Clinical Research, University Hospital
of Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Dirk Bumann
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland
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3
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Shen P, Lin H, Bao Y, Hong H, Wu Z. Synthesis and immunological study of a glycosylated wall teichoic acid-based vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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4
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Staphylococcal protein A inhibits complement activation by interfering with IgG hexamer formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2016772118. [PMID: 33563762 PMCID: PMC7896290 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016772118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are crucial for the immune response against bacteria. To drive bacterial killing, antibodies should bind to the bacterial cell and induce the complement reaction. This requires target-bound IgGs to form hexameric IgG platforms that are kept together by noncovalent Fc-Fc interactions. Interestingly, pathogenic bacteria produce IgG-binding molecules that bind specifically to the Fc region needed for hexamerization. Here we demonstrate that staphylococcal protein A (SpA) from Staphylococcus aureus specifically blocks formation of IgG hexamers and downstream activation of complement. Furthermore, we show that IgG3 antibodies (which are not recognized by SpA) have superior capacity to activate complement and induce killing of S. aureus by human phagocytes. These insights provide a crucial rationale for optimizing antibody therapies against S. aureus. Immunoglobulin (Ig) G molecules are essential players in the human immune response against bacterial infections. An important effector of IgG-dependent immunity is the induction of complement activation, a reaction that triggers a variety of responses that help kill bacteria. Antibody-dependent complement activation is promoted by the organization of target-bound IgGs into hexamers that are held together via noncovalent Fc-Fc interactions. Here we show that staphylococcal protein A (SpA), an important virulence factor and vaccine candidate of Staphylococcus aureus, effectively blocks IgG hexamerization and subsequent complement activation. Using native mass spectrometry and high-speed atomic force microscopy, we demonstrate that SpA blocks IgG hexamerization through competitive binding to the Fc-Fc interaction interface on IgG monomers. In concordance, we show that SpA interferes with the formation of (IgG)6:C1q complexes and prevents downstream complement activation on the surface of S. aureus. Finally, we demonstrate that IgG3 antibodies against S. aureus can potently induce complement activation and opsonophagocytic killing even in the presence of SpA. Together, our findings identify SpA as an immune evasion protein that specifically blocks IgG hexamerization.
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5
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Lindner B, Martin E, Steininger M, Bundalo A, Lenter M, Zuber J, Schuler M. A genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen to identify phagocytosis modulators in monocytic THP-1 cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12973. [PMID: 34155263 PMCID: PMC8217514 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92332-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Phagocytosis of microbial pathogens, dying or dead cells, and cell debris is essential to maintain tissue homeostasis. Impairment of these processes is associated with autoimmunity, developmental defects and toxic protein accumulation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of phagocytosis remain incompletely understood. Here, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR knockout screen to systematically identify regulators involved in phagocytosis of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus by human monocytic THP-1 cells. The screen identified 75 hits including known regulators of phagocytosis, e.g. members of the actin cytoskeleton regulation Arp2/3 and WAVE complexes, as well as genes previously not associated with phagocytosis. These novel genes are involved in translational control (EIF5A and DHPS) and the UDP glycosylation pathway (SLC35A2, SLC35A3, UGCG and UXS1) and were further validated by single gene knockout experiments. Whereas the knockout of EIF5A and DHPS impaired phagocytosis, knocking out SLC35A2, SLC35A3, UGCG and UXS1 resulted in increased phagocytosis. In addition to S. aureus phagocytosis, the above described genes also modulate phagocytosis of Escherichia coli and yeast-derived zymosan A. In summary, we identified both known and unknown genetic regulators of phagocytosis, the latter providing a valuable resource for future studies dissecting the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms and their role in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Lindner
- Department of Drug Discovery Science, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany.
| | - Eva Martin
- Department of Drug Discovery Science, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Monika Steininger
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aleksandra Bundalo
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Lenter
- Department of Drug Discovery Science, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Johannes Zuber
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Medical University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Schuler
- Department of Drug Discovery Science, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
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6
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Ali S, Hendriks A, van Dalen R, Bruyning T, Meeuwenoord N, Overkleeft HS, Filippov DV, van der Marel GA, van Sorge NM, Codée JDC. (Automated) Synthesis of Well-defined Staphylococcus Aureus Wall Teichoic Acid Fragments. Chemistry 2021; 27:10461-10469. [PMID: 33991006 PMCID: PMC8361686 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202101242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are important components of the cell wall of the opportunistic Gram‐positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. WTAs are composed of repeating ribitol phosphate (RboP) residues that are decorated with d‐alanine and N‐acetyl‐d‐glucosamine (GlcNAc) modifications, in a seemingly random manner. These WTA‐modifications play an important role in shaping the interactions of WTA with the host immune system. Due to the structural heterogeneity of WTAs, it is impossible to isolate pure and well‐defined WTA molecules from bacterial sources. Therefore, here synthetic chemistry to assemble a broad library of WTA‐fragments, incorporating all possible glycosylation modifications (α‐GlcNAc at the RboP C4; β‐GlcNAc at the RboP C4; β‐GlcNAc at the RboP C3) described for S. aureus WTAs, is reported. DNA‐type chemistry, employing ribitol phosphoramidite building blocks, protected with a dimethoxy trityl group, was used to efficiently generate a library of WTA‐hexamers. Automated solid phase syntheses were used to assemble a WTA‐dodecamer and glycosylated WTA‐hexamer. The synthetic fragments have been fully characterized and diagnostic signals were identified to discriminate the different glycosylation patterns. The different glycosylated WTA‐fragments were used to probe binding of monoclonal antibodies using WTA‐functionalized magnetic beads, revealing the binding specificity of these WTA‐specific antibodies and the importance of the specific location of the GlcNAc modifications on the WTA‐chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ali
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden (The, Netherlands
| | - Astrid Hendriks
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht (The, Netherlands
| | - Rob van Dalen
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht (The, Netherlands
| | - Thomas Bruyning
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden (The, Netherlands
| | - Nico Meeuwenoord
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden (The, Netherlands
| | - Herman S Overkleeft
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden (The, Netherlands
| | - Dmitri V Filippov
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden (The, Netherlands
| | - Gijs A van der Marel
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden (The, Netherlands
| | - Nina M van Sorge
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht (The, Netherlands
| | - Jeroen D C Codée
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden (The, Netherlands
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7
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Guo Y, Pfahler NM, Völpel SL, Stehle T. Cell wall glycosylation in Staphylococcus aureus: targeting the tar glycosyltransferases. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2021; 68:166-174. [PMID: 33540375 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2021.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Peptidoglycan (PG) is the major structural polymer of the bacterial cell wall. The PG layer of gram-positive bacterial pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is permeated with anionic glycopolymers known as wall teichoic acids (WTAs) and lipoteichoic acids (LTAs). In S. aureus, the WTA backbone typically consists of repeating ribitol-5-phosphate units, which are modified by enzymes that introduce glycosylation as well as amino acids at different locations. These modifications are key determinants of phage adhesion, bacterial biofilm formation and virulence of S. aureus. In this review, we examine differences in WTA structures in gram-positive bacteria, focusing in particular on three enzymes, TarM, TarS, and TarP that glycosylate the WTA of S. aureus at different locations. Infections with S. aureus pose an increasing threat to human health, particularly through the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Recently obtained structural information on TarM, TarS and TarP has helped to better understand the strategies used by S. aureus to establish resistance and to evade host defense mechanisms. Moreover, structures of complexes with poly-RboP and its analogs can serve as a platform for the development of new inhibitors that could form a basis for the development of antibiotic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinglan Guo
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nina M Pfahler
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Simon L Völpel
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thilo Stehle
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Germany; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, USA.
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8
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Wu X, Han J, Gong G, Koffas MAG, Zha J. Wall teichoic acids: physiology and applications. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2020; 45:6019871. [DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are charged glycopolymers containing phosphodiester-linked polyol units and represent one of the major components of Gram-positive cell envelope. WTAs have important physiological functions in cell division, gene transfer, surface adhesion, drug resistance and biofilm formation, and are critical virulence factors and vital determinants in mediating cell interaction with and tolerance to environmental factors. Here, we first briefly introduce WTA structure, biosynthesis and its regulation, and then summarize in detail four major physiological roles played by WTAs, i.e. WTA-mediated resistance to antimicrobials, virulence to mammalian cells, interaction with bacteriolytic enzymes and regulation of cell metabolism. We also review the applications of WTAs in these fields that are closely related to the human society, including antibacterial drug discovery targeting WTA biosynthesis, development of vaccines and antibodies regarding WTA-mediated pathogenicity, specific and sensitive detection of pathogens in food using WTAs as a surface epitope and regulation of WTA-related pathways for efficient microbial production of useful compounds. We also point out major problems remaining in these fields, and discuss some possible directions in the future exploration of WTA physiology and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Jing Han
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Guoli Gong
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Mattheos A G Koffas
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Jian Zha
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
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9
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Wall Teichoic Acid in Staphylococcus aureus Host Interaction. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:985-998. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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10
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Zhang B, Liu X, Lambert E, Mas G, Hiller S, Veening JW, Perez C. Structure of a proton-dependent lipid transporter involved in lipoteichoic acids biosynthesis. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:561-569. [PMID: 32367070 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-0425-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) are essential cell-wall components in Gram-positive bacteria, including the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, contributing to cell adhesion, cell division and antibiotic resistance. Genetic evidence has suggested that LtaA is the flippase that mediates the translocation of the lipid-linked disaccharide that anchors LTA to the cell membrane, a rate-limiting step in S. aureus LTA biogenesis. Here, we present the structure of LtaA, describe its flipping mechanism and show its functional relevance for S. aureus fitness. We demonstrate that LtaA is a proton-coupled antiporter flippase that contributes to S. aureus survival under physiological acidic conditions. Our results provide foundations for the development of new strategies to counteract S. aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Zhang
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xue Liu
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Jan-Willem Veening
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Camilo Perez
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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11
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Zhang B, Perez C. Stabilization and Crystallization of a Membrane Protein Involved in Lipid Transport. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2127:283-292. [PMID: 32112329 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0373-4_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Lipoteichoic acids (LTA) are ubiquitous cell wall components of Gram-positive bacteria. In Staphylococcus aureus LTA are composed of a polymer with 1,3-linked glycerol phosphate repeating units anchored to the plasma membrane. The anchor molecule is a lipid-linked disaccharide (anchor-LLD) synthesized at the cytoplasmic leaflet of the membrane. The anchor lipid becomes accessible at the outer leaflet of the membrane after the flippase LtaA catalyzes translocation. Recently we have elucidated the structure of LtaA using vapor diffusion X-ray crystallography and in situ annealing. We were able to obtain LtaA crystals after optimization of purification protocols that led to stabilization of LtaA isolated in detergent micelles. Here we report a protocol that describes the purification, stabilization, crystallization, and data collection strategies carried out to determine the structure of LtaA. We highlight key points that can be used to determine crystal structures of other membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Zhang
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Camilo Perez
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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12
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In Staphylococcus aureus, the Particulate State of the Cell Envelope Is Required for the Efficient Induction of Host Defense Responses. Infect Immun 2019; 87:IAI.00674-19. [PMID: 31548327 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00674-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon microbial infection, host immune cells recognize bacterial cell envelope components through cognate receptors. Although bacterial cell envelope components function as innate immune molecules, the role of the physical state of the bacterial cell envelope (i.e., particulate versus soluble) in host immune activation has not been clearly defined. Here, using two different forms of the staphylococcal cell envelope of Staphylococcus aureus RN4220 and USA300 LAC strains, we provide biochemical and immunological evidence that the particulate state is required for the effective activation of host innate immune responses. In a murine model of peritoneal infection, the particulate form of the staphylococcal cell envelope (PCE) induced the production of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) and CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), the chemotactic cytokines for neutrophils and monocytes, respectively, resulting in a strong influx of the phagocytes into the peritoneal cavity. In contrast, compared with PCE, the soluble form of cell envelope (SCE), which was derived from PCE by treatment with cell wall-hydrolyzing enzymes, showed minimal activity. PCE also induced the secretion of calprotectin (myeloid-related protein 8/14 [MRP8/14] complex), a phagocyte-derived antimicrobial protein, into the peritoneal cavity at a much higher level than did SCE. The injected PCE particles were phagocytosed by the infiltrated neutrophils and monocytes and then delivered to mediastinal draining lymph nodes. More importantly, intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected PCE efficiently protected mice from S. aureus infection, which was abolished by the depletion of either monocytes/macrophages or neutrophils. This study demonstrated that the physical state of bacterial cells is a critical factor for efficient host immune activation and the protection of hosts from staphylococcal infections.
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13
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Do not discard Staphylococcus aureus WTA as a vaccine antigen. Nature 2019; 572:E1-E2. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1416-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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14
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Mnich ME, van Dalen R, Gerlach D, Hendriks A, Xia G, Peschel A, van Strijp JAG, van Sorge NM. The C-type lectin receptor MGL senses N-acetylgalactosamine on the unique Staphylococcus aureus ST395 wall teichoic acid. Cell Microbiol 2019; 21:e13072. [PMID: 31219660 PMCID: PMC6771913 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a common skin commensal but is also associated with various skin and soft tissue pathologies. Upon invasion, S. aureus is detected by resident innate immune cells through pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), although a comprehensive understanding of the specific molecular interactions is lacking. Recently, we demonstrated that the PRR langerin (CD207) on epidermal Langerhans cells senses the conserved β-1,4-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) modification on S. aureus wall teichoic acid (WTA), thereby increasing skin inflammation. Interestingly, the S. aureus ST395 lineage as well as certain species of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) produce a structurally different WTA molecule, consisting of poly-glycerolphosphate with α-O-N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) residues, which are attached by the glycosyltransferase TagN. Here, we demonstrate that S. aureus ST395 strains interact with the human Macrophage galactose-type lectin (MGL; CD301) receptor, which is expressed by dendritic cells and macrophages in the dermis. MGL bound S. aureus ST395 in a tagN- and GalNAc-dependent manner but did not interact with different tagN-positive CoNS species. However, heterologous expression of Staphylococcus lugdunensis tagN in S. aureus conferred phage infection and MGL binding, confirming the role of this CoNS enzyme as GalNAc-transferase. Functionally, the detection of GalNAc on S. aureus ST395 WTA by human monocyte-derived dendritic cells significantly enhanced cytokine production. Together, our findings highlight differential recognition of S. aureus glycoprofiles by specific human innate receptors, which may affect downstream adaptive immune responses and pathogen clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata E Mnich
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Glaxo-Smith Kline, Siena, Italy
| | - Rob van Dalen
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - David Gerlach
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Astrid Hendriks
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Glaxo-Smith Kline, Siena, Italy
| | - Guoqing Xia
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jos A G van Strijp
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nina M van Sorge
- Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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15
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Langerhans Cells Sense Staphylococcus aureus Wall Teichoic Acid through Langerin To Induce Inflammatory Responses. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.00330-19. [PMID: 31088921 PMCID: PMC6520447 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00330-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of skin infections and is also associated with the occurrence and severity of eczema. Langerhans cells (LCs), a specific subset of skin immune cells, participate in the immune response to S. aureus, but it is yet unclear how LCs recognize S. aureus. Therefore, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between LCs and S. aureus. We identified that wall teichoic acid, an abundant polymer on the S. aureus surface, is recognized by langerin, a receptor unique to LCs. This interaction allows LCs to discriminate S. aureus from other related staphylococcal species and initiates a proinflammatory response similar to that observed in patients with eczema. Our data therefore provide important new insights into the relationship between S. aureus, LCs, and eczema. Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infections and aggravator of the inflammatory skin disease atopic dermatitis (AD [eczema]). Epicutaneous exposure to S. aureus induces Th17 responses through skin Langerhans cells (LCs), which paradoxically contribute to host defense but also to AD pathogenesis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between S. aureus and LCs are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that human LCs directly interact with S. aureus through the pattern recognition receptor langerin (CD207). Human, but not mouse, langerin interacts with S. aureus through the conserved β-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) modifications on wall teichoic acid (WTA), thereby discriminating S. aureus from other staphylococcal species. Importantly, the specific S. aureus WTA glycoprofile strongly influences the level of proinflammatory cytokines that are produced by in vitro-generated LCs. Finally, in a murine epicutaneous infection model, S. aureus strongly upregulated transcripts of Cxcl1, Il6, and Il17, which required the presence of both human langerin and WTA β-GlcNAc. Our findings provide molecular insight into the unique proinflammatory capacities of S. aureus in relation to skin inflammation.
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16
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Glycosylation of Staphylococcus aureus cell wall teichoic acid is influenced by environmental conditions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3212. [PMID: 30824758 PMCID: PMC6397182 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39929-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Wall teichoic acid (WTA) are major constituents of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) cell envelopes with important roles in the bacteria’s physiology, resistance to antimicrobial molecules, host interaction, virulence and biofilm formation. They consist of ribitol phosphate repeat units in which the ribitol residue is substituted with D-alanine (D-Ala) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc). The complete S. aureus WTA biosynthesis pathways was recently revealed with the identification of the two glycosyltransferases, TarM and TarS, respectively responsible for the α- and β-GlcNAc anomeric substitutions. We performed structural analyses to characterize WTAs from a panel of 24 S. aureus strains responsible for invasive infections. A majority of the S. aureus strains produced the β-GlcNAc WTA form in accordance with the presence of the tarS gene in all strains assessed. The β-GlcNAc anomer was preferentially expressed at the expense of the α-GlcNAc anomer when grown on stress-inducing culture medium containing high NaCl concentration. Furthermore, WTA glycosylation of the prototype S. aureus Newman strain was characterized in vivo in two different animal models, namely peritonitis and deep wound infection. While the inoculum used to infect animals produced almost exclusively α-GlcNAc WTA, a complete switch to β-glycosylation was observed in infected kidneys, livers and muscles. Overall, our data demonstrate that S. aureus WTA glycosylation is strongly influenced by environmental conditions and suggest that β-GlcNAc WTA may bring competitive advantage in vivo.
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17
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Raafat D, Otto M, Reppschläger K, Iqbal J, Holtfreter S. Fighting Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms with Monoclonal Antibodies. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:303-322. [PMID: 30665698 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a notorious pathogen and one of the most frequent causes of biofilm-related infections. The treatment of S. aureus biofilms is hampered by the ability of the biofilm structure to shield bacteria from antibiotics as well as the host's immune system. Therefore, new preventive and/or therapeutic interventions, including the use of antibody-based approaches, are urgently required. In this review, we describe the mechanisms by which anti-S. aureus antibodies can help in combating biofilms, including an up-to-date overview of monoclonal antibodies currently in clinical trials. Moreover, we highlight ongoing efforts in passive vaccination against S. aureus biofilm infections, with special emphasis on promising targets, and finally indicate the direction into which future research could be heading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Raafat
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Egypt; Current affiliation: Department of Immunology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michael Otto
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kevin Reppschläger
- Department of Immunology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jawad Iqbal
- Department of Immunology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Silva Holtfreter
- Department of Immunology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
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18
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Gerlach D, Guo Y, De Castro C, Kim SH, Schlatterer K, Xu FF, Pereira C, Seeberger PH, Ali S, Codée J, Sirisarn W, Schulte B, Wolz C, Larsen J, Molinaro A, Lee BL, Xia G, Stehle T, Peschel A. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus alters cell wall glycosylation to evade immunity. Nature 2018; 563:705-709. [PMID: 30464342 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0730-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a frequent cause of difficult-to-treat, often fatal infections in humans1,2. Most humans have antibodies against S. aureus, but these are highly variable and often not protective in immunocompromised patients3. Previous vaccine development programs have not been successful4. A large percentage of human antibodies against S. aureus target wall teichoic acid (WTA), a ribitol-phosphate (RboP) surface polymer modified with N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)5,6. It is currently unknown whether the immune evasion capacities of MRSA are due to variation of dominant surface epitopes such as those associated with WTA. Here we show that a considerable proportion of the prominent healthcare-associated and livestock-associated MRSA clones CC5 and CC398, respectively, contain prophages that encode an alternative WTA glycosyltransferase. This enzyme, TarP, transfers GlcNAc to a different hydroxyl group of the WTA RboP than the standard enzyme TarS7, with important consequences for immune recognition. TarP-glycosylated WTA elicits 7.5-40-fold lower levels of immunoglobulin G in mice than TarS-modified WTA. Consistent with this, human sera contained only low levels of antibodies against TarP-modified WTA. Notably, mice immunized with TarS-modified WTA were not protected against infection with tarP-expressing MRSA, indicating that TarP is crucial for the capacity of S. aureus to evade host defences. High-resolution structural analyses of TarP bound to WTA components and uridine diphosphate GlcNAc (UDP-GlcNAc) explain the mechanism of altered RboP glycosylation and form a template for targeted inhibition of TarP. Our study reveals an immune evasion strategy of S. aureus based on averting the immunogenicity of its dominant glycoantigen WTA. These results will help with the identification of invariant S. aureus vaccine antigens and may enable the development of TarP inhibitors as a new strategy for rendering MRSA susceptible to human host defences.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gerlach
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yinglan Guo
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cristina De Castro
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Sun-Hwa Kim
- National Research Laboratory of Defense Proteins, College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Pusan, South Korea
| | - Katja Schlatterer
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Fei-Fei Xu
- Max-Planck-Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Claney Pereira
- Max-Planck-Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | - Sara Ali
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Codée
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wanchat Sirisarn
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Berit Schulte
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Medical Microbiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christiane Wolz
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Medical Microbiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jesper Larsen
- Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Antonio Molinaro
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Bok Luel Lee
- National Research Laboratory of Defense Proteins, College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Pusan, South Korea
| | - Guoqing Xia
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Thilo Stehle
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. .,Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. .,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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19
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Oliveira ASD, Rosa IIR, Novaes E, Oliveira LSD, Baeza LC, Borges CL, Marlinghaus L, Soares CMDA, Giambiagi-deMarval M, Parente-Rocha JA. The exoproteome profiles of three Staphylococcus saprophyticus strains reveal diversity in protein secretion contents. Microbiol Res 2018; 216:85-96. [PMID: 30269860 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2018.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a gram-positive microorganism responsible for urinary tract infections (UTIs). Although some virulence factors are characterized, such as urease, autolysins, adhesins and hemagglutinins, large-scale proteomic studies have not been performed within this species. We performed the characterization of the exoproteome from three S. saprophyticus strains: the reference strain ATCC 15,305, a non-capsular strain 7108 and the 9325 strain containing a thick capsule which were cultured in BHI medium and culture supernatants were analysed by using mass spectrometry approach. We observed a core of 72 secreted proteins. In addition, it was possible to detect diversity in the protein profiles of the exoproteomes. Interestingly, strain 7108 presented no secretion of three antigenic proteins, including the classical SsaA antigen. In addition, the level of antigenic proteins secreted by strain 9325 was higher than in ATCC 15,305. This result was confirmed by Western blot analysis using anti-SsaA polyclonal antibodies, and no production/ secretion of SsaA was detected in strain 7108. Transcriptional data shows that 7108 strain produces transcripts encoding SsaA, suggesting post-transcriptional regulation occurs in this strain. Moreover, when compared with the other strains that were analyzed, it was possible to detect higher levels of proteases secreted by strain 7108 and higher levels of antigenic proteins and transglycosylases secreted by 9325 strain. The results reveal diversity in protein secretion among strains. This research is an important first step towards understanding the variability in S. saprophyticus exoproteome profile and could be significant in explaining differences among strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Santana de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Isabella Inês Rodrigues Rosa
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Evandro Novaes
- Escola de Agronomia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Lilian Cristiane Baeza
- Centro de Ciências Médicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Cascavel, Brazil
| | - Clayton Luiz Borges
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | | | - Célia Maria de Almeida Soares
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Marcia Giambiagi-deMarval
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Juliana Alves Parente-Rocha
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
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20
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Uchiyama J, Taniguchi M, Kurokawa K, Takemura-Uchiyama I, Ujihara T, Shimakura H, Sakaguchi Y, Murakami H, Sakaguchi M, Matsuzaki S. Adsorption of Staphylococcus viruses S13′ and S24-1 on Staphylococcus aureus strains with different glycosidic linkage patterns of wall teichoic acids. J Gen Virol 2017; 98:2171-2180. [DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jumpei Uchiyama
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Maya Taniguchi
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kenji Kurokawa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, Nagasaki, Japan
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21
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Domenech M, García E. Fluorescence Imaging of Streptococcus pneumoniae with the Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA) As a Potential, Rapid Diagnostic Tool. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1333. [PMID: 28769901 PMCID: PMC5513899 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common human pathogen and a major causal agent of life-threatening infections that can either be respiratory or non-respiratory. It is well known that the Helix pomatia (edible snail) agglutinin (HPA) lectin shows specificity for terminal αGalNAc residues present, among other locations, in the Forssman pentasaccharide (αGalNAc1→3βGalNAc1→3αGal1→4βGal1→4βGlc). Based on experiments involving choline-independent mutants and different growth conditions, we propose here that HPA recognizes the αGalNAc terminal residues of the cell wall teichoic and lipoteichoic acids of S. pneumoniae. In addition, experimental evidence showing that pneumococci can be specifically labeled with HPA when growing as planktonic cultures as well as in mixed biofilms of S. pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae has been obtained. It should be underlined that pneumococci were HPA-labeled despite of the presence of a capsule. Although some non-pneumococcal species also bind the agglutinin, HPA-binding combined with fluorescence microscopy constitutes a suitable tool for identifying S. pneumoniae and, if used in conjunction with Gram staining and/or other suitable technique like antigen detection, it may potentially facilitate a fast and accurate diagnosis of pneumococcal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirian Domenech
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular y Biología de las Infecciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasMadrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades RespiratoriasMadrid, Spain
| | - Ernesto García
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular y Biología de las Infecciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasMadrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades RespiratoriasMadrid, Spain
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22
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Sobhanifar S, Worrall LJ, King DT, Wasney GA, Baumann L, Gale RT, Nosella M, Brown ED, Withers SG, Strynadka NCJ. Structure and Mechanism of Staphylococcus aureus TarS, the Wall Teichoic Acid β-glycosyltransferase Involved in Methicillin Resistance. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1006067. [PMID: 27973583 PMCID: PMC5156392 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in teichoic acids as targets for antibiotic drug design against major clinical pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, reflecting the disquieting increase in antibiotic resistance and the historical success of bacterial cell wall components as drug targets. It is now becoming clear that β-O-GlcNAcylation of S. aureus wall teichoic acids plays a major role in both pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance. Here we present the first structure of S. aureus TarS, the enzyme responsible for polyribitol phosphate β-O-GlcNAcylation. Using a divide and conquer strategy, we obtained crystal structures of various TarS constructs, mapping high resolution overlapping N-terminal and C-terminal structures onto a lower resolution full-length structure that resulted in a high resolution view of the entire enzyme. Using the N-terminal structure that encapsulates the catalytic domain, we furthermore captured several snapshots of TarS, including the native structure, the UDP-GlcNAc donor complex, and the UDP product complex. These structures along with structure-guided mutants allowed us to elucidate various catalytic features and identify key active site residues and catalytic loop rearrangements that provide a valuable platform for anti-MRSA drug design. We furthermore observed for the first time the presence of a trimerization domain composed of stacked carbohydrate binding modules, commonly observed in starch active enzymes, but adapted here for a poly sugar-phosphate glycosyltransferase. Historically, β-lactam class antibiotics such as methicillin have been very successful in the treatment of bacterial infections, effectively destroying bacteria by rupturing their cell walls while posing little harm to the human organism. In recent years, however, the alarming emergence of Methicillin Resistant S. aureus or MRSA has resulted in a world-wide health crisis, calling on new strategies to combat pathogenesis and antibiotic resistance. As such, understanding the pathways and players that orchestrate resistance is important for overcoming these mechanisms and restoring our powerful β-lactam antibiotic arsenal. In this article we describe the crystal structure of TarS, an enzyme responsible for the glycosylation of wall teichoic acid polymers of the S. aureus cell wall, a process that has been shown to be specifically responsible for methicillin resistance in MRSA. TarS is therefore a promising drug target whose inhibition in combinational therapies would result in MRSA re-sensitization to β-lactam antibiotics. Here we present the first structure of TarS together with several snap-shots of its substrate/product complexes, and elucidate important catalytic features that are valuable for rational drug design efforts to combat resistance in MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solmaz Sobhanifar
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Liam J. Worrall
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dustin T. King
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gregory A. Wasney
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lars Baumann
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Robert T. Gale
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Nosella
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Eric D. Brown
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen G. Withers
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Natalie C. J. Strynadka
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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23
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Zheng XY, Peng JB, Livera MMVS, Luo Y, Wang YY, Kong XJ, Long LS, Zheng Z, Zheng LS. Selective Formation of Chromogen I from N-Acetyl-d-glucosamine upon Lanthanide Coordination. Inorg Chem 2016; 56:110-113. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6b02589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiu-Ying Zheng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials,
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, and Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Jun-Bo Peng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials,
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, and Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - M. M. Varuni S. Livera
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Yun Luo
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials,
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, and Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Ya-Yun Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials,
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, and Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xiang-Jian Kong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials,
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, and Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - La-Sheng Long
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials,
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, and Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Zhiping Zheng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Lan-Sun Zheng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials,
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, and Department
of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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24
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The staphylococcal surface-glycopolymer wall teichoic acid (WTA) is crucial for complement activation and immunological defense against Staphylococcus aureus infection. Immunobiology 2016; 221:1091-101. [PMID: 27424796 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2016] [Revised: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen that is decorated by glycopolymers, including wall teichoic acid (WTA), peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acid, and capsular polysaccharides. These bacterial surface glycopolymers are recognized by serum antibodies and a variety of pattern recognition molecules, including mannose-binding lectin (MBL). Recently, we demonstrated that human serum MBL senses staphylococcal WTA. Whereas MBL in infants who have not yet fully developed adaptive immunity binds to S. aureus WTA and activates complement serum, MBL in adults who have fully developed adaptive immunity cannot bind to WTA because of an inhibitory effect of serum anti-WTA IgG. Furthermore, we showed that human anti-WTA IgGs purified from pooled adult serum IgGs triggered activation of classical complement-dependent opsonophagocytosis against S. aureus. Because the epitopes of WTA that are recognized by anti-WTA IgG and MBL have not been determined, we constructed several S. aureus mutants with altered WTA glycosylation. Our intensive biochemical studies provide evidence that the β-GlcNAc residues of WTA are required for the induction of anti-WTA IgG-mediated opsonophagocytosis and that both β- and α-GlcNAc residues are required for MBL-mediated complement activation. The molecular interactions of other S. aureus cell wall components and host recognition proteins are also discussed. In summary, in this review, we discuss the biological importance of S. aureus cell surface glycopolymers in complement activation and host defense responses.
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25
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Weidenmaier C, Lee JC. Structure and Function of Surface Polysaccharides of Staphylococcus aureus. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2015; 409:57-93. [PMID: 26728067 DOI: 10.1007/82_2015_5018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The major surface polysaccharides of Staphylococcus aureus include the capsular polysaccharide (CP), cell wall teichoic acid (WTA), and polysaccharide intercellular adhesin/poly-β(1-6)-N-acetylglucosamine (PIA/PNAG). These glycopolymers are important components of the staphylococcal cell envelope, but none of them is essential to S. aureus viability and growth in vitro. The overall biosynthetic pathways of CP, WTA, and PIA/PNAG have been elucidated, and the functions of most of the biosynthetic enzymes have been demonstrated. Because S. aureus CP and WTA (but not PIA/PNAG) utilize a common cell membrane lipid carrier (undecaprenyl-phosphate) that is shared by the peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway, there is evidence that these processes are highly integrated and temporally regulated. Regulatory elements that control glycopolymer biosynthesis have been described, but the cross talk that orchestrates the biosynthetic pathways of these three polysaccharides remains largely elusive. CP, WTA, and PIA/PNAG each play distinct roles in S. aureus colonization and the pathogenesis of staphylococcal infection. However, they each promote bacterial evasion of the host immune defences, and WTA is being explored as a target for antimicrobial therapeutics. All the three glycopolymers are viable targets for immunotherapy, and each (conjugated to a carrier protein) is under evaluation for inclusion in a multivalent S. aureus vaccine. Future research findings that increase our understanding of these surface polysaccharides, how the bacterial cell regulates their expression, and their biological functions will likely reveal new approaches to controlling this important bacterial pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Weidenmaier
- Interfaculty Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen and German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jean C Lee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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