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Aoyagi KL, Mathew B, Fisher MA. Enterobacterial common antigen biosynthesis in Yersinia pestis is tied to antimicrobial peptide resistance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.26.554945. [PMID: 37662240 PMCID: PMC10473683 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.26.554945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Resistance to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) plays an important role in allowing Yersinia pestis to maintain a successful infection in the flea vector Xenopsylla cheopis . Mutants that are unable to modify lipid A in their outer membrane with aminoarabinose (Ara4N), showed increased sensitivity to AMPs such as polymyxin B (PB), as well as decreased survival in fleas. A deletion mutant of wecE , a gene involved in biosynthesis of enterobacterial common antigen (ECA), also displayed hypersusceptibility to PB in vitro. Additional mutants in the ECA biosynthetic pathway were generated, some designed to cause accumulation of intermediate products that sequester undecaprenyl phosphate (Und-P), a lipid carrier that is also used in numerous other pathways, including for peptidoglycan, O-antigen, and Ara4N biosynthesis. Mutants that accumulate Und-PP-linked intermediates (ECA-lipid II) showed increased susceptibility to PB, reduced Ara4N-modified lipid A, altered cell morphology, and decreased ability to maintain flea infections. These effects are consistent with a model where Y. pestis has a sufficiently limited free Und-P pool such that sequestration of Und-P as ECA-lipid II prevents adequate Ara4N biosynthesis, ultimately resulting in AMP hypersusceptibility.
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Feng S, Lin J, Zhang X, Hong X, Xu W, Wen Y, She F. Role of AlgC and GalU in the Intrinsic Antibiotic Resistance of Helicobacter pylori. Infect Drug Resist 2023; 16:1839-1847. [PMID: 37016632 PMCID: PMC10066898 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s403046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Helicobacter pylori is associated with the development of gastrointestinal diseases. However, its eradication is challenged by an increased rate of drug resistance. AlgC and GalU are important for the synthesis of UDP-glucose, which is a substrate for the synthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in H. pylori. In this study, we investigated the role of UDP-glucose in the intrinsic drug resistance in H. pylori. Methods Gene knockout strains or complementation strains, including ΔalgC, ΔgalU, ΔgalE, Δhp0045, ΔalgC/algC* and ΔgalU/galU* were constructed in Hp26695; and ΔalgC and ΔgalU were also constructed in two clinical drug-resistant strains, Hp008 and Hp135. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of H. pylori to amoxicillin (AMO), tetracycline (TET), clarithromycin (CLA), metronidazole (MNZ), levofloxacin (LEV), and rifampicin (RIF) were measured using MIC Test Strips. Silver staining was performed to examine the role of AlgC and GalU in LPS synthesis. Ethidium bromide (EB) accumulation assay was performed to assess the outer membrane permeability of H. pylori strains. Results Knockout of algC and galU in H. pylori resulted in increased drug sensitivity to AMO, MNZ, CLA, LEV, and RIF; whereas knockout of hp0045 and galE, which are involved in GDP-fucose and UDP-galactose synthesis, respectively, did not significantly alter the drug sensitivity of H. pylori. Knockout of algC and galU in clinically drug-resistant strains resulted in significantly increased drug sensitivity to all the antibiotics, except MNZ. The lipid A-core structure was altered in ΔalgC and ΔgalU when their EB accumulation was higher than that in the wild type and complementation strains. Conclusion UDP-glucose may play an important role in increasing drug resistance to AMO, MNZ, CLA, LEV, TET, and RIF by maintaining the lipid A-core structure and decreasing membrane permeability. AlgC and GalU may serve as potential drug targets for decreasing antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunhang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School for Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiansheng Lin
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School for Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School for Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Hong
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School for Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wanyin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School for Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yancheng Wen
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School for Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Yancheng Wen, Fujian Medical University, Xueyuan Road 1, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-157-0593-5209, Email
| | - Feifei She
- Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer (Fujian Medical University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School for Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Feifei She, Fujian Medical University, Xueyuan Road 1, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-135-1406-3583, Email
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Lipopolysaccharide of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Complex. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11101410. [PMID: 34680043 PMCID: PMC8533242 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), localized in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane, serves as the major surface component of the Gram-negative bacterial cell envelope responsible for the activation of the host's innate immune system. Variations of the LPS structure utilized by Gram-negative bacteria promote survival by providing resistance to components of the innate immune system and preventing recognition by TLR4. This review summarizes studies of the biosynthesis of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis complex LPSs, and the roles of their structural components in molecular mechanisms of yersiniae pathogenesis and immunogenesis.
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4
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Kent JE, Fujimoto LM, Shin K, Singh C, Yao Y, Park SH, Opella SJ, Plano GV, Marassi FM. Correlating the Structure and Activity of Y. pestis Ail in a Bacterial Cell Envelope. Biophys J 2020; 120:453-462. [PMID: 33359463 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding microbe-host interactions at the molecular level is a major goal of fundamental biology and therapeutic drug development. Structural biology strives to capture biomolecular structures in action, but the samples are often highly simplified versions of the complex native environment. Here, we present an Escherichia coli model system that allows us to probe the structure and function of Ail, the major surface protein of the deadly pathogen Yersinia pestis. We show that cell surface expression of Ail produces Y. pestis virulence phenotypes in E. coli, including resistance to human serum, cosedimentation of human vitronectin, and pellicle formation. Moreover, isolated bacterial cell envelopes, encompassing inner and outer membranes, yield high-resolution solid-state NMR spectra that reflect the structure of Ail and reveal Ail sites that are sensitive to the bacterial membrane environment and involved in the interactions with human serum components. The data capture the structure and function of Ail in a bacterial outer membrane and set the stage for probing its interactions with the complex milieu of immune response proteins present in human serum.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E Kent
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Lynn M Fujimoto
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Kyungsoo Shin
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Chandan Singh
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Yong Yao
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Sang Ho Park
- Department Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Stanley J Opella
- Department Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Gregory V Plano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Francesca M Marassi
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California.
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5
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Singh C, Lee H, Tian Y, Schesser Bartra S, Hower S, Fujimoto LM, Yao Y, Ivanov SA, Shaikhutdinova RZ, Anisimov AP, Plano GV, Im W, Marassi FM. Mutually constructive roles of Ail and LPS in Yersinia pestis serum survival. Mol Microbiol 2020; 114:510-520. [PMID: 32462782 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The outer membrane is a key virulence determinant of gram-negative bacteria. In Yersinia pestis, the deadly agent that causes plague, the protein Ail and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)6 enhance lethality by promoting resistance to human innate immunity and antibiotics, enabling bacteria to proliferate in the human host. Their functions are highly coordinated. Here we describe how they cooperate to promote pathogenesis. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we identify mutually constructive interactions between Ail and LPS that produce an extended conformation of Ail at the membrane surface, cause thickening and rigidification of the LPS membrane, and collectively promote Y. pestis survival in human serum, antibiotic resistance, and cell envelope integrity. The results highlight the importance of the Ail-LPS assembly as an organized whole, rather than its individual components, and provide a handle for targeting Y. pestis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandan Singh
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hwayoung Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Bioengineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - Ye Tian
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sara Schesser Bartra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Suzanne Hower
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Lynn M Fujimoto
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yong Yao
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sergey A Ivanov
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, Russian Federation
| | - Rima Z Shaikhutdinova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, Russian Federation
| | - Andrey P Anisimov
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, Russian Federation
| | - Gregory V Plano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Wonpil Im
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Bioengineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - Francesca M Marassi
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Shaikhutdinova RZ, Ivanov SA, Dentovskaya SV, Titareva GM, Knirel YA. Characterization of a Transposon Tn5-Generated Mutant of Yersinia pestis Defective in Lipooligosaccharide Biosynthesis. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2019; 84:398-406. [PMID: 31228931 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297919040072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
To identify Yersinia pestis genes involved in the microbe's resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides, the strategy of random transposon mutagenesis with a Tn5 minitransposon was used, and the library was screened for detecting polymyxin B (PMB) susceptible mutants. The mutation responsible for PMB-sensitive phenotype and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure were characterized for the Y. pestis strain KM218-A3. In this strain the mini-Tn5 was located in an open reading frame with the product homologous to the E. coli protein GmhB (82% identity) functioning as d-glycero-d-manno-heptose-1,7-diphosphate phosphatase. ESI FT ICR mass spectrometry of anions was used to study the structure of the unmodified LPS of Y. pestis KM218-A3, and molecules were revealed with the full-size LPS core or with two types of an incomplete core: consisting of Kdo-Kdo or Ko-Kdo disaccharides and Hep-(Kdo)-Kdo or Hep-(Ko)-Kdo trisaccharides. The performed complementation confirmed that the defect in the biological properties of the mutant strain was caused by inactivation of the gmhB gene. These findings indicated that the gmhB gene product of Y. pestis is essential for production of wild-type LPS resistant to antimicrobial peptides and serum.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Z Shaikhutdinova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, 142279, Russia
| | - S A Ivanov
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, 142279, Russia
| | - S V Dentovskaya
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, 142279, Russia.
| | - G M Titareva
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, 142279, Russia
| | - Yu A Knirel
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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Molecular mechanisms of polymyxin resistance and detection of mcr genes. Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub 2018; 163:28-38. [PMID: 30439931 DOI: 10.5507/bp.2018.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is an ever-increasing global problem. Major commercial antibiotics often fail to fight common bacteria, and some pathogens have become multi-resistant. Polymyxins are potent bactericidal antibiotics against gram-negative bacteria. Known resistance to polymyxin includes intrinsic, mutational and adaptive mechanisms, with the recently described horizontally acquired resistance mechanisms. In this review, we present several strategies for bacteria to develop enhanced resistance to polymyxins, focusing on changes in the outer membrane, efflux and other resistance determinants. Better understanding of the genes involved in polymyxin resistance may pave the way for the development of new and effective antimicrobial agents. We also report novel in silico tested primers for PCR assay that may be able distinguish colistin-resistant isolates carrying the plasmid-encoded mcr genes and will assist in combating the spread of colistin resistance in bacteria.
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Hinnebusch BJ, Jarrett CO, Bland DM. "Fleaing" the Plague: Adaptations of Yersinia pestis to Its Insect Vector That Lead to Transmission. Annu Rev Microbiol 2018; 71:215-232. [PMID: 28886687 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-090816-093521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Interest in arthropod-borne pathogens focuses primarily on how they cause disease in humans. How they produce a transmissible infection in their arthropod host is just as critical to their life cycle, however. Yersinia pestis adopts a unique life stage in the digestive tract of its flea vector, characterized by rapid formation of a bacterial biofilm that is enveloped in a complex extracellular polymeric substance. Localization and adherence of the biofilm to the flea foregut is essential for transmission. Here, we review the molecular and genetic mechanisms of these processes and present a comparative evaluation and updated model of two related transmission mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Joseph Hinnebusch
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840;
| | - Clayton O Jarrett
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840;
| | - David M Bland
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840;
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Abstract
Many bacteria, both environmental and pathogenic, exhibit the property of autoaggregation. In autoaggregation (sometimes also called autoagglutination or flocculation), bacteria of the same type form multicellular clumps that eventually settle at the bottom of culture tubes. Autoaggregation is generally mediated by self-recognising surface structures, such as proteins and exopolysaccharides, which we term collectively as autoagglutinins. Although a widespread phenomenon, in most cases the function of autoaggregation is poorly understood, though there is evidence to show that aggregating bacteria are protected from environmental stresses or host responses. Autoaggregation is also often among the first steps in forming biofilms. Here, we review the current knowledge on autoaggregation, the role of autoaggregation in biofilm formation and pathogenesis, and molecular mechanisms leading to aggregation using specific examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Trunk
- Bacterial Cell Surface Group, Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hawzeen S Khalil
- Bacterial Cell Surface Group, Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jack C Leo
- Bacterial Cell Surface Group, Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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10
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Feng N, Zhou Y, Fan Y, Bi Y, Yang R, Zhou Y, Wang X. Yersinia pestis detection by loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with magnetic bead capture of DNA. Braz J Microbiol 2018; 49:128-137. [PMID: 28887007 PMCID: PMC5790586 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjm.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of Y. pestis by targeting the 3a sequence on chromosome. All 11 species of the genus Yersinia were used to evaluate the specificity of LAMP and PCR, demonstrating that the primers had a high level of specificity. The sensitivity of LAMP or PCR was 2.3 or 23CFU for pure culture, whereas 2.3×104 or 2.3×106CFU for simulated spleen and lung samples. For simulated liver samples, the sensitivity of LAMP was 2.3×106CFU, but PCR was negative at the level of 2.3×107CFU. After simulated spleen and lung samples were treated with magnetic beads, the sensitivity of LAMP or PCR was 2.3×103 or 2.3×106CFU, whereas 2.3×105 or 2.3×107CFU for magnetic bead-treated liver samples. These results indicated that some components in the tissues could inhibit LAMP and PCR, and liver tissue samples had a stronger inhibition to LAMP and PCR than spleen and lung tissue samples. LAMP has a higher sensitivity than PCR, and magnetic bead capture of DNAs could remarkably increase the sensitivity of LAMP. LAMP is a simple, rapid and sensitive assay suitable for application in the field or poverty areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Feng
- Anhui Medical University, Anhui, People's Republic of China; Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yazhou Zhou
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yanxiao Fan
- Anhui Medical University, Anhui, People's Republic of China; Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yujing Bi
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yusen Zhou
- Anhui Medical University, Anhui, People's Republic of China; Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- Anhui Medical University, Anhui, People's Republic of China; Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, Beijing, China.
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11
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Zhou Y, Zhou J, Ji Y, Li L, Tan Y, Tian G, Yang R, Wang X. Bioluminescent tracing of a Yersinia pestis pCD1 +-mutant and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in subcutaneously infected mice. Microbes Infect 2017; 20:166-175. [PMID: 29180033 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis has evolved from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis serotype O:1b. A typical Y. pestis contains three plasmids: pCD1, pMT1 and pPCP1. However, some isolates only harbor pCD1 (pCD1+-mutant). Y. pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis share a common plasmid (pCD1 or pYV), but little is known about whether Y. pseudotuberculosis exhibited plague-inducing potential before it was evolved into Y. pestis. Here, the luxCDABE::Tn5::kan was integrated into the chromosome of the pCD1+-mutant, Y. pseudotuberculosis or Escherichia coli K12 to construct stable bioluminescent strains for investigation of their dissemination in mice by bioluminescence imaging technology. After subcutaneous infection, the pCD1+-mutant entered the lymph nodes, followed by the liver and spleen, and, subsequently, the lungs, causing pathological changes in these organs. Y. pseudotuberculosis entered the lymph nodes, but not the liver, spleen and lungs. It also resided in the lymph nodes for several days, but did not cause lymphadenitis or pathological lesions. By contrast, E. coli K12-lux was not isolatable from mouse lymph nodes, liver, spleen and lungs. These results indicate that the pCD1+-mutant can cause typical bubonic and pneumonic plague-like diseases, and Y. pestis has inherited lymphoid tissue tropism from its ancestor rather than acquiring these properties independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazhou Zhou
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Jiyuan Zhou
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yuxin Ji
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Lu Li
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yafang Tan
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Guang Tian
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China.
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12
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Using Tn-seq To Identify Pigmentation-Related Genes of Porphyromonas gingivalis: Characterization of the Role of a Putative Glycosyltransferase. J Bacteriol 2017; 199:JB.00832-16. [PMID: 28484050 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00832-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular pigmentation is an important virulence factor of the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis Pigmentation has been associated with many bacterial functions, including but not limited to colonization, maintaining a local anaerobic environment by binding oxygen molecules, and defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by immune cells. Pigmentation-associated loci identified to date have involved lipopolysaccharide, fimbriae, and heme acquisition and processing. We utilized a transposon mutant library of P. gingivalis strain ATCC 33277 and screened for pigmentation-defective colonies using massively parallel sequencing of the transposon junctions (Tn-seq) to identify genes involved in pigmentation. Transposon insertions at 235 separate sites, located in 67 genes and 15 intergenic regions, resulted in altered pigmentation: 7 of the genes had previously been shown to be involved in pigmentation, while 75 genes and intergenic regions had not. To further confirm identification, we generated a smaller transposon mutant library in P. gingivalis strain W83 and identified pigment mutations in several of the same loci as those identified in the screen in ATCC 33277 but also eight that were not identified in the ATCC 33277 screen. PGN_0361/PG_0264, a putative glycosyltransferase gene located between two tRNA synthetase genes and adjacent to a miniature inverted-repeat transposable element, was identified in the Tn-seq screen and then verified through targeted deletion and complementation. Deletion mutations in PGN_0361/PG_0264 glycosyltransferase abolish pigmentation, modulate gingipain protease activity, and alter lipopolysaccharide. The mechanisms of involvement in pigmentation for other loci identified in this study remain to be determined, but our screen provides the most complete survey of genes involved in pigmentation to date.IMPORTANCEP. gingivalis has been implicated in the onset and progression of periodontal disease. One important virulence factor is the bacterium's ability to produce pigment. Using a transposon library, we were able to identify both known and novel genes involved in pigmentation of P. gingivalis We identified a glycosyltransferase, previously not associated with pigmentation, that is required for pigmentation and determined its mechanism of involvement. A better understanding of the genes involved in pigmentation may lead to new insights into the complex mechanisms involved in this important virulence characteristic and could facilitate development of novel therapeutics.
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Stiers KM, Muenks AG, Beamer LJ. Biology, Mechanism, and Structure of Enzymes in the α-d-Phosphohexomutase Superfamily. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2017; 109:265-304. [PMID: 28683921 PMCID: PMC5802415 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2017.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes in the α-d-phosphohexomutases superfamily catalyze the reversible conversion of phosphosugars, such as glucose 1-phosphate and glucose 6-phosphate. These reactions are fundamental to primary metabolism across the kingdoms of life and are required for a myriad of cellular processes, ranging from exopolysaccharide production to protein glycosylation. The subject of extensive mechanistic characterization during the latter half of the 20th century, these enzymes have recently benefitted from biophysical characterization, including X-ray crystallography, NMR, and hydrogen-deuterium exchange studies. This work has provided new insights into the unique catalytic mechanism of the superfamily, shed light on the molecular determinants of ligand recognition, and revealed the evolutionary conservation of conformational flexibility. Novel associations with inherited metabolic disease and the pathogenesis of bacterial infections have emerged, spurring renewed interest in the long-appreciated functional roles of these enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lesa J Beamer
- University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States.
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14
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Abstract
The human pathogens
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and
Yersinia enterocolitica cause enterocolitis, while
Yersinia pestis is responsible for pneumonic, bubonic, and septicaemic plague. All three share an infection strategy that relies on a virulence factor arsenal to enable them to enter, adhere to, and colonise the host while evading host defences to avoid untimely clearance. Their arsenal includes a number of adhesins that allow the invading pathogens to establish a foothold in the host and to adhere to specific tissues later during infection. When the host innate immune system has been activated, all three pathogens produce a structure analogous to a hypodermic needle. In conjunction with the translocon, which forms a pore in the host membrane, the channel that is formed enables the transfer of six ‘effector’ proteins into the host cell cytoplasm. These proteins mimic host cell proteins but are more efficient than their native counterparts at modifying the host cell cytoskeleton, triggering the host cell suicide response. Such a sophisticated arsenal ensures that yersiniae maintain the upper hand despite the best efforts of the host to counteract the infecting pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Atkinson
- Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Paul Williams
- Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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15
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Erickson DL, Lew CS, Kartchner B, Porter NT, McDaniel SW, Jones NM, Mason S, Wu E, Wilson E. Lipopolysaccharide Biosynthesis Genes of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Promote Resistance to Antimicrobial Chemokines. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157092. [PMID: 27275606 PMCID: PMC4898787 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial chemokines (AMCs) are a recently described family of host defense peptides that play an important role in protecting a wide variety of organisms from bacterial infection. Very little is known about the bacterial targets of AMCs or factors that influence bacterial susceptibility to AMCs. In an effort to understand how bacterial pathogens resist killing by AMCs, we screened Yersinia pseudotuberculosis transposon mutants for those with increased binding to the AMCs CCL28 and CCL25. Mutants exhibiting increased binding to AMCs were subjected to AMC killing assays, which revealed their increased sensitivity to chemokine-mediated cell death. The majority of the mutants exhibiting increased binding to AMCs contained transposon insertions in genes related to lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. A particularly strong effect on susceptibility to AMC mediated killing was observed by disruption of the hldD/waaF/waaC operon, necessary for ADP-L-glycero-D-manno-heptose synthesis and a complete lipopolysaccharide core oligosaccharide. Periodate oxidation of surface carbohydrates also enhanced AMC binding, whereas enzymatic removal of surface proteins significantly reduced binding. These results suggest that the structure of Y. pseudotuberculosis LPS greatly affects the antimicrobial activity of AMCs by shielding a protein ligand on the bacterial cell surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L. Erickson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Cynthia S. Lew
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
| | - Brittany Kartchner
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
| | - Nathan T. Porter
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
| | - S. Wade McDaniel
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
| | - Nathan M. Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
| | - Sara Mason
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
| | - Erin Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
| | - Eric Wilson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 4007 LSB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, United States of America
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16
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Establishment of a multi-species biofilm model and metatranscriptomic analysis of biofilm and planktonic cell communities. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 100:7263-79. [PMID: 27102130 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-016-7532-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We collected several biofilm samples from Japanese rivers and established a reproducible multi-species biofilm model that can be analyzed in laboratories. Bacterial abundance at the generic level was highly similar between the planktonic and biofilm communities, whereas comparative metatranscriptomic analysis revealed many upregulated and downregulated genes in the biofilm. Many genes involved in iron-sulfur metabolism, stress response, and cell envelope function were upregulated; biofilm formation is mediated by an iron-dependent signaling mechanism and the signal is relayed to stress-responsive and cell envelope function genes. Flagella-related gene expression was regulated depending upon the growth phase, indicating different roles of flagella during the adherence, maturation, and dispersal steps of biofilm formation. Downregulation of DNA repair genes was observed, indicating that spontaneous mutation frequency would be elevated within the biofilm and that the biofilm is a cradle for generating novel genetic traits. Although the significance remains unclear, genes for rRNA methyltransferase, chromosome partitioning, aminoacyl-tRNA synthase, and cysteine, methionine, leucine, thiamine, nucleotide, and fatty acid metabolism were found to be differentially regulated. These results indicate that planktonic and biofilm communities are in different dynamic states. Studies on biofilm and sessile cells, which have received less attention, are important for understanding microbial ecology and for designing tailor-made anti-biofilm drugs.
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17
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Cold Stress Makes Escherichia coli Susceptible to Glycopeptide Antibiotics by Altering Outer Membrane Integrity. Cell Chem Biol 2016; 23:267-277. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2015.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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18
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Harvey DJ. Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: an update for 2009-2010. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2015; 34:268-422. [PMID: 24863367 PMCID: PMC7168572 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
This review is the sixth update of the original article published in 1999 on the application of MALDI mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2010. General aspects such as theory of the MALDI process, matrices, derivatization, MALDI imaging, arrays and fragmentation are covered in the first part of the review and applications to various structural typed constitutes the remainder. The main groups of compound that are discussed in this section are oligo and polysaccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycosides and biopharmaceuticals. Many of these applications are presented in tabular form. Also discussed are medical and industrial applications of the technique, studies of enzyme reactions and applications to chemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Harvey
- Department of BiochemistryOxford Glycobiology InstituteUniversity of OxfordOxfordOX1 3QUUK
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19
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Bauer ME, Shafer WM. On the in vivo significance of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial peptides. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1848:3101-11. [PMID: 25701234 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Revised: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are at the front-line of host defense during infection and play critical roles both in reducing the microbial load early during infection and in linking innate to adaptive immunity. However, successful pathogens have developed mechanisms to resist AMPs. Although considerable progress has been made in elucidating AMP-resistance mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria in vitro, less is known regarding the in vivo significance of such resistance. Nevertheless, progress has been made in this area, largely by using murine models and, in two instances, human models of infection. Herein, we review progress on the use of in vivo infection models in AMP research and discuss the AMP resistance mechanisms that have been established by in vivo studies to contribute to microbial infection. We posit that in vivo infection models are essential tools for investigators to understand the significance to pathogenesis of genetic changes that impact levels of bacterial susceptibility to AMPs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Bauer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive MS-420, Indianapolis, IN 46254, USA.
| | - William M Shafer
- Laboratories of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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20
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Aoyagi KL, Brooks BD, Bearden SW, Montenieri JA, Gage KL, Fisher MA. LPS modification promotes maintenance of Yersinia pestis in fleas. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2014; 161:628-38. [PMID: 25533446 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, can be transmitted by fleas by two different mechanisms: by early-phase transmission (EPT), which occurs shortly after flea infection, or by blocked fleas following long-term infection. Efficient flea-borne transmission is predicated upon the ability of Y. pestis to be maintained within the flea. Signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) was used to identify genes required for Y. pestis maintenance in a genuine plague vector, Xenopsylla cheopis. The STM screen identified seven mutants that displayed markedly reduced fitness in fleas after 4 days, the time during which EPT occurs. Two of the mutants contained insertions in genes encoding glucose 1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (galU) and UDP-4-amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (arnB), which are involved in the modification of lipid A with 4-amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose (Ara4N) and resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs). These Y. pestis mutants were more susceptible to the CAMPs cecropin A and polymyxin B, and produced lipid A lacking Ara4N modifications. Surprisingly, an in-frame deletion of arnB retained modest levels of CAMP resistance and Ara4N modification, indicating the presence of compensatory factors. It was determined that WecE, an aminotransferase involved in biosynthesis of enterobacterial common antigen, plays a novel role in Y. pestis Ara4N modification by partially offsetting the loss of arnB. These results indicated that mechanisms of Ara4N modification of lipid A are more complex than previously thought, and these modifications, as well as several factors yet to be elucidated, play an important role in early survival and transmission of Y. pestis in the flea vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari L Aoyagi
- University of Utah Department of Pathology, 2100 JMRB, 15 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Benjamin D Brooks
- University of Utah Department of Pathology, 2100 JMRB, 15 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Scott W Bearden
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - John A Montenieri
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Kenneth L Gage
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Mark A Fisher
- University of Utah Department of Pathology, 2100 JMRB, 15 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, 500 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
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21
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Chenau J, Fenaille F, Simon S, Filali S, Volland H, Junot C, Carniel E, Becher F. Detection of Yersinia pestis in environmental and food samples by intact cell immunocapture and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 2014; 86:6144-52. [PMID: 24847944 DOI: 10.1021/ac501371r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague, an acute and often fatal disease in humans. In addition to the risk of natural exposure to plague, there is also the threat of a bioterrorist act, leading to the deliberate spread of the bacteria in the environment or food. We report here an immuno-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (immuno-LC-MS/MS) method for the direct (i.e., without prior culture), sensitive, and specific detection of Y. pestis in such complex samples. In the first step, a bottom-up proteomics approach highlighted three relevant protein markers encoded by the Y. pestis-specific plasmids pFra (murine toxin) and pPla (plasminogen activator and pesticin). Suitable proteotypic peptides were thoroughly selected to monitor the three protein markers by targeted MS using the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. Immunocapture conditions were optimized for the isolation and concentration of intact bacterial cells from complex samples. The immuno-LC-SRM assay has a limit of detection of 2 × 10(4) CFU/mL in milk or tap water, which compares well with those of state-of-the-art immunoassays. Moreover, we report the first direct detection of Y. pestis in soil, which could be extremely useful in confirming Y. pestis persistence in the ground.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Chenau
- Service de Pharmacologie et d'Immunoanalyse, Institut de Biologie et de Technologies de Saclay (iBiTec-S), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA) , 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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22
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Conservation of functionally important global motions in an enzyme superfamily across varying quaternary structures. J Mol Biol 2012; 423:831-46. [PMID: 22935436 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Revised: 08/16/2012] [Accepted: 08/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The α-d-phosphohexomutase superfamily comprises enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism that are found in all kingdoms of life. Recent biophysical studies have shown for the first time that several of these enzymes exist as dimers in solution, prompting an examination of the oligomeric state of all proteins of known structure in the superfamily (11 different proteins; 31 crystal structures) via computational and experimental analyses. We find that these proteins range in quaternary structure from monomers to tetramers, with 6 of the 11 known structures being likely oligomers. The oligomeric state of these proteins not only is associated in some cases with enzyme subgroup (i.e., substrate specificity) but also appears to depend on domain of life, with the two archaeal proteins existing as higher-order oligomers. Within the oligomers, three distinct interfaces are observed, one of which is found in both archaeal and bacterial proteins. Normal mode analysis shows that the topological arrangement of the oligomers permits domain 4 of each protomer to move independently as required for catalysis. Our analysis suggests that the advantages associated with protein flexibility in this enzyme family are of sufficient importance to be maintained during the evolution of multiple independent oligomers. This study is one of the first showing that global motions may be conserved not only within protein families but also across members of a superfamily with varying oligomeric structures.
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Roles of chaperone/usher pathways of Yersinia pestis in a murine model of plague and adhesion to host cells. Infect Immun 2012; 80:3490-500. [PMID: 22851745 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00434-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis and many other Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria use the chaperone/usher (CU) pathway to assemble virulence-associated surface fibers termed pili or fimbriae. Y. pestis has two well-characterized CU pathways: the caf genes coding for the F1 capsule and the psa genes coding for the pH 6 antigen. The Y. pestis genome contains additional CU pathways that are capable of assembling pilus fibers, but the roles of these pathways in the pathogenesis of plague are not understood. We constructed deletion mutations in the usher genes for six of the additional Y. pestis CU pathways. The wild-type (WT) and usher deletion strains were compared in the murine bubonic (subcutaneous) and pneumonic (intranasal) plague infection models. Y. pestis strains containing deletions in CU pathways y0348-0352, y1858-1862, and y1869-1873 were attenuated for virulence compared to the WT strain by the intranasal, but not subcutaneous, routes of infection, suggesting specific roles for these pathways during pneumonic plague. We examined binding of the Y. pestis WT and usher deletion strains to A549 human lung epithelial cells, HEp-2 human cervical epithelial cells, and primary human and murine macrophages. Y. pestis CU pathways y0348-0352 and y1858-1862 were found to contribute to adhesion to all host cells tested, whereas pathway y1869-1873 was specific for binding to macrophages. The correlation between the virulence attenuation and host cell binding phenotypes of the usher deletion mutants identifies three of the additional CU pathways of Y. pestis as mediating interactions with host cells that are important for the pathogenesis of plague.
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Yersinia pestis autoagglutination is mediated by HCP-like protein and siderophore Yersiniachelin (Ych). ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2012; 954:289-92. [PMID: 22782775 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3561-7_36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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25
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A transposon site hybridization screen identifies galU and wecBC as important for survival of Yersinia pestis in murine macrophages. J Bacteriol 2011; 194:653-62. [PMID: 22139502 DOI: 10.1128/jb.06237-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis is able to survive and replicate within murine macrophages. However, the mechanism by which Y. pestis promotes its intracellular survival is not well understood. To identify genes that are important for Y. pestis survival in macrophages, a library comprised of ∼31,500 Y. pestis KIM6+ transposon insertion mutants (input pool) was subjected to negative selection in primary murine macrophages. Genes underrepresented in the output pool of surviving bacteria were identified by transposon site hybridization to DNA oligonucleotide microarrays. The screen identified several genes known to be important for survival of Y. pestis in macrophages, including phoPQ and members of the PhoPQ regulon (e.g., pmrF). In addition, genes predicated to encode a glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (galU), a UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase (wecB) and a UDP-N-acetyl-d-mannosamine dehydrogenase (wecC) were identified in the screen. Viable-count assays demonstrated that a KIM6+ galU mutant and a KIM6+ wecBC mutant were defective for survival in murine macrophages. The galU mutant was studied further because of its strong phenotype. The KIM6+ galU mutant exhibited increased susceptibility to the antimicrobial peptides polymyxin B and cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) of the galU mutant migrated faster than the LOS of the parent KIM6+, suggesting the core was truncated. In addition, the analysis of LOS isolated from the galU mutant by mass spectrometry showed that aminoarabinose modification of lipid A is absent. Therefore, addition of aminoarabinose to lipid A and complete LOS core (galU), as well as enterobacterial common antigen (wecB and wecC), is important for survival of Y. pestis in macrophages.
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26
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Podladchikova O, Antonenka U, Heesemann J, Rakin A. Yersinia pestis autoagglutination factor is a component of the type six secretion system. Int J Med Microbiol 2011; 301:562-9. [PMID: 21784704 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2011.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2011] [Revised: 03/16/2011] [Accepted: 03/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoagglutination (AA) is a protective phenotypic trait facilitating survival of bacteria in hostile environments and in the host during infection. Autoagglutination factors (AFs) that possess self-associating ability are currently characterized in many Gram-negative bacteria, but Yersinia pestis AFs are still a matter of debate. Previously, we have shown that AF of Hms(-) strain Y. pestis EV76 is a complex of the 17,485-kDa protein and a low-molecular-weight component with siderophore activity. Here, we identified the protein moiety of AF and examined its role in AA of Hms(+) and Hms(-)Y. pestis strains. Using MALDI-TOF MS of trypsin-hydrolyzed AF, we unambiguously identified the protein as YPO0502, which belongs to a family of Hcp-proteins forming pilus-like structures of the type six secretion system (T6SS). To address the role of YPO0502 in AA, we cloned ypo0502 in E. coli, overexpressed it in Y. pestis and constructed its knock-out mutant in Y. pestis. However, all these approaches failed: YPO0502 was not secreted in E. coli, formed inclusion bodies when overexpressed in Y. pestis, and could probably be compensated by other Hcp-like proteins in Y. pestis. In contrast, downregulation of ypo0502 expression by its antisense RNA supported the contribution of YPO0502 in AA of Hms(+) and Hms(-)Y. pestis strains. The results of the present study indicate that the Hcp-like component of T6SS encoded by ypo502 is involved in Y. pestis AA and suggest that at least one (ypo0499-0516) of the 6 T6SS clusters of Y. pestis is involved in bacterial interaction.
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27
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Sun YC, Koumoutsi A, Jarrett C, Lawrence K, Gherardini FC, Darby C, Hinnebusch BJ. Differential control of Yersinia pestis biofilm formation in vitro and in the flea vector by two c-di-GMP diguanylate cyclases. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19267. [PMID: 21559445 PMCID: PMC3084805 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2010] [Accepted: 03/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis forms a biofilm in the foregut of its flea vector that promotes transmission by flea bite. As in many bacteria, biofilm formation in Y. pestis is controlled by intracellular levels of the bacterial second messenger c-di-GMP. Two Y. pestis diguanylate cyclase (DGC) enzymes, encoded by hmsT and y3730, and one phosphodiesterase (PDE), encoded by hmsP, have been shown to control biofilm production in vitro via their opposing c-di-GMP synthesis and degradation activities, respectively. In this study, we provide further evidence that hmsT, hmsP, and y3730 are the only three genes involved in c-di-GMP metabolism in Y. pestis and evaluated the two DGCs for their comparative roles in biofilm formation in vitro and in the flea vector. As with HmsT, the DGC activity of Y3730 depended on a catalytic GGDEF domain, but the relative contribution of the two enzymes to the biofilm phenotype was influenced strongly by the environmental niche. Deletion of y3730 had a very minor effect on in vitro biofilm formation, but resulted in greatly reduced biofilm formation in the flea. In contrast, the predominant effect of hmsT was on in vitro biofilm formation. DGC activity was also required for the Hms-independent autoaggregation phenotype of Y. pestis, but was not required for virulence in a mouse model of bubonic plague. Our results confirm that only one PDE (HmsP) and two DGCs (HmsT and Y3730) control c-di-GMP levels in Y. pestis, indicate that hmsT and y3730 are regulated post-transcriptionally to differentially control biofilm formation in vitro and in the flea vector, and identify a second c-di-GMP-regulated phenotype in Y. pestis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Cheng Sun
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America.
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28
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Mehra-Chaudhary R, Mick J, Tanner JJ, Henzl MT, Beamer LJ. Crystal structure of a bacterial phosphoglucomutase, an enzyme involved in the virulence of multiple human pathogens. Proteins 2011; 79:1215-29. [PMID: 21246636 PMCID: PMC3066478 DOI: 10.1002/prot.22957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2010] [Revised: 11/12/2010] [Accepted: 11/24/2010] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The crystal structure of the enzyme phosphoglucomutase from Salmonella typhimurium (StPGM) is reported at 1.7 A resolution. This is the first high-resolution structural characterization of a bacterial protein from this large enzyme family, which has a central role in metabolism and is also important to bacterial virulence and infectivity. A comparison of the active site of StPGM with that of other phosphoglucomutases reveals conserved residues that are likely involved in catalysis and ligand binding for the entire enzyme family. An alternate crystal form of StPGM and normal mode analysis give insights into conformational changes of the C-terminal domain that occur upon ligand binding. A novel observation from the StPGM structure is an apparent dimer in the asymmetric unit of the crystal, mediated largely through contacts in an N-terminal helix. Analytical ultracentrifugation and small-angle X-ray scattering confirm that StPGM forms a dimer in solution. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic studies show that a distinct subset of bacterial PGMs share the signature dimerization helix, while other bacterial and eukaryotic PGMs are likely monomers. These structural, biochemical, and bioinformatic studies of StPGM provide insights into the large α-D-phosphohexomutase enzyme superfamily to which it belongs, and are also relevant to the design of inhibitors specific to the bacterial PGMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritcha Mehra-Chaudhary
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, 117 Schweitzer Hall, Columbia, Missouri 65211
| | - Jacob Mick
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, 117 Schweitzer Hall, Columbia, Missouri 65211
| | - John J. Tanner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, 117 Schweitzer Hall, Columbia, Missouri 65211
| | - Michael T. Henzl
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, 117 Schweitzer Hall, Columbia, Missouri 65211
| | - Lesa J. Beamer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, 117 Schweitzer Hall, Columbia, Missouri 65211
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Characterization of pPCP1 Plasmids in Yersinia pestis Strains Isolated from the Former Soviet Union. Int J Microbiol 2010; 2010:760819. [PMID: 21197443 PMCID: PMC3010648 DOI: 10.1155/2010/760819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2010] [Revised: 10/26/2010] [Accepted: 11/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Complete sequences of 9.5-kb pPCP1 plasmids in three Yersinia pestis strains from the former Soviet Union (FSU) were determined and compared with those of pPCP1 plasmids in three well-characterized, non-FSU Y. pestis strains (KIM, CO92, and 91001). Two of the FSU plasmids were from strains C2614 and C2944, isolated from plague foci in Russia, and one plasmid was from strain C790 from Kyrgyzstan. Sequence analyses identified four sequence types among the six plasmids. The pPCP1 plasmids in the FSU strains were most genetically related to the pPCP1 plasmid in the KIM strain and least related to the pPCP1 plasmid in Y. pestis 91001. The FSU strains generally had larger pPCP1 plasmid copy numbers compared to strain CO92. Expression of the plasmid's pla gene was significantly (P ≤ .05) higher in strain C2944 than in strain CO92. Given pla's role in Y. pestis virulence, this difference may have important implications for the strain's virulence.
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