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Lê-Bury P, Echenique-Rivera H, Pizarro-Cerdá J, Dussurget O. Determinants of bacterial survival and proliferation in blood. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2024; 48:fuae013. [PMID: 38734892 PMCID: PMC11163986 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuae013] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bloodstream infection is a major public health concern associated with high mortality and high healthcare costs worldwide. Bacteremia can trigger fatal sepsis whose prevention, diagnosis, and management have been recognized as a global health priority by the World Health Organization. Additionally, infection control is increasingly threatened by antimicrobial resistance, which is the focus of global action plans in the framework of a One Health response. In-depth knowledge of the infection process is needed to develop efficient preventive and therapeutic measures. The pathogenesis of bloodstream infection is a dynamic process resulting from the invasion of the vascular system by bacteria, which finely regulate their metabolic pathways and virulence factors to overcome the blood immune defenses and proliferate. In this review, we highlight our current understanding of determinants of bacterial survival and proliferation in the bloodstream and discuss their interactions with the molecular and cellular components of blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Lê-Bury
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, CEA, Center for Immunology of Viral, Autoimmune, Hematological and Bacterial Diseases (IMVA-HB/IDMIT), 18 route du Panorama, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Hebert Echenique-Rivera
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Javier Pizarro-Cerdá
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Yersinia National Reference Laboratory, WHO Collaborating Research & Reference Centre for Plague FRA-146, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Dussurget
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
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2
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Clark ND, Pham C, Kurniyati K, Sze CW, Coleman L, Fu Q, Zhang S, Malkowski MG, Li C. Functional and structural analyses reveal that a dual domain sialidase protects bacteria from complement killing through desialylation of complement factors. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011674. [PMID: 37747935 PMCID: PMC10553830 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The complement system is the first line of innate immune defense against microbial infections. To survive in humans and cause infections, bacterial pathogens have developed sophisticated mechanisms to subvert the complement-mediated bactericidal activity. There are reports that sialidases, also known as neuraminidases, are implicated in bacterial complement resistance; however, its underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. Several complement proteins (e.g., C1q, C4, and C5) and regulators (e.g., factor H and C4bp) are modified by various sialoglycans (glycans with terminal sialic acids), which are essential for their functions. This report provides both functional and structural evidence that bacterial sialidases can disarm the complement system via desialylating key complement proteins and regulators. The oral bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis, a "keystone" pathogen of periodontitis, produces a dual domain sialidase (PG0352). Biochemical analyses reveal that PG0352 can desialylate human serum and complement factors and thus protect bacteria from serum killing. Structural analyses show that PG0352 contains a N-terminal carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) and a C-terminal sialidase domain that exhibits a canonical six-bladed β-propeller sialidase fold with each blade composed of 3-4 antiparallel β-strands. Follow-up functional studies show that PG0352 forms monomers and is active in a broad range of pH. While PG0352 can remove both N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) and N-glycolyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), it has a higher affinity to Neu5Ac, the most abundant sialic acid in humans. Structural and functional analyses further demonstrate that the CBM binds to carbohydrates and serum glycoproteins. The results shown in this report provide new insights into understanding the role of sialidases in bacterial virulence and open a new avenue to investigate the molecular mechanisms of bacterial complement resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D. Clark
- Department of Structural Biology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Christopher Pham
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Kurni Kurniyati
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Ching Wooen Sze
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Laurynn Coleman
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Qin Fu
- Proteomics Facility, Institute of Biotechnology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Proteomics Facility, Institute of Biotechnology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Michael G. Malkowski
- Department of Structural Biology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Chunhao Li
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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3
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Mathew BJ, Gupta P, Naaz T, Rai R, Gupta S, Gupta S, Chaurasiya SK, Purwar S, Biswas D, Vyas AK, Singh AK. Role of Streptococcus pneumoniae extracellular glycosidases in immune evasion. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1109449. [PMID: 36816580 PMCID: PMC9937060 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1109449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) typically colonizes the human upper airway asymptomatically but upon reaching other sites of the host body can cause an array of diseases such as pneumonia, bacteremia, otitis media, and meningitis. Be it colonization or progression to disease state, pneumococcus faces multiple challenges posed by host immunity ranging from complement mediated killing to inflammation driven recruitment of bactericidal cells for the containment of the pathogen. Pneumococcus has evolved several mechanisms to evade the host inflicted immune attack. The major pneumococcal virulence factor, the polysaccharide capsule helps protect the bacteria from complement mediated opsonophagocytic killing. Another important group of pneumococcal proteins which help bacteria to establish and thrive in the host environment is surface associated glycosidases. These enzymes can hydrolyze host glycans on glycoproteins, glycolipids, and glycosaminoglycans and consequently help bacteria acquire carbohydrates for growth. Many of these glycosidases directly or indirectly facilitate bacterial adherence and are known to modulate the function of host defense/immune proteins likely by removing glycans and thereby affecting their stability and/or function. Furthermore, these enzymes are known to contribute the formation of biofilms, the bacterial communities inherently resilient to antimicrobials and host immune attack. In this review, we summarize the role of these enzymes in host immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bijina J. Mathew
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, India
| | - Priyal Gupta
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, India
| | - Tabassum Naaz
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, India
| | - Rupal Rai
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, India
| | - Sudheer Gupta
- Research and Development, 3B Blackbio Biotech India Ltd., Bhopal, India
| | - Sudipti Gupta
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Shivendra K. Chaurasiya
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, India
| | - Shashank Purwar
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, India
| | - Debasis Biswas
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Vyas
- John C Martin Centre for Liver Research and Innovation, Liver Foundation Sonarpur, Kolkata, India
| | - Anirudh K. Singh
- School of Sciences, SAM Global University, Raisen, India,*Correspondence: Anirudh K. Singh,
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Combining the In Silico and In Vitro Assays to Identify Strobilanthes cusia Kuntze Bioactives against Penicillin-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16010105. [PMID: 36678602 PMCID: PMC9863409 DOI: 10.3390/ph16010105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Leaves of Strobilanthes cusia Kuntze (S. cusia) are a widely used alexipharmic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in southern China for the prevention of cold and respiratory tract infectious diseases. One of the most common bacterial pathogens in the respiratory tract is the gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. The antibiotic resistance of colonized S. pneumoniae makes it a more serious threat to public health. In this study, the leaves of S. cusia were found to perform antibacterial effects on the penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP). Confocal assay and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) monitored the diminished cell wall integrity and capsule thickness of the PRSP with treatment. The following comparative proteomics analysis revealed that the glycometabolism-related pathways were enriched for the differentially expressed proteins between the samples with treatment and the control. To further delve into the specific single effective compound, the bio-active contents of leaves of S. cusia were analyzed by UPLC-UV-ESI-Q-TOF/MS, and 23 compounds were isolated for anti-PRSP screening. Among them, Tryptanthrin demonstrated the most promising effect, and it possibly inhibited the N-glycan degradation proteins, as suggested by reverse docking analysis in silico and further experimental verification by the surface plasmon resonance assay (SPR). Our study provided a research foundation for applications of the leaves of S. cusia as a TCM, and supplied a bio-active compound Tryptanthrin as a candidate drug skeleton for infectious diseases caused by the PRSP.
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Gil E, Noursadeghi M, Brown JS. Streptococcus pneumoniae interactions with the complement system. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:929483. [PMID: 35967850 PMCID: PMC9366601 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.929483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Host innate and adaptive immunity to infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae is critically dependent on the complement system, demonstrated by the high incidence of invasive S. pneumoniae infection in people with inherited deficiency of complement components. The complement system is activated by S. pneumoniae through multiple mechanisms. The classical complement pathway is activated by recognition of S. pneumoniae by C-reactive protein, serum amyloid P, C1q, SIGN-R1, or natural or acquired antibody. Some S. pneumoniae strains are also recognised by ficolins to activate the mannose binding lectin (MBL) activation pathway. Complement activation is then amplified by the alternative complement pathway, which can also be activated by S. pneumoniae directly. Complement activation results in covalent linkage of the opsonic complement factors C3b and iC3b to the S. pneumoniae surface which promote phagocytic clearance, along with complement-mediated immune adherence to erythrocytes, thereby protecting against septicaemia. The role of complement for mucosal immunity to S. pneumoniae is less clear. Given the major role of complement in controlling infection with S. pneumoniae, it is perhaps unsurprising that S. pneumoniae has evolved multiple mechanisms of complement evasion, including the capsule, multiple surface proteins, and the toxin pneumolysin. There is considerable variation between S. pneumoniae capsular serotypes and genotypes with regards to sensitivity to complement which correlates with ability to cause invasive infections. However, at present we only have a limited understanding of the main mechanisms causing variations in complement sensitivity between S. pneumoniae strains and to non-pathogenic streptococci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Gil
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Eliza Gil,
| | - Mahdad Noursadeghi
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy S. Brown
- Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Takemura M, Yamaguchi M, Kobayashi M, Sumitomo T, Hirose Y, Okuzaki D, Ono M, Motooka D, Goto K, Nakata M, Uzawa N, Kawabata S. Pneumococcal BgaA Promotes Host Organ Bleeding and Coagulation in a Mouse Sepsis Model. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:844000. [PMID: 35846740 PMCID: PMC9284207 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.844000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of invasive diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis, with high associated mortality. Our previous molecular evolutionary analysis revealed that the S. pneumoniae gene bgaA, encoding the enzyme β-galactosidase (BgaA), had a high proportion of codons under negative selection among the examined pneumococcal genes and that deletion of bgaA significantly reduced host mortality in a mouse intravenous infection assay. BgaA is a multifunctional protein that plays a role in cleaving terminal galactose in N-linked glycans, resistance to human neutrophil-mediated opsonophagocytic killing, and bacterial adherence to human epithelial cells. In this study, we performed in vitro and in vivo assays to evaluate the precise role of bgaA as a virulence factor in sepsis. Our in vitro assays showed that the deletion of bgaA significantly reduced the bacterial association with human lung epithelial and vascular endothelial cells. The deletion of bgaA also reduced pneumococcal survival in human blood by promoting neutrophil-mediated killing, but did not affect pneumococcal survival in mouse blood. In a mouse sepsis model, mice infected with an S. pneumoniae bgaA-deleted mutant strain exhibited upregulated host innate immunity pathways, suppressed tissue damage, and blood coagulation compared with mice infected with the wild-type strain. These results suggest that BgaA functions as a multifunctional virulence factor whereby it induces host tissue damage and blood coagulation. Taken together, our results suggest that BgaA could be an attractive target for drug design and vaccine development to control pneumococcal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moe Takemura
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery II, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaya Yamaguchi
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- *Correspondence: Masaya Yamaguchi,
| | - Momoko Kobayashi
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoko Sumitomo
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yujiro Hirose
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Okuzaki
- Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masayuki Ono
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kana Goto
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Masanobu Nakata
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Oral Microbiology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Narikazu Uzawa
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery II, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shigetada Kawabata
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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Simmons SR, Tchalla EYI, Bhalla M, Bou Ghanem EN. The Age-Driven Decline in Neutrophil Function Contributes to the Reduced Efficacy of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Old Hosts. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:849224. [PMID: 35402289 PMCID: PMC8984502 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.849224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of vaccines, Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) remains a serious cause of infections in the elderly. The efficacy of anti-pneumococcal vaccines declines with age. While age-driven changes in antibody responses are well defined, less is known about the role of innate immune cells such as polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in the reduced vaccine protection seen in aging. Here we explored the role of PMNs in protection against S. pneumoniae in vaccinated hosts. We found that depletion of PMNs in pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) treated young mice prior to pulmonary challenge with S. pneumoniae resulted in dramatic loss of host protection against infection. Immunization boosted the ability of PMNs to kill S. pneumoniae and this was dependent on bacterial opsonization by antibodies. Bacterial opsonization with immune sera increased several PMN anti-microbial activities including bacterial uptake, degranulation and ROS production. As expected, PCV failed to protect old mice against S. pneumoniae. In probing the role of PMNs in this impaired protection, we found that aging was accompanied by an intrinsic decline in PMN function. PMNs from old mice failed to effectively kill S. pneumoniae even when the bacteria were opsonized with immune sera from young controls. In exploring mechanisms, we found that PMNs from old mice produced less of the antimicrobial peptide CRAMP and failed to efficiently kill engulfed pneumococci. Importantly, adoptive transfer of PMNs from young mice reversed the susceptibility of vaccinated old mice to pneumococcal infection. Overall, this study demonstrates that the age-driven decline in PMN function impairs vaccine-mediated protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae.
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Gingerich AD, Mousa JJ. Diverse Mechanisms of Protective Anti-Pneumococcal Antibodies. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:824788. [PMID: 35155281 PMCID: PMC8834882 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.824788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of pneumonia, otitis media, septicemia, and meningitis in children and adults. Current prevention and treatment efforts are primarily pneumococcal conjugate vaccines that target the bacterial capsule polysaccharide, as well as antibiotics for pathogen clearance. While these methods have been enormously effective at disease prevention and treatment, there has been an emergence of non-vaccine serotypes, termed serotype replacement, and increasing antibiotic resistance among these serotypes. To combat S. pneumoniae, the immune system must deploy an arsenal of antimicrobial functions. However, S. pneumoniae has evolved a repertoire of evasion techniques and is able to modulate the host immune system. Antibodies are a key component of pneumococcal immunity, targeting both the capsule polysaccharide and protein antigens on the surface of the bacterium. These antibodies have been shown to play a variety of roles including increasing opsonophagocytic activity, enzymatic and toxin neutralization, reducing bacterial adherence, and altering bacterial gene expression. In this review, we describe targets of anti-pneumococcal antibodies and describe antibody functions and effectiveness against S. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D. Gingerich
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Jarrod J. Mousa
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jarrod J. Mousa,
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Indraratna AD, Everest-Dass A, Skropeta D, Sanderson-Smith M. OUP accepted manuscript. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:6519265. [PMID: 35104861 PMCID: PMC9075583 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Host carbohydrates, or glycans, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many bacterial infections. Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a Gram-positive bacterium that readily colonises the skin and oropharynx, and is a significant cause of mortality in humans. While the glycointeractions orchestrated by many other pathogens are increasingly well-described, the understanding of the role of human glycans in GAS disease remains incomplete. Although basic investigation into the mechanisms of GAS disease is ongoing, several glycointeractions have been identified and are examined herein. The majority of research in this context has focussed on bacterial adherence, however, glycointeractions have also been implicated in carbohydrate metabolism; evasion of host immunity; biofilm adaptations; and toxin-mediated haemolysis. The involvement of human glycans in these diverse avenues of pathogenesis highlights the clinical value of understanding glycointeractions in combatting GAS disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuk D Indraratna
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Keiraville New South Wales 2522, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Keiraville, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
| | - Arun Everest-Dass
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Parklands Drive, Southport, Queensland, 4215, Australia
| | - Danielle Skropeta
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Keiraville New South Wales 2522, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Keiraville, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
| | - Martina Sanderson-Smith
- Corresponding author: Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Bld 32, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Keiraville, New South Wales, 2522, Australia. Tel: +61 2 42981935; E-mail:
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Yan Z, Cui Y, Huang X, Lei S, Zhou W, Tong W, Chen W, Shen M, Wu K, Jiang Y. Molecular Characterization Based on Whole-Genome Sequencing of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Children Living in Southwest China During 2017-2019. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:726740. [PMID: 34796125 PMCID: PMC8593041 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.726740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important pathogen causing high morbidity and high mortality in children and undergoes frequent recombination for capsule switching to neutralize the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, and molecular characteristics including serotypes and antibiotic susceptibility of S. pneumoniae isolated from children living in Southwest China from 2017 to 2019 to facilitate the selection of effective vaccine formulations and appropriate antibiotic treatment regimens. Methods This study was conducted at West China Second University Hospital (Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China), Zunyi Medical University Third Affiliated Hospital/First People's Hospital of Zunyi (Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China) and Chengdu Jinjiang District Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital (Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China). Demographic and clinical characteristics of children infected with S. pneumoniae were collected and analysed. Next-generation sequencing and sequence analysis were used to determine the serotypes, sequence types, antibiotic resistance and potential protein vaccine target genes of the pneumococcal isolates. The coverage rate provided by PCV13 was estimated by calculating the percentage of the specific serotypes that were specifically the PCV13-included serotypes. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the microdilution broth method. Results The most prevalent pneumococcal serotypes were 19F (25.8%), 19A (14.1%), 6B (12.5%), 6A (9.4%) and 14 (7.8%). The predominant STs were ST271 (23.3%), ST320 (15.5%) and ST90 (8.6%), dominated by the clonal complex Taiwan19F-14 (39.1%). The coverage rate of PCV13 was 77.3% in all the isolates, with relatively higher values in invasive isolates (86.4%). Over the decade, the rates of resistance to penicillin, amoxicillin and cefotaxime were 5.6%, 5.3% and 5.1%, respectively, with significantly higher values in invasive isolates (22.4%, 14.9% and 11.9%). Almost all the isolates were resistant to erythromycin (99.1%) and clindamycin (95.9%). All isolates carried virulence-related genes, including ply, psaA, piaA, piuA, phtE, nanA, pepO, danJ, pvaA, clpP, pcsB, stkP, potD, and strH. The carriage of virulence and resistance genes varied among serotypes and clades, with serotype 19F/ST271 showing higher resistance to antibiotics and being more likely to carry pilus genes and other virulence genes. Conclusion These data provide valuable information for the understanding of pneumococcal pathogenesis, antimicrobial resistance and the development of protein-based vaccines against pneumococcal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yali Cui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Meishan Women and Children's Hospital, Alliance Hospital of West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Meishan, China
| | - Xiaocui Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Jinjiang District Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Shikun Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Wen Tong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Jinxin Women and Children Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Wen Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meijing Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zunyi Medical University Third Affiliated Hospital/First People's Hospital of Zunyi, Zunyi, China
| | - Kaifeng Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zunyi Medical University Third Affiliated Hospital/First People's Hospital of Zunyi, Zunyi, China
| | - Yongmei Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
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11
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Anil A, Apte S, Joseph J, Parthasarathy A, Madhavan S, Banerjee A. Pyruvate Oxidase as a Key Determinant of Pneumococcal Viability during Transcytosis across Brain Endothelium. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:e0043921. [PMID: 34606370 PMCID: PMC8604078 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00439-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae invades a myriad of host tissues following efficient breaching of cellular barriers. However, strategies adopted by pneumococcus for evasion of host intracellular defenses governing successful transcytosis across host cellular barriers remain elusive. In this study, using brain endothelium as a model host barrier, we observed that pneumococcus containing endocytic vacuoles (PCVs), formed following S. pneumoniae internalization into brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), undergo early maturation and acidification, with a major subset acquiring lysosome-like characteristics. Exploration of measures that would preserve pneumococcal viability in the lethal acidic pH of these lysosome-like vacuoles revealed a critical role of the two-component system response regulator, CiaR, which was previously implicated in induction of acid tolerance response. Pyruvate oxidase (SpxB), a key sugar-metabolizing enzyme that catalyzes oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl phosphate, was found to contribute to acid stress tolerance, presumably via acetyl phosphate-mediated phosphorylation and activation of CiaR, independent of its cognate kinase CiaH. Hydrogen peroxide, the by-product of an SpxB-catalyzed reaction, was also found to improve pneumococcal intracellular survival by oxidative inactivation of lysosomal cysteine cathepsins, thus compromising the degradative capacity of the host lysosomes. As expected, a ΔspxB mutant was found to be significantly attenuated in its ability to survive inside the BMEC endocytic vacuoles, reflecting its reduced transcytosis ability. Collectively, our studies establish SpxB as an important virulence determinant facilitating pneumococcal survival inside host cells, ensuring successful trafficking across host cellular barriers. IMPORTANCE Host cellular barriers have innate immune defenses to restrict microbial passage into sterile compartments. Here, by focusing on the blood-brain barrier endothelium, we investigated mechanisms that enable Streptococcus pneumoniae to traverse through host barriers. Pyruvate oxidase, a pneumococcal sugar-metabolizing enzyme, was found to play a crucial role in this via generation of acetyl phosphate and hydrogen peroxide. A two-pronged approach consisting of acetyl phosphate-mediated activation of acid tolerance response and hydrogen peroxide-mediated inactivation of lysosomal enzymes enabled pneumococci to maintain viability inside the degradative vacuoles of the brain endothelium for successful transcytosis across the barrier. Thus, pyruvate oxidase is a key virulence determinant and can potentially serve as a viable candidate for therapeutic interventions for better management of invasive pneumococcal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Anil
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shruti Apte
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Jincy Joseph
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Akhila Parthasarathy
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shilpa Madhavan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Anirban Banerjee
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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12
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Bhalla M, Heinzinger LR, Morenikeji OB, Marzullo B, Thomas BN, Bou Ghanem EN. Transcriptome Profiling Reveals CD73 and Age-Driven Changes in Neutrophil Responses against Streptococcus pneumoniae. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0025821. [PMID: 34310891 PMCID: PMC8519284 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00258-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are required for host resistance against Streptococcus pneumoniae, but their function declines with age. We previously found that CD73, an enzyme required for antimicrobial activity, is downregulated in neutrophils (also known as polymorphonuclear leukocytes [PMNs]) from aged mice. This study explored transcriptional changes in neutrophils induced by S. pneumoniae to identify pathways controlled by CD73 and dysregulated with age. Pure bone marrow-derived neutrophils isolated from wild-type (WT) young and old and CD73 knockout (CD73KO) young mice were mock challenged or infected with S. pneumoniae ex vivo. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We found that infection triggered distinct global transcriptional changes across hosts that were strongest in CD73KO neutrophils. Surprisingly, there were more downregulated than upregulated genes in all groups upon infection. Downregulated DEGs indicated a dampening of immune responses in old and CD73KO hosts. Further analysis revealed that CD73KO neutrophils expressed higher numbers of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) than those in WT controls. Predicted network analysis indicated that CD73KO-specific lncRNAs control several signaling pathways. We found that genes in the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway were upregulated upon infection in CD73KO mice and in WT old mice, but not in WT young mice. This corresponded to functional differences, as phosphorylation of the downstream AP-1 transcription factor component c-Jun was significantly higher in neutrophils from infected CD73KO mice and old mice. Importantly, inhibition of JNK/AP-1 rescued the ability of these neutrophils to kill S. pneumoniae. Together, our findings revealed that the ability of neutrophils to modify their gene expression to better adapt to bacterial infection is in part regulated by CD73 and declines with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manmeet Bhalla
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Lauren R. Heinzinger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Olanrewaju B. Morenikeji
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA
- Division of Biological and Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh–Bradford, Bradford, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brandon Marzullo
- Department of Biochemistry and Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Bolaji N. Thomas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Elsa N. Bou Ghanem
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York, USA
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13
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Higgins MA, Tegl G, MacDonald SS, Arnal G, Brumer H, Withers SG, Ryan KS. N-Glycan Degradation Pathways in Gut- and Soil-Dwelling Actinobacteria Share Common Core Genes. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:701-711. [PMID: 33764747 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
N-Glycosylation is a fundamental protein modification found in both eukaryotes and archaea. Despite lacking N-glycans, many commensal and pathogenic bacteria have developed mechanisms to degrade these isoforms for a variety of functions, including nutrient acquisition and evasion of the immune system. Although much is known about many of the enzymes responsible for N-glycan degradation, the enzymes involved in cleaving the N-glycan core have only recently been discovered. Thus, some of the structural details have yet to be characterized, and little is known about their full distribution among bacterial strains and specifically within potential Gram-positive polysaccharide utilization loci. Here, we report crystal structures for Family 5, Subfamily 18 (GH5_18) glycoside hydrolases from the gut bacterium Bifidobacterium longum (BlGH5_18) and the soil bacterium Streptomyces cattleya (ScGH5_18), which hydrolyze the core Manβ1-4GlcNAc disaccharide. Structures of these enzymes in complex with Manβ1-4GlcNAc reveal a more complete picture of the -1 subsite. They also show that a C-terminal active site cap present in BlGH5_18 is absent in ScGH5_18. Although this C-terminal cap is not widely distributed throughout the GH5_18 family, it is important for full enzyme activity. In addition, we show that GH5_18 enzymes are found in Gram-positive polysaccharide utilization loci that share common genes, likely dedicated to importing and degrading N-glycan core structures.
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14
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Genome-Wide Analysis of the Temporal Genetic Changes in Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolates of Genotype ST320 and Serotype 19A from South Korea. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040795. [PMID: 33920171 PMCID: PMC8069037 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040795] [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: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, an increase in the incidence of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19A and sequence type 320 (19A-ST320) isolates have been observed worldwide including in South Korea. We conducted a genome-wide analysis to investigate the temporal genetic changes in 26 penicillin-non-susceptible 19A-ST320 pneumococcal isolates from a hospital in South Korea over a period of 17 years (1999; 2004 to 2015). Although the strains were isolated from a single hospital and showed the same genotype and serotype, a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis revealed that the S. pneumoniae isolates showed more extensive genetic variations compared with a reference isolate obtained in 1999. A phylogenetic analysis based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed that the pneumococcal isolates from South Korea were not grouped together into limited clusters among the 19A-ST320 isolates from several continents. It was predicted that recombination events occurred in 11 isolates; larger numbers of SNPs were found within recombination blocks compared with point mutations identified in five isolates. WGS data indicated that S. pneumoniae 19A-ST320 isolates might have been introduced into South Korea from various other countries. In addition, it was revealed that recombination may play a great role in the evolution of pneumococci even in very limited places and periods.
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15
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Lannes-Costa PS, de Oliveira JSS, da Silva Santos G, Nagao PE. A current review of pathogenicity determinants of Streptococcus sp. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 131:1600-1620. [PMID: 33772968 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The genus Streptococcus comprises important pathogens, many of them are part of the human or animal microbiota. Advances in molecular genetics, taxonomic approaches and phylogenomic studies have led to the establishment of at least 100 species that have a severe impact on human health and are responsible for substantial economic losses to agriculture. The infectivity of the pathogens is linked to cell-surface components and/or secreted virulence factors. Bacteria have evolved sophisticated and multifaceted adaptation strategies to the host environment, including biofilm formation, survival within professional phagocytes, escape the host immune response, amongst others. This review focuses on virulence mechanism and zoonotic potential of Streptococcus species from pyogenic (S. agalactiae, S. pyogenes) and mitis groups (S. pneumoniae).
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Lannes-Costa
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Physiology of Streptococci, Institute of Biology Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - J S S de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Physiology of Streptococci, Institute of Biology Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - G da Silva Santos
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Physiology of Streptococci, Institute of Biology Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - P E Nagao
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Physiology of Streptococci, Institute of Biology Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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16
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Gómez Delgado I, Corvillo F, Nozal P, Arjona E, Madrid Á, Melgosa M, Bravo J, Szilágyi Á, Csuka D, Veszeli N, Prohászka Z, Sánchez-Corral P. Complement Genetic Variants and FH Desialylation in S. pneumoniae-Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome. Front Immunol 2021; 12:641656. [PMID: 33777036 PMCID: PMC7991904 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.641656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae infections (SP-HUS) is a clinically well-known entity that generally affects infants, and could have a worse prognosis than HUS associated to E. coli infections. It has been assumed that complement genetic variants associated with primary atypical HUS cases (aHUS) do not contribute to SP-HUS, which is solely attributed to the action of the pneumococcal neuraminidase on the host cellular surfaces. We previously identified complement pathogenic variants and risk polymorphisms in a few Hungarian SP-HUS patients, and have now extended these studies to a cohort of 13 Spanish SP-HUS patients. Five patients presented rare complement variants of unknown significance, but the frequency of the risk haplotypes in the CFH-CFHR3-CFHR1 region was similar to the observed in aHUS. Moreover, we observed desialylation of Factor H (FH) and the FH-Related proteins in plasma samples from 2 Spanish and 4 Hungarian SP-HUS patients. To analyze the functional relevance of this finding, we compared the ability of native and "in vitro" desialylated FH in: (a) binding to C3b-coated microtiter plates; (b) proteolysis of fluid-phase and surface-bound C3b by Factor I; (c) dissociation of surface bound-C3bBb convertase; (d) haemolytic assays on sheep erythrocytes. We found that desialylated FH had reduced capacity to control complement activation on sheep erythrocytes, suggesting a role for FH sialic acids on binding to cellular surfaces. We conclude that aHUS-risk variants in the CFH-CFHR3-CFHR1 region could also contribute to disease-predisposition to SP-HUS, and that transient desialylation of complement FH by the pneumococcal neuraminidase may have a role in disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Gómez Delgado
- Complement Research Group, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Corvillo
- Complement Research Group, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Nozal
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
- Immunology Unit, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilia Arjona
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research, Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Madrid
- Pediatric Nephrology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Melgosa
- Pediatric Nephrology Unit, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Bravo
- Pediatric Nephrology Unit, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ágnes Szilágyi
- Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dorottya Csuka
- Research Group for Immunology and Haematology, Semmelweis University- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (Office for Supported Research Groups), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nóra Veszeli
- Research Group for Immunology and Haematology, Semmelweis University- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (Office for Supported Research Groups), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Prohászka
- Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Pilar Sánchez-Corral
- Complement Research Group, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
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17
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Abstract
Antibodies against Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) following vaccination are crucial for host protection against invasive pneumococcal infections. The antibodies induced by pneumococcal vaccines act as opsonins to mediate bacterial uptake and killing by host phagocytic cells, especially polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) also called neutrophils. Therefore, it is important to measure not only the levels of antibodies induced by a pneumococcal vaccine candidate but their actual functional capacity in mediating bacterial opsonization and killing by PMNs. Here, we describe a protocol to demonstrate effective deposition of vaccine-induced antibodies on the surface of S. pneumoniae by flow cytometry and subsequent opsonophagocytic killing (OPH) by murine bone-marrow derived PMNs.
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18
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Lower Density and Shorter Duration of Nasopharyngeal Carriage by Pneumococcal Serotype 1 (ST217) May Explain Its Increased Invasiveness over Other Serotypes. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.00814-20. [PMID: 33293378 PMCID: PMC7733939 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00814-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a frequent colonizer of the human nasopharynx and a major cause of life-threating invasive infections such as pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis. Over 1 million people die every year due to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), mainly in developing countries. Serotype 1 is a common cause of IPD; however, unlike other serotypes, it is rarely found in the carrier state in the nasopharynx, which is often considered a prerequisite for disease. The aim of this study was to understand this dichotomy. We used murine models of carriage and IPD to characterize the pathogenesis of African serotype 1 (sequence type 217) pneumococcal strains obtained from the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. We found that ST217 pneumococcal strains were highly virulent in a mouse model of invasive pneumonia, but in contrast to the generally accepted assumption, can also successfully establish nasopharyngeal carriage. Interestingly, we found that cocolonizing serotypes may proliferate in the presence of serotype 1, suggesting that acquisition of serotype 1 carriage could increase the risk of developing IPD by other serotypes. RNA sequencing analysis confirmed that key virulence genes associated with inflammation and tissue invasiveness were upregulated in serotype 1. These data reveal important new insights into serotype 1 pathogenesis, with implications for carriage potential and risk of invasive disease through interactions with other cocolonizing serotypes, an often-overlooked factor in transmission and disease progression.IMPORTANCE The pneumococcus causes serious diseases such as pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Serotype 1 accounts for the majority of invasive pneumococcal disease cases in sub-Saharan Africa but is rarely found during nasopharyngeal carriage. Understanding the mechanisms leading to nasopharyngeal carriage and invasive disease by this serotype can help reduce its burden on health care systems worldwide. In this study, we also uncovered the potential impact of serotype 1 on disease progression of other coinfecting serotypes, which can have important implications for vaccine efficacy. Understanding the interactions between different serotypes during nasopharyngeal carriage may lead to improved intervention methods and therapies to reduce pneumococcal invasive disease levels.
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19
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Hanachi M, Kiran A, Cornick J, Harigua-Souiai E, Everett D, Benkahla A, Souiai O. Genomic Characteristics of Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 1 in New Caledonia Prior to the Introduction of PCV13. Bioinform Biol Insights 2020; 14:1177932220962106. [PMID: 33088176 PMCID: PMC7545519 DOI: 10.1177/1177932220962106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1 is a common cause of global invasive pneumococcal disease. In New Caledonia, serotype 1 is the most prevalent serotype and led to two major outbreaks reported in the 2000s. The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 (PCV13) was introduced into the vaccination routine, intending to prevent the expansion of serotype 1 in New Caledonia. Aiming to provide a baseline for monitoring the post-PCV13 changes, we performed a whole-genome sequence analysis on 67 serotype 1 isolates collected prior to the PCV13 introduction. To highlight the S. pneumoniae serotype 1 population structure, we performed a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis revealing that NC serotype 1 consisted of 2 sequence types: ST3717 and the highly dominant ST306. Both sequence types harbored the same resistance genes to beta-lactams, macrolide, streptogramin B, fluoroquinolone, and lincosamide antibiotics. We have also identified 36 virulence genes that were ubiquitous to all the isolates. Among these virulence genes, the pneumolysin sequence presented an allelic profile associated with disease outbreaks and reduced hemolytic activity. Moreover, recombination hotspots were identified in 4 virulence genes and more notably in the cps locus (cps2L), potentially leading to capsular switching, a major mechanism of the emergence of nonvaccine types. In summary, this study represents the first overview of the genomic characteristics of S. pneumoniae serotype 1 in New Caledonia prior to the introduction of PCV13. This preliminary description represents a baseline to assess the impact of PCV13 on serotype 1 population structure and genomic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariem Hanachi
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics and Biostatistics-LR16IPT09, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar (UTM), Tunis, Tunisia.,Faculty of Science of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Jarzouna, Tunisia
| | - Anmol Kiran
- Queens Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Jennifer Cornick
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi.,Departement of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Emna Harigua-Souiai
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology-LR16IPT04, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Dean Everett
- Queens Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Alia Benkahla
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics and Biostatistics-LR16IPT09, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar (UTM), Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Oussama Souiai
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics and Biostatistics-LR16IPT09, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar (UTM), Tunis, Tunisia.,Institut Supérieur des Technologies Médicales de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
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20
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Yamaguchi M, Takemura M, Higashi K, Goto K, Hirose Y, Sumitomo T, Nakata M, Uzawa N, Kawabata S. Role of BgaA as a Pneumococcal Virulence Factor Elucidated by Molecular Evolutionary Analysis. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:582437. [PMID: 33072054 PMCID: PMC7541833 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.582437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. Previously, we identified a novel virulence factor by investigating evolutionary selective pressure exerted on pneumococcal choline-binding cell surface proteins. Herein, we focus on another pneumococcal cell surface protein. Cell wall-anchoring proteins containing the LPXTG motif are conserved in Gram-positive bacteria. Our evolutionary analysis showed that among the examined genes, nanA and bgaA had high proportions of codon that were under significant negative selection. Both nanA and bgaA encode a multi-functional glycosidase that aids nutrient acquisition in a glucose-poor environment, pneumococcal adherence to host cells, and evasion from host immunity. However, several studies have shown that the role of BgaA is limited in a mouse pneumonia model, and it remains unclear if BgaA affects pneumococcal pathogenesis in a mouse sepsis model. To evaluate the distribution and pathogenicity of bgaA, we performed phylogenetic analysis and intravenous infection assay. In both Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees, the genetic distances between pneumococcal bgaA was small, and the cluster of pneumococcal bgaA did not contain other bacterial orthologs except for a Streptococcus gwangjuense gene. Evolutionary analysis and BgaA structure indicated BgaA active site was not allowed to change. The mouse infection assay showed that the deletion of bgaA significantly reduced host mortality. These results indicated that both nanA and bgaA encode evolutionally conserved pneumococcal virulence factors and that molecular evolutionary analysis could be a useful alternative strategy for identification of virulence factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Yamaguchi
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
| | - Moe Takemura
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery II, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
| | - Kotaro Higashi
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
| | - Kana Goto
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
| | - Yujiro Hirose
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
| | - Tomoko Sumitomo
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
| | - Masanobu Nakata
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
| | - Narikazu Uzawa
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery II, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
| | - Shigetada Kawabata
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Japan
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21
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Syed S, Viazmina L, Mager R, Meri S, Haapasalo K. Streptococci and the complement system: interplay during infection, inflammation and autoimmunity. FEBS Lett 2020; 594:2570-2585. [PMID: 32594520 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Streptococci are a broad group of Gram-positive bacteria. This genus includes various human pathogens causing significant morbidity and mortality. Two of the most important human pathogens are Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus or GAS). Streptococcal pathogens have evolved to express virulence factors that enable them to evade complement-mediated attack. These include factor H-binding M (S. pyogenes) and pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC) (S. pneumoniae) proteins. In addition, S. pyogenes and S. pneumoniae express cytolysins (streptolysin and pneumolysin), which are able to destroy host cells. Sometimes, the interplay between streptococci, the complement, and antistreptococcal immunity may lead to an excessive inflammatory response or autoimmune disease. Understanding the fundamental role of the complement system in microbial clearance and the bacterial escape mechanisms is of paramount importance for understanding microbial virulence, in general, and, the conversion of commensals to pathogens, more specifically. Such insights may help to identify novel antibiotic and vaccine targets in bacterial pathogens to counter their growing resistance to commonly used antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahan Syed
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Larisa Viazmina
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Seppo Meri
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Finland.,Humanitas University, Milano, Italy
| | - Karita Haapasalo
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Finland
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22
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Chaguza C, Senghore M, Bojang E, Gladstone RA, Lo SW, Tientcheu PE, Bancroft RE, Worwui A, Foster-Nyarko E, Ceesay F, Okoi C, McGee L, Klugman KP, Breiman RF, Barer MR, Adegbola RA, Antonio M, Bentley SD, Kwambana-Adams BA. Within-host microevolution of Streptococcus pneumoniae is rapid and adaptive during natural colonisation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3442. [PMID: 32651390 PMCID: PMC7351774 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17327-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic evolution, transmission and pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae, an opportunistic human-adapted pathogen, is driven principally by nasopharyngeal carriage. However, little is known about genomic changes during natural colonisation. Here, we use whole-genome sequencing to investigate within-host microevolution of naturally carried pneumococci in ninety-eight infants intensively sampled sequentially from birth until twelve months in a high-carriage African setting. We show that neutral evolution and nucleotide substitution rates up to forty-fold faster than observed over longer timescales in S. pneumoniae and other bacteria drives high within-host pneumococcal genetic diversity. Highly divergent co-existing strain variants emerge during colonisation episodes through real-time intra-host homologous recombination while the rest are co-transmitted or acquired independently during multiple colonisation episodes. Genic and intergenic parallel evolution occur particularly in antibiotic resistance, immune evasion and epithelial adhesion genes. Our findings suggest that within-host microevolution is rapid and adaptive during natural colonisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrispin Chaguza
- Parasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK.
- Darwin College, University of Cambridge, Silver Street, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Madikay Senghore
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Ebrima Bojang
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Rebecca A Gladstone
- Parasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stephanie W Lo
- Parasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Peggy-Estelle Tientcheu
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Rowan E Bancroft
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Archibald Worwui
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Fatima Ceesay
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Catherine Okoi
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Lesley McGee
- Respiratory Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA
| | - Keith P Klugman
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | | | - Michael R Barer
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Richard A Adegbola
- RAMBICON Immunisation & Global Health Consulting, 6A Platinum Close, Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria
| | - Martin Antonio
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Stephen D Bentley
- Parasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Brenda A Kwambana-Adams
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia.
- NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Mucosal Pathogens, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK.
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23
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Chen P, Liu R, Huang M, Zhu J, Wei D, Castellino FJ, Dang G, Xie F, Li G, Cui Z, Liu S, Zhang Y. A unique combination of glycoside hydrolases in Streptococcus suis specifically and sequentially acts on host-derived αGal-epitope glycans. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:10638-10652. [PMID: 32518157 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections by many bacterial pathogens rely on their ability to degrade host glycans by producing glycoside hydrolases (GHs). Here, we discovered a conserved multifunctional GH, SsGalNagA, containing a unique combination of two family 32 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM), a GH16 domain and a GH20 domain, in the zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis 05ZYH33. Enzymatic assays revealed that the SsCBM-GH16 domain displays endo-(β1,4)-galactosidase activity specifically toward the host-derived αGal epitope Gal(α1,3)Gal(β1,4)Glc(NAc)-R, whereas the SsGH20 domain has a wide spectrum of exo-β-N-acetylhexosaminidase activities, including exo-(β1,3)-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity, and employs this activity to act in tandem with SsCBM-GH16 on the αGal-epitope glycan. Further, we found that the CBM32 domain adjacent to the SsGH16 domain is indispensable for SsGH16 catalytic activity. Surface plasmon resonance experiments uncovered that both CBM32 domains specifically bind to αGal-epitope glycan, and together they had a KD of 3.5 mm toward a pentasaccharide αGal-epitope glycan. Cell-binding and αGal epitope removal assays revealed that SsGalNagA efficiently binds to both swine erythrocytes and tracheal epithelial cells and removes the αGal epitope from these cells, suggesting that SsGalNagA functions in nutrient acquisition or alters host signaling in S. suis Both binding and removal activities were blocked by an αGal-epitope glycan. SsGalNagA is the first enzyme reported to sequentially act on a glycan containing the αGal epitope. These findings shed detailed light on the evolution of GHs and an important host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Ran Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Mengmeng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Jinlu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Dong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Francis J Castellino
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Guanghui Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Fang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Gang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Ziyin Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Siguo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Yueling Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
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24
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Streptococcus suis Uptakes Carbohydrate Source from Host Glycoproteins by N-glycans Degradation System for Optimal Survival and Full Virulence during Infection. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9050387. [PMID: 32443590 PMCID: PMC7281376 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9050387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with the epidemic virulent strain of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) can cause septicemia in swine and humans, leading to pneumonia, meningitis and even cytokine storm of Streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome. Despite some progress concerning the contribution of bacterial adhesion, biofilm, toxicity and stress response to the SS2 systemic infection, the precise mechanism underlying bacterial survival and growth within the host bloodstream remains elusive. Here, we reported the SS2 virulent strains with a more than 20 kb endoSS-related insertion region that showed significantly higher proliferative ability in swine serum than low-virulent strains. Further study identified a complete N-glycans degradation system encoded within this insertion region, and found that both GH92 and EndoSS contribute to bacterial virulence, but that only DndoSS was required for optimal growth of SS2 in host serum. The supplement of hydrolyzed high-mannose-containing glycoprotein by GH92 and EndoSS could completely restore the growth deficiency of endoSS deletion mutant in swine serum. EndoSS only hydrolyzed a part of the model glycoprotein RNase B with high-mannose N-linked glycoforms into a low molecular weight form, and the solo activity of GH92 could not show any changes comparing with the blank control in SDS-PAGE gel. However, complete hydrolyzation was observed under the co-incubation of EndoSS and GH92, suggesting GH92 may degrade the high-mannose arms of N-glycans to generate a substrate for EndoSS. In summary, these findings provide compelling evidences that EndoSS-related N-glycans degradation system may enable SS2 to adapt to host serum-specific availability of carbon sources from glycoforms, and be required for optimal colonization and full virulence during systemic infection.
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25
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Andreassen PR, Trappetti C, Minhas V, Nielsen FD, Pakula K, Paton JC, Jørgensen MG. Host-glycan metabolism is regulated by a species-conserved two-component system in Streptococcus pneumoniae. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008332. [PMID: 32130269 PMCID: PMC7075642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogens of the Streptococcus genus inhabit many different environmental niches during the course of an infection in a human host and the bacteria must adjust their metabolism according to available nutrients. Despite their lack of the citric-acid cycle, some streptococci proliferate in niches devoid of a readily available carbohydrate source. Instead they rely on carbohydrate scavenging for energy acquisition, which are obtained from the host. Here we discover a two-component system (TCS07) of Streptococcus pneumoniae that responds to glycoconjugated structures on proteins present on the host cells. Using next-generation RNA sequencing we find that the uncharacterized TCS07 regulon encodes proteins important for host-glycan processing and transporters of the released glycans, as well as intracellular carbohydrate catabolizing enzymes. We find that a functional TCS07 allele is required for growth on the glycoconjugated model protein fetuin. Consistently, we see a TCS07-dependent activation of the glycan degradation pathway. Thus, we pinpoint the molecular constituents responsible for sensing host derived glycans and link this to the induction of the proteins necessary for glycan degradation. Furthermore, we connect the TCS07 regulon to virulence in a mouse model, thereby establishing that host-derived glycan-metabolism is important for infection in vivo. Finally, a comparative phylogenomic analysis of strains from the Streptococcus genus reveal that TCS07 and most of its regulon is specifically conserved in species that utilize host-glycans for growth. Worldwide, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of community acquired pneumonia with high mortality rates. Interestingly, S. pneumoniae strictly relies on carbohydrate scavenging for energy acquisition, which are obtained from the host. This is a critical step in pathogenesis and a common mechanism among Streptococcal species. In this study, we discover an uncharacterized two-component system that responds to the carbohydrate structures present on the host cells. These are important findings as we describe the molecular mechanism responsible for sensing these host derived glycans, and how this mechanism is linked to virulence, thus highlighting that glycan metabolism is important for infection in vivo, thereby posing a novel target for intervention. Our phylogenetic analysis reveals that the two-component system and the genetic regulon co-occur and are specifically conserved among Streptococcal species capable of degrading host-glycans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Trappetti
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Vikrant Minhas
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Kevin Pakula
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - James C. Paton
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Mikkel Girke Jørgensen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- * E-mail:
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26
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Hobbs JK, Meier EPW, Pluvinage B, Mey MA, Boraston AB. Molecular analysis of an enigmatic Streptococcus pneumoniae virulence factor: The raffinose-family oligosaccharide utilization system. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:17197-17208. [PMID: 31591266 PMCID: PMC6873169 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is an opportunistic respiratory pathogen that can spread to other body sites, including the ears, brain, and blood. The ability of this bacterium to break down, import, and metabolize a wide range of glycans is key to its virulence. Intriguingly, S. pneumoniae can utilize several plant oligosaccharides for growth in vitro, including raffinose-family oligosaccharides (RFOs, which are α-(1→6)-galactosyl extensions of sucrose). An RFO utilization locus has been identified in the pneumococcal genome; however, none of the proteins encoded by this locus have been biochemically characterized. The enigmatic ability of S. pneumoniae to utilize RFOs has recently received attention because mutations in two of the RFO locus genes have been linked to the tissue tropism of clinical pneumococcal isolates. Here, we use functional studies combined with X-ray crystallography to show that although the pneumococcal RFO locus encodes for all the machinery required for uptake and degradation of RFOs, the individual pathway components are biochemically inefficient. We also demonstrate that the initiating enzyme in this pathway, the α-galactosidase Aga (a family 36 glycoside hydrolase), can cleave α-(1→3)-linked galactose units from a linear blood group antigen. We propose that the pneumococcal RFO pathway is an evolutionary relic that is not utilized in this streptococcal species and, as such, is under no selection pressure to maintain binding affinity and/or catalytic efficiency. We speculate that the apparent contribution of RFO utilization to pneumococcal tissue tropism may, in fact, be due to the essential role the ATPase RafK plays in the transport of other carbohydrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne K. Hobbs
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Edward P. W. Meier
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Benjamin Pluvinage
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Mackenzie A. Mey
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Alisdair B. Boraston
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada, To whom correspondence should be addressed:
Dept. of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada. Tel.:
250-472-4168; Fax:
250-721-8855; E-mail:
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27
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Yamaguchi M, Hirose Y, Takemura M, Ono M, Sumitomo T, Nakata M, Terao Y, Kawabata S. Streptococcus pneumoniae Evades Host Cell Phagocytosis and Limits Host Mortality Through Its Cell Wall Anchoring Protein PfbA. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:301. [PMID: 31482074 PMCID: PMC6710382 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a Gram-positive bacterium belonging to the oral streptococcus species, mitis group. This pathogen is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia, which often evades host immunity and causes systemic diseases, such as sepsis and meningitis. Previously, we reported that PfbA is a β-helical cell surface protein contributing to pneumococcal adhesion to and invasion of human epithelial cells in addition to its survival in blood. In the present study, we investigated the role of PfbA in pneumococcal pathogenesis. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the pfbA gene is highly conserved in S. pneumoniae and Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae within the mitis group. Our in vitro assays showed that PfbA inhibits neutrophil phagocytosis, leading to pneumococcal survival. We found that PfbA activates NF-κB through TLR2, but not TLR4. In addition, TLR2/4 inhibitor peptide treatment of neutrophils enhanced the survival of the S. pneumoniae ΔpfbA strain as compared to a control peptide treatment, whereas the treatment did not affect survival of a wild-type strain. In a mouse pneumonia model, the host mortality and level of TNF-α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were comparable between wild-type and ΔpfbA-infected mice, while deletion of pfbA decreased the bacterial burden in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In a mouse sepsis model, the ΔpfbA strain demonstrated significantly increased host mortality and TNF-α levels in plasma, but showed reduced bacterial burden in lung and liver. These results indicate that PfbA may contribute to the success of S. pneumoniae species by inhibiting host cell phagocytosis, excess inflammation, and mortality by interacting with TLR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Yamaguchi
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yujiro Hirose
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Moe Takemura
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery II, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masayuki Ono
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoko Sumitomo
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masanobu Nakata
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yutaka Terao
- Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Shigetada Kawabata
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
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28
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Hobbs JK, Pluvinage B, Robb M, Smith SP, Boraston AB. Two complementary α-fucosidases from Streptococcus pneumoniae promote complete degradation of host-derived carbohydrate antigens. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:12670-12682. [PMID: 31266803 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An important aspect of the interaction between the opportunistic bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae and its human host is its ability to harvest host glycans. The pneumococcus can degrade a variety of complex glycans, including N- and O-linked glycans, glycosaminoglycans, and carbohydrate antigens, an ability that is tightly linked to the virulence of S. pneumoniae Although S. pneumoniae is known to use a sophisticated enzyme machinery to attack the human glycome, how it copes with fucosylated glycans, which are primarily histo-blood group antigens, is largely unknown. Here, we identified two pneumococcal enzymes, SpGH29C and SpGH95C, that target α-(1→3/4) and α-(1→2) fucosidic linkages, respectively. X-ray crystallography studies combined with functional assays revealed that SpGH29C is specific for the LewisA and LewisX antigen motifs and that SpGH95C is specific for the H(O)-antigen motif. Together, these enzymes could defucosylate LewisY and LewisB antigens in a complementary fashion. In vitro reconstruction of glycan degradation cascades disclosed that the individual or combined activities of these enzymes expose the underlying glycan structure, promoting the complete deconstruction of a glycan that would otherwise be resistant to pneumococcal enzymes. These experiments expand our understanding of the extensive capacity of S. pneumoniae to process host glycans and the likely roles of α-fucosidases in this. Overall, given the importance of enzymes that initiate glycan breakdown in pneumococcal virulence, such as the neuraminidase NanA and the mannosidase SpGH92, we anticipate that the α-fucosidases identified here will be important factors in developing more refined models of the S. pneumoniae-host interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne K Hobbs
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Benjamin Pluvinage
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Melissa Robb
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Steven P Smith
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Alisdair B Boraston
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
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29
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Keller LE, Rueff AS, Kurushima J, Veening JW. Three New Integration Vectors and Fluorescent Proteins for Use in the Opportunistic Human Pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10050394. [PMID: 31121970 PMCID: PMC6562690 DOI: 10.3390/genes10050394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we describe the creation of three integration vectors, pPEPX, pPEPY and pPEPZ, for use with the opportunistic human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. The constructed vectors, named PEP for Pneumococcal Engineering Platform (PEP), employ an IPTG-inducible promoter and BglBrick and BglFusion compatible multiple cloning sites allowing for fast and interchangeable cloning. PEP plasmids replicate in Escherichia coli and harbor integration sites that have homology in a large set of pneumococcal strains, including recent clinical isolates. In addition, several options of antibiotic resistance markers are available, even allowing for selection in multidrug resistant clinical isolates. The transformation efficiency of these PEP vectors as well as their ability to be expressed simultaneously was tested. Two of the three PEP vectors share homology of the integration regions with over half of the S. pneumoniae genomes examined. Transformation efficiency varied among PEP vectors based on the length of the homology regions, but all were highly transformable and can be integrated simultaneously in strain D39V. Vectors used for pneumococcal cloning are an important tool for researchers for a wide range of uses. The PEP vectors described are of particular use because they have been designed to allow for easy transfer of genes between vectors as well as integrating into transcriptionally silent areas of the chromosome. In addition, we demonstrate the successful production of several new spectrally distinct fluorescent proteins (mTurquoise2, mNeonGreen and mScarlet-I) from the PEP vectors. The PEP vectors and newly described fluorescent proteins will expand the genetic toolbox for pneumococcal researchers and aid future discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance E Keller
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Anne-Stéphanie Rueff
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Jun Kurushima
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Jan-Willem Veening
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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30
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Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumoccus) is the leading cause of otitis media, community-acquired pneumonia, and bacterial meningitis. The success of the pneumococcus stems from its ability to persist in the population as a commensal and avoid killing by immune system. This chapter first reviews the molecular mechanisms that allow the pneumococcus to colonize and spread from one anatomical site to the next. Then, it discusses the mechanisms of inflammation and cytotoxicity during emerging and classical pneumococcal infections.
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31
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Janesch P, Rouha H, Badarau A, Stulik L, Mirkina I, Caccamo M, Havlicek K, Maierhofer B, Weber S, Groß K, Steinhäuser J, Zerbs M, Varga C, Dolezilkova I, Maier S, Zauner G, Nielson N, Power CA, Nagy E. Assessing the function of pneumococcal neuraminidases NanA, NanB and NanC in in vitro and in vivo lung infection models using monoclonal antibodies. Virulence 2019; 9:1521-1538. [PMID: 30289054 PMCID: PMC6177239 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1520545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates express up to three neuraminidases (sialidases), NanA, NanB and NanC, all of which cleave the terminal sialic acid of glycan-structures that decorate host cell surfaces. Most research has focused on the role of NanA with limited investigations evaluating the roles of all three neuraminidases in host-pathogen interactions. We generated two highly potent monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), one that blocks the enzymatic activity of NanA and one cross-neutralizing NanB and NanC. Total neuraminidase activity of clinical S. pneumoniae isolates could be inhibited by this mAb combination in enzymatic assays. To detect desialylation of cell surfaces by pneumococcal neuraminidases, primary human tracheal/bronchial mucocilial epithelial tissues were infected with S. pneumoniae and stained with peanut lectin. Simultaneous targeting of the neuraminidases was required to prevent desialylation, suggesting that inhibition of NanA alone is not sufficient to preserve terminal lung glycans. Importantly, we also found that all three neuraminidases increased the interaction of S. pneumoniae with human airway epithelial cells. Lectin-staining of lung tissues of mice pre-treated with mAbs before intranasal challenge with S. pneumoniae confirmed that both anti-NanA and anti-NanBC mAbs were required to effectively block desialylation of the respiratory epithelium in vivo. Despite this, no effect on survival, reduction in pulmonary bacterial load, or significant changes in cytokine responses were observed. This suggests that neuraminidases have no pivotal role in this murine pneumonia model that is induced by high bacterial challenge inocula and does not progress from colonization as it happens in the human host.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Karin Groß
- a Arsanis Biosciences , Vienna , Austria
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32
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Identifying genes associated with invasive disease in S. pneumoniae by applying a machine learning approach to whole genome sequence typing data. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4049. [PMID: 30858412 PMCID: PMC6411942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40346-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae, a normal commensal of the upper respiratory tract, is a major public health concern, responsible for substantial global morbidity and mortality due to pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis. Why some pneumococci invade the bloodstream or CSF (so-called invasive pneumococcal disease; IPD) is uncertain. In this study we identify genes associated with IPD. We transform whole genome sequence (WGS) data into a sequence typing scheme, while avoiding the caveat of using an arbitrary genome as a reference by substituting it with a constructed pangenome. We then employ a random forest machine-learning algorithm on the transformed data, and find 43 genes consistently associated with IPD across three geographically distinct WGS data sets of pneumococcal carriage isolates. Of the genes we identified as associated with IPD, we find 23 genes previously shown to be directly relevant to IPD, as well as 18 uncharacterized genes. We suggest that these uncharacterized genes identified by us are also likely to be relevant for IPD.
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PepN is a non-essential, cell wall-localized protein that contributes to neutrophil elastase-mediated killing of Streptococcus pneumoniae. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211632. [PMID: 30707714 PMCID: PMC6358159 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is an asymptomatic colonizer of the human nasopharynx but can also cause disease in the inner ear, meninges, lung and blood. Although various mechanisms contribute to the effective clearance of Spn, opsonophagocytosis by neutrophils is perhaps most critical. Upon phagocytosis, Spn is exposed to various degradative molecules, including a family of neutrophil serine proteases (NSPs) that are stored within intracellular granules. Despite the critical importance of NSPs in killing Spn, the bacterial proteins that are degraded by NSPs leading to Spn death are still unknown. In this report, we identify a 90kDa protein in a purified cell wall (CW) preparation, aminopeptidase N (PepN) that is degraded by the NSP neutrophil elastase (NE). Since PepN lacked a canonical signal sequence or LPxTG motif, we created a mutant expressing a FLAG tagged version of the protein and confirmed its localization to the CW compartment. We determined that not only is PepN a CW-localized protein, but also is a substrate of NE in the context of intact Spn cells. Furthermore, in comparison to wild-type TIGR4 Spn, a mutant strain lacking PepN demonstrated a significant hyper-resistance phenotype in vitro in the presence of purified NE as well as in opsonophagocytic assays with purified human neutrophils ex vivo. Taken together, this is the first study to demonstrate that PepN is a CW-localized protein and a substrate of NE that contributes to the effective killing of Spn by NSPs and human neutrophils.
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Gang Liu Y, Teng YS, Cheng P, Kong H, Lv PY, Mao FY, Wu XL, Hao CJ, Chen W, Yang SM, Zhang JY, Peng LS, Wang TT, Han B, Ma Q, Zou QM, Zhuang AY. Abrogation of cathepsin C by
Helicobacter pylori
impairs neutrophil activation to promote gastric infection. FASEB J 2018; 33:5018-5033. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.201802016rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Gang Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Yong Sheng Teng
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Ping Cheng
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Hui Kong
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Pin Yi Lv
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Fang Yuan Mao
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Xiao Long Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Chuan Jie Hao
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Weisan Chen
- La Trobe Institute of Molecular ScienceLa Trobe University Bundoora Victoria Australia
| | - Shi Ming Yang
- Department of GastroenterologyXinQiao HospitalThird Military Medical University Chongqing China
| | - Jin Yu Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Liu Sheng Peng
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Ting Ting Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - Bin Han
- Department of PharmacyAffiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College Nanchong China
| | - Qiang Ma
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryAffiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College Nanchong China
| | - Quan Ming Zou
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
| | - And Yuan Zhuang
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemical PharmacyNational Engineering Research Centre of Immunological ProductsCollege of Pharmacy Chongqing China
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Ortigoza MB, Blaser SB, Zafar MA, Hammond AJ, Weiser JN. An Infant Mouse Model of Influenza Virus Transmission Demonstrates the Role of Virus-Specific Shedding, Humoral Immunity, and Sialidase Expression by Colonizing Streptococcus pneumoniae. mBio 2018; 9:e02359-18. [PMID: 30563897 PMCID: PMC6299224 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02359-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic potential of influenza A viruses (IAV) depends on the infectivity of the host, transmissibility of the virus, and susceptibility of the recipient. While virus traits supporting IAV transmission have been studied in detail using ferret and guinea pig models, there is limited understanding of host traits determining transmissibility and susceptibility because current animal models of transmission are not sufficiently tractable. Although mice remain the primary model to study IAV immunity and pathogenesis, the efficiency of IAV transmission in adult mice has been inconsistent. Here we describe an infant mouse model that supports efficient transmission of IAV. We demonstrate that transmission in this model requires young age, close contact, shedding of virus particles from the upper respiratory tract (URT) of infected pups, the use of a transmissible virus strain, and a susceptible recipient. We characterize shedding as a marker of infectiousness that predicts the efficiency of transmission among different influenza virus strains. We also demonstrate that transmissibility and susceptibility to IAV can be inhibited by humoral immunity via maternal-infant transfer of IAV-specific immunoglobulins and modifications to the URT milieu, via sialidase activity of colonizing Streptococcus pneumoniae Due to its simplicity and efficiency, this model can be used to dissect the host's contribution to IAV transmission and explore new methods to limit contagion.IMPORTANCE This study provides insight into the role of the virus strain, age, immunity, and URT flora on IAV shedding and transmission efficiency. Using the infant mouse model, we found that (i) differences in viral shedding of various IAV strains are dependent on specific hemagglutinin (HA) and/or neuraminidase (NA) proteins, (ii) host age plays a key role in the efficiency of IAV transmission, (iii) levels of IAV-specific immunoglobulins are necessary to limit infectiousness, transmission, and susceptibility to IAV, and (iv) expression of sialidases by colonizing S. pneumoniae antagonizes transmission by limiting the acquisition of IAV in recipient hosts. Our findings highlight the need for strategies that limit IAV shedding and the importance of understanding the function of the URT bacterial composition in IAV transmission. This work reinforces the significance of a tractable animal model to study both viral and host traits affecting IAV contagion and its potential for optimizing vaccines and therapeutics that target disease spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mila Brum Ortigoza
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Simone B Blaser
- New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - M Ammar Zafar
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexandria J Hammond
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jeffrey N Weiser
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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Weiser JN, Ferreira DM, Paton JC. Streptococcus pneumoniae: transmission, colonization and invasion. Nat Rev Microbiol 2018; 16:355-367. [PMID: 29599457 PMCID: PMC5949087 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-018-0001-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 521] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae has a complex relationship with its obligate human host. On the one hand, the pneumococci are highly adapted commensals, and their main reservoir on the mucosal surface of the upper airways of carriers enables transmission. On the other hand, they can cause severe disease when bacterial and host factors allow them to invade essentially sterile sites, such as the middle ear spaces, lungs, bloodstream and meninges. Transmission, colonization and invasion depend on the remarkable ability of S. pneumoniae to evade or take advantage of the host inflammatory and immune responses. The different stages of pneumococcal carriage and disease have been investigated in detail in animal models and, more recently, in experimental human infection. Furthermore, widespread vaccination and the resulting immune pressure have shed light on pneumococcal population dynamics and pathogenesis. Here, we review the mechanistic insights provided by these studies on the multiple and varied interactions of the pneumococcus and its host.
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Janapatla RP, Chen CL, Hsu MH, Liao WT, Chiu CH. Immunization with pneumococcal neuraminidases NanA, NanB and NanC to generate neutralizing antibodies and to increase survival in mice. J Med Microbiol 2018; 67:709-723. [PMID: 29557769 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose. Pneumococcal virulence protein-based vaccines can provide serotype-independent protection against pneumococcal infections. Many studies, including clinical observational studies on Thomsen-Friedenrich antigen exposure and haemolytic uremic syndrome, defined the role of neuraminidases NanA, NanB and NanC in host-pneumococcus interaction. Since neuraminidases are major virulence proteins, they are potential targets for both vaccines and small molecule inhibitors. Here we explored the utility of three neuraminidases as protein vaccine antigens to generate neutralizing antibodies and to increase survival following pneumococcal infections.Methodology. Rabbits and mice were immunized subcutaneously with enzymatically active recombinant NanA, NanB and NanC as individual or a combination of the three neuraminidases. Antisera titres were determined by ELISA. Neuraminidase activity inhibition by antiserum was tested by peanut lectin and flow cytometry. Clinical isolates with serotype 3, 6B, 14, 15B, 19A and 23F were used to infect immunized mice by tail vein injection.Results/Key findings. Presence of high levels of IgG antibodies in antisera against NanA, NanB and NanC indicates that all of the three neuraminidases are immunogenic vaccine antigens. To generate potent NanA neutralizing antibodies, both lectin and catalytic domains are essential, whereas for NanB and NanC a single lectin domain is sufficient. Immunization with triple neuraminidases increased the survival of mice when intravenously challenged with clinical isolates of serotype 3 (40 %), 6B (60 %), 15B (60 %), 19A (40 %) and 23F (30 %).Conclusion. We recommend the inclusion of three pneumococcal neuraminidases in future protein vaccine formulations to prevent invasive pneumococcal infection caused by various serotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chyi-Liang Chen
- Molecular Infectious Diseases Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Mei-Hua Hsu
- Molecular Infectious Diseases Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wan-Ting Liao
- Molecular Infectious Diseases Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Cheng-Hsun Chiu
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.,Molecular Infectious Diseases Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
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Hobbs JK, Pluvinage B, Boraston AB. Glycan-metabolizing enzymes in microbe-host interactions: the Streptococcus pneumoniae paradigm. FEBS Lett 2018; 592:3865-3897. [PMID: 29608212 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a frequent colonizer of the upper airways; however, it is also an accomplished pathogen capable of causing life-threatening diseases. To colonize and cause invasive disease, this bacterium relies on a complex array of factors to mediate the host-bacterium interaction. The respiratory tract is rich in functionally important glycoconjugates that display a vast range of glycans, and, thus, a key component of the pneumococcus-host interaction involves an arsenal of bacterial carbohydrate-active enzymes to depolymerize these glycans and carbohydrate transporters to import the products. Through the destruction of host glycans, the glycan-specific metabolic machinery deployed by S. pneumoniae plays a variety of roles in the host-pathogen interaction. Here, we review the processing and metabolism of the major host-derived glycans, including N- and O-linked glycans, Lewis and blood group antigens, proteoglycans, and glycogen, as well as some dietary glycans. We discuss the role of these metabolic pathways in the S. pneumoniae-host interaction, speculate on the potential of key enzymes within these pathways as therapeutic targets, and relate S. pneumoniae as a model system to glycan processing in other microbial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne K Hobbs
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Benjamin Pluvinage
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alisdair B Boraston
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Engholm DH, Kilian M, Goodsell DS, Andersen ES, Kjærgaard RS. A visual review of the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2018; 41:854-879. [PMID: 29029129 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fux037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Being the principal causative agent of bacterial pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis and septicemia, the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major global health problem. To highlight the molecular basis of this problem, we have portrayed essential biological processes of the pneumococcal life cycle in eight watercolor paintings. The paintings are done to a consistent nanometer scale based on currently available data from structural biology and proteomics. In this review article, the paintings are used to provide a visual review of protein synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, cell wall synthesis, cell division, teichoic acid synthesis, virulence, transformation and pilus synthesis based on the available scientific literature within the field of pneumococcal biology. Visualization of the molecular details of these processes reveals several scientific questions about how molecular components of the pneumococcal cell are organized to allow biological function to take place. By the presentation of this visual review, we intend to stimulate scientific discussion, aid in the generation of scientific hypotheses and increase public awareness. A narrated video describing the biological processes in the context of a whole-cell illustration accompany this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ditte Høyer Engholm
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mogens Kilian
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - David S Goodsell
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Ebbe Sloth Andersen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.,Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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Gratz N, Loh LN, Mann B, Gao G, Carter R, Rosch J, Tuomanen EI. Pneumococcal neuraminidase activates TGF-β signalling. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2017; 163:1198-1207. [PMID: 28749326 PMCID: PMC5817201 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Neuraminidase A (NanA) is an important virulence factor that is anchored to the pneumococcal cell wall and cleaves sialic acid on host substrates. We noted that a secreted allele of NanA was over-represented in invasive pneumococcal isolates and promoted the development of meningitis when swapped into the genome of non-meningitis isolates replacing cell wall-anchored NanA. Both forms of recombinant NanA directly activated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, increased SMAD signalling and promoted loss of endothelial tight junction ZO-1. However, in assays using whole bacteria, only the cell-bound NanA decreased expression of ZO-1 and showed NanA dependence of bacterial invasion of endothelial cells. We conclude that NanA secretion versus retention on the cell surface does not influence neurotropism of clinical isolates. However, we describe a new NanA-TGF-β signalling axis that leads to decreased blood-brain barrier integrity and enhances bacterial invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Gratz
- Departments of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Lip Nam Loh
- Departments of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Beth Mann
- Departments of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Geli Gao
- Departments of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Robert Carter
- Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jason Rosch
- Departments of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Elaine I. Tuomanen
- Departments of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
- *Correspondence: Elaine I. Tuomanen,
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Bou Ghanem EN, Lee JN, Joma BH, Meydani SN, Leong JM, Panda A. The Alpha-Tocopherol Form of Vitamin E Boosts Elastase Activity of Human PMNs and Their Ability to Kill Streptococcus pneumoniae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:161. [PMID: 28516066 PMCID: PMC5413490 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of vaccines, Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading cause of life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia, bacteremia and meningitis. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) are a key determinant of disease course, because optimal host defense requires an initial robust pulmonary PMN response to control bacterial numbers followed by modulation of this response later in infection. The elderly, who manifest a general decline in immune function and higher basal levels of inflammation, are at increased risk of developing pneumococcal pneumonia. Using an aged mouse infection model, we previously showed that oral supplementation with the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E (α-Toc) decreases pulmonary inflammation, in part by modulating neutrophil migration across lung epithelium into alveolar spaces, and reverses the age-associated decline in resistance to pneumococcal pneumonia. The objective of this study was to test the effect of α-Toc on the ability of neutrophils isolated from young (22–35 years) or elderly (65–69 years) individuals to migrate across epithelial cell monolayers in response to S. pneumoniae and to kill complement-opsonized pneumococci. We found that basal levels of pneumococcal-induced transepithelial migration by PMNs from young or elderly donors were indistinguishable, suggesting that the age-associated exacerbation of pulmonary inflammation is not due to intrinsic properties of PMNs of elderly individuals but rather may reflect the inflammatory milieu of the aged lung. Consistent with its anti-inflammatory activity, α-Toc treatment diminished PMN migration regardless of donor age. Unexpectedly, unlike previous studies showing poor killing of antibody-opsonized bacteria, we found that PMNs of elderly donors were more efficient at killing complement-opsonized bacteria ex vivo than their younger counterparts. We also found that the heightened antimicrobial activity in PMNs from older donors correlated with increased activity of neutrophil elastase, a serine protease that is required to kill pneumococci. Notably, incubation with α-Toc increased PMN elastase activity from young donors and boosted their ability to kill complement-opsonized pneumococci. These findings demonstrate that α-Toc is a potent modulator of PMN responses and is a potential nutritional intervention to combat pneumococcal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa N Bou Ghanem
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts, University School of MedicineBoston, MA, USA
| | - James N Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts, University School of MedicineBoston, MA, USA
| | - Basma H Joma
- Program in Immunology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts UniversityBoston, MA, USA
| | - Simin N Meydani
- Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts UniversityBoston MA, USA
| | - John M Leong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts, University School of MedicineBoston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Panda
- Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts UniversityBoston MA, USA
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Pneumococcal Neuraminidase A (NanA) Promotes Biofilm Formation and Synergizes with Influenza A Virus in Nasal Colonization and Middle Ear Infection. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.01044-16. [PMID: 28096183 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01044-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Even in the vaccine era, Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) remains a leading cause of otitis media, a significant public health burden, in large part because of the high prevalence of nasal colonization with the pneumococcus in children. The primary pneumococcal neuraminidase, NanA, which is a sialidase that catalyzes the cleavage of terminal sialic acids from host glycoconjugates, is involved in both of these processes. Coinfection with influenza A virus, which also expresses a neuraminidase, exacerbates nasal colonization and disease by S. pneumoniae, in part via the synergistic contributions of the viral neuraminidase. The specific role of its pneumococcal counterpart, NanA, in this interaction, however, is less well understood. We demonstrate in a mouse model that NanA-deficient pneumococci are impaired in their ability to cause both nasal colonization and middle ear infection. Coinfection with neuraminidase-expressing influenza virus and S. pneumoniae potentiates both colonization and infection but not to wild-type levels, suggesting an intrinsic role of NanA. Using in vitro models, we show that while NanA contributes to both epithelial adherence and biofilm viability, its effect on the latter is actually independent of its sialidase activity. These data indicate that NanA contributes both enzymatically and nonenzymatically to pneumococcal pathogenesis and, as such, suggest that it is not a redundant bystander during coinfection with influenza A virus. Rather, its expression is required for the full synergism between these two pathogens.
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Deacetylation of sialic acid by esterases potentiates pneumococcal neuraminidase activity for mucin utilization, colonization and virulence. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006263. [PMID: 28257499 PMCID: PMC5352144 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Pneumococcal neuraminidase is a key enzyme for sequential deglycosylation of host glycans, and plays an important role in host survival, colonization, and pathogenesis of infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. One of the factors that can affect the activity of neuraminidase is the amount and position of acetylation present in its substrate sialic acid. We hypothesised that pneumococcal esterases potentiate neuraminidase activity by removing acetylation from sialic acid, and that will have a major effect on pneumococcal survival on mucin, colonization, and virulence. These hypotheses were tested using isogenic mutants and recombinant esterases in microbiological, biochemical and in vivo assays. We found that pneumococcal esterase activity is encoded by at least four genes, SPD_0534 (EstA) was found to be responsible for the main esterase activity, and the pneumococcal esterases are specific for short acyl chains. Assay of esterase activity by using natural substrates showed that both the Axe and EstA esterases could use acetylated xylan and Bovine Sub-maxillary Mucin (BSM), a highly acetylated substrate, but only EstA was active against tributyrin (triglyceride). Incubation of BSM with either Axe or EstA led to the acetate release in a time and concentration dependent manner, and pre-treatment of BSM with either enzyme increased sialic acid release on subsequent exposure to neuraminidase A. qRT-PCR results showed that the expression level of estA and axe increased when exposed to BSM and in respiratory tissues. Mutation of estA alone or in combination with nanA (codes for neuraminidase A), or the replacement of its putative serine active site to alanine, reduced the pneumococcal ability to utilise BSM as a sole carbon source, sialic acid release, colonization, and virulence in a mouse model of pneumococcal pneumonia.
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44
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Andre GO, Converso TR, Politano WR, Ferraz LFC, Ribeiro ML, Leite LCC, Darrieux M. Role of Streptococcus pneumoniae Proteins in Evasion of Complement-Mediated Immunity. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:224. [PMID: 28265264 PMCID: PMC5316553 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The complement system plays a central role in immune defense against Streptococcus pneumoniae. In order to evade complement attack, pneumococci have evolved a number of mechanisms that limit complement mediated opsonization and subsequent phagocytosis. This review focuses on the strategies employed by pneumococci to circumvent complement mediated immunity, both in vitro and in vivo. At last, since many of the proteins involved in interactions with complement components are vaccine candidates in different stages of validation, we explore the use of these antigens alone or in combination, as potential vaccine approaches that aim at elimination or drastic reduction in the ability of this bacterium to evade complement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greiciely O Andre
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Microrganismos, Universidade São Francisco Bragança Paulista, Brazil
| | - Thiago R Converso
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto ButantanSão Paulo, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Walter R Politano
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Microrganismos, Universidade São Francisco Bragança Paulista, Brazil
| | - Lucio F C Ferraz
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Microrganismos, Universidade São Francisco Bragança Paulista, Brazil
| | - Marcelo L Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Farmacologia, Universidade São Francisco Bragança Paulista, Brazil
| | | | - Michelle Darrieux
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Microrganismos, Universidade São Francisco Bragança Paulista, Brazil
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Robb M, Hobbs JK, Woodiga SA, Shapiro-Ward S, Suits MDL, McGregor N, Brumer H, Yesilkaya H, King SJ, Boraston AB. Molecular Characterization of N-glycan Degradation and Transport in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Its Contribution to Virulence. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006090. [PMID: 28056108 PMCID: PMC5215778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The carbohydrate-rich coating of human tissues and cells provide a first point of contact for colonizing and invading bacteria. Commensurate with N-glycosylation being an abundant form of protein glycosylation that has critical functional roles in the host, some host-adapted bacteria possess the machinery to process N-linked glycans. The human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae depolymerizes complex N-glycans with enzymes that sequentially trim a complex N-glycan down to the Man3GlcNAc2 core prior to the release of the glycan from the protein by endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (EndoD), which cleaves between the two GlcNAc residues. Here we examine the capacity of S. pneumoniae to process high-mannose N-glycans and transport the products. Through biochemical and structural analyses we demonstrate that S. pneumoniae also possesses an α-(1,2)-mannosidase (SpGH92). This enzyme has the ability to trim the terminal α-(1,2)-linked mannose residues of high-mannose N-glycans to generate Man5GlcNAc2. Through this activity SpGH92 is able to produce a substrate for EndoD, which is not active on high-mannose glycans with α-(1,2)-linked mannose residues. Binding studies and X-ray crystallography show that NgtS, the solute binding protein of an ABC transporter (ABCNG), is able to bind Man5GlcNAc, a product of EndoD activity, with high affinity. Finally, we evaluated the contribution of EndoD and ABCNG to growth of S. pneumoniae on a model N-glycosylated glycoprotein, and the contribution of these enzymes and SpGH92 to virulence in a mouse model. We found that both EndoD and ABCNG contribute to growth of S. pneumoniae, but that only SpGH92 and EndoD contribute to virulence. Therefore, N-glycan processing, but not transport of the released glycan, is required for full virulence in S. pneumoniae. To conclude, we synthesize our findings into a model of N-glycan processing by S. pneumoniae in which both complex and high-mannose N-glycans are targeted, and in which the two arms of this degradation pathway converge at ABCNG. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a bacterium that causes extensive morbidity and mortality in humans. Vaccines and antibiotics are effective forms of prevention and treatment, respectively, but present challenges as it is a constant race to vaccinate against the enormous and ever evolving pool of different serotypes of the bacterium while resistance to antibiotics continues to trend upwards. It is thus necessary to better understand the molecular aspects of the host-pneumococcus interaction in order to inform the potential generation of alternative treatment strategies. S. pneumoniae relies on its ability to process the carbohydrates presented on the surface of host cells for full-virulence. In this study, we examine the capability of the bacterium to process high-mannose N-linked sugars, a heretofore unknown ability for S. pneumoniae. The results show that the pneumococcal genome encodes enzymes capable of processing these sugars and that, remarkably, the initiating reaction performed by an enzyme that removes terminal α-(1,2)-linked mannose residues is critical to virulence in a mouse model. This study illuminates an extensive pathway in S. pneumoniae that targets N-linked sugars and is key to the host-pathogen interaction, therefore revealing a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Robb
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joanne K. Hobbs
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Shireen A. Woodiga
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Sarah Shapiro-Ward
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael D. L. Suits
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicholas McGregor
- Michael Smith Laboratories and Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Harry Brumer
- Michael Smith Laboratories and Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Hasan Yesilkaya
- Department of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha J. King
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Alisdair B. Boraston
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Afzal M, Shafeeq S, Manzoor I, Henriques-Normark B, Kuipers OP. N-acetylglucosamine-Mediated Expression of nagA and nagB in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:158. [PMID: 27900287 PMCID: PMC5110562 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we have explored the transcriptomic response of Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 to N-acetylglucosamine (NAG). Transcriptome comparison of S. pneumoniae D39 wild-type grown in chemically defined medium (CDM) in the presence of 0.5% NAG to that grown in the presence of 0.5% glucose revealed elevated expression of many genes/operons, including nagA, nagB, manLMN, and nanP. We have further confirmed the NAG-dependent expression of nagA, nagB, manLMN, and nanP by β-galactosidase assays. nagA, nagB and glmS are putatively regulated by a transcriptional regulator NagR. We predicted the operator site of NagR (dre site) in PnagA, PnagB, and PglmS, which was further confirmed by mutating the predicted dre site in the respective promoters (nagA, nagB, and glmS). Growth comparison of ΔnagA, ΔnagB, and ΔglmS with the D39 wild-type demonstrates that nagA and nagB are essential for S. pneumoniae D39 to grow in the presence of NAG as a sole carbon source. Furthermore, deletion of ccpA shows that CcpA has no effect on the expression of nagA, nagB, and glmS in the presence of NAG in S. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Afzal
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands; Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College UniversityFaisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sulman Shafeeq
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Irfan Manzoor
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands; Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College UniversityFaisalabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Oscar P Kuipers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
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In vivo screen of genetically conserved Streptococcus pneumoniae proteins for protective immunogenicity. Vaccine 2016; 34:6292-6300. [PMID: 27816374 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.10.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated 52 different E. coli expressed pneumococcal proteins as immunogens in a BALB/c mouse model of S. pneumoniae lung infection. Proteins were selected based on genetic conservation across disease-causing serotypes and bioinformatic prediction of antibody binding to the target antigen. Seven proteins induced protective responses, in terms of reduced lung burdens of the serotype 3 pneumococci. Three of the protective proteins were histidine triad protein family members (PhtB, PhtD and PhtE). Four other proteins, all bearing LPXTG linkage domains, also had activity in this model (PrtA, NanA, PavB and Eng). PrtA, NanA and Eng were also protective in a CBA/N mouse model of lethal pneumococcal infection. Despite data inferring widespread genomic conservation, flow-cytometer based antisera binding studies confirmed variable levels of antigen expression across a panel of pneumococcal serotypes. Finally, BALB/c mice were immunized and intranasally challenged with a viulent serotype 8 strain, to help understand the breadth of protection. Those mouse studies reaffirmed the effectiveness of the histidine triad protein grouping and a single LPXTG protein, PrtA.
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Blanchette KA, Shenoy AT, Milner J, Gilley RP, McClure E, Hinojosa CA, Kumar N, Daugherty SC, Tallon LJ, Ott S, King SJ, Ferreira DM, Gordon SB, Tettelin H, Orihuela CJ. Neuraminidase A-Exposed Galactose Promotes Streptococcus pneumoniae Biofilm Formation during Colonization. Infect Immun 2016; 84:2922-32. [PMID: 27481242 PMCID: PMC5038079 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00277-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen that colonizes the nasopharynx. Herein we show that carbon availability is distinct between the nasopharynx and bloodstream of adult humans: glucose is absent from the nasopharynx, whereas galactose is abundant. We demonstrate that pneumococcal neuraminidase A (NanA), which cleaves terminal sialic acid residues from host glycoproteins, exposed galactose on the surface of septal epithelial cells, thereby increasing its availability during colonization. We observed that S. pneumoniae mutants deficient in NanA and β-galactosidase A (BgaA) failed to form biofilms in vivo despite normal biofilm-forming abilities in vitro Subsequently, we observed that glucose, sucrose, and fructose were inhibitory for biofilm formation, whereas galactose, lactose, and low concentrations of sialic acid were permissive. Together these findings suggested that the genes involved in biofilm formation were under some form of carbon catabolite repression (CCR), a regulatory network in which genes involved in the uptake and metabolism of less-preferred sugars are silenced during growth with preferred sugars. Supporting this notion, we observed that a mutant deficient in pyruvate oxidase, which converts pyruvate to acetyl-phosphate under non-CCR-inducing growth conditions, was unable to form biofilms. Subsequent comparative transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses of planktonic and biofilm-grown pneumococci showed that metabolic pathways involving the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-phosphate and subsequently leading to fatty acid biosynthesis were consistently upregulated during diverse biofilm growth conditions. We conclude that carbon availability in the nasopharynx impacts pneumococcal biofilm formation in vivo Additionally, biofilm formation involves metabolic pathways not previously appreciated to play an important role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystle A Blanchette
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Anukul T Shenoy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jeffrey Milner
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Ryan P Gilley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Erin McClure
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Cecilia A Hinojosa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Nikhil Kumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sean C Daugherty
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Luke J Tallon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sandra Ott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Samantha J King
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Daniela M Ferreira
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen B Gordon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Hervé Tettelin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Carlos J Orihuela
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Afzal M, Shafeeq S, Ahmed H, Kuipers OP. N-acetylgalatosamine-Mediated Regulation of the aga Operon by AgaR in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:101. [PMID: 27672623 PMCID: PMC5018945 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we analyze the transcriptomic response of Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 to N-acetylgalactosamine (NAGa). Transcriptome comparison of S. pneumoniae D39 grown in NAGaM17 (0.5% NAGa + M17) to that grown in GM17 (0.5% Glucose + M17) revealed the elevated expression of various carbon metabolic genes/operons, including a PTS operon (denoted here as the aga operon), which is putatively involved in NAGa transport and utilization, in the presence of NAGa. We further studied the role of a GntR-family transcriptional regulator (denoted here as AgaR) in the regulation of aga operon. Our transcriptome and RT-PCR data suggest the role of AgaR as a transcriptional repressor of the aga operon. We predicted a 20-bp operator site of AagR (5′-ATAATTAATATAACAACAAA-3′) in the promoter region of the aga operon (PbgaC), which was further verified by mutating the AgaR operator site in the respective promoter. The role of CcpA in the additional regulation of the aga operon was elucidated by further transcriptome analyses and confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Afzal
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands; Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University FaisalabadFaisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sulman Shafeeq
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hifza Ahmed
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Oscar P Kuipers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
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50
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Fleming E, Camilli A. ManLMN is a glucose transporter and central metabolic regulator in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Mol Microbiol 2016; 102:467-487. [PMID: 27472033 PMCID: PMC5116393 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common colonizer of the human nasopharynx and a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia and otitis media, among other invasive diseases. During both colonization and invasive disease S. pneumoniae ferments host-derived carbohydrates as its primary means of generating energy. This pathogen is adept at transporting and metabolizing a wide variety of carbohydrates. We found the highly conserved PTS ManLMN contributes to growth on glucose and is also essential for growth on a variety of nonpreferred carbohydrates, suggesting it is a multisubstrate transporter. Exploration of this phenotype revealed ManLMN is required for inducing expression of downstream metabolic genes in response to carbohydrate stimuli. We further demonstrate that ManLMN's role as a constitutively expressed transporter is likely unique and integral to pneumococcus's strategy of carbon catabolite repression (CCR). Using a selection for suppressors, we explored how ManLMN is integrated into the CCR regulatory framework in S. pneumoniae. We identified two hypothetical small proteins and the virulence regulator SmrC as potential mediators of CCR in connection with ManLMN. Characterization of these two hypothetical proteins revealed they influence transcriptional regulation of carbohydrate transporters. We propose a model unifying these observations in which ManLMN is a versatile surveyor of available carbohydrates in S. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Fleming
- Program in Molecular Microbiology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Andrew Camilli
- Program in Molecular Microbiology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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