1
|
Lo HH, Chang HC, Wu YJ, Liao CT, Hsiao YM. Functional characterization and transcriptional analysis of degQ of Xanthomonas campestris pathovar campestris. J Basic Microbiol 2024; 64:e2300441. [PMID: 38470163 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202300441] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
High-temperature-requirement protein A (HtrA) family proteins play important roles in controlling protein quality and are recognized as virulence factors in numerous animal and human bacterial pathogens. The role of HtrA family proteins in plant pathogens remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the HtrA family protein, DegQ, in the crucifer black rot pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pathovar campestris (Xcc). DegQ is essential for bacterial attachment and full virulence of Xcc. Moreover, the degQ mutant strain showed increased sensitivity to heat treatment and sodium dodecyl sulfate. Expressing the intact degQ gene in trans in the degQ mutant could reverse the observed phenotypic changes. In addition, we demonstrated that the DegQ protein exhibited chaperone-like activity. Transcriptional analysis displayed that degQ expression was induced under heat treatment. Our results contribute to understanding the function and expression of DegQ of Xcc for the first time and provide a novel perspective about HtrA family proteins in plant pathogen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsueh-Hsia Lo
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Ching Chang
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jyun Wu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Tsai Liao
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Min Hsiao
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Prinčič L, Burtscher J, Sacken P, Krajnc T, Domig KJ. Clostridium strain FAM25158, a unique endospore-forming bacterium related to Clostridium tyrobutyricum and isolated from Emmental cheese shows low tolerance to salt. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1353321. [PMID: 38414773 PMCID: PMC10897056 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1353321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The genus Clostridium is a large and diverse group of species that can cause food spoilage, including late blowing defect (LBD) in cheese. In this study, we investigated the taxonomic status of strain FAM25158 isolated from Emmental cheese with LBD using a polyphasic taxonomic and comparative genomic approach. A 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny suggested affiliation to the Clostridium sensu stricto cluster, with Clostridium tyrobutyricum DSM 2637T being the closest related type strain (99.16% sequence similarity). Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) analysis revealed that strain FAM25158 is at the species threshold with C. tyrobutyricum, with ANI values ranging from 94.70 to 95.26%, while the digital DNA-DNA hybridization values were below the recommended threshold, suggesting that FAM25158 is significantly different from C. tyrobutyricum at the genomic level. Moreover, comparative genomic analysis between FAM25158 and its four closest C. tyrobutyricum relatives revealed a diversity of metabolic pathways, with FAM25158 differing from other C. tyrobutyricum strains by the presence of genes such as scrA, srcB, and scrK, responsible for sucrose utilization, and the absence of many important functional genes associated with cold and osmolality adaptation, which was further supported by phenotypic analyses. Surprisingly, strain FAM25158 exhibited unique physiologic traits, such as an optimal growth temperature of 30°C, in contrast to its closest relatives, C. tyrobutyricum species with an optimal growth temperature of 37°C. Additionally, the growth of FAM25158 was inhibited at NaCl concentrations higher than 0.5%, a remarkable observation considering its origin from cheese. While the results of this study provide novel information on the genetic content of strain FAM25158, the relationship between its genetic content and the observed phenotype remains a topic requiring further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucija Prinčič
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johanna Burtscher
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paul Sacken
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tina Krajnc
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Konrad J Domig
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bernegger S, Hutterer E, Zarzecka U, Schmidt TP, Huemer M, Widlroither I, Posselt G, Skorko-Glonek J, Wessler S. E-Cadherin Orthologues as Substrates for the Serine Protease High Temperature Requirement A (HtrA). Biomolecules 2022; 12:356. [PMID: 35327548 PMCID: PMC8945801 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) expresses the serine protease and chaperone High temperature requirement A (HtrA) that is involved in periplasmic unfolded protein stress response. Additionally, H. pylori-secreted HtrA directly cleaves the human cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin leading to a local disruption of intercellular adhesions during pathogenesis. HtrA-mediated E-cadherin cleavage has been observed in response to a broad range of pathogens, implying that it is a prevalent mechanism in humans. However, less is known whether E-cadherin orthologues serve as substrates for bacterial HtrA. Here, we compared HtrA-mediated cleavage of human E-cadherin with murine, canine, and simian E-cadherin in vitro and during bacterial infection. We found that HtrA targeted mouse and dog E-cadherin equally well, whereas macaque E-cadherin was less fragmented in vitro. We stably re-expressed orthologous E-cadherin (Cdh1) in a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated cdh1 knockout cell line to investigate E-cadherin shedding upon infection using H. pylori wildtype, an isogenic htrA deletion mutant, or complemented mutants as bacterial paradigms. In Western blot analyses and super-resolution microscopy, we demonstrated that H. pylori efficiently cleaved E-cadherin orthologues in an HtrA-dependent manner. These data extend previous knowledge to HtrA-mediated E-cadherin release in mammals, which may shed new light on bacterial infections in non-human organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Bernegger
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Division of Microbial Infection and Cancer, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.B.); (E.H.); (T.P.S.); (M.H.); (I.W.); (G.P.)
| | - Evelyn Hutterer
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Division of Microbial Infection and Cancer, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.B.); (E.H.); (T.P.S.); (M.H.); (I.W.); (G.P.)
| | - Urszula Zarzecka
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland; (U.Z.); (J.S.-G.)
| | - Thomas P. Schmidt
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Division of Microbial Infection and Cancer, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.B.); (E.H.); (T.P.S.); (M.H.); (I.W.); (G.P.)
| | - Markus Huemer
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Division of Microbial Infection and Cancer, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.B.); (E.H.); (T.P.S.); (M.H.); (I.W.); (G.P.)
| | - Isabella Widlroither
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Division of Microbial Infection and Cancer, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.B.); (E.H.); (T.P.S.); (M.H.); (I.W.); (G.P.)
| | - Gernot Posselt
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Division of Microbial Infection and Cancer, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.B.); (E.H.); (T.P.S.); (M.H.); (I.W.); (G.P.)
| | - Joanna Skorko-Glonek
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland; (U.Z.); (J.S.-G.)
| | - Silja Wessler
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Division of Microbial Infection and Cancer, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.B.); (E.H.); (T.P.S.); (M.H.); (I.W.); (G.P.)
- Cancer Cluster Salzburg and Allergy Cancer BioNano Research Centre, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Su T, Chen W, Wang D, Cui Y, Ni Q, Jiang C, Dong D, Peng Y. Complete Genome Sequencing and Comparative Phenotypic Analysis Reveal the Discrepancy Between Clostridioides difficile ST81 and ST37 Isolates. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:776892. [PMID: 34992586 PMCID: PMC8725731 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.776892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxin A-negative, toxin B-positive Clostridioides difficile strains, which primarily include the ST81 and ST37 genotypes, are predominant in C. difficile infections leading to antibiotic-associated diarrhea in China. Recently, ST81 has been reported as the most prevalent genotype rather than ST37, although the genetic and functional characteristics of the two genotypes remain ambiguous. In this study, we conducted comprehensive comparative analysis of these two genotypes through complete genome sequencing and phenotypic profiling. The whole genome sequencing revealed that the ST81 and ST37 isolates were closely related genetically with similar gene compositions, and high rate of the core genome shared. The integrative and conjugative elements identified in ST81 were similar to those in ST37, albeit with more diverse and insertion regions. By characterizing the phenotypes related to colonization or survival in the host, we found that the ST81 isolates exhibited robust colonization ability and survival both in vitro and in vivo, enhanced spore production, and slightly increased motility, which may be attributable to the discrepancy in non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the relevant functional genes. Furthermore, the ST81 isolates displayed a significantly higher rate of resistance to fluoroquinolones compared with the ST37 isolates (94.12% vs. 62.5%) and mostly carried the amino acid substitution Asp426Val in GyrB. In summary, the results of our study indicate that ST81 isolates exhibit enhanced ability to transmit between hosts and survive in harsh environments, providing key genetic insights for further epidemiological investigations and surveillance of C. difficile infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tongxuan Su
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Daosheng Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingchao Cui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Ni
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Cen Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Danfeng Dong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Danfeng Dong,
| | - Yibing Peng
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Yibing Peng,
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Novel Drivers of Virulence in Clostridioides difficile Identified via Context-Specific Metabolic Network Analysis. mSystems 2021; 6:e0091921. [PMID: 34609164 PMCID: PMC8547418 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00919-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogen Clostridioides difficile causes toxin-mediated diarrhea and is the leading cause of hospital-acquired infection in the United States. Due to growing antibiotic resistance and recurrent infection, targeting C. difficile metabolism presents a new approach to combat this infection. Genome-scale metabolic network reconstructions (GENREs) have been used to identify therapeutic targets and uncover properties that determine cellular behaviors. Thus, we constructed C. difficile GENREs for a hypervirulent isolate (strain [str.] R20291) and a historic strain (str. 630), validating both with in vitro and in vivo data sets. Growth simulations revealed significant correlations with measured carbon source usage (positive predictive value [PPV] ≥ 92.7%), and single-gene deletion analysis showed >89.0% accuracy. Next, we utilized each GENRE to identify metabolic drivers of both sporulation and biofilm formation. Through contextualization of each model using transcriptomes generated from in vitro and infection conditions, we discovered reliance on the pentose phosphate pathway as well as increased usage of cytidine and N-acetylneuraminate when virulence expression is reduced, which was subsequently supported experimentally. Our results highlight the ability of GENREs to identify novel metabolite signals in higher-order phenotypes like bacterial pathogenesis. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile has become the leading single cause of hospital-acquired infections. Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of specific metabolic pathways in aspects of C. difficile pathophysiology, from initial colonization to regulation of virulence factors. In the past, genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction (GENRE) analysis of bacteria has enabled systematic investigation of the genetic and metabolic properties that contribute to downstream virulence phenotypes. With this in mind, we generated and extensively curated C. difficile GENREs for both a well-studied laboratory strain (str. 630) and a more recently characterized hypervirulent isolate (str. R20291). In silico validation of both GENREs revealed high degrees of agreement with experimental gene essentiality and carbon source utilization data sets. Subsequent exploration of context-specific metabolism during both in vitro growth and infection revealed consistent patterns of metabolism which corresponded with experimentally measured increases in virulence factor expression. Our results support that differential C. difficile virulence is associated with distinct metabolic programs related to use of carbon sources and provide a platform for identification of novel therapeutic targets.
Collapse
|
6
|
HtrA family proteases of bacterial pathogens: pros and cons for their therapeutic use. Clin Microbiol Infect 2021; 27:559-564. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
7
|
Abstract
The genus Clostridium is composed of bioproducers, which are important for the industrial production of chemicals, as well as pathogens, which are a significant burden to the patients and on the health care industry. Historically, even though these bacteria are well known and are commonly studied, the genetic technologies to advance our understanding of these microbes have lagged behind other systems. New tools would continue the advancement of our understanding of clostridial physiology. The genetic modification systems available in several clostridia are not as refined as in other organisms and each exhibit their own drawbacks. With the advent of the repurposing of the CRISPR-Cas systems for genetic modification, the tools available for clostridia have improved significantly over the past four years. Several CRISPR-Cas systems such as using wild-type Cas9, Cas9n, dCas9/CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and a newly studied Cpf1/Cas12a, are reported. These have the potential to greatly advance the study of clostridial species leading to future therapies or the enhanced production of industrially relevant compounds. Here we discuss the details of the CRISPR-Cas systems as well as the advances and current issues in the developed clostridial systems.
Collapse
|
8
|
Schmidt AM, Escher U, Mousavi S, Boehm M, Backert S, Bereswill S, Heimesaat MM. Protease Activity of Campylobacter jejuni HtrA Modulates Distinct Intestinal and Systemic Immune Responses in Infected Secondary Abiotic IL-10 Deficient Mice. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:79. [PMID: 30984628 PMCID: PMC6449876 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Even though human Campylobacter jejuni infections are progressively increasing worldwide, the underlying molecular mechanisms of pathogen-host-interactions are still not fully understood. We have recently shown that the secreted serine protease HtrA plays a key role in C. jejuni cellular invasion and transepithelial migration in vitro, and is involved in the onset of intestinal pathology in murine infection models in vivo. In the present study, we investigated whether the protease activity of HtrA had an impact in C. jejuni induced acute enterocolitis. For this purpose, we perorally infected secondary abiotic IL-10-/- mice with wildtype C. jejuni strain NCTC11168 (11168WT) or isogenic bacteria carrying protease-inactive HtrA with a single point mutation at S197A in the active center (11168HtrA-S197A). Irrespective of the applied pathogenic strain, mice harbored similar C. jejuni loads in their feces and exhibited comparably severe macroscopic signs of acute enterocolitis at day 6 postinfection (p.i.). Interestingly, the 11168HtrA-S197A infected mice displayed less pronounced colonic apoptosis and immune cell responses, but enhanced epithelial proliferation as compared to the 11168WT strain infected controls. Furthermore, less distinct microscopic sequelae in 11168HtrA-S197A as compared to parental strain infected mice were accompanied by less distinct colonic secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as MCP-1, IL-6, TNF, and IFN-γ in the former as compared to the latter. Strikingly, the S197A point mutation was additionally associated with less pronounced systemic pro-inflammatory immune responses as assessed in serum samples. In conclusion, HtrA is a remarkable novel virulence determinant of C. jejuni, whose protease activity is not required for intestinal colonization and establishment of disease, but aggravates campylobacteriosis by triggering apoptosis and pro-inflammatory immune responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Maria Schmidt
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Escher
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Soraya Mousavi
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Manja Boehm
- Department of Biology, Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Steffen Backert
- Department of Biology, Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Bereswill
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus M Heimesaat
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Boehm M, Simson D, Escher U, Schmidt AM, Bereswill S, Tegtmeyer N, Backert S, Heimesaat MM. Function of Serine Protease HtrA in the Lifecycle of the Foodborne Pathogen Campylobacter jejuni. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2018; 8:70-77. [PMID: 30345086 PMCID: PMC6186014 DOI: 10.1556/1886.2018.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is a major food-borne zoonotic pathogen, responsible for a large proportion of bacterial gastroenteritis cases, as well as Guillian-Barré and Miller-Fisher syndromes. During infection, tissue damage is mainly caused by bacteria invading epithelial cells and traversing the intestinal barrier. C. jejuni is able to enter the lamina propria and the bloodstream and may move into other organs, such as spleen, liver, or mesenteric lymph nodes. However, the involved molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. C. jejuni can transmigrate effectively across polarized intestinal epithelial cells mainly by the paracellular route using the serine protease high-temperature requirement A (HtrA). However, it appears that HtrA has a dual function, as it also acts as a chaperone, interacting with denatured or misfolded periplasmic proteins under stress conditions. Here, we review recent progress on the role of HtrA in C. jejuni pathogenesis. HtrA can be transported into the extracellular space and cleaves cell-to-cell junction factors, such as E-cadherin and probably others, disrupting the epithelial barrier and enabling paracellular transmigration of the bacteria. The secretion of HtrA is a newly discovered strategy also utilized by other pathogens. Thus, secreted HtrA proteases represent highly attractive targets for anti-bacterial treatment and may provide a suitable candidate for vaccine development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manja Boehm
- Department of Biology, Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen/Nuremberg, Staudtstr. 5, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Daniel Simson
- Department of Biology, Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen/Nuremberg, Staudtstr. 5, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Escher
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna-Maria Schmidt
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Bereswill
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicole Tegtmeyer
- Department of Biology, Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen/Nuremberg, Staudtstr. 5, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Steffen Backert
- Department of Biology, Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen/Nuremberg, Staudtstr. 5, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus M Heimesaat
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Baktash A, Terveer EM, Zwittink RD, Hornung BVH, Corver J, Kuijper EJ, Smits WK. Mechanistic Insights in the Success of Fecal Microbiota Transplants for the Treatment of Clostridium difficile Infections. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1242. [PMID: 29946308 PMCID: PMC6005852 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fecal microbiota transplantation has proven to be an effective treatment for infections with the gram-positive enteropathogen Clostridium difficile. Despite its effectiveness, the exact mechanisms that underlie its success are largely unclear. In this review, we highlight the pleiotropic effectors that are transferred during fecal microbiota transfer and relate this to the C. difficile lifecycle. In doing so, we show that it is likely that multiple factors contribute to the elimination of symptoms of C. difficile infections after fecal microbiota transplantation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amoe Baktash
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth M Terveer
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Netherlands Donor Feces Bank, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Romy D Zwittink
- Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Experimental Bacteriology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Bastian V H Hornung
- Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Experimental Bacteriology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Corver
- Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Experimental Bacteriology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ed J Kuijper
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Netherlands Donor Feces Bank, Leiden, Netherlands.,Experimental Bacteriology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Experimental Bacteriology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Type IV Pili Promote Clostridium difficile Adherence and Persistence in a Mouse Model of Infection. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00943-17. [PMID: 29483294 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00943-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) is a second messenger that regulates the transition from motile to sessile lifestyles in numerous bacteria and controls virulence factor production in a variety of pathogens. In Clostridium difficile, c-di-GMP negatively regulates flagellum biosynthesis and swimming motility and promotes the production of type IV pili (TFP), biofilm formation, and surface motility in vitro Flagella have been identified as colonization factors in C. difficile, but the role of TFP in adherence to host cells and in colonization of the mammalian gut is unknown. Here we show that c-di-GMP promotes adherence to epithelial cells in vitro, which can be partly attributed to the loss of flagella. Using TFP-null mutants, we demonstrate that adherence to epithelial cells is partially mediated by TFP and that this TFP-mediated adherence requires c-di-GMP regulation. In a mouse model of colonization, the TFP-null mutants initially colonized the intestine as well as the parental strain but were cleared more quickly. Moreover, compared to the parent strain, C. difficile strains lacking TFP were particularly deficient in association with the cecal mucosa. Together these data indicate that TFP and their positive regulation by c-di-GMP promote attachment of C. difficile to the intestinal epithelium and contribute to persistence of C. difficile in the host intestine.
Collapse
|
12
|
Smits WK, Weese JS, Roberts AP, Harmanus C, Hornung B. A helicase-containing module defines a family of pCD630-like plasmids in Clostridium difficile. Anaerobe 2018; 49:78-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
13
|
McAllister KN, Bouillaut L, Kahn JN, Self WT, Sorg JA. Using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing to generate C. difficile mutants defective in selenoproteins synthesis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14672. [PMID: 29116155 PMCID: PMC5677094 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is a significant concern as a nosocomial pathogen, and genetic tools are important when analyzing the physiology of such organisms so that the underlying physiology/pathogenesis of the organisms can be studied. Here, we used TargeTron to investigate the role of selenoproteins in C. difficile Stickland metabolism and found that a TargeTron insertion into selD, encoding the selenophosphate synthetase that is essential for the specific incorporation of selenium into selenoproteins, results in a significant growth defect and a global loss of selenium incorporation. However, because of potential polar effects of the TargeTron insertion, we developed a CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis system for C. difficile. This system rapidly and efficiently introduces site-specific mutations into the C. difficile genome (20-50% mutation frequency). The selD CRISPR deletion mutant had a growth defect in protein-rich medium and mimicked the phenotype of a generated TargeTron selD mutation. Our findings suggest that Stickland metabolism could be a target for future antibiotic therapies and that the CRISPR-Cas9 system can introduce rapid and efficient modifications into the C. difficile genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurent Bouillaut
- Department of Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Matrivax R&D Corp. 650 Albany Street, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer N Kahn
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - William T Self
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Joseph A Sorg
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Oliveira Paiva AM, Friggen AH, Hossein-Javaheri S, Smits WK. The Signal Sequence of the Abundant Extracellular Metalloprotease PPEP-1 Can Be Used to Secrete Synthetic Reporter Proteins in Clostridium difficile. ACS Synth Biol 2016; 5:1376-1382. [PMID: 27333161 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.6b00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic pathogen and the main cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Adherence of C. difficile to host cells is modulated by proteins present on the bacterial cell surface or secreted into the environment. Cleavage of collagen-binding proteins is mediated by the zinc metalloprotease PPEP-1, which was identified as one of the most abundant secreted proteins of C. difficile. Here, we exploit the PPEP-1 signal sequence to produce novel secreted enzymes. We have constructed two functional secreted reporters, AmyEopt and sLucopt for gene expression analysis in C. difficile. AmyEopt extracellular activity results in starch degradation and can be exploited to demonstrate promoter activity in liquid or plate-based assays. sLucopt activity could reliably be detected in culture supernatant when produced from an inducible or native promoter. The secreted reporters can be easily assessed under aerobic conditions, without the need of complex sample processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana M. Oliveira Paiva
- Department
of Medical Microbiology,
Section Experimental Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke H. Friggen
- Department
of Medical Microbiology,
Section Experimental Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Shabnam Hossein-Javaheri
- Department
of Medical Microbiology,
Section Experimental Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Department
of Medical Microbiology,
Section Experimental Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
HtrA Is Important for Stress Resistance and Virulence in Haemophilus parasuis. Infect Immun 2016; 84:2209-2219. [PMID: 27217419 PMCID: PMC4962635 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00147-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Haemophilus parasuis is an opportunistic pathogen that causes Glässer's disease in swine, with polyserositis, meningitis, and arthritis. The high-temperature requirement A (HtrA)-like protease, which is involved in protein quality control, has been reported to be a virulence factor in many pathogens. In this study, we showed that HtrA of H. parasuis (HpHtrA) exhibited both chaperone and protease activities. Finally, nickel import ATP-binding protein (NikE), periplasmic dipeptide transport protein (DppA), and outer membrane protein A (OmpA) were identified as proteolytic substrates for HpHtrA. The protease activity reached its maximum at 40°C in a time-dependent manner. Disruption of the htrA gene from strain SC1401 affected tolerance to temperature stress and resistance to complement-mediated killing. Furthermore, increased autoagglutination and biofilm formation were detected in the htrA mutant. In addition, the htrA mutant was significantly attenuated in virulence in the murine model of infection. Together, these data demonstrate that HpHtrA plays an important role in the virulence of H. parasuis.
Collapse
|
16
|
Hensbergen PJ, Klychnikov OI, Bakker D, Dragan I, Kelly ML, Minton NP, Corver J, Kuijper EJ, Drijfhout JW, van Leeuwen HC. Clostridium difficile secreted Pro-Pro endopeptidase PPEP-1 (ZMP1/CD2830) modulates adhesion through cleavage of the collagen binding protein CD2831. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:3952-8. [PMID: 26522134 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The Clostridium difficile cd2830 gene product is a secreted metalloprotease, named Pro-Pro endopeptidase (PPEP-1). PPEP-1 cleaves C. difficile cell surface proteins (e.g. CD2831). Here, we confirmed that PPEP-1 has a unique preference for prolines surrounding the scissile bond. Moreover, we show that it exhibits a high preference for an asparagine at the P2 position and hydrophobic residues at the P3 position. Using a PPEP-1 knockout C. difficile strain, we demonstrate that the removal of the collagen binding protein CD2831 is fully attributable to PPEP-1 activity. The PPEP-1 knockout strain demonstrated higher affinity for collagen type I with attenuated virulence in hamsters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Hensbergen
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Oleg I Klychnikov
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis Bakker
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Section Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Irina Dragan
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle L Kelly
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel P Minton
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Jeroen Corver
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Section Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ed J Kuijper
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Section Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Wouter Drijfhout
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hans C van Leeuwen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Section Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
van Eijk E, Anvar SY, Browne HP, Leung WY, Frank J, Schmitz AM, Roberts AP, Smits WK. Complete genome sequence of the Clostridium difficile laboratory strain 630Δerm reveals differences from strain 630, including translocation of the mobile element CTn5. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:31. [PMID: 25636331 PMCID: PMC4320837 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1252-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile strain 630Δerm is a spontaneous erythromycin sensitive derivative of the reference strain 630 obtained by serial passaging in antibiotic-free media. It is widely used as a defined and tractable C. difficile strain. Though largely similar to the ancestral strain, it demonstrates phenotypic differences that might be the result of underlying genetic changes. Here, we performed a de novo assembly based on single-molecule real-time sequencing and an analysis of major methylation patterns. RESULTS In addition to single nucleotide polymorphisms and various indels, we found that the mobile element CTn5 is present in the gene encoding the methyltransferase rumA rather than adhesin CD1844 where it is located in the reference strain. CONCLUSIONS Together, the genetic features identified in this study may help to explain at least part of the phenotypic differences. The annotated genome sequence of this lab strain, including the first analysis of major methylation patterns, will be a valuable resource for genetic research on C. difficile.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erika van Eijk
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Seyed Yahya Anvar
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. .,Leiden Genome Technology Center, Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Wai Yi Leung
- Sequence Analysis Support Core, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Jeroen Frank
- Leiden Genome Technology Center, Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Arnoud M Schmitz
- Leiden Genome Technology Center, Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Adam P Roberts
- Department of Microbial Diseases, UCL Eastman Dental Institute, London, UK.
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|