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Murphy TF, Kirkham C, D’Mello A, Sethi S, Pettigrew MM, Tettelin H. Adaptation of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae in Human Airways in COPD: Genome Rearrangements and Modulation of Expression of HMW1 and HMW2. mBio 2023; 14:e0014023. [PMID: 36927061 PMCID: PMC10127715 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00140-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common debilitating disorder that is the third most common cause of death globally. Chronic lower airway infection by nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) in adults with COPD increases airway inflammation, causes increased symptoms, and accelerates progressive loss of lung function. Little is known about the mechanisms by which NTHi survives in COPD airways. To explore this question, the present study analyzes, in detail, 14 prospectively collected, serial isolates of a strain that persisted for 543 days in a patient with COPD, including analysis of four gap-free complete genomes. The NTHi genome underwent inversion of a ~400-kb segment three times during persistence. This inversion event resulted in switching of expression of the HMW1A and HMW2A adhesins as the inversion sites are in the promoter regions of HMW1 and HMW2. Regulation of the level of expression of HMW 1 and HMW2 in the human airways was controlled by the ~400-kb inversion and by 7-bp repeats in the HMW promoters. Analysis of knockout mutants of the persistent strain demonstrated that HMW1 and HMW2 proteins both function in the adherence of NTHi to human respiratory epithelial cells during persistence and that HMW1 also facilitates invasion of epithelial cells. An inverse relationship between biofilm formation and HMW1 expression was observed during persistence. This work advances understanding of the mechanisms of persistence of NTHi in COPD airways, which can inform the development of novel interventions to treat and prevent chronic NTHi infection in COPD. IMPORTANCE Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) persists in the lower airways of adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for months to years, increasing airway inflammation that accelerates the progressive loss of lung function. Understanding the mechanisms of persistence in human airways by NTHi is critical in developing novel interventions. Here, in detail, we studied longitudinally collected sequential isolates of a strain of NTHi that persisted in an adult with COPD, including analysis of four gap-free genomes and knockout mutants to elucidate how the genome adapts in human airways. The NTHi genome underwent a genome rearrangement during persistence and this inversion impacted regulation of expression of key virulence phenotypes, including adherence to respiratory epithelial cells, invasion of epithelial cells and biofilm formation. These novel observations advance our understanding of the mechanisms of persistence of NTHi in the airways of adults with COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy F. Murphy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Charmaine Kirkham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Adonis D’Mello
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sanjay Sethi
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Melinda M. Pettigrew
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Hervé Tettelin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Fluit AC, Bayjanov JR, Benaissa-Trouw BJ, Rogers MRC, Díez-Aguilar M, Cantón R, Tunney MM, Elborn JS, Ekkelenkamp MB. Whole-genome analysis of Haemophilus influenzae strains isolated from persons with cystic fibrosis. J Med Microbiol 2022; 71. [PMID: 36006824 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Haemophilus influenzae is a commensal of the respiratory tract that is frequently present in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and may cause infection. Antibiotic resistance is well described for CF strains, and virulence factors have been proposed.Hypothesis/Gap. The genetic diversity of H. influenzae strains present in the lungs of persons with CF is largely unknown despite the fact that this organism is considered to be a pathogen in this condition. The aim was to establish the genetic diversity and susceptibility of H. influenzae strains from persons with CF, and to screen the whole genomes of these strains for the presence of antibiotic resistance determinants and proposed virulence factors.Methods. A total of 67 strains, recovered from respiratory samples from persons with CF from the UK (n=1), Poland (n=2), Spain (n=24) and the Netherlands (n=40), were subjected to whole-genome sequencing using Illumina technology and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Forty-nine of these strains (one per different sequence type) were analysed for encoded virulence factors and resistance determinants.Results. The 67 strains represented 49 different sequence types. Susceptibility testing showed that all strains were susceptible to aztreonam, ciprofloxacin, imipenem and tetracycline. Susceptibility to ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefuroxime, cefixime, ceftriaxone, cefepime, meropenem, clarithromycin, co-trimoxazole and levofloxacin ranged from 70.2-98.5%. Only 6/49 strains (12.2%) harboured acquired resistance genes. Mutations associated with a ß-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant phenotype were present in four strains (8.2 %). The potential virulence factors, urease, haemoglobin- and haptoglobin-binding protein/carbamate kinase, and OmpP5 (OmpA), were encoded in more than half of the strains. The genes for HMW1, HMW2, H. influenzae adhesin, a IgA-specific serine endopeptidase autotransporter precursor, a TonB-dependent siderophore, an ABC-transporter ATP-binding protein, a methyltransferase, a BolA-family transcriptional regulator, glycosyltransferase Lic2B, a helix-turn-helix protein, an aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase and another glycosyltransferase were present in less than half of the strains.Conclusion. The H. influenzae strains showed limited levels of resistance, with the highest being against co-trimoxazole. Sequences encoding a carbamate kinase and a haemoglobin- and haemoglobin-haptoglobin-binding-like protein, a glycosyl transferase and an urease may aid the colonization of the CF lung. The adhesins and other identified putative virulence factors did not seem to be necessary for colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ad C Fluit
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jumamurat R Bayjanov
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Barry J Benaissa-Trouw
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Malbert R C Rogers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - María Díez-Aguilar
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (REIPI), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Cantón
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (REIPI), Madrid, Spain
| | - Michael M Tunney
- Department of Pulmonology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - J Stuart Elborn
- Department of Pulmonology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Miquel B Ekkelenkamp
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Jennings MP, Day CJ, Atack JM. How bacteria utilize sialic acid during interactions with the host: snip, snatch, dispatch, match and attach. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168:001157. [PMID: 35316172 PMCID: PMC9558349 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
N -glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), and its precursor N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), commonly referred to as sialic acids, are two of the most common glycans found in mammals. Humans carry a mutation in the enzyme that converts Neu5Ac into Neu5Gc, and as such, expression of Neu5Ac can be thought of as a 'human specific' trait. Bacteria can utilize sialic acids as a carbon and energy source and have evolved multiple ways to take up sialic acids. In order to generate free sialic acid, many bacteria produce sialidases that cleave sialic acid residues from complex glycan structures. In addition, sialidases allow escape from innate immune mechanisms, and can synergize with other virulence factors such as toxins. Human-adapted pathogens have evolved a preference for Neu5Ac, with many bacterial adhesins, and major classes of toxin, specifically recognizing Neu5Ac containing glycans as receptors. The preference of human-adapted pathogens for Neu5Ac also occurs during biosynthesis of surface structures such as lipo-oligosaccharide (LOS), lipo-polysaccharide (LPS) and polysaccharide capsules, subverting the human host immune system by mimicking the host. This review aims to provide an update on the advances made in understanding the role of sialic acid in bacteria-host interactions made in the last 5-10 years, and put these findings into context by highlighting key historical discoveries. We provide a particular focus on 'molecular mimicry' and incorporation of sialic acid onto the bacterial outer-surface, and the role of sialic acid as a receptor for bacterial adhesins and toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Jennings
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christopher J. Day
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - John M. Atack
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
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Kadry NA, Porsch EA, Shen H, St Geme JW. Immunization with HMW1 and HMW2 adhesins protects against colonization by heterologous strains of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2019923118. [PMID: 34344825 PMCID: PMC8364133 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2019923118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a common cause of localized respiratory tract disease and results in significant morbidity. The pathogenesis of NTHi disease begins with nasopharyngeal colonization, and therefore, the prevention of colonization represents a strategy to prevent disease. The NTHi HMW1 and HMW2 proteins are a family of conserved adhesins that are present in 75 to 80% of strains and have been demonstrated to play a critical role in colonization of the upper respiratory tract in rhesus macaques. In this study, we examined the vaccine potential of HMW1 and HMW2 using a mouse model of nasopharyngeal colonization. Immunization with HMW1 and HMW2 by either the subcutaneous or the intranasal route resulted in a strain-specific antibody response associated with agglutination of bacteria and restriction of bacterial adherence. Despite the specificity of the antibody response, immunization resulted in protection against colonization by both the parent NTHi strain and heterologous strains expressing distinct HMW1 and HMW2 proteins. Pretreatment with antibody against IL-17A eliminated protection against heterologous strains, indicating that heterologous protection is IL-17A dependent. This work demonstrates the vaccine potential of the HMW1 and HMW2 proteins and highlights the importance of IL-17A in protection against diverse NTHi strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia A Kadry
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Eric A Porsch
- Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Hao Shen
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Joseph W St Geme
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104;
- Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Phase Variation in HMW1A Controls a Phenotypic Switch in Haemophilus influenzae Associated with Pathoadaptation during Persistent Infection. mBio 2021; 12:e0078921. [PMID: 34154422 PMCID: PMC8262952 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00789-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic variants arising from within-patient evolution shed light on bacterial adaptation during chronic infection. Contingency loci generate high levels of genetic variation in bacterial genomes, enabling adaptation to the stringent selective pressures exerted by the host. A significant gap in our understanding of phase-variable contingency loci is the extent of their contribution to natural infections. The human-adapted pathogen nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) causes persistent infections, which contribute to underlying disease progression. The phase-variable high-molecular-weight (HMW) adhesins located on the NTHi surface mediate adherence to respiratory epithelial cells and, depending on the allelic variant, can also confer high epithelial invasiveness or hyperinvasion. In this study, we characterize the dynamics of HMW-mediated hyperinvasion in living cells and identify a specific HMW binding domain shared by hyperinvasive NTHi isolates of distinct pathological origins. Moreover, we observed that HMW expression decreased over time by using a longitudinal set of persistent NTHi strains collected from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, resulting from increased numbers of simple-sequence repeats (SSRs) downstream of the functional P2hmw1A promoter, which is the one primarily driving HMW expression. Notably, the increased SSR numbers at the hmw1 promoter region also control a phenotypic switch toward lower bacterial intracellular invasion and higher biofilm formation, likely conferring adaptive advantages during chronic airway infection by NTHi. Overall, we reveal novel molecular mechanisms of NTHi pathoadaptation based on within-patient lifestyle switching controlled by phase variation.
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The Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Major Adhesin Hia Is a Dual-Function Lectin That Binds to Human-Specific Respiratory Tract Sialic Acid Glycan Receptors. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02714-20. [PMID: 33144377 PMCID: PMC7642680 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02714-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Host-adapted bacterial pathogens like NTHi have evolved specific mechanisms to colonize their restricted host niche. Relatively few of the adhesins expressed by NTHi have been characterized as regards their binding affinity at the molecular level. In this work, we show that the major NTHi adhesin Hia preferentially binds to Neu5Ac-α2-6-sialyllactosamine, the form of sialic acid expressed in humans. The receptors targeted by Hia in the human airway mirror those targeted by influenza A virus and indicates the broad importance of sialic acid glycans as receptors for microbes that colonize the human airway. NTHi is a human-adapted pathogen that colonizes the human respiratory tract. Strains of NTHi express multiple adhesins; however, there is a unique, mutually exclusive relationship between the major adhesins Hia and HMW1 and HMW2 (HMW1/2). Approximately 25% of NTHi strains express Hia, a phase-variable autotransporter protein that has a critical role in colonization of the host nasopharynx. The remaining 75% of strains express HMW1/2. Previous work has shown that the HMW1 and HMW2 proteins mediate binding to 2-3- and 2-6-linked sialic acid glycans found in the human respiratory tract. Here, we show that the high-affinity binding domain of Hia, binding domain 1 (BD1), is responsible for binding to α2-6-sialyllactosamine (2-6 SLN) glycans. BD1 is highly specific for glycans that incorporate the form of sialic acid expressed by humans, N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac). We further show that Hia has lower-affinity binding activity for 2-3-linked sialic acid and that this binding activity is mediated via a distinct domain. Thus, Hia with its dual binding activities functionally mimics the combined activities of the HMW1 and HMW2 adhesins. In addition, we show that Hia has a role in biofilm formation by strains of NTHi that express the adhesin. Knowledge of the binding affinity of this major NTHi adhesin and putative vaccine candidate will direct and inform development of future vaccines and therapeutic strategies for this important pathogen.
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7
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Non-Typeable Haemophilus influenzae Invade Choroid Plexus Epithelial Cells in a Polar Fashion. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165739. [PMID: 32785145 PMCID: PMC7461124 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165739] [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: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) is a pathogen of the human respiratory tract causing the majority of invasive H. influenzae infections. Severe invasive infections such as septicemia and meningitis occur rarely, but the lack of a protecting vaccine and the increasing antibiotic resistance of NTHI impede treatment and emphasize its relevance as a potential meningitis causing pathogen. Meningitis results from pathogens crossing blood-brain barriers and invading the immune privileged central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we addressed the potential of NTHI to enter the brain by invading cells of the choroid plexus (CP) prior to meningeal inflammation to enlighten NTHI pathophysiological mechanisms. A cell culture model of human CP epithelial cells, which form the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) in vivo, was used to analyze adhesion and invasion by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. NTHI invade CP cells in vitro in a polar fashion from the blood-facing side. Furthermore, NTHI invasion rates are increased compared to encapsulated HiB and HiF strains. Fimbriae occurrence attenuated adhesion and invasion. Thus, our findings underline the role of the BCSFB as a potential entry port for NTHI into the brain and provide strong evidence for a function of the CP during NTHI invasion into the CNS during the course of meningitis.
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8
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Thibau A, Dichter AA, Vaca DJ, Linke D, Goldman A, Kempf VAJ. Immunogenicity of trimeric autotransporter adhesins and their potential as vaccine targets. Med Microbiol Immunol 2020; 209:243-263. [PMID: 31788746 PMCID: PMC7247748 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-019-00649-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The current problem of increasing antibiotic resistance and the resurgence of numerous infections indicate the need for novel vaccination strategies more than ever. In vaccine development, the search for and the selection of adequate vaccine antigens is the first important step. In recent years, bacterial outer membrane proteins have become of major interest, as they are the main proteins interacting with the extracellular environment. Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are important virulence factors in many Gram-negative bacteria, are localised on the bacterial surface, and mediate the first adherence to host cells in the course of infection. One example is the Neisseria adhesin A (NadA), which is currently used as a subunit in a licensed vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis. Other TAAs that seem promising vaccine candidates are the Acinetobacter trimeric autotransporter (Ata), the Haemophilus influenzae adhesin (Hia), and TAAs of the genus Bartonella. Here, we review the suitability of various TAAs as vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Thibau
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alexander A. Dichter
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Diana J. Vaca
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dirk Linke
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Adrian Goldman
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Volkhard A. J. Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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9
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Abstract
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a leading cause of respiratory tract infections worldwide and continues to be a global health burden. Adhesion and colonization of host cells are crucial steps in bacterial pathogenesis, and in many strains of NTHi, the interaction with the host is mediated by the high molecular weight adhesins HMW1A and HMW2A. These adhesins are N-glycoproteins that are modified by cytoplasmic glycosyltransferases HMW1C and HMW2C. Phase variation in the number of short sequence repeats in the promoters of hmw1A and hmw2A directly affects their expression. Here, we report the presence of similar variable repeat elements in the promoters of hmw1C and hmw2C in diverse NTHi isolates. In an ex vivo assay, we systematically altered the substrate and glycosyltransferase expression and showed that both of these factors quantitatively affected the site-specific efficiency of glycosylation on HMW-A. This represents a novel mechanism through which phase variation can generate diversity in the quantitative extent of site-specific post-translational modifications on antigenic surface proteins. Glycosylation occupancy was incomplete at many sites, variable between sites, and generally lower close to the C-terminus of HMW-A. We investigated the causes of this variability. As HMW-C glycosylates HMW-A in the cytoplasm, we tested how secretion affected glycosylation on HMW-A and showed that retaining HMW-A in the cytoplasm indeed increased glycosylation occupancy across the full length of the protein. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that HMW-C had no inherent preference for glycosylating asparagines in NxS or NxT sequons. This work provides key insights into factors contributing to the heterogenous modifications of NTHi HMW-A adhesins, expands knowledge of NTHi population diversity and pathogenic capability, and is relevant to vaccine design for NTHi and related pathogens.
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Nothaft H, Szymanski CM. New discoveries in bacterial N-glycosylation to expand the synthetic biology toolbox. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019; 53:16-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Phase-variable bacterial loci: how bacteria gamble to maximise fitness in changing environments. Biochem Soc Trans 2019; 47:1131-1141. [PMID: 31341035 DOI: 10.1042/bst20180633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Phase-variation of genes is defined as the rapid and reversible switching of expression - either ON-OFF switching or the expression of multiple allelic variants. Switching of expression can be achieved by a number of different mechanisms. Phase-variable genes typically encode bacterial surface structures, such as adhesins, pili, and lipooligosaccharide, and provide an extra contingency strategy in small-genome pathogens that may lack the plethora of 'sense-and-respond' gene regulation systems found in other organisms. Many bacterial pathogens also encode phase-variable DNA methyltransferases that control the expression of multiple genes in systems called phasevarions (phase-variable regulons). The presence of phase-variable genes allows a population of bacteria to generate a number of phenotypic variants, some of which may be better suited to either colonising certain host niches, surviving a particular environmental condition and/or evading an immune response. The presence of phase-variable genes complicates the determination of an organism's stably expressed antigenic repertoire; many phase-variable genes are highly immunogenic, and so would be ideal vaccine candidates, but unstable expression due to phase-variation may allow vaccine escape. This review will summarise our current understanding of phase-variable genes that switch expression by a variety of mechanisms, and describe their role in disease and pathobiology.
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12
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Atack JM, Weinert LA, Tucker AW, Husna AU, Wileman TM, F. Hadjirin N, Hoa NT, Parkhill J, Maskell DJ, Blackall PJ, Jennings MP. Streptococcus suis contains multiple phase-variable methyltransferases that show a discrete lineage distribution. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:11466-11476. [PMID: 30304532 PMCID: PMC6265453 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus suis is a major pathogen of swine, responsible for a number of chronic and acute infections, and is also emerging as a major zoonotic pathogen, particularly in South-East Asia. Our study of a diverse population of S. suis shows that this organism contains both Type I and Type III phase-variable methyltransferases. In all previous examples, phase-variation of methyltransferases results in genome wide methylation differences, and results in differential regulation of multiple genes, a system known as the phasevarion (phase-variable regulon). We hypothesized that each variant in the Type I and Type III systems encoded a methyltransferase with a unique specificity, and could therefore control a distinct phasevarion, either by recombination-driven shuffling between different specificities (Type I) or by biphasic on-off switching via simple sequence repeats (Type III). Here, we present the identification of the target specificities for each Type III allelic variant from S. suis using single-molecule, real-time methylome analysis. We demonstrate phase-variation is occurring in both Type I and Type III methyltransferases, and show a distinct association between methyltransferase type and presence, and population clades. In addition, we show that the phase-variable Type I methyltransferase was likely acquired at the origin of a highly virulent zoonotic sub-population.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Atack
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Lucy A Weinert
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Alexander W Tucker
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Asma U Husna
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Thomas M Wileman
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Nazreen F. Hadjirin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Ngo T Hoa
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), 764 Vo Van Kiet, Quan 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, and Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | | | - Duncan J Maskell
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Patrick J Blackall
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Michael P Jennings
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
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Insights into the population structure and pan-genome of Haemophilus influenzae. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 67:126-135. [PMID: 30391557 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The human-restricted bacterium Haemophilus influenzae is responsible for respiratory infections in both children and adults. While colonization begins in the upper airways, it can spread throughout the respiratory tract potentially leading to invasive infections. Although the spread of H. influenzae serotype b (Hib) has been prevented by vaccination, the emergence of infections by other serotypes as well as by non-typeable isolates (NTHi) have been observed, prompting the need for novel prevention strategies. Here, we aimed to study the population structure of H. influenzae and to get some insights into its pan-genome. We studied 305H. influenzae strains, enrolling 217 publicly available genomes, as well as 88 newly sequenced H. influenzae invasive strains isolated in Portugal, spanning a 24-year period. NTHi isolates presented a core-SNP-based genetic diversity about 10-fold higher than the one observed for Hib. The analysis of key factors involved in pathogenesis, such as lipooligosaccharides, hemagglutinating pili and High Molecular Weight-adhesins, suggests that NTHi shape its virulence repertoire, either by acquisition and loss of genes or by SNP-based diversification, likely towards host immune evasion and persistence. Discreet NTHi subpopulations structures are proposed based on core-genome supported with 17 candidate genetic markers identified in the accessory genome. Additionally, this study provides two bioinformatics tools for in silico rapid identification of H. influenzae serotypes and NTHi clades previously proposed, obviating laboratory-based demanding procedures. The present study constitutes an important genomic framework that could lay way for future studies on the genetic determinants underlying invasiveness and disease and population structure of H. influenzae.
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Atack JM, Day CJ, Poole J, Brockman KL, Bakaletz LO, Barenkamp SJ, Jennings MP. The HMW2 adhesin of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae is a human-adapted lectin that mediates high-affinity binding to 2-6 linked N-acetylneuraminic acid glycans. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 503:1103-1107. [PMID: 29944882 PMCID: PMC6095747 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.06.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a human-adapted bacterial pathogen, responsible for infections of the human respiratory tract. This pathogen expresses a range of adhesins that mediate binding to host cells. Most NTHi strains can express the related adhesins HMW1 and HMW2. Expression of HMW proteins is phase-variable: changes in the length of simple-sequence repeats located in the encoding genes promoter regions results in changes in expression levels of these adhesins. HMW expression is also controlled by epigenetic regulation. HMW1 has been previously demonstrated to bind α 2-3 sialyl-lactosamine, but affinity of this interaction has not been investigated. The host receptor(s) for HMW2 is currently unknown. We hypothesized that host glycans may act as receptors for HMW2-mediated adherence. We examined the glycan-binding activity of HMW2 using glycan arrays and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). These studies demonstrate that HMW2 binds 2-6 linked N-acetylneuraminic acid with high affinity. HMW2 did not bind glycan structures containing the non-human form of sialic acid, N-glycolylneuraminic acid. Thus, the specificity of HMW1 and HMW2 have complementary lectin activities that may allow NTHi distinct niches in the human host.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Atack
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Christopher J Day
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Jessica Poole
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Kenneth L Brockman
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Lauren O Bakaletz
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Stephen J Barenkamp
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, The Pediatric Research Institute, Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, Saint Louis, MO, 63104, USA
| | - Michael P Jennings
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia.
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15
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Osman KL, Jefferies JM, Woelk CH, Cleary DW, Clarke SC. The adhesins of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2018; 16:187-196. [PMID: 29415569 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2018.1438263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is an opportunistic pathogen of the respiratory tract and the greatest contributor to invasive Haemophilus disease. Additionally, in children, NTHi is responsible for the majority of otitis media (OM) which can lead to chronic infection and hearing loss. In adults, NTHi infection in the lungs is responsible for the onset of acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccine available to protect against NTHi infections. Areas covered: NTHi uses an arsenal of adhesins to colonise the respiratory epithelium. The adhesins also have secondary roles that aid in the virulence of NTHi, including mechanisms that avoid immune clearance, adjust pore size to avoid antimicrobial destruction, form micro-colonies and invoke phase variation for protein mediation. Bacterial adhesins can also be ideal antigens for subunit vaccine design due to surface exposure and immunogenic capabilities. Expert commentary: The host-pathogen interactions of the NTHi adhesins are not fully investigated. The relationship between adhesins and the extracellular matrix (ECM) play a part in the success of NTHi colonisation and virulence by immune evasion, migration and biofilm development. Further research into these immunogenic proteins would further our understanding and enable a basis for better combatting NTHi disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen L Osman
- a Faulty of Medicine , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK
| | | | - Christopher H Woelk
- a Faulty of Medicine , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK.,b Merck Exploratory Science Center , Merck Research Laboratories , Cambridge , MA , USA
| | - David W Cleary
- a Faulty of Medicine , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK.,c Faculty of Medicine and Institute for Life Sciences , University of Southampton , Southampton SO17 1BJ , UK.,d NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre , University Hospital Southampton Foundation NHS Trust , Southampton SO16 6YD , UK
| | - Stuart C Clarke
- a Faulty of Medicine , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK.,c Faculty of Medicine and Institute for Life Sciences , University of Southampton , Southampton SO17 1BJ , UK.,d NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre , University Hospital Southampton Foundation NHS Trust , Southampton SO16 6YD , UK.,e Global Health Research Institute , University of Southampton , Southampton SO17 1BJ , UK
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Immunogenicity of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Outer Membrane Vesicles and Protective Ability in the Chinchilla Model of Otitis Media. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2017; 24:CVI.00138-17. [PMID: 28768669 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00138-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) produced by Gram-negative bacteria are enriched in several outer membrane components, including major and minor outer membrane proteins and lipooligosaccharide. We assessed the functional activity of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) OMV-specific antisera and the protective ability of NTHi OMVs as vaccine antigens in the chinchilla otitis media model. OMVs were purified from three HMW1/HMW2-expressing NTHi strains, two of which were also engineered to overexpress Hia proteins. OMV-specific antisera raised in guinea pigs were assessed for their ability to mediate killing of representative NTHi in an opsonophagocytic assay. The three OMV-specific antisera mediated killing of 18 of 65, 24 of 65, and 30 of 65 unrelated HMW1/HMW2-expressing NTHi strains. Overall, they mediated killing of 39 of 65 HMW1/HMW2-expressing strains. The two Hia-expressing OMV-specific antisera mediated killing of 17 of 25 and 14 of 25 unrelated Hia-expressing NTHi strains. Overall, they mediated killing of 20 of 25 Hia-expressing strains. OMVs from prototype NTHi strain 12 were used to immunize chinchillas and the course of middle ear infection was monitored following intrabullar challenge with the homologous strain. All control animals developed culture-positive otitis media, as did two of three HMW1/HMW2-immunized animals. All OMV-immunized animals, with or without supplemental HMW1/HMW2 immunization, were completely protected against otitis media. NTHi OMVs are the first immunogens examined in this model that provided complete protection with sterile immunity after NTHi strain 12 challenge. These data suggest that NTHi OMVs hold significant potential as components of protective NTHi vaccines, possibly in combination with HMW1/HMW2 proteins.
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17
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Characterisation of invasive clinical Haemophilus influenzae isolates in Queensland, Australia using whole-genome sequencing. Epidemiol Infect 2017; 145:1727-1736. [PMID: 28260537 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268817000450] [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] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Haemophilus influenzae is an important aetiological organism of both adult and child respiratory disease. The number of non-typeable (NTHi) invasive H. influenzae isolates referred to the Queensland (QLD) Public Health Microbiology laboratory has increased notably year-by-year. In this study we used whole-genome sequencing to molecularly characterise 100 referred invasive H. influenzae, including 74 NTHi isolates over a 15-year period, observing the carriage of capsular and putative virulence genes, including the major adhesins, antimicrobial resistance genes and population diversity. Encapsulated isolates were largely clonal, however NTHi isolates displayed high genetic variability by MLST and single nucleotide polymorphism typing with no dominant clone observed. The only mechanism for β-lactam resistance identified in the QLD isolates was β-lactamase production. No single set of virulence determinants was conclusively associated with invasive QLD NTHi isolates.
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18
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Ryan AF, Bakaletz LO, Juhn SK, Jung TTK, Li JD. 5. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/00034894021110s308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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19
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The HMW1 and HMW2 Adhesins Enhance the Ability of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae To Colonize the Upper Respiratory Tract of Rhesus Macaques. Infect Immun 2016; 84:2771-8. [PMID: 27430270 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00153-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) initiates infection by colonizing the upper respiratory tract and is a common cause of localized respiratory tract disease. Previous work has established that the NTHi HMW1 and HMW2 proteins are potent adhesins that mediate efficient in vitro adherence to cultured human respiratory epithelial cells. In this study, we used a rhesus macaque model to assess the contributions of HMW1 and HMW2 to in vivo colonization. In experiments involving inoculation of individual isogenic derivatives of NTHi strain 12, the parent strain expressing both HMW1 and HMW2 and the mutant strains expressing either HMW1 or HMW2 were able to colonize more frequently than the double mutant strain lacking HMW1 and HMW2. In competition experiments, the parent strain efficiently outcompeted the double mutant lacking HMW1 and HMW2. Colonization with strains expressing HMW2 resulted in development of antibody against HMW2 in a number of the animals, demonstrating that colonization can stimulate an antibody response. In conclusion, we have established that the HMW1 and HMW2 adhesins play a major role in facilitating colonization of the upper respiratory tract of rhesus macaques, in some cases associated with stimulation of an immune response.
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20
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Duell BL, Su YC, Riesbeck K. Host-pathogen interactions of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae: from commensal to pathogen. FEBS Lett 2016; 590:3840-3853. [PMID: 27508518 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a commensal microbe often isolated from the upper and lower respiratory tract. This bacterial species can cause sinusitis, acute otitis media in preschool children, exacerbations in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as conjunctivitis and bacteremia. Since the introduction of a vaccine against H. influenzae serotype b in the 1990s, the burden of H. influenzae-related infections has been increasingly dominated by NTHi. Understanding the ability of NTHi to cause infection is currently an expanding area of study. NTHi is able to exert differential binding to the host tissue through the use of a broad range of adhesins. NTHi survival in the host is multifaceted, that is, using virulence factors involved in complement resistance, biofilm, modified immunoglobulin responses, and, finally, formation and utilization of host proteins as a secondary strategy of increasing the adhesive ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Luke Duell
- Clinical Microbiology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Yu-Ching Su
- Clinical Microbiology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Kristian Riesbeck
- Clinical Microbiology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
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21
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Recombinant C-terminal 311 amino acids of HapS adhesin as a vaccine candidate for nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae: A study on immunoreactivity in Balb/C mouse. Microb Pathog 2016; 98:106-11. [PMID: 27377430 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2016.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Revised: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Hap, an auto-transporter protein, is an antigenically conserved adhesion protein which is present on both typeable and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. This protein has central role in bacterial attachment to respiratory tract epithelial cells. A 1000bp C-terminal fragment of Hap passenger domain (HapS) from nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae was cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector, pET-24a. BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously with purified rC-HapS. Serum IgG responses to purified rC-HapS, serum IgG subclasses were determined by ELISA and functional activity of antibodies was examined by Serum Bactericidal Assay. The output of rC-HapS was approximately 62% of the total bacterial proteins. Serum IgG responses were significantly increased in immunized group with rC-HapS mixed with Freund's adjuvant in comparison with control groups. Analysis of the serum IgG subclasses showed that the IgG1 subclass was predominant after subcutaneous immunization in BALB/c mice (IgG2a/IgG1 < 1). The sera from rC-HapS immunized animals were strongly bactericidal against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. These results suggest that rC-HapS may be a potential vaccine candidate for nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae.
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22
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Khan MN, Ren D, Kaur R, Basha S, Zagursky R, Pichichero ME. Developing a vaccine to prevent otitis media caused by nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. Expert Rev Vaccines 2016; 15:863-78. [PMID: 26894630 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2016.1156539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a predominant organism of the upper respiratory nasopharyngeal microbiota. Its disease spectrum includes otitis media, sinusitis, non-bacteremic pneumonia and invasive infections. Protein-based vaccines to prevent NTHi infections are needed to alleviate these infections in children and vulnerable populations such as the elderly and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One NTHi protein is included in a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and has been shown to provide efficacy. Our lab has been interested in understanding the immunogenicity of NTHi vaccine candidates P6, protein D and OMP26 for preventing acute otitis media in young children. We expect that continued investigation and progress in the development of an efficacious protein based vaccine against NTHi infections is achievable in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Nadeem Khan
- a Center for Infectious Disease and Immunology , Rochester General Hospital Research Institute , Rochester , NY , USA
| | - Dabin Ren
- a Center for Infectious Disease and Immunology , Rochester General Hospital Research Institute , Rochester , NY , USA
| | - Ravinder Kaur
- a Center for Infectious Disease and Immunology , Rochester General Hospital Research Institute , Rochester , NY , USA
| | - Saleem Basha
- a Center for Infectious Disease and Immunology , Rochester General Hospital Research Institute , Rochester , NY , USA
| | - Robert Zagursky
- a Center for Infectious Disease and Immunology , Rochester General Hospital Research Institute , Rochester , NY , USA
| | - Michael E Pichichero
- a Center for Infectious Disease and Immunology , Rochester General Hospital Research Institute , Rochester , NY , USA
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23
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VanWagoner TM, Atack JM, Nelson KL, Smith HK, Fox KL, Jennings MP, Stull TL, Smith AL. The modA10 phasevarion of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae R2866 regulates multiple virulence-associated traits. Microb Pathog 2015; 92:60-67. [PMID: 26718097 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a human restricted commensal and pathogen that elicits inflammation by adhering to and invading airway epithelia cells: transcytosis across these cells can result in systemic infection. NTHi strain R2866 was isolated from the blood of a normal 30-month old infant with meningitis, and is unusual for NTHi in that it is able to cause systemic infection. Strain R2866 is able to replicate in normal human serum due to expression of lgtC which mimics human blood group p(k). R2866 contains a phase-variable DNA methyltransferase, modA10 which switches ON and OFF randomly and reversibly due to polymerase slippage over a long tetrameric repeat tract located in its open reading frame. Random gain or loss of repeats during replication can results in expressed (ON), or not expressed (OFF) states, the latter due to a frameshift or transcriptional termination at a premature stop codon. We sought to determine if the unusual virulence of R2866 was modified by modA10 phase-variation. A modA10 knockout mutant was found to have increased adherence to, and invasion of, human ear and airway monolayers in culture, and increased invasion and transcytosis of polarized human bronchial epithelial cells. Intriguingly, the rate of bacteremia was lower in the infant rat model of infection than a wild-type R2866 strain, but the fatality rate was greater. Transcriptional analysis comparing the modA10 knockout to the R2866 wild-type parent strain showed increased expression of genes in the modA10 knockout whose products mediate cellular adherence. We conclude that loss of ModA10 function in strain R2866 enhances colonization and invasion by increasing expression of genes that allow for increased adherence, which can contribute to the increased virulence of this strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M VanWagoner
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, 73104, OK, USA
| | - John M Atack
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Kevin L Nelson
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Hannah K Smith
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Kate L Fox
- School of Chemical and Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Michael P Jennings
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Terrence L Stull
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, 73104, OK, USA
| | - Arnold L Smith
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
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24
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Naturally Acquired HMW1- and HMW2-Specific Serum Antibodies in Adults and Children Mediate Opsonophagocytic Killing of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2015; 23:37-46. [PMID: 26512048 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00502-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The HMW1 and HMW2 proteins are highly immunogenic adhesins expressed by approximately 75% of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) strains, and HMW1- and HMW2-specific antibodies can mediate opsonophagocytic killing of NTHi. In this study, we assessed the ability of HMW1- and HMW2-specific antibodies in sera from healthy adults and convalescent-phase sera from children with NTHi otitis media to mediate killing of homologous and heterologous NTHi. The serum samples were examined pre- and postadsorption on HMW1 and HMW2 affinity columns, and affinity-purified antibodies were assessed for ability to mediate killing of homologous and heterologous strains. Adult serum samples mediated the killing of six prototype NTHi strains at titers of <1:10 to 1:1,280. HMW1- and HMW2-adsorbed sera demonstrated unchanged to 8-fold decreased opsonophagocytic titers against the homologous strains. Each affinity-purified antibody preparation mediated the killing of the respective homologous strain at titers of <1:10 to 1:320 and of the five heterologous strains at titers of <1:10 to 1:320, with most preparations killing most heterologous strains to some degree. None of the acute-phase serum samples from children mediated killing, but each convalescent-phase serum sample mediated killing of the infecting strain at titers of 1:40 to 1:640. HMW1- and HMW2-adsorbed convalescent-phase serum samples demonstrated ≥4-fold decreases in titer. Three of four affinity-purified antibody preparations mediated killing of the infecting strain at titers of 1:20 to 1:320, but no killing of representative heterologous strains was observed. HMW1- and HMW2-specific antibodies capable of mediating opsonophagocytic killing are present in the serum from normal adults and develop in convalescent-phase sera of children with NTHi otitis media. Continued investigation of the HMW1 and HMW2 proteins as potential vaccine candidates for the prevention of NTHi disease is warranted.
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25
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Ormerod KL, George NM, Fraser JA, Wainwright C, Hugenholtz P. Comparative genomics of non-pseudomonal bacterial species colonising paediatric cystic fibrosis patients. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1223. [PMID: 26401445 PMCID: PMC4579023 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic disorder cystic fibrosis is a life-limiting condition affecting ∼70,000 people worldwide. Targeted, early, treatment of the dominant infecting species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, has improved patient outcomes; however, there is concern that other species are now stepping in to take its place. In addition, the necessarily long-term antibiotic therapy received by these patients may be providing a suitable environment for the emergence of antibiotic resistance. To investigate these issues, we employed whole-genome sequencing of 28 non-Pseudomonas bacterial strains isolated from three paediatric patients. We did not find any trend of increasing antibiotic resistance (either by mutation or lateral gene transfer) in these isolates in comparison with other examples of the same species. In addition, each isolate contained a virulence gene repertoire that was similar to other examples of the relevant species. These results support the impaired clearance of the CF lung not demanding extensive virulence for survival in this habitat. By analysing serial isolates of the same species we uncovered several examples of strain persistence. The same strain of Staphylococcus aureus persisted for nearly a year, despite administration of antibiotics to which it was shown to be sensitive. This is consistent with previous studies showing antibiotic therapy to be inadequate in cystic fibrosis patients, which may also explain the lack of increasing antibiotic resistance over time. Serial isolates of two naturally multi-drug resistant organisms, Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, revealed that while all S. maltophilia strains were unique, A. xylosoxidans persisted for nearly five years, making this a species of particular concern. The data generated by this study will assist in developing an understanding of the non-Pseudomonas species associated with cystic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L. Ormerod
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Narelle M. George
- Health Support Queensland, Department of Health, Queensland Government, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - James A. Fraser
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Claire Wainwright
- School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Queensland Children’s Medical Research Insitute, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Philip Hugenholtz
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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26
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Atack JM, Winter LE, Jurcisek JA, Bakaletz LO, Barenkamp SJ, Jennings MP. Selection and Counterselection of Hia Expression Reveals a Key Role for Phase-Variable Expression of Hia in Infection Caused by Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. J Infect Dis 2015; 212:645-53. [PMID: 25712964 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiv103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hia is a major adhesin of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and has long been investigated as a vaccine candidate. Here we show that Hia phase variation is controlled by changes in the length of a polythymidine tract located in the hia promoter. Studies of an invasive clinical isolate (strain R2866) show that strains expressing high Hia levels are more efficiently killed by opsonophagocytosis. An opsonophagocytic assay was used to select for a subpopulation of variants that expressed a low level of Hia, which facilitated their escape from killing by anti-Hia antisera. Conversely, a subpopulation of variants expressing a high level of Hia was selected for during passaging through Chang cells. In both cases, phase variation of Hia expression corresponded directly with discrete modal changes in polythymidine tract length. In the chinchilla model of NTHi infection, we observed consistent selection for high Hia expression upon nasopharyngeal colonization, confirming the key role of phase-variable expression of Hia within a specific niche in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Atack
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Linda E Winter
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine Pediatric Research Institute, Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Joseph A Jurcisek
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus
| | - Lauren O Bakaletz
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus
| | - Stephen J Barenkamp
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine Pediatric Research Institute, Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, Saint Louis, Missouri
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Haemophilus influenzae surface fibril (Hsf) is a unique twisted hairpin-like trimeric autotransporter. Int J Med Microbiol 2014; 305:27-37. [PMID: 25465160 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Revised: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Haemophilus surface fibril (Hsf) is an extraordinary large (2413 amino acids) trimeric autotransporter, present in all encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae. It contributes to virulence by directly functioning as an adhesin. Furthermore, Hsf recruits the host factor vitronectin thereby inhibiting the host innate immune response resulting in enhanced survival in serum. Here we observed by electron microscopy that Hsf appears as an 100 nm long fibril at the bacterial surface albeit the length is approximately 200 nm according to a bioinformatics based model. To unveil this discrepancy, we denaturated Hsf at the surface of Hib by using guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl). Partial denaturation induced in the presence of GuHCl unfolded the Hsf molecules, and resulted in an increased length of fibres in comparison to the native trimeric form. Importantly, our findings were also verified by E. coli expressing Hsf at its surface. In addition, a set of Hsf-specific peptide antibodies also indicated that the N-terminal of Hsf is located near the C-terminal at the base of the fibril. Taken together, our results demonstrated that Hsf is not a straight molecule but is folded and doubled over. This is the first report that provides the unique structural features of the trimeric autotransporter Hsf.
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Davis GS, Patel M, Hammond J, Zhang L, Dawid S, Marrs CF, Gilsdorf JR. Prevalence, distribution, and sequence diversity of hmwA among commensal and otitis media non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2014; 28:223-32. [PMID: 25290952 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2014.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2014] [Revised: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 09/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) are Gram-negative coccobacilli that colonize the human pharynx, their only known natural reservoir. Adherence to the host epithelium facilitates NTHi colonization and marks one of the first steps in NTHi pathogenesis. Epithelial cell attachment is mediated, in part, by a pair of high molecular weight (HMW) adhesins that are highly immunogenic, antigenically diverse, and display a wide range of amino acid diversity both within and between isolates. In this study, the prevalence of hmwA, which encodes the HMW adhesin, was determined for a collection of 170 NTHi isolates recovered from the middle ears of children with otitis media (OM isolates) or throats or nasopharynges of healthy children (commensal isolates) from Finland, Israel, and the U.S. Overall, hmwA was detected in 61% of NTHi isolates and was significantly more prevalent (P=0.004) among OM isolates than among commensal isolates; the prevalence ratio comparing hmwA prevalence among ear isolates with that of commensal isolates was 1.47 (95% CI (1.12, 1.92)). Ninety-five percent (98/103) of the hmwA-positive NTHi isolates possessed two hmw loci. To advance our understanding of hmwA binding sequence diversity, we determined the DNA sequence of the hmwA binding region of 33 isolates from this collection. The average amino acid identity across all hmwA sequences was 62%. Phylogenetic analyses of the hmwA binding revealed four distinct sequence clusters, and the majority of hmwA sequences (83%) belonged to one of two dominant sequence clusters. hmwA sequences did not cluster by chromosomal location, geographic region, or disease status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg S Davis
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - May Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, D5101 Medical Professional Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5718, USA.
| | - James Hammond
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Lixin Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, 909 Fee Road Room B601, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA..
| | - Suzanne Dawid
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, D5101 Medical Professional Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5718, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Carl F Marrs
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Janet R Gilsdorf
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, D5101 Medical Professional Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5718, USA.
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van Ulsen P, Rahman SU, Jong WS, Daleke-Schermerhorn MH, Luirink J. Type V secretion: From biogenesis to biotechnology. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2014; 1843:1592-611. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2013.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2013] [Revised: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Davis GS, Marino S, Marrs CF, Gilsdorf JR, Dawid S, Kirschner DE. Phase variation and host immunity against high molecular weight (HMW) adhesins shape population dynamics of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae within human hosts. J Theor Biol 2014; 355:208-18. [PMID: 24747580 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2014.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Revised: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a bacterium that resides within the human pharynx. Because NTHi is human-restricted, its long-term survival is dependent upon its ability to successfully colonize new hosts. Adherence to host epithelium, mediated by bacterial adhesins, is one of the first steps in NTHi colonization. NTHi express several adhesins, including the high molecular weight (HMW) adhesins that mediate attachment to the respiratory epithelium where they interact with the host immune system to elicit a strong humoral response. hmwA, which encodes the HMW adhesin, undergoes phase variation mediated by 7-base pair tandem repeats located within its promoter region. Repeat number affects both hmwA transcription and HMW-adhesin production such that as the number of repeats increases, adhesin production decreases. Cells expressing large amounts of HMW adhesins may be critical for the establishment and maintenance of NTHi colonization, but they might also incur greater fitness costs when faced with an adhesin-specific antibody-mediated immune response. We hypothesized that the occurrence of large deletion events within the hmwA repeat region allows NTHi cells to maintain adherence in the presence of antibody-mediated immunity. To study this, we developed a mathematical model, incorporating hmwA phase variation and antibody-mediated immunity, to explore the trade-off between bacterial adherence and immune evasion. The model predicts that antibody levels and avidity, catastrophic loss rates, and population carrying capacity all significantly affected numbers of adherent NTHi cells within a host. These results suggest that the occurrence of large, yet rare, deletion events allows for stable maintenance of a small population of adherent cells in spite of HMW adhesin specific antibody-mediated immunity. These adherent subpopulations may be important for sustaining colonization and/or maintaining transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg S Davis
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Simeone Marino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, 5641 Med Sci II SPC 5620, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Carl F Marrs
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Janet R Gilsdorf
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, L2225 Women׳s Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Suzanne Dawid
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, 5641 Med Sci II SPC 5620, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; UMHS Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Health System, D5101 MPB, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Denise E Kirschner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, 5641 Med Sci II SPC 5620, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Genome sequencing of disease and carriage isolates of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae identifies discrete population structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:5439-44. [PMID: 24706866 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1403353111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the main hurdles for the development of an effective and broadly protective vaccine against nonencapsulated isolates of Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) lies in the genetic diversity of the species, which renders extremely difficult the identification of cross-protective candidate antigens. To assess whether a population structure of NTHi could be defined, we performed genome sequencing of a collection of diverse clinical isolates representative of both carriage and disease and of the diversity of the natural population. Analysis of the distribution of polymorphic sites in the core genome and of the composition of the accessory genome defined distinct evolutionary clades and supported a predominantly clonal evolution of NTHi, with the majority of genetic information transmitted vertically within lineages. A correlation between the population structure and the presence of selected surface-associated proteins and lipooligosaccharide structure, known to contribute to virulence, was found. This high-resolution, genome-based population structure of NTHi provides the foundation to obtain a better understanding, of NTHi adaptation to the host as well as its commensal and virulence behavior, that could facilitate intervention strategies against disease caused by this important human pathogen.
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A fine-tuned interaction between trimeric autotransporter haemophilus surface fibrils and vitronectin leads to serum resistance and adherence to respiratory epithelial cells. Infect Immun 2014; 82:2378-89. [PMID: 24664511 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01636-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) escapes the host immune system by recruitment of the complement regulator vitronectin, which inhibits the formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC) by inhibiting C5b-C7 complex formation and C9 polymerization. We reported previously that Hib acquires vitronectin at the surface by using Haemophilus surface fibrils (Hsf). Here we studied in detail the interaction between Hsf and vitronectin and its role in the inhibition of MAC formation and the invasion of lung epithelial cells. The vitronectin-binding region of Hsf was defined at the N-terminal region comprising Hsf amino acids 429 to 652. Moreover, the Hsf recognition site on vitronectin consisted of the C-terminal amino acids 352 to 374. H. influenzae was killed more rapidly in vitronectin-depleted serum than in normal human serum (NHS), and increased MAC deposition was observed at the surface of an Hsf-deficient H. influenzae mutant. In parallel, Hsf-expressing Escherichia coli selectively acquired vitronectin from serum, resulting in significant inhibition of the MAC. Moreover, when vitronectin was bound to Hsf, increased bacterial adherence and internalization into epithelial cells were observed. Taking our findings together, we have defined a fine-tuned protein-protein interaction between Hsf and vitronectin that may contribute to increased Hib virulence.
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Gawthorne JA, Tan NY, Bailey UM, Davis MR, Wong LW, Naidu R, Fox KL, Jennings MP, Schulz BL. Selection against glycosylation sites in potential target proteins of the general HMWC N-glycosyltransferase in Haemophilus influenzae. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 445:633-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.02.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Antibodies to the HMW1/HMW2 and Hia adhesins of nontypeable haemophilus influenzae mediate broad-based opsonophagocytic killing of homologous and heterologous strains. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2014; 21:613-21. [PMID: 24574538 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00772-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The HMW1/HMW2 and Hia proteins are highly immunogenic surface adhesins of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). Approximately 75% of NTHi strains express HMW1/HMW2 adhesins, and most of the remaining 25% express an Hia adhesin. Our objective in this study was to assess the ability of antisera raised against purified HMW1/HMW2 proteins or recombinant Hia proteins to mediate opsonophagocytic killing of a large panel of unrelated NTHi strains. Native HMW1/HMW2 proteins were purified from three HMW1/HMW2-expressing NTHi strains. Recombinant fusion proteins expressing surface-exposed segments of either of two prototype Hia proteins were purified from Escherichia coli transformants. Immune sera raised in guinea pigs were assessed for their ability to mediate killing of NTHi in an opsonophagocytic assay with the HL-60 phagocytic cell line. The three HMW1/HMW2 antisera mediated killing of 22 of 65, 43 of 65, and 28 of 65 unrelated HMW1/HMW2-expressing NTHi strains, respectively. As a group, the three sera mediated killing of 48 of 65 HMW1/HMW2-expressing strains. The two Hia immune sera mediated killing of 12 of 24 and 13 of 24 unrelated Hia-expressing NTHi strains, respectively. Together, they mediated killing of 15 of 24 Hia-expressing strains. Neither the HMW1/HMW2 nor the Hia antisera mediated killing of NTHi expressing the alternative adhesin type. Antibodies directed against native HMW1/HMW2 proteins and recombinant Hia proteins are capable of mediating broad-based opsonophagocytic killing of homologous and heterologous NTHi strains. A vaccine formulated with a limited number of HMW1/HMW2 and Hia proteins might provide protection against disease caused by most NTHi strains.
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Vuong J, Wang X, Theodore JM, Whitmon J, Gomez de Leon P, Mayer LW, Carlone GM, Romero-Steiner S. Absence of high molecular weight proteins 1 and/or 2 is associated with decreased adherence among non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae clinical isolates. J Med Microbiol 2013; 62:1649-1656. [DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.058222-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
High molecular weight (Hmw) proteins 1 and 2, type IV pilin protein (PilA), outer-membrane protein P5 (OmpP5), Haemophilus protein D (Hpd) and Haemophilus adhesive protein (Hap) are surface proteins involved in the adherence of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae. One hundred clinical isolates were evaluated for the presence of the genes encoding these proteins by PCR and for their adherence capacity (AC) to Detroit 562 nasopharyngeal cells (D562). The majority of isolates were from blood (77/100); other sites were also represented. Confluent D562 monolayers (1.2×105 cells per well) were inoculated with standardized minimal infective doses (m.o.i.) of 102, 103 or 104 c.f.u. per well. The AC was categorized as low (<10 %) or high (≥10 %) depending on the percentage of c.f.u. adhering per well. All the isolates evaluated showed adherence: 69/100 (69 %) demonstrated high adherence, while 31/100 (31 %) showed low adherence. Of all the genes evaluated, hmw1A and/or hmw2A were detected in 69/100 (69 %) of isolates. The presence of hmw1A and/or hmw2A was associated with increased adherence to D562 cells (P≤0.001). Dot immunoblots were performed to detect protein expression using mAbs 3D6, AD6 and 10C5. Among the high-adherence isolates (n = 69), 72 % reacted with 3D6 and 21 % with 10C5. Our data indicate that the absence of Hmw1 and/or Hmw2 was associated with decreased adherence to D562 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeni Vuong
- Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Jordan M. Theodore
- Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Jennifer Whitmon
- Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Patricia Gomez de Leon
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Leonard W. Mayer
- Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - George M. Carlone
- Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Sandra Romero-Steiner
- Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
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Identification of Haemophilus influenzae clones associated with invasive disease a decade after introduction of H. influenzae serotype b vaccination in Italy. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2013; 20:1223-9. [PMID: 23761663 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00028-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The introduction of Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) conjugate vaccines has changed the epidemiology of invasive H. influenzae disease, with a shift in the predominant serotype from Hib to nonencapsulated H. influenzae (ncHi). The objective of this study was to identify the genotypes/clones associated with invasive H. influenzae disease in Italy. Eighty-seven H. influenzae strains isolated in the years 2009 to 2011 within the National Surveillance of Invasive Bacterial Disease program were analyzed. Strains were characterized by serotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Genetic polymorphisms in the bla(TEM) gene promoter region as well as the occurrence of both adhesin genes (hmwA and hia) and the IgA1 protease-encoding gene (igaB) were also investigated. Of 87 strains, 67 were ncHi and 20 were encapsulated. Eleven strains were β-lactamase positive, harboring the bla(TEM) gene. Most bla(TEM) genes (10/11) were associated with a Pdel promoter region exhibiting a 135-bp deletion; the remaining strain possessed the Pa/Pb overlapping promoter. MLST analysis showed that encapsulated isolates were clonal, with each serotype sharing a few related sequence types (STs). Forty-six different STs were identified among the 67 ncHi strains. Despite this heterogeneity, a group of closely related STs (ST103, ST139, and ST145) encompassed almost 25% of all ncHi strains and 45.5% of the β-lactamase producers carrying the Pdel promoter. These major ST clones were found to be associated with the hmwA gene but not with the igaB gene. To conclude, although the heterogeneity of the ncHi population was confirmed, diffusion of major successful ST clones was documented.
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Nothaft H, Szymanski CM. Bacterial protein N-glycosylation: new perspectives and applications. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:6912-20. [PMID: 23329827 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r112.417857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein glycosylation is widespread throughout all three domains of life. Bacterial protein N-glycosylation and its application to engineering recombinant glycoproteins continue to be actively studied. Here, we focus on advances made in the last 2 years, including the characterization of novel bacterial N-glycosylation pathways, examination of pathway enzymes and evolution, biological roles of protein modification in the native host, and exploitation of the N-glycosylation pathways to create novel vaccines and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Nothaft
- Alberta Glycomics Centre and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
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Watson ME, Nelson KL, Nguyen V, Burnham CAD, Clarridge JE, Qin X, Smith AL. Adhesin genes and serum resistance in Haemophilus influenzae type f isolates. J Med Microbiol 2012; 62:514-524. [PMID: 23242639 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.052175-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of invasive infections due to Haemophilus influenzae has decreased significantly in developed countries with high rates of vaccination against H. influenzae serotype b (Hib). This vaccine provides no protection against H. influenzae serotype f (Hif), typically associated with invasive infections in adults with chronic disease and/or immunodeficiency, and rarely in otherwise healthy adults and children. The specific properties of Hif associated with virulence remain largely uncharacterized. A panel of 26 Hif strains consisting of both invasive disease-associated and mucosal surface non-invasive disease-associated isolates was surveyed by DNA fingerprinting, biotyping and PCR detection of hmw1, hmw2, hsf, the hif fimbrial locus and the lipo-oligosaccharide (LOS) biosynthetic island, and assessment of β-lactamase expression and determination of resistance to the bactericidal activity of normal adult human serum. Repetitive sequence-based PCR fingerprinting differentiated the 26 strains into three clusters, with the majority of isolates (22/26, 84.6 %) clustered into a single indistinguishable group. Most isolates (24/26, 92.3 %) were of biotype I and two isolates produced β-lactamase with detection of a conjugative plasmid, and the isolates displayed a range of resistances to the bactericidal activity of human serum. All 26 isolates carried the adhesin hsf, 21 carried a partial hif fimbrial operon and 4 had the adhesin genes hmw1/2. A LOS biosynthetic island was detected in 20 isolates consisting of the genes lic2BC. It was concluded that Hif has many recognized virulence properties and comprises a relatively homogeneous group independent of the anatomical source from which it was isolated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Watson
- Divison of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kevin L Nelson
- Center for Childhood Infections, Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Victoria Nguyen
- Center for Childhood Infections, Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Carey-Ann D Burnham
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jill E Clarridge
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Xuan Qin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Arnold L Smith
- Center for Childhood Infections, Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Modulation of Kingella kingae adherence to human epithelial cells by type IV Pili, capsule, and a novel trimeric autotransporter. mBio 2012; 3:mBio.00372-12. [PMID: 23093386 PMCID: PMC3482504 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00372-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Kingella kingae is an emerging bacterial pathogen that is being recognized increasingly as an important etiology of septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and bacteremia, especially in young children. Colonization of the posterior pharynx is a key step in the pathogenesis of K. kingae disease. Previous work established that type IV pili are necessary for K. kingae adherence to the respiratory epithelium. In this study, we set out to identify additional factors that influence K. kingae interactions with human epithelial cells. We found that genetic disruption of the gene encoding a predicted trimeric autotransporter protein called Knh (Kingella NhhA homolog) resulted in reduced adherence to human epithelial cells. In addition, we established that K. kingae elaborates a surface-associated polysaccharide capsule that requires a predicted ABC-type transporter export operon called ctrABCD for surface presentation. Furthermore, we discovered that the presence of a surface capsule interferes with Knh-mediated adherence to human epithelial cells by nonpiliated organisms and that maximal adherence in the presence of a capsule requires the predicted type IV pilus retraction machinery, PilT/PilU. On the basis of the data presented here, we propose a novel adherence mechanism that allows K. kingae to adhere efficiently to human epithelial cells while remaining encapsulated and more resistant to immune clearance. IMPORTANCE Kingella kingae is a Gram-negative bacterium that is being recognized increasingly as a cause of joint and bone infections in young children. The pathogenesis of disease due to K. kingae begins with bacterial colonization of the upper respiratory tract, and previous work established that surface hair-like fibers called type IV pili are necessary for K. kingae adherence to respiratory epithelial cells. In this study, we set out to identify additional factors that influence K. kingae interactions with respiratory epithelial cells. We discovered a novel surface protein called Knh that mediates K. kingae adherence and found that a surface-associated carbohydrate capsule interferes with the Knh-mediated adherence of organisms lacking pili. Further analysis revealed that pilus retraction is necessary for maximal Knh-mediated adherence in the presence of the capsule. Our results may lead to new strategies to prevent disease due to K. kingae and potentially other pathogenic bacteria.
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Terra VS, Mills DC, Yates LE, Abouelhadid S, Cuccui J, Wren BW. Recent developments in bacterial protein glycan coupling technology and glycoconjugate vaccine design. J Med Microbiol 2012; 61:919-926. [DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.039438-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa S. Terra
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Dominic C. Mills
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Laura E. Yates
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Sherif Abouelhadid
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Jon Cuccui
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Brendan W. Wren
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
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Identification of Ata, a multifunctional trimeric autotransporter of Acinetobacter baumannii. J Bacteriol 2012; 194:3950-60. [PMID: 22609912 DOI: 10.1128/jb.06769-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii has recently emerged as a highly troublesome nosocomial pathogen, especially in patients in intensive care units and in those undergoing mechanical ventilation. We have identified a surface protein adhesin of A. baumannii, designated the Acinetobacter trimeric autotransporter (Ata), that contains all of the typical features of trimeric autotransporters (TA), including a long signal peptide followed by an N-terminal, surface-exposed passenger domain and a C-terminal domain encoding 4 β-strands. To demonstrate that Ata encoded a TA, we created a fusion protein in which we replaced the entire passenger domain of Ata with the epitope tag V5, which can be tracked with specific monoclonal antibodies, and demonstrated that the C-terminal 101 amino acids of Ata were capable of exporting the heterologous V5 tag to the surface of A. baumannii in a trimeric form. We found that Ata played a role in biofilm formation and bound to various extracellular matrix/basal membrane (ECM/BM) components, including collagen types I, III, IV, and V and laminin. Moreover, Ata mediated the adhesion of whole A. baumannii cells to immobilized collagen type IV and played a role in the survival of A. baumannii in a lethal model of systemic infection in immunocompetent mice. Taken together, these results reveal that Ata is a TA of A. baumannii involved in virulence, including biofilm formation, binding to ECM/BM proteins, mediating the adhesion of A. baumannii cells to collagen type IV, and contributing to the survival of A. baumannii in a mouse model of lethal infection.
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Cardines R, Giufrè M, Pompilio A, Fiscarelli E, Ricciotti G, Bonaventura GD, Cerquetti M. Haemophilus influenzae in children with cystic fibrosis: Antimicrobial susceptibility, molecular epidemiology, distribution of adhesins and biofilm formation. Int J Med Microbiol 2012; 302:45-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2011.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2011] [Revised: 07/26/2011] [Accepted: 08/29/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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Harrison OB, Brueggemann AB, Caugant DA, van der Ende A, Frosch M, Gray S, Heuberger S, Krizova P, Olcen P, Slack M, Taha MK, Maiden MCJ. Molecular typing methods for outbreak detection and surveillance of invasive disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, a review. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2011; 157:2181-2195. [PMID: 21622526 PMCID: PMC3980633 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.050518-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Invasive disease caused by the encapsulated bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite the introduction of successful conjugate polysaccharide vaccines that target disease-associated strains. In addition, resistance, or more accurately reduced susceptibility, to therapeutic antibiotics is spreading in populations of these organisms. There is therefore a continuing requirement for the surveillance of vaccine and non-vaccine antigens and antibiotic susceptibilities among isolates from invasive disease, which is only partially met by conventional methods. This need can be met with molecular and especially nucleotide sequence-based typing methods, which are fully developed in the case of N. meningitidis and which could be more widely deployed in clinical laboratories for S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odile B. Harrison
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | | | - Dominique A. Caugant
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Arie van der Ende
- Academic Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Frosch
- Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Universität Würzburg, Josef-Schneider Strasse 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stephen Gray
- Meningococcal Reference Unit, Health Protection Agency, PO Box 209, Clinical Sciences Building 2, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WZ, UK
| | - Sigrid Heuberger
- Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit GmbH, Bereich Humanmedizin, Institut für medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Beethovenstraße 6, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Paula Krizova
- National Reference Laboratory for Meningococcal Infections, National Institute of Public Health, Srobarova 48, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Per Olcen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Orebro University Hospital, SE-701 85 Orebro, Sweden
| | - Mary Slack
- Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory, Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK
| | | | - Martin C. J Maiden
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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SUNAKAWA K, TAKEUCHI Y, IWATA S. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) Epidemiology. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 85:227-37. [DOI: 10.11150/kansenshogakuzasshi.85.227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Satoshi IWATA
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Keio University School of Medicine
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Choi KJ, Grass S, Paek S, St. Geme JW, Yeo HJ. The Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae HMW1C-like glycosyltransferase mediates N-linked glycosylation of the Haemophilus influenzae HMW1 adhesin. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15888. [PMID: 21209858 PMCID: PMC3012730 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2010] [Accepted: 11/26/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Haemophilus influenzae HMW1 adhesin is an important virulence exoprotein that is secreted via the two-partner secretion pathway and is glycosylated at multiple asparagine residues in consensus N-linked sequons. Unlike the heavily branched glycans found in eukaryotic N-linked glycoproteins, the modifying glycan structures in HMW1 are mono-hexoses or di-hexoses. Recent work demonstrated that the H. influenzae HMW1C protein is the glycosyltransferase responsible for transferring glucose and galactose to the acceptor sites of HMW1. An Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae protein designated ApHMW1C shares high-level homology with HMW1C and has been assigned to the GT41 family, which otherwise contains only O-glycosyltransferases. In this study, we demonstrated that ApHMW1C has N-glycosyltransferase activity and is able to transfer glucose and galactose to known asparagine sites in HMW1. In addition, we found that ApHMW1C is able to complement a deficiency of HMW1C and mediate HMW1 glycosylation and adhesive activity in whole bacteria. Initial structure-function studies suggested that ApHMW1C consists of two domains, including a 15-kDa N-terminal domain and a 55-kDa C-terminal domain harboring glycosyltransferase activity. These findings suggest a new subfamily of HMW1C-like glycosyltransferases distinct from other GT41 family O-glycosyltransferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoung-Jae Choi
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Susan Grass
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Seonghee Paek
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Joseph W. St. Geme
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Hye-Jeong Yeo
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Adhesive activity of the haemophilus cryptic genospecies cha autotransporter is modulated by variation in tandem Peptide repeats. J Bacteriol 2010; 193:329-39. [PMID: 21037000 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00933-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Haemophilus cryptic genospecies is an important cause of maternal genital tract and neonatal systemic infections and initiates infection by colonizing the genital or respiratory epithelium. In recent work, we identified a unique Haemophilus cryptic genospecies protein called Cha, which mediates efficient adherence to genital and respiratory epithelia. The Cha adhesin belongs to the trimeric autotransporter family and contains an N-terminal signal peptide, an internal passenger domain that harbors adhesive activity, and a C-terminal membrane anchor domain. The passenger domain in Cha contains clusters of YadA-like head domains and neck motifs as well as a series of tandem 28-amino-acid peptide repeats. In the current study, we report that variation in peptide repeat number gradually modulates Cha adhesive activity, associated with a direct effect on the length of Cha fibers on the bacterial cell surface. The N-terminal 404 residues of the Cha passenger domain mediate binding to host cells and also facilitate bacterial aggregation through intermolecular Cha-Cha binding. As the tandem peptide repeats expand, the Cha fiber becomes longer and Cha adherence activity decreases. The expansion and contraction of peptide repeats represent a novel mechanism for modulating adhesive capacity, potentially balancing the need of the organism to colonize the genital and respiratory tracts with the ability to attach to alternative substrates, disperse within the host, or evade the host immune system.
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Construction and immunogenicity of recombinant adenovirus vaccines expressing the HMW1, HMW2, or Hia adhesion protein of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2010; 17:1567-75. [PMID: 20685934 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00115-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to construct and assess the immunogenicity of recombinant adenovirus vectors expressing the HMW1, HMW2, or Hia protein of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). These proteins are critical adhesins and potential protective antigens expressed by NTHi. Segments of the hmw1A and hmw2A structural genes that encode the distal one-half of mature HMW1 or HMW2 were cloned into the T7 expression vector pGEMEX-2. These constructs encoded stable HMW1 or HMW2 recombinant fusion protein that expresses B-cell epitopes common to most NTHi strains. A segment of the hia gene that encodes the surface-exposed portion of mature Hia was also cloned into pGEMEX-2. The resulting T7 gene 10 translational fusions were excised from the parent plasmids and cloned into the shuttle plasmid pDC316. Cotransfection of HEK 293 cells with the pDC316 derivatives and pBHGloxΔE1,3Cre resulted in the production of viral plaques from which recombinant adenoviruses expressing fusion proteins were recovered. Chinchillas immunized intraperitoneally with a single 10(8)-PFU dose of either the HMW2 or Hia adenoviral construct developed high anti-HMW2 or anti-Hia serum antibody titers within 4 weeks of immunization. Chinchillas immunized intranasally with a single 10(7)- to 10(9)-PFU dose of the Hia adenoviral construct also developed high anti-Hia serum antibody titers within 8 weeks of immunization. Recombinant adenoviruses represent a promising system to induce mucosal and systemic immunity and protection against mucosal diseases such as otitis media. Recombinant adenoviruses expressing recombinant HMW1, HMW2, or Hia protein will be important new tools in NTHi vaccine development efforts.
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The Haemophilus influenzae HMW1C protein is a glycosyltransferase that transfers hexose residues to asparagine sites in the HMW1 adhesin. PLoS Pathog 2010; 6:e1000919. [PMID: 20523900 PMCID: PMC2877744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2009] [Accepted: 04/23/2010] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The Haemophilus influenzae HMW1 adhesin is a high-molecular weight protein that is secreted by the bacterial two-partner secretion pathway and mediates adherence to respiratory epithelium, an essential early step in the pathogenesis of H. influenzae disease. In recent work, we discovered that HMW1 is a glycoprotein and undergoes N-linked glycosylation at multiple asparagine residues with simple hexose units rather than N-acetylated hexose units, revealing an unusual N-glycosidic linkage and suggesting a new glycosyltransferase activity. Glycosylation protects HMW1 against premature degradation during the process of secretion and facilitates HMW1 tethering to the bacterial surface, a prerequisite for HMW1-mediated adherence. In the current study, we establish that the enzyme responsible for glycosylation of HMW1 is a protein called HMW1C, which is encoded by the hmw1 gene cluster and shares homology with a group of bacterial proteins that are generally associated with two-partner secretion systems. In addition, we demonstrate that HMW1C is capable of transferring glucose and galactose to HMW1 and is also able to generate hexose-hexose bonds. Our results define a new family of bacterial glycosyltransferases. Decoration of proteins with carbohydrates has an important impact on protein function throughout biology and has been recognized increasingly in pathogenic bacteria. Haemophilus influenzae is a common cause of both bacterial respiratory tract disease and bacterial invasive disease and initiates infection by colonizing the upper respiratory tract. The Haemophilus HMW1 adhesin is a large protein that resides on the bacterial surface and mediates bacterial attachment to respiratory epithelial cells, an essential step in the process of colonization. In recent work, we discovered that HMW1 is decorated at multiple sites with short carbohydrate units that serve to prevent degradation and to stabilize association with the bacterial surface. In the current study we identify the enzyme responsible for adding carbohydrate units at specific sites of HMW1. In addition, we demonstrate that this enzyme is capable of creating both carbohydrate-protein and carbohydrate-carbohydrate bonds. The amino acid sequence of this enzyme is similar to the sequences of proteins in several other bacteria, suggesting a new family of bacterial enzymes capable of creating carbohydrate-protein and carbohydrate-carbohydrate bonds.
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Hardy GG, Allen RC, Toh E, Long M, Brown PJB, Cole-Tobian JL, Brun YV. A localized multimeric anchor attaches the Caulobacter holdfast to the cell pole. Mol Microbiol 2010; 76:409-27. [PMID: 20233308 PMCID: PMC2908716 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07106.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Caulobacter crescentus attachment is mediated by the holdfast, a complex of polysaccharide anchored to the cell by HfaA, HfaB and HfaD. We show that all three proteins are surface exposed outer membrane (OM) proteins. HfaA is similar to fimbrial proteins and assembles into a high molecular weight (HMW) form requiring HfaD, but not holdfast polysaccharide. The HfaD HMW form is dependent on HfaA but not on holdfast polysaccharide. We show that HfaA and HfaD form homomultimers and that they require HfaB for stability and OM translocation. All three proteins localize to the late pre-divisional flagellar pole, remain at this pole in swarmer cells, and localize at the stalk tip after the stalk is synthesized at the same pole. Hfa protein localization requires the holdfast polysaccharide secretion proteins and the polar localization factor PodJ. An hfaB mutant is much more severely deficient in adherence and holdfast attachment than hfaA and hfaD mutants. An hfaA, hfaD double mutant phenocopies either single mutant, suggesting that HfaB is involved in holdfast attachment beyond secretion of HfaA and HfaD. We hypothesize that HfaB secretes HfaA and HfaD across the outer membrane, and the three proteins form a complex anchoring the holdfast to the stalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail G. Hardy
- Department of Biology, Jordan Hall 142, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3 St., Bloomington, IN 47405
| | | | - Evelyn Toh
- Department of Biology, Jordan Hall 142, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3 St., Bloomington, IN 47405
| | | | - Pamela J. B. Brown
- Department of Biology, Jordan Hall 142, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3 St., Bloomington, IN 47405
| | | | - Yves V. Brun
- Department of Biology, Jordan Hall 142, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3 St., Bloomington, IN 47405
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