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Adeleye SA, Yadavalli SS. Queuosine biosynthetic enzyme, QueE moonlights as a cell division regulator. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.31.565030. [PMID: 37961685 PMCID: PMC10635034 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.31.565030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
In many organisms, stress responses to adverse environments can trigger secondary functions of certain proteins by altering protein levels, localization, activity, or interaction partners. Escherichia coli cells respond to the presence of specific cationic antimicrobial peptides by strongly activating the PhoQ/PhoP two-component signaling system, which regulates genes important for growth under this stress. As part of this pathway, a biosynthetic enzyme called QueE, which catalyzes a step in the formation of queuosine (Q) tRNA modification is upregulated. When cellular QueE levels are high, it co-localizes with the central cell division protein FtsZ at the septal site, blocking division and resulting in filamentous growth. Here we show that QueE affects cell size in a dose-dependent manner. Using alanine scanning mutagenesis of amino acids in the catalytic active site, we pinpoint particular residues in QueE that contribute distinctly to each of its functions - Q biosynthesis or regulation of cell division, establishing QueE as a moonlighting protein. We further show that QueE orthologs from enterobacteria like Salmonella typhimurium and Klebsiella pneumoniae also cause filamentation in these organisms, but the more distant counterparts from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis lack this ability. By comparative analysis of E. coli QueE with distant orthologs, we elucidate a unique region in this protein that is responsible for QueEs secondary function as a cell division regulator. A dual-function protein like QueE is an exception to the conventional model of one gene, one enzyme, one function, which has divergent roles across a range of fundamental cellular processes including RNA modification and translation to cell division and stress response.
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2
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Barretto LAF, Van PKT, Fowler CC. Conserved patterns of sequence diversification provide insight into the evolution of two-component systems in Enterobacteriaceae. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001215. [PMID: 38502064 PMCID: PMC11004495 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Two-component regulatory systems (TCSs) are a major mechanism used by bacteria to sense and respond to their environments. Many of the same TCSs are used by biologically diverse organisms with different regulatory needs, suggesting that the functions of TCS must evolve. To explore this topic, we analysed the amino acid sequence divergence patterns of a large set of broadly conserved TCS across different branches of Enterobacteriaceae, a family of Gram-negative bacteria that includes biomedically important genera such as Salmonella, Escherichia, Klebsiella and others. Our analysis revealed trends in how TCS sequences change across different proteins or functional domains of the TCS, and across different lineages. Based on these trends, we identified individual TCS that exhibit atypical evolutionary patterns. We observed that the relative extent to which the sequence of a given TCS varies across different lineages is generally well conserved, unveiling a hierarchy of TCS sequence conservation with EnvZ/OmpR as the most conserved TCS. We provide evidence that, for the most divergent of the TCS analysed, PmrA/PmrB, different alleles were horizontally acquired by different branches of this family, and that different PmrA/PmrB sequence variants have highly divergent signal-sensing domains. Collectively, this study sheds light on how TCS evolve, and serves as a compendium for how the sequences of the TCS in this family have diverged over the course of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. F. Barretto
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G2E9, Canada
| | - Patryc-Khang T. Van
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G2E9, Canada
| | - Casey C. Fowler
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G2E9, Canada
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3
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Lobertti CA, Gizzi FO, Magni C, Rial A, Chabalgoity JA, Yim L, Blancato VS, Asquith CRM, García Véscovi E. Enhancing colistin efficacy against Salmonella infections with a quinazoline-based dual therapeutic strategy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5148. [PMID: 38429351 PMCID: PMC10907601 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55793-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Colistin remains one of the last-resort therapies for combating infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterobacterales, despite its adverse nephro- and neuro-toxic effects. This study elucidates the mechanism of action of a non-antibiotic 4-anilinoquinazoline-based compound that synergistically enhances the effectiveness of colistin against Salmonella enterica. The quinazoline sensitizes Salmonella by deactivating intrinsic, mutational, and transferable resistance mechanisms that enable Salmonella to counteract the antibiotic impact colistin, together with an induced disruption to the electrochemical balance of the bacterial membrane. The attenuation of colistin resistance via the combined treatment approach also proves efficacious against E. coli, Klebsiella, and Acinetobacter strains. The dual therapy reduces the mortality of Galleria mellonella larvae undergoing a systemic Salmonella infection when compared to individual drug treatments. Overall, our findings unveil the potential of the quinazoline-colistin combined therapy as an innovative strategy against MDR bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Lobertti
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Fernán O Gizzi
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Christian Magni
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Analía Rial
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Higiene, Universidad de La República, Avda. Alfredo Navarro 3051, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - José A Chabalgoity
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Higiene, Universidad de La República, Avda. Alfredo Navarro 3051, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Lucía Yim
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Higiene, Universidad de La República, Avda. Alfredo Navarro 3051, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Víctor S Blancato
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Christopher R M Asquith
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Eleonora García Véscovi
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina.
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4
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Vinchhi R, Yelpure C, Balachandran M, Matange N. Pervasive gene deregulation underlies adaptation and maladaptation in trimethoprim-resistant E. coli. mBio 2023; 14:e0211923. [PMID: 38032208 PMCID: PMC10746255 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02119-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Bacteria employ a number of mechanisms to adapt to antibiotics. Mutations in transcriptional regulators alter the expression levels of genes that can change the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics. Two-component signaling proteins are a major class of signaling molecule used by bacteria to regulate transcription. In previous work, we found that mutations in MgrB, a feedback regulator of the PhoQP two-component system, conferred trimethoprim tolerance to Escherichia coli. Here, we elucidate how mutations in MgrB have a domino-like effect on the gene regulatory network of E. coli. As a result, pervasive perturbation of gene regulation ensues. Depending on the environmental context, this pervasive deregulation is either adaptive or maladaptive. Our study sheds light on how deregulation of gene expression can be beneficial for bacteria when challenged with antibiotics, and why regulators like MgrB may have evolved in the first place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhea Vinchhi
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pashan, Pune, India
| | - Chetna Yelpure
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pashan, Pune, India
| | - Manasvi Balachandran
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pashan, Pune, India
| | - Nishad Matange
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pashan, Pune, India
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Simoens L, Fijalkowski I, Van Damme P. Exposing the small protein load of bacterial life. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad063. [PMID: 38012116 PMCID: PMC10723866 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The ever-growing repertoire of genomic techniques continues to expand our understanding of the true diversity and richness of prokaryotic genomes. Riboproteogenomics laid the foundation for dynamic studies of previously overlooked genomic elements. Most strikingly, bacterial genomes were revealed to harbor robust repertoires of small open reading frames (sORFs) encoding a diverse and broadly expressed range of small proteins, or sORF-encoded polypeptides (SEPs). In recent years, continuous efforts led to great improvements in the annotation and characterization of such proteins, yet many challenges remain to fully comprehend the pervasive nature of small proteins and their impact on bacterial biology. In this work, we review the recent developments in the dynamic field of bacterial genome reannotation, catalog the important biological roles carried out by small proteins and identify challenges obstructing the way to full understanding of these elusive proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Simoens
- iRIP Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Igor Fijalkowski
- iRIP Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Petra Van Damme
- iRIP Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Jiang S, Steup LC, Kippnich C, Lazaridi S, Malengo G, Lemmin T, Yuan J. The inhibitory mechanism of a small protein reveals its role in antimicrobial peptide sensing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2309607120. [PMID: 37792514 PMCID: PMC10576120 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309607120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A large number of small membrane proteins have been uncovered in bacteria, but their mechanism of action has remained mostly elusive. Here, we investigate the mechanism of a physiologically important small protein, MgrB, which represses the activity of the sensor kinase PhoQ and is widely distributed among enterobacteria. The PhoQ/PhoP two-component system is a master regulator of the bacterial virulence program and interacts with MgrB to modulate bacterial virulence, fitness, and drug resistance. A combination of cross-linking approaches with functional assays and protein dynamic simulations revealed structural rearrangements due to interactions between MgrB and PhoQ near the membrane/periplasm interface and along the transmembrane helices. These interactions induce the movement of the PhoQ catalytic domain and the repression of its activity. Without MgrB, PhoQ appears to be much less sensitive to antimicrobial peptides, including the commonly used C18G. In the presence of MgrB, C18G promotes MgrB to dissociate from PhoQ, thus activating PhoQ via derepression. Our findings reveal the inhibitory mechanism of the small protein MgrB and uncover its importance in antimicrobial peptide sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Jiang
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
| | - Lydia C. Steup
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Kippnich
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
| | - Symela Lazaridi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, 3012Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Malengo
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Lemmin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, 3012Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jing Yuan
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, 35043Marburg, Germany
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Li H, Sun L, Qiao H, Sun Z, Wang P, Xie C, Hu X, Nie T, Yang X, Li G, Zhang Y, Wang X, Li Z, Jiang J, Li C, You X. Polymyxin resistance caused by large-scale genomic inversion due to IS 26 intramolecular translocation in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:3678-3693. [PMID: 37719365 PMCID: PMC10501869 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Polymyxin B and polymyxin E (colistin) are presently considered the last line of defense against human infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms such as carbapenemase-producer Enterobacterales, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Yet resistance to this last-line drugs is a major public health threat and is rapidly increasing. Polymyxin S2 (S2) is a polymyxin B analogue previously synthesized in our institute with obviously high antibacterial activity and lower toxicity than polymyxin B and colistin. To predict the possible resistant mechanism of S2 for wide clinical application, we experimentally induced bacterial resistant mutants and studied the preliminary resistance mechanisms. Mut-S, a resistant mutant of K. pneumoniae ATCC BAA-2146 (Kpn2146) induced by S2, was analyzed by whole genome sequencing, transcriptomics, mass spectrometry and complementation experiment. Surprisingly, large-scale genomic inversion (LSGI) of approximately 1.1 Mbp in the chromosome caused by IS26 mediated intramolecular transposition was found in Mut-S, which led to mgrB truncation, lipid A modification and hence S2 resistance. The resistance can be complemented by plasmid carrying intact mgrB. The same mechanism was also found in polymyxin B and colistin induced drug-resistant mutants of Kpn2146 (Mut-B and Mut-E, respectively). This is the first report of polymyxin resistance caused by IS26 intramolecular transposition mediated mgrB truncation in chromosome in K. pneumoniae. The findings broaden our scope of knowledge for polymyxin resistance and enriched our understanding of how bacteria can manage to survive in the presence of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibin Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Lang Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Han Qiao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zongti Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Penghe Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Chunyang Xie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xinxin Hu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Tongying Nie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xinyi Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Youwen Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xiukun Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zhuorong Li
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jiandong Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Congran Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xuefu You
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
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8
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MgrB Mutations and Altered Cell Permeability in Colistin Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Cells 2022; 11:cells11192995. [PMID: 36230959 PMCID: PMC9564205 DOI: 10.3390/cells11192995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been a resurgence in the clinical use of polymyxin antibiotics such as colistin due to the limited treatment options for infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE). However, this last-resort antibiotic is currently confronted with challenges which include the emergence of chromosomal and plasmid-borne colistin resistance. Colistin resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae is commonly caused by the mutations in the chromosomal gene mgrB. MgrB spans the inner membrane and negatively regulates PhoP phosphorylation, which is essential for bacterial outer membrane lipid biosynthesis. The present review intends to draw attention to the role of mgrB chromosomal mutations in membrane permeability in K. pneumoniae that confer colistin resistance. With growing concern regarding the global emergence of colistin resistance, deciphering physical changes of the resistant membrane mediated by mgrB inactivation may provide new insights for the discovery of novel antimicrobials that are highly effective at membrane penetration, in addition to finding out how this can help in alleviating the resistance situation.
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9
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Real-time detection of response regulator phosphorylation dynamics in live bacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201204119. [PMID: 35994658 PMCID: PMC9436347 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201204119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria utilize two-component system (TCS) signal transduction pathways to sense and adapt to changing environments. In a typical TCS, a stimulus induces a sensor histidine kinase (SHK) to phosphorylate a response regulator (RR), which then dimerizes and activates a transcriptional response. Here, we demonstrate that oligomerization-dependent depolarization of excitation light by fused mNeonGreen fluorescent protein probes enables real-time monitoring of RR dimerization dynamics in live bacteria. Using inducible promoters to independently express SHKs and RRs, we detect RR dimerization within seconds of stimulus addition in several model pathways. We go on to combine experiments with mathematical modeling to reveal that TCS phosphosignaling accelerates with SHK expression but decelerates with RR expression and SHK phosphatase activity. We further observe pulsatile activation of the SHK NarX in response to addition and depletion of the extracellular electron acceptor nitrate when the corresponding TCS is expressed from both inducible systems and the native chromosomal operon. Finally, we combine our method with polarized light microscopy to enable single-cell measurements of RR dimerization under changing stimulus conditions. Direct in vivo characterization of RR oligomerization dynamics should enable insights into the regulation of bacterial physiology.
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10
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Conceição-Neto OC, da Costa BS, Pontes LDS, Silveira MC, Justo-da-Silva LH, de Oliveira Santos IC, Teixeira CBT, Tavares e Oliveira TR, Hermes FS, Galvão TC, Antunes LCM, Rocha-de-Souza CM, Carvalho-Assef APD. Polymyxin Resistance in Clinical Isolates of K. pneumoniae in Brazil: Update on Molecular Mechanisms, Clonal Dissemination and Relationship With KPC-Producing Strains. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:898125. [PMID: 35909953 PMCID: PMC9334684 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.898125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In Brazil, the production of KPC-type carbapenemases in Enterobacteriales is endemic, leading to widespread use of polymyxins. In the present study, 502 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were evaluated for resistance to polymyxins, their genetic determinants and clonality, in addition to the presence of carbapenem resistance genes and evaluation of antimicrobial resistance. Resistance to colistin (polymyxin E) was evaluated through initial selection on EMB agar containing 4% colistin sulfate, followed by Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) determination by broth microdilution. The susceptibility to 17 antimicrobials was assessed by disk diffusion. The presence of blaKPC, blaNDM and blaOXA-48-like carbapenemases was investigated by phenotypic methods and conventional PCR. Molecular typing was performed by PFGE and MLST. Allelic variants of the mcr gene were screened by PCR and chromosomal mutations in the pmrA, pmrB, phoP, phoQ and mgrB genes were investigated by sequencing. Our work showed a colistin resistance frequency of 29.5% (n = 148/502) in K. pneumoniae isolates. Colistin MICs from 4 to >128 µg/mL were identified (MIC50 = 64 µg/mL; MIC90 >128 µg/mL). All isolates were considered MDR, with the lowest resistance rates observed for amikacin (34.4%), and 19.6% of the isolates were resistant to all tested antimicrobials. The blaKPC gene was identified in 77% of the isolates, in consonance with the high rate of resistance to polymyxins related to its use as a therapeutic alternative. Through XbaI-PFGE, 51 pulsotypes were identified. MLST showed 21 STs, with ST437, ST258 and ST11 (CC11) being the most prevalent, and two new STs were determined: ST4868 and ST4869. The mcr-1 gene was identified in 3 K. pneumoniae isolates. Missense mutations in chromosomal genes were identified, as well as insertion sequences in mgrB. Furthermore, the identification of chromosomal mutations in K. pneumoniae isolates belonging from CC11 ensures its success as a high-risk epidemic clone in Brazil and worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orlando C. Conceição-Neto
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Estácio de Sá (UNESA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bianca Santos da Costa
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leilane da Silva Pontes
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Melise Chaves Silveira
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Ivson Cassiano de Oliveira Santos
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Camila Bastos Tavares Teixeira
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thamirys Rachel Tavares e Oliveira
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Stephens Hermes
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática (LAGFB), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Teca Calcagno Galvão
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática (LAGFB), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - L. Caetano M. Antunes
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cláudio Marcos Rocha-de-Souza
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana P. D. Carvalho-Assef
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar (LAPIH), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Ana P. D. Carvalho-Assef,
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11
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Chen H, Yu C, Wu H, Li G, Li C, Hong W, Yang X, Wang H, You X. Recent Advances in Histidine Kinase-Targeted Antimicrobial Agents. Front Chem 2022; 10:866392. [PMID: 35860627 PMCID: PMC9289397 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.866392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens significantly limited the number of effective antibiotics available clinically, which urgently requires new drug targets to screen, design, and develop novel antibacterial drugs. Two-component system (TCS), which is comprised of a histidine kinase (HK) and a response regulator (RR), is a common mechanism whereby bacteria can sense a range of stimuli and make an appropriate adaptive response. HKs as the sensor part of the bacterial TCS can regulate various processes such as growth, vitality, antibiotic resistance, and virulence, and have been considered as a promising target for antibacterial drugs. In the current review, we highlighted the structural basis and functional importance of bacterial TCS especially HKs as a target in the discovery of new antimicrobials, and summarize the latest research progress of small-molecule HK-inhibitors as potential novel antimicrobial drugs reported in the past decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongtong Chen
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chengqi Yu
- School of Basic Medical Science, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Han Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine (Minzu University of China), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Congran Li
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Hong
- Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyi Yang
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xinyi Yang, ; Hao Wang, ; Xuefu You,
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine (Minzu University of China), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- Institute of National Security, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xinyi Yang, ; Hao Wang, ; Xuefu You,
| | - Xuefu You
- Laboratory of Pharmacology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xinyi Yang, ; Hao Wang, ; Xuefu You,
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12
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Characterization of Amino Acid Substitution W20S in MgrB Involved in Polymyxin Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0176621. [PMID: 35171013 PMCID: PMC8849082 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01766-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the major human pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae, MgrB inactivation by disruptive insertion sequence (IS) elements and mutations leading to early termination are known to play an important role in polymyxin resistance. In this study, we examined a collection of invasive blaKPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae isolates belonging to the high-risk clone sequence type 258 (ST258) displaying high rates of resistance to many antimicrobials, including polymyxins. We identified a deleterious substitution (W20S) in MgrB and confirmed by genetic complementation analysis that this variant was inactive, leading to increased polymyxin B and colistin MICs. IMPORTANCE Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are designated critical pathogens by the World Health Organization. Polymyxins (i.e., polymyxin B and colistin) are last-resort antibiotics and particularly useful against these multidrug-resistant bacteria. In Klebsiella pneumoniae, the inactivation of MgrB, a negative regulator of PhoPQ, was shown to be the major pathway leading to colistin resistance. While gene disruption by insertion sequence (IS) elements and mutations leading to early termination (stop codons) are frequent, deleterious mutations are not observed frequently and have not been characterized. Here, we identified a deleterious substitution (W20S) in MgrB among a collection of bloodstream infection, blaKPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae sequence type 258 (ST258) isolates, displaying high rates of resistance to polymyxins and associated with a high mortality rate. The dissemination of such a MgrB-W20S mutation leading to polymyxin resistance within the ST258 high-risk clone background is problematic and thus warrants particular attention.
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13
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Yadavalli SS, Yuan J. Bacterial Small Membrane Proteins: the Swiss Army Knife of Regulators at the Lipid Bilayer. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0034421. [PMID: 34516282 PMCID: PMC8765417 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00344-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Small membrane proteins represent a subset of recently discovered small proteins (≤100 amino acids), which are a ubiquitous class of emerging regulators underlying bacterial adaptation to environmental stressors. Until relatively recently, small open reading frames encoding these proteins were not designated genes in genome annotations. Therefore, our understanding of small protein biology was primarily limited to a few candidates associated with previously characterized larger partner proteins. Following the first systematic analyses of small proteins in Escherichia coli over a decade ago, numerous small proteins across different bacteria have been uncovered. An estimated one-third of these newly discovered proteins in E. coli are localized to the cell membrane, where they may interact with distinct groups of membrane proteins, such as signal receptors, transporters, and enzymes, and affect their activities. Recently, there has been considerable progress in functionally characterizing small membrane protein regulators aided by innovative tools adapted specifically to study small proteins. Our review covers prototypical proteins that modulate a broad range of cellular processes, such as transport, signal transduction, stress response, respiration, cell division, sporulation, and membrane stability. Thus, small membrane proteins represent a versatile group of physiology regulators at the membrane and the whole cell. Additionally, small membrane proteins have the potential for clinical applications, where some of the proteins may act as antibacterial agents themselves while others serve as alternative drug targets for the development of novel antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srujana S. Yadavalli
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jing Yuan
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
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14
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Diversity in Sensing and Signaling of Bacterial Sensor Histidine Kinases. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11101524. [PMID: 34680156 PMCID: PMC8534201 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) are widely conserved in bacteria to respond to and adapt to the changing environment. Since TCSs are also involved in controlling the expression of virulence, biofilm formation, quorum sensing, and antimicrobial resistance in pathogens, they serve as candidates for novel drug targets. TCSs consist of a sensor histidine kinase (HK) and its cognate response regulator (RR). Upon perception of a signal, HKs autophosphorylate their conserved histidine residues, followed by phosphotransfer to their partner RRs. The phosphorylated RRs mostly function as transcriptional regulators and control the expression of genes necessary for stress response. HKs sense their specific signals not only in their extracytoplasmic sensor domain but also in their cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains. The signals are sensed either directly or indirectly via cofactors and accessory proteins. Accumulating evidence shows that a single HK can sense and respond to multiple signals in different domains. The underlying molecular mechanisms of how HK activity is controlled by these signals have been extensively studied both biochemically and structurally. In this article, we introduce the wide diversity of signal perception in different domains of HKs, together with their recently clarified structures and molecular mechanisms.
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15
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Patel V, Matange N. Adaptation and compensation in a bacterial gene regulatory network evolving under antibiotic selection. eLife 2021; 10:70931. [PMID: 34591012 PMCID: PMC8483737 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks allow organisms to generate coordinated responses to environmental challenges. In bacteria, regulatory networks are re-wired and re-purposed during evolution, though the relationship between selection pressures and evolutionary change is poorly understood. In this study, we discover that the early evolutionary response of Escherichia coli to the antibiotic trimethoprim involves derepression of PhoPQ signaling, an Mg2+-sensitive two-component system, by inactivation of the MgrB feedback-regulatory protein. We report that derepression of PhoPQ confers trimethoprim-tolerance to E. coli by hitherto unrecognized transcriptional upregulation of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), target of trimethoprim. As a result, mutations in mgrB precede and facilitate the evolution of drug resistance. Using laboratory evolution, genome sequencing, and mutation re-construction, we show that populations of E. coli challenged with trimethoprim are faced with the evolutionary ‘choice’ of transitioning from tolerant to resistant by mutations in DHFR, or compensating for the fitness costs of PhoPQ derepression by inactivating the RpoS sigma factor, itself a PhoPQ-target. Outcomes at this evolutionary branch-point are determined by the strength of antibiotic selection, such that high pressures favor resistance, while low pressures favor cost compensation. Our results relate evolutionary changes in bacterial gene regulatory networks to strength of selection and provide mechanistic evidence to substantiate this link.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishwa Patel
- Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, India.,Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Nishad Matange
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India
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16
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Groisman EA, Duprey A, Choi J. How the PhoP/PhoQ System Controls Virulence and Mg 2+ Homeostasis: Lessons in Signal Transduction, Pathogenesis, Physiology, and Evolution. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2021; 85:e0017620. [PMID: 34191587 PMCID: PMC8483708 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00176-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The PhoP/PhoQ two-component system governs virulence, Mg2+ homeostasis, and resistance to a variety of antimicrobial agents, including acidic pH and cationic antimicrobial peptides, in several Gram-negative bacterial species. Best understood in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, the PhoP/PhoQ system consists o-regulated gene products alter PhoP-P amounts, even under constant inducing conditions. PhoP-P controls the abundance of hundreds of proteins both directly, by having transcriptional effects on the corresponding genes, and indirectly, by modifying the abundance, activity, or stability of other transcription factors, regulatory RNAs, protease regulators, and metabolites. The investigation of PhoP/PhoQ has uncovered novel forms of signal transduction and the physiological consequences of regulon evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo A. Groisman
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Microbial Sciences Institute, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Alexandre Duprey
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jeongjoon Choi
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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17
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de Pina LC, da Silva FSH, Galvão TC, Pauer H, Ferreira RBR, Antunes LCM. The role of two-component regulatory systems in environmental sensing and virulence in Salmonella. Crit Rev Microbiol 2021; 47:397-434. [PMID: 33751923 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2021.1895067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Adaptation to environments with constant fluctuations imposes challenges that are only overcome with sophisticated strategies that allow bacteria to perceive environmental conditions and develop an appropriate response. The gastrointestinal environment is a complex ecosystem that is home to trillions of microorganisms. Termed microbiota, this microbial ensemble plays important roles in host health and provides colonization resistance against pathogens, although pathogens have evolved strategies to circumvent this barrier. Among the strategies used by bacteria to monitor their environment, one of the most important are the sensing and signalling machineries of two-component systems (TCSs), which play relevant roles in the behaviour of all bacteria. Salmonella enterica is no exception, and here we present our current understanding of how this important human pathogen uses TCSs as an integral part of its lifestyle. We describe important aspects of these systems, such as the stimuli and responses involved, the processes regulated, and their roles in virulence. We also dissect the genomic organization of histidine kinases and response regulators, as well as the input and output domains for each TCS. Lastly, we explore how these systems may be promising targets for the development of antivirulence therapeutics to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucindo Cardoso de Pina
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação Ciência para o Desenvolvimento, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Teca Calcagno Galvão
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Heidi Pauer
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Inovação em Doenças de Populações Negligenciadas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - L Caetano M Antunes
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Inovação em Doenças de Populações Negligenciadas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratório de Pesquisa em Infecção Hospitalar, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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18
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Short, Rich, and Powerful: a New Family of Arginine-Rich Small Proteins Have Outsized Impact in Agrobacterium tumefaciens. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:JB.00450-20. [PMID: 32839178 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00450-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to minute size and limited sequence complexity, small proteins can be challenging to identify but are emerging as important regulators of diverse processes in bacteria. In this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology, Kraus and coworkers (A. Kraus, M. Weskamp, J. Zierles, M. Balzer, et al., J Bacteriol 202:e00309-20, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00309-20) report a comprehensive analysis of a fascinating subfamily of arginine-rich small proteins in Agrobacterium tumefaciens, conserved among Alphaproteobacteria Their findings reveal that these small proteins are under complex regulation and have a disproportionately large impact on metabolism and behavior.
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