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Ramachandran G, Yeruva CV, Swarup G, Raghunand TR. A cytoprotective role for optineurin during mycobacterial infection of macrophages. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 38:101672. [PMID: 38434142 PMCID: PMC10907145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2024.101672] [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: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Autophagy has emerged as a critical innate immune mechanism for host elimination of intracellular pathogens, however, the role of the autophagy receptor Optineurin during mycobacterial infection is not fully understood. To address this lacuna, we infected bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) derived from Optn+/+ and Optn-/- mice with Mycobacterium smegmatis, and observed the infection outcome at sequential time points. While low multiplicity of infection (MOI) did not show any significant difference between BMDMs from the two groups, at high MOI Optn-/- mice-derived BMDMs showed significantly lower colony forming unit counts, as well as lower cell counts at 12 h and 24 h post-infection. Quantification of cell numbers and nuclear morphologies at various time points post-infection indicated a markedly higher cell death in the Optineurin-deficient macrophages. Optineurin-deficient BMDMs showed significantly lower levels of the autophagosomal protein LC3-II upon infection, indicating a potential role for Optineurin in regulating autophagy during mycobacterial infection. Moreover, when stimulated by bacterial LPS, Optineurin deficient macrophages, showed altered levels of the inflammatory cytokine pro-IL-1β. These observations taken together suggest a novel regulatory role for Optineurin during mycobacterial infection. Its deficiency leads to an impairment in macrophage responses, directly impacting the pathophysiology of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ghanshyam Swarup
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Tirumalai R. Raghunand
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
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Wu H, Li W, Zeng C, Li J, Wu H. Complete genome of a novel mycobacteriophage WXIN isolated in Wuhan, China. BMC Genom Data 2024; 25:62. [PMID: 38890591 PMCID: PMC11186097 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-024-01244-8] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The rising of antibiotic resistance has sparked a renewed interest in mycobacteriophage as alternative therapeutic strategies against mycobacterial infections. So far, the vast majority of mycobacteriophages have been isolated using the model species Mycobacterium smegmatis, implying an overwhelming majority of mycobacteriophages in the environment remain uncultured, unclassified, and their specific hosts and infection strategies are still unknown. This study was undertaken to isolate and characterize novel mycobacteriophages targeting Mycobacterium septicum. DATA DESCRIPTION Here a novel mycobacteriophage WXIN against M. septicum was isolated from soil samples in Wuhan, China. Whole genome analysis indicates that the phage genome consists of 115,158 bp with a GC content of 61.9%. Of the 260 putative open reading frames, 46 may be associated with phage packaging, structure, lysis, lysogeny, genome modification/replication, and other functional roles. The limited genome-wide similarity, along with phylogenetic trees constructed based on viral proteome and orthologous genes show that phage WXIN represents a novel cluster distantly related to cluster J mycobacteriophages (genus Omegavirus). Overall, these results provide novel insights into the genomic properties of mycobacteriophages, highlighting the great genetic diversity of mycobacteriophages in relation to their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoming Wu
- Pilot Base of Food Microbial Resources Utilization of Hubei Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China.
| | - Wenxin Li
- Pilot Base of Food Microbial Resources Utilization of Hubei Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Chi Zeng
- Pilot Base of Food Microbial Resources Utilization of Hubei Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Jiaxin Li
- Pilot Base of Food Microbial Resources Utilization of Hubei Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Huan Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Wuhan Children's Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430019, China
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Rani N, Surolia A. Targeted suppression of MEP pathway genes DXS, IspD and IspF to explore the mycobacterial metabolism and survival. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 272:132727. [PMID: 38823743 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Due to the uniqueness and essentiality of MEP pathway for the synthesis of crucial metabolites- isoprenoids, hopanoids, menaquinone etc. in mycobacterium, enzymes of this pathway are considered promising anti-tubercular drug targets. In the present study we seek to understand the consequences of downregulation of three of the essential genes- DXS, IspD, and IspF of MEP pathway using CRISPRi approach combined with transcriptomics in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Conditional knock down of either DXS or IspD or IspF gene showed strong bactericidal effect and a profound change in colony morphology. Impaired MEP pathway due to downregulation of these genes increased the susceptibility to frontline anti-tubercular drugs. Further, reduced EtBr accumulation in all the knock down strains in the presence and absence of efflux inhibitor indicated altered cell wall topology. Subsequently, transcriptional analysis validated by qRT-PCR of +154DXS, +128IspD, +104IspF strains showed that modifying the expression of these MEP pathway enzymes affects the regulation of mycobacterial core components. Among the DEGs, expression of small and large ribosomal binding proteins (rpsL, rpsJ, rplN, rplX, rplM, rplS, etc), essential protein translocases (secE, secY and infA, infC), transcriptional regulator (CarD and SigB) and metabolic enzymes (acpP, hydA, ald and fabD) were significantly depleted causing the bactericidal effect. However, mycobacteria survived under these damaging conditions by upregulating mostly the genes needed for the repair of DNA damage (DNA polymerase IV, dinB), synthesis of essential metabolites (serB, LeuA, atpD) and those strengthening the cell wall integrity (otsA, murA, D-alanyl-D-alanine dipeptidase etc.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Rani
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
| | - Avadhesha Surolia
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; Dr.Reddy's Institute of Life Science, Hyderabad 500046, India.
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Vidyasagar, Patel RR, Singh SK, Dehari D, Nath G, Singh M. Facile green synthesis of silver nanoparticles derived from the medicinal plant Clerodendrum serratum and its biological activity against Mycobacterium species. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31116. [PMID: 38799742 PMCID: PMC11126841 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31116] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant mycobacterial strains is a significant crisis that has led to higher treatment failure rates and more toxic and expensive medications for tuberculosis (TB). The urgent need to develop novel therapeutics has galvanized research interest towards developing alternative antimicrobials such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The current study focused on the anti-mycobacterial activity of green-synthesized AgNPs and its polyethylene glycol encapsulated derivative (PEG-AgNPs) with improved stability using the leaves extract of Clerodendrum serratum. Different characterization methods were used to analyze them. DLS analysis revealed a lower polydispersity index of PEG-AgNPs, suggesting a more uniform size distribution than that of AgNPs. The HR-TEM results revealed that the AgNPs and PEG-AgNPs have predominantly spherical shapes in the size range of 9-35 nm and 15-60 nm, respectively, while positive values of Zeta potential indicate their stability. FTIR-ATR analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups responsible for reducing and capping the bio-reduced AgNPs, whereas the XRD data established its crystalline nature. Impressively, the PEG-AgNPs exhibited maximum inhibitory activity against different Tubercular and Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterium species i.e., Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium marinum, relative to those of AgNPs and Linezolid. The flow cytometry assay showed that the anti-mycobacterial action was mediated by an increase in cell wall permeability. Notably, the results of AFM confirm their ability to inhibit mycobacterial biofilm significantly. We demonstrated the nontoxic nature of these AgNPs, explicated by the absence of hemolytic activity against human RBCs. Overall, the results suggest that PEG-AgNPs could offer a novel therapeutic approach with potential anti-mycobacterial activity and can overcome the limitations of existing TB therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidyasagar
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Ritu Raj Patel
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Sudhir Kumar Singh
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Deepa Dehari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India
| | - Gopal Nath
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Meenakshi Singh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
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Bannantine JP, Duffy SC, Colombatti Olivieri MA, Behr MA, Biet F, Price NPJ. Genetic and chemical control of tuberculostearic acid production in Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0050824. [PMID: 38501867 PMCID: PMC11064506 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00508-24] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Tuberculostearic acid (TBSA) is a fatty acid unique to mycobacteria and some corynebacteria and has been studied due to its diagnostic value, biofuel properties, and role in membrane dynamics. In this study, we demonstrate that TBSA production can be abrogated either by addition of pivalic acid to mycobacterial growth cultures or by a bfaA gene knockout encoding a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-binding oxidoreductase. Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) growth and TBSA production were inhibited in 0.5-mg/mL pivalic acid-supplemented cultures, but higher concentrations were needed to have a similar effect in other mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium smegmatis. While Map C-type strains, isolated from cattle and other ruminants, will produce TBSA in the absence of pivalic acid, the S-type Map strains, typically isolated from sheep, do not produce TBSA in any condition. A SAM-dependent methyltransferase encoded by bfaB and FAD-binding oxidoreductase are both required in the two-step biosynthesis of TBSA. However, S-type strains contain a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the bfaA gene, rendering the oxidoreductase enzyme vestigial. This results in the production of an intermediate, termed 10-methylene stearate, which is detected only in S-type strains. Fatty acid methyl ester analysis of a C-type Map bfaA knockout revealed the loss of TBSA production, but the intermediate was present, similar to the S-type strains. Collectively, these results demonstrate the subtle biochemical differences between two primary genetic lineages of Map and other mycobacteria as well as explain the resulting phenotype at the genetic level. These data also suggest that TBSA should not be used as a diagnostic marker for Map.IMPORTANCEBranched-chain fatty acids are a predominant cell wall component among species belonging to the Mycobacterium genus. One of these is TBSA, which is a long-chain middle-branched fatty acid used as a diagnostic marker for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This fatty acid is also an excellent biolubricant. Control of its production is important for industrial purposes as well as understanding the biology of mycobacteria. In this study, we discovered that a carboxylic acid compound termed pivalic acid inhibits TBSA production in mycobacteria. Furthermore, Map strains from two separate genetic lineages (C-type and S-type) showed differential production of TBSA. Cattle-type strains of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis produce TBSA, while the sheep-type strains do not. This important phenotypic difference is attributed to a single-nucleotide deletion in sheep-type strains of Map. This work sheds further light on the mechanism used by mycobacteria to produce tuberculostearic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P. Bannantine
- National Animal Disease Center, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Shannon C. Duffy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - María A. Colombatti Olivieri
- National Animal Disease Center, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa, USA
- ARS Participation Program, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Marcel A. Behr
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Franck Biet
- INRAE, ISP, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Neil P. J. Price
- National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Peoria, Illinois, USA
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Joshi H, Kandari D, Maitra SS, Bhatnagar R, Banerjee N. Identification of genes associated with persistence in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1302883. [PMID: 38410395 PMCID: PMC10894938 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1302883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of bacterial persisters is related to their phenotypic diversity and is responsible for the relapse of chronic infections. Tolerance to antibiotic therapy is the hallmark of bacterial persistence. In this study, we have screened a transposon library of Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 strain using antibiotic tolerance, survival in mouse macrophages, and biofilm-forming ability of the mutants. Out of 10 thousand clones screened, we selected ten mutants defective in all the three phenotypes. Six mutants showed significantly lower persister abundance under different stress conditions. Insertions in three genes belonging to the pathways of oxidative phosphorylation msmeg_3233 (cydA), biotin metabolism msmeg_3194 (bioB), and oxidative metabolism msmeg_0719, a flavoprotein monooxygenase, significantly reduced the number of live cells, suggesting their role in pathways promoting long-term survival. Another group that displayed a moderate reduction in CFU included a glycosyltransferase, msmeg_0392, a hydrogenase subunit, msmeg_2263 (hybC), and a DNA binding protein, msmeg_2211. The study has revealed potential candidates likely to facilitate the long-term survival of M. smegmatis. The findings offer new targets to develop antibiotics against persisters. Further, investigating the corresponding genes in M. tuberculosis may provide valuable leads in improving the treatment of chronic and persistent tuberculosis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemant Joshi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Divya Kandari
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
- Divacc Research Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., incubated under Atal Incubation Centre, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Subhrangsu Sundar Maitra
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Bhatnagar
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Nirupama Banerjee
- Divacc Research Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., incubated under Atal Incubation Centre, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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Bhondwe P, Sengar N, Bodiwala HS, Singh IP, Panda D. An adamantyl-caffeoyl-anilide exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity by inhibiting FtsZ assembly and Z-ring formation. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 259:129255. [PMID: 38199552 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Several harmful bacteria have evolved resistance to conventional antibiotics due to their extensive usage. FtsZ, a principal bacterial cell division protein, is considered as an important drug target to combat resistance. We identified a caffeoyl anilide derivative, (E)-N-(4-(3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acryloyl)phenyl)-1-adamantylamide (compound 11) as a new antimicrobial agent targeting FtsZ. Compound 11 caused cell elongation in Mycobacterium smegmatis, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli cells, indicating that it inhibits cell partitioning. Compound 11 inhibited the assembly of Mycobacterium smegmatis FtsZ (MsFtsZ), forming short and thin filaments in vitro. Interestingly, the compound increased the rate of GTP hydrolysis of MsFtsZ. Compound 11 also impeded the assembly of Mycobacterium tuberculosis FtsZ. Fluorescence and absorption spectroscopic analysis suggested that compound 11 binds to MsFtsZ and produces conformational changes in FtsZ. The docking analysis indicated that the compound binds at the interdomain cleft of MsFtsZ. Further, it caused delocalization of the Z-ring in Mycobacterium smegmatis and Bacillus subtilis without affecting DNA segregation. Notably, compound 11 did not inhibit tubulin polymerization, the eukaryotic homolog of FtsZ, suggesting its specificity on bacteria. The evidence indicated that compound 11 exerts its antibacterial effect by impeding FtsZ assembly and has the potential to be developed as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prajakta Bhondwe
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Neha Sengar
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali 160062, Punjab, India
| | - Hardik S Bodiwala
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali 160062, Punjab, India
| | - Inder Pal Singh
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali 160062, Punjab, India
| | - Dulal Panda
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India; Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali 160062, Punjab, India.
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8
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Lee SY, Marando VM, Smelyansky SR, Kim DE, Calabretta PJ, Warner TC, Bryson BD, Kiessling LL. Selective Glycan Labeling of Mannose-Containing Glycolipids in Mycobacteria. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:377-385. [PMID: 38112296 PMCID: PMC10914408 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is one of history's most successful human pathogens. By subverting typical immune responses, Mtb can persist within a host until conditions become favorable for growth and proliferation. Virulence factors that enable mycobacteria to modulate host immune systems include a suite of mannose-containing glycolipids: phosphatidylinositol mannosides, lipomannan, and lipoarabinomannan (LAM). Despite their importance, tools for their covalent capture, modification, and imaging are limited. Here, we describe a chemical biology strategy to detect and visualize these glycans. Our approach, biosynthetic incorporation, is to synthesize a lipid-glycan precursor that can be incorporated at a late-stage step in glycolipid biosynthesis. We previously demonstrated selective mycobacterial arabinan modification by biosynthetic incorporation using an exogenous donor. This report reveals that biosynthetic labeling is general and selective: it allows for cell surface mannose-containing glycolipid modification without nonspecific labeling of mannosylated glycoproteins. Specifically, we employed azido-(Z,Z)-farnesyl phosphoryl-β-d-mannose probes and took advantage of the strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition to label and directly visualize the localization and dynamics of mycobacterial mannose-containing glycolipids. Our studies highlight the generality and utility of biosynthetic incorporation as the probe structure directs the selective labeling of distinct glycans. The disclosed agents allowed for direct tracking of the target immunomodulatory glycolipid dynamics in cellulo. We anticipate that these probes will facilitate investigating the diverse biological roles of these glycans.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Young Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Victoria M. Marando
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Stephanie R. Smelyansky
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Daria E. Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Phillip J. Calabretta
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Theodore C. Warner
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Bryan D. Bryson
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Laura L. Kiessling
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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Andrés Libreros-Zúñiga G, Pavão E Pavão D, de Morais Barroso V, Cristina de Moraes Roso Mesquita N, Fehelberg Pinto Braga S, Oliva G, Salgado Ferreira R, Ishida K, Vinicius Bertacine Dias M. Integration of biophysical and biological approaches to validate fragment-like compounds targeting l,d-transpeptidases from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bioorg Chem 2024; 142:106960. [PMID: 37944368 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Tuberculosis is one of the major causes of death worldwide; more than a million people die every year because of this infection. The constant emergency of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant strains against the most used treatments also contributes to the burden caused by this disease. Consequently, the development of new alternative therapies against this disease is constantly required. In recent years, only a few molecules have reached the market as new antituberculosis agents. The mycobacterial cell wall biosynthesis is for a longstanding considered an important target for drug development. Particularly, in M. tuberculosis, the peptidoglycan cross-links are predominantly formed by nonclassical bridges between the third residues of adjacent tetrapeptides. The responsible enzymes for these reactions are ld-transpeptidases (Ldts), for which M. tuberculosis has five paralogues. Although these enzymes are distinct from the penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), they can also be inactivated by β-lactam antibiotics, but since M. tuberculosis has a chromosomal β-lactamase, most of the antibiotics of these classes can be degraded. Thus, to identify alternative scaffolds for the development of new antimicrobials against tuberculosis, we have integrated several fragment-based drug discovery techniques. Based on that, we identified and validated a number of small molecules that could be the starting point in the synthesis of more potent inhibitors against at least two Ldts from M. tuberculosis, LdtMt2 and LdtMt3. Eight identified molecules inhibited the Ldts activity in at least 20%, and three of them have antimycobacterial activity. The cell ultrastructural analysis suggested that one of the best compounds induced severe effects on the septum and cell wall morphologies, which corroborates our target-based approach to identifying new Ldts hits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Andrés Libreros-Zúñiga
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil; IBILCE, São Paulo State University, Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Health, University of Valle, Calle 4B # 36-00, 760043, Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia.
| | - Danilo Pavão E Pavão
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Vinicius de Morais Barroso
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | | | - Saulo Fehelberg Pinto Braga
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais. Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Belo Horizonte, 31270-901 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Glaucius Oliva
- Institute of Physics of São Carlos, University of São Paulo, Av. João Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais. Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Belo Horizonte, 31270-901 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Kelly Ishida
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Marcio Vinicius Bertacine Dias
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil; IBILCE, São Paulo State University, Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil; Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, England.
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10
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Liu X, Brčić J, Cassell GH, Cegelski L. CPMAS NMR platform for direct compositional analysis of mycobacterial cell-wall complexes and whole cells. JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE OPEN 2023; 16-17:100127. [PMID: 38125335 PMCID: PMC10732466 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmro.2023.100127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections are rising each year and often result in chronic incurable disease. Important antibiotics target cell-wall biosynthesis, yet some mycobacteria are alarmingly resistant or tolerant to currently available antibiotics. This resistance is often attributed to assumed differences in composition of the complex cell wall of different mycobacterial strains and species. However, due to the highly crosslinked and insoluble nature of mycobacterial cell walls, direct comparative determinations of cell-wall composition pose a challenge to analysis through conventional biochemical analyses. We introduce an approach to directly observe the chemical composition of mycobacterial cell walls using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. 13C CPMAS spectra are provided of individual components (peptidoglycan, arabinogalactan, and mycolic acids) and of in situ cell-wall complexes. We assigned the spectroscopic contributions of each component in the cell-wall spectrum. We uncovered a higher arabinogalactan-to-peptidoglycan ratio in the cell wall of M. abscessus, an organism noted for its antibiotic resistance, relative to M. smegmatis. Furthermore, differentiating influences of different types of cell-wall targeting antibiotics were observed in spectra of antibiotic-treated whole cells. This platform will be of value in evaluating cell-wall composition and antibiotic activity among different mycobacteria and in considering the most effective combination treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, CA 94305, United States
| | - Jasna Brčić
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, CA 94305, United States
| | - Gail H. Cassell
- PAI Life Sciences Inc, Seattle WA 98102, United States
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Lynette Cegelski
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, CA 94305, United States
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11
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Koleske BN, Jacobs WR, Bishai WR. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome at 25 years: lessons and lingering questions. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e173156. [PMID: 37781921 PMCID: PMC10541200 DOI: 10.1172/jci173156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
First achieved in 1998 by Cole et al., the complete genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis continues to provide an invaluable resource to understand tuberculosis (TB), the leading cause of global infectious disease mortality. At the 25-year anniversary of this accomplishment, we describe how insights gleaned from the M. tuberculosis genome have led to vital tools for TB research, epidemiology, and clinical practice. The increasing accessibility of whole-genome sequencing across research and clinical settings has improved our ability to predict antibacterial susceptibility, to track epidemics at the level of individual outbreaks and wider historical trends, to query the efficacy of the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, and to uncover targets for novel antitubercular therapeutics. Likewise, we discuss several recent efforts to extract further discoveries from this powerful resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin N. Koleske
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - William R. Jacobs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - William R. Bishai
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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12
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Bloom BR. A half-century of research on tuberculosis: Successes and challenges. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20230859. [PMID: 37552470 PMCID: PMC10407785 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20230859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Great progress has been made over the past half-century, but TB remains a formidable global health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Understanding the mechanisms of pathogenesis and necessary and sufficient conditions for protection are critical. The need for inexpensive and sensitive point-of-care diagnostic tests for earlier detection of infection and disease, shorter and less-toxic drug regimens for drug-sensitive and -resistant TB, and a more effective vaccine than BCG is immense. New and better tools, greater support for international research, collaborations, and training will be required to dramatically reduce the burden of this devastating disease which still kills 1.6 million people annually.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry R. Bloom
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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13
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Grigorov AS, Skvortsova YV, Bychenko OS, Aseev LV, Koledinskaya LS, Boni IV, Azhikina TL. Dynamic Transcriptional Landscape of Mycobacterium smegmatis under Cold Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12706. [PMID: 37628885 PMCID: PMC10454040 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612706] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial adaptation to cold stress requires wide transcriptional reprogramming. However, the knowledge of molecular mechanisms underlying the cold stress response of mycobacteria is limited. We conducted comparative transcriptomic analysis of Mycobacterium smegmatis subjected to cold shock. The growth of M. smegmatis cultivated at 37 °C was arrested just after exposure to cold (acclimation phase) but later (by 24 h) was resumed at a much slower rate (adaptation phase). Transcriptomic analyses revealed distinct gene expression patterns corresponding to the two phases. During the acclimation phase, differential expression was observed for genes associated with cell wall remodeling, starvation response, and osmotic pressure stress, in parallel with global changes in the expression of transcription factors and the downregulation of ribosomal genes, suggesting an energy-saving strategy to support survival. At the adaptation phase, the expression profiles were recovered, indicating restoration of the processes repressed earlier. Comparison of transcriptional responses in M. smegmatis with those in other bacteria revealed unique adaptation strategies developed by mycobacteria. Our findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying M. smegmatis survival under cold stress. Further research should clarify whether the discovered transcriptional mechanisms exist in other mycobacterial species, including pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which could be important for transmission control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem S. Grigorov
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Tatyana L. Azhikina
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
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14
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Brčić J, Tong A, Wender PA, Cegelski L. Conjugation of Vancomycin with a Single Arginine Improves Efficacy against Mycobacteria by More Effective Peptidoglycan Targeting. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10226-10237. [PMID: 37477249 PMCID: PMC10783851 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistant bacterial infections have emerged as one of the greatest threats to public health. The discovery and development of new antimicrobials and anti-infective strategies are urgently needed to address this challenge. Vancomycin is one of the most important antibiotics for the treatment of Gram-positive infections. Here, we introduce the vancomycin-arginine conjugate (V-R) as a highly effective antimicrobial against actively growing mycobacteria and difficult-to-treat mycobacterial biofilm populations. Further improvement in efficacy through combination treatment of V-R to inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis and ethambutol to inhibit arabinogalactan synthesis underscores the ability to identify compound synergies to more effectively target the Achilles heel of the cell-wall assembly. Moreover, we introduce mechanistic activity data and a molecular model derived from a d-Ala-d-Ala-bound vancomycin structure that we hypothesize underlies the molecular basis for the antibacterial improvement attributed to the arginine modification that is specific to peptidoglycan chemistry employed by mycobacteria and distinct from Gram-positive pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasna Brčić
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alan Tong
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Paul A. Wender
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lynette Cegelski
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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15
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Liyanage S, Raviranga NGH, Ryan JG, Shell SS, Ramström O, Kalscheuer R, Yan M. Azide-Masked Fluorescence Turn-On Probe for Imaging Mycobacteria. JACS AU 2023; 3:1017-1028. [PMID: 37124305 PMCID: PMC10131213 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A fluorescence turn-on probe, an azide-masked and trehalose-derivatized carbazole (Tre-Cz), was developed to image mycobacteria. The fluorescence turn-on is achieved by photoactivation of the azide, which generates a fluorescent product through an efficient intramolecular C-H insertion reaction. The probe is highly specific for mycobacteria and could image mycobacteria in the presence of other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Both the photoactivation and detection can be accomplished using a handheld UV lamp, giving a limit of detection of 103 CFU/mL, which can be visualized by the naked eye. The probe was also able to image mycobacteria spiked in sputum samples, although the detection sensitivity was lower. Studies using heat-killed, stationary-phase, and isoniazid-treated mycobacteria showed that metabolically active bacteria are required for the uptake of Tre-Cz. The uptake decreased in the presence of trehalose in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating that Tre-Cz hijacked the trehalose uptake pathway. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the trehalose transporter LpqY-SugABC was the primary pathway for the uptake of Tre-Cz. The uptake decreased in the LpqY-SugABC deletion mutants ΔlpqY, ΔsugA, ΔsugB, and ΔsugC and fully recovered in the complemented strain of ΔsugC. For the mycolyl transferase antigen 85 complex (Ag85), however, only a slight reduction of uptake was observed in the Ag85 deletion mutant ΔAg85C, and no incorporation of Tre-Cz into the outer membrane was observed. The unique intracellular incorporation mechanism of Tre-Cz through the LpqY-SugABC transporter, which differs from other trehalose-based fluorescence probes, unlocks potential opportunities to bring molecular cargoes to mycobacteria for both fundamental studies and theranostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajani
H. Liyanage
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
| | - N. G. Hasitha Raviranga
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
| | - Julia G. Ryan
- Department
of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester
Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts 01609, United States
| | - Scarlet S. Shell
- Department
of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester
Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts 01609, United States
| | - Olof Ramström
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
- Department
of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnaeus
University, SE-39182 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Rainer Kalscheuer
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, Heinrich Heine University, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Mingdi Yan
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States
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16
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Wang K, Cui X, Ling X, Chen J, Zheng J, Xiang Y, Li W. D-Xylose Blocks the Broad Negative Regulation of XylR on Lipid Metabolism and Affects Multiple Physiological Characteristics in Mycobacteria. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087086. [PMID: 37108247 PMCID: PMC10138657 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087086] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
D-xylose is the most abundant fermentable pentose, which usually represents an architectural component of the bacterial cell wall. However, its regulatory function and the involved signaling pathway in bacteria remain largely unclear. Here, we show that D-xylose can act as a signaling molecule to regulate the lipid metabolism and affect multiple physiological characteristics in mycobacteria. D-xylose directly interacts with XylR and inhibits its DNA-binding ability, thus blocking XylR-mediated repression. The xylose inhibitor, XylR, plays a global regulatory role and affects the expression of 166 mycobacterial genes that are involved in lipid synthesis and metabolism. Furthermore, we show that the xylose-dependent gene regulation of XylR affects the multiple physiological characteristics of Mycobacterium smegmatis, including bacterial size, colony phenotype, biofilm formation, cell aggregation, and antibiotic resistance. Finally, we found that XylR inhibited the survival of Mycobacterium bovis BCG in the host. Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of lipid metabolism regulation and its correlation with bacterial physiological phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xujie Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xiaocui Ling
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jiarui Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jiachen Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yuling Xiang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Weihui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
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17
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O’Toole GA. The History of Microbial Model Systems. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0003023. [PMID: 36722958 PMCID: PMC9945491 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00030-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- George A. O’Toole
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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