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Lin J, Yu Y, Zhao K, Zhao J, Rensing C, Chen J, Jia X. PtrA regulates prodigiosin synthesis and biological functions in Serratia marcescens FZSF02. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1240102. [PMID: 37795293 PMCID: PMC10545897 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1240102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative bacterium that is able to produce many secondary metabolites, such as the prominent red pigment prodigiosin (PG). In this work, a ptrA-disrupted mutant strain with reduced PG production was selected from Tn5 transposon mutants. RT-qPCR results indicated that ptrA promoted elevated transcription of the pig gene cluster in S. marcescens FZSF02. Furthermore, we found that ptrA also controls several other important biological functions of S. marcescens, including swimming and swarming motilities, biofilm formation, hemolytic activity, and stress tolerance. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that ptrA is a PG synthesis-promoting factor in S. marcescens and provides a brief understanding of the regulatory mechanism of ptrA in S. marcescens cell motility and hemolytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Lin
- Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Fuzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yanshuang Yu
- College of Resources and Environment, Institute of Environmental Microbiology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Ke Zhao
- College of Resources and Environment, Institute of Environmental Microbiology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- College of Resources and Environment, Institute of Environmental Microbiology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Christopher Rensing
- College of Resources and Environment, Institute of Environmental Microbiology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jichen Chen
- Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xianbo Jia
- Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Fuzhou, China
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2
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Sheng Q, Liu A, Yang P, Chen Z, Wang P, Sun H, Li C, McMinn A, Chen Y, Zhang Y, Su H, Chen X, Zhang Y. The FilZ Protein Contains a Single PilZ Domain and Facilitates the Swarming Motility of Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM9913. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1566. [PMID: 37375068 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061566] [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: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Swarming regulation is complicated in flagellated bacteria, especially those possessing dual flagellar systems. It remains unclear whether and how the movement of the constitutive polar flagellum is regulated during swarming motility of these bacteria. Here, we report the downregulation of polar flagellar motility by the c-di-GMP effector FilZ in the marine sedimentary bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM9913. Strain SM9913 possesses two flagellar systems, and filZ is located in the lateral flagellar gene cluster. The function of FilZ is negatively controlled by intracellular c-di-GMP. Swarming in strain SM9913 consists of three periods. Deletion and overexpression of filZ revealed that, during the period when strain SM9913 expands quickly, FilZ facilitates swarming. In vitro pull-down and bacterial two-hybrid assays suggested that, in the absence of c-di-GMP, FilZ interacts with the CheW homolog A2230, which may be involved in the chemotactic signal transduction pathway to the polar flagellar motor protein FliMp, to interfere with polar flagellar motility. When bound to c-di-GMP, FilZ loses its ability to interact with A2230. Bioinformatic investigation indicated that filZ-like genes are present in many bacteria with dual flagellar systems. Our findings demonstrate a novel mode of regulation of bacterial swarming motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Ang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Peiling Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Zhuowei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Haining Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Chunyang Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Andrew McMinn
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7005, Australia
| | - Yin Chen
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Yuzhong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Hainan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Xiulan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Yuqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
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Thompson TP, Busetti A, Gilmore BF. Quorum Sensing in Halorubrum saccharovorum Facilitates Cross-Domain Signaling between Archaea and Bacteria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1271. [PMID: 37317245 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Quorum Sensing (QS) is a well-studied intercellular communication mechanism in bacteria, regulating collective behaviors such as biofilm formation, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. However, cell-cell signaling in haloarchaea remains largely unexplored. The coexistence of bacteria and archaea in various environments, coupled with the known cell-cell signaling mechanisms in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms and the presence of cell-cell signaling mechanisms in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, suggests a possibility for haloarchaea to possess analogous cell-cell signaling or QS systems. Recently, N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-like compounds were identified in haloarchaea; yet, their precise role-for example, persister cell formation-remains ambiguous. This study investigated the capacity of crude supernatant extract from the haloarchaeon Halorubrum saccharovorum CSM52 to stimulate bacterial AHL-dependent QS phenotypes using bioreporter strains. Our findings reveal that these crude extracts induced several AHL-dependent bioreporters and modulated pyocyanin and pyoverdine production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Importantly, our study suggests cross-domain communication between archaea and bacterial pathogens, providing evidence for archaea potentially influencing bacterial virulence. Using Thin Layer Chromatography overlay assays, lactonolysis, and colorimetric quantification, the bioactive compound was inferred to be a chemically modified AHL-like compound or a diketopiperazine-like molecule, potentially involved in biofilm formation in H. saccharovorum CSM52. This study offers new insights into putative QS mechanisms in haloarchaea and their potential role in interspecies communication and coordination, thereby enriching our understanding of microbial interactions in diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Alessandro Busetti
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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4
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BarA/UvrY differentially regulates prodigiosin biosynthesis and swarming motility in Serratia marcescens FS14. Res Microbiol 2023; 174:104010. [PMID: 36410584 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2022.104010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BarA/UvrY, a two-component system and global regulator that controls expression of more than a hundred of genes involved in virulence, motility, biofilm formation, and central carbon metabolism under various stress conditions. In this study, we investigated the function of BarA/UvrY system in Serratia marcescens FS14. The disruption of barA or/and uvrY results in the yield increase of secondary metabolite prodigiosin. We further demonstrated that BarA/UvrY system represses prodigiosin production by inhibiting the transcription level of pig gene cluster with direct binding to the pigA promoter. In addition, deletion of barA or/and uvrY abolished the swarming motility of FS14, but not the swimming motility. We revealed that BarA/UvrY activates swarming through directly upregulating the expression of the biosurfactant synthesis gene swrW rather than flagella system. We also observed that BarA/UvrY positively regulates the resistance to H2O2 same as in Escherichia coli highlighting the importance of BarA/UvrY on hydrogen peroxide resistance. Our results demonstrated that the BarA/UvrY system differentially regulates the biosynthesis of the secondary metabolite prodigiosin and swarming motility in S. marcescens FS14. Comparison of our results with those observed for Serratia sp. 39006 suggests that BarA/UvrY's role in regulation of secondary metabolite production is different among Serratia species.
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Lau TTV, Puah SM, Tan JAMA, Puthucheary SD, Chua KH. Characterization of the relationship between polar and lateral flagellar genes in clinical Aeromonas dhakensis: phenotypic, genetic and biochemical analyses. Braz J Microbiol 2021; 52:517-529. [PMID: 33768508 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-021-00457-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Flagellar-mediated motility is a crucial virulence factor in many bacterial species. A dual flagellar system has been described in aeromonads; however, there is no flagella-related study in the emergent human pathogen Aeromonas dhakensis. Using 46 clinical A. dhakensis, phenotypic motility, genotypic characteristics (flagellar genes and sequence types), biochemical properties and their relationship were investigated in this study. All 46 strains showed swimming motility at 30 °C in 0.3% Bacto agar and carried the most prevalent 6 polar flagellar genes cheA, flgE, flgG, flgH, flgL, and flgN. On the contrary, only 18 strains (39%) demonstrated swarming motility on 0.5% Eiken agar at 30 °C and they harbored 11 lateral flagellar genes lafB, lafK, lafS, lafT, lafU, flgCL, flgGL, flgNL, fliEL, fliFL, and fliGL. No association was found between biochemical properties and motility phenotypes. Interestingly, a significant association between swarming and strains isolated from pus was observed (p = 0.0171). Three strains 187, 277, and 289 isolated from pus belonged to novel sequence types (ST522 and ST524) exhibited fast swimming and swarming profiles, and they harbored > 90% of the flagellar genes tested. Our findings provide a fundamental understanding of flagellar-mediated motility in A. dhakensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien-Tien Vicky Lau
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Suat-Moi Puah
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - S D Puthucheary
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kek-Heng Chua
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Stella NA, Brothers KM, Shanks RMQ. Differential susceptibility of airway and ocular surface cell lines to FlhDC-mediated virulence factors PhlA and ShlA from Serratia marcescens. J Med Microbiol 2021; 70:001292. [PMID: 33300860 PMCID: PMC8131021 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Serratia marcescens is a bacterial pathogen that causes ventilator-associated pneumonia and ocular infections. The FlhD and FlhC proteins complex to form a heteromeric transcription factor whose regulon, in S. marcescens, regulates genes for the production of flagellum, phospholipase A and the cytolysin ShlA. The previously identified mutation, scrp-31, resulted in highly elevated expression of the flhDC operon. The scrp-31 mutant was observed to be more cytotoxic to human airway and ocular surface epithelial cells than the wild-type bacteria and the present study sought to identify the mechanism underlying the increased cytotoxicity phenotype.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Although FlhC and FlhD have been implicated as virulence determinants, the mechanisms by which these proteins regulate bacterial cytotoxicity to different cell types remains unclear.Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the mechanisms of FlhDC-mediated cytotoxicity to human epithelial cells by S. marcescens.Methodology. Wild-type and mutant bacteria and bacterial secretomes were used to challenge airway and ocular surface cell lines as evaluated by resazurin and calcein AM staining. Pathogenesis was further tested using a Galleria mellonella infection model.Results. The increased cytotoxicity of scrp-31 bacteria and secretomes to both cell lines was eliminated by mutation of flhD and shlA. Mutation of the flagellin gene had no impact on cytotoxicity under any tested condition. Elimination of the phospholipase gene, phlA, had no effect on bacteria-induced cytotoxicity to either cell line, but reduced cytotoxicity caused by secretomes to airway epithelial cells. Mutation of flhD and shlA, but not phlA, reduced bacterial killing of G. mellonella larvae.Conclusion. This study indicates that the S. marcescens FlhDC-regulated secreted proteins PhlA and ShlA, but not flagellin, are cytotoxic to airway and ocular surface cells and demonstrates differences in human epithelial cell susceptibility to PhlA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A. Stella
- Charles T. Campbell Laboratory of Ophthalmic Microbiology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kimberly M. Brothers
- Charles T. Campbell Laboratory of Ophthalmic Microbiology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Robert M. Q. Shanks
- Charles T. Campbell Laboratory of Ophthalmic Microbiology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Anderson MT, Mitchell LA, Sintsova A, Rice KA, Mobley HLT. Sulfur Assimilation Alters Flagellar Function and Modulates the Gene Expression Landscape of Serratia marcescens. mSystems 2019; 4:e00285-19. [PMID: 31387930 PMCID: PMC6687942 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00285-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfur is an essential nutrient that contributes to cellular redox homeostasis, transcriptional regulation, and translation initiation when incorporated into different biomolecules. Transport and reduction of extracellular sulfate followed by cysteine biosynthesis is a major pathway of bacterial sulfur assimilation. For the opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens, function of the cysteine biosynthesis pathway is required for extracellular phospholipase activity and flagellum-mediated surface motility, but little else is known about the influence of sulfur assimilation on the physiology of this organism. In this work, it was determined that an S. marcescens cysteine auxotroph fails to differentiate into hyperflagellated and elongated swarmer cells and that cysteine, but not other organic sulfur molecules, restores swarming motility to these bacteria. The S. marcescens cysteine auxotroph further exhibits reduced transcription of phospholipase, hemolysin, and flagellin genes, each of which is subject to transcriptional control by the flagellar regulatory system. Based on these data and the central role of cysteine in sulfur assimilation, it was reasoned that environmental sulfur availability may contribute to the regulation of these functions in S. marcescens Indeed, bacteria that are starved for sulfate exhibit substantially reduced transcription of the genes for hemolysin, phospholipase, and the FlhD flagellar master regulator. A global transcriptomic analysis further defined a large set of S. marcescens genes that are responsive to extracellular sulfate availability, including genes that encode membrane transport, nutrient utilization, and metabolism functions. Finally, sulfate availability was demonstrated to alter S. marcescens cytolytic activity, suggesting that sulfate assimilation may impact the virulence of this organism.IMPORTANCE Serratia marcescens is a versatile bacterial species that inhabits diverse environmental niches and is capable of pathogenic interactions with host organisms ranging from insects to humans. This report demonstrates for the first time the extensive impacts that environmental sulfate availability and cysteine biosynthesis have on the transcriptome of S. marcescens The finding that greater than 1,000 S. marcescens genes are differentially expressed depending on sulfate availability suggests that sulfur abundance is a crucial factor that controls the physiology of this organism. Furthermore, the high relative expression levels for the putative virulence factors flagella, phospholipase, and hemolysin in the presence of sulfate suggests that a sulfur-rich host environment could contribute to the transcription of these genes during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark T Anderson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lindsay A Mitchell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anna Sintsova
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Katherine A Rice
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Harry L T Mobley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Panjaitan NSD, Horng YT, Cheng SW, Chung WT, Soo PC. EtcABC, a Putative EII Complex, Regulates Type 3 Fimbriae via CRP-cAMP Signaling in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1558. [PMID: 31354661 PMCID: PMC6629953 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilm formation by Klebsiella pneumoniae on indwelling medical devices increases the risk of infection. Both type 1 and type 3 fimbriae are important factors in biofilm formation by K. pneumoniae. We found that a putative enzyme II (EII) complex of the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS), etcA (EIIA)-etcB (EIIB)-etcC (EIIC), regulated biofilm and type 3 fimbriae formation by K. pneumoniae STU1. In this study, the regulatory mechanism of etcABC in K. pneumoniae type 3 fimbriae formation was investigated. We found via quantitative RT-PCR that overexpression of etcABC enhanced the transcription level of the mrk operon, which is involved in type 3 fimbriae synthesis, and reduced the transcription level of the fim operon, which is involved in type 1 fimbriae synthesis. To gain further insight into the role of etcABC in type 3 fimbriae synthesis, we analyzed the region upstream of the mrk operon and found the potential cyclic 3′5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) receptor protein (CRP) binding site. After crp was deleted in K. pneumoniae STU1 and two clinical isolates, these three crp mutant strains could not express MrkA, the major subunit of the fimbrial shaft, indicating that CRP positively regulated type 3 fimbriae synthesis. Moreover, a crp mutant overexpressing etcABC could not express MrkA, indicating that the regulation of type 3 fimbriae by etcABC was dependent on CRP. In addition, deletion of cyaA, which encodes the adenylyl cyclase that synthesizes cAMP, and deletion of crr, which encodes the glucose-specific EIIA, led to a reduction in lac operon regulation and therefore bacterial lactose uptake in K. pneumoniae. Exogenous cAMP but not etcABC overexpression compensated for the role of cyaA in bacterial lactose uptake. However, either etcABC overexpression or exogenous cAMP compensated for the role of crr in bacterial lac operon regulation that would eventually restore lactose uptake. We also found via ELISA and the luxCDABE reporter system that overexpression of etcABC increased intracellular cAMP levels and the transcription level of crp, respectively, in K. pneumoniae. In conclusion, overexpression of etcABC positively regulated cAMP production and cAMP-CRP activity to activate the mrk operon, resulting in increased type 3 fimbriae synthesis in K. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yu-Tze Horng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien City, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Wen Cheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien City, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Ting Chung
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien City, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chi Soo
- Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien City, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien City, Taiwan
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Rubini D, Banu SF, Subramani P, Hari BNV, Gowrishankar S, Pandian SK, Wilson A, Nithyanand P. Extracted chitosan disrupts quorum sensing mediated virulence factors in Urinary tract infection causing pathogens. Pathog Dis 2019; 77:5364546. [PMID: 30801640 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftz009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) plays an important role during the aetiology of urinary tract infection (UTI), as several virulence factors are under the regulation of QS. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens, the primary causative agents of UTI, employ acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) as signal molecules to coordinate various virulence factors. In this present study, chitosan extracted from the marine crab Portunus sanguinolentus was screened for its ability to inhibit the QS-signaling molecules of P. aeruginosa (PA01) and few clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa and S. marcescens. The extracted chitosan on comparison with a commercial chitosan showed significant inhibition of several QS-dependent virulence factors in P. aeruginosa and S. marscenes. Furthermore, qPCR analysis was carried out to confirm the down-regulation of fimA, fimC and flhD genes involved in adhesion and pathogenesis of S. marcescens and lasI and rhlI genes that governs the P. aeruginosa quorum sensing system. Moreover, the chitosan when coated on a catheter was also able to disrupt the mature biofilms which was revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Collectively, the present study showcases the QS inhibitory property of extracted chitosan from crab shells which is being discarded as a recalcitrant biowaste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Durairajan Rubini
- Biofilm Biology Laboratory, Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Tirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur 613401,Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sanaulla Farisa Banu
- Biofilm Biology Laboratory, Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Tirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur 613401,Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Prabha Subramani
- Biofilm Biology Laboratory, Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Tirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur 613401,Tamil Nadu, India
| | - B Narayanan Vedha Hari
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur 613401, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Shanmugaraj Gowrishankar
- Department of Biotechnology, Alagappa University, Science Campus, Karaikudi - 630004, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Aruni Wilson
- Division of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, 11021 Campus Street, Loma Linda, California 92350, USA
| | - Paramasivam Nithyanand
- Biofilm Biology Laboratory, Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Tirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur 613401,Tamil Nadu, India
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Kaur A, Capalash N, Sharma P. Communication mechanisms in extremophiles: Exploring their existence and industrial applications. Microbiol Res 2019; 221:15-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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11
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Devi KR, Srinivasan S, Ravi AV. Inhibition of quorum sensing-mediated virulence in Serratia marcescens by Bacillus subtilis R-18. Microb Pathog 2018; 120:166-175. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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12
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Differential roles for ArcA and ArcB homologues in swarming motility in Serratia marcescens FS14. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2017; 111:609-617. [DOI: 10.1007/s10482-017-0981-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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13
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Inactivation of the Major Hemolysin Gene Influences Expression of the Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Gene swrA in the Insect Pathogen Serratia sp. Strain SCBI. J Bacteriol 2017; 199:JB.00333-17. [PMID: 28784817 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00333-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemolysins are important virulence factors for many bacterial pathogens, including Serratia marcescens The role of the major hemolysin gene in the insect pathogen Serratia sp. strain SCBI was investigated using both forward and reverse-genetics approaches. Introduction of the major hemolysin gene into Escherichia coli resulted in a gain of both virulence and hemolytic activity. Inactivation of this hemolysin in Serratia sp. SCBI resulted in a loss of hemolysis but did not attenuate insecticidal activity. Unexpectedly, inactivation of the hemolysin gene in Serratia sp. SCBI resulted in significantly increased motility and increased antimicrobial activity. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of mutants with a disrupted hemolysin gene showed a dramatic increase in mRNA levels of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene, swrA, which produces the surfactant serrawettin W2. Mutation of the swrA gene in Serratia sp. SCBI resulted in highly varied antibiotic activity, motility, virulence, and hemolysis phenotypes that were dependent on the site of disruption within this 17.75-kb gene. When introduced into E. coli, swrA increases rates of motility and confers antimicrobial activity. While it is unclear how inactivation of the major hemolysin gene influences the expression of swrA, these results suggest that swrA plays an important role in motility and antimicrobial activity in Serratia sp. SCBI.IMPORTANCE The opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Serratia are widespread in the environment and can cause human illness. A comparative genomics analysis between Serratia marcescens and a new Serratia species from South Africa, termed Serratia sp. strain SCBI, shows that these two organisms are closely related but differ in pathogenesis. S. marcescens kills Caenorhabditis nematodes, while Serratia sp. SCBI is not harmful and forms a beneficial association with them. This distinction presented the opportunity to investigate potential differences in regulation of common virulence mechanisms between these two species. With the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, there is a widespread need to understand the regulation of pathogenesis. The significance of this study is the presentation of evidence for cross-pathway regulation of virulence factors and how the elimination of one mechanism may be compensated for by the upregulation of others.
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Cross-talk between bacterial two-component systems drives stepwise regulation of flagellar biosynthesis in swarming development. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 489:70-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.05.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Lin CS, Tsai YH, Chang CJ, Tseng SF, Wu TR, Lu CC, Wu TS, Lu JJ, Horng JT, Martel J, Ojcius DM, Lai HC, Young JD. An iron detection system determines bacterial swarming initiation and biofilm formation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36747. [PMID: 27845335 PMCID: PMC5109203 DOI: 10.1038/srep36747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron availability affects swarming and biofilm formation in various bacterial species. However, how bacteria sense iron and coordinate swarming and biofilm formation remains unclear. Using Serratia marcescens as a model organism, we identify here a stage-specific iron-regulatory machinery comprising a two-component system (TCS) and the TCS-regulated iron chelator 2-isocyano-6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (ICDH-Coumarin) that directly senses and modulates environmental ferric iron (Fe3+) availability to determine swarming initiation and biofilm formation. We demonstrate that the two-component system RssA-RssB (RssAB) directly senses environmental ferric iron (Fe3+) and transcriptionally modulates biosynthesis of flagella and the iron chelator ICDH-Coumarin whose production requires the pvc cluster. Addition of Fe3+, or loss of ICDH-Coumarin due to pvc deletion results in prolonged RssAB signaling activation, leading to delayed swarming initiation and increased biofilm formation. We further show that ICDH-Coumarin is able to chelate Fe3+ to switch off RssAB signaling, triggering swarming initiation and biofilm reduction. Our findings reveal a novel cellular system that senses iron levels to regulate bacterial surface lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-Sheng Lin
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Huan Tsai
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chih-Jung Chang
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Shun-Fu Tseng
- Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Tsung-Ru Wu
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chia-Chen Lu
- Department of Respiratory Therapy, Fu Jen University, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ting-Shu Wu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Jang-Jih Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Jim-Tong Horng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Jan Martel
- Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - David M. Ojcius
- Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, United States of America
| | - Hsin-Chih Lai
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - John D. Young
- Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, United States of America
- Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China
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Kobayashi K, Kanesaki Y, Yoshikawa H. Genetic Analysis of Collective Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006387. [PMID: 27764113 PMCID: PMC5072692 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have developed various motility mechanisms to adapt to a variety of solid surfaces. A rhizosphere isolate, Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1, exhibited unusual motility behavior. When spotted onto 1.5% agar media, Paenibacillus sp. formed many colonies, each of which moved around actively at a speed of 3.6 μm/sec. As their density increased, each moving colony began to spiral, finally forming a static round colony. Despite its unusual motility behavior, draft genome sequencing revealed that both the composition and organization of flagellar genes in Paenibacillus sp. were very similar to those in Bacillus subtilis. Disruption of flagellar genes and flagellar stator operons resulted in loss of motility. Paenibacillus sp. showed increased transcription of flagellar genes and hyperflagellation on hard agar media. Thus, increased flagella and their rotation drive Paenibacillus sp. motility. We also identified a large extracellular protein, CmoA, which is conserved only in several Paenibacillus and related species. A cmoA mutant could neither form moving colonies nor move on hard agar media; however, motility was restored by exogenous CmoA. CmoA was located around cells and enveloped cell clusters. Comparison of cellular behavior between the wild type and cmoA mutant indicated that extracellular CmoA is involved in drawing water out of agar media and/or smoothing the cell surface interface. This function of CmoA probably enables Paenibacillus sp. to move on hard agar media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuo Kobayashi
- Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science & Technology, Ikoma, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Yu Kanesaki
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Yoshikawa
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Japan
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Japan
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Harshey RM, Partridge JD. Shelter in a Swarm. J Mol Biol 2015; 427:3683-94. [PMID: 26277623 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2015.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Flagella propel bacteria during both swimming and swarming, dispersing them widely. However, while swimming bacteria use chemotaxis to find nutrients and avoid toxic environments, swarming bacteria appear to suppress chemotaxis and to use the dynamics of their collective motion to continuously expand and acquire new territory, barrel through lethal chemicals in their path, carry along bacterial and fungal cargo that assists in exploration of new niches, and engage in group warfare for niche dominance. Here, we focus on two aspects of swarming, which, if understood, hold the promise of revealing new insights into microbial signaling and behavior, with ramifications beyond bacterial swarming. These are as follows: how bacteria sense they are on a surface and turn on programs that promote movement and how they override scarcity and adversity as dense packs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasika M Harshey
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Jonathan D Partridge
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Jian H, Xiong L, He Y, Xiao X. The regulatory function of LexA is temperature-dependent in the deep-sea bacterium Shewanella piezotolerans WP3. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:627. [PMID: 26150814 PMCID: PMC4471891 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The SOS response addresses DNA lesions and is conserved in the bacterial domain. The response is governed by the DNA binding protein LexA, which has been characterized in model microorganisms such as Escherichia coli. However, our understanding of its roles in deep-sea bacteria is limited. Here, the influence of LexA on the phenotype and gene transcription of Shewanella piezotolerans WP3 (WP3) was investigated by constructing a lexA deletion strain (WP3ΔlexA), which was compared with the wild-type strain. No growth defect was observed for WP3ΔlexA. A total of 481 and 108 genes were differentially expressed at 20 and 4°C, respectively, as demonstrated by comparative whole genome microarray analysis. Furthermore, the swarming motility and dimethylsulfoxide reduction assay demonstrated that the function of LexA was related to temperature. The transcription of the lexA gene was up-regulated during cold acclimatization and after cold shock, indicating that the higher expression level of LexA at low temperatures may be responsible for its temperature-dependent functions. The deep-sea microorganism S. piezotolerans WP3 is the only bacterial species whose SOS regulator has been demonstrated to be significantly influenced by environmental temperatures to date. Our data support the hypothesis that SOS is a formidable strategy used by bacteria against various environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huahua Jian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China
| | - Ying He
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China ; State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China
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Padmavathi AR, Abinaya B, Pandian SK. Phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) of marine bacterial origin inhibits quorum sensing mediated biofilm formation in the uropathogen Serratia marcescens. BIOFOULING 2014; 30:1111-22. [PMID: 25377484 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2014.972386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular communication in bacteria (quorum sensing, QS) is an important phenomenon in disease dissemination and pathogenesis, which controls biofilm formation also. This study reports the anti-QS and anti-biofilm efficacy of seaweed Gracilaria gracilis associated Vibrio alginolyticus G16 against Serratia marcescens. Purification and mass spectrometric analysis revealed the active principle as phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) [PD]. PD affected the QS regulated virulence factor production in S. marcescens and resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in biofilm (85%), protease (41.9%), haemolysin (69.9%), lipase (84.3%), prodigiosin (84.5%) and extracellular polysaccharide (84.62%) secretion without hampering growth, as evidenced by XTT [2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide] assay. qPCR analysis confirmed the down-regulation of the fimA, fimC, flhD and bsmA genes involved in biofilm formation. Apart from biofilm inhibition and disruption, PD increased the susceptibility of S. marcescens to gentamicin when administered synergistically, which opens another avenue for combinatorial therapy where PD can be used to enhance the efficacy of conventional antibiotics.
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Intra-specific diversity of Serratia marcescens in Anopheles mosquito midgut defines Plasmodium transmission capacity. Sci Rep 2014; 3:1641. [PMID: 23571408 PMCID: PMC3622076 DOI: 10.1038/srep01641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A critical stage in malaria transmission occurs in the Anopheles mosquito midgut, when the malaria parasite, Plasmodium, ingested with blood, first makes contact with the gut epithelial surface. To understand the response mechanisms within the midgut environment, including those influenced by resident microbiota against Plasmodium, we focus on a midgut bacteria species' intra-specific variation that confers diversity to the mosquito's competency for malaria transmission. Serratia marcescens isolated from either laboratory-reared mosquitoes or wild populations in Burkina Faso shows great phenotypic variation in its cellular and structural features. Importantly, this variation is directly correlated with its ability to inhibit Plasmodium development within the mosquito midgut. Furthermore, this anti-Plasmodium function conferred by Serratiamarcescens requires increased expression of the flagellum biosynthetic pathway that is modulated by the motility master regulatory operon, flhDC. These findings point to new strategies for controlling malaria through genetic manipulation of midgut bacteria within the mosquito.
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Serratia marcescens ShlA pore-forming toxin is responsible for early induction of autophagy in host cells and is transcriptionally regulated by RcsB. Infect Immun 2014; 82:3542-54. [PMID: 24914224 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01682-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Serratia marcescens is a Gram-negative bacterium that thrives in a wide variety of ambient niches and interacts with an ample range of hosts. As an opportunistic human pathogen, it has increased its clinical incidence in recent years, being responsible for life-threatening nosocomial infections. S. marcescens produces numerous exoproteins with toxic effects, including the ShlA pore-forming toxin, which has been catalogued as its most potent cytotoxin. However, the regulatory mechanisms that govern ShlA expression, as well as its action toward the host, have remained unclear. We have shown that S. marcescens elicits an autophagic response in host nonphagocytic cells. In this work, we determine that the expression of ShlA is responsible for the autophagic response that is promoted prior to bacterial internalization in epithelial cells. We show that a strain unable to express ShlA is no longer able to induce this autophagic mechanism, while heterologous expression of ShlA/ShlB suffices to confer on noninvasive Escherichia coli the capacity to trigger autophagy. We also demonstrate that shlBA harbors a binding motif for the RcsB regulator in its promoter region. RcsB-dependent control of shlBA constitutes a feed-forward regulatory mechanism that allows interplay with flagellar-biogenesis regulation. At the top of the circuit, activated RcsB downregulates expression of flagella by binding to the flhDC promoter region, preventing FliA-activated transcription of shlBA. Simultaneously, RcsB interaction within the shlBA promoter represses ShlA expression. This circuit offers multiple access points to fine-tune ShlA production. These findings also strengthen the case for an RcsB role in orchestrating the expression of Serratia virulence factors.
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ManA is regulated by RssAB signaling and promotes motility in Serratia marcescens. Res Microbiol 2014; 165:21-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2013.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Petersen LM, Tisa LS. Friend or foe? A review of the mechanisms that driveSerratiatowards diverse lifestyles. Can J Microbiol 2013; 59:627-40. [DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2013-0343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Found widespread around the globe, Serratia are Gram-negative bacteria capable of thriving in a diverse number of environments that include water, soil, and the digestive tracts of various animals. Known for their ability to produce a myriad of extracellular enzymes, these bacteria also produce various secondary metabolites that directly contribute to their survival. While the effects Serratia species have on other organisms range from parasitic to symbiotic, what these bacteria have in common is their ability to resist attack, respond appropriately to environmental conditions, and outcompete other microorganisms when colonizing their respective niche. This review highlights the mechanisms utilized by Serratia species that drive their ubiquitous nature, with emphasis on the latest findings. Also discussed is how secreted compounds drive these bacteria towards pathogenic, mutualistic, and antagonistic associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M. Petersen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Road, Durham, NH 03824-2617, USA
| | - Louis S. Tisa
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Road, Durham, NH 03824-2617, USA
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Vikram A, Jayaprakasha GK, Uckoo RM, Patil BS. Inhibition of Escherichia coli O157:H7 motility and biofilm by β-sitosterol glucoside. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2013; 1830:5219-28. [PMID: 23891936 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2013.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2012] [Revised: 07/01/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC) is a food borne pathogen, which causes diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). There is an urgent need of novel antimicrobials for treatment of EHEC as conventional antibiotics enhance shiga toxin production and potentiate morbidity and mortality. METHODS Six bioactive compounds were isolated, identified from citrus and evaluated for the effect on EHEC biofilm and motility. To determine the possible mode of action, a series of genes known to affect biofilm and motility were overexpressed and the effect on biofilm/motility was assessed. Furthermore, the relative expression of genes involved in motility and biofilm formation was measured by qRT-PCR in presence and absence of phytochemicals, to examine the repression caused by test compounds. RESULTS The β-sitosterol glucoside (SG) was identified as the most potent inhibitor of EHEC biofilm formation and motility without affecting the cell viability. Furthermore, SG appears to inhibit the biofilm and motility through rssAB and hns mediated repression of flagellar master operon flhDC. CONCLUSION SG may serve as novel lead compound for further development of anti-virulence drugs. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Plant sterols constitute significant part of diet and impart various health benefits. Here we present the first evidence that SG, a plant sterol has significant effect on EHEC motility, a critical virulence factor, and may have potential application as antivirulence strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Vikram
- Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Tsai YH, Wei JR, Lin CS, Chen PH, Huang S, Lin YC, Wei CF, Lu CC, Lai HC. RssAB signaling coordinates early development of surface multicellularity in Serratia marcescens. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24154. [PMID: 21887380 PMCID: PMC3162612 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2011] [Accepted: 08/01/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria can coordinate several multicellular behaviors in response to environmental changes. Among these, swarming and biofilm formation have attracted significant attention for their correlation with bacterial pathogenicity. However, little is known about when and where the signaling occurs to trigger either swarming or biofilm formation. We have previously identified an RssAB two-component system involved in the regulation of swarming motility and biofilm formation in Serratia marcescens. Here we monitored the RssAB signaling status within single cells by tracing the location of the translational fusion protein EGFP-RssB following development of swarming or biofilm formation. RssAB signaling is specifically activated before surface migration in swarming development and during the early stage of biofilm formation. The activation results in the release of RssB from its cognate inner membrane sensor kinase, RssA, to the cytoplasm where the downstream gene promoters are located. Such dynamic localization of RssB requires phosphorylation of this regulator. By revealing the temporal activation of RssAB signaling following development of surface multicellular behavior, our findings contribute to an improved understanding of how bacteria coordinate their lifestyle on a surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Huan Tsai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Jun-Rong Wei
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Chuan-Sheng Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Po-Han Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Stella Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Ching Lin
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, and Research Center for Pathogenic Bacteria, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chia-Fong Wei
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, and Research Center for Pathogenic Bacteria, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chia-Chen Lu
- Department of Respiratory Therapy, Fu Jen Catholic University, Sinjhuang, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Hsin-Chih Lai
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, and Research Center for Pathogenic Bacteria, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
- * E-mail:
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Horng YT, Chien CC, Wei YH, Chen SY, Lan JW, Sun YM, Soo PC. Functional cis-expression of phaCAB genes for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production by Escherichia coli. Lett Appl Microbiol 2011; 52:475-83. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2011.03029.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Abstract
How bacteria regulate, assemble and rotate flagella to swim in liquid media is reasonably well understood. Much less is known about how some bacteria use flagella to move over the tops of solid surfaces in a form of movement called swarming. The focus of bacteriology is changing from planktonic to surface environments, and so interest in swarming motility is on the rise. Here, I review the requirements that define swarming motility in diverse bacterial model systems, including an increase in the number of flagella per cell, the secretion of a surfactant to reduce surface tension and allow spreading, and movement in multicellular groups rather than as individuals.
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Abstract
Serratia marcescens has long been recognized as an important opportunistic pathogen, but the underlying pathogenesis mechanism is not completely clear. Here, we report a key pathogenesis pathway in S. marcescens comprising the RssAB two-component system and its downstream elements, FlhDC and the dominant virulence factor hemolysin ShlBA. Expression of shlBA is under the positive control of FlhDC, which is repressed by RssAB signaling. At 37°C, functional RssAB inhibits swarming, represses hemolysin production, and promotes S. marcescens biofilm formation. In comparison, when rssBA is deleted, S. marcescens displays aberrant multicellularity favoring motile swarming with unbridled hemolysin production. Cellular and animal infection models further demonstrate that loss of rssBA transforms this opportunistic pathogen into hypervirulent phenotypes, leading to extensive inflammatory responses coupled with destructive and systemic infection. Hemolysin production is essential in this context. Collectively, a major virulence regulatory pathway is identified in S. marcescens.
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Horng YT, Chang KC, Liu YN, Lai HC, Soo PC. The RssB/RssA two-component system regulates biosynthesis of the tripyrrole antibiotic, prodigiosin, in Serratia marcescens. Int J Med Microbiol 2010; 300:304-12. [PMID: 20347390 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2010.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2009] [Revised: 01/15/2010] [Accepted: 01/31/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Serratia marcescens CH-1 produces a red, cell-associated pigment, prodigiosin, synthesized by enzymes encoded in the pig operon. The underlying regulatory mechanism, especially its relationship with the RssAB two-component system signaling, remained uncharacterized. Here, we show that phosphorylated RssB (RssB-P) directly binds to the promoter region of the pig operon (pigA promoter), as observed using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Furthermore, we identify the RssB-P binding site located downstream of the -10 and -35 regions in pigA using a DNase I footprinting assay. A compilation of the RssB-P binding sites in flhDC, rssB and pigA promoter regions reveals the presence of a conserved core sequence, GAGATTTTAGCTAAATTAATBTTT (B=C, G, or T), which we believe is the RssB binding sequence. Site-specific mutation of conserved nucleotides within the conserved RssB binding sequence in the pigA promoter region leads to absence of retardation in the presence of RssB-P in vitro and elevated transcription of pigA in vivo. These data suggest that RssAB signaling negatively regulates prodigiosin production, and such inhibition is mediated through direct and specific repression of transcriptional activity of the pig operon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Tze Horng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Tzu Chi University, College of Medicine, 701 Section 3, Zhongyang Road, Hualien 97004, Taiwan, ROC
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Horng YT, Chang KC, Chien CC, Wei YH, Sun YM, Soo PC. Enhanced polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) productionviathe coexpressedphaCABandvgbgenes controlled by arabinose PBADpromoter inEscherichia coli. Lett Appl Microbiol 2010; 50:158-67. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2009.02772.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Verstraeten N, Braeken K, Debkumari B, Fauvart M, Fransaer J, Vermant J, Michiels J. Living on a surface: swarming and biofilm formation. Trends Microbiol 2008; 16:496-506. [PMID: 18775660 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2008.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 316] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2008] [Revised: 07/16/2008] [Accepted: 07/28/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Swarming is the fastest known bacterial mode of surface translocation and enables the rapid colonization of a nutrient-rich environment and host tissues. This complex multicellular behavior requires the integration of chemical and physical signals, which leads to the physiological and morphological differentiation of the bacteria into swarmer cells. Here, we provide a review of recent advances in the study of the regulatory pathways that lead to swarming behavior of different model bacteria. It has now become clear that many of these pathways also affect the formation of biofilms, surface-attached bacterial colonies. Decision-making between rapidly colonizing a surface and biofilm formation is central to bacterial survival among competitors. In the second part of this article, we review recent developments in the understanding of the transition between motile and sessile lifestyles of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Verstraeten
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
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A potential acyltransferase regulates swarming in Serratia marcescens. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2008; 371:462-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.04.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2008] [Accepted: 04/17/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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