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Holley CL, Dhulipala V, Maurakis SA, Greenawalt AN, Read TD, Cornelissen CN, Shafer WM. Transcriptional activation of ompA in Neisseria gonorrhoeae mediated by the XRE family member protein NceR. mBio 2023; 14:e0124423. [PMID: 37387605 PMCID: PMC10470515 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01244-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing antibiotic resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea, is a growing global concern that has renewed vaccine development efforts. The gonococcal OmpA protein was previously identified as a vaccine candidate due to its surface exposure, conservation, stable expression, and involvement in host-cell interactions. We previously demonstrated that the transcription of ompA can be activated by the MisR/MisS two-component system. Interestingly, earlier work suggested that the availability of free iron also influences ompA expression, which we confirmed in this study. In the present study, we found that iron regulation of ompA was independent of MisR and searched for additional regulators. A DNA pull-down assay with the ompA promoter from gonococcal lysates obtained from bacteria grown in the presence or absence of iron identified an XRE (Xenobiotic Response Element) family member protein encoded by NGO1982. We found that an NGO1982 null mutant of N. gonorrhoeae strain FA19 displayed a reduced level of ompA expression compared to the wild-type (WT) parent strain. Given this regulation, and the capacity of this XRE-like protein to regulate a gene involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis (ltgA), along with its presence in other Neisseria sp., we termed the NGO1982-encoded protein as NceR (Neisseria cell envelope regulator). Critically, results from DNA-binding studies indicated that NceR regulates ompA through a direct mechanism. Thus, ompA expression is subject to both iron-dependent (NceR) and -independent (MisR/MisS) pathways. Hence, levels of the vaccine antigen candidate OmpA in circulating gonococcal strains could be influenced by transcriptional regulatory systems and the availability of iron. IMPORTANCE Herein, we report that the gene encoding a conserved gonococcal surface-exposed vaccine candidate (OmpA) is activated by a heretofore undescribed XRE family transcription factor, which we term NceR. We report that NceR regulation of ompA expression in N. gonorrhoeae is mediated by an iron-dependent mechanism, while the previously described MisR regulatory system is iron-independent. Our study highlights the importance of defining the complexity of coordinated genetic and physiologic systems that regulate genes encoding vaccine candidates to better understand their availability during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concerta L. Holley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Vijaya Dhulipala
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stavaros A. Maurakis
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Timothy D. Read
- Department of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- The Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - William M. Shafer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Laboratories of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, USA
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2
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Branch AH, Stoudenmire JL, Seib KL, Cornelissen CN. Acclimation to Nutritional Immunity and Metal Intoxication Requires Zinc, Manganese, and Copper Homeostasis in the Pathogenic Neisseriae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:909888. [PMID: 35846739 PMCID: PMC9280163 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.909888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis are human-specific pathogens in the Neisseriaceae family that can cause devastating diseases. Although both species inhabit mucosal surfaces, they cause dramatically different diseases. Despite this, they have evolved similar mechanisms to survive and thrive in a metal-restricted host. The human host restricts, or overloads, the bacterial metal nutrient supply within host cell niches to limit pathogenesis and disease progression. Thus, the pathogenic Neisseria require appropriate metal homeostasis mechanisms to acclimate to such a hostile and ever-changing host environment. This review discusses the mechanisms by which the host allocates and alters zinc, manganese, and copper levels and the ability of the pathogenic Neisseria to sense and respond to such alterations. This review will also discuss integrated metal homeostasis in N. gonorrhoeae and the significance of investigating metal interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Hope Branch
- Center for Translational Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Julie L. Stoudenmire
- Center for Translational Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Kate L. Seib
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Cynthia Nau Cornelissen
- Center for Translational Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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3
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MacAlasdair N, Pesonen M, Brynildsrud O, Eldholm V, Kristiansen PA, Corander J, Caugant DA, Bentley SD. The effect of recombination on the evolution of a population of Neisseria meningitidis. Genome Res 2021; 31:1258-1268. [PMID: 34108268 PMCID: PMC8256868 DOI: 10.1101/gr.264465.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis (the meningococcus) is a major human pathogen with a history of high invasive disease burden, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Our current understanding of the evolution of meningococcal genomes is limited by the rarity of large-scale genomic population studies and lack of in-depth investigation of the genomic events associated with routine pathogen transmission. Here, we fill this knowledge gap by a detailed analysis of 2839 meningococcal genomes obtained through a carriage study of over 50,000 samples collected systematically in Burkina Faso, West Africa, before, during, and after the serogroup A vaccine rollout, 2009-2012. Our findings indicate that the meningococcal genome is highly dynamic, with highly recombinant loci and frequent gene sharing across deeply separated lineages in a structured population. Furthermore, our findings illustrate how population structure can correlate with genome flexibility, as some lineages in Burkina Faso are orders of magnitude more recombinant than others. We also examine the effect of selection on the population, in particular how it is correlated with recombination. We find that recombination principally acts to prevent the accumulation of deleterious mutations, although we do also find an example of recombination acting to speed the adaptation of a gene. In general, we show the importance of recombination in the evolution of a geographically expansive population with deep population structure in a short timescale. This has important consequences for our ability to both foresee the outcomes of vaccination programs and, using surveillance data, predict when lineages of the meningococcus are likely to become a public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil MacAlasdair
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Maiju Pesonen
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Oslo University Hospital Research Support Services, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
| | - Ola Brynildsrud
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Norwegian University of Life Science, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vegard Eldholm
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Paul A Kristiansen
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jukka Corander
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
- University of Oslo, Department of Biostatistics, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
- Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dominique A Caugant
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Stephen D Bentley
- Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
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4
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McClure R, Sunkavalli A, Balzano PM, Massari P, Cho C, Nauseef WM, Apicella MA, Genco CA. Global Network Analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Identifies Coordination between Pathways, Processes, and Regulators Expressed during Human Infection. mSystems 2020; 5:e00729-19. [PMID: 32019834 PMCID: PMC7002116 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00729-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative diplococcus that is responsible for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea, a high-morbidity disease in the United States and worldwide. Over the past several years, N. gonorrhoeae strains resistant to antibiotics used to treat this infection have begun to emerge across the globe. Thus, new treatment strategies are needed to combat this organism. Here, we utilized N. gonorrhoeae transcriptomic data sets, including those obtained from natural infection of the human genital tract, to infer the first global gene coexpression network of this pathogen. Interrogation of this network revealed genes central to the network that are likely critical for gonococcal growth, metabolism, and virulence, including genes encoding hypothetical proteins expressed during mucosal infection. In addition, network analysis revealed overlap in the response of N. gonorrhoeae to incubation with neutrophils and exposure to hydrogen peroxide stress in vitro Network analysis also identified new targets of the gonococcal global regulatory protein Fur, while examination of the network neighborhood of genes allowed us to assign additional putative categories to several proteins. Collectively, the characterization of the first gene coexpression network for N. gonorrhoeae described here has revealed new regulatory pathways and new categories for proteins and has shown how processes important to gonococcal infection in both men and women are linked. This information fills a critical gap in our understanding of virulence strategies of this obligate human pathogen and will aid in the development of new treatment strategies for gonorrhea.IMPORTANCE Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) gonorrhea, a disease with high morbidity worldwide with an estimated 87 million cases annually. Current therapeutic and pharmacologic approaches to treat gonorrhea have been compromised by increased antibiotic resistance worldwide, including to the most recent FDA-approved antibiotic. New treatment strategies are urgently needed to combat this organism. In this study, we used network analysis to interrogate and define the coordination of pathways and processes in N. gonorrhoeae An analysis of the gonococcal network was also used to assign categories to genes and to expand our understanding of regulatory strategies. Network analysis provides important insights into pathogenic mechanisms of this organism that will guide the design of new strategies for disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan McClure
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Ashwini Sunkavalli
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Phillip M Balzano
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Paola Massari
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christine Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - William M Nauseef
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Michael A Apicella
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Caroline A Genco
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Zhu T, McClure R, Harrison OB, Genco C, Massari P. Integrated Bioinformatic Analyses and Immune Characterization of New Neisseria gonorrhoeae Vaccine Antigens Expressed during Natural Mucosal Infection. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:E153. [PMID: 31627489 PMCID: PMC6963464 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7040153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an increasingly severe trend of antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains worldwide and new therapeutic strategies are needed against this sexually-transmitted pathogen. Despite the urgency, progress towards a gonococcal vaccine has been slowed by a scarcity of suitable antigens, lack of correlates of protection in humans and limited animal models of infection. N. gonorrhoeae gene expression levels in the natural human host does not reflect expression in vitro, further complicating in vitro-basedvaccine analysis platforms. We designed a novel candidate antigen selection strategy (CASS), based on a reverse vaccinology-like approach coupled with bioinformatics. We utilized the CASS to mine gonococcal proteins expressed during human mucosal infection, reported in our previous studies, and focused on a large pool of hypothetical proteins as an untapped source of potential new antigens. Via two discovery and analysis phases (DAP), we identified 36 targets predicted to be immunogenic, membrane-associated proteins conserved in N. gonorrhoeae and suitable for recombinant expression. Six initial candidates were produced and used to immunize mice. Characterization of the immune responses indicated cross-reactive antibodies and serum bactericidal activity against different N. gonorrhoeae strains. These results support the CASS as a tool for the discovery of new vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianmou Zhu
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
| | - Ryan McClure
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA.
| | - Odile B Harrison
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
| | - Caroline Genco
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
| | - Paola Massari
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
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6
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Baarda BI, Zielke RA, Le Van A, Jerse AE, Sikora AE. Neisseria gonorrhoeae MlaA influences gonococcal virulence and membrane vesicle production. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007385. [PMID: 30845186 PMCID: PMC6424457 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The six-component maintenance of lipid asymmetry (Mla) system is responsible for retrograde transport of phospholipids, ensuring the barrier function of the Gram-negative cell envelope. Located within the outer membrane, MlaA (VacJ) acts as a channel to shuttle phospholipids from the outer leaflet. We identified Neisseria gonorrhoeae MlaA (ngo2121) during high-throughput proteomic mining for potential therapeutic targets against this medically important human pathogen. Our follow-up phenotypic microarrays revealed that lack of MlaA results in a complex sensitivity phenome. Herein we focused on MlaA function in cell envelope biogenesis and pathogenesis. We demonstrate the existence of two MlaA classes among 21 bacterial species, characterized by the presence or lack of a lipoprotein signal peptide. Purified truncated N. gonorrhoeae MlaA elicited antibodies that cross-reacted with a panel of different Neisseria. Little is known about MlaA expression; we provide the first evidence that MlaA levels increase in stationary phase and under anaerobiosis but decrease during iron starvation. Lack of MlaA resulted in higher cell counts during conditions mimicking different host niches; however, it also significantly decreased colony size. Antimicrobial peptides such as polymyxin B exacerbated the size difference while human defensin was detrimental to mutant viability. Consistent with the proposed role of MlaA in vesicle biogenesis, the ΔmlaA mutant released 1.7-fold more membrane vesicles. Comparative proteomics of cell envelopes and native membrane vesicles derived from ΔmlaA and wild type bacteria revealed enrichment of TadA–which recodes proteins through mRNA editing–as well as increased levels of adhesins and virulence factors. MlaA-deficient gonococci significantly outcompeted (up to 16-fold) wild-type bacteria in the murine lower genital tract, suggesting the growth advantage or increased expression of virulence factors afforded by inactivation of mlaA is advantageous in vivo. Based on these results, we propose N. gonorrhoeae restricts MlaA levels to modulate cell envelope homeostasis and fine-tune virulence. The Gram-negative outer membrane is a formidable barrier, primarily because of its asymmetric composition. A layer of lipopolysaccharide is exposed to the external environment and phospholipids are on the internal face of the outer membrane. MlaA is part of a bacterial system that prevents phospholipid accumulation within the lipopolysaccharide layer. If MlaA is removed, membrane asymmetry is disrupted and bacteria become more vulnerable to certain antimicrobials. Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes millions of infections worldwide annually. A growing number are resistant to available antibiotics. Improving our understanding of gonococcal pathogenicity and basic biological processes is required to facilitate the discovery of new weapons against gonorrhea. We investigated the role of MlaA in N. gonorrhoeae and found that when MlaA was absent, bacteria were more sensitive to antibiotics and human defensins. However, the mutant bacteria produced more membrane vesicles–packages of proteins wrapped in membrane material. Mutant vesicles and cell envelopes were enriched in proteins that contribute to disease. These alterations significantly increased mutant fitness during experimental infection of the female mouse genital tract. Our results provide new insights into the processes N. gonorrhoeae uses to fine-tune its ability to stay fit in the hostile environment of the genital tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin I. Baarda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Ryszard A. Zielke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Adriana Le Van
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ann E. Jerse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Aleksandra E. Sikora
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Cornelissen CN. Subversion of nutritional immunity by the pathogenic Neisseriae. Pathog Dis 2018; 76:4553517. [PMID: 29045638 PMCID: PMC6251569 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic Neisseria species, including Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, are obligate human pathogens that cause significant morbidity and mortality. The success of these pathogens, with regard to causing disease in humans, is inextricably linked to their ability to acquire necessary nutrients in the hostile environment of the host. Humans deploy a significant arsenal of weaponry to defend against bacterial pathogens, not least of which are the metal-sequestering proteins that entrap and withhold transition metals, including iron, zinc and manganese, from invaders. This review will discuss the general strategies that bacteria employ to overcome these metal-sequestering attempts by the host, and then will focus on the relatively uncommon 'metal piracy' approaches utilized by the pathogenic Neisseria for this purpose. Because acquiring metals from the environment is critical to microbial survival, interfering with this process could impede growth and therefore disease initiation or progression. This review will also discuss how interfering with metal uptake by the pathogenic Neisseriae could be deployed in the development of novel or improved preventative or therapeutic measures against these important pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Nau Cornelissen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Box 980678, Richmond, VA 23298-0678, USA
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8
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Gangaiah D, Raterman EL, Wu H, Fortney KR, Gao H, Liu Y, Jerse AE, Spinola SM. Both MisR (CpxR) and MisS (CpxA) Are Required for Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infection in a Murine Model of Lower Genital Tract Infection. Infect Immun 2017; 85:e00307-17. [PMID: 28652307 PMCID: PMC5563589 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00307-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
During infection, Neisseria gonorrhoeae senses and responds to stress; such responses may be modulated by MisRS (NGO0177 and NGO0176), a two-component system that is a homolog of CpxRA. In Escherichia coli, CpxRA senses and responds to envelope stress; CpxA is a sensor kinase/phosphatase for CpxR, a response regulator. When a cpxA mutant is grown in medium containing glucose, CpxR is phosphorylated by acetyl phosphate but cannot be dephosphorylated, resulting in constitutive activation. Kandler and coworkers (J. L. Kandler, C. L. Holley, J. L. Reimche, V. Dhulipala, J. T. Balthazar, A. Muszyński, R. W. Carlson, and W. M. Shafer, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 60:4690-4700, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00823-16) showed that MisR (CpxR) is required for the maintenance of membrane integrity and resistance to antimicrobial peptides, suggesting a role in gonococcal survival in vivo Here, we evaluated the contributions of MisR and MisS (CpxA) to gonococcal infection in a murine model of cervicovaginal colonization and identified MisR-regulated genes using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). The deletion of misR or misS severely reduced the capacity of N. gonorrhoeae to colonize mice or maintain infection over a 7-day period and reduced microbial fitness after exposure to heat shock. Compared to the wild type (WT), the inactivation of misR identified 157 differentially regulated genes, most of which encoded putative envelope proteins. The inactivation of misS identified 17 differentially regulated genes compared to the WT and 139 differentially regulated genes compared to the misR mutant, 111 of which overlapped those differentially expressed in the comparison of the WT versus the misR mutant. These data indicate that an intact MisRS system is required for gonococcal infection of mice. Provided the MisR is constitutively phosphorylated in the misS mutant, the data suggest that controlled but not constitutive activation is required for gonococcal infection in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharanesh Gangaiah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Erica L Raterman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Hong Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kate R Fortney
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Hongyu Gao
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Ann E Jerse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stanley M Spinola
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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9
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Spencer-Smith R, Roberts S, Gurung N, Snyder LAS. DNA uptake sequences in Neisseria gonorrhoeae as intrinsic transcriptional terminators and markers of horizontal gene transfer. Microb Genom 2016; 2:e000069. [PMID: 28348864 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA uptake sequences are widespread throughout the Neisseria gonorrhoeae genome. These short, conserved sequences facilitate the exchange of endogenous DNA between members of the genus Neisseria. Often the DNA uptake sequences are present as inverted repeats that are able to form hairpin structures. It has been suggested previously that DNA uptake sequence inverted repeats present 3' of genes play a role in rho-independent termination and attenuation. However, there is conflicting experimental evidence to support this role. The aim of this study was to determine the role of DNA uptake sequences in transcriptional termination. Both bioinformatics predictions, conducted using TransTermHP, and experimental evidence, from RNA-seq data, were used to determine which inverted repeat DNA uptake sequences are transcriptional terminators and in which direction. Here we show that DNA uptake sequences in the inverted repeat configuration occur in N. gonorrhoeae both where the DNA uptake sequence precedes the inverted version of the sequence and also, albeit less frequently, in reverse order. Due to their symmetrical configuration, inverted repeat DNA uptake sequences can potentially act as bi-directional terminators, therefore affecting transcription on both DNA strands. This work also provides evidence that gaps in DNA uptake sequence density in the gonococcal genome coincide with areas of DNA that are foreign in origin, such as prophage. This study differentiates for the first time, to our knowledge, between DNA uptake sequences that form intrinsic transcriptional terminators and those that do not, providing characteristic features within the flanking inverted repeat that can be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell Spencer-Smith
- 1School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK.,2Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sabrina Roberts
- 1School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Neesha Gurung
- 1School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Lori A S Snyder
- 1School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
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10
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The MisR Response Regulator Is Necessary for Intrinsic Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide and Aminoglycoside Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:4690-700. [PMID: 27216061 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00823-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
During infection, the sexually transmitted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the gonococcus) encounters numerous host-derived antimicrobials, including cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) produced by epithelial and phagocytic cells. CAMPs have both direct and indirect killing mechanisms and help link the innate and adaptive immune responses during infection. Gonococcal CAMP resistance is likely important for avoidance of host nonoxidative killing systems expressed by polymorphonuclear granulocytes (e.g., neutrophils) and intracellular survival. Previously studied gonococcal CAMP resistance mechanisms include modification of lipid A with phosphoethanolamine by LptA and export of CAMPs by the MtrCDE efflux pump. In the related pathogen Neisseria meningitidis, a two-component regulatory system (2CRS) termed MisR-MisS has been shown to contribute to the capacity of the meningococcus to resist CAMP killing. We report that the gonococcal MisR response regulator but not the MisS sensor kinase is involved in constitutive and inducible CAMP resistance and is also required for intrinsic low-level resistance to aminoglycosides. The 4- to 8-fold increased susceptibility of misR-deficient gonococci to CAMPs and aminoglycosides was independent of phosphoethanolamine decoration of lipid A and the levels of the MtrCDE efflux pump and seemed to correlate with a general increase in membrane permeability. Transcriptional profiling and biochemical studies confirmed that expression of lptA and mtrCDE was not impacted by the loss of MisR. However, several genes encoding proteins involved in membrane integrity and redox control gave evidence of being MisR regulated. We propose that MisR modulates the levels of gonococcal susceptibility to antimicrobials by influencing the expression of genes involved in determining membrane integrity.
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11
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Kandler JL, Acevedo RV, Dickinson MK, Cash DR, Shafer WM, Cornelissen CN. The genes that encode the gonococcal transferrin binding proteins, TbpB and TbpA, are differentially regulated by MisR under iron-replete and iron-depleted conditions. Mol Microbiol 2016; 102:137-51. [PMID: 27353397 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae produces two transferrin binding proteins, TbpA and TbpB, which together enable efficient iron transport from human transferrin. We demonstrate that expression of the tbp genes is controlled by MisR, a response regulator in the two-component regulatory system that also includes the sensor kinase MisS. The tbp genes were up-regulated in the misR mutant under iron-replete conditions but were conversely down-regulated in the misR mutant under iron-depleted conditions. The misR mutant was capable of transferrin-iron uptake at only 50% of wild-type levels, consistent with decreased tbp expression. We demonstrate that phosphorylated MisR specifically binds to the tbpBA promoter and that MisR interacts with five regions upstream of the tbpB start codon. These analyses confirm that MisR directly regulates tbpBA expression. The MisR binding sites in the gonococcus are only partially conserved in Neisseria meningitidis, which may explain why tbpBA was not MisR-regulated in previous studies using this related pathogen. This is the first report of a trans-acting protein factor other than Fur that can directly contribute to gonococcal tbpBA regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin L Kandler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Rosuany Vélez Acevedo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Mary Kathryne Dickinson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Devin R Cash
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, Virginia
| | - William M Shafer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Laboratories of Microbial Pathogenesis, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Cynthia Nau Cornelissen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, Virginia.
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Roberts JL, Tavallai M, Nourbakhsh A, Fidanza A, Cruz-Luna T, Smith E, Siembida P, Plamondon P, Cycon KA, Doern CD, Booth L, Dent P. GRP78/Dna K Is a Target for Nexavar/Stivarga/Votrient in the Treatment of Human Malignancies, Viral Infections and Bacterial Diseases. J Cell Physiol 2015; 230:2552-78. [PMID: 25858032 PMCID: PMC4843173 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Prior tumor cell studies have shown that the drugs sorafenib (Nexavar) and regorafenib (Stivarga) reduce expression of the chaperone GRP78. Sorafenib/regorafenib and the multi‐kinase inhibitor pazopanib (Votrient) interacted with sildenafil (Viagra) to further rapidly reduce GRP78 levels in eukaryotes and as single agents to reduce Dna K levels in prokaryotes. Similar data were obtained in tumor cells in vitro and in drug‐treated mice for: HSP70, mitochondrial HSP70, HSP60, HSP56, HSP40, HSP10, and cyclophilin A. Prolonged ‘rafenib/sildenafil treatment killed tumor cells and also rapidly decreased the expression of: the drug efflux pumps ABCB1 and ABCG2; and NPC1 and NTCP, receptors for Ebola/Hepatitis A and B viruses, respectively. Pre‐treatment with the ‘Rafenib/sildenafil combination reduced expression of the Coxsackie and Adenovirus receptor in parallel with it also reducing the ability of a serotype 5 Adenovirus or Coxsackie virus B4 to infect and to reproduce. Sorafenib/pazopanib and sildenafil was much more potent than sorafenib/pazopanib as single agents at preventing Adenovirus, Mumps, Chikungunya, Dengue, Rabies, West Nile, Yellow Fever, and Enterovirus 71 infection and reproduction. ‘Rafenib drugs/pazopanib as single agents killed laboratory generated antibiotic resistant E. coli which was associated with reduced Dna K and Rec A expression. Marginally toxic doses of ‘Rafenib drugs/pazopanib restored antibiotic sensitivity in pan‐antibiotic resistant bacteria including multiple strains of blakpcKlebsiella pneumoniae. Thus, Dna K is an antibiotic target for sorafenib, and inhibition of GRP78/Dna K has therapeutic utility for cancer and for bacterial and viral infections. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 2552–2578, 2015. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Physiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane L Roberts
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Mehrad Tavallai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Aida Nourbakhsh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher D Doern
- Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Laurence Booth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Paul Dent
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
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13
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Booth L, Roberts JL, Cash DR, Tavallai S, Jean S, Fidanza A, Cruz-Luna T, Siembiba P, Cycon KA, Cornelissen CN, Dent P. GRP78/BiP/HSPA5/Dna K is a universal therapeutic target for human disease. J Cell Physiol 2015; 230:1661-76. [PMID: 25546329 PMCID: PMC4402027 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.24919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The chaperone GRP78/Dna K is conserved throughout evolution down to prokaryotes. The GRP78 inhibitor OSU-03012 (AR-12) interacted with sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Cialis) to rapidly reduce GRP78 levels in eukaryotes and as a single agent reduce Dna K levels in prokaryotes. Similar data with the drug combination were obtained for: HSP70, HSP90, GRP94, GRP58, HSP27, HSP40 and HSP60. OSU-03012/sildenafil treatment killed brain cancer stem cells and decreased the expression of: NPC1 and TIM1; LAMP1; and NTCP1, receptors for Ebola/Marburg/Hepatitis A, Lassa fever, and Hepatitis B viruses, respectively. Pre-treatment with OSU-03012/sildenafil reduced expression of the coxsakie and adenovirus receptor in parallel with it also reducing the ability of a serotype 5 adenovirus or coxsakie virus B4 to infect and to reproduce. Similar data were obtained using Chikungunya, Mumps, Measles, Rubella, RSV, CMV, and Influenza viruses. OSU-03012 as a single agent at clinically relevant concentrations killed laboratory generated antibiotic resistant E. coli and clinical isolate multi-drug resistant N. gonorrhoeae and MRSE which was in bacteria associated with reduced Dna K and Rec A expression. The PDE5 inhibitors sildenafil or tadalafil enhanced OSU-03012 killing in N. gonorrhoeae and MRSE and low marginally toxic doses of OSU-03012 could restore bacterial sensitivity in N. gonorrhoeae to multiple antibiotics. Thus, Dna K and bacterial phosphodiesterases are novel antibiotic targets, and inhibition of GRP78 is of therapeutic utility for cancer and also for bacterial and viral infections. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 1661–1676, 2015. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Physiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Booth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298
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Overproduction of the MtrCDE efflux pump in Neisseria gonorrhoeae produces unexpected changes in cellular transcription patterns. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 59:724-6. [PMID: 25367915 DOI: 10.1128/aac.04148-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The global consequence of drug efflux gene overexpression in bacteria has not been specifically analyzed because strains showing high-level expression typically have mutations in genes encoding regulatory proteins that control other genes. Results from a transcriptional profiling study performed with a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae that is capable of high-level transcription of the mtrCDE efflux pump operon independently of control by cognate regulatory proteins revealed that its overexpression has ramifications for systems other than drug efflux.
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