1
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Jusufovic N, Krusenstjerna AC, Savage CR, Saylor TC, Brissette CA, Zückert WR, Schlax PJ, Motaleb MA, Stevenson B. Borrelia burgdorferi PlzA is a cyclic-di-GMP dependent DNA and RNA binding protein. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:1039-1062. [PMID: 38527857 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15254] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The PilZ domain-containing protein, PlzA, is the only known cyclic di-GMP binding protein encoded by all Lyme disease spirochetes. PlzA has been implicated in the regulation of many borrelial processes, but the effector mechanism of PlzA was not previously known. Here, we report that PlzA can bind DNA and RNA and that nucleic acid binding requires c-di-GMP, with the affinity of PlzA for nucleic acids increasing as concentrations of c-di-GMP were increased. A mutant PlzA that is incapable of binding c-di-GMP did not bind to any tested nucleic acids. We also determined that PlzA interacts predominantly with the major groove of DNA and that sequence length and G-C content play a role in DNA binding affinity. PlzA is a dual-domain protein with a PilZ-like N-terminal domain linked to a canonical C-terminal PilZ domain. Dissection of the domains demonstrated that the separated N-terminal domain bound nucleic acids independently of c-di-GMP. The C-terminal domain, which includes the c-di-GMP binding motifs, did not bind nucleic acids under any tested conditions. Our data are supported by computational docking, which predicts that c-di-GMP binding at the C-terminal domain stabilizes the overall protein structure and facilitates PlzA-DNA interactions via residues in the N-terminal domain. Based on our data, we propose that levels of c-di-GMP during the various stages of the enzootic life cycle direct PlzA binding to regulatory targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerina Jusufovic
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Andrew C Krusenstjerna
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Christina R Savage
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Timothy C Saylor
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Catherine A Brissette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
| | - Wolfram R Zückert
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Paula J Schlax
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine, USA
| | - Md A Motaleb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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2
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Li L, Gao X, Li M, Liu Y, Ma J, Wang X, Yu Z, Cheng W, Zhang W, Sun H, Song X, Wang Z. Relationship between biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae and updates on antibiofilm therapeutic strategies. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1324895. [PMID: 38465230 PMCID: PMC10920351 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1324895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium within the Enterobacteriaceae family that can cause multiple systemic infections, such as respiratory, blood, liver abscesses and urinary systems. Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat and K. pneumoniae warrants special attention due to its resistance to most modern day antibiotics. Biofilm formation is a critical obstruction that enhances the antibiotic resistance of K. pneumoniae. However, knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation and its relation with antibiotic resistance in K. pneumoniae is limited. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation and its correlation with antibiotic resistance is crucial for providing insight for the design of new drugs to control and treat biofilm-related infections. In this review, we summarize recent advances in genes contributing to the biofilm formation of K. pneumoniae, new progress on the relationship between biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance, and new therapeutic strategies targeting biofilms. Finally, we discuss future research directions that target biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance of this priority pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifeng Li
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xueyan Gao
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mingchao Li
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuchun Liu
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jiayue Ma
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaolei Wang
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhidan Yu
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Weyland Cheng
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wancun Zhang
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huiqing Sun
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaorui Song
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Children’s Infectious Diseases, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhaobao Wang
- Energy-rich Compounds Production by Photosynthetic Carbon Fixation Research Center, Shandong Key Lab of Applied Mycology, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
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3
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Jusufovic N, Krusenstjerna AC, Savage CR, Saylor TC, Brissette CA, Zückert WR, Schlax PJ, Motaleb MA, Stevenson B. Borrelia burgdorferi PlzA is a cyclic-di-GMP dependent DNA and RNA binding protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.01.30.526351. [PMID: 36778503 PMCID: PMC9915621 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.30.526351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The PilZ domain-containing protein, PlzA, is the only known cyclic di-GMP binding protein encoded by all Lyme disease spirochetes. PlzA has been implicated in the regulation of many borrelial processes, but the effector mechanism of PlzA was not previously known. Here we report that PlzA can bind DNA and RNA and that nucleic acid binding requires c-di-GMP, with the affinity of PlzA for nucleic acids increasing as concentrations of c-di-GMP were increased. A mutant PlzA that is incapable of binding c-di-GMP did not bind to any tested nucleic acids. We also determined that PlzA interacts predominantly with the major groove of DNA and that sequence length plays a role in DNA binding affinity. PlzA is a dual-domain protein with a PilZ-like N-terminal domain linked to a canonical C-terminal PilZ domain. Dissection of the domains demonstrated that the separated N-terminal domain bound nucleic acids independently of c-di-GMP. The C-terminal domain, which includes the c-di-GMP binding motifs, did not bind nucleic acids under any tested conditions. Our data are supported by computational docking, which predicts that c-di-GMP binding at the C-terminal domain stabilizes the overall protein structure and facilitates PlzA-DNA interactions via residues in the N-terminal domain. Based on our data, we propose that levels of c-di-GMP during the various stages of the enzootic life cycle direct PlzA binding to regulatory targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerina Jusufovic
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
| | - Andrew C. Krusenstjerna
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
| | - Christina R. Savage
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
| | - Timothy C. Saylor
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
| | - Catherine A. Brissette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58203-9061, USA
| | - Wolfram R. Zückert
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Paula J. Schlax
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bates College, Lewiston, ME, 04240-6030, USA
| | - Md A. Motaleb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834-435, USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
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4
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Li Y, Ni M. Regulation of biofilm formation in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1238482. [PMID: 37744914 PMCID: PMC10513181 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1238482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that is responsible for a variety of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Klebsiella pneumoniae has become a major public health issue owing to the rapid global spread of extensively-drug resistant (XDR) and hypervirulent strains. Biofilm formation is an important virulence trait of K. pneumoniae. A biofilm is an aggregate of microorganisms attached to an inert or living surface by a self-produced exo-polymeric matrix that includes proteins, polysaccharides and extracellular DNA. Bacteria within the biofilm are shielded from antibiotics treatments and host immune responses, making it more difficult to eradicate K. pneumoniae-induced infection. However, the detailed mechanisms of biofilm formation in K. pneumoniae are still not clear. Here, we review the factors involved in the biofilm formation of K. pneumoniae, which might provide new clues to address this clinical challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ming Ni
- Department and Institute of Infectious Disease, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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5
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Condinho M, Carvalho B, Cruz A, Pinto SN, Arraiano CM, Pobre V. The role of RNA regulators, quorum sensing and c-di-GMP in bacterial biofilm formation. FEBS Open Bio 2023; 13:975-991. [PMID: 35234364 PMCID: PMC10240345 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilms provide an ecological advantage against many environmental stressors, such as pH and temperature, making it the most common life-cycle stage for many bacteria. These protective characteristics make eradication of bacterial biofilms challenging. This is especially true in the health sector where biofilm formation on hospital or patient equipment, such as respirators, or catheters, can quickly become a source of anti-microbial resistant strains. Biofilms are complex structures encased in a self-produced polymeric matrix containing numerous components such as polysaccharides, proteins, signalling molecules, extracellular DNA and extracellular RNA. Biofilm formation is tightly controlled by several regulators, including quorum sensing (QS), cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) and small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs). These three regulators in particular are fundamental in all stages of biofilm formation; in addition, their pathways overlap, and the significance of their role is strain-dependent. Currently, ribonucleases are also of interest for their potential role as biofilm regulators, and their relationships with QS, c-di-GMP and sRNAs have been investigated. This review article will focus on these four biofilm regulators (ribonucleases, QS, c-di-GMP and sRNAs) and the relationships between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Condinho
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Beatriz Carvalho
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Adriana Cruz
- iBB‐Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (IBB)Instituto Superior TécnicoLisboaPortugal
- i4HB‐Institute for Health and BioeconomyInstituto Superior TécnicoLisboaPortugal
| | - Sandra N. Pinto
- iBB‐Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (IBB)Instituto Superior TécnicoLisboaPortugal
- i4HB‐Institute for Health and BioeconomyInstituto Superior TécnicoLisboaPortugal
| | - Cecília M. Arraiano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Vânia Pobre
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
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6
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Grassmann AA, Tokarz R, Golino C, McLain MA, Groshong AM, Radolf JD, Caimano MJ. BosR and PlzA reciprocally regulate RpoS function to sustain Borrelia burgdorferi in ticks and mammals. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e166710. [PMID: 36649080 PMCID: PMC9974103 DOI: 10.1172/jci166710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA polymerase alternative σ factor RpoS in Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), the Lyme disease pathogen, is responsible for programmatic-positive and -negative gene regulation essential for the spirochete's dual-host enzootic cycle. RpoS is expressed during tick-to-mammal transmission and throughout mammalian infection. Although the mammalian-phase RpoS regulon is well described, its counterpart during the transmission blood meal is unknown. Here, we used Bb-specific transcript enrichment by tick-borne disease capture sequencing (TBDCapSeq) to compare the transcriptomes of WT and ΔrpoS Bb in engorged nymphs and following mammalian host-adaptation within dialysis membrane chambers. TBDCapSeq revealed dramatic changes in the contours of the RpoS regulon within ticks and mammals and further confirmed that RpoS-mediated repression is specific to the mammalian-phase of Bb's enzootic cycle. We also provide evidence that RpoS-dependent gene regulation, including repression of tick-phase genes, is required for persistence in mice. Comparative transcriptomics of engineered Bb strains revealed that the Borrelia oxidative stress response regulator (BosR), a noncanonical Fur family member, and the cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) effector PlzA reciprocally regulate the function of RNA polymerase complexed with RpoS. BosR is required for RpoS-mediated transcription activation and repression in addition to its well-defined role promoting transcription of rpoS by the RNA polymerase alternative σ factor RpoN. During transmission, ligand-bound PlzA antagonizes RpoS-mediated repression, presumably acting through BosR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafal Tokarz
- Center for Infection and Immunity and
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Caroline Golino
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Ashley M. Groshong
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Pediatrics
| | - Justin D. Radolf
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Pediatrics
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, and
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Melissa J. Caimano
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Pediatrics
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics
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7
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Machine learning and molecular simulation ascertain antimicrobial peptide against Klebsiella pneumoniae from public database. Comput Biol Chem 2023; 102:107800. [PMID: 36516617 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2022.107800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short peptides with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. They play a key role in the host innate immunity of many organisms. The growing threat of microorganisms resistant to antimicrobial agents and the lack of new commercially available antibiotics have made in silico discovery of AMPs increasingly important. Machine learning (ML) has improved the speed and efficiency of AMP discovery while reducing the cost of experimental approaches. Despite various ML platforms developed, there is still a lack of integrative use of ML platforms for AMP discovery from publicly available protein databases. Therefore, our study aims to screen potential AMPs with antibiofilm properties from databases using ML platforms, followed by protein-peptide molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A total of 5850 peptides classified as non-AMP were screened from UniProtKB and analyzed using various online ML platforms (e.g., CAMPr3, DBAASP, dPABBs, Hemopred, and ToxinPred). Eight potential AMP peptides against Klebsiella pneumoniae with antibiofilm, non-toxic and non-hemolytic properties were then docked to MrkH, a transcriptional regulator of type 3 fimbriae involved in biofilm formation. Five of eight peptides bound more strongly than the native MrkH ligand when analyzed using HADDOCK and HPEPDOCK. Following the docking studies, our MD simulated that a Neuropeptide B (Peptide 3) bind strongly to the MrkH active sites. The discovery of putative AMPs that exceed the binding energies of the native ligand underscores the utility of the combined ML and molecular simulation strategies for discovering novel AMPs with antibiofilm properties.
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8
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de Souza CM, da Silva ÁP, Júnior NGO, Martínez OF, Franco OL. Peptides as a therapeutic strategy against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:335-348. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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9
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Fang R, Liu H, Zhang X, Dong G, Li J, Tian X, Wu Z, Zhou J, Cao J, Zhou T. Difference in biofilm formation between carbapenem-resistant and carbapenem-sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae based on analysis of mrkH distribution. Microb Pathog 2021; 152:104743. [PMID: 33484812 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECT To analyze the difference in biofilm formation between carbapenem-resistant and carbapenem-sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae based on analysis of mrkH distribution and to further explore the function of mrkH for biofilm formation from the perspective of gene regulation. METHODS 40 imipenem-resistant strains and 40 imipenem-sensitive strains were selected to conduct experiments. Carbapenem (imipenem) susceptibility test was performed by the agar-dilution method. blaKPC resistance gene, type 3 fimbriae-related coding genes (mrkA and mrkD) and regulation gene (mrkH) were screened by PCR. Biofilm formation assay was performed using crystal violet staining method in MHB. The relative expression of genes that critically involved in biofilm formation (mrkA, luxS, pgaA) and carbapenem resistance (ompk35, ompk36, acrB) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Furthermore, the mrkH cassette was cloned into pGEM-T Easy plasmid to yield pGEM:pmrkH and expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α and K. pneumoniae FK1911, and the biofilm formation assay after transformation was further tested. RESULTS The MICs of imipenem were all more than 16 μg/mL in 40 imipenem-resistant strains and ranged from 0.125 μg/mL to 0.5 μg/mL in 40 imipenem-sensitive strains. Moreover, the blaKPC was identified in the 40 imipenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strains. All 80 K. pneumoniae strains were found to carry mrkA and mrkD genes. Interestingly, the mrkH gene was detected in 43 strains, of which 32 were carbapenem-sensitive strains. The biofilm formation capacity of strains carried mrkH cassette was significantly higher than other 37 strains in MHB media. The relative expression of mrkA in K. pneumoniae carrying mrkH gene was significantly up-regulated. Importantly, the biofilm formation ability of FK1911-pGEM:pmrkH strain was more higher than the strain of FK1911 in MHB medium. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrated that MrkH played a crucial role in the regulation of biofilm formation by K. pneumoniae. In contrast to carbapenem-sensitive K. pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae was less likely to have strong biofilm-forming capacity because it does not carry the mrkH gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renchi Fang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Haiyang Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiucai Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Guofeng Dong
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xuebin Tian
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhenghai Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Huangyan, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jiancang Zhou
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jianming Cao
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Tieli Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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10
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Hu Y, Anes J, Devineau S, Fanning S. Klebsiella pneumoniae: Prevalence, Reservoirs, Antimicrobial Resistance, Pathogenicity, and Infection: A Hitherto Unrecognized Zoonotic Bacterium. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2020; 18:63-84. [PMID: 33124929 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2020.2847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered an opportunistic pathogen, constituting an ongoing health concern for immunocompromised patients, the elderly, and neonates. Reports on the isolation of K. pneumoniae from other sources are increasing, many of which express multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes. Three phylogroups were identified based on nucleotide differences. Niche environments, including plants, animals, and humans appear to be colonized by different phylogroups, among which KpI (K. pneumoniae) is commonly associated with human infection. Infections with K. pneumoniae can be transmitted through contaminated food or water and can be associated with community-acquired infections or between persons and animals involved in hospital-acquired infections. Increasing reports are describing detections along the food chain, suggesting the possibility exists that this could be a hitherto unexplored reservoir for this opportunistic bacterial pathogen. Expression of MDR phenotypes elaborated by these bacteria is due to the nature of various plasmids carrying antimicrobial resistance (AMR)-encoding genes, and is a challenge to animal, environmental, and human health alike. Raman spectroscopy has the potential to provide for the rapid identification and screening of antimicrobial susceptibility of Klebsiella isolates. Moreover, hypervirulent isolates linked with extraintestinal infections express phenotypes that may support their niche adaptation. In this review, the prevalence, reservoirs, AMR, Raman spectroscopy detection, and pathogenicity of K. pneumoniae are summarized and various extraintestinal infection pathways are further narrated to extend our understanding of its adaptation and survival ability in reservoirs, and associated disease risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Hu
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, Science Centre South, College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, Ireland.,Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - João Anes
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, Science Centre South, College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Séamus Fanning
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, Science Centre South, College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, Ireland.,Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China.,Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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11
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Chen L, Wilksch JJ, Liu H, Zhang X, Torres VVL, Bi W, Mandela E, Cao J, Li J, Lithgow T, Zhou T. Investigation of LuxS-mediated quorum sensing in Klebsiella pneumoniae. J Med Microbiol 2020; 69:402-413. [PMID: 32223838 PMCID: PMC7377169 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) quorum sensing is a bacterial communication system that responds to cell density. The system requires luxS activity to produce AI-2, which can regulate gene expression and processes such as biofilm formation. Aim To investigate the role of luxS in biofilm formation and gene expression in the nosocomial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. Methodology A ΔluxS gene deletion was made in K. pneumoniae KP563, an extensively drug-resistant isolate. AI-2 production was assessed in wild-type and ΔluxS strains grown in media supplemented with different carbohydrates. Potential roles of luxS in biofilm formation were investigated using a microtiter plate biofilm assay and scanning electron microscopy. Quantitative RT-PCR evaluated the expression of lipopolysaccharide (wzm and wbbM), polysaccharide (pgaA), and type 3 fimbriae (mrkA) synthesis genes in wild-type and ΔluxS mutant biofilm extracts. Results AI-2 production was dependent on the presence of luxS. AI-2 accumulation was highest during early stationary phase in media supplemented with glucose, sucrose or glycerol. Changes in biofilm architecture were observed in the ΔluxS mutant, with less surface coverage and reduced macrocolony formation; however, no differences in biofilm formation between the wild-type and ΔluxS mutant using a microtiter plate assay were observed. In ΔluxS mutant biofilm extracts, the expression of wzm was down-regulated, and the expression of pgaA, which encodes a porin for poly-β−1,6-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (PNAG) polysaccharide secretion, was upregulated. Conclusion Relationships among AI-2-mediated quorum sensing, biofilm formation and gene expression of outer-membrane components were identified in K. pneumoniae. These inter-connected processes could be important for bacterial group behaviour and persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijiang Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Jonathan J Wilksch
- Infection and Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Haiyang Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Von V L Torres
- Infection and Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Wenzi Bi
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Eric Mandela
- Infection and Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jianming Cao
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Jiahui Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Trevor Lithgow
- Infection and Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tieli Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
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12
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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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13
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Fontaine BM, Duggal Y, Weinert EE. Exploring the Links between Nucleotide Signaling and Quorum Sensing Pathways in Regulating Bacterial Virulence. ACS Infect Dis 2018; 4:1645-1655. [PMID: 30381948 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The survival of all organisms depends on implementation of appropriate phenotypic responses upon perception of relevant environmental stimuli. Sensory inputs are propagated via interconnected biochemical and/or electrical cascades mediated by diverse signaling molecules, including gases, metal cations, lipids, peptides, and nucleotides. These networks often comprise second messenger signaling systems in which a ligand (the primary messenger) binds to an extracellular receptor, thereby altering the intracellular concentration of a second messenger molecule which ultimately modulates gene expression through interaction with various effectors. The identification of intersections of these signaling pathways, such as nucleotide second messengers and quorum sensing, provides new insights into the mechanisms by which bacteria use multiple inputs to regulate cellular metabolism and phenotypes. Further investigations of the overlap between bacterial signaling pathways may yield new targets and methods to control bacterial behavior, such as biofilm formation and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Fontaine
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yashasvika Duggal
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Emily E. Weinert
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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14
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Lin TH, Chen Y, Kuo JT, Lai YC, Wu CC, Huang CF, Lin CT. Phosphorylated OmpR Is Required for Type 3 Fimbriae Expression in Klebsiella pneumoniae Under Hypertonic Conditions. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2405. [PMID: 30369914 PMCID: PMC6194325 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OmpR/EnvZ is a two-component system that senses osmotic signals and controls downstream gene expression in many species of Enterobacteriaceae. However, the role of OmpR/EnvZ in Klebsiella pneumoniae remains unknown. In this study, we found that production of MrkA, the major subunit of type 3 fimbriae, was decreased under hypertonic conditions. A deletion mutant of ompR and a site-directed mutant with a single amino acid substitution of aspartate 55 to alanine (D55A), which mimics the unphosphorylated form of OmpR, markedly reduced MrkA production under hypertonic conditions. These results indicate that K. pneumoniae type 3 fimbriae expression is activated by the phosphorylated form of OmpR (OmpR∼P). Although no typical OmpR∼P binding site was found in the PmrkA sequence, mrkA mRNA levels and PmrkA activity were decreased in the ΔompR and ompRD55A strains compared with the wild type (WT) strain, indicating that OmpR∼P mediates type 3 fimbriae expression at the transcriptional level. Previous reports have demonstrated that a cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP) related gene cluster, mrkHIJ, regulates the expression of type 3 fimbriae. We found that both the ompR and ompRD55A mutants exhibited decreased mrkHIJ mRNA levels, intracellular c-di-GMP concentration, and bacterial biofilm amount, but increased total intracellular phosphodiesterase activity in response to hypertonic conditions. These results indicate that OmpR∼P regulates type 3 fimbriae expression to influence K. pneumoniae biofilm formation via MrkHIJ and modulation of intracellular c-di-GMP levels. Taken together, we herein provide evidence that OmpR∼P acts as a critical factor in the regulation of the c-di-GMP signaling pathway, type 3 fimbriae expression, and biofilm amount in K. pneumoniae in response to osmotic stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien-Huang Lin
- Department of Urology, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung, Taiwan.,School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualian, Taiwan
| | - Yeh Chen
- Department of Biotechnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jong-Tar Kuo
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chyi Lai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chen Wu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Fa Huang
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Ting Lin
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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15
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Torres VVL, Heinz E, Stubenrauch CJ, Wilksch JJ, Cao H, Yang J, Clements A, Dunstan RA, Alcock F, Webb CT, Dougan G, Strugnell RA, Hay ID, Lithgow T. An investigation into the Omp85 protein BamK in hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, and its role in outer membrane biogenesis. Mol Microbiol 2018; 109:584-599. [PMID: 29873128 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Omp85 protein superfamily have important roles in Gram-negative bacteria, with the archetypal protein BamA being ubiquitous given its essential function in the assembly of outer membrane proteins. In some bacterial lineages, additional members of the family exist and, in most of these cases, the function of the protein is unknown. We detected one of these Omp85 proteins in the pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055, and refer to the protein as BamK. Here, we show that bamK is a conserved element in the core genome of Klebsiella, and its expression rescues a loss-of-function ∆bamA mutant. We developed an E. coli model system to measure and compare the specific activity of BamA and BamK in the assembly reaction for the critical substrate LptD, and find that BamK is as efficient as BamA in assembling the native LptDE complex. Comparative structural analysis revealed that the major distinction between BamK and BamA is in the external facing surface of the protein, and we discuss how such changes may contribute to a mechanism for resistance against infection by bacteriophage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Von Vergel L Torres
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia
| | - Eva Heinz
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia.,Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Christopher J Stubenrauch
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia
| | - Jonathan J Wilksch
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Hanwei Cao
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Ji Yang
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Abigail Clements
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia.,MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Rhys A Dunstan
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia.,Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Felicity Alcock
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Chaille T Webb
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia
| | - Gordon Dougan
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Richard A Strugnell
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Iain D Hay
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia
| | - Trevor Lithgow
- Infection & Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia
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16
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Riquelme SA, Ahn D, Prince A. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae Adaptation to Innate Immune Clearance Mechanisms in the Lung. J Innate Immun 2018; 10:442-454. [PMID: 29617698 PMCID: PMC6785651 DOI: 10.1159/000487515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Many different species of gram-negative bacteria are associated with infection in the lung, causing exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis (CF), and ventilator-associated pneumonias. These airway pathogens must adapt to common host clearance mechanisms that include killing by antimicrobial peptides, antibiotics, oxidative stress, and phagocytosis by leukocytes. Bacterial adaptation to the host is often evident phenotypically, with increased extracellular polysaccharide production characteristic of some biofilm-associated organisms. Given the relatively limited repertoire of bacterial strategies to elude airway defenses, it seems likely that organisms sharing the same ecological niche might also share common strategies to persistently infect the lung. In this review, we will highlight some of the major factors responsible for the adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the lung, addressing how growth in biofilms enables persistent infection, relevant to, but not limited to, the pathogenesis of infection in CF. In contrast, we will discuss how carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae evade immune clearance, an organism often associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia and health-care-acquired pneumonias, but not a typical pathogen in CF.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alice Prince
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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17
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Wang F, He Q, Su K, Gao F, Huang Y, Lin Z, Zhu D, Gu L. The PilZ domain of MrkH represents a novel DNA binding motif. Protein Cell 2018; 7:766-772. [PMID: 27650952 PMCID: PMC5055493 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-016-0317-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Qing He
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Kaixuan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Fei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Yan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Zong Lin
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University, Jiaxing, 314006, China
| | - Deyu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China.
| | - Lichuan Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China.
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18
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Ostria-Hernandez ML, Juárez-de la Rosa KC, Arzate-Barbosa P, Lara-Hernández A, Sakai F, Ibarra JA, Castro-Escarpulli G, Vidal JE. Nosocomial, Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Isolated from Mexico City Produce Robust Biofilms on Abiotic Surfaces but Not on Human Lung Cells. Microb Drug Resist 2017; 24:422-433. [PMID: 28915364 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2017.0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn) strains are a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections, including ventilator-associated pneumonia. Resistance to antibiotics, biofilm formation, and the production of certain fimbriae play an important role in the pathogenesis. AIM We investigated the genetic relatedness, antibiotic resistance, virulence potential, and ability to form biofilms of Kpn strains isolated from hospital-acquired infections (n = 76). Strains were isolated at three major hospitals serving the largest metropolitan urban area in Mexico City, Mexico. RESULTS Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR demonstrated that clonal groups predominate in each hospital. Selected strains chosen from clonal groups (n = 47) were multidrug resistant (MDR, 83%), although the majority (∼70%) were susceptible to carbapenems. All strains produced robust biofilms on abiotic surfaces, and ∼90% harbored adhesin genes fimH, mrkA, and ecpA. The ultrastructure of biofilms was further studied by high-resolution confocal microscopy. The average height of Kpn biofilms on abiotic surfaces was ∼40 μm. We then assessed formation of biofilms on human lung cells, as a surrogate of lung infection. While Kpn strains formed robust biofilms on abiotic surfaces, studies on lung cells revealed attachment to human cells but scarce formation of biofilms. Gene expression studies revealed a differential temporal expression of an adhesin (ecpA) and a capsule (galF) gene when biofilms were formed on different substrates. CONCLUSIONS Kpn strains isolated from nosocomial infections in Mexico City are MDR, although the majority are still susceptible to carbapenems and form more robust biofilms on polystyrene in comparison to those formed on human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Lorena Ostria-Hernandez
- 1 Laboratorio de Bacteriología Médica, Departamento de Microbiología Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional , Ciudad de México, México
| | - Karla Cecilia Juárez-de la Rosa
- 1 Laboratorio de Bacteriología Médica, Departamento de Microbiología Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional , Ciudad de México, México
| | - Patricia Arzate-Barbosa
- 2 Laboratorio de Bacteriología, Departamento de Análisis Clínicos, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría , Ciudad de México, México
| | - Antonino Lara-Hernández
- 2 Laboratorio de Bacteriología, Departamento de Análisis Clínicos, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría , Ciudad de México, México
| | - Fuminori Sakai
- 3 Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia
| | - J Antonio Ibarra
- 4 Laboratorio de Genética Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional , Ciudad de México, México
| | - Graciela Castro-Escarpulli
- 1 Laboratorio de Bacteriología Médica, Departamento de Microbiología Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional , Ciudad de México, México
| | - Jorge E Vidal
- 3 Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia
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19
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Gomez-Simmonds A, Uhlemann AC. Clinical Implications of Genomic Adaptation and Evolution of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. J Infect Dis 2017; 215:S18-S27. [PMID: 28375514 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiw378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a major challenge to healthcare worldwide as an important cause of multidrug-resistant infections. Nosocomial clones, including epidemic sequence type 258 (ST258), have shown an affinity for acquiring and disseminating resistance plasmids, particularly variants of the K. pneumoniae carbapenemase. By comparison, the resurgence of severe community-associated K. pneumoniae infections has led to increased recognition of hypervirulent strains belonging to the K1 and K2 capsular serotypes, predominantly in eastern Asia. Genomic and functional studies suggest that a variety of virulence and immune evasive factors contribute to the success of nosocomial and community-associated clonal lineages, aided by mechanisms of genetic plasticity that contribute to uptake of genes associated with antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity. While there currently appears to be limited overlap between resistant and hypervirulent lineages, specific bacterial and host factors contributing to the emergence of dominant clones remain incompletely understood. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the molecular epidemiology, virulence potential, and host-pathogen interactions of K. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Gomez-Simmonds
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York
| | - Anne-Catrin Uhlemann
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York
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20
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Sadiq FA, Flint S, Li Y, Liu T, Lei Y, Sakandar HA, He G. New mechanistic insights into the motile-to-sessile switch in various bacteria with particular emphasis on Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a review. BIOFOULING 2017; 33:306-326. [PMID: 28347177 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2017.1304541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A biofilm is a complex assemblage of microbial communities adhered to a biotic or an abiotic surface which is embedded within a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. Many transcriptional regulators play a role in triggering a motile-sessile switch and in consequently producing the biofilm matrix. This review is aimed at highlighting the role of two nucleotide signaling molecules (c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP), toxin antitoxin modules and a novel transcriptional regulator BolA in biofilm formation in various bacteria. In addition, it highlights the common themes that have appeared in recent research regarding the key regulatory components and signal transduction pathways that help Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to acquire the biofilm mode of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faizan A Sadiq
- a College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , PR China
| | - Steve Flint
- b School of Food and Nutrition , Massey University , Palmerston North , New Zealand
| | - Yun Li
- c School of Life Sciences and Food Technology , Hanshan Normal University , Chaozhou , PR China
| | - TongJie Liu
- a College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , PR China
| | - Yuan Lei
- a College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , PR China
| | | | - GuoQing He
- a College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , PR China
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21
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Additional regulatory activities of MrkH for the transcriptional expression of the Klebsiella pneumoniae mrk genes: Antagonist of H-NS and repressor. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173285. [PMID: 28278272 PMCID: PMC5344390 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common opportunistic pathogen causing nosocomial infections. One of the main virulence determinants of K. pneumoniae is the type 3 pilus (T3P). T3P helps the bacterial interaction to both abiotic and biotic surfaces and it is crucial for the biofilm formation. T3P is genetically organized in three transcriptional units: the mrkABCDF polycistronic operon, the mrkHI bicistronic operon and the mrkJ gene. MrkH is a regulatory protein encoded in the mrkHI operon, which positively regulates the mrkA pilin gene and its own expression. In contrast, the H-NS nucleoid protein represses the transcriptional expression of T3P. Here we reported that MrkH and H-NS positively and negatively regulate mrkJ expression, respectively, by binding to the promoter of mrkJ. MrkH protein recognized a sequence located at position -63.5 relative to the transcriptional start site of mrkJ gene. Interestingly, our results show that, in addition to its known function as classic transcriptional activator, MrkH also positively controls the expression of mrk genes by acting as an anti-repressor of H-NS; moreover, our results support the notion that high levels of MrkH repress T3P expression. Our data provide new insights about the complex regulatory role of the MrkH protein on the transcriptional control of T3P in K. pneumoniae.
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22
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Lin CT, Lin TH, Wu CC, Wan L, Huang CF, Peng HL. CRP-Cyclic AMP Regulates the Expression of Type 3 Fimbriae via Cyclic di-GMP in Klebsiella pneumoniae. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162884. [PMID: 27631471 PMCID: PMC5025149 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is the predominant pathogen isolated from liver abscesses of diabetic patients in Asian countries. However, the effects of elevated blood glucose levels on the virulence of this pathogen remain largely unknown. Type 3 fimbriae, encoded by the mrkABCDF genes, are important virulence factors in K. pneumoniae pathogenesis. In this study, the effects of exogenous glucose and the intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling pathway on type 3 fimbriae expression regulation were investigated. The production of MrkA, the major subunit of type 3 fimbriae, was increased in glucose-rich medium, whereas cAMP supplementation reversed the effect. MrkA production was markedly increased by cyaA or crp deletion, but slightly decreased by cpdA deletion. In addition, the mRNA levels of mrkABCDF genes and the activity of PmrkA were increased in Δcrp strain, as well as the mRNA levels of mrkHIJ genes that encode cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP)-related regulatory proteins that influence type 3 fimbriae expression. Moreover, the activities of PmrkHI and PmrkJ were decreased in ΔlacZΔcrp strain. These results indicate that CRP-cAMP down-regulates mrkABCDF and mrkHIJ at the transcriptional level. Further deletion of mrkH or mrkI in Δcrp strain diminished the production of MrkA, indicating that MrkH and MrkI are required for the CRP regulation of type 3 fimbriae expression. Furthermore, the high activity of PmrkHI in the ΔlacZΔcrp strain was diminished in ΔlacZΔcrpΔmrkHI, but increased in the ΔlacZΔcrpΔmrkJ strain. Deletion of crp increased the intracellular c-di-GMP concentration and reduced the phosphodiesterase activity. Moreover, we found that the mRNA levels of multiple genes related to c-di-GMP metabolism were altered in Δcrp strain. These indicate that CRP regulates type 3 fimbriae expression indirectly via the c-di-GMP signaling pathway. In conclusion, we found evidence of a coordinated regulation of type 3 fimbriae expression by the CRP-cAMP and c-di-GMP signaling pathways in K. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Ting Lin
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
- * E-mail: (CTL); (HLP)
| | - Tien-Huang Lin
- Division of Urology, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, The Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Tzu Chi University School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, Hualien, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chien-Chen Wu
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Lei Wan
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chun-Fa Huang
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Hwei-Ling Peng
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China
- * E-mail: (CTL); (HLP)
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Structures of the activator of K. pneumonia biofilm formation, MrkH, indicates PilZ domains involved in c-di-GMP and DNA binding. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:10067-72. [PMID: 27551088 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1607503113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of Klebsiella pneumonia is linked to the bacteria's ability to form biofilms. Mannose-resistant Klebsiella-like (Mrk) hemagglutinins are critical for K pneumonia biofilm development, and the expression of the genes encoding these proteins is activated by a 3',5'-cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP)-regulated transcription factor, MrkH. To gain insight into MrkH function, we performed structural and biochemical analyses. Data revealed MrkH to be a monomer with a two-domain architecture consisting of a PilZ C-domain connected to an N domain that unexpectedly also harbors a PilZ-like fold. Comparison of apo- and c-di-GMP-bound MrkH structures reveals a large 138° interdomain rotation that is induced by binding an intercalated c-di-GMP dimer. c-di-GMP interacts with PilZ C-domain motifs 1 and 2 (RxxxR and D/NxSxxG) and a newly described c-di-GMP-binding motif in the MrkH N domain. Strikingly, these c-di-GMP-binding motifs also stabilize an open state conformation in apo MrkH via contacts from the PilZ motif 1 to residues in the C-domain motif 2 and the c-di-GMP-binding N-domain motif. Use of the same regions in apo structure stabilization and c-di-GMP interaction allows distinction between the states. Indeed, domain reorientation by c-di-GMP complexation with MrkH, which leads to a highly compacted structure, suggests a mechanism by which the protein is activated to bind DNA. To our knowledge, MrkH represents the first instance of specific DNA binding mediated by PilZ domains. The MrkH structures also pave the way for the rational design of inhibitors that target K pneumonia biofilm formation.
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