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Liu L, Zhuang H, Wang Y, Tu Y, Yu Y, Chen Y, Wu X. β-Hemolysin, not agrA mutation, inhibits the hemolysis of α-hemolysin in Staphylococcus aureus laboratory and clinical strains. mSphere 2024; 9:e0067323. [PMID: 38289073 PMCID: PMC10900901 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00673-23] [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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus produces various hemolysins regulated by the Agr-QS system, except β-hemolysin encoded by the gene hlb. A classical laboratory S. aureus strain RN4220 displays only the β-hemolysin phenotype. It was suspected that the 8A mutation at the end of its agrA gene delayed the expressions of hla and RNAIII, then failed to express α- and δ-hemolysins. However, hla gene expression was detected at the later culture time without α-hemolysin phenotype, the reason for such a phenotype has not been clearly understood. We created hlb knockout and complementary mutants via homologous recombination in RN4220 and NRS049, two strains that normally produce β-hemolysin and carry agrA mutation. We found interestingly that the presence or absence of α-hemolysin phenotype in such strains depended on the expression of β-hemolysin instead of agrA mutations, which only inhibited δ-hemolysin expression. The hemolysis phenotype was verified by the Christie-Atkinson-Munch-Peterson (CAMP) test. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR was carried out to evaluate the relative gene expressions of hlb, hla, and RNAIII. The construction of mutants did not affect the agrA mutation status. We demonstrate that the absence of α-hemolysin in S. aureus RN4220 and NRS049 strains is attributed to their production of β-hemolysin instead of agrA mutation. Our findings broaden the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control hemolysin expression in S. aureus that is crucial for the development of new therapeutic strategies to combat S. aureus infections. IMPORTANCE α-Hemolysin is a critical virulence factor in Staphylococcus aureus and its expression is largely controlled by the Agr-QS system. Nonetheless, the hemolysis phenotype and the regulation of the Agr-QS system in S. aureus still hold many mysteries. Our study finds that it is the expression of β- hemolysin rather than the agrA mutation that inhibits the function of the α-hemolysin in an important S. aureus strain RN4220 and a clinical strain presents a similar phenotype, which clarifies the misunderstood hemolytic phenotype and mechanism of S. aureus. Our findings highlight the interactions among different toxins and their biological roles, combined with QS system regulation, which is ultimately the true underlying cause of its virulence. This emphasizes the importance of considering the collaborative action of various factors in the infection process caused by this significant human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Liu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hemu Zhuang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yanfei Wang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuexing Tu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yunsong Yu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xueqing Wu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Jenkins EM, Watson BB. Extracellular Antigens from Listeria monocytogenes I. Purification and Resolution of Hemolytic and Lipolytic Antigens from Culture Filtrates of Listeria monocytogenes. Infect Immun 2010; 3:589-94. [PMID: 16558022 PMCID: PMC416201 DOI: 10.1128/iai.3.4.589-594.1971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Two antigens were purified from culture filtrates of Listeria monocytogenes 7973 by the following procedure: (i) acid precipitation with 4 n HCl at pH 3.7, (ii) Sephadex G-75 column fractionation, (iii) diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex A50 batchwise adsorption, and (iv) rechromatography on Sephadex G-75. This procedure resulted in the resolution of two distinct antigens. One antigen, designated a hemolytic antigen because of its ability to lyse erythrocytes from a variety of species, had a specific activity of 25,000 units/mg of protein and an estimated molecular weight of at least 171,000. The other antigen, designated a lipolytic antigen because of its ability to hydrolyze egg yolk saline substrate, had a specific activity of 400 units/mg of protein and an estimated molecular weight of 52,500.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Jenkins
- Department of Microbiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee Institute, Alabama 36088
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Kreger AS, Kim KS, Zaboretzky F, Bernheimer AW. Purification and properties of staphylococcal delta hemolysin. Infect Immun 2010; 3:449-65. [PMID: 16557995 PMCID: PMC416173 DOI: 10.1128/iai.3.3.449-465.1971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Large amounts (200 mg per liter of culture supernatant fluid) of highly purified staphylococcal soluble delta hemolysin were obtained by adsorption to and selective elution from hydroxyapatite followed by exhaustive dialysis against water, concentration by polyvinylpyrrolidone or polyethylene glycol 20,000 dialysis, and a final water dialysis. No carbohydrate, phosphorus, or inactive 280-nm absorbing material was detected in the preparation; however, analysis by density gradient centrifugation, gel filtration, analytical ultracentrifugation, carboxymethyl cellulose chromatography, polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and electron microscopy revealed that the lysin was molecularly heterogeneous. The preparation contained an acidic fibrous lysin (S(20,w) of 11.9) and a basic lysin component composed of a population of granular aggregates of various sizes, with a maximum S(20,w) of approximately 4.9. No other staphylococcal products were detected in the preparation. The lysin was active against erythrocytes from many animal species and acted synergistically with staphylococcal beta hemolysin against sheep erythrocytes. It was soluble in chloroform-methanol (2:1), was inactivated by various phospholipids, normal sera, and proteolytic enzymes, but was partially resistant to heat inactivation. Activity was not affected by Ca(2+), Mg(2+), citrate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or cysteine. The lysin preparation also disrupted bacterial protoplasts and spheroplasts, erythrocyte membranes, lysosomes, and lipid spherules, was growth-inhibitory for certain bacteria, and clarified egg yolk-agar. Large amounts produced dermonecrosis in rabbits and guinea pigs. The minimum lethal intravenous dose for mice and guinea pigs was approximately 110 and 30 mg/kg, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Kreger
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016
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Haque RU, Baldwin JN. Purification and properties of staphylococcal beta hemolysin. II. Purification of beta hemolysin. J Bacteriol 1969; 100:751-9. [PMID: 5354945 PMCID: PMC250154 DOI: 10.1128/jb.100.2.751-759.1969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcal beta hemolysin from the 681 strain of Staphylococcus aureus grown in a Heart Infusion dialysate semisolid medium under 10% carbon dioxide was obtained in an immunoelectrophoretically pure form by a combination of procedures of precipitation with 2 volumes of acetone followed by chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose at pH 6.0. The acetone precipitation procedure did not show any deleterious effect on the hemolytic activity of the beta hemolysin unless the precipitate was left in contact with the acetone for at least 4 hr. The crude preparations contained two types of beta hemolysin. One of these represented the major portion of the total activity of beta hemolysin and behaved as a cation. The other represented a minor (1/5,000) portion of the total beta hemolysin activity and behaved as an anion. These active principles were designated as cationic and anionic beta hemolysins, respectively. An unexpected increase in the total beta hemolysin activity of the crude preparations was noted when these were concentrated by dialysis against polyethylene glycol (20 m). This effect was probably due to polyethylene glycol. A further unexpected increase in the titer of the acetone-precipitated preparations occurred when these were lyophilized. The reason for this incremental increase is not known. It may be due to fragmentation of the beta hemolysin.
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Abstract
Purification of beta-hemolysin was achieved by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, carboxymethyl cellulose column chromatography, and density gradient electrophoresis. Active fractions eluted from carboxymethyl cellulose contained at least one nonhemolytic protein, and omission of this step was not detrimental to the purification process. Density gradient electrophoresis yielded approximately 1.6 mg of highly active purified beta-hemolysin per liter of culture supernatant liquid. Purified beta-hemolysin gave a single line on gel double diffusion and immunoelectrophoresis. A single symmetrical peak formed in the analytical ultracentrifuge, and the sedimentation coefficient was calculated to be 1.7S. The purified beta-hemolysin was stable at 4 C and could be lyophilized. Magnesium cations were required for full expression of beta-hemolytic activity. beta-Hemolysin was lethal for rabbits when injected intravenously in amounts between 40 and 160 mug. Crude beta-hemolysin was more stable than purified beta-hemolysin when heated at 60 C for 30 min. Purified beta-hemolysin lost almost all of its activity on subsequent heating at 100 C for 10 min.
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