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Reyes Ruiz VM, Freiberg JA, Weiss A, Green ER, Jobson ME, Felton E, Shaw LN, Chazin WJ, Skaar EP. Coordinated adaptation of Staphylococcus aureus to calprotectin-dependent metal sequestration. mBio 2024:e0138924. [PMID: 38920392 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01389-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The host protein calprotectin inhibits the growth of a variety of bacterial pathogens through metal sequestration in a process known as "nutritional immunity." Staphylococcus aureus growth is inhibited by calprotectin in vitro, and calprotectin is localized in vivo to staphylococcal abscesses during infection. However, the staphylococcal adaptations that provide defense against nutritional immunity and the role of metal-responsive regulators are not fully characterized. In this work, we define the transcriptional response of S. aureus and the role of the metal-responsive regulators, Zur, Fur, and MntR, in response to metal limitation by calprotectin exposure. Additionally, we identified genes affecting the fitness of S. aureus during metal limitation through a Transposon sequencing (Tn-seq) approach. Loss of function mutations in clpP, which encodes a proteolytic subunit of the ATP-dependent Clp protease, demonstrate reduced fitness of S. aureus to the presence of calprotectin. ClpP contributes to pathogenesis in vivo in a calprotectin-dependent manner. These studies establish a critical role for ClpP to combat metal limitation by calprotectin and reveal the genes required for S. aureus to outcompete the host for metals. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections, bloodstream infections, and endocarditis. Antibiotic treatment failures during S. aureus infections are increasingly prevalent, highlighting the need for novel antimicrobial agents. Metal chelator-based therapeutics have tremendous potential as antimicrobials due to the strict requirement for nutrient metals exhibited by bacterial pathogens. The high-affinity transition metal-binding properties of calprotectin represents a potential therapeutic strategy that functions through metal chelation. Our studies provide a foundation to define mechanisms by which S. aureus combats nutritional immunity and may be useful for the development of novel therapeutics to counter the ability of S. aureus to survive in a metal-limited environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria M Reyes Ruiz
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Freiberg
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Andy Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Erin R Green
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Mary-Elizabeth Jobson
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Emily Felton
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Lindsey N Shaw
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Walter J Chazin
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Eric P Skaar
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Sullivan MJ, Terán I, Goh KG, Ulett GC. Resisting death by metal: metabolism and Cu/Zn homeostasis in bacteria. Emerg Top Life Sci 2024; 8:45-56. [PMID: 38362914 PMCID: PMC10903455 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Metal ions such as zinc and copper play important roles in host-microbe interactions and their availability can drastically affect the survival of pathogenic bacteria in a host niche. Mechanisms of metal homeostasis protect bacteria from starvation, or intoxication, defined as when metals are limiting, or in excess, respectively. In this mini-review, we summarise current knowledge on the mechanisms of resistance to metal stress in bacteria, focussing specifically on the homeostasis of cellular copper and zinc. This includes a summary of the factors that subvert metal stress in bacteria, which are independent of metal efflux systems, and commentary on the role of small molecules and metabolic systems as important mediators of metal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Sullivan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, U.K
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Ignacio Terán
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, U.K
| | - Kelvin G.K. Goh
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Glen C. Ulett
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
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Maunders EA, Giles MW, Ganio K, Cunningham BA, Bennett-Wood V, Cole GB, Ng D, Lai CC, Neville SL, Moraes TF, McDevitt CA, Tan A. Zinc acquisition and its contribution to Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 13:1322973. [PMID: 38249299 PMCID: PMC10797113 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1322973] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a World Health Organization priority pathogen and a significant clinical concern for infections of the respiratory and urinary tracts due to widespread and increasing resistance to antimicrobials. In the absence of a vaccine, there is an urgent need to identify novel targets for therapeutic development. Bacterial pathogens, including K. pneumoniae, require the d-block metal ion zinc as an essential micronutrient, which serves as a cofactor for ~6% of the proteome. During infection, zinc acquisition necessitates the use of high affinity uptake systems to overcome niche-specific zinc limitation and host-mediated nutritional immunity. Here, we report the identification of ZnuCBA and ZniCBA, two ATP-binding cassette permeases that are highly conserved in Klebsiella species and contribute to K. pneumoniae AJ218 zinc homeostasis, and the high-resolution structure of the zinc-recruiting solute-binding protein ZniA. The Znu and Zni permeases appear functionally redundant with abrogation of both systems required to reduce K. pneumoniae zinc accumulation. Disruption of both systems also exerted pleiotropic effects on the homeostasis of other d-block elements. Zinc limitation perturbed K. pneumoniae cell morphology and compromised resistance to stressors, such as salt and oxidative stress. The mutant strain lacking both systems showed significantly impaired virulence in acute lung infection models, highlighting the necessity of zinc acquisition in the virulence and pathogenicity of K. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve A. Maunders
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew W. Giles
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Katherine Ganio
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Bliss A. Cunningham
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Vicki Bennett-Wood
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Gregory B. Cole
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dixon Ng
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christine C. Lai
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephanie L. Neville
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Trevor F. Moraes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher A. McDevitt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Aimee Tan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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