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Lensmire JM, Wischer MR, Kraemer-Zimpel C, Kies PJ, Sosinski L, Ensink E, Dodson JP, Shook JC, Delekta PC, Cooper CC, Havlichek DH, Mulks MH, Lunt SY, Ravi J, Hammer ND. The glutathione import system satisfies the Staphylococcus aureus nutrient sulfur requirement and promotes interspecies competition. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010834. [PMID: 37418503 PMCID: PMC10355420 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfur is an indispensable element for bacterial proliferation. Prior studies demonstrated that the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus utilizes glutathione (GSH) as a source of nutrient sulfur; however, mechanisms of GSH acquisition are not defined. Here, we identify a five-gene locus comprising a putative ABC-transporter and predicted γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (ggt) that promotes S. aureus proliferation in medium supplemented with either reduced or oxidized GSH (GSSG) as the sole source of nutrient sulfur. Based on these phenotypes, we name this transporter operon the glutathione import system (gisABCD). Ggt is encoded within the gisBCD operon, and we show that the enzyme is capable of liberating glutamate using either GSH or GSSG as substrates, demonstrating it is a bona fide γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. We also determine that Ggt is expressed in the cytoplasm, representing only the second example of cytoplasmic Ggt localization, the other being Neisseria meningitidis. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that Staphylococcus species closely related to S. aureus encode GisABCD-Ggt homologs. However, homologous systems were not detected in Staphylococcus epidermidis. Consequently, we establish that GisABCD-Ggt provides a competitive advantage for S. aureus over S. epidermidis in a GSH- and GSSG-dependent manner. Overall, this study describes the discovery of a nutrient sulfur acquisition system in S. aureus that targets GSSG in addition to GSH and promotes competition against other staphylococci commonly associated with the human microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Lensmire
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Michael R Wischer
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Cristina Kraemer-Zimpel
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Paige J Kies
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Lo Sosinski
- Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Elliot Ensink
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jack P Dodson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - John C Shook
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Phillip C Delekta
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Christopher C Cooper
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Daniel H Havlichek
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Martha H Mulks
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sophia Y Lunt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Janani Ravi
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Center for Health Artificial Intelligence, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Neal D Hammer
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
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Mikucki A, McCluskey NR, Kahler CM. The Host-Pathogen Interactions and Epicellular Lifestyle of Neisseria meningitidis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:862935. [PMID: 35531336 PMCID: PMC9072670 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.862935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a gram-negative diplococcus and a transient commensal of the human nasopharynx. It shares and competes for this niche with a number of other Neisseria species including N. lactamica, N. cinerea and N. mucosa. Unlike these other members of the genus, N. meningitidis may become invasive, crossing the epithelium of the nasopharynx and entering the bloodstream, where it rapidly proliferates causing a syndrome known as Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD). IMD progresses rapidly to cause septic shock and meningitis and is often fatal despite aggressive antibiotic therapy. While many of the ways in which meningococci survive in the host environment have been well studied, recent insights into the interactions between N. meningitidis and the epithelial, serum, and endothelial environments have expanded our understanding of how IMD develops. This review seeks to incorporate recent work into the established model of pathogenesis. In particular, we focus on the competition that N. meningitidis faces in the nasopharynx from other Neisseria species, and how the genetic diversity of the meningococcus contributes to the wide range of inflammatory and pathogenic potentials observed among different lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- August Mikucki
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Nicolie R. McCluskey
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Telethon Kids Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Charlene M. Kahler
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Charlene M. Kahler,
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Takahashi H, Morita M, Kamiya H, Nakamura-Miwa H, Shimuta K, Ohnishi M. Genetic characterization of clonal complex sequence type 2057 (cc2057) serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strains unique to Japan and identification of a capsular-switched serogroup Y isolate cc2057. J Med Microbiol 2022; 71. [PMID: 35238737 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Only approximately 40 cases of invasive meningococcal diseases are reported annually in Japan, and the dominant strains are serogroup Y meningococci (MenY) followed by serogroup B meningococci (MenB). Within the last 10 years, Neisseria meningitidis strains belonging to clonal complex (cc)2057 have become dominant among Japanese MenB and have not been identified in countries other than Japan.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. The uniqueness of cc2057 N. meningitidis strains was considered to be epidemiologically of importance, and some genetic features could be hidden in the genome of cc2057 meningococci.Method. We investigated 22 cc2057 MenB and one cc2057 MenY using whole genome sequencing (WGS) and also predicted the potential coverage of 4CMenB and bivalent rLP2086 vaccines in silico.Results. cc2057 N. meningitidis strains were phylogenetically assigned to two clades. Three hypothetical genes homologous to those in Neisseria lactamica and sequences related to a new CRISPR Cas9 system were found only in the genome of cc2057 strains. Moreover, one cc2057 MenY strain was presumed to be capsular-switched at the capsule synthesis (cps) locus. The potential coverage of 4CMenB and rLP2086 for cc2057 MenB strains was estimated to be very low.Conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to provide genetic insights from epidemiologically unique N. meningitidis cc2057 strains isolated only in Japan, an island country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideyuki Takahashi
- Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masatomo Morita
- Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hajime Kamiya
- Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruna Nakamura-Miwa
- Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken Shimuta
- Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Ohnishi
- Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
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Saini M, Kashyap A, Bindal S, Saini K, Gupta R. Bacterial Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase, an Emerging Biocatalyst: Insights Into Structure-Function Relationship and Its Biotechnological Applications. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:641251. [PMID: 33897647 PMCID: PMC8062742 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.641251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) enzyme is ubiquitously present in all life forms and plays a variety of roles in diverse organisms. Higher eukaryotes mainly utilize GGT for glutathione degradation, and mammalian GGTs have implications in many physiological disorders also. GGTs from unicellular prokaryotes serve different physiological functions in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In the present review, the physiological significance of bacterial GGTs has been discussed categorizing GGTs from Gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli as glutathione degraders and from pathogenic species like Helicobacter pylori as virulence factors. Gram-positive bacilli, however, are considered separately as poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA) degraders. The structure-function relationship of the GGT is also discussed mainly focusing on the crystallization of bacterial GGTs along with functional characterization of conserved regions by site-directed mutagenesis that unravels molecular aspects of autoprocessing and catalysis. Only a few crystal structures have been deciphered so far. Further, different reports on heterologous expression of bacterial GGTs in E. coli and Bacillus subtilis as hosts have been presented in a table pointing toward the lack of fermentation studies for large-scale production. Physicochemical properties of bacterial GGTs have also been described, followed by a detailed discussion on various applications of bacterial GGTs in different biotechnological sectors. This review emphasizes the potential of bacterial GGTs as an industrial biocatalyst relevant to the current switch toward green chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rani Gupta
- Department of Microbiology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
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Takahashi H, Dohmae N, Kim KS, Shimuta K, Ohnishi M, Yokoyama S, Yanagisawa T. Genetic incorporation of non-canonical amino acid photocrosslinkers in Neisseria meningitidis: New method provides insights into the physiological function of the function-unknown NMB1345 protein. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237883. [PMID: 32866169 PMCID: PMC7458321 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although whole-genome sequencing has provided novel insights into Neisseria meningitidis, many open reading frames have only been annotated as hypothetical proteins with unknown biological functions. Our previous genetic analyses revealed that the hypothetical protein, NMB1345, plays a crucial role in meningococcal infection in human brain microvascular endothelial cells; however, NMB1345 has no homology to any identified protein in databases and its physiological function could not be elucidated using pre-existing methods. Among the many biological technologies to examine transient protein-protein interaction in vivo, one of the developed methods is genetic code expansion with non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) utilizing a pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNAPyl pair from Methanosarcina species: However, this method has never been applied to assign function-unknown proteins in pathogenic bacteria. In the present study, we developed a new method to genetically incorporate ncAAs-encoded photocrosslinking probes into N. meningitidis by utilizing a pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNAPyl pair and elucidated the biological function(s) of the NMB1345 protein. The results revealed that the NMB1345 protein directly interacts with PilE, a major component of meningococcal pili, and further physicochemical and genetic analyses showed that the interaction between the NMB1345 protein and PilE was important for both functional pilus formation and meningococcal infectious ability in N. meningitidis. The present study using this new methodology for N. meningitidis provides novel insights into meningococcal pathogenesis by assigning the function of a hypothetical protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideyuki Takahashi
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Department of Bacteriology I, Shinjuku-ku, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Naoshi Dohmae
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Wako, Japan
| | - Kwang Sik Kim
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ken Shimuta
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Department of Bacteriology I, Shinjuku-ku, Japan
| | - Makoto Ohnishi
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Department of Bacteriology I, Shinjuku-ku, Japan
| | - Shigeyuki Yokoyama
- RIKEN Structural Biology Laboratory, Yokohama, Japan
- RIKEN Cluster for Science, Technology and Innovation Hub, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Yanagisawa
- RIKEN Structural Biology Laboratory, Yokohama, Japan
- RIKEN Cluster for Science, Technology and Innovation Hub, Yokohama, Japan
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The minimal meningococcal ProQ protein has an intrinsic capacity for structure-based global RNA recognition. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2823. [PMID: 32499480 PMCID: PMC7272453 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16650-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
FinO-domain proteins are a widespread family of bacterial RNA-binding proteins with regulatory functions. Their target spectrum ranges from a single RNA pair, in the case of plasmid-encoded FinO, to global RNA regulons, as with enterobacterial ProQ. To assess whether the FinO domain itself is intrinsically selective or promiscuous, we determine in vivo targets of Neisseria meningitidis, which consists of solely a FinO domain. UV-CLIP-seq identifies associations with 16 small non-coding sRNAs and 166 mRNAs. Meningococcal ProQ predominantly binds to highly structured regions and generally acts to stabilize its RNA targets. Loss of ProQ alters transcript levels of >250 genes, demonstrating that this minimal ProQ protein impacts gene expression globally. Phenotypic analyses indicate that ProQ promotes oxidative stress resistance and DNA damage repair. We conclude that FinO domain proteins recognize some abundant type of RNA shape and evolve RNA binding selectivity through acquisition of additional regions that constrain target recognition. FinO-domain proteins are bacterial RNA-binding proteins with a wide range of target specificities. Here, the authors employ UV CLIP-seq and show that minimal ProQ protein of Neisseria meningitidis binds to various small non-coding RNAs and mRNAs involved in virulence.
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Cain MD, Salimi H, Diamond MS, Klein RS. Mechanisms of Pathogen Invasion into the Central Nervous System. Neuron 2020; 103:771-783. [PMID: 31487528 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
CNS infections continue to rise in incidence in conjunction with increases in immunocompromised populations or conditions that contribute to the emergence of pathogens, such as global travel, climate change, and human encroachment on animal territories. The severity and complexity of these diseases is impacted by the diversity of etiologic agents and their routes of neuroinvasion. In this review, we present historical, clinical, and molecular concepts regarding the mechanisms of pathogen invasion of the CNS. We also discuss the structural components of CNS compartments that influence pathogen entry and recent discoveries of the pathways exploited by pathogens to facilitate CNS infections. Advances in our understanding of the CNS invasion mechanisms of different neurotropic pathogens may enable the development of strategies to control their entry and deliver drugs to mitigate established infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Cain
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Hamid Salimi
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael S Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; The Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Robyn S Klein
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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Virulence Factors of Meningitis-Causing Bacteria: Enabling Brain Entry across the Blood-Brain Barrier. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215393. [PMID: 31671896 PMCID: PMC6862235 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are still a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Traversal of the barriers protecting the brain by pathogens is a prerequisite for the development of meningitis. Bacteria have developed a variety of different strategies to cross these barriers and reach the CNS. To this end, they use a variety of different virulence factors that enable them to attach to and traverse these barriers. These virulence factors mediate adhesion to and invasion into host cells, intracellular survival, induction of host cell signaling and inflammatory response, and affect barrier function. While some of these mechanisms differ, others are shared by multiple pathogens. Further understanding of these processes, with special emphasis on the difference between the blood-brain barrier and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, as well as virulence factors used by the pathogens, is still needed.
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