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Charkhian H, Soleimannezhadbari E, Bodaqlouei A, Lotfollahi L, Lotfi H, Yousefi N, Shojadel E, Gholinejad Z. Assessment of bacteriocin production by clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and their potential as therapeutic agents. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:175. [PMID: 38872163 PMCID: PMC11170890 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02450-w] [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: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bacterial infections and the rising antimicrobial resistance pose a significant threat to public health. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces bacteriocins like pyocins, especially S-type pyocins, which are promising for biological applications. This research focuses on clinical P. aeruginosa isolates to assess their bacteriocin production, inhibitory spectrum, chemical structure, antibacterial agents, and preservative potential. METHODS The identification of P. aeruginosa was conducted through both phenotypic and molecular approaches. The inhibitory spectrum and antibacterial potential of the isolates were assessed. The kinetics of antibacterial peptide production were investigated, and the activity of bacteriocin was quantified in arbitrary units (AU ml-1). Physico-chemical characterization of the antibacterial peptides was performed. Molecular weight estimation was carried out using SDS-PAGE. qRT-PCR analysis was employed to validate the expression of the selected candidate gene. RESULT The antibacterial activity of P. aeruginosa was attributed to the secretion of bacteriocin compounds, which belong to the S-type pyocin family. The use of mitomycin C led to a significant 65.74% increase in pyocin production by these isolates. These S-type pyocins exhibited the ability to inhibit the growth of both Gram-negative (P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris) and Gram-positive (S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. hirae, S. pyogenes, and S. mutans) bacteria. The molecular weight of S-type pyocin was 66 kDa, and its gene expression was confirmed through qRT-PCR. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that S-type pyocin hold significant potential as therapeutic agents against pathogenic strains. The Physico-chemical resistance of S-type pyocin underscores its potential for broad applications in the pharmaceutical, hygiene, and food industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Charkhian
- Young Researchers Club, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Ehsan Soleimannezhadbari
- Young Researchers Club, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Amin Bodaqlouei
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Lida Lotfollahi
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
| | - Hajie Lotfi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Nesa Yousefi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Ehsan Shojadel
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Zafar Gholinejad
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
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Goult JD, Van DCL, Taylor YV, Inns PG, Kaminska R, Vesely M, Kleanthous C, Paci E. Structural constraints of pyocin S2 import through the ferripyoverdine receptor FpvAI. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae124. [PMID: 38577260 PMCID: PMC10994204 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
TonB-dependent transporters (TBDTs) mediate energized transport of essential nutrients into gram-negative bacteria. TBDTs are increasingly being exploited for the delivery of antibiotics to drug-resistant bacteria. While much is known about ground state complexes of TBDTs, few details have emerged about the transport process itself. In this study, we exploit bacteriocin parasitization of a TBDT to probe the mechanics of transport. Previous work has shown that the N-terminal domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-specific bacteriocin pyocin S2 (PyoS2NTD) is imported through the pyoverdine receptor FpvAI. PyoS2NTD transport follows the opening of a proton-motive force-dependent pore through FpvAI and the delivery of its own TonB box that engages TonB. We use molecular models and simulations to formulate a complete translocation pathway for PyoS2NTD that we validate using protein engineering and cytotoxicity measurements. We show that following partial removal of the FpvAI plug domain which occludes the channel, the pyocin's N-terminus enters the channel by electrostatic steering and ratchets to the periplasm. Application of force, mimicking that exerted by TonB, leads to unraveling of PyoS2NTD as it squeezes through the channel. Remarkably, while some parts of PyoS2NTD must unfold, complete unfolding is not required for transport, a result we confirmed by disulfide bond engineering. Moreover, the section of the FpvAI plug that remains embedded in the channel appears to serve as a buttress against which PyoS2NTD is pushed to destabilize the domain. Our study reveals the limits of structural deformation that accompanies import through a TBDT and the role the TBDT itself plays in accommodating transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Goult
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Daniel C L Van
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Yasmin V Taylor
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Patrick G Inns
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Martin Vesely
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Emanuele Paci
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Bologna, Bologna 40127, Italy
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3
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Zhao X, Wang W, Zeng X, Xu R, Yuan B, Yu W, Wang M, Jia R, Chen S, Zhu D, Liu M, Yang Q, Wu Y, Zhang S, Huang J, Ou X, Sun D, Cheng A. Klebicin E, a pore-forming bacteriocin of Klebsiella pneumoniae, exploits the porin OmpC and the Ton system for translocation. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105694. [PMID: 38301890 PMCID: PMC10906532 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105694] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriocins, which have narrow-spectrum activity and limited adverse effects, are promising alternatives to antibiotics. In this study, we identified klebicin E (KlebE), a small bacteriocin derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae. KlebE exhibited strong efficacy against multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates and conferred a significant growth advantage to the producing strain during intraspecies competition. A giant unilamellar vesicle leakage assay demonstrated the unique membrane permeabilization effect of KlebE, suggesting that it is a pore-forming toxin. In addition to a C-terminal toxic domain, KlebE also has a disordered N-terminal domain and a globular central domain. Pulldown assays and soft agar overlay experiments revealed the essential role of the outer membrane porin OmpC and the Ton system in KlebE recognition and cytotoxicity. Strong binding between KlebE and both OmpC and TonB was observed. The TonB-box, a crucial component of the toxin-TonB interaction, was identified as the 7-amino acid sequence (E3ETLTVV9) located in the N-terminal region. Further studies showed that a region near the bottom of the central domain of KlebE plays a primary role in recognizing OmpC, with eight residues surrounding this region identified as essential for KlebE toxicity. Finally, based on the discrepancies in OmpC sequences between the KlebE-resistant and sensitive strains, it was found that the 91st residue of OmpC, an aspartic acid residue, is a key determinant of KlebE toxicity. The identification and characterization of this toxin will facilitate the development of bacteriocin-based therapies targeting multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Zhao
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenyu Wang
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoli Zeng
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Rong Xu
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Bing Yuan
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenyao Yu
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shun Chen
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dekang Zhu
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mafeng Liu
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiao Yang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shaqiu Zhang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Juan Huang
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xumin Ou
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Di Sun
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Anchun Cheng
- Research Center of Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Engineering Research Center of Southwest Animal Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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Filloux A. Bacterial type VI secretion system helps prevent cheating in microbial communities. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae003. [PMID: 38365258 PMCID: PMC10839747 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Alain Filloux
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW72AZ, United Kingdom
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5
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Ansari F, Lee CC, Rashidimehr A, Eskandari S, Ashaolu TJ, Mirzakhani E, Pourjafar H, Jafari SM. The Role of Probiotics in Improving Food Safety: Inactivation of Pathogens and Biological Toxins. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2024; 25:962-980. [PMID: 37264621 DOI: 10.2174/1389201024666230601141627] [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: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Currently, many advances have been made in avoiding food contamination by numerous pathogenic and toxigenic microorganisms. Many studies have shown that different probiotics, in addition to having beneficial effects on the host's health, have a very good ability to eliminate and neutralize pathogens and their toxins in foods which leads to enhanced food safety. The present review purposes to comprehensively discuss the role of probiotics in improving food safety by inactivating pathogens (bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasite agents) and neutralizing their toxins in food products. Some recent examples in terms of the anti-microbial activities of probiotics in the body after consuming contaminated food have also been mentioned. This review shows that different probiotics have the potential to inactivate pathogens and neutralize and detoxify various biological agents in foods, as well as in the host body after consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fereshteh Ansari
- Department of Agricultural Research, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran. Iran
- Research Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Health Management and Safety Promotion Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Iranian EBM Centre: A Joanna Briggs Institute Affiliated Group, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Chi-Ching Lee
- Department of Food Engineering, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Turkey
| | - Azadeh Rashidimehr
- Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Lorestan, Iran
| | - Soheyl Eskandari
- Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center (FDLRC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOH+ME), Tehran, Iran
| | - Tolulope Joshua Ashaolu
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, 550000, Viet Nam
- Faculty of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, 550000, Viet Nam
| | - Esmaeel Mirzakhani
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hadi Pourjafar
- Dietary Supplements and Probiotic Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Seid Mahdi Jafari
- Department of Food Materials and Process Design Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
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Cornelis P, Dingemans J, Baysse C. Pseudomonas aeruginosa Soluble Pyocins as Antibacterial Weapons. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2721:125-136. [PMID: 37819519 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3473-8_9] [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] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen causing nosocomial infections and associated with lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients (Lyczak et al., Microbes Infect 2:1051-1060, 2000). Multiple drug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains pose a serious problem because of antibiotic treatment failure. There is therefore a need for alternative anti-Pseudomonas molecules. Soluble pyocins (S-pyocins) are bacteriocins produced by P. aeruginosa strains that kill sensitive strains of the same species. These bacteriocins and their immunity gene are easily cloned and expressed in E. coli and their activity spectrum against different P. aeruginosa strains can be tested. In this chapter, we describe the procedures for cloning, expression, and sensitivity testing of two different S-pyocins. We also describe how to identify their receptor binding domain in sensitive strains, how to construct chimeric pyocins with extended activity spectra, and how to identify new pyocins in genomes by multiplex PCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Cornelis
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Microbiology Group, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Jozef Dingemans
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Microbiology Group, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christine Baysse
- Institut de Génétique et de Développement de Rennes (IGDR), CNRS UMR 6290, Université de Rennes, Rennes, France
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Chichón G, López M, de Toro M, Ruiz-Roldán L, Rojo-Bezares B, Sáenz Y. Spread of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST274 Clone in Different Niches: Resistome, Virulome, and Phylogenetic Relationship. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1561. [PMID: 37998763 PMCID: PMC10668709 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12111561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST274 is an international epidemic high-risk clone, mostly associated with hospital settings and appears to colonize cystic fibrosis (CF) patients worldwide. To understand the relevant mechanisms for its success, the biological and genomic characteristics of 11 ST274-P. aeruginosa strains from clinical and non-clinical origins were analyzed. The extensively drug-resistant (XDR/DTR), the non-susceptible to at least one agent (modR), and the lasR-truncated (by ISPsp7) strains showed a chronic infection phenotype characterized by loss of serotype-specific antigenicity and low motility. Furthermore, the XDR/DTR and modR strains presented low pigment production and biofilm formation, which were very high in the lasR-truncated strain. Their whole genome sequences were compared with other 14 ST274-P. aeruginosa genomes available in the NCBI database, and certain associations have been primarily detected: blaOXA-486 and blaPDC-24 genes, serotype O:3, exoS+/exoU- genotype, group V of type IV pili, and pyoverdine locus class II. Other general molecular markers highlight the absence of vqsM and pldA/tleS genes and the presence of the same mutational pattern in genes involving two-component sensor-regulator systems PmrAB and CreBD, exotoxin A, quorum-sensing RhlI, beta-lactamase expression regulator AmpD, PBP1A, or FusA2 elongation factor G. The proportionated ST274-P. aeruginosa results could serve as the basis for more specific studies focused on better antibiotic stewardship and new therapeutic developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Chichón
- Área de Microbiología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - María López
- Área de Microbiología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - María de Toro
- Plataforma de Genómica y Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - Lidia Ruiz-Roldán
- Joint Research Unit “Infection and Public Health” FISABIO-University of Valencia, Institute for Integrative Systems Biology I2SysBio (CSIC-UV), Av. de Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Beatriz Rojo-Bezares
- Área de Microbiología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - Yolanda Sáenz
- Área de Microbiología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de La Rioja (CIBIR), C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, Spain
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Artuso I, Poddar H, Evans BA, Visca P. Genomics of Acinetobacter baumannii iron uptake. Microb Genom 2023; 9:mgen001080. [PMID: 37549061 PMCID: PMC10483418 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is essential for growth in most bacteria due to its redox activity and its role in essential metabolic reactions; it is a cofactor for many bacterial enzymes. The bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii is a multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen. A. baumannii responds to low iron availability imposed by the host through the exploitation of multiple iron-acquisition strategies, which are likely to deliver iron to the cell under a variety of environmental conditions, including human and animal infection. To date, six different gene clusters for active iron uptake have been described in A. baumannii , encoding protein systems involved in (i) ferrous iron uptake (feo ); (ii) haem uptake (hemT and hemO ); and (iii) synthesis and transport of the baumannoferrin(s) (bfn ), acinetobactin (bas /bau ) and fimsbactin(s) (fbs ) siderophores. Here we describe the structure, distribution and phylogeny of iron-uptake gene clusters among >1000 genotypically diverse A. baumannii isolates, showing that feo , hemT , bfn and bas /bau clusters are very prevalent across the dataset, whereas the additional haem-uptake system hemO is only present in a portion of the dataset and the fbs gene cluster is very rare. Since the expression of multiple iron-uptake clusters can be linked to virulence, the presence of the additional haem-uptake system hemO may have contributed to the success of some A. baumannii clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Artuso
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Harsh Poddar
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Benjamin A. Evans
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Rosalind Franklin Road, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UQ, UK
| | - Paolo Visca
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via Ardeatina, 306/354, 00179 Rome, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Centre, Palermo 90133, Italy
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Premsuriya J, Mosbahi K, Atanaskovic I, Kleanthous C, Walker D. Outer membrane translocation of pyocins via the copper regulated TonB-dependent transporter CrtA. Biochem J 2023; 480:1035-1049. [PMID: 37399084 PMCID: PMC10422930 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220552] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of serious hospital-acquired infections, the leading proven cause of mortality in people with cystic fibrosis and is associated with high levels of antimicrobial resistance. Pyocins are narrow-spectrum protein antibiotics produced by P. aeruginosa that kill strains of the same species and have the potential to be developed as therapeutics targeting multi-drug resistant isolates. We have identified two novel pyocins designated SX1 and SX2. Pyocin SX1 is a metal-dependent DNase while pyocin SX2 kills cells through inhibition of protein synthesis. Mapping the uptake pathways of SX1 and SX2 shows these pyocins utilize a combination of the common polysaccharide antigen (CPA) and a previously uncharacterized TonB-dependent transporter (TBDT) PA0434 to traverse the outer membrane. In addition, TonB1 and FtsH are required by both pyocins to energize their transport into cells and catalyze their translocation across the inner membrane, respectively. Expression of PA0434 was found to be specifically regulated by copper availability and we have designated PA0434 as Copper Responsive Transporter A, or CrtA. To our knowledge these are the first S-type pyocins described that utilize a TBDT that is not involved in iron uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiraphan Premsuriya
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, U.K
- Princess Srisavangavadhana College of Medicine, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Khedidja Mosbahi
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, U.K
| | - Iva Atanaskovic
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K
| | - Daniel Walker
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, U.K
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, U.K
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10
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Gao Y, Wei J, Pu L, Fu S, Xing X, Zhang R, Jin F. Remotely Controllable Engineered Bacteria for Targeted Therapy of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection. ACS Synth Biol 2023. [PMID: 37418677 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infection has become an intractable problem worldwide due to the decreasing efficacy of the mainstay therapy, antibiotic treatment. Hence, exploring new drugs and therapies to address this issue is crucial. Here, we construct a chimeric pyocin (ChPy) to specifically kill P. aeruginosa and engineer a near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive strain to produce and deliver this drug. Our engineered bacterial strain can continuously produce ChPy in the absence of light and release it to kill P. aeruginosa via remotely and precisely controlled bacterial lysis induced by NIR light. We demonstrate that our engineered bacterial strain is effective in P. aeruginosa-infected wound therapy in the mouse model, as it eradicated PAO1 in mouse wounds and shortened the wound healing time. Our work presents a potentially spatiotemporal and noninvasively controlled therapeutic strategy of engineered bacteria for the targeted treatment of P. aeruginosa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Gao
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 96, JinZhai Road, Baohe District, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Jingjing Wei
- Department of Fine Chemical Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Lu Pu
- West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Shengwei Fu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 96, JinZhai Road, Baohe District, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
| | - Xiaochen Xing
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Rongrong Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Fan Jin
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 96, JinZhai Road, Baohe District, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
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11
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Bali K, McCoy R, Lu Z, Treiber J, Savva A, Kaminski CF, Salmond G, Salleo A, Mela I, Monson R, Owens RM. Multiparametric Sensing of Outer Membrane Vesicle-Derived Supported Lipid Bilayers Demonstrates the Specificity of Bacteriophage Interactions. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023. [PMID: 37137156 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The use of bacteriophages, viruses that specifically infect bacteria, as antibiotics has become an area of great interest in recent years as the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics recedes. The detection of phage interactions with specific bacteria in a rapid and quantitative way is key for identifying phages of interest for novel antimicrobials. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from Gram-negative bacteria can be used to make supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) and therefore in vitro membrane models that contain naturally occurring components of the bacterial outer membrane. In this study, we employed Escherichia coli OMV derived SLBs and use both fluorescent imaging and mechanical sensing techniques to show their interactions with T4 phage. We also integrate these bilayers with microelectrode arrays (MEAs) functionalized with the conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS and show that the pore forming interactions of the phages with the SLBs can be monitored using electrical impedance spectroscopy. To highlight our ability to detect specific phage interactions, we also generate SLBs using OMVs derived from Citrobacter rodentium, which is resistant to T4 phage infection, and identify their lack of interaction with the phage. The work presented here shows how interactions occurring between the phages and these complex SLB systems can be monitored using a range of experimental techniques. We believe this approach can be used to identify phages that work against bacterial strains of interest, as well as more generally to monitor any pore forming structure (such as defensins) interacting with bacterial outer membranes, and thus aid in the development of next generation antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karan Bali
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Reece McCoy
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Zixuan Lu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy Treiber
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Achilleas Savva
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Clemens F Kaminski
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - George Salmond
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins Building, Downing Site, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Alberto Salleo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Ioanna Mela
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PD, United Kingdom
| | - Rita Monson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins Building, Downing Site, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Róisín M Owens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
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12
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Mass spectrometry of intact membrane proteins: shifting towards a more native-like context. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:201-213. [PMID: 36807530 PMCID: PMC10070488 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220169] [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: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Integral membrane proteins are involved in a plethora of biological processes including cellular signalling, molecular transport, and catalysis. Many of these functions are mediated by non-covalent interactions with other proteins, substrates, metabolites, and surrounding lipids. Uncovering such interactions and deciphering their effect on protein activity is essential for understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying integral membrane protein function. However, the detection of such dynamic complexes has proven to be challenging using traditional approaches in structural biology. Native mass spectrometry has emerged as a powerful technique for the structural characterisation of membrane proteins and their complexes, enabling the detection and identification of protein-binding partners. In this review, we discuss recent native mass spectrometry-based studies that have characterised non-covalent interactions of membrane proteins in the presence of detergents or membrane mimetics. We additionally highlight recent progress towards the study of membrane proteins within native membranes and provide our perspective on how these could be combined with recent developments in instrumentation to investigate increasingly complex biomolecular systems.
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13
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Robinson LA, Collins ACZ, Murphy RA, Davies JC, Allsopp LP. Diversity and prevalence of type VI secretion system effectors in clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1042505. [PMID: 36687572 PMCID: PMC9846239 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1042505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen and a major driver of morbidity and mortality in people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). The Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a molecular nanomachine that translocates effectors across the bacterial membrane into target cells or the extracellular environment enabling intermicrobial interaction. P. aeruginosa encodes three T6SS clusters, the H1-, H2- and H3-T6SS, and numerous orphan islands. Genetic diversity of T6SS-associated effectors in P. aeruginosa has been noted in reference strains but has yet to be explored in clinical isolates. Here, we perform a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of the pangenome and T6SS effector genes in 52 high-quality clinical P. aeruginosa genomes isolated from CF patients and housed in the Personalised Approach to P. aeruginosa strain repository. We confirm that the clinical CF isolate pangenome is open and principally made up of accessory and unique genes that may provide strain-specific advantages. We observed genetic variability in some effector/immunity encoding genes and show that several well-characterised vgrG and PAAR islands are absent from numerous isolates. Our analysis shows clear evidence of disruption to T6SS genomic loci through transposon, prophage, and mobile genetic element insertions. We identified an orphan vgrG island in P. aeruginosa strain PAK and five clinical isolates using in silico analysis which we denote vgrG7, predicting a gene within this cluster to encode a Tle2 lipase family effector. Close comparison of T6SS loci in clinical isolates compared to reference P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 revealed the presence of genes encoding eight new T6SS effectors with the following putative functions: cytidine deaminase, lipase, metallopeptidase, NADase, and pyocin. Finally, the prevalence of characterised and putative T6SS effectors were assessed in 532 publicly available P. aeruginosa genomes, which suggests the existence of accessory effectors. Our in silico study of the P. aeruginosa T6SS exposes a level of genetic diversity at T6SS genomic loci not seen to date within P. aeruginosa, particularly in CF isolates. As understanding the effector repertoire is key to identifying the targets of T6SSs and its efficacy, this comprehensive analysis provides a path for future experimental characterisation of these mediators of intermicrobial competition and host manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca A. Robinson
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alice C. Z. Collins
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ronan A. Murphy
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jane C. Davies
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Luke P. Allsopp
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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14
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Schalk IJ, Perraud Q. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its multiple strategies to access iron. Environ Microbiol 2022; 25:811-831. [PMID: 36571575 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous bacterium found in many natural and man-made environments. It is also a pathogen for plants, animals, and humans. As for almost all living organisms, iron is an essential nutrient for the growth of P. aeruginosa. The bacterium has evolved complex systems to access iron and maintain its homeostasis to survive in diverse natural and dynamic host environments. To access ferric iron, P. aeruginosa is able to produce two siderophores (pyoverdine and pyochelin), as well as use a variety of siderophores produced by other bacteria (mycobactins, enterobactin, ferrioxamine, ferrichrome, vibriobactin, aerobactin, rhizobactin and schizokinen). Furthermore, it can also use citrate, in addition to catecholamine neuromediators and plant-derived mono catechols, as siderophores. The P. aeruginosa genome also encodes three heme-uptake pathways (heme being an iron source) and one ferrous iron acquisition pathway. This review aims to summarize current knowledge concerning the molecular mechanisms involved in all the iron and heme acquisition strategies used by P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle J Schalk
- CNRS, UMR7242, ESBS, Strasbourg, France.,University of Strasbourg, UMR7242, ESBS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Quentin Perraud
- CNRS, UMR7242, ESBS, Strasbourg, France.,University of Strasbourg, UMR7242, ESBS, Strasbourg, France
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15
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A Disturbed Siderophore Transport Inhibits Myxobacterial Predation. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233718. [PMID: 36496980 PMCID: PMC9738627 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the intrinsic mechanisms of bacterial competition is a fundamental question. Iron is an essential trace nutrient that bacteria compete for. The most prevalent manner for iron scavenging is through the secretion of siderophores. Although tremendous efforts have focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of siderophores biosynthesis, export, uptake, and regulation of siderophores, the ecological aspects of siderophore-mediated competition are not well understood. METHODS We performed predation and bacterial competition assays to investigate the function of siderophore transport on myxobacterial predation. RESULTS Deletion of msuB, which encodes an iron chelate uptake ABC transporter family permease subunit, led to a reduction in myxobacterial predation and intracellular iron, but iron deficiency was not the predominant reason for the decrease in the predation ability of the ∆msuB mutant. We further confirmed that obstruction of siderophore transport decreased myxobacterial predation by investigating the function of a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase for siderophore biosynthesis, a TonB-dependent receptor, and a siderophore binding protein in M. xanthus. Our results showed that the obstruction of siderophores transport decreased myxobacterial predation ability through the downregulation of lytic enzyme genes, especially outer membrane vesicle (OMV)-specific proteins. CONCLUSIONS This work provides insight into the mechanism of siderophore-mediated competition in myxobacteria.
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16
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Mamou G, Corona F, Cohen-Khait R, Housden NG, Yeung V, Sun D, Sridhar P, Pazos M, Knowles TJ, Kleanthous C, Vollmer W. Peptidoglycan maturation controls outer membrane protein assembly. Nature 2022; 606:953-959. [PMID: 35705811 PMCID: PMC9242858 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04834-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Linkages between the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and the peptidoglycan layer are crucial for the maintenance of cellular integrity and enable survival in challenging environments1–5. The function of the outer membrane is dependent on outer membrane proteins (OMPs), which are inserted into the membrane by the β-barrel assembly machine6,7 (BAM). Growing Escherichia coli cells segregate old OMPs towards the poles by a process known as binary partitioning, the basis of which is unknown8. Here we demonstrate that peptidoglycan underpins the spatiotemporal organization of OMPs. Mature, tetrapeptide-rich peptidoglycan binds to BAM components and suppresses OMP foldase activity. Nascent peptidoglycan, which is enriched in pentapeptides and concentrated at septa9, associates with BAM poorly and has little effect on its activity, leading to preferential insertion of OMPs at division sites. The synchronization of OMP biogenesis with cell wall growth results in the binary partitioning of OMPs as cells divide. Our study reveals that Gram-negative bacteria coordinate the assembly of two major cell envelope layers by rendering OMP biogenesis responsive to peptidoglycan maturation, a potential vulnerability that could be exploited in future antibiotic design. Peptidoglycan stem peptides in the Gram-negative bacterial cell wall regulate the insertion of essential outer membrane proteins, thus representing a potential target for antibiotic design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gideon Mamou
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Federico Corona
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Genome Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ruth Cohen-Khait
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas G Housden
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Vivian Yeung
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dawei Sun
- Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pooja Sridhar
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Manuel Pazos
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Department of Molecular Biology, Center of Molecular Biology 'Severo Ochoa' (UAM-CSIC), Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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17
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Atanaskovic I, Sharp C, Press C, Kaminska R, Kleanthous C. Bacterial Competition Systems Share a Domain Required for Inner Membrane Transport of the Bacteriocin Pyocin G from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mBio 2022; 13:e0339621. [PMID: 35343790 PMCID: PMC9040868 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03396-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria exploit a variety of attack strategies to gain dominance within ecological niches. Prominent among these are contact-dependent inhibition (CDI), type VI secretion (T6SS), and bacteriocins. The cytotoxic endpoint of these systems is often the delivery of a nuclease to the cytosol. How such nucleases translocate across the cytoplasmic membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is unknown. Here, we identify a small, conserved, 15-kDa domain, which we refer to as the inner membrane translocation (IMT) domain, that is common to T6SS and bacteriocins and linked to nuclease effector domains. Through fluorescence microscopy assays using intact and spheroplasted cells, we demonstrate that the IMT domain of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa-specific bacteriocin pyocin G (PyoG) is required for import of the toxin nuclease domain to the cytoplasm. We also show that translocation of PyoG into the cytosol is dependent on inner membrane proteins FtsH, a AAA+ATPase/protease, and TonB1, the latter more typically associated with transport of bacteriocins across the outer membrane. Our study reveals that the IMT domain directs the cytotoxic nuclease of PyoG to cross the cytoplasmic membrane and, more broadly, has been adapted for the transport of other toxic nucleases delivered into Gram-negative bacteria by both contact-dependent and contact-independent means. IMPORTANCE Nuclease bacteriocins are potential antimicrobials for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. While the mechanism of outer membrane translocation is beginning to be understood, the mechanism of inner membrane transport is not known. This study uses PyoG as a model nuclease bacteriocin and defines a conserved domain that is essential for inner membrane translocation and is widespread in other bacterial competition systems. Additionally, the presented data link two membrane proteins, FtsH and TonB1, with inner membrane translocation of PyoG. These findings point to the general importance of this domain to the cellular uptake mechanisms of nucleases delivered by otherwise diverse and distinct bacterial competition systems. The work is also of importance for the design of new protein antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Atanaskovic
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Connor Sharp
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Cara Press
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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18
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Ulhuq FR, Mariano G. Bacterial pore-forming toxins. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168:001154. [PMID: 35333704 PMCID: PMC9558359 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are widely distributed in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. PFTs can act as virulence factors that bacteria utilise in dissemination and host colonisation or, alternatively, they can be employed to compete with rival microbes in polymicrobial niches. PFTs transition from a soluble form to become membrane-embedded by undergoing large conformational changes. Once inserted, they perforate the membrane, causing uncontrolled efflux of ions and/or nutrients and dissipating the protonmotive force (PMF). In some instances, target cells intoxicated by PFTs display additional effects as part of the cellular response to pore formation. Significant progress has been made in the mechanistic description of pore formation for the different PFTs families, but in several cases a complete understanding of pore structure remains lacking. PFTs have evolved recognition mechanisms to bind specific receptors that define their host tropism, although this can be remarkably diverse even within the same family. Here we summarise the salient features of PFTs and highlight where additional research is necessary to fully understand the mechanism of pore formation by members of this diverse group of protein toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima R. Ulhuq
- Microbes in Health and Disease Theme, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Giuseppina Mariano
- Microbes in Health and Disease Theme, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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19
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Budiardjo SJ, Stevens JJ, Calkins AL, Ikujuni AP, Wimalasena VK, Firlar E, Case DA, Biteen JS, Kaelber JT, Slusky JSG. Colicin E1 opens its hinge to plug TolC. eLife 2022; 11:73297. [PMID: 35199644 PMCID: PMC9020818 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The double membrane architecture of Gram-negative bacteria forms a barrier that is impermeable to most extracellular threats. Bacteriocin proteins evolved to exploit the accessible, surface-exposed proteins embedded in the outer membrane to deliver cytotoxic cargo. Colicin E1 is a bacteriocin produced by, and lethal to, Escherichia coli that hijacks the outer membrane proteins (OMPs) TolC and BtuB to enter the cell. Here, we capture the colicin E1 translocation domain inside its membrane receptor, TolC, by high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to obtain the first reported structure of a bacteriocin bound to TolC. Colicin E1 binds stably to TolC as an open hinge through the TolC pore—an architectural rearrangement from colicin E1’s unbound conformation. This binding is stable in live E. coli cells as indicated by single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. Finally, colicin E1 fragments binding to TolC plug the channel, inhibiting its native efflux function as an antibiotic efflux pump, and heightening susceptibility to three antibiotic classes. In addition to demonstrating that these protein fragments are useful starting points for developing novel antibiotic potentiators, this method could be expanded to other colicins to inhibit other OMP functions. Bacteria are constantly warring with each other for space and resources. As a result, they have developed a range of molecular weapons to poison, damage or disable other cells. For instance, bacteriocins are proteins that can latch onto structures at the surface of enemy bacteria and push toxins through their outer membrane. Bacteria are increasingly resistant to antibiotics, representing a growing concern for modern healthcare. One way that they are able to survive is by using ‘efflux pumps’ studded through their external membranes to expel harmful drugs before these can cause damage. Budiardjo et al. wanted to test whether bacteriocins could interfere with this defence mechanism by blocking efflux pumps. Bacteriocins are usually formed of binding elements (which recognise specific target proteins) and of a ‘killer tail’ that can stab the cell. Experiments showed that the binding parts of a bacteriocin could effectively ‘plug’ efflux pumps in Escherichia coli bacteria: high-resolution molecular microscopy revealed how the bacteriocin fragment binds to the pump, while fluorescent markers showed that it attached to the surface of E. coli and stopped the efflux pumps from working. As a result, lower amounts of antibiotics were necessary to kill the bacteria when bacteriocins were present. The work by Budiardjo et al. could lead to new ways to combat bacteria that will reduce the need for current antibiotics. In the future, bacteriocins could also be harnessed to target other proteins than efflux pumps, allowing scientists to manipulate a range of bacterial processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Jimmy Budiardjo
- Center for Computational Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
| | - Jacqueline J Stevens
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
| | - Anna L Calkins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Ayotunde P Ikujuni
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
| | | | - Emre Firlar
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, United States
| | - David A Case
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, United States
| | - Julie S Biteen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Jason T Kaelber
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, United States
| | - Joanna S G Slusky
- Center for Computational Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
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20
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Unraveling the Uncharacterized Domain of Carocin S2: A Ribonuclease Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Bacteriocin. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020359. [PMID: 35208813 PMCID: PMC8878655 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Carocin S2 is a bacteriocin with a low molecular weight generated by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum 3F3 strain. The caroS2K gene, which is found in the genomic DNA alongside the caroS2I gene, which codes for an immunity protein, encodes this bacteriocin. We explored the residues responsible for Carocin S2’s cytotoxic or RNA-se activity using a structure-based mutagenesis approach. The minimal antibiotic functional region starts at Lys691 and ends at Arg783, according to mutational research. Two residues in the identified region, Phe760 and Ser762, however, are unable to demonstrate this activity, suggesting that these sites may interact with another domain. Small modifications in the secondary structure of mutant caroS2K were revealed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence (ITF), showing ribosomal RNA cleavage in the active site. A co-immunoprecipitation test indicated that the immunity protein CaroS2I binds to CaroS2K’s C-terminus, while a region under the uncharacterized Domain III inhibits association of N-terminally truncated CaroS2K from interacting with CaroS2I. Carocin S2, a ribosomal ribonuclease bacteriocin, is the first to be identified with a domain III that encodes the cytotoxic residues as well as the binding sites between its immunity and killer proteins.
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21
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Francis MLR, Webby MN, Housden NG, Kaminska R, Elliston E, Chinthammit B, Lukoyanova N, Kleanthous C. Porin threading drives receptor disengagement and establishes active colicin transport through Escherichia coli OmpF. EMBO J 2021; 40:e108610. [PMID: 34515361 PMCID: PMC8561637 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021108610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria deploy weapons to kill their neighbours during competition for resources and to aid survival within microbiomes. Colicins were the first such antibacterial system identified, yet how these bacteriocins cross the outer membrane (OM) of Escherichia coli is unknown. Here, by solving the structures of translocation intermediates via cryo‐EM and by imaging toxin import, we uncover the mechanism by which the Tol‐dependent nuclease colicin E9 (ColE9) crosses the bacterial OM. We show that threading of ColE9’s disordered N‐terminal domain through two pores of the trimeric porin OmpF causes the colicin to disengage from its primary receptor, BtuB, and reorganises the translocon either side of the membrane. Subsequent import of ColE9 through the lumen of a single OmpF subunit is driven by the proton‐motive force, which is delivered by the TolQ‐TolR‐TolA‐TolB assembly. Our study answers longstanding questions, such as why OmpF is a better translocator than OmpC, and reconciles the mechanisms by which both Tol‐ and Ton‐dependent bacteriocins cross the bacterial outer membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa N Webby
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emma Elliston
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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22
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Abstract
Colicins are protein antibiotics deployed by Escherichia coli to eliminate competing strains. Colicins frequently exploit outer membrane (OM) nutrient transporters to penetrate the selectively permeable bacterial cell envelope. Here, by applying live-cell fluorescence imaging, we were able to monitor the entry of the pore-forming toxin colicin B (ColB) into E. coli and localize it within the periplasm. We further demonstrate that single-stranded DNA coupled to ColB can also be transported to the periplasm, emphasizing that the import routes of colicins can be exploited to carry large cargo molecules into bacteria. Moreover, we characterize the molecular mechanism of ColB association with its OM receptor FepA by applying a combination of photoactivated cross-linking, mass spectrometry, and structural modeling. We demonstrate that complex formation is coincident with large-scale conformational changes in the colicin. Thereafter, active transport of ColB through FepA involves the colicin taking the place of the N-terminal half of the plug domain that normally occludes this iron transporter. IMPORTANCE Decades of excessive use of readily available antibiotics has generated a global problem of antibiotic resistance and, hence, an urgent need for novel antibiotic solutions. Bacteriocins are protein-based antibiotics produced by bacteria to eliminate closely related competing bacterial strains. Bacteriocin toxins have evolved to bypass the complex cell envelope in order to kill bacterial cells. Here, we uncover the cellular penetration mechanism of a well-known but poorly understood bacteriocin called colicin B that is active against Escherichia coli. Moreover, we demonstrate that the colicin B-import pathway can be exploited to deliver conjugated DNA cargo into bacterial cells. Our work leads to a better understanding of the way bacteriocins, as potential alternative antibiotics, execute their mode of action as well as highlighting how they might even be exploited in the genomic manipulation of Gram-negative bacteria.
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23
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Carpena N, Richards K, Bello Gonzalez TDJ, Bravo-Blas A, Housden NG, Gerasimidis K, Milling SWF, Douce G, Malik DJ, Walker D. Targeted Delivery of Narrow-Spectrum Protein Antibiotics to the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract in a Murine Model of Escherichia coli Colonization. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:670535. [PMID: 34721311 PMCID: PMC8551963 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.670535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriocins are narrow-spectrum protein antibiotics that could potentially be used to engineer the human gut microbiota. However, technologies for targeted delivery of proteins to the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract in preclinical animal models are currently lacking. In this work, we have developed methods for the microencapsulation of Escherichia coli targeting bacteriocins, colicin E9 and Ia, in a pH responsive formulation to allow their targeted delivery and controlled release in an in vivo murine model of E. coli colonization. Membrane emulsification was used to produce a water-in-oil emulsion with the water-soluble polymer subsequently cross-linked to produce hydrogel microcapsules. The microcapsule fabrication process allowed control of the size of the drug delivery system and a near 100% yield of the encapsulated therapeutic cargo. pH-triggered release of the encapsulated colicins was achieved using a widely available pH-responsive anionic copolymer in combination with alginate biopolymers. In vivo experiments using a murine E. coli intestinal colonization model demonstrated that oral delivery of the encapsulated colicins resulted in a significant decrease in intestinal colonization and reduction in E. coli shedding in the feces of the animals. Employing controlled release drug delivery systems such as that described here is essential to enable delivery of new protein therapeutics or other biological interventions for testing within small animal models of infection. Such approaches may have considerable value for the future development of strategies to engineer the human gut microbiota, which is central to health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Carpena
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Kerry Richards
- Chemical Engineering Department, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alberto Bravo-Blas
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Konstantinos Gerasimidis
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Simon W. F. Milling
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian Douce
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Danish J. Malik
- Chemical Engineering Department, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Walker
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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24
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Six A, Mosbahi K, Barge M, Kleanthous C, Evans T, Walker D. Pyocin efficacy in a murine model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 76:2317-2324. [PMID: 34142136 PMCID: PMC8361349 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bloodstream infections with antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa are common and increasingly difficult to treat. Pyocins are naturally occurring protein antibiotics produced by P. aeruginosa that have potential for human use. OBJECTIVES To determine if pyocin treatment is effective in a murine model of sepsis with P. aeruginosa. METHODS Recombinant pyocins S5 and AP41 were purified and tested for efficacy in a Galleria mellonella infection model and a murine model of P. aeruginosa sepsis. RESULTS Both pyocins produced no adverse effects when injected alone into mice and showed good in vitro antipseudomonal activity. In an invertebrate model of sepsis using G. mellonella, both pyocins significantly prolonged survival from 1/10 (10%) survival in controls to 80%-100% survival among groups of 10 pyocin-treated larvae. Following injection into mice, both showed extensive distribution into different organs. When administered 5 h after infection, pyocin S5 significantly increased survival from 33% (2/6) to 83% (5/6) in a murine model of sepsis (difference significant by log-rank test, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Pyocins S5 and AP41 show in vivo biological activity and can improve survival in two models of P. aeruginosa infection. They hold promise as novel antimicrobial agents for treatment of MDR infections with this microbe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Six
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Sir Graeme Davis Building, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
| | - Khedidja Mosbahi
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Sir Graeme Davis Building, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
| | - Madhuri Barge
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Sir Graeme Davis Building, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Thomas Evans
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Sir Graeme Davis Building, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
| | - Daniel Walker
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Sir Graeme Davis Building, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
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25
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Abstract
Bacteria often secrete diffusible protein toxins (bacteriocins) to kill bystander cells during interbacterial competition. Here, we use biochemical, biophysical and structural analyses to show how a bacteriocin exploits TolC, a major outer-membrane antibiotic efflux channel in Gram-negative bacteria, to transport itself across the outer membrane of target cells. Klebicin C (KlebC), a rRNase toxin produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae, binds TolC of a related species (K. quasipneumoniae) with high affinity through an N-terminal, elongated helical hairpin domain common amongst bacteriocins. The KlebC helical hairpin opens like a switchblade to bind TolC. A cryo-EM structure of this partially translocated state, at 3.1 Å resolution, reveals that KlebC associates along the length of the TolC channel. Thereafter, the unstructured N-terminus of KlebC protrudes beyond the TolC iris, presenting a TonB-box sequence to the periplasm. Association with proton-motive force-linked TonB in the inner membrane drives toxin import through the channel. Finally, we demonstrate that KlebC binding to TolC blocks drug efflux from bacteria. Our results indicate that TolC, in addition to its known role in antibiotic export, can function as a protein import channel for bacteriocins. Bacteria can secrete diffusible protein toxins that kill competing bacteria. Here, the authors use biochemical, biophysical and structural analyses to show how one of these toxins exploits TolC (a major antibiotic efflux channel) to transport itself across the outer membrane of target cells.
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26
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Johnstone BA, Christie MP, Morton CJ, Parker MW. X-ray crystallography shines a light on pore-forming toxins. Methods Enzymol 2021; 649:1-46. [PMID: 33712183 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
A common form of cellular attack by pathogenic bacteria is to secrete pore-forming toxins (PFTs). Capable of forming transmembrane pores in various biological membranes, PFTs have also been identified in a diverse range of other organisms such as sea anemones, earthworms and even mushrooms and trees. The mechanism of pore formation by PFTs is associated with substantial conformational changes in going from the water-soluble to transmembrane states of the protein. The determination of the crystal structures for numerous PFTs has shed much light on our understanding of these proteins. Other than elucidating the atomic structural details of PFTs and the conformational changes that must occur for pore formation, crystal structures have revealed structural homology that has led to the discovery of new PFTs and new PFT families. Here we review some key crystallographic results together with complimentary approaches for studying PFTs. We discuss how these studies have impacted our understanding of PFT function and guided research into biotechnical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronte A Johnstone
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Michelle P Christie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Craig J Morton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael W Parker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia.
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27
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Ratliff AC, Buchanan SK, Celia H. Ton motor complexes. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 67:95-100. [PMID: 33157479 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2020.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The Ton complex is a molecular motor that uses the proton gradient at the inner membrane of Gram-negative bacteria to apply forces on outer membrane proteins, allowing active transport of nutrients into the periplasmic space. For decades, contradictory data has been reported on the structure and stoichiometry of the Ton complex. However, recent reports strongly support a subunit stoichiometry of 5:2 for the ExbB-ExbD subcomplex. In this review, we summarize the recent discoveries of the structures and proposed mechanisms of the Ton system, as well as similar protein motor complexes in Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Ratliff
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Susan K Buchanan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Herve Celia
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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28
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Molecular Structure and Functional Analysis of Pyocin S8 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals the Essential Requirement of a Glutamate Residue in the H-N-H Motif for DNase Activity. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:JB.00346-20. [PMID: 32817098 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00346-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious threat to public health, making the development of new antimicrobials an urgent necessity. Pyocins are protein antibiotics produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to kill closely related cells during intraspecific competition. Here, we report an in-depth biochemical, microbicidal, and structural characterization of a new S-type pyocin, named S8. Initially, we described the domain organization and secondary structure of S8. Subsequently, we observed that a recombinant S8 composed of the killing subunit in complex with the immunity (ImS8) protein killed the strain PAO1. Furthermore, mutation of a highly conserved glutamic acid to alanine (Glu100Ala) completely inhibited this antimicrobial activity. The integrity of the H-N-H motif is probably essential in the killing activity of S8, as Glu100 is a highly conserved residue of this motif. Next, we observed that S8 is a metal-dependent endonuclease, as EDTA treatment abolished its ability to cleave supercoiled pUC18 plasmid. Supplementation of apo S8 with Ni2+ strongly induced this DNase activity, whereas Mn2+ and Mg2+ exhibited moderate effects and Zn2+ was inhibitory. Additionally, S8 bound Zn2+ with a higher affinity than Ni2+ and the Glu100Ala mutation decreased the affinity of S8 for these metals, as shown by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Finally, we describe the crystal structure of the Glu100Ala S8 DNase-ImS8 complex at 1.38 Å, which gave us new insights into the endonuclease activity of S8. Our results reinforce the possibility of using pyocin S8 as an alternative therapy for infections caused by MDR strains, while leaving commensal human microbiota intact.IMPORTANCE Pyocins are proteins produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains that participate in intraspecific competition and host-pathogen interactions. They were first described in the 1950s and since then have gained attention as possible new antibiotics. However, there is still only scarce information about the molecular mechanisms by which these molecules induce cell death. Here, we show that the metal-dependent endonuclease activity of pyocin S8 is involved with its antimicrobial action against strain PAO1. We also describe that this killing activity is dependent on a conserved Glu residue within the H-N-H motif. The potency and selectivity of pyocin S8 toward a narrow spectrum of P. aeruginosa strains make this protein an attractive antimicrobial alternative for combatting MDR strains, while leaving commensal human microbiota intact.
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29
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Rooney WM, Chai R, Milner JJ, Walker D. Bacteriocins Targeting Gram-Negative Phytopathogenic Bacteria: Plantibiotics of the Future. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:575981. [PMID: 33042091 PMCID: PMC7530242 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.575981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria are a significant threat to food crops. These microbial invaders are responsible for a plethora of plant diseases and can be responsible for devastating losses in crops such as tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, olives, and rice. Current disease management strategies to mitigate yield losses involve the application of chemicals which are often harmful to both human health and the environment. Bacteriocins are small proteinaceous antibiotics produced by bacteria to kill closely related bacteria and thereby establish dominance within a niche. They potentially represent a safer alternative to chemicals when used in the field. Bacteriocins typically show a high degree of selectivity toward their targets with no off-target effects. This review outlines the current state of research on bacteriocins active against Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, we will examine the feasibility of weaponizing bacteriocins for use as a treatment for bacterial plant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- William M. Rooney
- Plant Science Group, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ray Chai
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Joel J. Milner
- Plant Science Group, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Walker
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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30
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Cowieson NP, Edwards-Gayle CJC, Inoue K, Khunti NS, Doutch J, Williams E, Daniels S, Preece G, Krumpa NA, Sutter JP, Tully MD, Terrill NJ, Rambo RP. Beamline B21: high-throughput small-angle X-ray scattering at Diamond Light Source. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2020; 27:1438-1446. [PMID: 32876621 PMCID: PMC7467336 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577520009960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
B21 is a small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) beamline with a bending magnet source in the 3 GeV storage ring at the Diamond Light Source Ltd synchrotron in the UK. The beamline utilizes a double multi-layer monochromator and a toroidal focusing optic to deliver 2 × 1012 photons per second to a 34 × 40 µm (FWHM) focal spot at the in-vacuum Eiger 4M (Dectris) detector. A high-performance liquid chromatography system and a liquid-handling robot make it possible to load solution samples into a temperature-controlled in-vacuum sample cell with a high level of automation. Alternatively, a range of viscous or solid materials may be loaded manually using a range of custom sample cells. A default scattering vector range from 0.0026 to 0.34 Å-1 and low instrument background make B21 convenient for measuring a wide range of biological macromolecules. The beamline has run a full user programme since 2013.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan P. Cowieson
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | | | - Katsuaki Inoue
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Nikul S. Khunti
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - James Doutch
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Eugene Williams
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Daniels
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Geoff Preece
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas A. Krumpa
- Projects and Mechanical Engineering Group, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 4AD, United Kingdom
| | - John P. Sutter
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Mark D. Tully
- BM29 BIOSAXS, European Synchroton Radiation Facility, 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, Isère 38043, France
| | - Nick J. Terrill
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Robert P. Rambo
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
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31
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Lee S, Housden NG, Ionescu SA, Zimmer MH, Kaminska R, Kleanthous C, Bayley H. Transmembrane Epitope Delivery by Passive Protein Threading through the Pores of the OmpF Porin Trimer. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:12157-12166. [PMID: 32614588 PMCID: PMC7366379 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c02362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Trimeric porins in the outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria are the conduits by which nutrients and antibiotics diffuse passively into cells. The narrow gateways that porins form in the OM are also exploited by bacteriocins to translocate into cells by a poorly understood process. Here, using single-channel electrical recording in planar lipid bilayers in conjunction with protein engineering, we explicate the mechanism by which the intrinsically unstructured N-terminal translocation domain (IUTD) of the endonuclease bacteriocin ColE9 is imported passively across the Escherichia coli OM through OmpF. We show that the import is dominated by weak interactions of OmpF pores with binding epitopes within the IUTD that are orientationally biased and result in the threading of over 60 amino acids through 2 subunits of OmpF. Single-molecule kinetic analysis demonstrates that the IUTD enters from the extracellular side of OmpF and translocates to the periplasm where the polypeptide chain does an about turn in order to enter a neighboring subunit, only for some of these molecules to pop out of this second subunit before finally re-entering to form a stable complex. These intimately linked transport/binding processes generate an essentially irreversible, hook-like assembly that constrains an import activating peptide epitope between two subunits of the OmpF trimer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sejeong Lee
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K
| | | | - Sandra A Ionescu
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K
| | - Matthew H Zimmer
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K
| | - Hagan Bayley
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K
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32
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Atanaskovic I, Mosbahi K, Sharp C, Housden NG, Kaminska R, Walker D, Kleanthous C. Targeted Killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Pyocin G Occurs via the Hemin Transporter Hur. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:3869-3880. [PMID: 32339530 PMCID: PMC7322526 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a priority pathogen for the development of new antibiotics, particularly because multi-drug-resistant strains of this bacterium cause serious nosocomial infections and are the leading cause of death in cystic fibrosis patients. Pyocins, bacteriocins of P. aeruginosa, are potent and diverse protein antibiotics that are deployed during bacterial competition. Pyocins are produced by more than 90% of P. aeruginosa strains and may have utility as last resort antibiotics against this bacterium. In this study, we explore the antimicrobial activity of a newly discovered pyocin called pyocin G (PyoG). We demonstrate that PyoG has broad killing activity against a collection of clinical P. aeruginosa isolates and is active in a Galleria mellonella infection model. We go on to identify cell envelope proteins that are necessary for the import of PyoG and its killing activity. PyoG recognizes bacterial cells by binding to Hur, an outer-membrane TonB-dependent transporter. Both pyocin and Hur interact with TonB1, which in complex with ExbB-ExbD links the proton motive force generated across the inner membrane with energy-dependent pyocin translocation across the outer membrane. Inner-membrane translocation of PyoG is dependent on the conserved inner-membrane AAA+ ATPase/protease, FtsH. We also report a functional exploration of the PyoG receptor. We demonstrate that Hur can bind to hemin in vitro and that this interaction is blocked by PyoG, confirming the role of Hur in hemin acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Atanaskovic
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Khedidja Mosbahi
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow, UK
| | - Connor Sharp
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Nicholas G Housden
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Daniel Walker
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow, UK
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK.
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