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Dyková I, Palíková M, Vetešník L. Intraerythrocytic Mycoplasma-like organism diagnosed ultrastructurally as an agent of anaemia in laboratory-reared cyprinid hybrids. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2022; 152:159-168. [PMID: 36546688 DOI: 10.3354/dao03714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A study targeting the etiology of severe anaemia that sporadically occurred in laboratory-bred cyprinid hybrids resulted in a diagnosis of a Mycoplasma-like organism selectively invading the cytoplasm of erythrocytes. Despite the fact that there was a concurrent yeast infection in moribund anaemic hybrids, the primary role in the development of anaemia was assigned to the Mycoplasma-like organism due to its regular occurrence in erythrocytes of both the moribund hybrids and hybrids that were free of yeast infection yet showed early to advanced symptoms of the disease. Novel data on the Mycoplasma-like organism's cytoskeleton were obtained from ultrathin sections of affected erythrocytes. An ultrastructural study of the concurrent yeast infection in moribund hybrids manifesting the most advanced anaemia revealed the presence of Titan cells in ascitic fluid. The original findings presented in this study underline the diagnostic relevance of transmission electron microscopy in the research of similar infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Dyková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 611 37, Czech Republic
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2
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Rüger N, Szostak MP, Rautenschlein S. The expression of GapA and CrmA correlates with the Mycoplasma gallisepticum in vitro infection process in chicken TOCs. Vet Res 2022; 53:66. [PMID: 36056451 PMCID: PMC9440553 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-022-01085-2] [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: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma (M.) gallisepticum is the most pathogenic mycoplasma species in poultry. Infections cause mild to severe clinical symptoms associated with respiratory epithelial lesion development. Adherence, biofilm formation, and cell invasion of M. gallisepticum contribute to successful infection, immune evasion, and survival within the host. The important M. gallisepticum membrane-bound proteins, GapA and CrmA, are key factors for host cell interaction and the bacterial life-cycle, including its gliding motility, although their precise role in the individual infection step is not yet fully understood. In this study, we investigated the correlation between the host-pathogen interaction and the GapA/CrmA expression in an environment that represents the natural host's multicellular compartment. We used an in vitro tracheal organ culture (TOC) model, allowing the investigation of the M. gallisepticum variants, Rlow, RCL1, RCL2, and Rhigh, under standardised conditions. In this regard, we examined the bacterial adherence, motility and colonisation pattern, host lesion development and alterations of mucociliary clearance. Compared to low virulent RCL2 and Rhigh, the high virulent Rlow and RCL1 were more efficient in adhering to TOCs and epithelium colonisation, including faster movement from the cilia tips to the apical membrane and subsequent cell invasion. RCL2 and Rhigh showed a more localised invasion pattern, accompanied by significantly fewer lesions than Rlow and RCL1. Unrelated to virulence, comparable mucus production was observed in all M. gallisepticum infected TOCs. Overall, the present study demonstrates the role of GapA/CrmA in virulence factors from adherence to colonisation, as well as the onset and severity of lesion development in the tracheal epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Rüger
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael P Szostak
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Silke Rautenschlein
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
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3
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Mycoplasma pneumoniae: Atypical Pathogen in Community Acquired Pneumonia. JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.22207/jpam.14.4.04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a one of most common reasons of respiratory tract infections in both adolescents and children with severity ranged from moderate to high. Many facts in the previous years regarding infections were induced via this organism having extra pathogenic mechanisms. Clinically, resistance to macrolide has produced internationally and represents a treatment trouble. Antimicrobial sensitivity checking out techniques have been applied, and novel antibiotics which are effective towards M. pneumoniae are present processing development. That evaluate concentrates on the several trends occurring in the previous quite a few years which beautify the grasp of that microorganism, which is one of the smallest pathogenic bacteria; however, is of extreme medical significance.
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4
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Fol M, Włodarczyk M, Druszczyńska M. Host Epigenetics in Intracellular Pathogen Infections. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134573. [PMID: 32605029 PMCID: PMC7369821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Some intracellular pathogens are able to avoid the defense mechanisms contributing to host epigenetic modifications. These changes trigger alterations tothe chromatin structure and on the transcriptional level of genes involved in the pathogenesis of many bacterial diseases. In this way, pathogens manipulate the host cell for their own survival. The better understanding of epigenetic consequences in bacterial infection may open the door for designing new vaccine approaches and therapeutic implications. This article characterizes selected intracellular bacterial pathogens, including Mycobacterium spp., Listeria spp., Chlamydia spp., Mycoplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., Legionella spp. and Yersinia spp., which can modulate and reprogram of defense genes in host innate immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Fol
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-42-635-44-72
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5
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Blötz C, Singh N, Dumke R, Stülke J. Characterization of an Immunoglobulin Binding Protein (IbpM) From Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:685. [PMID: 32373096 PMCID: PMC7176901 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria evolved many ways to invade, colonize and survive in the host tissue. Such complex infection strategies of other bacteria are not present in the cell-wall less Mycoplasmas. Due to their strongly reduced genomes, these bacteria have only a minimal metabolism. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pathogenic bacterium using its virulence repertoire very efficiently, infecting the human lung. M. pneumoniae can cause a variety of conditions including fever, inflammation, atypical pneumoniae, and even death. Due to its strongly reduced metabolism, M. pneumoniae is dependent on nutrients from the host and aims to persist as long as possible, resulting in chronic diseases. Mycoplasmas evolved strategies to subvert the host immune system which involve proteins fending off immunoglobulins (Igs). In this study, we investigated the role of MPN400 as the putative factor responsible for Ig-binding and host immune evasion. MPN400 is a cell-surface localized protein which binds strongly to human IgG, IgA, and IgM. We therefore named the protein MPN400 immunoglobulin binding protein of Mycoplasma (IbpM). A strain devoid of IbpM is slightly compromised in cytotoxicity. Taken together, our study indicates that M. pneumoniae uses a refined mechanism for immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Blötz
- Department of General Microbiology, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Neil Singh
- Department of General Microbiology, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Roger Dumke
- Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jörg Stülke
- Department of General Microbiology, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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6
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Claessen D, Errington J. Cell Wall Deficiency as a Coping Strategy for Stress. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:1025-1033. [PMID: 31420127 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The cell wall is a surface layer located outside the cell membrane of almost all bacteria; it protects cells from environmental stresses and gives them their typical shape. The cell wall is highly conserved in bacteria and is the target for some of our best antibiotics. Surprisingly, some bacteria are able to shed their wall under the influence of stress, yielding cells that are cell-wall-deficient. Notably, wall-deficient cells are flexible and are able to maneuver through narrow spaces, insensitive to wall-targeting antibiotics, and capable of taking up and exchanging DNA. Moreover, given that wall-associated epitopes are often recognized by host defense systems, wall deficiency provides a plausible explanation for how some bacteria may hide in their host. In this review we focus on this paradoxical stress response, which provides cells with unique opportunities that are unavailable to walled cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Claessen
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333, BE, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Jeff Errington
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK.
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7
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Raymond BBA, Jenkins C, Turnbull L, Whitchurch CB, Djordjevic SP. Extracellular DNA release from the genome-reduced pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is essential for biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10373. [PMID: 29991767 PMCID: PMC6039474 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28678-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is an economically devastating, globally disseminated pathogen that can maintain a chronic infectious state within its host, swine. Here, we depict the events underpinning M. hyopneumoniae biofilm formation on an abiotic surface and demonstrate for the first time, biofilms forming on porcine epithelial cell monolayers and in the lungs of pigs, experimentally infected with M. hyopneumoniae. Nuclease treatment prevents biofilms forming on glass but not on porcine epithelial cells indicating that extracellular DNA (eDNA), which localises at the base of biofilms, is critical in the formation of these structures on abiotic surfaces. Subpopulations of M. hyopneumoniae cells, denoted by their ability to take up the dye TOTO-1 and release eDNA, were identified. A visually distinct sub-population of pleomorphic cells, that we refer to here as large cell variants (LCVs), rapidly transition from phase dark to translucent "ghost" cells. The translucent cells accumulate the membrane-impermeable dye TOTO-1, forming readily discernible membrane breaches immediately prior to lysis and the possible release of eDNA and other intracellular content (public goods) into the extracellular environment. Our novel observations expand knowledge of the lifestyles adopted by this wall-less, genome-reduced pathogen and provide further insights to its survival within farm environments and swine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin B A Raymond
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Cheryl Jenkins
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, PMB 8, Camden, NSW, Australia
| | - Lynne Turnbull
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Cynthia B Whitchurch
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Steven P Djordjevic
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
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8
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Clinical characteristics of infections caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae P1 genotypes in children. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 37:1265-1272. [PMID: 29603035 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-018-3243-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) isolates can be classified into two major genetic groups, P1 type 1 (MP1) and P1 type 2 (MP2), based on the DNA sequence of the P1 adhesion protein gene. The aim of our study was to determine if M. pneumoniae P1 genotype is associated with disease manifestation and severity of acute M. pneumoniae infection. We compared epidemiological and clinical data of children infected with either MP1 or MP2. In addition, we separately analysed data of patients presenting with individual manifestations of M. pneumoniae infection. Data of 356 patients infected with MP1 were compared with those of 126 patients infected with MP2. MP2-infected children presented with higher median baseline C-reactive protein levels and were admitted to the hospital more often. The distribution of P1 genotype varied among groups of patients with different manifestations of M. pneumoniae infection. MP2 was more common than MP1 among patients with neurological and cardiovascular manifestations, whereas MP1 was more prevalent in other manifestations. The results from our large cohort indicate that the two P1 subtypes may have different pathogenic potential and that infections with MP2 strains could be more virulent than those with MP1 strains.
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9
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Trussart M, Yus E, Martinez S, Baù D, Tahara YO, Pengo T, Widjaja M, Kretschmer S, Swoger J, Djordjevic S, Turnbull L, Whitchurch C, Miyata M, Marti-Renom MA, Lluch-Senar M, Serrano L. Defined chromosome structure in the genome-reduced bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14665. [PMID: 28272414 PMCID: PMC5344976 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA-binding proteins are central regulators of chromosome organization; however, in genome-reduced bacteria their diversity is largely diminished. Whether the chromosomes of such bacteria adopt defined three-dimensional structures remains unexplored. Here we combine Hi-C and super-resolution microscopy to determine the structure of the Mycoplasma pneumoniae chromosome at a 10 kb resolution. We find a defined structure, with a global symmetry between two arms that connect opposite poles, one bearing the chromosomal Ori and the other the midpoint. Analysis of local structures at a 3 kb resolution indicates that the chromosome is organized into domains ranging from 15 to 33 kb. We provide evidence that genes within the same domain tend to be co-regulated, suggesting that chromosome organization influences transcriptional regulation, and that supercoiling regulates local organization. This study extends the current understanding of bacterial genome organization and demonstrates that a defined chromosomal structure is a universal feature of living systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Trussart
- EMBL/CRG Systems Biology Research Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Yus
- EMBL/CRG Systems Biology Research Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sira Martinez
- EMBL/CRG Systems Biology Research Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Davide Baù
- Gene Regulation, Stem Cells and Cancer Program. Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 4, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Yuhei O Tahara
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, 558-8585 Osaka, Japan.,OCU Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science and Technology (OCARNA), Osaka City University, 558-8585 Osaka, Japan
| | - Thomas Pengo
- EMBL/CRG Systems Biology Research Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,Advanced Light Microscopy Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Widjaja
- The ithree Institute, The University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Simon Kretschmer
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jim Swoger
- EMBL/CRG Systems Biology Research Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Steven Djordjevic
- The ithree Institute, The University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Lynne Turnbull
- The ithree Institute, The University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Cynthia Whitchurch
- The ithree Institute, The University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Makoto Miyata
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, 558-8585 Osaka, Japan.,OCU Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science and Technology (OCARNA), Osaka City University, 558-8585 Osaka, Japan
| | - Marc A Marti-Renom
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Gene Regulation, Stem Cells and Cancer Program. Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 4, Barcelona 08028, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Lluch-Senar
- EMBL/CRG Systems Biology Research Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luís Serrano
- EMBL/CRG Systems Biology Research Unit, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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10
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Totten AH, Xiao L, Crabb DM, Ratliff AE, Dybvig K, Waites KB, Atkinson TP. Shaken or stirred?: Comparison of methods for dispersion of Mycoplasma pneumoniae aggregates for persistence in vivo. J Microbiol Methods 2017; 132:56-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2016.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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11
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Parrott GL, Kinjo T, Fujita J. A Compendium for Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:513. [PMID: 27148202 PMCID: PMC4828434 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Historically, atypical pneumonia was a term used to describe an unusual presentation of pneumonia. Currently, it is used to describe the multitude of symptoms juxtaposing the classic symptoms found in cases of pneumococcal pneumonia. Specifically, atypical pneumonia is a syndrome resulting from a relatively common group of pathogens including Chlamydophila sp., and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The incidence of M. pneumoniae pneumonia in adults is less than the burden experienced by children. Transmission rates among families indicate children may act as a reservoir and maintain contagiousness over a long period of time ranging from months to years. In adults, M. pneumoniae typically produces a mild, “walking” pneumonia and is considered to be one of the causes of persistent cough in patients. M. pneumoniae has also been shown to trigger the exacerbation of other lung diseases. It has been repeatedly detected in patients with bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, and cystic fibrosis. Recent advances in technology allow for the rapid diagnosis of M. pneumoniae through the use of polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen tests. With this, more effort has been afforded to identify the causative etiologic agent in all cases of pneumonia. However, previous practices, including the overprescribing of macrolide treatment in China and Japan, have created increased incidence of macrolide-resistant M. pneumoniae. Reports from these countries indicate that >85% of M. pneumoniae pneumonia pediatric cases are macrolide-resistant. Despite its extensively studied past, the smallest bacterial species still inspires some of the largest questions. The developments in microbiology, diagnostic features and techniques, epidemiology, treatment and vaccines, and upper respiratory conditions associated with M. pneumoniae in adult populations are included within this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen L Parrott
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory and Digestive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus Nishihara, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kinjo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory and Digestive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus Nishihara, Japan
| | - Jiro Fujita
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory and Digestive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus Nishihara, Japan
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12
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Dumke R, Jacobs E. Antibody Response to Mycoplasma pneumoniae: Protection of Host and Influence on Outbreaks? Front Microbiol 2016; 7:39. [PMID: 26858711 PMCID: PMC4726802 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans of all ages, the cell wall-less and genome-reduced species Mycoplasma pneumoniae can cause infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract. The well-documented occurrence of major peaks in the incidence of community-acquired pneumonia cases reported world-wide, the multifaceted clinical manifestations of infection and the increasing number of resistant strains provide reasons for ongoing interest in the pathogenesis of mycoplasmal disease. The results of recent studies have provided insights into the interaction of the limited virulence factors of the bacterium with its host. In addition, the availability of complete M. pneumoniae genomes from patient isolates and the development of proteomic methods for investigation of mycoplasmas have not only allowed characterization of sequence divergences between strains but have also shown the importance of proteins and protein parts for induction of the immune reaction after infection. This review focuses on selected aspects of the humoral host immune response as a factor that might influence the clinical course of infections, subsequent protection in cases of re-infections and changes of epidemiological pattern of infections. The characterization of antibodies directed to defined antigens and approaches to promote their induction in the respiratory mucosa are also preconditions for the development of a vaccine to protect risk populations from severe disease due to M. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Dumke
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Technische Universitaet Dresden Dresden, Germany
| | - Enno Jacobs
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Technische Universitaet Dresden Dresden, Germany
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13
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P40 and P90 from Mpn142 are Targets of Multiple Processing Events on the Surface of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Proteomes 2015; 3:512-537. [PMID: 28248283 PMCID: PMC5217387 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes3040512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a significant cause of community acquired pneumonia globally. Despite having a genome less than 1 Mb in size, M. pneumoniae presents a structurally sophisticated attachment organelle that (i) provides cell polarity, (ii) directs adherence to receptors presented on respiratory epithelium, and (iii) plays a major role in cell motility. The major adhesins, P1 (Mpn141) and P30 (Mpn453), are localised to the tip of the attachment organelle by the surface accessible cleavage fragments P90 and P40 derived from Mpn142. Two events play a defining role in the formation of P90 and P40; removal of a leader peptide at position 26 (23SLA↓NTY28) during secretion to the cell surface and cleavage at amino acid 455 (452GPL↓RAG457) generating P40 and P90. Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of tryptic peptides generated by digesting size-fractionated cell lysates of M. pneumoniae identified 15 cleavage fragments of Mpn142 ranging in mass from 9–84 kDa. Further evidence for the existence of cleavage fragments of Mpn142 was generated by mapping tryptic peptides to proteins recovered from size fractionated eluents from affinity columns loaded with heparin, fibronectin, fetuin, actin, plasminogen and A549 surface proteins as bait. To define the sites of cleavage in Mpn142, neo-N-termini in cell lysates of M. pneumoniae were dimethyl-labelled and characterised by LC-MS/MS. Our data suggests that Mpn142 is cleaved to generate adhesins that are auxiliary to P1 and P30.
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14
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Martinelli L, Lalli D, García-Morales L, Ratera M, Querol E, Piñol J, Fita I, Calisto BM. A major determinant for gliding motility in Mycoplasma genitalium: the interaction between the terminal organelle proteins MG200 and MG491. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:1699-711. [PMID: 25471372 PMCID: PMC4340413 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.594762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Several mycoplasmas, such as the emergent human pathogen Mycoplasma genitalium, developed a complex polar structure, known as the terminal organelle (TO), responsible for a new type of cellular motility, which is involved in a variety of cell functions: cell division, adherence to host cells, and virulence. The TO cytoskeleton is organized as a multisubunit dynamic motor, including three main ultrastructures: the terminal button, the electrodense core, and the wheel complex. Here, we describe the interaction between MG200 and MG491, two of the main components of the TO wheel complex that connects the TO with the cell body and the cell membrane. The interaction between MG200 and MG491 has a KD in the 80 nm range, as determined by surface plasmon resonance. The interface between the two partners was confined to the "enriched in aromatic and glycine residues" (EAGR) box of MG200, previously described as a protein-protein interaction domain, and to a 25-residue-long peptide from the C-terminal region of MG491 by surface plasmon resonance and NMR spectroscopy studies. An atomic description of the MG200 EAGR box binding surface was also provided by solution NMR. An M. genitalium mutant lacking the MG491 segment corresponding to the peptide reveals specific alterations in cell motility and cell morphology indicating that the MG200-MG491 interaction plays a key role in the stability and functioning of the TO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Martinelli
- From the Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniela Lalli
- the Magnetic Resonance Center and Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Luis García-Morales
- the Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercè Ratera
- the Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enrique Querol
- the Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaume Piñol
- the Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Fita
- From the Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bárbara M Calisto
- the Structural Biology Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, CS 40220, 38043 Grenoble, France, and the Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
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15
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Abstract
In recent decades, bacterial cell biology has seen great advances, and numerous model systems have been developed to study a wide variety of cellular processes, including cell division, motility, assembly of macromolecular structures, and biogenesis of cell polarity. Considerable attention has been given to these model organisms, which include Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Caulobacter crescentus, and Myxococcus xanthus. Studies of these processes in the pathogenic bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae and its close relatives have also been carried out on a smaller scale, but this work is often overlooked, in part due to this organism's reputation as minimalistic and simple. In this minireview, I discuss recent work on the role of the M. pneumoniae attachment organelle (AO), a structure required for adherence to host cells, in these processes. The AO is constructed from proteins that generally lack homology to those found in other organisms, and this construction occurs in coordination with cell cycle events. The proteins of the M. pneumoniae AO share compositional features with proteins with related roles in model organisms. Once constructed, the AO becomes activated for its role in a form of gliding motility whose underlying mechanism appears to be distinct from that of other gliding bacteria, including Mycoplasma mobile. Together with the FtsZ cytoskeletal protein, motility participates in the cell division process. My intention is to bring this deceptively complex organism into alignment with the better-known model systems.
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Hausner M, Schamberger A, Naumann W, Jacobs E, Dumke R. Development of protective anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibodies after immunization of guinea pigs with the combination of a P1-P30 chimeric recombinant protein and chitosan. Microb Pathog 2013; 64:23-32. [PMID: 23948467 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2013.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Revised: 07/26/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The attachment organelle of the human respiratory tract pathogen Mycoplasma pneumoniae is essential for colonization of the host mucosa. Furthermore, adherence-related proteins such as the major adhesin P1 and protein P30 represent vaccine candidates. Using the chimeric recombinant protein HP14/30, which combines surface-localized and adherence-involved regions of both proteins, we developed an optimized strategy to immunize guinea pigs. The vaccination protocol includes subcutaneous prime immunization followed by presentation of the antigen directly to the respiratory mucosa by two intranasal (i.n.) administrations and combination of antigen with the mucosal adjuvant chitosan. The immunization scheme induced high, consistent and long-lasting IgA levels in respiratory tract samples (BAL, nasal and throat washing fluid) from the animals. In comparison with a preimmune serum, incubation of M. pneumoniae cells with sera from these animals reduced the mean adhesion of bacteria to HeLa cells to 6%. After i.n. infection, immunized animals showed significantly decreased numbers of M. pneumoniae-specific genome copies, especially in the upper respiratory tract, in comparison with the control group. The results demonstrated that optimized immunization with the chimeric protein HP14/30 is promising for further vaccination efforts to prevent host colonization with M. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Hausner
- TU Dresden, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Dresden, Germany
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17
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Calisto BM, Broto A, Martinelli L, Querol E, Piñol J, Fita I. The EAGR box structure: a motif involved in mycoplasma motility. Mol Microbiol 2012; 86:382-93. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2012.08200.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara M. Calisto
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC) and Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona); Parc Científic de Barcelona; Baldiri Reixac 10; 08028; Barcelona; Spain
| | - Alícia Broto
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 08193 Bellaterra; Barcelona; Spain
| | - Luca Martinelli
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC) and Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona); Parc Científic de Barcelona; Baldiri Reixac 10; 08028; Barcelona; Spain
| | - Enrique Querol
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 08193 Bellaterra; Barcelona; Spain
| | - Jaume Piñol
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 08193 Bellaterra; Barcelona; Spain
| | - Ignacio Fita
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC) and Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona); Parc Científic de Barcelona; Baldiri Reixac 10; 08028; Barcelona; Spain
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Abstract
The cell wall-less prokaryote Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a major cause of community-acquired bronchitis and pneumonia in humans. Colonization is mediated largely by a differentiated terminal organelle, which is also the leading end in gliding motility. Cytadherence-associated proteins P30 and P65 appear to traffic concurrently to the distal end of developing terminal organelles. Here, truncation of P65 due to transposon insertion in the corresponding gene resulted in lower gliding velocity, reduced cytadherence, and decreased steady-state levels of several terminal organelle proteins, including P30. Utilizing fluorescent protein fusions, we followed terminal organelle development over time. New P30 foci appeared at nascent terminal organelles in P65 mutants, as in the wild type. However, with forward cell motility, P30 in the P65 mutants appeared to drag toward the trailing cell pole, where it was released, yielding a fluorescent trail to which truncated P65 colocalized. In contrast, P30 was only rarely observed at the trailing end of gliding wild-type cells. Complementation with the recombinant wild-type P65 allele by transposon delivery restored P65 levels and stabilized P30 localization to the terminal organelle.
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Vaccination of BALB/c mice with an avirulent Mycoplasma pneumoniae P30 mutant results in disease exacerbation upon challenge with a virulent strain. Infect Immun 2012; 80:1007-14. [PMID: 22252865 DOI: 10.1128/iai.06078-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a significant human respiratory pathogen that causes high morbidity worldwide. No vaccine to prevent M. pneumoniae infection currently exists, since the mechanisms of pathogenesis are poorly understood. To this end, we constructed a P30 cytadhesin mutant (P-130) with a drastically reduced capacity for binding to erythrocytes and an inability to glide on glass substrates. This mutant was determined to be avirulent and cannot survive in the lungs of BALB/c mice. We also ascertained that the previously identified P30 gliding motility mutant II-3R is avirulent and also cannot be recovered from the lungs of mice after infection. Mutant P130 was then assessed for its efficacy as a live attenuated vaccine candidate in mice after challenge with wild-type M. pneumoniae. After vaccination with the P-130 P30 mutant, mice showed evidence of exacerbated disease upon subsequent challenge with the wild-type strain PI1428, which appears to be driven by a Th17 response and corresponding eosinophilia. Our results are in accordance with other reports of vaccine-induced disease exacerbation in rodents and emphasize the need to better understand the basic mechanisms of M. pneumoniae pathogenesis.
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The proteome of Mycoplasma pneumoniae
, a supposedly “simple” cell. Proteomics 2011; 11:3614-32. [DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201100076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2011] [Revised: 05/09/2011] [Accepted: 06/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Dynamic evolution of translation initiation mechanisms in prokaryotes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:6382-7. [PMID: 20308567 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1002036107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It is generally believed that prokaryotic translation is initiated by the interaction between the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence in the 5' UTR of an mRNA and the anti-SD sequence in the 3' end of a 16S ribosomal RNA. However, there are two exceptional mechanisms, which do not require the SD sequence for translation initiation: one is mediated by a ribosomal protein S1 (RPS1) and the other used leaderless mRNA that lacks its 5' UTR. To understand the evolutionary changes of the mechanisms of translation initiation, we examined how universal the SD sequence is as an effective initiator for translation among prokaryotes. We identified the SD sequence from 277 species (249 eubacteria and 28 archaebacteria). We also devised an SD index that is a proportion of SD-containing genes in which the differences of GC contents are taken into account. We found that the SD indices varied among prokaryotic species, but were similar within each phylum. Although the anti-SD sequence is conserved among species, loss of the SD sequence seems to have occurred multiple times, independently, in different phyla. For those phyla, RPS1-mediated or leaderless mRNA-used mechanisms of translation initiation are considered to be working to a greater extent. Moreover, we also found that some species, such as Cyanobacteria, may acquire new mechanisms of translation initiation. Our findings indicate that, although translation initiation is indispensable for all protein-coding genes in the genome of every species, its mechanisms have dynamically changed during evolution.
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Abstract
Prokaryotes come in a wide variety of shapes, determined largely by natural selection, physical constraints, and patterns of cell growth and division. Because of their relative simplicity, bacterial cells are excellent models for how genes and proteins can directly determine morphology. Recent advances in cytological methods for bacteria have shown that distinct cytoskeletal filaments composed of actin and tubulin homologs are important for guiding growth patterns of the cell wall in bacteria, and that the glycan strands that constitute the wall are generally perpendicular to the direction of growth. This cytoskeleton-directed cell wall patterning is strikingly reminiscent of how plant cell wall growth is regulated by microtubules. In rod-shaped bacilli, helical cables of actin-like MreB protein stretch along the cell length and orchestrate elongation of the cell wall, whereas the tubulin-like FtsZ protein directs formation of the division septum and the resulting cell poles. The overlap and interplay between these two systems and the peptidoglycan-synthesizing enzymes they recruit are the major driving forces of cylindrical shapes. Round cocci, on the other hand, have lost their MreB cables and instead must grow mainly via their division septum, giving them their characteristic round or ovoid shapes. Other bacteria that lack MreB homologs or even cell walls use distinct cytoskeletal systems to maintain their distinct shapes. Here I review what is known about the mechanisms that determine the shape of prokaryotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Margolin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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The stability of cytadherence proteins in Mycoplasma pneumoniae requires activity of the protein kinase PrkC. Infect Immun 2009; 78:184-92. [PMID: 19858294 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00958-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma pneumoniae belongs to the mollicutes, a group of bacteria that have strongly reduced genomes but that are nevertheless capable of independent life. With only three transcription factors, the regulatory features of these bacteria are very limited. Thus, posttranslational regulation might be important for M. pneumoniae. In addition to the highly specific HPr kinase, the M. pneumoniae prkC gene encodes the serine/threonine protein kinase C. In order to study the function(s) of this kinase, we isolated an M. pneumoniae mutant affected in PrkC. This mutation resulted in nonadherent growth and loss of cytotoxicity. Examination of the phosphorylation profile of the prkC mutant suggested that phosphorylation of cytadherence proteins was affected by the loss of this kinase. In contrast, inactivation of the prpC gene affecting the protein phosphatase that antagonizes PrkC-dependent phosphorylation resulted in more intensive phosphorylation of the cytadherence proteins HMW1 and HMW3 of the major adhesin P1 and of the surface protein MPN474. Moreover, loss of PrkC affects not only the phosphorylation state of the cytadherence proteins but also their intracellular accumulation. However, the expression of the corresponding genes was not affected by PrkC, suggesting that PrkC-dependent phosphorylation results in stabilization of the cytadherence proteins. The HMW proteins and P1 are part of the so-called terminal organelle of M. pneumoniae that is involved in gliding motility, cell division, and adhesion to host epithelial tissues. Our observations suggest that the posttranslational modification of cytadherence proteins by PrkC is essential for the development and function of the M. pneumoniae terminal organelle.
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Calderon-Copete SP, Wigger G, Wunderlin C, Schmidheini T, Frey J, Quail MA, Falquet L. The Mycoplasma conjunctivae genome sequencing, annotation and analysis. BMC Bioinformatics 2009; 10 Suppl 6:S7. [PMID: 19534756 PMCID: PMC2697654 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2105-10-s6-s7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The mollicute Mycoplasma conjunctivae is the etiological agent leading to infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) in domestic sheep and wild caprinae. Although this pathogen is relatively benign for domestic animals treated by antibiotics, it can lead wild animals to blindness and death. This is a major cause of death in the protected species in the Alps (e.g., Capra ibex, Rupicapra rupicapra). Methods The genome was sequenced using a combined technique of GS-FLX (454) and Sanger sequencing, and annotated by an automatic pipeline that we designed using several tools interconnected via PERL scripts. The resulting annotations are stored in a MySQL database. Results The annotated sequence is deposited in the EMBL database (FM864216) and uploaded into the mollicutes database MolliGen allowing for comparative genomics. Conclusion We show that our automatic pipeline allows for annotating a complete mycoplasma genome and present several examples of analysis in search for biological targets (e.g., pathogenic proteins).
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Abstract
Mycoplasmas that are known to exhibit gliding motility possess a differentiated tip structure. This polar organelle mediates cytadherence and gliding motor activity and contains a cytoskeleton-like component that provides structural support. Here, we describe gliding motility and a unique cytoskeleton in Mycoplasma insons, which lacks any obviously differentiated tip structure.
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Cytoskeletal asymmetrical dumbbell structure of a gliding mycoplasma, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, revealed by negative-staining electron microscopy. J Bacteriol 2009; 191:3256-64. [PMID: 19286806 DOI: 10.1128/jb.01823-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Several mycoplasma species feature a membrane protrusion at a cell pole, and unknown mechanisms provide gliding motility in the direction of the pole defined by the protrusion. Mycoplasma gallisepticum, an avian pathogen, is known to form a membrane protrusion composed of bleb and infrableb and to glide. Here, we analyzed the gliding motility of M. gallisepticum cells in detail. They glided in the direction of the bleb at an average speed of 0.4 microm/s and remained attached around the bleb to a glass surface, suggesting that the gliding mechanism is similar to that of a related species, Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Next, to elucidate the cytoskeletal structure of M. gallisepticum, we stripped the envelopes by treatment with Triton X-100 under various conditions and observed the remaining structure by negative-staining transmission electron microscopy. A unique cytoskeletal structure, about 300 nm long and 100 nm wide, was found in the bleb and infrableb. The structure, resembling an asymmetrical dumbbell, is composed of five major parts from the distal end: a cap, a small oval, a rod, a large oval, and a bowl. Sonication likely divided the asymmetrical dumbbell into a core and other structures. The cytoskeletal structures of M. gallisepticum were compared with those of M. pneumoniae in detail, and the possible protein components of these structures were considered.
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Waites KB, Balish MF, Atkinson TP. New insights into the pathogenesis and detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections. Future Microbiol 2008; 3:635-48. [PMID: 19072181 PMCID: PMC2633477 DOI: 10.2217/17460913.3.6.635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in persons of all ages and may be responsible for up to 40% of community-acquired pneumonias. A wide array of extrapulmonary events may accompany the infections caused by this organism, related to autoimmunity or direct spread. This review includes a discussion of the latest knowledge concerning the molecular pathological basis of mycoplasmal respiratory disease, how the organism interacts with the host immune system and its association with the development of chronic conditions such as asthma, recent emergence of macrolide resistance and the status of laboratory diagnostic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken B Waites
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, WP 230, 619 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35249, USA.
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28
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Atkinson TP, Balish MF, Waites KB. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis and laboratory detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2008; 32:956-73. [PMID: 18754792 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2008.00129.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 313] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its initial description in the 1940s and eventual elucidation as a highly evolved pathogenic bacterium, Mycoplasma pneumoniae has come to be recognized as a worldwide cause of primary atypical pneumonia. Beyond its ability to cause severe lower respiratory illness and milder upper respiratory symptoms it has become apparent that a wide array of extrapulmonary infectious and postinfectious events may accompany the infections in humans caused by this organism. Autoimmune disorders and chronic diseases such as asthma and arthritis are increasingly being associated with this mycoplasma, which frequently persists in individuals for prolonged periods. The reductive evolutionary process that has led to the minimal genome of M. pneumoniae suggests that it exists as a highly specialized parasitic bacterium capable of residing in an intracellular state within the respiratory tissues, occasionally emerging to produce symptoms. This review includes discussion of some of the newer aspects of our knowledge on this pathogen, characteristics of clinical infections, how it causes disease, the recent emergence of macrolide resistance, and the status of laboratory diagnostic methods.
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Hatchel JM, Balish MF. Attachment organelle ultrastructure correlates with phylogeny, not gliding motility properties, in Mycoplasma pneumoniae relatives. Microbiology (Reading) 2008; 154:286-295. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.2007/012765-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Hatchel
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, 80 Pearson Hall, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - Mitchell F. Balish
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, 80 Pearson Hall, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
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Abstract
Within a short period of time after the discovery of bacterial cytoskletons, major progress had been made in areas such as general spatial layout of cytoskeletons, their involvement in a variety of cellfunctions (shape control, cell division, chromosome segregation, cell motility). This progress was achieved by application of advanced investigation techniques. Homologs of eukaryotic actin, tubulin, and intermediate filaments were found in bacteria; cytoskeletal proteins not closely or not at all related to any of these major cytoskeletal proteins were discovered in a number of bacteria such as Mycoplasmas, Spiroplasmas, Spirochetes, Treponema, Caulobacter. A structural role for bacterial elongation factor Tu was indicated. On the basis of this new thinking, new approaches in biotechnology and new drugs are on the way.
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Trachtenberg S. The cytoskeleton of spiroplasma: a complex linear motor. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol 2006; 11:265-83. [PMID: 16983201 DOI: 10.1159/000094060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Spiroplasma are wall-less, helical bacteria from the class Mollicutes. The Mollicutes (Mycoplasma, Acholeplasma, Spiroplasma) evolved by regressive evolution to generate one of the simplest and minimal free-living and self-replicating forms of life. The spiroplasmas are the more advanced members in the class and are the closest to their clostridial ancestors. Spiroplasmas were discovered and identified as such only in 1972 and the finding of a unique and well-defined internal cytoskeleton, believed to be uncommon in bacteria, followed in 1973. Structural analysis suggests that the core of the spiroplasmal cytoskeleton is a flat, monolayered ribbon comprised of the 59-kDa fib gene product. The ribbon follows the shortest helical line of the polar cell from end to end. The structural building blocks of the cytoskeletal ribbon are fibrils assembling into a structure with approximately 10-nm axial and lateral repeats. Differential length changes of the fibrils may generate a wide dynamic spectrum of helical and non-helical geometries allowing for directional motility in low Reynolds number environments. The presence of other cytoskeletal elements (FtsZ, FtsA, EF-TU, MreB) has been demonstrated only recently in Spiroplasma cells. The cellular and molecular structure and dynamics of spiroplasmas and their cytoskeletal elements are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shlomo Trachtenberg
- Department of Membrane and Ultrastructure Research, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
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