A proteomic view of an important human pathogen--towards the quantification of the entire Staphylococcus aureus proteome

Small proteins in bacteria - Big challenges in prediction and identification

Proteins with up to 100 amino acids have been largely overlooked due to the challenges associated with predicting and identifying them using traditional methods. Recent advances in bioinformatics and machine learning, DNA sequencing, RNA and Ribo-seq technologies, and mass spectrometry (MS) have greatly facilitated the detection and characterisation of these elusive proteins in recent years. This has revealed their crucial role in various cellular processes including regulation, signalling and transport, as toxins and as folding helpers for protein complexes. Consequently, the systematic identification and characterisation of these proteins in bacteria have emerged as a prominent field of interest within the microbial research community. This review provides an overview of different strategies for predicting and identifying these proteins on a large scale, leveraging the power of these advanced technologies. Furthermore, the review offers insights into the future developments that may be expected in this field.

Proteomic Profiles and Protein Network Analysis of Primary Human Leukocytes Revealed Possible Clearance Biomarkers for Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Staphylococcus aureus is a serious pathogen that can survive within host cells after a typical course of treatment completion, leading to chronic infection. Knowledge of host proteomic patterns after clearance of this pathogen from cells is limited. Here, we looked for S. aureus clearance biomarkers produced by in vitro-infected leukocytes. Extracellular proteins from primary human leukocytes infected with S. aureus ATCC 25923 were investigated as possible treatment-monitoring clearance biomarkers by applying a proteomics approach combining liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and protein interaction network analysis. It was found that the expression patterns of proteins secreted by S. aureus-infected leukocytes differed among stages of infection. Proteomic profiles showed that an ATPase, aminophospholipid transporter-like, Class I, type 8A, member 2 (ATP8A2) was expressed in the clearance stage and was not detected at any earlier stage or in uninfected controls. Protein network analysis showed that TERF2 (telomeric repeat-binding factor 2), ZNF440 (zinc finger protein 440), and PPP1R14A (phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 14A) were up-regulated, while GLE1, an essential RNA-export mediator, was suppressed in both infection and clearance stages, suggesting their potential roles in S. aureus infection and clearance. These findings are the first to report that the ATP8A2 has potential as a clearance biomarker for S. aureus infection.

Staphylococcus aureus populations from the gut and the blood are not distinguished by virulence traits-a critical role of host barrier integrity

BACKGROUND

The opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is an asymptomatically carried member of the microbiome of about one third of the human population at any given point in time. Body sites known to harbor S. aureus are the skin, nasopharynx, and gut. In particular, the mechanisms allowing S. aureus to pass the gut epithelial barrier and to invade the bloodstream were so far poorly understood. Therefore, the objective of our present study was to investigate the extent to which genetic differences between enteric S. aureus isolates and isolates that caused serious bloodstream infections contribute to the likelihood of invasive disease.

RESULTS

Here, we present genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that compare the genome sequences of 69 S. aureus isolates from enteric carriage by healthy volunteers and 95 isolates from bloodstream infections. We complement our GWAS results with a detailed characterization of the cellular and extracellular proteomes of the representative gut and bloodstream isolates, and by assaying the virulence of these isolates with infection models based on human gut epithelial cells, human blood cells, and a small animal infection model. Intriguingly, our results show that enteric and bloodstream isolates with the same sequence type (ST1 or ST5) are very similar to each other at the genomic and proteomic levels. Nonetheless, bloodstream isolates are not necessarily associated with an invasive profile. Furthermore, we show that the main decisive factor preventing infection of gut epithelial cells in vitro is the presence of a tight barrier.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show that virulence is a highly variable trait, even within a single clone. Importantly, however, there is no evidence that blood stream isolates possess a higher virulence potential than those from the enteric carriage. In fact, some gut isolates from healthy carriers were more virulent than bloodstream isolates. Based on our present observations, we propose that the integrity of the gut epithelial layer, rather than the pathogenic potential of the investigated enteric S. aureus isolates, determines whether staphylococci from the gut microbiome will become invasive pathogens. Video Abstract.

A Practical Guide to Small Protein Discovery and Characterization Using Mass Spectrometry

Small proteins of up to ∼50 amino acids are an abundant class of biomolecules across all domains of life. Yet due to the challenges inherent in their size, they are often missed in genome annotations, and are difficult to identify and characterize using standard experimental approaches. Consequently, we still know few small proteins even in well-studied prokaryotic model organisms. Mass spectrometry (MS) has great potential for the discovery, validation, and functional characterization of small proteins. However, standard MS approaches are poorly suited to the identification of both known and novel small proteins due to limitations at each step of a typical proteomics workflow, i.e., sample preparation, protease digestion, liquid chromatography, MS data acquisition, and data analysis. Here, we outline the major MS-based workflows and bioinformatic pipelines used for small protein discovery and validation. Special emphasis is placed on highlighting the adjustments required to improve detection and data quality for small proteins. We discuss both the unbiased detection of small proteins and the targeted analysis of small proteins of interest. Finally, we provide guidelines to prioritize novel small proteins, and an outlook on methods with particular potential to further improve comprehensive discovery and characterization of small proteins.

Proteomic profiling of the endogenous peptides of MRSA and MSSA

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium that can cause diverse skin and soft tissue infections. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can cause more severe infections than methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Nevertheless, the physiological and metabolic regulation of MSSA and MRSA has not been well studied. In light of the increased interest in endogenous peptides and recognition of the important roles that they play, we studied the endogenous peptidome of MSSA and MRSA. We identified 1,065 endogenous peptides, among which 435 were differentially expressed (DE), with 292 MSSA-abundant endogenous peptides and 35 MRSA-abundant endogenous peptides. MSSA-abundant endogenous peptides have significantly enriched “VXXXK” motif of at the C-terminus. MSSA-abundant endogenous peptides are involved in penicillin-binding and immune responses, whereas MRSA-abundant endogenous peptides are associated with antibiotic resistance and increased toxicity. Our characterization of the peptidome of MSSA and MRSA provides a rich resource for future studies to explore the functional regulation of drug resistance in S. aureus and may also help elucidate the mechanisms of its pathogenicity and the development of treatments.

Staphylococcus aureus Lipase 3 (SAL3) is a surface-associated lipase that hydrolyzes short chain fatty acids

Bacterial lipases play important roles during infection. The Staphylococcus aureus genome contains several genes that encode well-characterized lipases and several genes predicted to encode lipases or esterases for which the function has not yet been established. In this study, we sought to define the function of an uncharacterized S. aureus protein, and we propose the annotation S. aureus lipase 3 (SAL3) (SAUSA300_0641). We confirmed that SAL3 is a lipase and that it is surface associated and secreted through an unknown mechanism. We determined that SAL3 specifically hydrolyzes short chain (4-carbon and fewer) fatty acids and specifically binds negatively charged lipids including phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylinositol phosphate, and phosphatidylglycerol, which is the most abundant lipid in the staphylococcal cell membrane. Mutating the catalytic triad S66-A, D167-A, S168-A, and H301-A in the recombinant protein abolished lipase activity without altering binding to host lipid substrates. Taken together we report the discovery of a novel lipase from S. aureus specific to short chain fatty acids with yet to be determined roles in host pathogen interactions.

Protein expression profiling of Staphylococcus aureus in response to the bacteriocin bovicin HC5

Alternative strategies to antibiotic treatment are required to inhibit pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus. Bacteriocins, such as the lantibiotic bovicin HC5, have shown potential to control pathogens. This study aims to evaluate the stress response of S. aureus to bovicin HC5 using a proteomic approach. Sublethal concentrations of the bacteriocin repressed the synthesis of 62 cytoplasmic proteins, whereas 42 proteins were induced in S. aureus COL. Specifically, synthesis of several proteins involved in amino acid biosynthesis, mainly products of ilv-leu operon, and DNA metabolism, such as DNA polymerase I, decreased following bovicin treatment while proteins involved in catabolism, mainly tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolism, and chaperones were over-expressed. The levels of CodY and CcpA, important regulators involved in the stationary phase adaptation and catabolite repression, respectively, also increased in the presence of the bacteriocin. These results indicate that stress caused by the sublethal concentration of bovicin HC5 in the cell membrane results in growth reduction, reduced protein synthesis, and, at the same time, enhanced the levels of chaperones and enzymes involved in energy-efficient catabolism in an attempt to restore energy and cell homeostasis. These results bring relevant information to amplify the knowledge concerning the bacterial physiological changes in response to the stress caused by the cell exposition to bovicin HC5. New potential targets for controlling this pathogen can also be determined from the new protein expression pattern presented. KEY POINTS: • Bovicin HC5 changed the synthesis of cytoplasmic proteins of S. aureus. • Bovicin HC5 interfered in the synthesis of proteins of amino acids biosynthesis. • Synthesis of chaperones enhanced in the presence of sublethal dosage of bovicin HC5.

An Innovative Protocol for Metaproteomic Analyses of Microbial Pathogens in Cystic Fibrosis Sputum

Hallmarks of cystic fibrosis (CF) are increased viscosity of mucus and impaired mucociliary clearance within the airways due to mutations of the cystic fibrosis conductance regulator gene. This facilitates the colonization of the lung by microbial pathogens and the concomitant establishment of chronic infections leading to tissue damage, reduced lung function, and decreased life expectancy. Although the interplay between key CF pathogens plays a major role during disease progression, the pathophysiology of the microbial community in CF lungs remains poorly understood. Particular challenges in the analysis of the microbial population present in CF sputum is (I) the inhomogeneous, viscous, and slimy consistence of CF sputum, and (II) the high number of human proteins masking comparably low abundant microbial proteins. To address these challenges, we used 21 CF sputum samples to develop a reliable, reproducible and widely applicable protocol for sputum processing, microbial enrichment, cell disruption, protein extraction and subsequent metaproteomic analyses. As a proof of concept, we selected three sputum samples for detailed metaproteome analyses and complemented and validated metaproteome data by 16S sequencing, metabolomic as well as microscopic analyses. Applying our protocol, the number of bacterial proteins/protein groups increased from 199-425 to 392-868 in enriched samples compared to nonenriched controls. These early microbial metaproteome data suggest that the arginine deiminase pathway and multiple proteases and peptidases identified from various bacterial genera could so far be underappreciated in their contribution to the CF pathophysiology. By providing a standardized and effective protocol for sputum processing and microbial enrichment, our study represents an important basis for future studies investigating the physiology of microbial pathogens in CF in vivo – an important prerequisite for the development of novel antimicrobial therapies to combat chronic recurrent airway infection in CF.

Time-Resolved Proteome Analysis of Listeria monocytogenes during Infection Reveals the Role of the AAA+ Chaperone ClpC for Host Cell Adaptation

The cellular proteome comprises all proteins expressed at a given time and defines an organism's phenotype under specific growth conditions. The proteome is shaped and remodeled by both protein synthesis and protein degradation. Here, we developed a new method which combines metabolic and chemical isobaric peptide labeling to simultaneously determine the time-resolved protein decay and de novo synthesis in an intracellular human pathogen. We showcase this method by investigating the Listeria monocytogenes proteome in the presence and absence of the AAA+ chaperone protein ClpC. ClpC associates with the peptidase ClpP to form an ATP-dependent protease complex and has been shown to play a role in virulence development in L. monocytogenes. However, the mechanism by which ClpC is involved in the survival and proliferation of intracellular L. monocytogenes remains elusive. Employing this new method, we observed extensive proteome remodeling in L. monocytogenes upon interaction with the host, supporting the hypothesis that ClpC-dependent protein degradation is required to initiate bacterial adaptation mechanisms. We identified more than 100 putative ClpC target proteins through their stabilization in a clpC deletion strain. Beyond the identification of direct targets, we also observed indirect effects of the clpC deletion on the protein abundance in diverse cellular and metabolic pathways, such as iron acquisition and flagellar assembly. Overall, our data highlight the crucial role of ClpC for L. monocytogenes adaptation to the host environment through proteome remodeling. IMPORTANCE Survival and proliferation of pathogenic bacteria inside the host depend on their ability to adapt to the changing environment. Profiling the underlying changes on the bacterial proteome level during the infection process is important to gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis and the host-dependent adaptation processes. The cellular protein abundance is governed by the interplay between protein synthesis and decay. The direct readout of these events during infection can be accomplished using pulsed stable-isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC). Combining this approach with tandem-mass-tag (TMT) labeling enabled multiplexed and time-resolved bacterial proteome quantification during infection. Here, we applied this integrated approach to investigate protein turnover during the temporal progression of adaptation of the human pathogen L. monocytogenes to its host on a system-wide scale. Our experimental approach can easily be transferred to probe the proteome remodeling in other bacteria under a variety of perturbations.

What Do We See in Spectra?: Assignment of High-Intensity Peaks of Cutibacterium and Staphylococcus Spectra of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry by Interspecies Comparative Proteogenomics

Matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI–TOF) mass spectrometry is a widely used and reliable technology to identify microbial species and subspecies. The current methodology is based on spectral fingerprinting, analyzing protein peaks, most of which are yet to be characterized. In order to deepen the understanding of these peaks and to develop a more reasonable identification workflow, we applied proteogenomic approaches to assign the high-intensity peaks of MALDI–TOF spectra of two bacterial genera. First, the 3–22 kD proteomes of 5 Cutibacterium strains were profiled by UPLC–MS/MS, and the amino acid sequences were refined by referring to their genome in the public database. Then, the sequences were converted to m/z (x-axis) values based on their molecular masses. When the interspecies comparison of calculated m/z values was well-fitted to the observed peaks, the peak assignments for the five Cutibacterium species were confirmed. Second, the peak assignments for six Staphylococcus species were performed by using the above result for Cutibacterium and referring to ribosomal subunit proteins coded on the S10-spc-alpha operon (the S10-GERMS method), a previous proteomics report by Becher et al., and comprehensive genome analysis. We successfully assigned 13 out of 15 peaks for the Cutibacterium species and 11 out of 13 peaks for the Staphylococcus species. DNA-binding protein HU, the CsbD-like protein, and 50S ribosomal protein L7/L12 were observed in common. The commonality suggests they consist of high-intensity peaks in the MALDI spectra of other bacterial species. Our workflow may lead to the development of a more accurate species identification database of MALDI–TOF mass spectrometry based on genome data.

Towards the characterization of the hidden world of small proteins in Staphylococcus aureus, a proteogenomics approach

Small proteins play essential roles in bacterial physiology and virulence, however, automated algorithms for genome annotation are often not yet able to accurately predict the corresponding genes. The accuracy and reliability of genome annotations, particularly for small open reading frames (sORFs), can be significantly improved by integrating protein evidence from experimental approaches. Here we present a highly optimized and flexible bioinformatics workflow for bacterial proteogenomics covering all steps from (i) generation of protein databases, (ii) database searches and (iii) peptide-to-genome mapping to (iv) visualization of results. We used the workflow to identify high quality peptide spectrum matches (PSMs) for small proteins (≤ 100 aa, SP100) in Staphylococcus aureus Newman. Protein extracts from S. aureus were subjected to different experimental workflows for protein digestion and prefractionation and measured with highly sensitive mass spectrometers. In total, 175 proteins with up to 100 aa (SP100) were identified. Out of these 24 (ranging from 9 to 99 aa) were novel and not contained in the used genome annotation.144 SP100 are highly conserved and were found in at least 50% of the publicly available S. aureus genomes, while 127 are additionally conserved in other staphylococci. Almost half of the identified SP100 were basic, suggesting a role in binding to more acidic molecules such as nucleic acids or phospholipids.

Proteomics identifies a convergent innate response to infective endocarditis and extensive proteolysis in vegetation components

Infective endocarditis is a life-threatening infection of heart valves and adjacent structures characterized by vegetations on valves and other endocardial surfaces, with tissue destruction and risk of embolization. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry to define the proteome of staphylococcal and non-staphylococcal vegetations and Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates (TAILS) to define their proteolytic landscapes. These approaches identified over 2000 human proteins in staphylococcal and non-staphylococcal vegetations. Individual vegetation proteomes demonstrated comparable profiles of quantitatively major constituents that overlapped with serum, platelet, and neutrophil proteomes. Staphylococcal vegetation proteomes resembled one another more than the proteomes of non-staphylococcal vegetations. TAILS demonstrated extensive proteolysis within vegetations, with numerous previously undescribed cleavages. Several proteases and pathogen-specific proteins, including virulence factors, were identified in most vegetations. Proteolytic peptides in fibronectin and complement C3 were identified as potential infective endocarditis biomarkers. Overlap of staphylococcal and non-staphylococcal vegetation proteomes suggests a convergent thrombotic and immune response to endocardial infection by diverse pathogens. However, the differences between staphylococcal and non-staphylococcal vegetations and internal variance within the non-staphylococcal group indicate that additional pathogen- or patient-specific effects exist. Pervasive proteolysis of vegetation components may arise from vegetation-intrinsic proteases and destabilize vegetations, contributing to embolism.

Control of Metabolite Flux during the Final Steps of Heme b Biosynthesis in Gram-Positive Bacteria

The pathway for assembling heme ends with a unique set of enzymes in Gram-positive bacteria. Substrates for these reactions include coproporphyrin III, Fe(II), and H₂O₂, which are highly reactive and toxic. Because these bacteria lack membranous compartments, we hypothesized that metabolite flux may occur via a transient protein-protein interaction between the final two pathway enzymes, coproporphyrin ferrochelatase (CpfC) and coproheme decarboxylase (ChdC). This hypothesis was tested using enzymes from the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and a corresponding ΔchdC knockout strain. The ultraviolet-visible spectral features of coproporphyrin III served as an in vitro indicator of a protein-protein interaction. A CpfC-ChdC K_D of 17 ± 7 μM was determined, consistent with transient complexation and supported by the observation that the catalytic competence of both enzymes was moderately suppressed in the stable complex. The ΔchdC S. aureus was transformed with plasmids containing single-amino acid mutants in the active site gate of ChdC. The porphyrin content and growth phenotypes of these mutants showed that K129 and Y133 promote the ChdC-CpfC interaction and revealed the importance of E120. Understanding the nature of interactions between these enzymes and those further upstream in the heme biosynthesis pathway could provide new means of specifically targeting pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria such as S. aureus.

Comparison of Staphylococcus aureus surface protein extraction methods and immunogenicity

Staphylococcus aureus is the major contagious bovine mastitis pathogen and has no effective vaccine. Strain variation and limited knowledge of common immunogenic antigen/s are among major constraints for developing effective vaccines. S. aureus cell surface proteins that are exposed to the host immune system constitute good vaccine candidates. The objective of this study was to compare two novel S. aureus surface protein extraction methods with biotinylation method and evaluate immune-reactivity of extracted proteins. Surface proteins were extracted from nine genetically distinct S. aureus strains from cases of bovine mastitis. After extraction, bacterial cell integrity was examined by Gram staining and electron microscopy to determine if extraction methods caused damage to cells that may release non-surface proteins. The extracted proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and evaluated for immune-reactivity using western blot. Results showed that all three extraction methods provided multiple protein bands on SDS-PAGE. Western blot result showed several immunoreactive surface proteins, in which some proteins strongly (well-resolved, thick, dark, and intense band) reacted across the nine strains tested. The three methods are valid for the extraction of surface proteins and hexadecane, and cholic acid methods are more feasible than biotinylation since both are easier, cheaper, and have minor effects on the bacterial cell. Strongly immune-reactive surface proteins may serve as potential candidates for a vaccine to control S. aureus mastitis in dairy cows.

Virulence Factors Produced by Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms Have a Moonlighting Function Contributing to Biofilm Integrity

Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent of various biofilm-associated infections in humans causing major healthcare problems worldwide. This type of infection is inherently difficult to treat because of a reduced metabolic activity of biofilm-embedded cells and the protective nature of a surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). However, little is known about S. aureus biofilm physiology and the proteinaceous composition of the ECM. Thus, we cultivated S. aureus biofilms in a flow system and comprehensively profiled intracellular and extracellular (ECM and flow-through (FT)) biofilm proteomes, as well as the extracellular metabolome compared with planktonic cultures. Our analyses revealed the expression of many pathogenicity factors within S. aureus biofilms as indicated by a high abundance of capsule biosynthesis proteins along with various secreted virulence factors, including hemolysins, leukotoxins, and lipases as a part of the ECM. The activity of ECM virulence factors was confirmed in a hemolysis assay and a Galleria mellonella pathogenicity model. In addition, we uncovered a so far unacknowledged moonlighting function of secreted virulence factors and ribosomal proteins trapped in the ECM: namely their contribution to biofilm integrity. Mechanistically, it was revealed that this stabilizing effect is mediated by the strong positive charge of alkaline virulence factors and ribosomal proteins in an acidic ECM environment, which is caused by the release of fermentation products like formate, lactate, and acetate because of oxygen limitation in biofilms. The strong positive charge of these proteins most likely mediates electrostatic interactions with anionic cell surface components, eDNA, and anionic metabolites. In consequence, this leads to strong cell aggregation and biofilm stabilization. Collectively, our study identified a new molecular mechanism during S. aureus biofilm formation and thus significantly widens the understanding of biofilm-associated S. aureus infections - an essential prerequisite for the development of novel antimicrobial therapies.

Subcellular Protein Fractionation in Legionella pneumophila and Preparation of the Derived Sub-proteomes for Analysis by Mass Spectrometry

Classical proteomic techniques are perfectly suited to reflect changes in the metabolism by detection of changed protein synthesis rates and protein abundances in a global protein-centered analysis. Although the proteome of microbes is considered as rather low complex, usually the subcellular fractionation of proteins leads to higher proteome coverage which might be important for the proteome quantification. Additionally, such fractionation provides the possibility to detect changes in the protein localization as well as the protein abundance in single sub-proteomes. Here, a workflow for subcellular fractionation of Legionella pneumophila into cytosolic, periplasmic, membrane, and extracellular proteins for global proteome analyses is provided. The methods included in this workflow can be used to analyze the adaptation of L. pneumophila to different environmental and nutritional situations during infection or during different life cycle stages including planktonic or biofilm phase.

Metabolic Reprogramming of Clostridioides difficile During the Stationary Phase With the Induction of Toxin Production

The obligate anaerobe, spore forming bacterium Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile) causes nosocomial and community acquired diarrhea often associated with antibiotic therapy. Major virulence factors of the bacterium are the two large clostridial toxins TcdA and TcdB. The production of both toxins was found strongly connected to the metabolism and the nutritional status of the growth environment. Here, we systematically investigated the changes of the gene regulatory, proteomic and metabolic networks of C. difficile 630Δerm underlying the adaptation to the non-growing state in the stationary phase. Integrated data from time-resolved transcriptome, proteome and metabolome investigations performed under defined growth conditions uncovered multiple adaptation strategies. Overall changes in the cellular processes included the downregulation of ribosome production, lipid metabolism, cold shock proteins, spermine biosynthesis, and glycolysis and in the later stages of riboflavin and coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis. In contrast, different chaperones, several fermentation pathways, and cysteine, serine, and pantothenate biosynthesis were found upregulated. Focusing on the Stickland amino acid fermentation and the central carbon metabolism, we discovered the ability of C. difficile to replenish its favored amino acid cysteine by a pathway starting from the glycolytic 3-phosphoglycerate via L-serine as intermediate. Following the growth course, the reductive equivalent pathways used were sequentially shifted from proline via leucine/phenylalanine to the central carbon metabolism first to butanoate fermentation and then further to lactate fermentation. The toxin production was found correlated mainly to fluxes of the central carbon metabolism. Toxin formation in the supernatant was detected when the flux changed from butanoate to lactate synthesis in the late stationary phase. The holistic view derived from the combination of transcriptome, proteome and metabolome data allowed us to uncover the major metabolic strategies that are used by the clostridial cells to maintain its cellular homeostasis and ensure survival under starvation conditions.

Differential biotin labelling of the cell envelope proteins in lipopolysaccharidic diderm bacteria: Exploring the proteosurfaceome of Escherichia coli using sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin and sulfo-NHS-PEG4-bismannose-SS-biotin

Surface proteins are the major factor for the interaction between bacteria and its environment, playing an important role in infection, colonisation, virulence and adaptation. However, the study of surface proteins has proven difficult mainly due to their hydrophobicity and/or relatively low abundance compared with cytoplasmic proteins. To overcome these issues new proteomic strategies have been developed, such as cell-surface protein labelling using biotinylation reagents. Sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin is the most commonly used reagent to investigate the proteins expressed at the cell surface of various organisms but its use in lipopolysaccharidic diderm bacteria (archetypical Gram-negative bacteria) remains limited to a handful of species. While generally pass over in silence, some periplasmic proteins, but also some inner membrane lipoproteins, integral membrane proteins and cytoplasmic proteins (cytoproteins) are systematically identified following this approach. To limit cell lysis and diffusion of the sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin through the outer membrane, biotin labelling was tested over short incubation times and proved to be as efficient for 1 min at room temperature. To further limit labelling of protein located below the outer membrane, the use of high-molecular weight sulfo-NHS-PEG4-bismannose-SS-biotin appeared to recover differentially cell-envelope proteins compared to low-molecular weight sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin. Actually, the sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin recovers at a higher extent the proteins completely or partly exposed in the periplasm than sulfo-NHS-PEG4-bismannose-SS-biotin, namely periplasmic and integral membrane proteins as well as inner membrane and outer membrane lipoproteins. These results highlight that protein labelling using biotinylation reagents of different sizes provides a sophisticated and accurate way to differentially explore the cell envelope proteome of lipopolysaccharidic diderm bacteria.

SIGNIFICANCE

While generally pass over in silence, some periplasmic proteins, inner membrane lipoproteins (IMLs), integral membrane proteins (IMPs) and cytoplasmic proteins (cytoproteins) are systematically identified following cell-surface biotin labelling in lipopolysaccharidic diderm bacteria (archetypal Gram-negative bacteria). The use of biotinylation molecules of different sizes, namely sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin and sulfo-NHS-PEG4-bismannose-SS-biotin, was demonstrated to provide a sophisticated and accurate way to differentially explore the cell envelope proteome of lipopolysaccharidic diderm bacteria.

Spectral Library Based Analysis of Arginine Phosphorylations in Staphylococcus aureus

Reversible protein phosphorylation is one of the major mechanisms in the regulation of protein expression and protein activity, controlling physiological functions of the important human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus Phosphorylations at serine, threonine and tyrosine are known to influence for example protein activity in central metabolic pathways and the more energy-rich phosphorylations at histidine, aspartate or cysteine can be found as part of two component system sensor domains or mediating bacterial virulence. In addition to these well-known phosphorylations, the phosphorylation at arginine residues plays an essential role. Hence, the deletion mutant S. aureus COL ΔptpB (protein tyrosine phosphatase B) was studied because the protein PtpB is assumed to be an arginine phosphatase. A gel-free approach was applied to analyze the changes in the phosphoproteome of the deletion mutant ΔptpB and the wild type in growing cells, thereby focusing on the occurrence of phosphorylation on arginine residues. In order to enhance the reliability of identified phosphorylation sites at arginine residues, a subset of arginine phosphorylated peptides was chemically synthesized. Combined spectral libraries based on phosphoenriched samples, synthetic arginine phosphorylated peptides and classical proteome samples provide a sophisticated tool for the analysis of arginine phosphorylations. This way, 212 proteins phosphorylated on serine, threonine, tyrosine or arginine residues were identified within the mutant ΔptpB and 102 in wild type samples. Among them, 207 arginine phosphosites were identified exclusively within the mutant ΔptpB, widely distributed along the whole bacterial metabolism. This identification of putative targets of PtpB allows further investigation of the physiological relevance of arginine phosphorylations and provides the basis for reliable quantification of arginine phosphorylations in bacteria.

Metabolic Labeling of Microorganisms with Stable Heavy Nitrogen Isotopes (15N)

Quantitative Proteomics based on stable isotope labeling by ¹⁵N is a versatile method in determination of changes in microbial protein expression profiles. Once set up, the workflow relies on defined chemical or commercially available complex media leading to universal heavy labeling by the stable isotope ¹⁵N. This chapter provides a detailed protocol for labeling of different bacteria and the strategy for evaluating the incorporation rate of the heavy stable isotopes in the sample is discussed.

Mapping Changes in Cell Surface Protein Expression Through Selective Labeling of Live Cells

ncRNAs are key players in the adaptation of bacteria to new environments, by modulating the composition of the membrane upon changes in the environment. Nevertheless, monitoring the changes in surface protein expression is still a challenge, since these proteins are present in low abundance, and are difficult to extract. Here is described a method to easily, reproducibly, and specifically enrich total protein extracts in surface proteins. This method comprises a direct labeling of surface proteins on living cells using fluorescent dyes, followed by total protein extraction and subsequent separation of these extracts by 2D gel electrophoresis.

Spectral Library Based Analysis of Arginine Phosphorylations in Staphylococcus aureus

Reversible protein phosphorylation is one of the major mechanisms in the regulation of protein expression and protein activity, controlling physiological functions of the important human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus Phosphorylations at serine, threonine and tyrosine are known to influence for example protein activity in central metabolic pathways and the more energy-rich phosphorylations at histidine, aspartate or cysteine can be found as part of two component system sensor domains or mediating bacterial virulence. In addition to these well-known phosphorylations, the phosphorylation at arginine residues plays an essential role. Hence, the deletion mutant S. aureus COL ΔptpB (protein tyrosine phosphatase B) was studied because the protein PtpB is assumed to be an arginine phosphatase. A gel-free approach was applied to analyze the changes in the phosphoproteome of the deletion mutant ΔptpB and the wild type in growing cells, thereby focusing on the occurrence of phosphorylation on arginine residues. In order to enhance the reliability of identified phosphorylation sites at arginine residues, a subset of arginine phosphorylated peptides was chemically synthesized. Combined spectral libraries based on phosphoenriched samples, synthetic arginine phosphorylated peptides and classical proteome samples provide a sophisticated tool for the analysis of arginine phosphorylations. This way, 212 proteins phosphorylated on serine, threonine, tyrosine or arginine residues were identified within the mutant ΔptpB and 102 in wild type samples. Among them, 207 arginine phosphosites were identified exclusively within the mutant ΔptpB, widely distributed along the whole bacterial metabolism. This identification of putative targets of PtpB allows further investigation of the physiological relevance of arginine phosphorylations and provides the basis for reliable quantification of arginine phosphorylations in bacteria.

AureoWiki ̵ The repository of the Staphylococcus aureus research and annotation community

In light of continuously accumulating data and knowledge on major human pathogens, comprehensive and up-to-date sources of easily accessible information are urgently required. The AureoWiki database (http://aureowiki.med.uni-greifswald.de) provides detailed information on the genes and proteins of clinically and experimentally relevant S. aureus strains, currently covering NCTC 8325, COL, Newman, USA300_FPR3757, and N315. By implementing a pan-genome approach, AureoWiki facilitates the transfer of knowledge gained in studies with different S. aureus strains, thus supporting functional annotation and better understanding of this organism. All data related to a given gene or gene product is compiled on a strain-specific gene page. The gene pages contain sequence-based information complemented by data on, for example, protein function and localization, transcriptional regulation, and gene expression. The information provided is connected via links to other databases and published literature. Importantly, orthologous genes of the individual strains, which are linked by a pan-genome gene identifier and a unified gene name, are presented side by side using strain-specific tabs. The respective pan-genome gene page contains an orthologue table for 32 S. aureus strains, a multiple-strain genome viewer, a protein sequence alignment as well as other comparative information. The data collected in AureoWiki is also accessible through various download options in order to support bioinformatics applications. In addition, based on two large-scale gene expression data sets, AureoWiki provides graphical representations of condition-dependent mRNA levels and protein profiles under various laboratory and infection-related conditions.

Stability of Proteins Out of Service: the GapB Case of Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis possesses two glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenases with opposite roles, the glycolytic NAD-dependent GapA and the NADP-dependent GapB enzyme, which is exclusively required during gluconeogenesis but not active under conditions promoting glycolysis. We propose that proteins that are no longer needed will be recognized and proteolyzed by Clp proteases and thereby recycled. To test this postulation, we analyzed the stability of the glycolytic enzyme GapA and the gluconeogenetic enzyme GapB in the presence and absence of glucose. It turned out that GapA remained rather stable under both glycolytic and gluconeogenetic conditions. In contrast, the gluconeogenetic enzyme GapB was degraded after a shift from malate to glucose (i.e., from gluconeogenesis to glycolysis), displaying an estimated half-life of approximately 3 h. Comparative in vivo pulse-chase labeling and immunoprecipitation experiments of the wild-type strain and isogenic mutants identified the ATP-dependent ClpCP protease as the enzyme responsible for the degradation of GapB. However, arginine protein phosphorylation, which was recently described as a general tagging mechanism for protein degradation, did not seem to play a role in GapB proteolysis, because GapB was also degraded in a mcsB mutant, lacking arginine kinase, in the same manner as in the wild type.IMPORTANCE GapB, the NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphosphate dehydrogenase, is essential for B. subtilis under gluconeogenetic conditions. However, after a shift to glycolytic conditions, GapB loses its physiological function within the cell and becomes susceptible to degradation, in contrast to GapA, the glycolytic NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which remains stable under glycolytic and gluconeogenetic conditions. Subsequently, GapB is proteolyzed in a ClpCP-dependent manner. According to our data, the arginine kinase McsB is not involved as adaptor protein in this process. ClpCP appears to be in charge in the removal of inoperable enzymes in B. subtilis, which is a strictly regulated process in which the precise recognition mechanism(s) remains to be identified.

Aspartate tightens the anchoring of staphylococcal lipoproteins to the cytoplasmic membrane

In gram-negative bacteria, the ABC transporter LolCDE complex translocates outer membrane-specific lipoproteins (Lpp) from the inner membrane to the outer membrane. Lpp possessing aspartate (Asp) at position +2 are not translocated because it functions as a LolCDE avoidance signal. In gram-positive bacteria, lacking an outer membrane and the Lol system, Lpp are only anchored at the outer leaflet of the cytoplasmic membrane. However, the release of Lpp particularly in pathogenic or commensal species is crucial for immune modulation. Here, we provide evidence that in Staphylococcus aureus Asp at position +2 plays a role in withholding Lpp to the cytoplasmic membrane. Screening of published exoproteomic data of S. aureus revealed that Lpp mainly with Gly or Ser at position +2 were found in exoproteome, but there was no Lpp with Asp+2. The occurrence of Lpp with Asp+2 is infrequent in gram-positive bacteria. In S. aureus USA300 only seven of the 67 Lpp possess Asp+2; among them five Lpp represented Lpl lipoproteins involved in host cell invasion. Our study demonstrated that replacing the Asp+2 present in Lpl8 with a Ser enhances its release into the supernatant. However, there is no different release of Asp+2 and Ser+2 in mprF mutant that lacks the positive charge of lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol (Lys-PG). Moreover, substitution of Ser+2 by Asp in SitC (MntC) did not lead to a decreased release indicating that in staphylococci positions +3 and +4 might also be important for a tighter anchoring of Lpp. Here, we show that Asp in position +2 and adjacent amino acids contribute in tightening the anchoring of Lpp by interaction of the negative charged Asp with the positive charged Lys-PG.

A global Staphylococcus aureus proteome resource applied to the in vivo characterization of host-pathogen interactions

Data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry promises higher performance in terms of quantification and reproducibility compared to data-dependent acquisition mass spectrometry methods. To enable high-accuracy quantification of Staphylococcus aureus proteins, we have developed a global ion library for data-independent acquisition approaches employing high-resolution time of flight or Orbitrap instruments for this human pathogen. We applied this ion library resource to investigate the time-resolved adaptation of S. aureus to the intracellular niche in human bronchial epithelial cells and in a murine pneumonia model. In epithelial cells, abundance changes for more than 400 S. aureus proteins were quantified, revealing, e.g., the precise temporal regulation of the SigB-dependent stress response and differential regulation of translation, fermentation, and amino acid biosynthesis. Using an in vivo murine pneumonia model, our data-independent acquisition quantification analysis revealed for the first time the in vivo proteome adaptation of S. aureus. From approximately 2.15 × 10⁵  S. aureus cells, 578 proteins were identified. Increased abundance of proteins required for oxidative stress response, amino acid biosynthesis, and fermentation together with decreased abundance of ribosomal proteins and nucleotide reductase NrdEF was observed in post-infection samples compared to the pre-infection state.

High-throughput proteomics and the fight against pathogens

Pathogens pose a major threat to human and animal welfare. Understanding the interspecies host-pathogen protein-protein interactions could lead to the development of novel strategies to combat infectious diseases through the rapid development of new therapeutics. The first step in understanding the host-pathogen crosstalk is to identify interacting proteins in order to define crucial hot-spots in the host-pathogen interactome, such as the proposed pharmaceutical targets by means of high-throughput proteomic methodologies. In order to obtain holistic insight into the inter- and intra-species bimolecular interactions, apart from the proteomic approach, sophisticated in silico modeling is used to correlate the obtained large data sets with other omics data and clinical outcomes. Since the main focus in this area has been directed towards human medicine, it is time to extrapolate the existing expertise to a new emerging field: the 'systems veterinary medicine'. Therefore, this review addresses high-throughput mass spectrometry-based technology for monitoring protein-protein interactions in vitro and in vivo and discusses pathogen cultivation, model host cells and available bioinformatic tools employed in vaccine development.

Quick 96FASP for high throughput quantitative proteome analysis

Filter aided sample preparation (FASP) is becoming a central method for proteomic sample cleanup and peptide generation prior to LC-MS analysis. We previously adapted this method to a 96-well filter plate, and applied to prepare protein digests from cell lysate and body fluid samples in a high throughput quantitative manner. While the 96FASP approach is scalable and can handle multiple samples simultaneously, two key advantages compared to single FASP, it is also time-consuming. The centrifugation-based liquid transfer on the filter plate takes 3-5 times longer than single filter. To address this limitation, we now present a quick 96FASP (named q96FASP) approach that, relying on the use of filter membranes with a large MWCO size (~30kDa), significantly reduces centrifugal times. We show that q96FASP allows the generation of protein digests derived from whole cell lysates and body fluids in a quality similar to that of the single FASP method. Processing a sample in multiple wells in parallel, we observed excellent experimental repeatability by label-free quantitation approach. We conclude that the q96FASP approach promises to be a promising cost- and time-effective method for shotgun proteomics and will be particularly useful in large scale biomarker discovery studies.

SIGNIFICANCE

High throughput sample processing is of particular interests for quantitative proteomics. The previously developed 96FASP is high throughput and appealing, however it is time-consuming in the context of centrifugation-based liquid transfer (~1.5h per spin). This study presents a truly high throughput sample preparation method based on large cut-off 96-well filter plate, which shortens the spin time to ~20min. To our knowledge, this is the first multi-well method that is entirely comparable with conventional FASP. This study thoroughly examined two types of filter plates and performed side-by-side comparisons with single FASP. Two types of samples, whole cell lysate of a UTI (urinary tract infection)-associated Klebsiella pneumoniae cell and human urine, were tested which demonstrated its capability for quantitative proteomics. The q96FSAP approach makes the filter plate-based approach more appealing for protein biomarker discovery projects, and could be broadly applied to large scale proteomics analysis.

An Intracellular Peptidyl-Prolyl cis/trans Isomerase Is Required for Folding and Activity of the Staphylococcus aureus Secreted Virulence Factor Nuclease

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that relies on a large repertoire of secreted and cell wall-associated proteins for pathogenesis. Consequently, the ability of the organism to cause disease is absolutely dependent on its ability to synthesize and successfully secrete these proteins. In this study, we investigate the role of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases (PPIases) on the activity of the S. aureus secreted virulence factor nuclease (Nuc). We identify a staphylococcal cyclophilin-type PPIase (PpiB) that is required for optimal activity of Nuc. Disruption of ppiB results in decreased nuclease activity in culture supernatants; however, the levels of Nuc protein are not altered, suggesting that the decrease in activity results from misfolding of Nuc in the absence of PpiB. We go on to demonstrate that PpiB exhibits PPIase activity in vitro, is localized to the bacterial cytosol, and directly interacts with Nuc in vitro to accelerate the rate of Nuc refolding. Finally, we demonstrate an additional role for PpiB in S. aureus hemolysis and demonstrate that the S. aureus parvulin-type PPIase PrsA also plays a role in the activity of secreted virulence factors. The deletion of prsA leads to a decrease in secreted protease and phospholipase activity, similar to that observed in other Gram-positive pathogens. Together, these results demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, that PPIases play an important role in the secretion of virulence factors in S. aureus IMPORTANCE: Staphylococcus aureus is a highly dangerous bacterial pathogen capable of causing a variety of infections throughout the human body. The ability of S. aureus to cause disease is largely due to an extensive repertoire of secreted and cell wall-associated proteins, including adhesins, toxins, exoenzymes, and superantigens. These virulence factors, once produced, are typically transported across the cell membrane by the secretory (Sec) system in a denatured state. Consequently, once outside the cell, they must refold into their active form. This step often requires the assistance of bacterial folding proteins, such as PPIases. In this work, we investigate the role of PPIases in S. aureus and uncover a cyclophilin-type enzyme that assists in the folding/refolding of staphylococcal nuclease.

Staphylococcus aureus sqr Encodes a Type II Sulfide:Quinone Oxidoreductase and Impacts Reactive Sulfur Speciation in Cells

Recent studies implicate hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) oxidation as an important aspect of bacterial antibiotic resistance and sulfide homeostasis. The cst operon of the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is induced by exogenous H₂S stress and encodes enzymes involved in sulfide oxidation, including a group I flavoprotein disulfide oxidoreductase sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQR). In this work, we show that S. aureus SQR catalyzes the two-electron oxidation of sodium sulfide (Na₂S) into sulfane sulfur (S⁰) when provided flavin adenine dinucleotide and a water-soluble quinone acceptor. Cyanide, sulfite, and coenzyme A (CoA) are all capable of functioning as the S⁰ acceptor in vitro. This activity requires a C167-C344 disulfide bond in the resting enzyme, with the intermediacy of a C344 persulfide in the catalytic cycle, verified by mass spectrometry of sulfide-reacted SQR. Incubation of purified SQR and S. aureus CstB, a known Fe^II persulfide dioxygenase-sulfurtransferase also encoded by the cst operon, yields thiosulfate from sulfide, in a CoA-dependent manner, thus confirming the intermediacy of CoASSH as a product and substrate of SQR and CstB, respectively. Sulfur metabolite profiling of wild-type, Δsqr, and Δsqr::pSQR strains reveals a marked and specific elevation in endogenous levels of CoASSH and inorganic tetrasulfide in the Δsqr strain. We conclude that SQR impacts the cellular speciation of these reactive sulfur species but implicates other mechanisms not dependent on SQR in the formation of low-molecular weight thiol persulfides and inorganic polysulfides during misregulation of sulfide homeostasis.

Changes in the Expression of Biofilm-Associated Surface Proteins in Staphylococcus aureus Food-Environmental Isolates Subjected to Sublethal Concentrations of Disinfectants

Sublethal concentrations (sub-MICs) of certain disinfectants are no longer effective in removing biofilms from abiotic surfaces and can even promote the formation of biofilms. Bacterial cells can probably adapt to these low concentrations of disinfectants and defend themselves by way of biofilm formation. In this paper, we report on three Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formers (strong B+++, moderate B++, and weak B+) that were cultivated with sub-MICs of commonly used disinfectants, ethanol or chloramine T, and quantified using Syto9 green fluorogenic nucleic acid stain. We demonstrate that 1.25–2.5% ethanol and 2500 μg/mL chloramine T significantly enhanced S. aureus biofilm formation. To visualize differences in biofilm compactness between S. aureus biofilms in control medium, 1.25% ethanol, or 2500 μg/mL chloramine T, scanning electron microscopy was used. To describe changes in abundance of surface-exposed proteins in ethanol- or chloramine T-treated biofilms, surface proteins were prepared using a novel trypsin shaving approach and quantified after dimethyl labeling by LC-LTQ/Orbitrap MS. Our data show that some proteins with adhesive functions and others with cell maintenance functions and virulence factor EsxA were significantly upregulated by both treatments. In contrast, immunoglobulin-binding protein A was significantly downregulated for both disinfectants. Significant differences were observed in the effect of the two disinfectants on the expression of surface proteins including some adhesins, foldase protein PrsA, and two virulence factors.

Characterizing the Syphilis-Causing Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum Proteome Using Complementary Mass Spectrometry

BACKGROUND

The spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum is the etiological agent of syphilis, a chronic multistage disease. Little is known about the global T. pallidum proteome, therefore mass spectrometry studies are needed to bring insights into pathogenicity and protein expression profiles during infection.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

To better understand the T. pallidum proteome profile during infection, we studied T. pallidum ssp. pallidum DAL-1 strain bacteria isolated from rabbits using complementary mass spectrometry techniques, including multidimensional peptide separation and protein identification via matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) and electrospray ionization (ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap) tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 6033 peptides were detected, corresponding to 557 unique T. pallidum proteins at a high level of confidence, representing 54% of the predicted proteome. A previous gel-based T. pallidum MS proteome study detected 58 of these proteins. One hundred fourteen of the detected proteins were previously annotated as hypothetical or uncharacterized proteins; this is the first account of 106 of these proteins at the protein level. Detected proteins were characterized according to their predicted biological function and localization; half were allocated into a wide range of functional categories. Proteins annotated as potential membrane proteins and proteins with unclear functional annotations were subjected to an additional bioinformatics pipeline analysis to facilitate further characterization. A total of 116 potential membrane proteins were identified, of which 16 have evidence supporting outer membrane localization. We found 8/12 proteins related to the paralogous tpr gene family: TprB, TprC/D, TprE, TprG, TprH, TprI and TprJ. Protein abundance was semi-quantified using label-free spectral counting methods. A low correlation (r = 0.26) was found between previous microarray signal data and protein abundance.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the most comprehensive description of the global T. pallidum proteome to date. These data provide valuable insights into in vivo T. pallidum protein expression, paving the way for improved understanding of the pathogenicity of this enigmatic organism.

Costs of life - Dynamics of the protein inventory of Staphylococcus aureus during anaerobiosis

Absolute protein quantification was applied to follow the dynamics of the cytoplasmic proteome of Staphylococcus aureus in response to long-term oxygen starvation. For 1,168 proteins, the majority of all expressed proteins, molecule numbers per cell have been determined to monitor the cellular investments in single branches of bacterial life for the first time. In the presence of glucose the anaerobic protein pattern is characterized by increased amounts of glycolytic and fermentative enzymes such as Eno, GapA1, Ldh1, and PflB. Interestingly, the ferritin-like protein FtnA belongs to the most abundant proteins during anaerobic growth. Depletion of glucose finally leads to an accumulation of different enzymes such as ArcB1, ArcB2, and ArcC2 involved in arginine deiminase pathway. Concentrations of 29 exo- and 78 endometabolites were comparatively assessed and have been integrated to the metabolic networks. Here we provide an almost complete picture on the response to oxygen starvation, from signal transduction pathways to gene expression pattern, from metabolic reorganization after oxygen depletion to beginning cell death and lysis after glucose exhaustion. This experimental approach can be considered as a proof of principle how to combine cell physiology with quantitative proteomics for a new dimension in understanding simple life processes as an entity.

Omics Approaches for the Study of Adaptive Immunity to Staphylococcus aureus and the Selection of Vaccine Candidates

Staphylococcus aureus is a dangerous pathogen both in hospitals and in the community. Due to the crisis of antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need for new strategies to combat S. aureus infections, such as vaccination. Increasing our knowledge about the mechanisms of protection will be key for the successful prevention or treatment of S. aureus invasion. Omics technologies generate a comprehensive picture of the physiological and pathophysiological processes within cells, tissues, organs, organisms and even populations. This review provides an overview of the contribution of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and immunoproteomics to the current understanding of S. aureus‑host interaction, with a focus on the adaptive immune response to the microorganism. While antibody responses during colonization and infection have been analyzed in detail using immunoproteomics, the full potential of omics technologies has not been tapped yet in terms of T-cells. Omics technologies promise to speed up vaccine development by enabling reverse vaccinology approaches. In consequence, omics technologies are powerful tools for deepening our understanding of the “superbug” S. aureus and for improving its control.

Identification of commonly expressed exoproteins and proteolytic cleavage events by proteomic mining of clinically relevant UK isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

The range of exoproteins and core exoproteome of 14 Staphylococcus aureus isolates representing major lineages associated with asymptomatic carriage and clinical disease in the UK was identified by MS proteomics using a combined database incorporating sequences derived from 39 S. aureus genomes. In all, 632 different proteins were identified and, of these, only 52 (8 %) were found in all 14 isolates whereas 144 (23 %) were found in just a single isolate. Comparison of the observed mass of each protein (based on migration by SDS-PAGE) with its predicted mass (based on amino acid sequence) suggested that 95 % of the proteins identified were not subject to any major post-translational modification. Migration of 5 % of the proteins was not as expected: 1 % of the proteins migrated at a mass greater than predicted, while 4 % appeared to have undergone proteolytic cleavage; these included SsaA2, Aur, SspP, Ebh as well as BlaR1, MecR1, FsH, OatA and LtaS. Intriguingly, a truncated SasG was produced by a single CC8 USA300-like strain. The analysis provided evidence of the marked heterogeneity in protein expression by S. aureus in broth, while yielding a core but narrow common exoproteome.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Bacterial Proteomics: Focus on Dermatologic Microbial Pathogens

The composition of human skin acts as a natural habitat for various bacterial species that function in a commensal and symbiotic fashion. In a healthy individual, bacterial flora serves to protect the host. Under certain conditions such as minor trauma, impaired host immunity, or environmental factors, the risk of developing skin infections is increased. Although a large majority of bacterial associated skin infections are common, a portion can potentially manifest into clinically significant morbidity. For example, Gram-positive species that typically reside on the skin such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus can cause numerous epidermal (impetigo, ecthyma) and dermal (cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, erysipelas) skin infections. Moreover, the increasing incidence of bacterial antibiotic resistance represents a serious challenge to modern medicine and threatens the health care system. Therefore, it is critical to develop tools and strategies that can allow us to better elucidate the nature and mechanism of bacterial virulence. To this end, mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics has been revolutionizing biomedical research, and has positively impacted the microbiology field. Advances in MS technologies have paved the way for numerous bacterial proteomes and their respective post translational modifications (PTMs) to be accurately identified and quantified in a high throughput and robust fashion. This technological platform offers critical information with regards to signal transduction, adherence, and microbial–host interactions associated with bacterial pathogenesis. This mini-review serves to highlight the current progress proteomics has contributed toward the understanding of bacteria that are associated with skin related diseases, infections, and antibiotic resistance.

Shotgun proteomics of bacterial pathogens: advances, challenges and clinical implications

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is increasingly used in analysis of bacterial pathogens. Simple experimental set-ups based on high accuracy mass spectrometry and powerful biochemical and bioinformatics tools are capable of reliably quantifying levels of several thousand bacterial proteins in a single experiment, reaching the analytical capacity to completely map whole proteomes. Here the authors present the state-of-the-art in bacterial pathogen proteomics and discuss challenges that the field is facing, especially in analysis of low abundant, modified proteins from organisms that are difficult to culture. Constant improvements in speed and sensitivity of mass spectrometers, as well as in bioinformatic and biochemical workflows will soon allow for comprehensive analysis of regulatory mechanisms of pathogenicity and enable routine application of proteomics in the clinical setting.

Life Stage-specific Proteomes of Legionella pneumophila Reveal a Highly Differential Abundance of Virulence-associated Dot/Icm effectors

Major differences in the transcriptional program underlying the phenotypic switch between exponential and post-exponential growth of Legionella pneumophila were formerly described characterizing important alterations in infection capacity. Additionally, a third state is known where the bacteria transform in a viable but nonculturable state under stress, such as starvation. We here describe phase-related proteomic changes in exponential phase (E), postexponential phase (PE) bacteria, and unculturable microcosms (UNC) containing viable but nonculturable state cells, and identify phase-specific proteins. We present data on different bacterial subproteomes of E and PE, such as soluble whole cell proteins, outer membrane-associated proteins, and extracellular proteins. In total, 1368 different proteins were identified, 922 were quantified and 397 showed differential abundance in E/PE. The quantified subproteomes of soluble whole cell proteins, outer membrane-associated proteins, and extracellular proteins; 841, 55, and 77 proteins, respectively, were visualized in Voronoi treemaps. 95 proteins were quantified exclusively in E, such as cell division proteins MreC, FtsN, FtsA, and ZipA; 33 exclusively in PE, such as motility-related proteins of flagellum biogenesis FlgE, FlgK, and FliA; and 9 exclusively in unculturable microcosms soluble whole cell proteins, such as hypothetical, as well as transport/binding-, and metabolism-related proteins. A high frequency of differentially abundant or phase-exclusive proteins was observed among the 91 quantified effectors of the major virulence-associated protein secretion system Dot/Icm (> 60%). 24 were E-exclusive, such as LepA/B, YlfA, MavG, Lpg2271, and 13 were PE-exclusive, such as RalF, VipD, Lem10. The growth phase-related specific abundance of a subset of Dot/Icm virulence effectors was confirmed by means of Western blotting. We therefore conclude that many effectors are predominantly abundant at either E or PE which suggests their phase specific function. The distinct temporal or spatial presence of such proteins might have important implications for functional assignments in the future or for use as life-stage specific markers for pathogen analysis.

Phenotypic heterogeneity and temporal expression of the capsular polysaccharide in Staphylococcus aureus

Bacteria respond to ever-changing environments through several adaptive strategies. This includes mechanisms leading to a high degree of phenotypic variability within a genetically homogeneous population. In Staphylococcus aureus, the capsular polysaccharide (CP) protects against phagocytosis, but also impedes adherence to endothelial cells and/or matrix proteins. We analysed the regulation of core biosynthesis genes (capA-P) necessary for CP synthesis using single-cell assays (immunofluorescence and promoter-activity). In persistent human carriers, we found a distinct subpopulation of nasal S. aureus to be CP positive. In vitro, cap expression is also heterogeneous and strongly growth-phase dependent. We asked whether this peculiar expression pattern (earlyOff/lateHeterogen) is orchestrated by the quorum system Agr. We show that the Agr-driven effector molecule RNAIII promotes cap expression largely via inactivation of the repressor Rot. High NaCl, deletion of CodY or Sae also resulted in higher cap expression but did not change the earlyOFF/lateHeterogen expression pattern. Activity of the quorum system itself is largely homogenous and does not account for the observed heterogeneity of cap expression or the strictly growth phase dependent expression. Our findings are in contrast to the prevailing view that quorum sensing is the main driving force for virulence gene expression when bacterial cell densities increase.

A peptide resource for the analysis of Staphylococcus aureus in host-pathogen interaction studies

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic human pathogen, which can cause life-threatening disease. Proteome analyses of the bacterium can provide new insights into its pathophysiology and important facets of metabolic adaptation and, thus, aid the recognition of targets for intervention. However, the value of such proteome studies increases with their comprehensiveness. We present an MS-driven, proteome-wide characterization of the strain S. aureus HG001. Combining 144 high precision proteomic data sets, we identified 19 109 peptides from 2088 distinct S. aureus HG001 proteins, which account for 72% of the predicted ORFs. Peptides were further characterized concerning pI, GRAVY, and detectability scores in order to understand the low peptide coverage of 8.7% (19 109 out of 220 245 theoretical peptides). The high quality peptide-centric spectra have been organized into a comprehensive peptide fragmentation library (SpectraST) and used for identification of S. aureus-typic peptides in highly complex host-pathogen interaction experiments, which significantly improved the number of identified S. aureus proteins compared to a MASCOT search. This effort now allows the elucidation of crucial pathophysiological questions in S. aureus-specific host-pathogen interaction studies through comprehensive proteome analysis. The S. aureus-specific spectra resource developed here also represents an important spectral repository for SRM or for data-independent acquisition MS approaches. All MS data have been deposited in the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD000702 (http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org/dataset/PXD000702).

A proteomic perspective of the interplay of Staphylococcus aureus and human alveolar epithelial cells during infection

Infectious diseases caused by pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus are still a major threat for human health. Proteome analyses allow detailed monitoring of the molecular interplay between pathogen and host upon internalization. However, the investigation of the responses of both partners is complicated by the large excess of host cell proteins compared to bacterial proteins as well as by the fact that only a fraction of host cells are infected. In the present study we infected human alveolar epithelial A549 cells with S. aureus HG001 pMV158GFP and separated intact bacteria from host cell debris or infected from non-infected A549 cells by cell sorting to enable detailed proteome analysis. During the first 6.5h in the intracellular milieu S. aureus displayed reduced growth rate, induction of the stringent response, adaptation to microaerobic conditions as well as cell wall stress. Interestingly, both truly infected host cells and those not infected but exposed to secreted S. aureus proteins and host cell factors showed differences in the proteome pattern compared to A549 cells which had never been in contact with S. aureus. However, adaptation reactions were more pronounced in infected compared to non-infected A549 bystander cells.

Enterococcus faecalis Glycolipids Modulate Lipoprotein-Content of the Bacterial Cell Membrane and Host Immune Response

In this study, we investigated the impact of the cell membrane composition of E. faecalis on its recognition by the host immune system. To this end, we employed an E. faecalis deletion mutant (ΔbgsA) that does not synthesize the major cell membrane glycolipid diglycosyl-diacylglycerol (DGlcDAG). Proteomic analysis revealed that 13 of a total of 21 upregulated surface-associated proteins of E. faecalis ΔbgsA were lipoproteins. This led to a total lipoprotein content in the cell membrane of 35.8% in ΔbgsA compared to only 9.4% in wild-type bacteria. Increased lipoprotein content strongly affected the recognition of ΔbgsA by mouse macrophages in vitro with an increased stimulation of TNF-α production by heat-fixed bacteria and secreted antigens. Inactivation of the prolipoprotein diacylglycerol transferase (lgt) in ΔbgsA abrogated TNF-α induction by a ΔbgsA_lgt double mutant indicating that lipoproteins mediate increased activation of mouse macrophages by ΔbgsA. Heat-fixed ΔbgsA bacteria, culture supernatant, or cell membrane lipid extract activated transfected HEK cells in a TLR2-dependent fashion; the same was not true of wild-type bacteria. In mice infected intraperitoneally with a sublethal dose of E. faecalis we observed a 70% greater mortality in mice infected with ΔbgsA compared with wild-type-infected mice. Increased mortality due to ΔbgsA infection was associated with elevated plasma levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and MIP-2. In summary, our results provide evidence that an E. faecalis mutant lacking its major bilayer forming glycolipid DGlcDAG upregulates lipoprotein expression leading to increased activation of the host innate immune system and virulence in vivo.

Quantitative and Systems-Based Approaches for Deciphering Bacterial Membrane Interactome and Gene Function

High-throughput genomic and proteomic methods provide a concise description of the molecular constituents of a cell, whereas systems biology strives to understand the way these components function as a whole. Recent developments, such as genome editing technologies and protein epitope-tagging coupled with high-sensitivity mass-spectrometry, allow systemic studies to be performed at an unprecedented scale. Available methods can be successfully applied to various goals, both expanding fundamental knowledge and solving applied problems. In this review, we discuss the present state and future of bacterial cell envelope interactomics, with a specific focus on host-pathogen interactions and drug target discovery. Both experimental and computational methods will be outlined together with examples of their practical implementation.