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Guzmán-Beltrán S, Juárez E, Cruz-Muñoz BL, Páez-Cisneros CA, Sarabia C, González Y. Bactericidal Permeability-Increasing Protein (BPI) Inhibits Mycobacterium tuberculosis Growth. Biomolecules 2024; 14:475. [PMID: 38672491 PMCID: PMC11048543 DOI: 10.3390/biom14040475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bactericidal permeability-increasing protein (BPI) is a multifunctional cationic protein produced by neutrophils, eosinophils, fibroblasts, and macrophages with antibacterial anti-inflammatory properties. In the context of Gram-negative infection, BPI kills bacteria, neutralizes the endotoxic activity of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), and, thus, avoids immune hyperactivation. Interestingly, BPI increases in patients with Gram-positive meningitis, interacts with lipopeptides and lipoteichoic acids of Gram-positive bacteria, and significantly enhances the immune response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We evaluated the antimycobacterial and immunoregulatory properties of BPI in human macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Our results showed that recombinant BPI entered macrophages, significantly reduced the intracellular growth of M. tuberculosis, and inhibited the production of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Furthermore, BPI decreased bacterial growth directly in vitro. These data suggest that BPI has direct and indirect bactericidal effects inhibiting bacterial growth and potentiating the immune response in human macrophages and support that this new protein's broad-spectrum antibacterial activity has the potential for fighting tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Guzmán-Beltrán
- Department of Microbiology, National Institute for Respiratory Diseases Ismael Cosio Villegas, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (E.J.); (B.L.C.-M.); (C.A.P.-C.); (C.S.); (Y.G.)
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2
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Neo DM, Clatworthy AE, Hung DT. A dual-plasmid CRISPR/Cas9-based method for rapid and efficient genetic disruption in Mycobacterium abscessus. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0033523. [PMID: 38319218 PMCID: PMC10955840 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00335-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus is increasingly recognized for causing infections that are notoriously difficult to treat, owing to its large arsenal of intrinsic antibiotic resistance mechanisms. Tools for the genetic manipulation of the pathogen are critical for enabling a better understanding of M. abscessus biology, pathogenesis, and antibiotic resistance mechanisms. However, existing methods are largely recombination-based, which are relatively inefficient. Meanwhile, CRISPR/Cas9 has revolutionized the field of genome editing including its recent adaptation for use in mycobacteria. In this study, we report a streamlined and efficient method for rapid genetic disruptions in M. abscessus. Harnessing the CRISPR1 loci from Streptococcus thermophilus, we have developed a dual-plasmid workflow that introduces Cas9 and sgRNA cassettes in separate steps but requires no other additional factors to engineer mutations in single genes or multiple genes simultaneously or sequentially using multiple targeting sgRNAs. Importantly, the efficiency of mutant generation is several orders of magnitude higher than reported for homologous recombination-based methods. This work, thus, reports the first application of CRISPR/Cas9 for gene editing in M. abscessus and is an important tool in the arsenal for the genetic manipulation of this human pathogen. IMPORTANCE Mycobacterium abscessus is an opportunistic pathogen of increasing clinical importance due to its poor clinical outcomes and limited treatment options. Drug discovery and development in this highly antibiotic-resistant species will require further understanding of M. abscessus biology, pathogenesis, and antibiotic resistance mechanisms. However, existing methods for facile genetic engineering are relatively inefficient. This study reports on the first application of CRISPR/Cas9 for gene editing in M. abscessus using a dual-plasmid workflow. We establish that our method is easily programmable, efficient, and versatile for genetic disruptions in M. abscessus. This is a critical advancement to facilitating targeted gene function studies in this emerging pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donavan Marcus Neo
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anne E. Clatworthy
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Deborah T. Hung
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Wang C, Ren YY, Han LM, Yi PC, Wang WX, Zhang CY, Chen XZ, Chi MZ, Wang A, Chen W, Hu CM. ApoE Mimetic Peptide COG1410 Kills Mycobacterium smegmatis via Directly Interfering ClpC's ATPase Activity. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:278. [PMID: 38534713 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13030278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hold promise as alternatives to combat bacterial infections, addressing the urgent global threat of antibiotic resistance. COG1410, a synthetic peptide derived from apolipoprotein E, has exhibited potent antimicrobial properties against various bacterial strains, including Mycobacterium smegmatis. However, our study reveals a previously unknown resistance mechanism developed by M. smegmatis against COG1410 involving ClpC. Upon subjecting M. smegmatis to serial passages in the presence of sub-MIC COG1410, resistance emerged. The comparative genomic analysis identified a point mutation in ClpC (S437P), situated within its middle domain, which led to high resistance to COG1410 without compromising bacterial fitness. Complementation of ClpC in mutant restored bacterial sensitivity. In-depth analyses, including transcriptomic profiling and in vitro assays, uncovered that COG1410 interferes with ClpC at both transcriptional and functional levels. COG1410 not only stimulated the ATPase activity of ClpC but also enhanced the proteolytic activity of Clp protease. SPR analysis confirmed that COG1410 directly binds with ClpC. Surprisingly, the identified S437P mutation did not impact their binding affinity. This study sheds light on a unique resistance mechanism against AMPs in mycobacteria, highlighting the pivotal role of ClpC in this process. Unraveling the interplay between COG1410 and ClpC enriches our understanding of AMP-bacterial interactions, offering potential insights for developing innovative strategies to combat antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Wang
- Department of Tuberculosis, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Yun-Yao Ren
- Clinical Research Center, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Li-Mei Han
- Department of Tuberculosis, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Yi
- Department of Tuberculosis, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Wei-Xiao Wang
- Clinical Research Center, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Cai-Yun Zhang
- Clinical Research Center, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Xiu-Zhen Chen
- Clinical Research Center, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Ming-Zhe Chi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Apeng Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Clinical Research Center, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Chun-Mei Hu
- Department of Tuberculosis, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
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Sao Emani C, Reiling N. The efflux pumps Rv1877 and Rv0191 play differential roles in the protection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis against chemical stress. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1359188. [PMID: 38516013 PMCID: PMC10956863 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1359188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background It was previously shown that GlnA3sc enabled Streptomyces coelicolor to survive in excess polyamines. However, subsequent studies revealed that Rv1878, the corresponding Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) ortholog, was not essential for the detoxification of spermine (Spm), in M.tb. On the other hand, the multi-drug efflux pump Rv1877 was previously shown to enable export of a wide range of compounds, while Rv0191 was shown to be more specific to chloramphenicol. Rationale Therefore, we first wanted to determine if detoxification of Spm by efflux can be achieved by any efflux pump, or if that was dependent upon the function of the pump. Next, since Rv1878 was found not to be essential for the detoxification of Spm, we sought to follow-up on the investigation of the physiological role of Rv1878 along with Rv1877 and Rv0191. Approach To evaluate the specificity of efflux pumps in the mycobacterial tolerance to Spm, we generated unmarked ∆rv1877 and ∆rv0191 M.tb mutants and evaluated their susceptibility to Spm. To follow up on the investigation of any other physiological roles they may have, we characterized them along with the ∆rv1878 M.tb mutant. Results The ∆rv1877 mutant was sensitive to Spm stress, while the ∆rv0191 mutant was not. On the other hand, the ∆rv1878 mutant grew better than the wild-type during iron starvation yet was sensitive to cell wall stress. The proteins Rv1877 and Rv1878 seemed to play physiological roles during hypoxia and acidic stress. Lastly, the ∆rv0191 mutant was the only mutant that was sensitive to oxidative stress. Conclusion The multidrug MFS-type efflux pump Rv1877 is required for Spm detoxification, as opposed to Rv0191 which seems to play a more specific role. Moreover, Rv1878 seems to play a role in the regulation of iron homeostasis and the reconstitution of the cell wall of M.tb. On the other hand, the sensitivity of the ∆rv0191 mutant to oxidative stress, suggests that Rv0191 may be responsible for the transport of low molecular weight thiols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine Sao Emani
- Microbial Interface Biology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Norbert Reiling
- Microbial Interface Biology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
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5
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Gerstenmaier L, Colasanti O, Behrens H, Kolonko M, Hammann C, Hagedorn M. Recruitment of both the ESCRT and autophagic machineries to ejecting Mycobacterium marinum. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:385-393. [PMID: 37230756 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Cytosolic Mycobacterium marinum are ejected from host cells such as macrophages or the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum in a non-lytic fashion. As described previously, the autophagic machinery is recruited to ejecting bacteria and supports host cell integrity during egress. Here, we show that the ESCRT machinery is also recruited to ejecting bacteria, partially dependent on an intact autophagic pathway. As such, the AAA-ATPase Vps4 shows a distinct localization at the ejectosome structure in comparison to fluorescently tagged Vps32, Tsg101 and Alix. Along the bacterium engaged in ejection, ESCRT and the autophagic component Atg8 show partial colocalization. We hypothesize that both, the ESCRT and autophagic machinery localize to the bacterium as part of a membrane damage response, as well as part of a "frustrated autophagosome" that is unable to engulf the ejecting bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hannah Behrens
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Margot Kolonko
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Hammann
- Ribogenetics Biochemistry Lab, Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
- Health and Medical University, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Monica Hagedorn
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Ribogenetics Biochemistry Lab, Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
- Health and Medical University, Potsdam, Germany
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6
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Sao Emani C, Reiling N. Spermine enhances the activity of anti-tuberculosis drugs. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0356823. [PMID: 38095461 PMCID: PMC10782994 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03568-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This is the first study that attempted to demonstrate the mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by spermine (Spm) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). Furthermore, this is the first study to demonstrate that it is able to enhance the activity of currently available and World Health Organization (WHO)-approved tuberculosis (TB) drugs. Spermine can easily be obtained since it is already found in our diet. Moreover, as opposed to conventional antibiotics, it is less toxic to humans since it is found in millimolar concentrations in the body. Finally, with the difficulty of curing TB with conventional antibiotics, this study suggests that less toxic molecules, such as Spm, could in a long-term perspective be incorporated in a TB regimen to boost the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine Sao Emani
- Microbial Interface Biology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Norbert Reiling
- Microbial Interface Biology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
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7
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Shallom SJ, Tettelin H, Chandrasekaran P, Park IK, Agrawal S, Arora K, Sadzewicz L, Milstone AM, Aitken ML, Brown-Elliott BA, Wallace RJ, Sampaio EP, Niederweis M, Olivier KN, Holland SM, Zelazny AM. Evolution of Mycobacterium abscessus in the human lung: Cumulative mutations and genomic rearrangement of porin genes in patient isolates. Virulence 2023; 14:2215602. [PMID: 37221835 PMCID: PMC10243398 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2215602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies massiliense (M. massiliense) is increasingly recognized as an emerging bacterial pathogen, particularly in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and CF centres' respiratory outbreaks. We characterized genomic and phenotypic changes in 15 serial isolates from two CF patients (1S and 2B) with chronic pulmonary M. massiliense infection leading to death, as well as four isolates from a CF centre outbreak in which patient 2B was the index case. RESULTS Comparative genomic analysis revealed the mutations affecting growth rate, metabolism, transport, lipids (loss of glycopeptidolipids), antibiotic susceptibility (macrolides and aminoglycosides resistance), and virulence factors. Mutations in 23S rRNA, mmpL4, porin locus and tetR genes occurred in isolates from both CF patients. Interestingly, we identified two different spontaneous mutation events at the mycobacterial porin locus: a fusion of two tandem porin paralogs in patient 1S and a partial deletion of the first porin paralog in patient 2B. These genomic changes correlated with reduced porin protein expression, diminished 14C-glucose uptake, slower bacterial growth rates, and enhanced TNF-α induction in mycobacteria-infected THP-1 human cells. Porin gene complementation of porin mutants partly restored 14C-glucose uptake, growth rate and TNF-α levels to those of intact porin strains. CONCLUSIONS We hypothesize that specific mutations accumulated and maintained over time in M. massiliense, including mutations shared among transmissible strains, collectively lead to more virulent, host adapted lineages in CF patients and other susceptible hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamira J. Shallom
- Microbiology Service, Department of Laboratory Medicine (DLM), Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hervé Tettelin
- Institute for Genome Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Prabha Chandrasekaran
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases (LCID), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - In Kwon Park
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases (LCID), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sonia Agrawal
- Institute for Genome Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kriti Arora
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases (LCID), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lisa Sadzewicz
- Institute for Genome Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aaron M. Milstone
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Moira L. Aitken
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Richard J. Wallace
- Mycobacteria/Nocardia Laboratory, University of Texas Health Science Center, Tyler, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth P. Sampaio
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases (LCID), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Kenneth N. Olivier
- Laboratory of Chronic Airway Infection, Pulmonary Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Steven M. Holland
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases (LCID), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Adrian M. Zelazny
- Microbiology Service, Department of Laboratory Medicine (DLM), Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Schwarz MGA, Correa PR, Almeida PSL, Mendonça-Lima L. Mycobacterium bovis BCG dodecin gene codes a functional protein despite of a start codon mutation. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2023; 143:102400. [PMID: 37672955 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2023.102400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Dodecin is a dodecamer involved in flavin homeostasis, with interesting temperature and osmolarity endurance features in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the gene's start codon in BCG, converting ATG to ACG, is predicted to generate a N-terminal shorter isoform, lacking the first 7 amino acids. We previously reported that the shortened recombinant protein has reduced extremophilic features. Here we investigate if within the mycobacterial context dodecin can be produced from both alleles, carrying ATG and ACG start codons. Reporter gene assays using mcherry cloned downstream and in phase to both M.tb and BCG "upstream" regions confirms production of functional proteins. Complementation with both dod alleles similarly enhances M. smegmatis growth after entry into logarithmic phase and exposure to hydrogen peroxide, possibly implicating this protein in oxidative stress response mechanisms. Altogether these data indicate that BCG dodecin is indeed produced, notwithstanding in lower levels compared to M.tb, conferring similar phenotypes, even with the SNP altering the M.tb ATG start codon to the BCG ACG. This protein might be an interesting drug target for the development of new therapeutics against tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paloma Rezende Correa
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Paula Silva Lacerda Almeida
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Leila Mendonça-Lima
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Fufaeva SR, Dovbnya DV, Ivashina TV, Shutov AA, Donova MV. Reconstruction of the Steroid 1(2)-Dehydrogenation System from Nocardioides simplex VKM Ac-2033D in Mycolicibacterium Hosts. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2720. [PMID: 38004731 PMCID: PMC10672877 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11112720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial 1(2)-dehydrogenation of 3-ketosteroids is an important basis for the production of many steroid pharmaceuticals and synthons. When using the wild-type strains for whole cell catalysis, the undesirable reduction of the 20-carbonyl group, or 1(2)-hydrogenation, was observed. In this work, the recombinant strains of Mycolicibacterium neoaurum and Mycolicibacterium smegmatis were constructed with blocked endogenous activity of 3-ketosteroid-9α-hydroxylase, 3-ketosteroid-1(2)-dehydrogenase (3-KSD), and expressing 3-KSD encoded by the gene KR76_27125 (kstD2NS) from Nocardioides simplex VKM Ac-2033D. The in vivo activity of the obtained recombinant strains against phytosterol, 6α-methyl-hydrocortisone, and hydrocortisone was studied. When using M. smegmatis as the host strain, the 1(2)-dehydrogenation activity of the constructed recombinant cells towards hydrocortisone was noticeably higher compared to those on the platform of M. neoaurum. A comparison of the strengths of inducible acetamidase and constitutive hsp60 promoters in M. smegmatis provided comparable results. Hydrocortisone biotransformation by M. smegmatis BD/pMhsp_k expressing kstD2NS resulted in 95.4% prednisolone yield, and the selectivity preferred that for N. simplex. Mycolicibacteria showed increased hydrocortisone degradation at 35 °C compared to 30 °C. The presence of endogenous steroid catabolism in Mycolicibacterium hosts does not seem to confer an advantage for the functioning of KstD2NS. The results allow for the evaluation of the prospects for the development of simple technological methods for the selective 1(2)-dehydrogenation of 3-ketosteroids by growing bacterial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Marina V. Donova
- G. K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, “Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, 142290 Pushchino, Russia; (S.R.F.); (D.V.D.); (T.V.I.); (A.A.S.)
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10
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Kümpel C, Grein F, Dahl C. Fluorescence Microscopy Study of the Intracellular Sulfur Globule Protein SgpD in the Purple Sulfur Bacterium Allochromatium vinosum. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1792. [PMID: 37512964 PMCID: PMC10386293 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
When oxidizing reduced sulfur compounds, the phototrophic sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum forms spectacular sulfur globules as obligatory intracellular-but extracytoplasmic-intermediates. The globule envelope consists of three extremely hydrophobic proteins: SgpA and SgpB, which are very similar and can functionally replace each other, and SgpC which is involved in the expansion of the sulfur globules. The presence of a fourth protein, SgpD, was suggested by comparative transcriptomics and proteomics of purified sulfur globules. Here, we investigated the in vivo function of SgpD by coupling its carboxy-terminus to mCherry. This fluorescent protein requires oxygen for chromophore maturation, but we were able to use it in anaerobically growing A. vinosum provided the cells were exposed to oxygen for one hour prior to imaging. While mCherry lacking a signal peptide resulted in low fluorescence evenly distributed throughout the cell, fusion with SgpD carrying its original Sec-dependent signal peptide targeted mCherry to the periplasm and co-localized it exactly with the highly light-refractive sulfur deposits seen in sulfide-fed A. vinosum cells. Insertional inactivation of the sgpD gene showed that the protein is not essential for the formation and degradation of sulfur globules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Kümpel
- Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Fabian Grein
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Mikrobiologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 16, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Christiane Dahl
- Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
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11
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Smirnov A, Daily KP, Gray MC, Ragland SA, Werner LM, Brittany Johnson M, Eby JC, Hewlett EL, Taylor RP, Criss AK. Phagocytosis via complement receptor 3 enables microbes to evade killing by neutrophils. J Leukoc Biol 2023; 114:1-20. [PMID: 36882066 PMCID: PMC10949953 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiad028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
CR3 (CD11b/CD18; αmβ2 integrin) is a conserved phagocytic receptor. The active conformation of CR3 binds the iC3b fragment of complement C3 as well as many host and microbial ligands, leading to actin-dependent phagocytosis. There are conflicting reports about how CR3 engagement affects the fate of phagocytosed substrates. Using imaging flow cytometry, we confirmed that binding and internalization of iC3b-opsonized polystyrene beads by primary human neutrophils was CR3-dependent. iC3b-opsonized beads did not stimulate neutrophil reactive oxygen species, and most beads were found in primary granule-negative phagosomes. Similarly, Neisseria gonorrhoeae that does not express phase-variable Opa proteins suppresses neutrophil reactive oxygen species and delays phagolysosome formation. Here, binding and internalization of Opa-deleted (Δopa) N. gonorrhoeae by adherent human neutrophils was inhibited using blocking antibodies against CR3 and by adding neutrophil inhibitory factor, which targets the CD11b I-domain. No detectable C3 was deposited on N. gonorrhoeae in the presence of neutrophils alone. Conversely, overexpressing CD11b in HL-60 promyelocytes enhanced Δopa N. gonorrhoeae phagocytosis, which required the CD11b I-domain. Phagocytosis of N. gonorrhoeae was also inhibited in mouse neutrophils that were CD11b-deficient or treated with anti-CD11b. Phorbol ester treatment upregulated surface CR3 on neutrophils in suspension, enabling CR3-dependent phagocytosis of Δopa N. gonorrhoeae. Neutrophils exposed to Δopa N. gonorrhoeae had limited phosphorylation of Erk1/2, p38, and JNK. Neutrophil phagocytosis of unopsonized Mycobacterium smegmatis, which also resides in immature phagosomes, was CR3-dependent and did not elicit reactive oxygen species. We suggest that CR3-mediated phagocytosis is a silent mode of entry into neutrophils, which is appropriated by diverse pathogens to subvert phagocytic killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asya Smirnov
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology
| | | | - Mary C. Gray
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology
| | | | | | | | - Joshua C. Eby
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine
| | - Erik L. Hewlett
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine
| | - Ronald P. Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine
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12
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Baatjies L, van Rensberg IC, Snyders C, Gutschmidt A, Loxton AG, Williams MJ. Investigating Mycobacterium tuberculosis sufR (rv1460) in vitro and ex vivo expression and immunogenicity. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286965. [PMID: 37319185 PMCID: PMC10270350 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is vital metal for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, survival, and persistence within its human host. The mobilization of sulphur (SUF) operon encodes the primary iron-sulphur (Fe-S) biogenesis system in M. tuberculosis and is induced during iron limitation and intracellular growth of M. tuberculosis, pointing to its importance during infection. To study sufR expression at single cell level during intracellular growth of M. tuberculosis a fluorescent reporter was generated by cloning a 123 bp sufR promoter region upstream of a promotorless mcherry gene in an integrating vector. Expression analysis and fluorescence measurements during in vitro culture revealed that the reporter was useful for measuring induction of the promoter but was unable to detect subsequent repression due to the stability of mCherry. During intracellular growth in THP-1 macrophages, increased fluorescence was observed in the strain harbouring the reporter relative to the control strain, however this induction was only observed in a small sub-set of the population. Since SufR levels are predicted to be elevated during infection we hypothesize that it is immunogenic and may induce an immune response in M. tuberculosis infected individuals. The immune response elicited by SufR for both whole blood assay (WBA, a short term 12-hr stimulation to characterise the production of cytokines/growth factors suggestive of an effector response) and lymphocyte proliferation assay (LPA, a longer term 7-day stimulation to see if SufR induces a memory type immune response) were low and did not show a strong immune response for the selected Luminex analytes (MCP-1, RANTES, IL-1b, IL-8, MIP-1b, IFN-g, IL-6 and MMP-9) measured in three clinical groups, namely active TB, QuantiFERON positive (QFN pos) and QFN negative (QFN neg) individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucinda Baatjies
- Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)-National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ilana C. van Rensberg
- Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)-National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Candice Snyders
- Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)-National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andrea Gutschmidt
- Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)-National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andre G. Loxton
- Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)-National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Monique J. Williams
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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13
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Kapp E, Calitz H, Streicher EM, Dippenaar A, Egieyeh S, Jordaan A, Warner DF, Joubert J, Malan SF, Sampson SL. Discovery and biological evaluation of an adamantyl-amide derivative with likely MmpL3 inhibitory activity. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2023; 141:102350. [PMID: 37244249 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2023.102350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
A series of molecules containing bulky lipophilic scaffolds was screened for activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a number of compounds with antimycobacterial activity were identified. The most active compound, (2E)-N-(adamantan-1-yl)-3-phenylprop-2-enamide (C1), has a low micromolar minimum inhibitory concentration, low cytotoxicity (therapeutic index = 32.26), low mutation frequency and is active against intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Whole genome sequencing of mutants resistant to C1 showed a mutation in mmpL3 which may point to the involvement of MmpL3 in the antimycobacterial activity of the compound. In silico mutagenesis and molecular modelling studies were performed to better understand the binding of C1 within MmpL3 and the role that the specific mutation may play in the interaction at protein level. These analyses revealed that the mutation increases the energy required for binding of C1 within the protein translocation channel of MmpL3. The mutation also decreases the solvation energy of the protein, suggesting that the mutant protein might be more solvent-accessible, thereby restricting its interaction with other molecules. The results reported here describe a new molecule that may interact with the MmpL3 protein, providing insights into the effect of mutations on protein-ligand interactions and enhancing our understanding of this essential protein as a priority drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Kapp
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; University of the Western Cape, Private Bag x17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa.
| | - Hanri Calitz
- DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research/South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, P.O. Box 241, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
| | - Elizabeth M Streicher
- DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research/South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, P.O. Box 241, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
| | - Anzaan Dippenaar
- DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research/South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, P.O. Box 241, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa; Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Gouverneur Kinsbergencentrum, Doornstraat 331, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Samuel Egieyeh
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; University of the Western Cape, Private Bag x17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa.
| | - Audrey Jordaan
- Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Digby F Warner
- Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Jacques Joubert
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; University of the Western Cape, Private Bag x17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa.
| | - Sarel F Malan
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; University of the Western Cape, Private Bag x17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa.
| | - Samantha L Sampson
- DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research/South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, P.O. Box 241, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
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14
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Pisu D, Russell DG. Protocol for multi-modal single-cell RNA sequencing on M. tuberculosis-infected mouse lungs. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102102. [PMID: 36853694 PMCID: PMC9937979 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
To elucidate how different immune cells contribute to control or progression of M. tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, we developed a technique to perform multi-modal single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) from in vivo Mtb-infected lung macrophages. This protocol simultaneously acquires the transcriptome, surface marker expression, and bacterial phenotype of each infected cell. We describe steps for sorting Mtb-infected cells and staining with CITE-seq antibodies, as well as for methanol fixation and generation of scRNA-seq libraries. This protocol can be used on tissues derived from murine, nonhuman primate, and human infections. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Pisu et al. (2021).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Pisu
- Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - David G Russell
- Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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15
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Haubenthal T, Hansen P, Krämer I, Gindt M, Jünger-Leif A, Utermöhlen O, Haas A. Specific preadaptations of Rhodococcus equi cooperate with its Virulence-associated protein A during macrophage infection. Mol Microbiol 2023; 119:285-301. [PMID: 36627747 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Gram-positive Rhodococcus equi (Prescotella equi) is a lung pathogen of foals and immunocompromised humans. Intra-macrophage multiplication requires production of the bacterial Virulence-associated protein A (VapA) which is released into the phagosome lumen. VapA pH-neutralizes intracellular compartments allowing R. equi to multiply in an atypical macrophage phagolysosome. Here, we show that VapA does not support intra-macrophage growth of several other bacterial species demonstrating that only few bacteria have the specific preadaptations needed to profit from VapA. We show that the closest relative of R. equi, environmental Rhodococcus defluvii (Prescotella defluvii), does not multiply in macrophages at 37°C even when VapA is present because of its thermosensitivity but it does so once the infection temperature is lowered providing rare experimental evidence for 'thermal restriction'. Using growth experiments with isolated macrophage lysosomes and modified infection schemes we provide evidence that R. equi resists the attack by phagolysosome contents at low pH for several hours. During this time, R. equi produces and secretes VapA which enables it to grow at the expense of lysosome constituents. We present arguments that, under natural infection conditions, R. equi is VapA-less during the initial encounter with the host. This has important implications for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philipp Hansen
- Institute for Cell Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ina Krämer
- Institute for Cell Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mélanie Gindt
- Institute for Cell Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Olaf Utermöhlen
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - Albert Haas
- Institute for Cell Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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16
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Prombutara P, Adriansyah Putra Siregar T, Laopanupong T, Kanjanasirirat P, Khumpanied T, Borwornpinyo S, Rai A, Chaiprasert A, Palittapongarnpim P, Ponpuak M. Host cell transcriptomic response to the multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clonal outbreak Beijing strain reveals its pathogenic features. Virulence 2022; 13:1810-1826. [PMID: 36242542 PMCID: PMC9578452 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2135268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The upsurge of multidrug-resistant infections has rendered tuberculosis the principal cause of death among infectious diseases. A clonal outbreak multidrug-resistant triggering strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified in Kanchanaburi Province, labelled "MKR superspreader," which was found to subsequently spread to other regions, as revealed by prior epidemiological reports in Thailand. Herein, we showed that the MKR displayed a higher growth rate upon infection into host macrophages in comparison with the H37Rv reference strain. To further elucidate MKR's biology, we utilized RNA-Seq and differential gene expression analyses to identify host factors involved in the intracellular viability of the MKR. A set of host genes function in the cellular response to lipid pathway was found to be uniquely up-regulated in host macrophages infected with the MKR, but not those infected with H37Rv. Within this set of genes, the IL-36 cytokines which regulate host cell cholesterol metabolism and resistance against mycobacteria attracted our interest, as our previous study revealed that the MKR elevated genes associated with cholesterol breakdown during its growth inside host macrophages. Indeed, when comparing macrophages infected with the MKR to H37Rv-infected cells, our RNA-Seq data showed that the expression ratio of IL-36RN, the negative regulator of the IL-36 pathway, to that of IL-36G was greater in macrophages infected with the MKR. Furthermore, the MKR's intracellular survival and increased intracellular cholesterol level in the MKR-infected macrophages were diminished with decreased IL-36RN expression. Overall, our results indicated that IL-36RN could serve as a new target against this emerging multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinidphon Prombutara
- Omics Sciences and Bioinformatics Center, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Microbiome Research Unit for Probiotics in Food and Cosmetics, Faculty of Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tegar Adriansyah Putra Siregar
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia
| | - Thanida Laopanupong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Tanawadee Khumpanied
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suparerk Borwornpinyo
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Awantika Rai
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Angkana Chaiprasert
- Drug-Resistance Tuberculosis Research Fund, Siriraj Foundation, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Prasit Palittapongarnpim
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pratumthani, Thailand
| | - Marisa Ponpuak
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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17
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Trousil J, Dal NJK, Fenaroli F, Schlachet I, Kubíčková P, Janoušková O, Pavlova E, Škorič M, Trejbalová K, Pavliš O, Sosnik A. Antibiotic-Loaded Amphiphilic Chitosan Nanoparticles Target Macrophages and Kill an Intracellular Pathogen. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2201853. [PMID: 35691939 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202201853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this work, levofloxacin (LVX), a third-generation fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is encapsulated within amphiphilic polymeric nanoparticles of a chitosan-g-poly(methyl methacrylate) produced by self-assembly and physically stabilized by ionotropic crosslinking with sodium tripolyphosphate. Non-crosslinked nanoparticles display a size of 29 nm and a zeta-potential of +36 mV, while the crosslinked counterparts display 45 nm and +24 mV, respectively. The cell compatibility, uptake, and intracellular trafficking are characterized in the murine alveolar macrophage cell line MH-S and the human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B in vitro. Internalization events are detected after 10 min and the uptake is inhibited by several endocytosis inhibitors, indicating the involvement of complex endocytic pathways. In addition, the nanoparticles are detected in the lysosomal compartment. Then, the antibacterial efficacy of LVX-loaded nanoformulations (50% w/w drug content) is assessed in MH-S and BEAS-2B cells infected with Staphylococcus aureus and the bacterial burden is decreased by 49% and 46%, respectively. In contrast, free LVX leads to a decrease of 8% and 5%, respectively, in the same infected cell lines. Finally, intravenous injection to a zebrafish larval model shows that the nanoparticles accumulate in macrophages and endothelium and demonstrate the promise of these amphiphilic nanoparticles to target intracellular infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Trousil
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 162 00, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Inbar Schlachet
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Nanomaterials Science, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Pavla Kubíčková
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Janoušková
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 162 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of J. E. Purkyně, Ústí nad Labem, 400 96, Czech Republic
| | - Ewa Pavlova
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 162 00, Czech Republic
| | - Miša Škorič
- Department of Pathological Morphology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, 612 42, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Trejbalová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 142 20, Czech Republic
| | - Oto Pavliš
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Alejandro Sosnik
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Nanomaterials Science, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
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18
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Dawson CC, Cummings JE, Starkey JM, Slayden RA. Discovery of a novel type IIb RelBE toxin-antitoxin system in Mycobacterium tuberculosis defined by co-regulation with an antisense RNA. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:1419-1433. [PMID: 35526138 PMCID: PMC9325379 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Toxin‐antitoxin loci regulate adaptive responses to stresses associated with the host environment and drug exposure. Phylogenomic studies have shown that Mycobacterium tuberculosis encodes a naturally expanded type II toxin‐antitoxin system, including ParDE/RelBE superfamily members. Type II toxins are presumably regulated exclusively through protein–protein interactions with type II antitoxins. However, experimental observations in M. tuberculosis indicated that additional control mechanisms regulate RelBE2 type II loci under host‐associated stress conditions. Herein, we describe for the first time a novel antisense RNA, termed asRelE2, that co‐regulates RelE2 production via targeted processing by the Mtb RNase III, Rnc. We find that convergent expression of this coding‐antisense hybrid TA locus, relBE2‐asrelE2, is controlled in a cAMP‐dependent manner by the essential cAMP receptor protein transcription factor, Crp, in response to the host‐associated stresses of low pH and nutrient limitation. Ex vivo survival studies with relE2 and asrelE2 knockout strains showed that RelE2 contributes to Mtb survival in activated macrophages and low pH to nutrient limitation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a novel tripartite type IIb TA loci and antisense post‐transcriptional regulation of a type II TA loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton C Dawson
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.,Endolytix Technology, Inc. Beverly, 01915
| | - Jason E Cummings
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
| | - Julie M Starkey
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
| | - Richard A Slayden
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
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19
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Yeware A, Akhtar S, Sarkar D. Probes and techniques used in active and the hypoxia-based dormant state of an antitubercular drug screening assay. MEDICINE IN DRUG DISCOVERY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medidd.2021.100115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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20
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Kevorkian YL, MacGilvary NJ, Giacalone D, Johnson C, Tan S. Rv0500A is a transcription factor that links Mycobacterium tuberculosis environmental response with division and impacts host colonization. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:1048-1062. [PMID: 35167150 PMCID: PMC9382876 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
For Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) to successfully infect a host, it must be able to adapt to changes in its microenvironment, including to variations in ionic signals such as pH and chloride (Cl- ), and link these responses to its growth. Transcriptional changes are a key mechanism for Mtb environmental adaptation, and we identify here Rv0500A as a novel transcriptional regulator that links Mtb environmental response and division processes. Global transcriptional profiling revealed that Rv0500A acts as a repressor and influences the expression of genes related to division, with the magnitude of its effect modulated by pH and Cl- . Rv0500A can directly bind the promoters of several of these target genes, and we identify key residues required for its DNA-binding ability and biological effect. Overexpression of rv0500A disrupted Mtb growth morphology, resulting in filamentation that was exacerbated by high environmental Cl- levels and acidic pH. Finally, we show that perturbation of rv0500A leads to attenuation of the ability of Mtb to colonize its host in vivo. Our work highlights the important link between Mtb environmental response and growth characteristics, and uncovers a new transcription factor involved in this critical facet of Mtb biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzo L Kevorkian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nathan J MacGilvary
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Giacalone
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Calvin Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shumin Tan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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21
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A Red Fluorescent Protein Reporter System Developed for Measuring Gene Expression in Photosynthetic Bacteria under Anaerobic Conditions. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020201. [PMID: 35208656 PMCID: PMC8880563 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020201] [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: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris converts nitrogen gas (N2) to fertilizer ammonia (NH3) and also produces clean energy hydrogen gas (H2) from protons (H+) when it is grown anaerobically in nitrogen fixing medium with illumination, a condition that promotes the expression of active nitrogenase. Compared with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and the lacZ reporter system, two methods commonly used for in vivo study of nitrogenase regulation in photosynthetic bacteria, the fluorescent protein reporter system has advantages in terms of its simplicity and sensitivity. However, little is known concerning if the fluorescent protein reporter system can be used in bacterial cells that need to grow anaerobically. Here, we developed an RFP-based method to measure the nitrogenase gene expression in photosynthetic bacteria grown anaerobically. This method was able to determine the levels of both the genome-based and the plasmid-based nitrogenase expression under anaerobic conditions, providing a better method for in vivo study of gene expression affected by oxygen. The RFP reporter system developed here will promote a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of nitrogenase regulation and will be used on other genes of interest in a wider range of anaerobic bacteria.
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22
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Mendauletova A, Latham JA. Biosynthesis of the redox cofactor mycofactocin is controlled by the transcriptional regulator MftR and induced by long-chain acyl-CoA species. J Biol Chem 2021; 298:101474. [PMID: 34896395 PMCID: PMC8728441 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycofactocin (MFT) is a ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally-modified redox cofactor found in pathogenic mycobacteria. While MFT biosynthetic proteins have been extensively characterized, the physiological conditions under which MFT biosynthesis is required are not well understood. To gain insights into the mechanisms of regulation of MFT expression in Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155, we investigated the DNA-binding and ligand-binding activities of the putative TetR-like transcription regulator, MftR. In this study, we demonstrated that MftR binds to the mft promoter region. We used DNase I footprinting to identify the 27 bp palindromic operator located 5′ to mftA and found it to be highly conserved in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium ulcerans, and Mycobacterium marinum. To determine under which conditions the mft biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) is induced, we screened for effectors of MftR. As a result, we found that MftR binds to long-chain acyl-CoAs with low micromolar affinities. To demonstrate that oleoyl-CoA induces the mft BGC in vivo, we re-engineered a fluorescent protein reporter system to express an MftA–mCherry fusion protein. Using this mCherry fluorescent readout, we show that the mft BGC is upregulated in M. smegmatis mc2155 when oleic acid is supplemented to the media. These results suggest that MftR controls expression of the mft BGC and that MFT production is induced by long-chain acyl-CoAs. Since MFT-dependent dehydrogenases are known to colocalize with acyl carrier protein/CoA-modifying enzymes, these results suggest that MFT might be critical for fatty acid metabolism or cell wall reorganization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aigera Mendauletova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - John A Latham
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA.
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23
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Cloete R, Shahbaaz M, Grobbelaar M, Sampson SL, Christoffels A. In silico repurposing of a Novobiocin derivative for activity against latency associated Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug target nicotinate-nucleotide adenylyl transferase (Rv2421c). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259348. [PMID: 34727137 PMCID: PMC8562812 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinamide-nucleotide adenylyl transferase (Rv2421c) was selected as a potential drug target, because it has been shown, in vitro, to be essential for Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth. It is conserved between mycobacterium species, is up-regulated during dormancy, has a known 3D crystal structure and has no known human homologs. A model of Rv2421c in complex with nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide and magnesium ion was constructed and subject tovirtual ligand screening against the Prestwick Chemical Library and the ZINC database, which yielded 155 potential hit molecules. Of the 155 compounds identified five were pursued further using an IC50 based 3D-QSAR study. The 3D-QSAR model validated the inhibition properties of the five compounds based on R2 value of 0.895 and Q2 value of 0.944 compared to known inhibitors of Rv2421c. Higher binding affinities was observed for the novel ZINC13544129 and two FDA approved compounds (Novobiocin sodium salt, Sulfasalazine). Similarly, the total interaction energy was found to be the highest for Cromolyn disodium system (-418.88 kJ/mol) followed by Novobiocin (-379.19 kJ/mol) and Sulfasalazine with (-330.13 kJ/mol) compared to substrate DND having (-185.52 kJ/mol). Subsequent in vitro testing of the five compounds identified Novobiocin sodium salt with activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis at 50 μM, 25μM and weakly at 10μM concentrations. Novobiocin salt interacts with a MG ion and active site residues His20, Thr86, Gly107 and Leu164 similar to substrate DND of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2421c. Additional in silico structural analysis of known Novobiocin sodium salt derivatives against Rv2421c suggest Coumermycin as a promising alternative for the treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis based on large number of hydrogen bond interactions with Rv2421c similar in comparison to Novobiocin salt and substrate DND.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Cloete
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Mohd Shahbaaz
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Melanie Grobbelaar
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Samantha L. Sampson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Alan Christoffels
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
- * E-mail:
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Yang Y, Zhang W, Huan H, Xia W, Chen Y, Wang P, Liu Y. Construction of an Integrated mCherry Red Fluorescent Protein Expression System for Labeling and Tracing in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCFS1. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:690270. [PMID: 34239511 PMCID: PMC8258168 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.690270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Thorough intestinal adhesion and colonization greatly promote the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Labeling and tracing with fluorescent proteins are effective and reliable for studying the in vivo physiological activities of LAB including localization, adhesion, and colonization. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCFS1 was successfully traced with a red fluorescent protein (RFP), which was expressed by the bacteria-carrying recombinant plasmids. In this study, we aimed to construct a stable RFP mCherry expression system, whose encoding gene was integrated into the bacterial chromosome via double-crossed homologous recombination, and use it for labeling WCFS1 with the goal of avoiding the potential loss of non-chromosomal plasmids along with intestinal growth. First, the constitutive expression of the mCherry protein was improved after adjusting the length of the spacer between the promoter and the gene start codon. Then, the optimized mCherry gene expression cassette was integrated into the chromosome of WCFS1. The resulting strain had normal unimpaired growth and strong fluorescent signals, even after 100 generations, indicating its stability. Furthermore, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results revealed a strong positive correlation between the fluorescence intensity of the strain and the number of viable cells, demonstrating its potential usage for the quantification of in vivo WCFS1 cells. Finally, the increased adhesion ability of WCFS1 due to the recombinant expression of the bsh gene was visualized and evaluated using fluorescence intensity, the results of which were consistent with those obtained using the previously established quantification methods. These results suggest that the chromosomal-integrated mCherry labeling system can be extensively used to examine the distribution, colonization, and survival of LAB in vivo in order to determine the mechanism of its probiotic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Yang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hailin Huan
- Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenxu Xia
- Geneception (Shanghai) Bio-technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Chen
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peijuan Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanrong Liu
- Nanjing Institute of Product Quality Inspection, Nanjing, China
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25
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Developing synergistic drug combinations to restore antibiotic sensitivity in drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:AAC.02554-20. [PMID: 33619062 PMCID: PMC8092878 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02554-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading global cause of mortality owing to an infectious agent, accounting for almost one-third of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) deaths annually. We aimed to identify synergistic anti-TB drug combinations with the capacity to restore therapeutic efficacy against drug-resistant mutants of the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis We investigated combinations containing the known translational inhibitors, spectinomycin (SPT) and fusidic acid (FA), or the phenothiazine, chlorpromazine (CPZ), which disrupts mycobacterial energy metabolism. Potentiation of whole-cell drug efficacy was observed in SPT-CPZ combinations. This effect was lost against an M. tuberculosis mutant lacking the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) efflux pump, Rv1258c. Notably, the SPT-CPZ combination partially restored SPT efficacy against an SPT-resistant mutant carrying a g1379t point mutation in rrs, encoding the mycobacterial 16S ribosomal RNA. Combinations of SPT with FA, which targets the mycobacterial elongation factor G, exhibited potentiating activity against wild-type M. tuberculosis Moreover, this combination produced a modest potentiating effect against both FA-monoresistant and SPT-monoresistant mutants. Finally, combining SPT with the frontline anti-TB agents, rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid, resulted in enhanced activity in vitro and ex vivo against both drug-susceptible M. tuberculosis and a RIF-monoresistant rpoB S531L mutant.These results support the utility of novel potentiating drug combinations in restoring antibiotic susceptibility of M. tuberculosis strains carrying genetic resistance to any one of the partner compounds.
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26
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Heterologous Expression of ethA and katG in Mycobacterium marinum Enables the Rapid Identification of New Prodrugs Active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:AAC.01445-20. [PMID: 33495223 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01445-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Screening strategies for antituberculosis compounds using Mycobacterium tuberculosis are time consuming and require biosafety level 3 (BSL3) facilities, which makes the development of high-throughput assays difficult and expensive. Mycobacterium marinum, a close genetic relative of M. tuberculosis, possesses several advantages as a suitable model for tuberculosis drug screening. However, despite the high genetic similarity, there are some obvious differences in susceptibility to some tuberculosis drugs between these two species, especially for the prodrugs ethionamide and isoniazid. In this study, we aimed to improve M. marinum as a model for antituberculosis drug identification by heterologous expression of two common drug activators, EthA and KatG. These two activators were overexpressed in M. marinum, and the strains were tested against ethionamide, isoniazid, and a library of established antimycobacterial compounds from TB Alliance to compare drug susceptibility. Both in vitro and in vivo using zebrafish larvae, these genetically modified M. marinum strains showed significantly higher susceptibility against ethionamide and isoniazid, which require activation by EthA and KatG. More importantly, a strain overexpressing both ethA and katG was potentially more susceptible to approximately 20% of the antituberculosis hit compounds from the TB Alliance library. Most of these compounds were activated by EthA in M. marinum Four of these compounds were selected for further analysis, and three of them showed obvious EthA-dependent activity against M. tuberculosis Overall, our developed M. marinum strains are valuable tools for high-throughput discovery of potential novel antituberculosis prodrugs.
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27
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Laopanupong T, Prombutara P, Kanjanasirirat P, Benjaskulluecha S, Boonmee A, Palaga T, Méresse S, Paha J, Siregar TAP, Khumpanied T, Borwornpinyo S, Chaiprasert A, Utaisincharoen P, Ponpuak M. Lysosome repositioning as an autophagy escape mechanism by Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing strain. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4342. [PMID: 33619301 PMCID: PMC7900199 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83835-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Induction of host cell autophagy by starvation was shown to enhance lysosomal delivery to mycobacterial phagosomes, resulting in the restriction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis reference strain H37Rv. Our previous study showed that strains belonging to M. tuberculosis Beijing genotype resisted starvation-induced autophagic elimination but the factors involved remained unclear. Here, we conducted RNA-Seq of macrophages infected with the autophagy-resistant Beijing strain (BJN) compared to macrophages infected with H37Rv upon autophagy induction by starvation. Results identified several genes uniquely upregulated in BJN-infected macrophages but not in H37Rv-infected cells, including those encoding Kxd1 and Plekhm2, which function in lysosome positioning towards the cell periphery. Unlike H37Rv, BJN suppressed enhanced lysosome positioning towards the perinuclear region and lysosomal delivery to its phagosome upon autophagy induction by starvation, while depletion of Kxd1 and Plekhm2 reverted such effects, resulting in restriction of BJN intracellular survival upon autophagy induction by starvation. Taken together, these data indicated that Kxd1 and Plekhm2 are important for the BJN strain to suppress lysosome positioning towards the perinuclear region and lysosomal delivery into its phagosome during autophagy induction by starvation to evade starvation-induced autophagic restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanida Laopanupong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Pinidphon Prombutara
- Omics Sciences and Bioinformatics Center, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Microbiome Research Unit for Probiotics in Food and Cosmetics, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Salisa Benjaskulluecha
- Inter-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Atsadang Boonmee
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tanapat Palaga
- Inter-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Jiraporn Paha
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | | | - Tanawadee Khumpanied
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suparerk Borwornpinyo
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Angkana Chaiprasert
- Drug-Resistance Tuberculosis Research Fund, Siriraj Foundation, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Office of Research and Development, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pongsak Utaisincharoen
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Marisa Ponpuak
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand. .,Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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28
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Zhang C, Mansfeld BN, Lin YC, Grumet R. Quantitative High-Throughput, Real-Time Bioassay for Plant Pathogen Growth in vivo. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:637190. [PMID: 33643365 PMCID: PMC7902728 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.637190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Effective assessment of pathogen growth can facilitate screening for disease resistance, mapping of resistance loci, testing efficacy of control measures, or elucidation of fundamental host-pathogen interactions. Current methods are often limited by subjective assessments, inability to detect pathogen growth prior to appearance of symptoms, destructive sampling, or limited capacity for replication and quantitative analysis. In this work we sought to develop a real-time, in vivo, high-throughput assay that would allow for quantification of pathogen growth. To establish such a system, we worked with the broad host-range, highly destructive, soil-borne oomycete pathogen, Phytophthora capsici. We used an isolate expressing red fluorescence protein (RFP) to establish a microtiter plate, real-time assay to quantify pathogen growth in live tissue. The system was successfully used to monitor P. capsici growth in planta on cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit and pepper (Capsicum annuum) leaf samples in relation to different levels of host susceptibility. These results demonstrate usefulness of the method in different species and tissue types, allowing for highly replicated, quantitative time-course measurements of pathogen growth in vivo. Analyses of pathogen growth during initial stages of infection preceding symptom development show the importance of very early stages of infection in determining disease outcome, and provide insight into points of inhibition of pathogen growth in different resistance systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunqiu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vegetable Germplasm Improvement, National Engineering Research Center for Vegetables, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate Program in Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Ben N. Mansfeld
- Graduate Program in Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Ying-Chen Lin
- Graduate Program in Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Rebecca Grumet
- Graduate Program in Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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29
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Aiewsakun P, Prombutara P, Siregar TAP, Laopanupong T, Kanjanasirirat P, Khumpanied T, Borwornpinyo S, Tong-Ngam P, Tubsuwan A, Srilohasin P, Chaiprasert A, Ruangchai W, Palittapongarnpim P, Prammananan T, VanderVen BC, Ponpuak M. Transcriptional response to the host cell environment of a multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clonal outbreak Beijing strain reveals its pathogenic features. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3199. [PMID: 33542438 PMCID: PMC7862621 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82905-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis is a global public health problem with emergence of multidrug-resistant infections. Previous epidemiological studies of tuberculosis in Thailand have identified a clonal outbreak multidrug-resistant strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Kanchanaburi province, designated “MKR superspreader”, and this particular strain later was found to also spread to other regions. In this study, we elucidated its biology through RNA-Seq analyses and identified a set of genes involved in cholesterol degradation to be up-regulated in the MKR during the macrophage cell infection, but not in the H37Rv reference strain. We also found that the bacterium up-regulated genes associated with the ESX-1 secretion system during its intracellular growth phase, while the H37Rv did not. All results were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Moreover, we showed that compounds previously shown to inhibit the mycobacterial ESX-1 secretion system and cholesterol utilisation, and FDA-approved drugs known to interfere with the host cholesterol transportation were able to decrease the intracellular survival of the MKR when compared to the untreated control, while not that of the H37Rv. Altogether, our findings suggested that such pathways are important for the MKR’s intracellular growth, and potentially could be targets for the discovery of new drugs against this emerging multidrug-resistant strain of M. tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pakorn Aiewsakun
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pinidphon Prombutara
- Omics Sciences and Bioinformatics Center, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Microbiome Research Unit for Probiotics in Food and Cosmetics, Faculty of Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Thanida Laopanupong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Tanawadee Khumpanied
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suparerk Borwornpinyo
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pirut Tong-Ngam
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Alisa Tubsuwan
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Prapaporn Srilohasin
- Drug-Resistance Tuberculosis Research Fund, Siriraj Foundation, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Office of Research and Development, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Angkana Chaiprasert
- Drug-Resistance Tuberculosis Research Fund, Siriraj Foundation, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Office of Research and Development, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wuthiwat Ruangchai
- Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Prasit Palittapongarnpim
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pratumthani, Thailand
| | - Therdsak Prammananan
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pratumthani, Thailand
| | - Brian C VanderVen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Marisa Ponpuak
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. .,Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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30
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Giacalone D, Huang L, Tan S. Exploiting Fluorescent Proteins to Understand Mycobacterium tuberculosis Biology. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2314:365-383. [PMID: 34235663 PMCID: PMC8381720 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1460-0_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
The utility of fluorescent proteins in bacterial research has long been appreciated, with extensive use in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis field. In more recent years, a new generation of fluorescent tools has been developed for use in M. tuberculosis research. These new fluorescent reporters exploit the immense genetic and transcriptional knowledge now available, and enable the use of the bacteria as direct reporters of the local environment during infection, as well as provide insight into bacterial replication status in situ. Here we describe methods for the construction of such fluorescent reporter M. tuberculosis strains, and their use in combination with confocal microscopy and flow cytometry approaches for single bacterium-level analyses of M. tuberculosis physiology and M. tuberculosis-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Giacalone
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lu Huang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Shumin Tan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
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31
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Deboosere N, Belhaouane I, Machelart A, Hoffmann E, Vandeputte A, Brodin P. High-Content Analysis Monitoring Intracellular Trafficking and Replication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Inside Host Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2314:649-702. [PMID: 34235675 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1460-0_29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is able to colonize, persist, and massively replicate in host cells, such as phagocytes and epithelial cells. The intracellular stage of the bacteria is critical to the development of tuberculosis pathogenesis. The detailed mechanisms of intracellular trafficking of the bacillus are not fully understood and require further investigations. Therefore, increasing the knowledge of this process will help to develop therapeutic tools that will lower the burden of tuberculosis. M. tuberculosis is genetically tractable and tolerates the expression of heterologous fluorescent proteins. Thus, the intracellular distribution of the bacteria expressing fluorescent tracers can be easily defined using confocal microscopy. Advances in imaging techniques and images-based analysis allow the rapid quantification of biological objects in complex environments. In this chapter, we detailed high-content / high-throughput imaging methods to track the bacillus within host cell settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Deboosere
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille Cedex, France.
| | - Imène Belhaouane
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille Cedex, France
| | - Arnaud Machelart
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille Cedex, France
| | - Eik Hoffmann
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille Cedex, France
| | - Alexandre Vandeputte
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille Cedex, France
| | - Priscille Brodin
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille Cedex, France.
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32
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Liu J, Ming S, Song W, Meng X, Xiao Q, Wu M, Wu Y, Xie H, Zhou J, Zhong H, Huang X. B and T lymphocyte attenuator regulates autophagy in mycobacterial infection via the AKT/mTOR signal pathway. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 91:107215. [PMID: 33348294 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The survivability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) in macrophages in granuloma is a predominant cause for tuberculosis (TB) infection and recurrence. However, the mechanism of mycobacterial clearance in macrophages still needs further study. Here, we explored a novel role of B and T lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA) in macrophage-mediated host defense against mycobacterial infection. We found that the surface expression of BTLA was increased in CD14+ monocytes from active TB patients. The mRNA levels of BTLA were induced in human and mice monocytes/macrophages during Mycobacterium bovis BCG or M.tb H37Rv infection, as well as spleen and lung of H37Rv-infected mice. Furthermore, silencing of BTLA promoted the intracellular survival of BCG and H37Rv by suppressing the autophagy in macrophages but not effecting phagocytosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. Silence of BTLA reduced bacterial-autophagosome and bacterial-lysosome colocalization. Moreover, BTLA inhibited AKT and mTOR signaling substrates S6K and 4EBP1 phosphorylation in BCG and H37Rv infected macrophages, and BTLA-mediated AKT-mTOR signaling and intracellular BCG survival were reversed by PI3K inhibitors in macrophages. Finally, treatment with BTLA agonist ameliorated lung pathology and promoted autophagy and mycobacterial clearance during mycobacterial infection in vivo. These results demonstrate that BTLA promotes host defense against mycobacteria by enhancing autophagy, which may provide potential therapeutic interventions against tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Liu
- Center for Infection and Immunity, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, and Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China
| | - Siqi Ming
- Center for Infection and Immunity, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, and Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China
| | - Weifeng Song
- Center for Infection and Immunity, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, and Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China
| | - Xiaojun Meng
- Center for Infection and Immunity, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, and Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China
| | - Qiang Xiao
- Respiratory and Critical Medicine, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong Province 528300, China
| | - Minhao Wu
- Center for Infection and Immunity, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China
| | - Yongjian Wu
- Center for Infection and Immunity, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, and Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China
| | - Hanbin Xie
- The Third People's Hospital of Shantou, Guangdong Province 515073, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- The Forth People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, China.
| | - Haibo Zhong
- The Third People's Hospital of Shantou, Guangdong Province 515073, China.
| | - Xi Huang
- Center for Infection and Immunity, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, and Department of Interventional Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519000, China.
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Kolbe K, Bell AC, Prosser GA, Assmann M, Yang HJ, Forbes HE, Gallucci S, Mayer-Barber KD, Boshoff HI, Barry Iii CE. Development and Optimization of Chromosomally-Integrated Fluorescent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Reporter Constructs. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:591866. [PMID: 33362741 PMCID: PMC7755994 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.591866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis resides in the lungs in various lesion types with unique microenvironmental conditions. This diversity is in line with heterogeneous disease progression and divergent drug efficiency. Fluorescent reporter strains can be used to decipher the micromilieu and to guide future treatment regimens. Current reporters using replicating plasmids, however, are not suitable for long-term mouse infections or studies in non-human primates. Using a combination of recombinant DNA and protein optimization techniques, we have developed reporter strains based on integrative plasmids, which exhibit stimulus-response characteristics and fluorescence intensities comparable to those based on replicating plasmids. We successfully applied the concepts by constructing a multi-color reporter strain able to detect simultaneous changes in environmental pH, Mg2+ concentrations, and protein expression levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Kolbe
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Alice C Bell
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Gareth A Prosser
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Drug Discovery Unit, College of Life Sciences, James Black Centre, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Maike Assmann
- Inflammation and Innate Immunity Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hee-Jeong Yang
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - He Eun Forbes
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sophia Gallucci
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Katrin D Mayer-Barber
- Inflammation and Innate Immunity Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Helena I Boshoff
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Clifton E Barry Iii
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) persists and survives antibiotic treatments by generating phenotypically heterogeneous drug-tolerant subpopulations. The surviving cells, persisters, are a major barrier to the relapse-free treatment of tuberculosis (TB), which is already killing >1.8 million people every year and becoming deadlier with the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) generates phenotypic diversity to persist and survive the harsh conditions encountered during infection. MTB avoids immune effectors and antibacterial killing by entering into distinct physiological states. The surviving cells, persisters, are a major barrier to the timely and relapse-free treatment of tuberculosis (TB). We present for the first time, PerSort, a method to isolate and characterize persisters in the absence of antibiotic or other pressure. We demonstrate the value of PerSort to isolate translationally dormant cells that preexisted in small numbers within Mycobacterium species cultures growing under optimal conditions but that dramatically increased in proportion under stress conditions. The translationally dormant subpopulation exhibited multidrug tolerance and regrowth properties consistent with those of persister cells. Furthermore, PerSort enabled single-cell transcriptional profiling that provided evidence that the translationally dormant persisters were generated through a variety of mechanisms, including vapC30, mazF, and relA/spoT overexpression. Finally, we demonstrate that notwithstanding the varied mechanisms by which the persister cells were generated, they converge on a similar low-oxygen metabolic state that was reversed through activation of respiration to rapidly eliminate persisters fostered under host-relevant stress conditions. We conclude that PerSort provides a new tool to study MTB persisters, enabling targeted strategies to improve and shorten the treatment of TB. IMPORTANCEMycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) persists and survives antibiotic treatments by generating phenotypically heterogeneous drug-tolerant subpopulations. The surviving cells, persisters, are a major barrier to the relapse-free treatment of tuberculosis (TB), which is already killing >1.8 million people every year and becoming deadlier with the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. This study describes PerSort, a cell sorting method to isolate and characterize, without antibiotic treatment, translationally dormant persisters that preexist in small numbers within Mycobacterium cultures. Characterization of this subpopulation has discovered multiple mechanisms by which mycobacterial persisters emerge and unveiled the physiological basis for their dormant and multidrug-tolerant physiological state. This analysis has discovered that activating oxygen respiratory physiology using l-cysteine eliminates preexisting persister subpopulations, potentiating rapid antibiotic killing of mycobacteria under host-relevant stress. PerSort serves as a new tool to study MTB persisters for enabling targeted strategies to improve and shorten the treatment of TB.
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Campaniço A, Harjivan SG, Warner DF, Moreira R, Lopes F. Addressing Latent Tuberculosis: New Advances in Mimicking the Disease, Discovering Key Targets, and Designing Hit Compounds. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228854. [PMID: 33238468 PMCID: PMC7700174 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite being discovered and isolated more than one hundred years ago, tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health concern arch. Our inability to eradicate this bacillus is strongly related with the growing resistance, low compliance to current drugs, and the capacity of the bacteria to coexist in a state of asymptomatic latency. This last state can be sustained for years or even decades, waiting for a breach in the immune system to become active again. Furthermore, most current therapies are not efficacious against this state, failing to completely clear the infection. Over the years, a series of experimental methods have been developed to mimic the latent state, currently used in drug discovery, both in vitro and in vivo. Most of these methods focus in one specific latency inducing factor, with only a few taking into consideration the complexity of the granuloma and the genomic and proteomic consequences of each physiological factor. A series of targets specifically involved in latency have been studied over the years with promising scaffolds being discovered and explored. Taking in account that solving the latency problem is one of the keys to eradicate the disease, herein we compile current therapies and diagnosis techniques, methods to mimic latency and new targets and compounds in the pipeline of drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Campaniço
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.C.); (S.G.H.); (R.M.)
| | - Shrika G. Harjivan
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.C.); (S.G.H.); (R.M.)
| | - Digby F. Warner
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa;
- Department of Pathology, SAMRC/NHLS/UCT Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- Welcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Rui Moreira
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.C.); (S.G.H.); (R.M.)
| | - Francisca Lopes
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.C.); (S.G.H.); (R.M.)
- Correspondence:
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Hemocytes released in seawater act as Trojan horses for spreading of bacterial infections in mussels. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19696. [PMID: 33184419 PMCID: PMC7665017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76677-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Global warming has been associated with increased episodes of mass mortality events in invertebrates, most notably in bivalves. Although the spread of pathogens is one of multiple factors that contribute to such mass mortality events, we don’t fully understand the pathophysiological consequences of sea warming on invertebrates. In this work, we show that in temperature stress conditions, circulating hemocytes in mussels leave the hemolymph to gain access to the intervalvar fluid before being released in seawater. External hemocytes can survive for several hours in seawater before entering other mussels. When infected by bacteria, externally-infected hemocytes can enter naive mussels and promote bacterial dissemination in the host. These results reveal the existence of a new opportunistic mechanism used by pathogens to disseminate in marine ecosystems. Such mechanisms may explain how thermal anomalies triggered by global warming can favor episodic mass mortality observed in recent years in marine ecosystem.
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37
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Synthesis and in vitro antitubercular activity of pyridine analouges against the resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bioorg Chem 2020; 102:104099. [PMID: 32711084 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.104099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection has become a growing health risk as multi-drug resistant strain (MDR-MTB) has emerged worldwide. The development of isoniazid (INH)-resistant M. tuberculosis strains dictate the need to re-design this old drug to create effective analogs against the resistant INH strains. Synthesis and the biological activity of isoniazid and pyridine derivatives were successfully carried out with elaborated characterization by spectral data. Amongst the synthesized compounds; 1 and 2 displayed encouraging antimycobacterial activity with IC50 of 3.2 µM and 1.5 µM against the H37Rv strain. The MIC of test compounds 1 and 2 were also assessed against the 5 drug resistant isolates (FQ-R1, INH-R1, INH-R2, RIF-R1 and RIF-R2) of MTB strains under aerobic conditions and compound 1 [MIC = 3.2 µM for FQ-R1; MIC = 140 µM for INH-R1; MIC = 160 µM for INH-R2; MIC = 2.4 µM towards RIF-R1; MIC = 4.2 µM for RIF-R2] and 2 [MIC = 3.3 µM for FQ-R1; MIC = 170 µM for INH-R1; MIC = 190 µM for INH-R2; MIC = 1.8 µM for RIF-R1; MIC = 8.4 µM for RIF-R2] have shown significant activity at non-cytotoxic concentration in comparison to the standard drug.
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38
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Agarwal P, Combes TW, Shojaee-Moradie F, Fielding B, Gordon S, Mizrahi V, Martinez FO. Foam Cells Control Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1394. [PMID: 32754123 PMCID: PMC7381311 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infects macrophages and macrophage-derived foam cells, a hallmark of granulomata in tuberculous lesions. We analyzed the effects of lipid accumulation in human primary macrophages and quantified strong triglyceride and phospholipid remodeling which depended on the dietary fatty acid used for the assay. The enrichment of >70% in triglyceride and phospholipids can alter cell membrane properties, signaling and phagocytosis in macrophages. In conventional macrophage cultures, cells are heterogeneous, small or large macrophages. In foam cells, a third population of 30% of cells with increased granularity can be detected. We found that foam cell formation is heterogenous and that lipid accumulation and foam cell formation reduces the phagocytosis of Mtb. Under the conditions tested, cell death was highly prevalent in macrophages, whereas foam cells were largely protected from this effect. Foam cells also supported slower Mtb replication, yet this had no discernible impact on the intracellular efficacy of four different antitubercular drugs. Foam cell formation had a significant impact in the inflammatory potential of the cells. TNF-α, IL-1β, and prototypical chemokines were increased. The ratio of inflammatory IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 vs. anti-inflammatory IL-10 was significantly higher in response to Mtb vs. LPS, and was increased in foam cells compared to macrophages, suggestive of increased pro-inflammatory properties. Cytokine production correlated with NF-κB activation in our models. We conclude that foam cell formation reduces the host cell avidity for, and phagocytosis of, Mtb while protecting the cells from death. This protective effect is associated with enhanced inflammatory potential of foam cells and restricted intracellular growth of Mtb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Agarwal
- South African Medical Research Council/National Health Laboratory Service/University of Cape Town, Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Department of Science and Innovation/National Research Foundation, Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research and Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Theo W Combes
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Barbara Fielding
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Siamon Gordon
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan.,Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Valerie Mizrahi
- South African Medical Research Council/National Health Laboratory Service/University of Cape Town, Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Department of Science and Innovation/National Research Foundation, Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research and Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Fernando O Martinez
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
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Zeng J, Platig J, Cheng TY, Ahmed S, Skaf Y, Potluri LP, Schwartz D, Steen H, Moody DB, Husson RN. Protein kinases PknA and PknB independently and coordinately regulate essential Mycobacterium tuberculosis physiologies and antimicrobial susceptibility. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008452. [PMID: 32255801 PMCID: PMC7164672 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ser/Thr protein kinases PknA and PknB are essential for growth and have been proposed as possible drug targets. We used a titratable conditional depletion system to investigate the functions of these kinases. Depletion of PknA or PknB or both kinases resulted in growth arrest, shortening of cells, and time-dependent loss of acid-fast staining with a concomitant decrease in mycolate synthesis and accumulation of trehalose monomycolate. Depletion of PknA and/or PknB resulted in markedly increased susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics, and to the key tuberculosis drug rifampin. Phosphoproteomic analysis showed extensive changes in protein phosphorylation in response to PknA depletion and comparatively fewer changes with PknB depletion. These results identify candidate substrates of each kinase and suggest specific and coordinate roles for PknA and PknB in regulating multiple essential physiologies. These findings support these kinases as targets for new antituberculosis drugs and provide a valuable resource for targeted investigation of mechanisms by which protein phosphorylation regulates pathways required for growth and virulence in M. tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jumei Zeng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - John Platig
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Tan-Yun Cheng
- Division of Rheumatology, Immunity and Inflammation, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Saima Ahmed
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Yara Skaf
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States of America
| | - Lakshmi-Prasad Potluri
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Daniel Schwartz
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States of America
| | - Hanno Steen
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - D. Branch Moody
- Division of Rheumatology, Immunity and Inflammation, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Robert N. Husson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
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40
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Jégouzo SAF, Nelson C, Hardwick T, Wong STA, Lau NKK, Neoh GKE, Castellanos-Rueda R, Huang Z, Mignot B, Hirdaramani A, Howitt A, Frewin K, Shen Z, Fox RJ, Wong R, Ando M, Emony L, Zhu H, Holder A, Werling D, Krishnan N, Robertson BD, Clements A, Taylor ME, Drickamer K. Mammalian lectin arrays for screening host-microbe interactions. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:4541-4555. [PMID: 32094229 PMCID: PMC7135977 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012783] [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: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many members of the C-type lectin family of glycan-binding receptors have been ascribed roles in the recognition of microorganisms and serve as key receptors in the innate immune response to pathogens. Other mammalian receptors have become targets through which pathogens enter target cells. These receptor roles have often been documented with binding studies involving individual pairs of receptors and microorganisms. To provide a systematic overview of interactions between microbes and the large complement of C-type lectins, here we developed a lectin array and suitable protocols for labeling of microbes that could be used to probe this array. The array contains C-type lectins from cow, chosen as a model organism of agricultural interest for which the relevant pathogen–receptor interactions have not been previously investigated in detail. Screening with yeast cells and various strains of both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria revealed distinct binding patterns, which in some cases could be explained by binding to lipopolysaccharides or capsular polysaccharides, but in other cases they suggested the presence of novel glycan targets on many of the microorganisms. These results are consistent with interactions previously ascribed to the receptors, but they also highlight binding to additional sugar targets that have not previously been recognized. Our findings indicate that mammalian lectin arrays represent unique discovery tools for identifying both novel ligands and new receptor functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine A F Jégouzo
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Conor Nelson
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Hardwick
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - S T Angel Wong
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Noel Kuan Kiat Lau
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Gaik Kin Emily Neoh
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | | | - Zhiyao Huang
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Mignot
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Aanya Hirdaramani
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Annie Howitt
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn Frewin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Zheng Shen
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Rhys J Fox
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Wong
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Momoko Ando
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Lauren Emony
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Henderson Zhu
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Holder
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom
| | - Dirk Werling
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom
| | - Nitya Krishnan
- Department of Infectious Disease and MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Brian D Robertson
- Department of Infectious Disease and MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail Clements
- Department of Life Sciences and MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Maureen E Taylor
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Kurt Drickamer
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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Huang L, Ye K, McGee MC, Nidetz NF, Elmore JP, Limper CB, Southard TL, Russell DG, August A, Huang W. Interleukin-2-Inducible T-Cell Kinase Deficiency Impairs Early Pulmonary Protection Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3103. [PMID: 32038633 PMCID: PMC6993117 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase highly expressed in T-cell lineages and regulates multiple aspects of T-cell development and function, mainly through its function downstream of the T-cell receptor. Itk deficiency can lead to CD4 lymphopenia and Epstein-Bar virus (EBV)-associated lymphoproliferation and recurrent pulmonary infections in humans. However, the role of the ITK signaling pathway in pulmonary responses in active tuberculosis due to Mtb infection is not known. We show here that human lungs with active tuberculosis exhibit altered T-cell receptor/ITK signaling and that Itk deficiency impaired early protection against Mtb in mice, accompanied by defective development of IL-17A-producing γδ T cells in the lungs. These findings have important implications of human genetics associated with susceptibility to Mtb due to altered immune responses and molecular signals modulating host immunity that controls Mtb activity. Enhancing ITK signaling pathways may be an alternative strategy to target Mtb infection, especially in cases with highly virulent strains in which IL-17A plays an essential protective role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Huang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Kaixiong Ye
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Michael C McGee
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Natalie F Nidetz
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Jessica P Elmore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Candice B Limper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Teresa L Southard
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - David G Russell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Avery August
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Weishan Huang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.,Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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42
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Bis-(imidazole/benzimidazole)-pyridine derivatives: synthesis, structure and antimycobacterial activity. Future Med Chem 2020; 12:207-222. [PMID: 31916456 PMCID: PMC7421780 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2019-0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Over the last decades, few significant achievements have been made in tuberculosis (TB) therapy. As a result, there is an urgent need for new anti-TB drugs. Results: Two new classes of bis-(imidazole/benzimidazole)-pyridine derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity. Conclusion: The synthesis is efficient and straightforward, involving only two successive N-alkylations. The anti-TB assay reveal that our compounds have an excellent anti-TB activity against both replicating and nonreplicating Mtb, are not cytotoxic, exhibited a very good intracellular activity and are active against drug-resistant Mtb strains, some compounds have a bactericidal mechanism. The absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity studies performed for one compound are promising, indicating that it is a good candidate for a future drug.
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43
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Guerra-De-Blas PDC, Bobadilla-Del-Valle M, Sada-Ovalle I, Estrada-García I, Torres-González P, López-Saavedra A, Guzmán-Beltrán S, Ponce-de-León A, Sifuentes-Osornio J. Simvastatin Enhances the Immune Response Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2097. [PMID: 31616387 PMCID: PMC6764081 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis remains a serious threat worldwide. For this reason, it is necessary to identify agents that shorten the duration of treatment, strengthen the host immune system, and/or decrease the damage caused by the infection. Statins are drugs that reduce plasma cholesterol levels and have immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Although there is evidence that statins may contribute to the containment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, their effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) involved in the immune response have not been previously described. Using PBMCs from 10 healthy subjects infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv, we analyzed the effects of simvastatin on the treatment of the infections in an in vitro experimental model. Direct quantification of M. tuberculosis growth (in CFU/mL) was performed. Phenotypes and cell activation were assessed via multi-color flow cytometry. Culture supernatant cytokine levels were determined via cytokine bead arrays. The induction of apoptosis and autophagy was evaluated via flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Simvastatin decreased the growth of M. tuberculosis in PBMCs, increased the proportion of NKT cells in culture, increased the expression of co-stimulatory molecules in monocytes, promoted the secretion of the cytokines IL-1β and IL-12p70, and activated apoptosis and autophagy in monocytes, resulting in a significant reduction in bacterial load. We also observed an increase in IL-10 production. We did not observe any direct antimycobacterial activity. This study provides new insight into the mechanism through which simvastatin reduces the mycobacterial load in infected PBMCs. These results demonstrate that simvastatin activates several immune mechanisms that favor the containment of M. tuberculosis infection, providing relevant evidence to consider statins as candidates for host-directed therapy. They also suggest that future studies are needed to define the roles of statin-induced anti-inflammatory mechanisms in tuberculosis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Del Carmen Guerra-De-Blas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Clínica, Departamento de Infectología, Dirección de Medicina, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Miriam Bobadilla-Del-Valle
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Clínica, Departamento de Infectología, Dirección de Medicina, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Isabel Sada-Ovalle
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Integrativa, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Iris Estrada-García
- Departamento de Inmunología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Pedro Torres-González
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Clínica, Departamento de Infectología, Dirección de Medicina, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alejandro López-Saavedra
- Unidad Biomédica de Investigación en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Silvia Guzmán-Beltrán
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Integrativa, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Ponce-de-León
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Clínica, Departamento de Infectología, Dirección de Medicina, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Sifuentes-Osornio
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Clínica, Departamento de Infectología, Dirección de Medicina, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
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Skvortsova YV, Salina EG, Burakova EA, Bychenko OS, Stetsenko DA, Azhikina TL. A New Antisense Phosphoryl Guanidine Oligo-2'-O-Methylribonucleotide Penetrates Into Intracellular Mycobacteria and Suppresses Target Gene Expression. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1049. [PMID: 31632266 PMCID: PMC6778816 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The worldwide spread of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains prompted the development of new strategies to combat tuberculosis, one of which is antisense therapy based on targeting bacterial mRNA by oligonucleotide derivatives. However, the main limitation of antisense antibacterials is poor cellular uptake because of electrostatic charge. Phosphoryl guanidine oligo-2′-O-methylribonucleotides (2′-OMe PGOs) are a novel type of uncharged RNA analogues with high RNA affinity, which penetrate through the bacterial cell wall more efficiently. In this study, we investigated the uptake and biological effects of 2′-OMe PGO in mycobacteria. The results indicated that 2′-OMe PGO specific for the alanine dehydrogenase-encoding ald gene inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis and downregulated ald expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels through an RNase H-independent mechanism, showing higher biological activity than its phosphorothioate oligonucleotide counterpart. Confocal microscopy revealed that the anti-ald 2′-OMe PGO was taken up by intracellular mycobacteria residing in RAW 264.7 macrophages without exerting toxic effects on eukaryotic cells, indicating that 2′-OMe PGO was able to efficiently cross two cellular membranes. In addition, 2′-OMe PGO inhibited the transcription of the target ald gene in M. smegmatis-infected macrophages. Thus, we demonstrated, for the first time, a possibility of targeting gene expression and inhibiting growth of intracellular mycobacteria by antisense oligonucleotide derivatives. Strong antisense activity and efficient uptake of the new RNA analogue, 2′-OMe PGO, by intracellular microorganisms revealed here may promote the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat TB and prevent the emergence of drug-resistant mycobacterial strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia V Skvortsova
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena G Salina
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina A Burakova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia.,Faculty of Physics, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Oksana S Bychenko
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry A Stetsenko
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia.,Faculty of Physics, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Tatyana L Azhikina
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Monitoring Tuberculosis Drug Activity in Live Animals by Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019:AAC.01280-19. [PMID: 31527027 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01280-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death due to infection with a single pathogenic agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis In the absence of an effective vaccine, new, more powerful antibiotics are required to halt the growing spread of multidrug-resistant strains and to shorten the duration of TB treatment. However, assessing drug efficacy at the preclinical stage remains a long and fastidious procedure that delays progression of drugs down the pipeline and towards the clinic. In this investigation, we report the construction, optimization and characterization of genetically engineered near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent reporter strains of the pathogens Mycobacterium marinum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis that enable direct visualization of bacteria in infected zebrafish and mice, respectively. Fluorescence could be measured precisely in infected immunodeficient mice, while its intensity appeared to be below the limit of detection in immunocompetent mice, probably because of the lower bacterial load obtained in these animals. Furthermore, we show that the fluorescence level accurately reflects the bacterial load, as determined by colony forming unit (CFU) enumeration, thus enabling the efficacy of antibiotic treatment to be assessed in live animals in real time. The NIR fluorescent imaging system disclosed here is a valuable resource for TB research and can serve to accelerate drug development.
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Yeware A, Agrawal S, Sarkar D. A high content screening assay for identifying inhibitors against active and dormant state intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J Microbiol Methods 2019; 164:105687. [PMID: 31415793 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2019.105687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The antitubercular drug development pipeline could start with an in vitro investigation of several compounds to examine their effect on active and dormant state Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). However, in vitro screening of dormant state bacilli cannot provide enough information on the simultaneous effect of a compound on the host. Therefore, we developed a live cell fluorescence based screening protocol by utilizing the high content system for determining the effect of inhibitors against active and dormant state intracellular mycobacteria. THP-1 macrophages infected with an actively growing and hypoxia derived dormant Mtb culture were standardized to develop the screening protocol. The signal to noise ratio and the Z' factor of this assay were found to be 7.5-29 and 0.6-0.8, respectively, which confirm the robustness of the protocol. The protocol was then validated with standard inhibitors. This newly developed drug screening assay offers an easy, safe, image based high content screening tool to search for novel antitubercular inhibitors against both active and dormant state intracellular mycobacteria. Therefore, this assay could fill in the gap between in vitro and in vivo latent tuberculosis drug screening programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar Yeware
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India; Combi Chem-Bio Resource Center, Organic Chemistry Division, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sonia Agrawal
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India; Combi Chem-Bio Resource Center, Organic Chemistry Division, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India
| | - Dhiman Sarkar
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India; Combi Chem-Bio Resource Center, Organic Chemistry Division, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India.
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Shahbaaz M, Cloete R, Grobbelaar M, Sampson S, Christoffels A. Structure based identification of novel inhibitors against ATP synthase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A combined in silico and in vitro study. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 135:582-590. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.05.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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48
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Lichev A, Angelov A, Cucurull I, Liebl W. Amino acids as nutritional factors and (p)ppGpp as an alarmone of the stringent response regulate natural transformation in Micrococcus luteus. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11030. [PMID: 31363120 PMCID: PMC6667448 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47423-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural competence for genetic transformation refers to the natural ability of various bacteria to take up exogenous DNA from their surroundings and to incorporate internalized genetic information into their genomes. By promoting bacterial diversification and adaptability, this process represents a major driving force in bacterial evolution. Micrococcus luteus was one of the first organisms used to study natural transformation in bacteria. Since then, however, only very little information about this phenomenon has been reported in M. luteus or in any member of the Actinobacteria phylum (low-GC Gram-positive bacteria). Previous work in our group indicated major differences between the transformation apparatus of M. luteus and the transformation machinery described for various Gram-negative and Gram-positive model bacteria belonging to the phyla Proteobacteria and Firmicutes (high-GC Gram-positive bacteria). This prompted us to initiate a study concerning the regulation mechanism of competence development in M. luteus. In this report, we identify amino acids as a nutritional factor that influences competence in a concentration-dependent manner. By using a transcriptional reporter strain for one of the late competence genes, we demonstrate how increasing concentrations of both amino acids mixtures and single amino acids supplemented to the growth medium affect transformability on transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. Furthermore, we revisit previously generated auxotrophic mutants to show that the transformation machinery is turned down during a state of extreme hunger for amino acids presumably as a part of a general response to auxotrophy. Finally, by generating and analysing knockout mutants for two predicted stringent response enzymes, we provide evidence for the involvement of the alarmone (p)ppGpp as a putative mediator of the effects on transformation development caused by amino acids. As a member of the Actinobacteria phylum, M. luteus could serve as a model for other representatives of the phylum, including a number of important human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoni Lichev
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Angel Angelov
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Inigo Cucurull
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Liebl
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany.
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Mallick S, Das J, Verma J, Mathew S, Maiti TK, Ghosh AS. Role of Escherichia coli endopeptidases and dd-carboxypeptidases in infection and regulation of innate immune response. Microbes Infect 2019; 21:464-474. [PMID: 31085336 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The low-molecular-mass penicillin-binding proteins, involved in peptidoglycan recycling can also produce peptidoglycan fragments capable of activating an innate immune response in host. To investigate how these proteins in Enterobacteriaceae play a role to elicit/evade innate immune responses during infections, we deleted certain endopeptidases and dd-carboxypeptidases from Escherichia coli CS109 and studied the viability of these mutants in macrophages. The ability of infected macrophages to exert oxidative killing, express surface activation markers TLR2, MHC class II and release TNFα, were assessed. Immune responses were elevated in macrophages infected with dd-carboxypeptidase mutants but reduced for endopeptidase mutants. However, the NFκB, iNOS, and TLR2 transcripts remained elevated in macrophages infected with both mutant types. Overall, we have shown, under normal conditions endopeptidases have a tendency to elicit the immune response but their effect is suppressed by the presence of dd-carboxypeptidases. Conversely, DD-carboxypeptidases, normally, tend to reduce immune responses, as their deletions enhanced the same in macrophages. Therefore, we conclude that the roles of endopeptidases and dd-carboxypeptidases are possibly counter-active in wild-type cells where either class of enzymes suppresses each other's immunogenic properties rendering overall maintenance of low immunogenicity that helps E. coli in evading the host immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathi Mallick
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India
| | - Joyjyoti Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India
| | - Jyoti Verma
- Advanced Technology Development Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India
| | - Samatha Mathew
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India
| | - Tapas K Maiti
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India
| | - Anindya S Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India.
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Dhiman RK, Pujari V, Kincaid JM, Ikeh MA, Parish T, Crick DC. Characterization of MenA (isoprenyl diphosphate:1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate isoprenyltransferase) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214958. [PMID: 30978223 PMCID: PMC6461227 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The menaquinone biosynthetic pathway presents a promising drug target against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and potentially other Gram-positive pathogens. In the present study, the essentiality, steady state kinetics of MenA from M. tuberculosis and the mechanism of MenA inhibition by Ro 48-8071 were characterized. MenA [isoprenyl diphosphate:1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate (DHNA) isoprenyltransferase] catalyzes a critical reaction in menaquinone biosynthesis that involves the conversion of cytosolic DHNA, to membrane bound demethylmenaquinone by transferring a hydrophobic 45-carbon isoprenoid chain (in the case of mycobacteria) to the ring nucleus of DHNA. Rv0534c previously identified as the gene encoding MenA in M. tuberculosis complemented a menA deletion in E. coli and an E. coli host expressing Rv0534c exhibited an eight-fold increase in MenA specific activity over the control strain harboring empty vector under similar assay conditions. Expression of Rv0534c is essential for mycobacterial survival and the native enzyme from M. tuberculosis H37Rv was characterized using membrane preparations as it was not possible to solubilize and purify the recombinant enzyme. The enzyme is absolutely dependent on the presence of a divalent cation for optimal activity with Mg+2 being the most effective and is active over a wide pH range, with pH 8.5 being optimal. The apparent Km values for DHNA and farnesyl diphosphate were found to be 8.2 and 4.3 μM, respectively. Ro 48-8071, a compound previously reported to inhibit mycobacterial MenA activity, is non-competitive with regard to DHNA and competitive with regard to the isoprenyldiphosphate substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh K. Dhiman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Venugopal Pujari
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - James M. Kincaid
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Melanie A. Ikeh
- Queen Mary University of London, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tanya Parish
- Queen Mary University of London, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom
- TB Discovery Research, Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Dean C. Crick
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
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