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Tajer L, Paillart JC, Dib H, Sabatier JM, Fajloun Z, Abi Khattar Z. Molecular Mechanisms of Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides in the Modern Era: An Updated Review. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1259. [PMID: 39065030 PMCID: PMC11279074 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12071259] [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: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a serious global health concern, resulting in a significant number of deaths annually due to infections that are resistant to treatment. Amidst this crisis, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics (ATBs). These cationic peptides, naturally produced by all kingdoms of life, play a crucial role in the innate immune system of multicellular organisms and in bacterial interspecies competition by exhibiting broad-spectrum activity against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. AMPs target bacterial pathogens through multiple mechanisms, most importantly by disrupting their membranes, leading to cell lysis. However, bacterial resistance to host AMPs has emerged due to a slow co-evolutionary process between microorganisms and their hosts. Alarmingly, the development of resistance to last-resort AMPs in the treatment of MDR infections, such as colistin, is attributed to the misuse of this peptide and the high rate of horizontal genetic transfer of the corresponding resistance genes. AMP-resistant bacteria employ diverse mechanisms, including but not limited to proteolytic degradation, extracellular trapping and inactivation, active efflux, as well as complex modifications in bacterial cell wall and membrane structures. This review comprehensively examines all constitutive and inducible molecular resistance mechanisms to AMPs supported by experimental evidence described to date in bacterial pathogens. We also explore the specificity of these mechanisms toward structurally diverse AMPs to broaden and enhance their potential in developing and applying them as therapeutics for MDR bacteria. Additionally, we provide insights into the significance of AMP resistance within the context of host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Tajer
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology (LBA3B), Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Applications, Department of Cell Culture, EDST, Lebanese University, Tripoli 1300, Lebanon; (L.T.); (Z.F.)
| | - Jean-Christophe Paillart
- CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, Université de Strasbourg, 2 Allée Konrad Roentgen, F-67000 Strasbourg, France;
| | - Hanna Dib
- College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East, Egaila 54200, Kuwait;
| | - Jean-Marc Sabatier
- CNRS, INP, Inst Neurophysiopathol, Aix-Marseille Université, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Ziad Fajloun
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology (LBA3B), Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Applications, Department of Cell Culture, EDST, Lebanese University, Tripoli 1300, Lebanon; (L.T.); (Z.F.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 3, Lebanese University, Campus Michel Slayman Ras Maska, Tripoli 1352, Lebanon
| | - Ziad Abi Khattar
- Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Balamand, Kalhat, P.O. Box 100, Tripoli, Lebanon
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Thai VC, Stubbs KA, Sarkar-Tyson M, Kahler CM. Phosphoethanolamine Transferases as Drug Discovery Targets for Therapeutic Treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant Pathogenic Gram-Negative Bacteria. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1382. [PMID: 37760679 PMCID: PMC10525099 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12091382] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is a major challenge to global public health. Polymyxins are increasingly being used as last-in-line antibiotics to treat MDR Gram-negative bacterial infections, but resistance development renders them ineffective for empirical therapy. The main mechanism that bacteria use to defend against polymyxins is to modify the lipid A headgroups of the outer membrane by adding phosphoethanolamine (PEA) moieties. In addition to lipid A modifying PEA transferases, Gram-negative bacteria possess PEA transferases that decorate proteins and glycans. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the function, structure, and mechanism of action of PEA transferases identified in pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. It also summarizes the current drug development progress targeting this enzyme family, which could reverse antibiotic resistance to polymyxins to restore their utility in empiric therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van C. Thai
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
| | - Keith A. Stubbs
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia;
| | - Mitali Sarkar-Tyson
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
| | - Charlene M. Kahler
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
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Mullally C, Stubbs KA, Thai VC, Anandan A, Bartley S, Scanlon MJ, Jarvis GA, John CM, Lim KYL, Sullivan CM, Sarkar-Tyson M, Vrielink A, Kahler CM. Novel small molecules that increase the susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to cationic antimicrobial peptides by inhibiting lipid A phosphoethanolamine transferase. J Antimicrob Chemother 2022; 77:2441-2447. [PMID: 35770844 PMCID: PMC9410672 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkac204] [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: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an exclusively human pathogen that commonly infects the urogenital tract resulting in gonorrhoea. Empirical treatment of gonorrhoea with antibiotics has led to multidrug resistance and the need for new therapeutics. Inactivation of lipooligosaccharide phosphoethanolamine transferase A (EptA), which attaches phosphoethanolamine to lipid A, results in attenuation of the pathogen in infection models. Small molecules that inhibit EptA are predicted to enhance natural clearance of gonococci via the human innate immune response. Methods A library of small-fragment compounds was tested for the ability to enhance susceptibility of the reference strain N. gonorrhoeae FA1090 to polymyxin B. The effect of these compounds on lipid A synthesis and viability in models of infection were tested. Results Three compounds, 135, 136 and 137, enhanced susceptibility of strain FA1090 to polymyxin B by 4-fold. Pre-treatment of bacterial cells with all three compounds resulted in enhanced killing by macrophages. Only lipid A from bacterial cells exposed to compound 137 showed a 17% reduction in the level of decoration of lipid A with phosphoethanolamine by MALDI-TOF MS analysis and reduced stimulation of cytokine responses in THP-1 cells. Binding of 137 occurred with higher affinity to purified EptA than the starting material, as determined by 1D saturation transfer difference NMR. Treatment of eight MDR strains with 137 increased susceptibility to polymyxin B in all cases. Conclusions Small molecules have been designed that bind to EptA, inhibit addition of phosphoethanolamine to lipid A and can sensitize N. gonorrhoeae to killing by macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Mullally
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Keith A Stubbs
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Van C Thai
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Anandhi Anandan
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Stephanie Bartley
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Martin J Scanlon
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gary A Jarvis
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Constance M John
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Katherine Y L Lim
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Courtney M Sullivan
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Mitali Sarkar-Tyson
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Alice Vrielink
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Charlene M Kahler
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.,Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, Australia
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Youn J, Rai N, Tagkopoulos I. Knowledge integration and decision support for accelerated discovery of antibiotic resistance genes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2360. [PMID: 35487919 PMCID: PMC9055065 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29993-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a machine learning framework to automate knowledge discovery through knowledge graph construction, inconsistency resolution, and iterative link prediction. By incorporating knowledge from 10 publicly available sources, we construct an Escherichia coli antibiotic resistance knowledge graph with 651,758 triples from 23 triple types after resolving 236 sets of inconsistencies. Iteratively applying link prediction to this graph and wet-lab validation of the generated hypotheses reveal 15 antibiotic resistant E. coli genes, with 6 of them never associated with antibiotic resistance for any microbe. Iterative link prediction leads to a performance improvement and more findings. The probability of positive findings highly correlates with experimentally validated findings (R2 = 0.94). We also identify 5 homologs in Salmonella enterica that are all validated to confer resistance to antibiotics. This work demonstrates how evidence-driven decisions are a step toward automating knowledge discovery with high confidence and accelerated pace, thereby substituting traditional time-consuming and expensive methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Youn
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- USDA/NSF AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS), University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Navneet Rai
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- USDA/NSF AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS), University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Ilias Tagkopoulos
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- USDA/NSF AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS), University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Mikucki A, McCluskey NR, Kahler CM. The Host-Pathogen Interactions and Epicellular Lifestyle of Neisseria meningitidis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:862935. [PMID: 35531336 PMCID: PMC9072670 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.862935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a gram-negative diplococcus and a transient commensal of the human nasopharynx. It shares and competes for this niche with a number of other Neisseria species including N. lactamica, N. cinerea and N. mucosa. Unlike these other members of the genus, N. meningitidis may become invasive, crossing the epithelium of the nasopharynx and entering the bloodstream, where it rapidly proliferates causing a syndrome known as Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD). IMD progresses rapidly to cause septic shock and meningitis and is often fatal despite aggressive antibiotic therapy. While many of the ways in which meningococci survive in the host environment have been well studied, recent insights into the interactions between N. meningitidis and the epithelial, serum, and endothelial environments have expanded our understanding of how IMD develops. This review seeks to incorporate recent work into the established model of pathogenesis. In particular, we focus on the competition that N. meningitidis faces in the nasopharynx from other Neisseria species, and how the genetic diversity of the meningococcus contributes to the wide range of inflammatory and pathogenic potentials observed among different lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- August Mikucki
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Nicolie R. McCluskey
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Telethon Kids Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Charlene M. Kahler
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Charlene M. Kahler,
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Furniss RCD, Kaderabkova N, Barker D, Bernal P, Maslova E, Antwi AA, McNeil HE, Pugh HL, Dortet L, Blair JM, Larrouy-Maumus GJ, McCarthy RR, Gonzalez D, Mavridou DA. Breaking antimicrobial resistance by disrupting extracytoplasmic protein folding. eLife 2022; 11:57974. [PMID: 35025730 PMCID: PMC8863373 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is one of the greatest threats to global health. New antibacterial strategies are urgently needed, and the development of antibiotic adjuvants that either neutralize resistance proteins or compromise the integrity of the cell envelope is of ever-growing interest. Most available adjuvants are only effective against specific resistance proteins. Here, we demonstrate that disruption of cell envelope protein homeostasis simultaneously compromises several classes of resistance determinants. In particular, we find that impairing DsbA-mediated disulfide bond formation incapacitates diverse β-lactamases and destabilizes mobile colistin resistance enzymes. Furthermore, we show that chemical inhibition of DsbA sensitizes multidrug-resistant clinical isolates to existing antibiotics and that the absence of DsbA, in combination with antibiotic treatment, substantially increases the survival of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This work lays the foundation for the development of novel antibiotic adjuvants that function as broad-acting resistance breakers. Antibiotics, like penicillin, are the foundation of modern medicine, but bacteria are evolving to resist their effects. Some of the most harmful pathogens belong to a group called the 'Gram-negative bacteria', which have an outer layer – called the cell envelope – that acts as a drug barrier. This envelope contains antibiotic resistance proteins that can deactivate or repel antibiotics or even pump them out of the cell once they get in. One way to tackle antibiotic resistance could be to stop these proteins from working. Proteins are long chains of building blocks called amino acids that fold into specific shapes. In order for a protein to perform its role correctly, it must fold in the right way. In bacteria, a protein called DsbA helps other proteins fold correctly by holding them in place and inserting links called disulfide bonds. It was unclear whether DsbA plays a role in the folding of antibiotic resistance proteins, but if it did, it might open up new ways to treat antibiotic resistant infections. To find out more, Furniss, Kaderabkova et al. collected the genes that code for several antibiotic resistance proteins and put them into Escherichia coli bacteria, which made the bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Furniss, Kaderabkova et al. then stopped the modified E. coli from making DsbA, which led to the antibiotic resistance proteins becoming unstable and breaking down because they could not fold correctly. Further experiments showed that blocking DsbA with a chemical inhibitor in other pathogenic species of Gram-negative bacteria made these bacteria more sensitive to antibiotics that they would normally resist. To demonstrate that using this approach could work to stop infections by these bacteria, Furniss, Kaderabkova et al. used Gram-negative bacteria that produced antibiotic resistance proteins but could not make DsbA to infect insect larvae. The larvae were then treated with antibiotics, which increased their survival rate, indicating that blocking DsbA may be a good approach to tackling antibiotic resistant bacteria. According to the World Health Organization, developing new treatments against Gram-negative bacteria is of critical importance, but the discovery of new drugs has ground to a halt. One way around this is to develop ways to make existing drugs work better. Making drugs that block DsbA could offer a way to treat resistant infections using existing antibiotics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nikol Kaderabkova
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Declan Barker
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Patricia Bernal
- Department of Microbiology, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Evgenia Maslova
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda Aa Antwi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen E McNeil
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah L Pugh
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Dortet
- Department of Bacteriology-Hygiene, Paris-Sud University, Paris, France
| | - Jessica Ma Blair
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ronan R McCarthy
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Diego Gonzalez
- Department of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Despoina Ai Mavridou
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
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Lim KYL, Mullally CA, Haese EC, Kibble EA, McCluskey NR, Mikucki EC, Thai VC, Stubbs KA, Sarkar-Tyson M, Kahler CM. Anti-Virulence Therapeutic Approaches for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10020103. [PMID: 33494538 PMCID: PMC7911339 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10020103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
While antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is seen in both Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis, the former has become resistant to commonly available over-the-counter antibiotic treatments. It is imperative then to develop new therapies that combat current AMR isolates whilst also circumventing the pathways leading to the development of AMR. This review highlights the growing research interest in developing anti-virulence therapies (AVTs) which are directed towards inhibiting virulence factors to prevent infection. By targeting virulence factors that are not essential for gonococcal survival, it is hypothesized that this will impart a smaller selective pressure for the emergence of resistance in the pathogen and in the microbiome, thus avoiding AMR development to the anti-infective. This review summates the current basis of numerous anti-virulence strategies being explored for N. gonorrhoeae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Y. L. Lim
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
| | - Christopher A. Mullally
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
| | - Ethan C. Haese
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
| | - Emily A. Kibble
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Nicolie R. McCluskey
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Edward C. Mikucki
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
| | - Van C. Thai
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
| | - Keith A. Stubbs
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia;
| | - Mitali Sarkar-Tyson
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
| | - Charlene M. Kahler
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; (K.Y.L.L.); (C.A.M.); (E.C.H.); (E.A.K.); (N.R.M.); (E.C.M.); (V.C.T.); (M.S.-T.)
- Correspondence:
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Neisseria meningitidis Urethritis Outbreak Isolates Express a Novel Factor H Binding Protein Variant That Is a Potential Target of Group B-Directed Meningococcal (MenB) Vaccines. Infect Immun 2020; 88:IAI.00462-20. [PMID: 32958529 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00462-20] [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: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Factor H binding protein (FHbp) is an important Neisseria meningitidis virulence factor that binds a negative regulator of the alternative complement pathway, human factor H (FH). Binding of FH increases meningococcal resistance to complement-mediated killing. FHbp also is reported to prevent interaction of the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) LL-37 with the meningococcal surface and meningococcal killing. FHbp is a target of two licensed group B-directed meningococcal (MenB) vaccines. We found a new FHbp variant, peptide allele identification no. 896 (ID 896), was highly expressed by an emerging meningococcal pathotype, the nonencapsulated urethritis clade (US_NmUC). This clade has been responsible for outbreaks of urethritis in multiple U.S. cities since 2015, other mucosal infections, and cases of invasive meningococcal disease. FHbp ID 896 is a member of the variant group 1 (subfamily B), bound protective anti-FHbp monoclonal antibodies, bound high levels of human FH, and enhanced the resistance of the clade to complement-mediated killing in low levels of human complement likely present at human mucosal surfaces. Interestingly, expression of FHbp ID 896 resulted in augmented killing of the clade by LL-37. FHbp ID 896 of the clade was recognized by antibodies elicited by FHbp in MenB vaccines.
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Yang M, Zhang L, Tao HL, Sun YC, Lou ZZ, Jia WZ, Hu LH, Gao CH. OxiR specifically responds to isoniazid and regulates isoniazid susceptibility in mycobacteria. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2020; 366:5498298. [PMID: 31125044 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacteria drug resistance is not only associated with the gain of drug resistance gene but also relied on the adaptation of bacterial cells to antibiotics by transcriptional regulation. However, only a few transcription factors that regulate drug resistance have been characterized in mycobacteria. In this study, a TetR family transcriptional factor (OxiR), encoded by Rv0067c in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, was found to be an isoniazid (INH) resistance regulator. Comparing with the wild-type strain, the oxiR overexpressing strain is four times resistant to INH, whereas the oxiR knockout strain is eight times sensitive to INH. However, the rifamycin and ethambutol resistance were not influenced by oxiR. OxiR can bind to self-promoter at a 66 bp imperfect palindromic motifs. Interestingly, OxiR directly binds to INH, and thereby alleviate the self-repression. Furthermore, OxiR negatively regulated an oxidoreductase encoded by Rv0068. And the susceptibility of the Rv0068-overexpressing and oxiR knockout strains to all the three above-mentioned anti-tuberculosis drugs was equivalent, suggesting that the effect of oxiR to INH susceptibility is attributed to the derepression of Rv0068. In conclusion, we showed that OxiR can specifically modulate INH susceptibility by regulating an oxidoreductase encoding gene, both of which have not been associated with drug-resistance previously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, No. 1, Shizishan Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, China (430070)
| | - Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, No. 1, Shizishan Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, China (430070)
| | - Hui-Ling Tao
- International Agricultural Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2338, Beijing China Road, Panlong District, Kunming, China (650000)
| | - Yuan-Chao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, No. 1, Shizishan Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, China (430070)
| | - Zhong-Zi Lou
- The State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 1, Xujiaping, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, China (730046)
| | - Wan-Zhong Jia
- The State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 1, Xujiaping, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, China (730046)
| | - Li-Hua Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, No. 1, Shizishan Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, China (430070)
| | - Chun-Hui Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, No. 1, Shizishan Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, China (430070)
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Sharma D, Garg A, Kumar M, Rashid F, Khan AU. Down-Regulation of Flagellar, Fimbriae, and Pili Proteins in Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (NDM-4) Clinical Isolates: A Novel Linkage to Drug Resistance. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2865. [PMID: 31921045 PMCID: PMC6928051 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections have worsened the current situation worldwide, in which totally drug-resistant strains (bad bugs) are becoming increasingly prominent. Bacterial biofilms enable bacteria to tolerate higher doses of antibiotics and other stresses, which may lead to the drug resistance. In the present study, we performed proteomics on the carbapenem-resistant NDM-4-producing K. pneumoniae clinical isolate under meropenem stress. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis revealed that 69 proteins were down-regulated (≤0.42-fold change) under meropenem exposure. Within the identified down-regulated proteome (69 proteins), we found a group of 13 proteins involved in flagellar, fimbriae, and pili formation and their related functions. Further, systems biology approaches were employed to reveal their networking pathways. We suggest that these down-regulated proteins and their interactive partners cumulatively contribute to the emergence of a biofilm-like state and the survival of bacteria under drug pressure, which could reveal novel mechanisms or pathways involved in drug resistance. These down-regulated proteins and their pathways might be used as targets for the development of novel therapeutics against antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divakar Sharma
- Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Anjali Garg
- Department of Biophysics, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Manish Kumar
- Department of Biophysics, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Asad U Khan
- Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
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11
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MCR-1: a promising target for structure-based design of inhibitors to tackle polymyxin resistance. Drug Discov Today 2019; 24:206-216. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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12
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Kahler CM, Nawrocki KL, Anandan A, Vrielink A, Shafer WM. Structure-Function Relationships of the Neisserial EptA Enzyme Responsible for Phosphoethanolamine Decoration of Lipid A: Rationale for Drug Targeting. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1922. [PMID: 30186254 PMCID: PMC6111236 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria cause disease by two general mechanisms: the action of their toxins on host cells and induction of a pro-inflammatory response that can lead to a deleterious cytokine/chemokine response (e.g., the so-called cytokine storm) often seen in bacteremia/septicemia. These major mechanisms may overlap due to the action of surface structures that can have direct and indirect actions on phagocytic or non-phagocytic cells. In this respect, the lipid A (endotoxin) component of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) possessed by Gram-negative bacteria has been the subject of literally thousands of studies over the past century that clearly identified it as a key virulence factor in endotoxic shock. In addition to its capacity to modulate inflammatory responses, endotoxin can also modulate bacterial susceptibility to host antimicrobials, such as the host defense peptides termed cationic antimicrobial peptides. This review concentrates on the phosphoethanolamine (PEA) decoration of lipid A in the pathogenic species of the genus Neisseria [N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis]. PEA decoration of lipid A is mediated by the enzyme EptA (formerly termed LptA) and promotes resistance to innate defense systems, induces the pro-inflammatory response and can influence the in vivo fitness of bacteria during infection. These important biological properties have driven efforts dealing with the biochemistry and structural biology of EptA that will facilitate the development of potential inhibitors that block PEA addition to lipid A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene M Kahler
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Perth Children's Hospital, Telethon Kids Institute, Subiaco, WA, Australia
| | - K L Nawrocki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Laboratories of Bacterial Pathogenesis, VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States
| | - A Anandan
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Alice Vrielink
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - William M Shafer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Laboratories of Bacterial Pathogenesis, VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States
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13
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Harvey DJ. Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: An update for 2013-2014. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2018; 37:353-491. [PMID: 29687922 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This review is the eighth update of the original article published in 1999 on the application of Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI) mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2014. Topics covered in the first part of the review include general aspects such as theory of the MALDI process, matrices, derivatization, MALDI imaging, fragmentation, and arrays. The second part of the review is devoted to applications to various structural types such as oligo- and poly- saccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycosides, and biopharmaceuticals. Much of this material is presented in tabular form. The third part of the review covers medical and industrial applications of the technique, studies of enzyme reactions, and applications to chemical synthesis. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 37:353-491, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Harvey
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, United Kingdom
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14
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John CM, Phillips NJ, Stein DC, Jarvis GA. Innate immune response to lipooligosaccharide: pivotal regulator of the pathobiology of invasive Neisseria meningitidis infections. Pathog Dis 2017; 75:3569603. [PMID: 28423169 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections due to Neisseria meningitidis afflict more than one million people worldwide annually and cause death or disability in many survivors. The clinical course of invasive infections has been well studied, but our understanding of the cause of differences in patient outcomes has been limited because these are dependent on multiple factors including the response of the host, characteristics of the bacteria and interactions between the host and the bacteria. The meningococcus is a highly inflammatory organism, and the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) on the outer membrane is the most potent inflammatory molecule it expresses due to the interactions of the lipid A moiety of LOS with receptors of the innate immune system. We previously reported that increased phosphorylation of hexaacylated neisserial lipid A is correlated with greater inflammatory potential. Here we postulate that variability in lipid A phosphorylation can tip the balance of innate immune responses towards homeostatic tolerance or proinflammatory signaling that affects adaptive immune responses, causing disease with meningitis only, or septicemia with or without meningitis, respectively. Furthermore, we propose that studies of the relationship between bacterial virulence and gene expression should consider whether genetic variation could affect properties of biosynthetic enzymes resulting in LOS structural differences that alter disease pathobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance M John
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nancy J Phillips
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Daniel C Stein
- University of Maryland, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, College Park, MD 20742 USA
| | - Gary A Jarvis
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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15
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Emergence of a new Neisseria meningitidis clonal complex 11 lineage 11.2 clade as an effective urogenital pathogen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:4237-4242. [PMID: 28373547 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1620971114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) clonal complex 11 (cc11) lineage is a hypervirulent pathogen responsible for outbreaks of invasive meningococcal disease, including among men who have sex with men, and is increasingly associated with urogenital infections. Recently, clusters of Nm urethritis have emerged primarily among heterosexual males in the United States. We determined that nonencapsulated meningococcal isolates from an ongoing Nm urethritis outbreak among epidemiologically unrelated men in Columbus, Ohio, are linked to increased Nm urethritis cases in multiple US cities, including Atlanta and Indianapolis, and that they form a unique clade (the US Nm urethritis clade, US_NmUC). The isolates belonged to the cc11 lineage 11.2/ET-15 with fine type of PorA P1.5-1, 10-8; FetA F3-6; PorB 2-2 and express a unique FHbp allele. A common molecular fingerprint of US_NmUC isolates was an IS1301 element in the intergenic region separating the capsule ctr-css operons and adjacent deletion of cssA/B/C and a part of csc, encoding the serogroup C capsule polymerase. This resulted in the loss of encapsulation and intrinsic lipooligosaccharide sialylation that may promote adherence to mucosal surfaces. Furthermore, we detected an IS1301-mediated inversion of an ∼20-kb sequence near the cps locus. Surprisingly, these isolates had acquired by gene conversion the complete gonococcal denitrification norB-aniA gene cassette, and strains grow well anaerobically. The cc11 US_NmUC isolates causing urethritis clusters in the United States may have adapted to a urogenital environment by loss of capsule and gene conversion of the Neisseria gonorrheae norB-aniA cassette promoting anaerobic growth.
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16
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Hinchliffe P, Yang QE, Portal E, Young T, Li H, Tooke CL, Carvalho MJ, Paterson NG, Brem J, Niumsup PR, Tansawai U, Lei L, Li M, Shen Z, Wang Y, Schofield CJ, Mulholland AJ, Shen J, Fey N, Walsh TR, Spencer J. Insights into the Mechanistic Basis of Plasmid-Mediated Colistin Resistance from Crystal Structures of the Catalytic Domain of MCR-1. Sci Rep 2017; 7:39392. [PMID: 28059088 PMCID: PMC5216409 DOI: 10.1038/srep39392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The polymixin colistin is a "last line" antibiotic against extensively-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Recently, the mcr-1 gene was identified as a plasmid-mediated resistance mechanism in human and animal Enterobacteriaceae, with a wide geographical distribution and many producer strains resistant to multiple other antibiotics. mcr-1 encodes a membrane-bound enzyme catalysing phosphoethanolamine transfer onto bacterial lipid A. Here we present crystal structures revealing the MCR-1 periplasmic, catalytic domain to be a zinc metalloprotein with an alkaline phosphatase/sulphatase fold containing three disulphide bonds. One structure captures a phosphorylated form representing the first intermediate in the transfer reaction. Mutation of residues implicated in zinc or phosphoethanolamine binding, or catalytic activity, restores colistin susceptibility of recombinant E. coli. Zinc deprivation reduces colistin MICs in MCR-1-producing laboratory, environmental, animal and human E. coli. Conversely, over-expression of the disulphide isomerase DsbA increases the colistin MIC of laboratory E. coli. Preliminary density functional theory calculations on cluster models suggest a single zinc ion may be sufficient to support phosphoethanolamine transfer. These data demonstrate the importance of zinc and disulphide bonds to MCR-1 activity, suggest that assays under zinc-limiting conditions represent a route to phenotypic identification of MCR-1 producing E. coli, and identify key features of the likely catalytic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Hinchliffe
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Qiu E Yang
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Edward Portal
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Tom Young
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Hui Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Catherine L Tooke
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Maria J Carvalho
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Neil G Paterson
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Jürgen Brem
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Pannika R Niumsup
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand
| | - Uttapoln Tansawai
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand
| | - Lei Lei
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhangqi Shen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Jianzhong Shen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Natalie Fey
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Timothy R Walsh
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - James Spencer
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
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17
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Trimble MJ, Mlynárčik P, Kolář M, Hancock REW. Polymyxin: Alternative Mechanisms of Action and Resistance. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2016; 6:cshperspect.a025288. [PMID: 27503996 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a025288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria is an ever-increasing issue worldwide. Unfortunately, very little has been achieved in the pharmaceutical industry to combat this problem. This has led researchers and the medical field to revisit past drugs that were deemed too toxic for clinical use. In particular, the cyclic cationic peptides polymyxin B and colistin, which are specific for Gram-negative bacteria, have been used as "last resort" antimicrobials. Before the 1980s, these drugs were known for their renal and neural toxicities; however, new clinical practices and possibly improved manufacturing have made them safer to use. Previously suggested to primarily attack the membranes of Gram-negative bacteria and to not easily select for resistant mutants, recent research exploring resistance and mechanisms of action has provided new perspectives. This review focuses primarily on the proposed alternative mechanisms of action, known resistance mechanisms, and how these support the alternative mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Trimble
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Patrik Mlynárčik
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, 771 47 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Kolář
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, 771 47 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Robert E W Hancock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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18
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Telke AA, Rolain JM. Functional genomics to discover antibiotic resistance genes: The paradigm of resistance to colistin mediated by ethanolamine phosphotransferase in Shewanella algae MARS 14. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2015; 46:648-52. [PMID: 26498987 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2015.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Revised: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Shewanella algae MARS 14 is a colistin-resistant clinical isolate retrieved from bronchoalveolar lavage of a hospitalised patient. A functional genomics strategy was employed to discover the molecular support for colistin resistance in S. algae MARS 14. A pZE21 MCS-1 plasmid-based genomic expression library was constructed in Escherichia coli TOP10. The estimated library size was 1.30×10(8) bp. Functional screening of colistin-resistant clones was carried out on Luria-Bertani agar containing 8 mg/L colistin. Five colistin-resistant clones were obtained after complete screening of the genomic expression library. Analysis of DNA sequencing results found a unique gene in all selected clones. Amino acid sequence analysis of this unique gene using the Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) and KEGG databases revealed that this gene encodes ethanolamine phosphotransferase (EptA, or so-called PmrC). Reverse transcription PCR analysis indicated that resistance to colistin in S. algae MARS 14 was associated with overexpression of EptA (27-fold increase), which plays a crucial role in the arrangement of outer membrane lipopolysaccharide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amar A Telke
- Unité de recherche sur les maladies infectieuses et tropicales émergentes (URMITE), CNRS-IRD UMR 6236, Méditerranée Infection, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Marc Rolain
- Unité de recherche sur les maladies infectieuses et tropicales émergentes (URMITE), CNRS-IRD UMR 6236, Méditerranée Infection, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
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19
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Gasparini R, Panatto D, Bragazzi NL, Lai PL, Bechini A, Levi M, Durando P, Amicizia D. How the Knowledge of Interactions between Meningococcus and the Human Immune System Has Been Used to Prepare Effective Neisseria meningitidis Vaccines. J Immunol Res 2015; 2015:189153. [PMID: 26351643 PMCID: PMC4553322 DOI: 10.1155/2015/189153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, tremendous advancement in dissecting the mechanisms of pathogenicity of Neisseria meningitidis at a molecular level has been achieved, exploiting converging approaches of different disciplines, ranging from pathology to microbiology, immunology, and omics sciences (such as genomics and proteomics). Here, we review the molecular biology of the infectious agent and, in particular, its interactions with the immune system, focusing on both the innate and the adaptive responses. Meningococci exploit different mechanisms and complex machineries in order to subvert the immune system and to avoid being killed. Capsular polysaccharide and lipooligosaccharide glycan composition, in particular, play a major role in circumventing immune response. The understanding of these mechanisms has opened new horizons in the field of vaccinology. Nowadays different licensed meningococcal vaccines are available and used: conjugate meningococcal C vaccines, tetravalent conjugate vaccines, an affordable conjugate vaccine against the N. menigitidis serogroup A, and universal vaccines based on multiple antigens each one with a different and peculiar function against meningococcal group B strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Gasparini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - D. Panatto
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - N. L. Bragazzi
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - P. L. Lai
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - A. Bechini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Viale G.B. Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - M. Levi
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Viale G.B. Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - P. Durando
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - D. Amicizia
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
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20
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Antimicrobial peptide resistance in Neisseria meningitidis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1848:3026-31. [PMID: 26002321 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play an important role as a host defense against microbial pathogens and are key components of the human innate immune response. Neisseria meningitidis frequently colonizes the human nasopharynx as a commensal but also is a worldwide cause of epidemic meningitis and rapidly fatal sepsis. In the human respiratory tract, the only known reservoir of N. meningitidis, meningococci are exposed to human endogenous AMPs. Thus, it is not surprising that meningococci have evolved effective mechanisms to confer intrinsic and high levels of resistance to the action of AMPs. This article reviews the current knowledge about AMP resistance mechanisms employed by N. meningitidis. Two major resistance mechanisms employed by meningococci are the constitutive modification of the lipid A head groups of lipooligosaccharides by phosphoethanolamine and the active efflux pump mediated excretion of AMPs. Other factors influencing AMP resistance, such as the major porin PorB, the pilin biogenesis apparatus, and capsular polysaccharides, have also been identified. Even with an inherently high intrinsic resistance, several AMP resistance determinants can be further induced upon exposure to AMPs. Many well-characterized AMP resistance mechanisms in other Gram-negative bacteria are not found in meningococci. Thus, N. meningitidis utilizes a limited but highly effective set of molecular mechanisms to mediate antimicrobial peptide resistance. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides.
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