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Arias-Rojas A, Arifah AQ, Angelidou G, Alshaar B, Schombel U, Forest E, Frahm D, Brinkmann V, Paczia N, Beisel CL, Gisch N, Iatsenko I. MprF-mediated immune evasion is necessary for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum resilience in the Drosophila gut during inflammation. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012462. [PMID: 39159259 PMCID: PMC11361745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012462] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple peptide resistance factor (MprF) confers resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in several pathogens, thereby enabling evasion of the host immune response. The role of MprF in commensals remains, however, uncharacterized. To close this knowledge gap, we used a common gut commensal of animals, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and its natural host, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, as an experimental model to investigate the role of MprF in commensal-host interactions. The L. plantarum ΔmprF mutant that we generated exhibited deficiency in the synthesis of lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol (Lys-PG), resulting in increased negative cell surface charge and increased susceptibility to AMPs. Susceptibility to AMPs had no effect on ΔmprF mutant's ability to colonize guts of uninfected flies. However, we observed significantly reduced abundance of the ΔmprF mutant after infection-induced inflammation in the guts of wild-type flies but not of flies lacking AMPs. Additionally, we found that the ΔmprF mutant compared to wild-type L. plantarum induces a stronger intestinal immune response in flies due to the increased release of immunostimulatory peptidoglycan fragments, indicating an important role of MprF in promoting host tolerance to commensals. Our further analysis suggests that MprF-mediated lipoteichoic acid modifications are involved in host immunomodulation. Overall, our results demonstrate that MprF, besides its well-characterized role in pathogen immune evasion and virulence, is also an important commensal resilience factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aranzazu Arias-Rojas
- Research group Genetics of host-microbe interactions, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Adini Q. Arifah
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Georgia Angelidou
- Core facility for metabolomics and small molecules mass spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Belal Alshaar
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Priority Area Infections, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Ursula Schombel
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Priority Area Infections, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Emma Forest
- Research group Genetics of host-microbe interactions, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
- CNRS, Aix-Marseille Univ, LISM UMR7255, IMM FR3479, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, SSA, MCT, Marseille, France
| | - Dagmar Frahm
- Research group Genetics of host-microbe interactions, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Volker Brinkmann
- Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicole Paczia
- Core facility for metabolomics and small molecules mass spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Chase L. Beisel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
- Medical Faculty, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nicolas Gisch
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Priority Area Infections, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Igor Iatsenko
- Research group Genetics of host-microbe interactions, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Touré H, Herrmann JL, Szuplewski S, Girard-Misguich F. Drosophila melanogaster as an organism model for studying cystic fibrosis and its major associated microbial infections. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0024023. [PMID: 37847031 PMCID: PMC10652941 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00240-23] [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] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a human genetic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene that encodes a chloride channel. The most severe clinical manifestation is associated with chronic pulmonary infections by pathogenic and opportunistic microbes. Drosophila melanogaster has become the invertebrate model of choice for modeling microbial infections and studying the induced innate immune response. Here, we review its contribution to the understanding of infections with six major pathogens associated with CF (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, Mycobacterium abscessus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Aspergillus fumigatus) together with the perspectives opened by the recent availability of two CF models in this model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamadoun Touré
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INSERM, Infection et Inflammation, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Jean-Louis Herrmann
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INSERM, Infection et Inflammation, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpitaux Universitaires Ile-de-France Ouest, GHU Paris-Saclay, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
| | - Sébastien Szuplewski
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Laboratoire de Génétique et Biologie Cellulaire, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Fabienne Girard-Misguich
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INSERM, Infection et Inflammation, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
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3
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Jeong GJ, Khan F, Tabassum N, Cho KJ, Kim YM. Controlling biofilm and virulence properties of Gram-positive bacteria by targeting wall teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2023; 62:106941. [PMID: 37536571 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2023.106941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) are structural components of Gram-positive bacteria's peptidoglycan and cell membrane, which are mostly anionic glycopolymers. WTA confers numerous physiological, virulence, and pathogenic features to bacterial pathogens. It controls cell shape, cell division, and the localisation of autolytic enzymes and ion homeostasis. In the context of virulence and pathogenicity, it aids bacterial cell attachment and colonisation and protects against the host defence system and antibiotics. Having such a broad function in pathogenic bacteria's lifecycle, WTA/LTA become one of the potential targets for antibacterial agents to reduce bacterial infection in the host. The number of reports for targeting the WTA/LTA pathway has risen, mostly by focusing on three distinct targets: antivirulence targets, β-lactam potentiator targets, and essential targets. The current review looked at the role of WTA/LTA in biofilm development and virulence in a range of Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, alternate strategies, such as the application of natural and synthetic compounds that target the WTA/LTA pathway, have been thoroughly discussed. Moreover, the application of nanomaterials and a combination of drugs have also been discussed as a viable method for targeting the WTA/LTA in numerous Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, a future perspective for controlling bacterial infection by targeting the WTA/LTA is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geum-Jae Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Fazlurrahman Khan
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Jin Cho
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
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4
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Lee IG, Song C, Yang S, Jeon H, Park J, Yoon HJ, Im H, Kang SM, Eun HJ, Lee BJ. Structural and functional analysis of the D-alanyl carrier protein ligase DltA from Staphylococcus aureus Mu50. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:424-434. [PMID: 35362466 PMCID: PMC8972799 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322000547] [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: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
D-Alanylation of the teichoic acids of the Gram-positive bacterial cell wall plays crucial roles in bacterial physiology and virulence. Deprivation of D-alanine from the teichoic acids of Staphylococcus aureus impairs biofilm and colony formation, induces autolysis and ultimately renders methicillin-resistant S. aureus highly susceptible to antimicrobial agents and host defense peptides. Hence, the D-alanylation pathway has emerged as a promising antibacterial target against drug-resistant S. aureus. D-Alanylation of teichoic acids is mediated via the action of four proteins encoded by the dlt operon, DltABCD, all four of which are essential for the process. In order to develop novel antimicrobial agents against S. aureus, the D-alanyl carrier protein ligase DltA, which is the first protein in the D-alanylation pathway, was focused on. Here, the crystal structure of DltA from the methicillin-resistant S. aureus strain Mu50 is presented, which reveals the unique molecular details of the catalytic center and the role of the P-loop. Kinetic analysis shows that the enantioselectivity of S. aureus DltA is much higher than that of DltA from other species. In the presence of DltC, the enzymatic activity of DltA is increased by an order of magnitude, suggesting a new exploitable binding pocket. This discovery may pave the way for a new generation of treatments for drug-resistant S. aureus.
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5
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Sensing microbial infections in the Drosophila melanogaster genetic model organism. Immunogenetics 2022; 74:35-62. [DOI: 10.1007/s00251-021-01239-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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6
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Sutton G, Fogel GB, Abramson B, Brinkac L, Michael T, Liu ES, Thomas S. Horizontal transfer and evolution of wall teichoic acid gene cassettes in Bacillus subtilis. F1000Res 2022; 10:354. [PMID: 35035886 PMCID: PMC8753576 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.51874.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Wall teichoic acid (WTA) genes are essential for production of cell walls in gram-positive bacteria and necessary for survival and variability in the cassette has led to recent antibiotic resistance acquisition in pathogenic bacteria. Methods: Using a pan-genome approach, we examined the evolutionary history of WTA genes in
Bacillus subtilis ssp.
subtilis. Results: Our analysis reveals an interesting pattern of evolution from the type-strain WTA gene cassette possibly resulting from horizontal acquisition from organisms with similar gene sequences. The WTA cassettes have a high level of variation which may be due to one or more independent horizontal transfer events during the evolution of
Bacillus subtilis ssp.
subtilis. This swapping of entire WTA cassettes and smaller regions within the WTA cassettes is an unusual feature in the evolution of the
Bacillus subtilis genome and highlights the importance of horizontal transfer of gene cassettes through homologous recombination within
B. subtilis or other bacterial species. Conclusions: Reduced sequence conservation of these WTA cassettes may indicate a modified function like the previously documented WTA ribitol/glycerol variation. An improved understanding of high-frequency recombination of gene cassettes has ramifications for synthetic biology and the use of
B. subtilis in industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Granger Sutton
- J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, Maryland, 20850, USA
| | - Gary B Fogel
- Natural Selection, Inc., San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Bradley Abramson
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | | | - Todd Michael
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Enoch S Liu
- Natural Selection, Inc., San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
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Marshall EKP, Dionne MS. Drosophila versus Mycobacteria: A model for mycobacterial host-pathogen interactions. Mol Microbiol 2021; 117:600-609. [PMID: 34585797 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Animal models have played an essential role in understanding the host-pathogen interactions of pathogenic mycobacteria, including the Mycobacterium tuberculosis and emerging nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species such as M. avium and M. abscessus. Drosophila melanogaster has become a well-established model for the study of innate immunity and is increasingly being used as a tool to study host-pathogen interactions, in part due to its genetic tractability. The use of D. melanogaster has led to greater understanding of the role of the innate immune system in response to mycobacterial infection, including in vitro RNAi screens and in vivo studies. These studies have identified processes and host factors involved in mycobacterial infection, such as those required for cellular entry, those required to control or resist non-pathogenic mycobacteria, or factors that become dysregulated as a result of mycobacterial infection. Developments in genetic tools for manipulating mycobacterial genomes will allow for more detailed studies into how specific host and pathogen factors interact with one another by using D. melanogaster; however, the full potential of this model has not yet been reached. Here we provide an overview of how D. melanogaster has been used to study mycobacterial infection and discuss the current gaps in our understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor K P Marshall
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and infection, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Marc S Dionne
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and infection, Imperial College London, London, UK
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8
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Attieh Z, Mouawad C, Rejasse A, Jehanno I, Perchat S, Hegna IK, Økstad OA, Kallassy Awad M, Sanchis-Borja V, El Chamy L. The fliK Gene Is Required for the Resistance of Bacillus thuringiensis to Antimicrobial Peptides and Virulence in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:611220. [PMID: 33391240 PMCID: PMC7775485 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.611220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential effectors of the host innate immune system and they represent promising molecules for the treatment of multidrug resistant microbes. A better understanding of microbial resistance to these defense peptides is thus prerequisite for the control of infectious diseases. Here, using a random mutagenesis approach, we identify the fliK gene, encoding an internal molecular ruler that controls flagella hook length, as an essential element for Bacillus thuringiensis resistance to AMPs in Drosophila. Unlike its parental strain, that is highly virulent to both wild-type and AMPs deficient mutant flies, the fliK deletion mutant is only lethal to the latter's. In agreement with its conserved function, the fliK mutant is non-flagellated and exhibits highly compromised motility. However, comparative analysis of the fliK mutant phenotype to that of a fla mutant, in which the genes encoding flagella proteins are interrupted, indicate that B. thuringiensis FliK-dependent resistance to AMPs is independent of flagella assembly. As a whole, our results identify FliK as an essential determinant for B. thuringiensis virulence in Drosophila and provide new insights on the mechanisms underlying bacteria resistance to AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaynoun Attieh
- UR-EGP, Faculté des Sciences, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Beirut, Lebanon
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Carine Mouawad
- UR-EGP, Faculté des Sciences, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Agnès Rejasse
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Isabelle Jehanno
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Stéphane Perchat
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Ida K. Hegna
- Department of Pharmacy, Centre for Integrative Microbial Evolution (CIME), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A. Økstad
- Department of Pharmacy, Centre for Integrative Microbial Evolution (CIME), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Vincent Sanchis-Borja
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Laure El Chamy
- UR-EGP, Faculté des Sciences, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Beirut, Lebanon
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9
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Wu X, Han J, Gong G, Koffas MAG, Zha J. Wall teichoic acids: physiology and applications. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2020; 45:6019871. [DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are charged glycopolymers containing phosphodiester-linked polyol units and represent one of the major components of Gram-positive cell envelope. WTAs have important physiological functions in cell division, gene transfer, surface adhesion, drug resistance and biofilm formation, and are critical virulence factors and vital determinants in mediating cell interaction with and tolerance to environmental factors. Here, we first briefly introduce WTA structure, biosynthesis and its regulation, and then summarize in detail four major physiological roles played by WTAs, i.e. WTA-mediated resistance to antimicrobials, virulence to mammalian cells, interaction with bacteriolytic enzymes and regulation of cell metabolism. We also review the applications of WTAs in these fields that are closely related to the human society, including antibacterial drug discovery targeting WTA biosynthesis, development of vaccines and antibodies regarding WTA-mediated pathogenicity, specific and sensitive detection of pathogens in food using WTAs as a surface epitope and regulation of WTA-related pathways for efficient microbial production of useful compounds. We also point out major problems remaining in these fields, and discuss some possible directions in the future exploration of WTA physiology and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Jing Han
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Guoli Gong
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
| | - Mattheos A G Koffas
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Jian Zha
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China
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10
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Vaz F, Kounatidis I, Covas G, Parton RM, Harkiolaki M, Davis I, Filipe SR, Ligoxygakis P. Accessibility to Peptidoglycan Is Important for the Recognition of Gram-Positive Bacteria in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2020; 27:2480-2492.e6. [PMID: 31116990 PMCID: PMC6533200 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila, it is thought that peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) SA and LC structurally discriminate between bacterial peptidoglycans with lysine (Lys) or diaminopimelic (DAP) acid, respectively, thus inducing differential antimicrobial transcription response. Here, we find that accessibility to PG at the cell wall plays a central role in immunity to infection. When wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are genetically removed from S. aureus (Lys type) and Bacillus subtilis (DAP type), thus increasing accessibility, the binding of both PGRPs to either bacterium is increased. PGRP-SA and -LC double mutant flies are more susceptible to infection with both WTA-less bacteria. In addition, WTA-less bacteria grow better in PGRP-SA/-LC double mutant flies. Finally, infection with WTA-less bacteria abolishes any differential activation of downstream antimicrobial transcription. Our results indicate that accessibility to cell wall PG is a major factor in PGRP-mediated immunity and may be the cause for discrimination between classes of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Vaz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd., OX1 3QU Oxford, UK; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ilias Kounatidis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd., OX1 3QU Oxford, UK; Diamond Light Source, Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, UK
| | - Gonçalo Covas
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Richard M Parton
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd., OX1 3QU Oxford, UK
| | - Maria Harkiolaki
- Diamond Light Source, Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, UK
| | - Ilan Davis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd., OX1 3QU Oxford, UK
| | - Sergio Raposo Filipe
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Petros Ligoxygakis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd., OX1 3QU Oxford, UK.
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11
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Younes S, Al-Sulaiti A, Nasser EAA, Najjar H, Kamareddine L. Drosophila as a Model Organism in Host-Pathogen Interaction Studies. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:214. [PMID: 32656090 PMCID: PMC7324642 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Owing to the genetic similarities and conserved pathways between a fruit fly and mammals, the use of the Drosophila model as a platform to unveil novel mechanisms of infection and disease progression has been justified and widely instigated. Gaining proper insight into host-pathogen interactions and identifying chief factors involved in host defense and pathogen virulence in Drosophila serves as a foundation to establish novel strategies for infectious disease prevention and control in higher organisms, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Younes
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Asma Al-Sulaiti
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Hoda Najjar
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Layla Kamareddine
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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12
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Queda F, Covas G, Silva T, Santos CA, Bronze MR, Cañada FJ, Corvo MC, Filipe SR, Marques MMB. A top-down chemo-enzymatic approach towards N-acetylglucosamine-N-acetylmuramic oligosaccharides: Chitosan as a reliable template. Carbohydr Polym 2019; 224:115133. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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13
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Szymczak P, Rau MH, Monteiro JM, Pinho MG, Filipe SR, Vogensen FK, Zeidan AA, Janzen T. A comparative genomics approach for identifying host-range determinants in Streptococcus thermophilus bacteriophages. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7991. [PMID: 31142793 PMCID: PMC6541646 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44481-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative genomics has proven useful in exploring the biodiversity of phages and understanding phage-host interactions. This knowledge is particularly useful for phages infecting Streptococcus thermophilus, as they constitute a constant threat during dairy fermentations. Here, we explore the genetic diversity of S. thermophilus phages to identify genetic determinants with a signature for host specificity, which could be linked to the bacterial receptor genotype. A comparative genomic analysis was performed on 142 S. thermophilus phage genomes, 55 of which were sequenced in this study. Effectively, 94 phages were assigned to the group cos (DT1), 36 to the group pac (O1205), six to the group 5093, and six to the group 987. The core genome-based phylogeny of phages from the two dominating groups and their receptor binding protein (RBP) phylogeny corresponded to the phage host-range. A role of RBP in host recognition was confirmed by constructing a fluorescent derivative of the RBP of phage CHPC951, followed by studying the binding of the protein to the host strain. Furthermore, the RBP phylogeny of the cos group was found to correlate with the host genotype of the exocellular polysaccharide-encoding operon. These findings provide novel insights towards developing strategies to combat phage infections in dairies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Szymczak
- Bacterial Physiology, R&D, Chr. Hansen A/S, 2970, Hørsholm, Denmark
- Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, 1958, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Martin Holm Rau
- Bacterial Physiology, R&D, Chr. Hansen A/S, 2970, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - João M Monteiro
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Mariana G Pinho
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Sérgio Raposo Filipe
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Finn Kvist Vogensen
- Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, 1958, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Ahmad A Zeidan
- Bacterial Physiology, R&D, Chr. Hansen A/S, 2970, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Thomas Janzen
- Bacterial Physiology, R&D, Chr. Hansen A/S, 2970, Hørsholm, Denmark.
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14
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Troha K, Buchon N. Methods for the study of innate immunity in Drosophila melanogaster. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2019; 8:e344. [PMID: 30993906 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
From flies to humans, many components of the innate immune system have been conserved during metazoan evolution. This foundational observation has allowed us to develop Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, into a powerful model to study innate immunity in animals. Thanks to an ever-growing arsenal of genetic tools, an easily manipulated genome, and its winning disposition, Drosophila is now employed to study not only basic molecular mechanisms of pathogen recognition and immune signaling, but also the nature of physiological responses activated in the host by microbial challenge and how dysregulation of these processes contributes to disease. Here, we present a collection of methods and protocols to challenge the fly with an assortment of microbes, both systemically and orally, and assess its humoral, cellular, and epithelial response to infection. Our review covers techniques for measuring the reaction to microbial infection both qualitatively and quantitatively. Specifically, we describe survival, bacterial load, BLUD (a measure of disease tolerance), phagocytosis, melanization, clotting, and ROS production assays, as well as efficient protocols to collect hemolymph and measure immune gene expression. We also offer an updated catalog of online resources and a collection of popular reporter lines and mutants to facilitate research efforts. This article is categorized under: Technologies > Analysis of Cell, Tissue, and Animal Phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Troha
- Department of Entomology, Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Nicolas Buchon
- Department of Entomology, Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
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15
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Catalão MJ, Filipe SR, Pimentel M. Revisiting Anti-tuberculosis Therapeutic Strategies That Target the Peptidoglycan Structure and Synthesis. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:190. [PMID: 30804921 PMCID: PMC6378297 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB), which is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is one of the leading cause of death by an infectious diseases. The biosynthesis of the mycobacterial cell wall (CW) is an area of increasing research significance, as numerous antibiotics used to treat TB target biosynthesis pathways of essential CW components. The main feature of the mycobacterial cell envelope is an intricate structure, the mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan (mAGP) complex responsible for its innate resistance to many commonly used antibiotics and involved in virulence. A hallmark of mAGP is its unusual peptidoglycan (PG) layer, which has subtleties that play a key role in virulence by enabling pathogenic species to survive inside the host and resist antibiotic pressure. This dynamic and essential structure is not a target of currently used therapeutics as Mtb is considered naturally resistant to most β-lactam antibiotics due to a highly active β-lactamase (BlaC) that efficiently hydrolyses many β-lactam drugs to render them ineffective. The emergence of multidrug- and extensive drug-resistant strains to the available antibiotics has become a serious health threat, places an immense burden on health care systems, and poses particular therapeutic challenges. Therefore, it is crucial to explore additional Mtb vulnerabilities that can be used to combat TB. Remodeling PG enzymes that catalyze biosynthesis and recycling of the PG are essential to the viability of Mtb and are therefore attractive targets for novel antibiotics research. This article reviews PG as an alternative antibiotic target for TB treatment, how Mtb has developed resistance to currently available antibiotics directed to PG biosynthesis, and the potential of targeting this essential structure to tackle TB by attacking alternative enzymatic activities involved in Mtb PG modifications and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Catalão
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sérgio R. Filipe
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Caparica, Portugal
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Madalena Pimentel
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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16
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Dworkin J. Detection of fungal and bacterial carbohydrates: Do the similar structures of chitin and peptidoglycan play a role in immune dysfunction? PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007271. [PMID: 30308080 PMCID: PMC6181413 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Dworkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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17
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Unprotonated Short-Chain Alkylamines Inhibit Staphylolytic Activity of Lysostaphin in a Wall Teichoic Acid-Dependent Manner. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.00693-18. [PMID: 29728390 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00693-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysostaphin (Lst) is a potent bacteriolytic enzyme that kills Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterial pathogen of humans and animals. With high activity against both planktonic cells and biofilms, Lst has the potential to be used in industrial products, such as commercial cleansers, for decontamination. However, Lst is inhibited in the presence of monoethanolamine (MEA), a chemical widely used in cleaning solutions and pharmaceuticals, and the underlying mechanism of inhibition remains unknown. In this study, we examined the cell binding and killing capabilities of Lst against S. aureus ATCC 6538 in buffered salt solution with MEA at different pH values (7.5 to 10.5) and discovered that only the unprotonated form of MEA inhibited Lst binding to the cell surface, leading to low Lst activity, despite retention of its secondary structure. This reduced enzyme activity could be largely recovered via a reduction in wall teichoic acid (WTA) biosynthesis through tunicamycin treatment, indicating that the suppression of Lst activity was dependent on the presence and amount of WTA. We propose that the decreased cell binding and killing capabilities of Lst are associated with the influence of uncharged MEA on the conformation of WTA. A similar effect was confirmed with other short-chain alkylamines. This study offers new insight into the impact of short-chain alkylamines on both Lst and WTA structure and function and provides guidance for the application of Lst in harsh environments.IMPORTANCE Lysostaphin (Lst) effectively and selectively kills Staphylococcus aureus, the bacterial culprit of many hospital- and community-acquired skin and respiratory infections and food poisoning. Lst has been investigated in animal models and clinical trials, industrial formulations, and environmental settings. Here, we studied the mechanistic basis of the inhibitory effect of alkylamines, such as monoethanolamine (MEA), a widely used chemical in commercial detergents, on Lst activity, for the potential incorporation of Lst in disinfectant solutions. We have found that protonated MEA has little influence on Lst activity, while unprotonated MEA prevents Lst from binding to S. aureus cells and hence dramatically decreases the enzyme's bacteriolytic efficacy. Following partial removal of the wall teichoic acid, an important component of the bacterial cell envelope, the inhibitory effect of unprotonated MEA on Lst is reduced. This phenomenon can be extended to other short-chain alkylamines. This mechanistic report of the impact of alkylamines on Lst functionality will help guide future applications of Lst in disinfection and decontamination of health-related commercial products.
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18
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Duneau DF, Kondolf HC, Im JH, Ortiz GA, Chow C, Fox MA, Eugénio AT, Revah J, Buchon N, Lazzaro BP. The Toll pathway underlies host sexual dimorphism in resistance to both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in mated Drosophila. BMC Biol 2017; 15:124. [PMID: 29268741 PMCID: PMC5740927 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-017-0466-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Host sexual dimorphism is being increasingly recognized to generate strong differences in the outcome of infectious disease, but the mechanisms underlying immunological differences between males and females remain poorly characterized. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster to assess and dissect sexual dimorphism in the innate response to systemic bacterial infection. RESULTS We demonstrated sexual dimorphism in susceptibility to infection by a broad spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. We found that both virgin and mated females are more susceptible than mated males to most, but not all, infections. We investigated in more detail the lower resistance of females to infection with Providencia rettgeri, a Gram-negative bacterium that naturally infects D. melanogaster. We found that females have a higher number of phagocytes than males and that ablation of hemocytes does not eliminate the dimorphism in resistance to P. rettgeri, so the observed dimorphism does not stem from differences in the cellular response. The Imd pathway is critical for the production of antimicrobial peptides in response to Gram-negative bacteria, but mutants for Imd signaling continued to exhibit dimorphism even though both sexes showed strongly reduced resistance. Instead, we found that the Toll pathway is responsible for the dimorphism in resistance. The Toll pathway is dimorphic in genome-wide constitutive gene expression and in induced response to infection. Toll signaling is dimorphic in both constitutive signaling and in induced activation in response to P. rettgeri infection. The dimorphism in pathway activation can be specifically attributed to Persephone-mediated immune stimulation, by which the Toll pathway is triggered in response to pathogen-derived virulence factors. We additionally found that, in absence of Toll signaling, males become more susceptible than females to the Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis. This reversal in susceptibility between male and female Toll pathway mutants compared to wildtype hosts highlights the key role of the Toll pathway in D. melanogaster sexual dimorphism in resistance to infection. CONCLUSION Altogether, our data demonstrate that Toll pathway activity differs between male and female D. melanogaster in response to bacterial infection, thus identifying innate immune signaling as a determinant of sexual immune dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- David F Duneau
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France. .,CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, UMR5174 EDB, F-31062, Toulouse, France.
| | - Hannah C Kondolf
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France.,Present Address: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Joo Hyun Im
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France.,Cornell Institute of Host Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Gerardo A Ortiz
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France
| | - Christopher Chow
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France
| | - Michael A Fox
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France
| | - Ana T Eugénio
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, P-2780, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - J Revah
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France.,Cornell Institute of Host Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Nicolas Buchon
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France.,Cornell Institute of Host Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Brian P Lazzaro
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France.,Cornell Institute of Host Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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19
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Hong SJ, Kim SK, Ko EB, Yun CH, Han SH. Wall teichoic acid is an essential component of Staphylococcus aureus for the induction of human dendritic cell maturation. Mol Immunol 2016; 81:135-142. [PMID: 27978487 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive pathogen that can cause chronic skin inflammation, pneumonia, and septic shock. The immunomodulatory functions of wall teichoic acid (WTA), a glycopolymer abundantly expressed on the Gram-positive bacterial cell wall, are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of WTA in the phenotypic and functional activation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) treated with ethanol-killed S. aureus. WTA-deficient S. aureus mutant (ΔtagO) exhibited attenuated binding and internalization to DCs compared to the wild-type. ΔtagO induced lower expression of maturation markers on and cytokines in DCs than the wild-type S. aureus. Furthermore, autologous human peripheral blood mononuclear cells cocultured with ΔtagO-treated DCs exhibited a marked reduction in T cell proliferative activity, the expression of activation markers, and the production of cytokines compared to the wild-type S. aureus-stimulated DCs. Collectively, these results suggest that WTA is an important cell wall component of S. aureus for the induction of DC maturation and activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Jun Hong
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, DRI, and BK21 Plus Program, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Kyung Kim
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, DRI, and BK21 Plus Program, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Byeol Ko
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, DRI, and BK21 Plus Program, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol-Heui Yun
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Institute of Green Bio Science Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Han
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, DRI, and BK21 Plus Program, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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20
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Wu X, Paskaleva EE, Mehta KK, Dordick JS, Kane RS. Wall Teichoic Acids Are Involved in the Medium-Induced Loss of Function of the Autolysin CD11 against Clostridium difficile. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35616. [PMID: 27759081 PMCID: PMC5069495 DOI: 10.1038/srep35616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial lysins are potent antibacterial enzymes with potential applications in the treatment of bacterial infections. Some lysins lose activity in the growth media of target bacteria, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here we use CD11, an autolysin of Clostridium difficile, as a model lysin to demonstrate that the inability of this enzyme to kill C. difficile in growth medium is not associated with inhibition of the enzyme activity by medium, or the modification of the cell wall peptidoglycan. Rather, wall teichoic acids (WTAs) appear to prevent the enzyme from binding to the cells and cleaving the cell wall peptidoglycan. By partially blocking the biosynthetic pathway of WTAs with tunicamycin, cell binding improved and the lytic efficacy of CD11 was significantly enhanced. This is the first report of the mechanism of lysin inactivation in growth medium, and provides insights into understanding the behavior of lysins in complex environments, including the gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wu
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, US.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, US
| | - Elena E Paskaleva
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, US
| | - Krunal K Mehta
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, US.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, US
| | - Jonathan S Dordick
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, US.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, US
| | - Ravi S Kane
- School of Chemical &Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, US
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21
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Guillou A, Troha K, Wang H, Franc NC, Buchon N. The Drosophila CD36 Homologue croquemort Is Required to Maintain Immune and Gut Homeostasis during Development and Aging. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005961. [PMID: 27780230 PMCID: PMC5079587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Phagocytosis is an ancient mechanism central to both tissue homeostasis and immune defense. Both the identity of the receptors that mediate bacterial phagocytosis and the nature of the interactions between phagocytosis and other defense mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that Croquemort (Crq), a Drosophila member of the CD36 family of scavenger receptors, is required for microbial phagocytosis and efficient bacterial clearance. Flies mutant for crq are susceptible to environmental microbes during development and succumb to a variety of microbial infections as adults. Crq acts parallel to the Toll and Imd pathways to eliminate bacteria via phagocytosis. crq mutant flies exhibit enhanced and prolonged immune and cytokine induction accompanied by premature gut dysplasia and decreased lifespan. The chronic state of immune activation in crq mutant flies is further regulated by negative regulators of the Imd pathway. Altogether, our data demonstrate that Crq plays a key role in maintaining immune and organismal homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Guillou
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States Of America
| | - Katia Troha
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States Of America
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States Of America
| | - Nathalie C. Franc
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States Of America
| | - Nicolas Buchon
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States Of America
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22
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The Lantibiotic NAI-107 Efficiently Rescues Drosophila melanogaster from Infection with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:5427-36. [PMID: 27381394 PMCID: PMC4997821 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02965-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We used the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a cost-effective in vivo model to evaluate the efficacy of novel antibacterial peptides and peptoids for treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. A panel of peptides with known antibacterial activity in vitro and/or in vivo was tested in Drosophila Although most peptides and peptoids that were effective in vitro failed to rescue lethal effects of S. aureus infections in vivo, we found that two lantibiotics, nisin and NAI-107, rescued adult flies from fatal infections. Furthermore, NAI-107 rescued mortality of infection with the MRSA strain USA300 with an efficacy equivalent to that of vancomycin, a widely applied antibiotic for the treatment of serious MRSA infections. These results establish Drosophila as a useful model for in vivo drug evaluation of antibacterial peptides.
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23
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Gautam S, Kim T, Lester E, Deep D, Spiegel DA. Wall teichoic acids prevent antibody binding to epitopes within the cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus. ACS Chem Biol 2016; 11:25-30. [PMID: 26502318 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.5b00439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen that produces a range of infections including cellulitis, pneumonia, and septicemia. The principle mechanism in antistaphylococcal host defense is opsonization with antibodies and complement proteins, followed by phagocytic clearance. Here we use a previously developed technique for installing chemical epitopes in the peptidoglycan cell wall to show that surface glycopolymers known as wall teichoic acids conceal cell wall epitopes, preventing their recognition and opsonization by antibodies. Thus, our results reveal a previously unrecognized immunoevasive role for wall teichoic acids in S. aureus: repulsion of peptidoglycan-targeted antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Gautam
- Department
of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Taehan Kim
- Department
of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Evan Lester
- Department
of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Deeksha Deep
- Department
of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - David A. Spiegel
- Department
of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
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24
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Covas G, Vaz F, Henriques G, Pinho MG, Filipe SR. Analysis of Cell Wall Teichoic Acids in Staphylococcus aureus. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1440:201-13. [PMID: 27311674 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3676-2_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Most bacterial cells are surrounded by a surface composed mainly of peptidoglycan (PGN), a glycopolymer responsible for ensuring the bacterial shape and a telltale molecule that betrays the presence of bacteria to the host immune system. In Staphylococcus aureus, as in most gram-positive bacteria, peptidoglycan is concealed by covalently linked molecules of wall teichoic acids (WTA)-phosphate rich molecules made of glycerol and ribitol phosphates which may be tailored by different amino acids and sugars.In order to analyze and compare the composition of WTA produced by different S. aureus strains, we describe methods to: (1) quantify the total amount of WTA present at the bacterial cell surface, through the determination of the inorganic phosphate present in phosphodiester linkages of WTA; (2) identify which sugar constituents are present in the assembled WTA molecules, by detecting the monosaccharides, released by acid hydrolysis, through an high-performance anion exchange chromatography analysis coupled with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) and (3) compare the polymerization degree of WTA found at the cell surface of different S. aureus strains, through their different migration in a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Covas
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, Apartado 127, 2781-901, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Filipa Vaz
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, Apartado 127, 2781-901, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Gabriela Henriques
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Mariana G Pinho
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Sérgio R Filipe
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, Apartado 127, 2781-901, Oeiras, Portugal. .,UCIBIO@REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências da Vida/ Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus da Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal.
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25
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Nguyen THP, Shamis Y, Croft RJ, Wood A, McIntosh RL, Crawford RJ, Ivanova EP. 18 GHz electromagnetic field induces permeability of Gram-positive cocci. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10980. [PMID: 26077933 PMCID: PMC4468521 DOI: 10.1038/srep10980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposures at the microwave (MW) frequency of 18 GHz, on four cocci, Planococcus maritimus KMM 3738, Staphylococcus aureus CIP 65.8(T), S. aureus ATCC 25923 and S. epidermidis ATCC 14990(T), was investigated. We demonstrate that exposing the bacteria to an EMF induced permeability in the bacterial membranes of all strains studied, as confirmed directly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and indirectly via the propidium iodide assay and the uptake of silica nanospheres. The cells remained permeable for at least nine minutes after EMF exposure. It was shown that all strains internalized 23.5 nm nanospheres, whereas the internalization of the 46.3 nm nanospheres differed amongst the bacterial strains (S. epidermidis ATCC 14990(T) ~ 0%; Staphylococcus aureus CIP 65.8(T) S. aureus ATCC 25923, ~40%; Planococcus maritimus KMM 3738, ~ 80%). Cell viability experiments indicated that up to 84% of the cells exposed to the EMF remained viable. The morphology of the bacterial cells was not altered, as inferred from the scanning electron micrographs, however traces of leaked cytosolic fluids from the EMF exposed cells could be detected. EMF-induced permeabilization may represent an innovative, alternative cell permeability technique for applications in biomedical engineering, cell drug delivery and gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yury Shamis
- School of Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rodney J. Croft
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, Australia
- Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research, Australia
| | - Andrew Wood
- Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research, Australia
- School of Health Sciences
| | - Robert L. McIntosh
- Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research, Australia
- School of Health Sciences
| | | | - Elena P. Ivanova
- School of Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
- Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research, Australia
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Reed P, Atilano ML, Alves R, Hoiczyk E, Sher X, Reichmann NT, Pereira PM, Roemer T, Filipe SR, Pereira-Leal JB, Ligoxygakis P, Pinho MG. Staphylococcus aureus Survives with a Minimal Peptidoglycan Synthesis Machine but Sacrifices Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004891. [PMID: 25951442 PMCID: PMC4423922 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [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: 10/05/2014] [Accepted: 04/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many important cellular processes are performed by molecular machines, composed of multiple proteins that physically interact to execute biological functions. An example is the bacterial peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis machine, responsible for the synthesis of the main component of the cell wall and the target of many contemporary antibiotics. One approach for the identification of essential components of a cellular machine involves the determination of its minimal protein composition. Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive pathogen, renowned for its resistance to many commonly used antibiotics and prevalence in hospitals. Its genome encodes a low number of proteins with PG synthesis activity (9 proteins), when compared to other model organisms, and is therefore a good model for the study of a minimal PG synthesis machine. We deleted seven of the nine genes encoding PG synthesis enzymes from the S. aureus genome without affecting normal growth or cell morphology, generating a strain capable of PG biosynthesis catalyzed only by two penicillin-binding proteins, PBP1 and the bi-functional PBP2. However, multiple PBPs are important in clinically relevant environments, as bacteria with a minimal PG synthesis machinery became highly susceptible to cell wall-targeting antibiotics, host lytic enzymes and displayed impaired virulence in a Drosophila infection model which is dependent on the presence of specific peptidoglycan receptor proteins, namely PGRP-SA. The fact that S. aureus can grow and divide with only two active PG synthesizing enzymes shows that most of these enzymes are redundant in vitro and identifies the minimal PG synthesis machinery of S. aureus. However a complex molecular machine is important in environments other than in vitro growth as the expendable PG synthesis enzymes play an important role in the pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance of S. aureus. Peptidoglycan forms the stress-bearing sacculus that prevents lysis of bacteria due to turgor pressure. The integrity of peptidoglycan is therefore essential for bacterial survival and its synthesis is the target of many important antibiotics, such as penicillin. The final steps of peptidoglycan synthesis are catalyzed by penicillin-binding proteins, enzymes that are proposed to work in multi-enzyme complexes. We show that seven of the nine genes encoding peptidoglycan synthesis enzymes can be deleted from the Staphylococcus aureus genome without affecting normal growth and cell morphology in vitro, identifying the minimal peptidoglycan synthesis machinery of this organism. Identification of minimal machineries is key for synthetic biology efforts towards the design of systems with reduced complexity. However, the non-essential peptidoglycan synthetic proteins are important for survival of S. aureus in more challenging environments, such as in the presence of antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis or within the host, as shown by the inability of the mutant strain to establish a successful infection and kill Drosophila flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Reed
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Magda L. Atilano
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surface and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- Laboratory of Genes and Development, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Renato Alves
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Egbert Hoiczyk
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- The University of Sheffield, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Xinwei Sher
- Merck Research Laboratories IT, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nathalie T. Reichmann
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Pedro M. Pereira
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Terry Roemer
- Infectious Disease Research, Merck Research Laboratories, Kenilworth, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Sérgio R. Filipe
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surface and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Petros Ligoxygakis
- Laboratory of Genes and Development, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Mariana G. Pinho
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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Dorling J, Moraes C, Rolff J. Recognition, survival and persistence of Staphylococcus aureus in the model host Tenebrio molitor. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 48:284-290. [PMID: 25179414 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2014.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The degree of specificity of any given immune response to a parasite is governed by the complexity and variation of interactions between host and pathogen derived molecules. Here, we assess the extent to which recognition and immuno-resistance of cell wall mutants of the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus may contribute to establishment and maintenance of persistent infection in the model insect host, Tenebrio molitor. The cell surface of S. aureus is decorated with various molecules, including glycopolymers such as wall teichoic acid (WTA). WTA is covalently bound to peptidoglycan (PGN) and its absence has been associated with increased recognition of PGN by host receptors (PGRPs). WTA is also further modified by other molecules such as D-alanine (D-alanylation). Both the level of WTA expression and its D-alanylation were found to be important in the mediation of the host-parasite interaction in this model system. Specifically, WTA itself was seen to influence immune recognition, while D-alanylation of WTA was found to increase immuno-resistance and was associated with prolonged persistence of S. aureus in T. molitor. These results implicate WTA and its D-alanylation as important factors in the establishment and maintenance of persistent infection, affecting different critical junctions in the immune response; through potential evasion of recognition by PGRPs and resistance to humoral immune effectors during prolonged exposure to the immune system. This highlights a mechanism by which specificity in this host-parasite interaction may arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Dorling
- Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; Fachbereich Biologie, Chemie, Pharmazie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Caroline Moraes
- Fachbereich Biologie, Chemie, Pharmazie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jens Rolff
- Fachbereich Biologie, Chemie, Pharmazie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany.
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29
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Cell separation in Vibrio cholerae is mediated by a single amidase whose action is modulated by two nonredundant activators. J Bacteriol 2014; 196:3937-48. [PMID: 25182499 DOI: 10.1128/jb.02094-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthesis and hydrolysis of septal peptidoglycan (PG) are critical processes at the conclusion of cell division that enable separation of daughter cells. Cleavage of septal PG is mediated by PG amidases, hydrolytic enzymes that release peptide side chains from the glycan strand. Most gammaproteobacteria, including Escherichia coli, encode several functionally redundant periplasmic amidases. However, members of the Vibrio genus, including the enteric pathogen Vibrio cholerae, encode only a single PG amidase, AmiB. Here, we show that V. cholerae AmiB is crucial for cell division and growth. Genetic and biochemical analyses indicated that AmiB is regulated by two activators, EnvC and NlpD, at least one of which is required for AmiB's localization to the cell division site. Localization of the activators (and thus of AmiB) is dependent upon the cell division protein FtsN. These factors mediate septal PG cleavage in E. coli as well; however, their precise roles vary between the two organisms in a number of ways. Notably, even though V. cholerae EnvC and NlpD appear to be functionally redundant under most growth conditions tested, NlpD is specifically required for intestinal colonization in the infant mouse model of cholera and for V. cholerae resistance against bile salts, perhaps due to environmental regulation of AmiB or its activators. Collectively, our findings reveal that although the cellular components that enable cleavage of septal PG appear to be generally conserved between E. coli and V. cholerae, they can be combined into diverse functional regulatory networks.
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Dobson AJ, Purves J, Rolff J. Increased survival of experimentally evolved antimicrobial peptide-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an animal host. Evol Appl 2014; 7:905-12. [PMID: 25469169 PMCID: PMC4211720 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as new class of antimicrobial drugs, following the increasing prevalence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Synthetic AMPs are functional analogues of highly evolutionarily conserved immune effectors in animals and plants, produced in response to microbial infection. Therefore, the proposed therapeutic use of AMPs bears the risk of 'arming the enemy': bacteria that evolve resistance to AMPs may be cross-resistant to immune effectors (AMPs) in their hosts. We used a panel of populations of Staphylococcus aureus that were experimentally selected for resistance to a suite of individual AMPs and antibiotics to investigate the 'arming the enemy' hypothesis. We tested whether the selected strains showed higher survival in an insect model (Tenebrio molitor) and cross-resistance against other antimicrobials in vitro. A population selected for resistance to the antimicrobial peptide iseganan showed increased in vivo survival, but was not more virulent. We suggest that increased survival of AMP-resistant bacteria almost certainly poses problems to immune-compromised hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Dobson
- Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western BankSheffield, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Joanne Purves
- Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western BankSheffield, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Science, University of NottinghamNottingham, UK
| | - Jens Rolff
- Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western BankSheffield, UK
- Institute of Biology, Free University BerlinBerlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB)Berlin, Germany
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Okumura CYM, Nizet V. Subterfuge and sabotage: evasion of host innate defenses by invasive gram-positive bacterial pathogens. Annu Rev Microbiol 2014; 68:439-58. [PMID: 25002085 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-092412-155711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The development of a severe invasive bacterial infection in an otherwise healthy individual is one of the most striking and fascinating aspects of human medicine. A small cadre of gram-positive pathogens of the genera Streptococcus and Staphylococcus stand out for their unique invasive disease potential and sophisticated ability to counteract the multifaceted components of human innate defense. This review illustrates how these leading human disease agents evade host complement deposition and activation, impede phagocyte recruitment and activation, resist the microbicidal activities of host antimicrobial peptides and reactive oxygen species, escape neutrophil extracellular traps, and promote and accelerate phagocyte cell death through the action of pore-forming cytolysins. Understanding the molecular basis of bacterial innate immune resistance can open new avenues for therapeutic intervention geared to disabling specific virulence factors and resensitizing the pathogen to host innate immune clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Y M Okumura
- Department of Biology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California 90041;
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Gale RT, Sewell EW, Garrett TA, Brown ED. Reconstituting poly(glycerol phosphate) wall teichoic acid biosynthesis in vitro using authentic substrates. Chem Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.1039/c4sc00802b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Dworkin J. The medium is the message: interspecies and interkingdom signaling by peptidoglycan and related bacterial glycans. Annu Rev Microbiol 2014; 68:137-54. [PMID: 24847956 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-091213-112844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Peptidoglycan serves as a key structure of the bacterial cell by determining cell shape and providing resistance to internal turgor pressure. However, in addition to these essential and well-studied functions, bacterial signaling by peptidoglycan fragments, or muropeptides, has been demonstrated by recent work. Actively growing bacteria release muropeptides as a consequence of cell wall remodeling during elongation and division. Therefore, the presence of muropeptide synthesis is indicative of growth-promoting conditions and may serve as a broadly conserved signal for nongrowing cells to reinitiate growth. In addition, muropeptides serve as signals between bacteria and eukaryotic organisms during both pathogenic and symbiotic interactions. The increasingly appreciated role of the microbiota in metazoan organisms suggests that muropeptide signaling likely has important implications for homeostatic mammalian physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Dworkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032;
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34
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Atilano ML, Pereira PM, Vaz F, Catalão MJ, Reed P, Grilo IR, Sobral RG, Ligoxygakis P, Pinho MG, Filipe SR. Bacterial autolysins trim cell surface peptidoglycan to prevent detection by the Drosophila innate immune system. eLife 2014; 3:e02277. [PMID: 24692449 PMCID: PMC3971415 DOI: 10.7554/elife.02277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have to avoid recognition by the host immune system in order to establish a successful infection. Peptidoglycan, the principal constituent of virtually all bacterial surfaces, is a specific molecular signature recognized by dedicated host receptors, present in animals and plants, which trigger an immune response. Here we report that autolysins from Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, enzymes capable of hydrolyzing peptidoglycan, have a major role in concealing this inflammatory molecule from Drosophila peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs). We show that autolysins trim the outermost peptidoglycan fragments and that in their absence bacterial virulence is impaired, as PGRPs can directly recognize leftover peptidoglycan extending beyond the external layers of bacterial proteins and polysaccharides. The activity of autolysins is not restricted to the producer cells but can also alter the surface of neighboring bacteria, facilitating the survival of the entire population in the infected host. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02277.001 While most bacteria are harmless, some can cause diseases as varied as food poisoning and meningitis, so our immune system has developed various ways of detecting and eliminating bacteria and other pathogens. Receptor proteins belonging to the immune system detect molecules that give away the presence of the bacteria and trigger an immune response targeted at the invading pathogen. Peptidoglycan is one telltale molecule that betrays the presence of bacteria. Peptidoglycan is found in the bacterial cell wall, and for many years it was assumed that the immune system detected stray fragments of peptidoglycan that were accidentally shed by the bacteria. However, it was later shown that the immune system could, under certain conditions, detect peptidoglycan when it is still part of the cell wall. This raised an interesting question: do bacteria use other methods to stop peptidoglycan being detected by the immune system? Now, Atilano, Pereira et al. have found that enzymes called autolysins can conceal bacteria from the receptor proteins that detect peptidoglycan. These enzymes are needed to break the bonds within the peptidoglycan present in the rigid bacterial cell wall to allow the bacteria to grow and divide. ‘Knocking out’ the genes for autolysins allowed the receptor proteins from the fruit fly, Drosophila, to bind to the bacteria; however, the mutant bacteria were able to evade the immune system after they had been treated with the purified enzymes. Atilano, Pereira et al. suggest that the autolysins trim the exposed ends of the peptidoglycan molecules on the surface of the cell wall, which could otherwise be detected by the host. The experiments also show that bacterial pathogens—including a strain of MRSA—with mutations that knock out autolysin activity trigger a stronger immune response in fruit flies, and are therefore less able to infect this host. Autolysins also help to conceal Streptococcus pneumoniae—a bacterial pathogen that is a common cause of pneumonia and infant deaths in developing countries—from detection by fruit flies. The findings of Atilano, Pereira et al. highlight how bacteria employ a number of ways to evade detection. If similar behavior is observed when bacteria infect humans, autolysins could represent a new drug target for the treatment of bacterial diseases. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02277.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Luciana Atilano
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Oeiras, Portugal.,Genes and Development Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Pedro Matos Pereira
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Filipa Vaz
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Maria João Catalão
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Patricia Reed
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Inês Ramos Grilo
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Rita Gonçalves Sobral
- Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Centro de Recursos Microbiologicos (CREM), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Petros Ligoxygakis
- Genes and Development Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Mariana Gomes Pinho
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Sérgio Raposo Filipe
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-UNL), Oeiras, Portugal
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Panayidou S, Ioannidou E, Apidianakis Y. Human pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses in Drosophila: disease modeling, lessons, and shortcomings. Virulence 2014; 5:253-69. [PMID: 24398387 DOI: 10.4161/viru.27524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila has been the invertebrate model organism of choice for the study of innate immune responses during the past few decades. Many Drosophila-microbe interaction studies have helped to define innate immunity pathways, and significant effort has been made lately to decipher mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis. Here we catalog 68 bacterial, fungal, and viral species studied in flies, 43 of which are relevant to human health. We discuss studies of human pathogens in flies revealing not only the elicitation and avoidance of immune response but also mechanisms of tolerance, host tissue homeostasis, regeneration, and predisposition to cancer. Prominent among those is the emerging pattern of intestinal regeneration as a defense response induced by pathogenic and innocuous bacteria. Immunopathology mechanisms and many microbial virulence factors have been elucidated, but their relevance to human health conventionally necessitates validation in mammalian models of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavria Panayidou
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Cyprus; Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Eleni Ioannidou
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Cyprus; Nicosia, Cyprus
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36
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Fortifying the wall: synthesis, regulation and degradation of bacterial peptidoglycan. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2013; 23:695-703. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2013.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Revised: 06/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Sukhithasri V, Nisha N, Biswas L, Anil Kumar V, Biswas R. Innate immune recognition of microbial cell wall components and microbial strategies to evade such recognitions. Microbiol Res 2013; 168:396-406. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2013.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2012] [Revised: 02/08/2013] [Accepted: 02/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Pasquina LW, Santa Maria JP, Walker S. Teichoic acid biosynthesis as an antibiotic target. Curr Opin Microbiol 2013; 16:531-7. [PMID: 23916223 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2013.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Revised: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The relentless spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens makes it imperative to develop new chemotherapeutic strategies to overcome infection. The bacterial cell wall has served as a rich source for both validated and unexploited pathways that are essential for virulence and survival. Lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) and wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are cell wall polymers that play fundamental roles in Gram-positive bacterial physiology and pathogenesis, and both have been proposed as novel antibacterial targets. Here we describe recent progress toward the discovery of teichoic acid biosynthesis inhibitors and their potential as antibiotics to combat Staphylococcus aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lincoln W Pasquina
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States
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Kounatidis I, Ligoxygakis P. Drosophila as a model system to unravel the layers of innate immunity to infection. Open Biol 2013; 2:120075. [PMID: 22724070 PMCID: PMC3376734 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.120075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate immunity relies entirely upon germ-line encoded receptors, signalling components and effector molecules for the recognition and elimination of invading pathogens. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster with its powerful collection of genetic and genomic tools has been the model of choice to develop ideas about innate immunity and host–pathogen interactions. Here, we review current research in the field, encompassing all layers of defence from the role of the microbiota to systemic immune activation, and attempt to speculate on future directions and open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Kounatidis
- Laboratory of Genes and Development, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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40
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Diaz L, Kontoyiannis DP, Panesso D, Albert ND, Singh KV, Tran TT, Munita JM, Murray BE, Arias CA. Dissecting the mechanisms of linezolid resistance in a Drosophila melanogaster infection model of Staphylococcus aureus. J Infect Dis 2013; 208:83-91. [PMID: 23547139 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jit138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mini-host models are simple experimental systems to study host-pathogen interactions. We adapted a Drosophila melanogaster infection model to evaluate the in vivo effect of different mechanisms of linezolid (LNZ) resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. METHODS Fly survival was evaluated after infection with LNZ-resistant S. aureus strains NRS119 (which has mutations in 23S ribosomal RNA [rRNA]), CM-05 and 004-737X (which carry cfr), LNZ-susceptible derivatives of CM-05 and 004-737X (which lack cfr), and ATCC 29213 (an LNZ-susceptible control). Flies were then fed food mixed with LNZ (concentration, 15-500 µg/mL). Results were compared to those in mouse peritonitis, using LNZ via oral gavage at 80 and 120 mg/kg every 12 hours. RESULTS LNZ at 500 µg/mL in fly food protected against all strains, while concentrations of 15-250 µg/mL failed to protect against NRS119 (survival, 1.6%-20%). An in vivo effect of cfr was only detected at concentrations of 30 and 15 µg/mL. In the mouse peritonitis model, LNZ (at doses that mimic human pharmacokinetics) protected mice from challenge with the cfr+ 004-737X strain but was ineffective against the NRS119 strain, which carried 23S rRNA mutations. CONCLUSIONS The fly model offers promising advantages to dissect the in vivo effect of LNZ resistance in S. aureus, and findings from this model appear to be concordant with those from the mouse peritonitis model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Diaz
- Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota, Colombia
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Ligoxygakis P. Genetics of Immune Recognition and Response in Drosophila host defense. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2013; 83:71-97. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-407675-4.00002-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Ben-Ami R, Watson CC, Lewis RE, Albert ND, Arias CA, Raad II, Kontoyiannis DP. Drosophila melanogaster as a model to explore the effects of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain type on virulence and response to linezolid treatment. Microb Pathog 2012; 55:16-20. [PMID: 23232438 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2012.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Revised: 11/25/2012] [Accepted: 11/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND USA300 is a uniquely successful methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clone that has been associated with Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) production and severe infections. However, conflicting experimental and epidemiological data exist regarding the virulence of USA300 relative to other MRSA clones. We aimed to address this issue using Drosophila melanogaster as a model host to study strain and PVL-dependent variations in virulence among MRSA clinical isolates. RESULTS We studied the relative virulence of 39 MRSA isolates: 17 (43%) were PFGE type USA300. Lethal MRSA infection was reproducibly induced both in wild-type (WT) and Toll-deficient D. melanogaster. USA300 strains had significantly lower lethality than non-USA300 strains in a WT background but not in Toll-deficient flies. PFGE type (USA300 versus non-USA300) and PVL status did not affect the response to treatment with linezolid. Virulence was similar in strains with high vancomycin MIC (≥2 μg/mL) versus those with vancomycin MIC<2 μg/mL. CONCLUSIONS D. melanogaster is a potentially useful model host to study pathogenicity and response to antibiotic treatment in S. aureus. Our results imply that the attenuated virulence of PVL(+)/USA300 requires intact host innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronen Ben-Ami
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel.
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