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Grabeck J, Mayer J, Miltz A, Casoria M, Quagliata M, Meinberger D, Klatt AR, Wielert I, Maier B, Papini AM, Neundorf I. Triazole-Bridged Peptides with Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity and Potency against Pathogenic Bacteria. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:2717-2727. [PMID: 38885643 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
There are still no linear antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) available as a treatment option against bacterial infections. This is caused by several drawbacks that come with AMPs such as limited proteolytic stability and low selectivity against human cells. In this work, we screened a small library of rationally designed new peptides based on the cell-penetrating peptide sC18* toward their antimicrobial activity. We identified several effective novel AMPs and chose one out of this group to further increase its potency. Therefore, we introduced a triazole bridge at different positions to provide a preformed helical structure, assuming that this modification would improve (i) proteolytic stability and (ii) membrane activity. Indeed, placing the triazole bridge within the hydrophilic part of the linear analogue highly increased membrane activity as well as stability against enzymatic digestion. The new peptides, 8A and 8B, demonstrated high activity against several bacterial species tested including pathogenic N. gonorrhoeae and methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Since they exhibited significantly good tolerability against human fibroblast and blood cells, these novel peptides offer true alternatives for future clinical applications and are worth studying in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Grabeck
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jacob Mayer
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Axel Miltz
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Michele Casoria
- Interdepartmental Research Unit of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology, Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Michael Quagliata
- Interdepartmental Research Unit of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology, Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Denise Meinberger
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas R Klatt
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Isabelle Wielert
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Institute for Biological Physics, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Berenike Maier
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Institute for Biological Physics, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Anna Maria Papini
- Interdepartmental Research Unit of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology, Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Ines Neundorf
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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2
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Quispe Haro JJ, Chen F, Los R, Shi S, Sun W, Chen Y, Idema T, Wegner SV. Optogenetic Control of Bacterial Cell-Cell Adhesion Dynamics: Unraveling the Influence on Biofilm Architecture and Functionality. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2310079. [PMID: 38613837 PMCID: PMC11187914 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202310079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
The transition of bacteria from an individualistic to a biofilm lifestyle profoundly alters their biology. During biofilm development, the bacterial cell-cell adhesions are a major determinant of initial microcolonies, which serve as kernels for the subsequent microscopic and mesoscopic structure of the biofilm, and determine the resulting functionality. In this study, the significance of bacterial cell-cell adhesion dynamics on bacterial aggregation and biofilm maturation is elucidated. Using photoswitchable adhesins between bacteria, modifying the dynamics of bacterial cell-cell adhesions with periodic dark-light cycles is systematic. Dynamic cell-cell adhesions with liquid-like behavior improve bacterial aggregation and produce more compact microcolonies than static adhesions with solid-like behavior in both experiments and individual-based simulations. Consequently, dynamic cell-cell adhesions give rise to earlier quorum sensing activation, better intermixing of different bacterial populations, improved biofilm maturation, changes in the growth of cocultures, and higher yields in fermentation. The here presented approach of tuning bacterial cell-cell adhesion dynamics opens the door for regulating the structure and function of biofilms and cocultures with potential biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan José Quispe Haro
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and PathobiochemistryUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Fei Chen
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and PathobiochemistryUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Rachel Los
- Department of BionanoscienceKavli Institute of NanoscienceDelft University of TechnologyDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Shuqi Shi
- National Engineering Research Center for BiotechnologyCollege of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical EngineeringNanjing Tech UniversityNanjingChina
- State Key Laboratory of Materials‐Oriented Chemical EngineeringCollege of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical EngineeringNanjing Tech UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Wenjun Sun
- National Engineering Research Center for BiotechnologyCollege of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical EngineeringNanjing Tech UniversityNanjingChina
- State Key Laboratory of Materials‐Oriented Chemical EngineeringCollege of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical EngineeringNanjing Tech UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yong Chen
- National Engineering Research Center for BiotechnologyCollege of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical EngineeringNanjing Tech UniversityNanjingChina
- State Key Laboratory of Materials‐Oriented Chemical EngineeringCollege of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical EngineeringNanjing Tech UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Timon Idema
- Department of BionanoscienceKavli Institute of NanoscienceDelft University of TechnologyDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Seraphine V. Wegner
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and PathobiochemistryUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
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Hennes M, Bender N, Cronenberg T, Welker A, Maier B. Collective polarization dynamics in bacterial colonies signify the occurrence of distinct subpopulations. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001960. [PMID: 36652440 PMCID: PMC9847958 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane potential in bacterial systems has been shown to be dynamic and tightly related to survivability at the single-cell level. However, little is known about spatiotemporal patterns of membrane potential in bacterial colonies and biofilms. Here, we discovered a transition from uncorrelated to collective dynamics within colonies formed by the human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In freshly assembled colonies, polarization is heterogeneous with instances of transient and uncorrelated hyper- or depolarization of individual cells. As colonies reach a critical size, the polarization behavior transitions to collective dynamics: A hyperpolarized shell forms at the center, travels radially outward, and halts several micrometers from the colony periphery. Once the shell has passed, we detect an influx of potassium correlated with depolarization. Transient hyperpolarization also demarks the transition from volume to surface growth. By combining simulations and the use of an alternative electron acceptor for the respiratory chain, we provide strong evidence that local oxygen gradients shape the collective polarization dynamics. Finally, we show that within the hyperpolarized shell, tolerance against aminoglycoside antibiotics increases. These findings highlight that the polarization pattern can signify the differentiation into distinct subpopulations with different growth rates and antibiotic tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Hennes
- Institute for Biological Physics, and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail: (MH); (BM)
| | - Niklas Bender
- Institute for Biological Physics, and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tom Cronenberg
- Institute for Biological Physics, and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anton Welker
- Institute for Biological Physics, and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Berenike Maier
- Institute for Biological Physics, and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail: (MH); (BM)
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Arshad R, Sargazi S, Fatima I, Mobashar A, Rahdar A, Ajalli N, Kyzas GZ. Nanotechnology for Therapy of Zoonotic Diseases: A Comprehensive Overview. ChemistrySelect 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202201271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Arshad
- Faculty of Pharmacy University of Lahore Lahore 54000 Pakistan
| | - Saman Sargazi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center Research Institute of Cellular and Molecular Sciences in Infectious Diseases Zahedan University of Medical Sciences Zahedan 98167-43463 Iran
| | - Iqra Fatima
- Department of Pharmacy Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Islamabad Pakistan
| | - Aisha Mobashar
- Faculty of Pharmacy University of Lahore Lahore 54000 Pakistan
| | - Abbas Rahdar
- Department of Physics University of Zabol Zabol P. O. Box. 98613–35856 Iran
| | - Narges Ajalli
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering University of Tehran Tehran Iran
| | - George Z. Kyzas
- Department of Chemistry International Hellenic University Kavala Greece
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Markedly Increasing Antibiotic Resistance and Dual Treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates in Guangdong, China, from 2013 to 2020. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0229421. [PMID: 35345891 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02294-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is concerning, especially the cooccurrence of azithromycin resistance and decreased susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporin. This study aimed to confirm the antibiotic resistance trends and provide a solution for N. gonorrhoeae treatment in Guangdong, China. A total of 5,808 strains were collected for assessment of antibiotic MICs. High resistance to penicillin (53.80 to 82%), tetracycline (88.30 to 100%), ciprofloxacin (96 to 99.8%), cefixime (6.81 to 46%), and azithromycin (8.60 to 20.03%) was observed. Remarkably, spectinomycin and ceftriaxone seemed to be the effective choices, with resistance rates of 0 to 7.63% and 2.00 to 16.18%, respectively. Moreover, the rates of azithromycin resistance combined with decreased susceptibility to ceftriaxone and cefixime reached 9.28% and 8.64%, respectively. Furthermore, genotyping identified NG-STAR-ST501, NG-MAST-ST2268, and MLST-ST7363 as the sequence types among representative multidrug-resistant isolates. Evolutionary analysis showed that FC428-related clones have spread to Guangdong, China, which might be a cause of the rapid increase in extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance currently. Among these strains, the prevalence of N. gonorrhoeae was extremely high, and single-dose ceftriaxone treatment might be a challenge in the future. To partially relieve the treatment pressure, a susceptibility test for susceptibility to azithromycin plus extended-spectrum cephalosporin dual therapy was performed. The results showed that all the representative isolates could be effectively killed with the coadministration of less than 1 mg/liter azithromycin and 0.125 mg/liter extended-spectrum cephalosporin, with a synergistic effect according to a fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) of <0.5. In conclusion, dual therapy might be a powerful measure to treat refractory N. gonorrhoeae in the context of increasing antibiotic resistance in Guangdong, China.
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Kraus-Römer S, Wielert I, Rathmann I, Grossbach J, Maier B. External Stresses Affect Gonococcal Type 4 Pilus Dynamics. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:839711. [PMID: 35283813 PMCID: PMC8914258 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.839711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial type 4 pili (T4P) are extracellular polymers that serve both as adhesins and molecular motors. Functionally, they are involved in adhesion, colony formation, twitching motility, and horizontal gene transfer. T4P of the human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae have been shown to enhance survivability under treatment with antibiotics or hydrogen peroxide. However, little is known about the effect of external stresses on T4P production and motor properties. Here, we address this question by directly visualizing gonococcal T4P dynamics. We show that in the absence of stress gonococci produce T4P at a remarkably high rate of ∼200 T4P min–1. T4P retraction succeeds elongation without detectable time delay. Treatment with azithromycin or ceftriaxone reduces the T4P production rate. RNA sequencing results suggest that reduced piliation is caused by combined downregulation of the complexes required for T4P extrusion from the cell envelope and cellular energy depletion. Various other stresses including inhibitors of cell wall synthesis and DNA replication, as well as hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid, inhibit T4P production. Moreover, hydrogen peroxide and acidic pH strongly affect pilus length and motor function. In summary, we show that gonococcal T4P are highly dynamic and diverse external stresses reduce piliation despite the protective effect of T4P against some of these stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabelle Wielert
- Institute for Biological Physics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Isabel Rathmann
- Institute for Biological Physics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan Grossbach
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, CECAD, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Berenike Maier
- Institute for Biological Physics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- *Correspondence: Berenike Maier,
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Welker A, Hennes M, Bender N, Cronenberg T, Schneider G, Maier B. Spatiotemporal dynamics of growth and death within spherical bacterial colonies. Biophys J 2021; 120:3418-3428. [PMID: 34214531 PMCID: PMC8391034 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial growth within colonies and biofilms is heterogeneous. Local reduction of growth rates has been associated with tolerance against various antibiotics. However, spatial gradients of growth rates are poorly characterized in three-dimensional bacterial colonies. Here, we report two spatially resolved methods for measuring growth rates in bacterial colonies. As bacteria grow and divide, they generate a velocity field that is directly related to the growth rates. We derive profiles of growth rates from the velocity field and show that they are consistent with the profiles obtained by single-cell-counting. Using these methods, we reveal that even small colonies initiated with a few thousand cells of the human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae develop a steep gradient of growth rates within two generations. Furthermore, we show that stringent response decelerates growth inhibition at the colony center. Based on our results, we suggest that aggregation-related growth inhibition can protect gonococci from external stresses even at early biofilm stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Welker
- Institute for Biological Physics and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Marc Hennes
- Institute for Biological Physics and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Niklas Bender
- Institute for Biological Physics and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Tom Cronenberg
- Institute for Biological Physics and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Gabriele Schneider
- Institute for Biological Physics and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Berenike Maier
- Institute for Biological Physics and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.
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8
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Chlebek JL, Dalia TN, Biais N, Dalia AB. Fresh Extension of Vibrio cholerae Competence Type IV Pili Predisposes Them for Motor-Independent Retraction. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0047821. [PMID: 33990308 PMCID: PMC8231728 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00478-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria utilize dynamic appendages, called type IV pili (T4P), to interact with their environment and mediate a wide variety of functions. Pilus extension is mediated by an extension ATPase motor, commonly called PilB, in all T4P. Pilus retraction, however, can occur with the aid of an ATPase motor or in the absence of a retraction motor. While much effort has been devoted to studying motor-dependent retraction, the mechanism and regulation of motor-independent retraction remain poorly characterized. We have previously demonstrated that Vibrio cholerae competence T4P undergo motor-independent retraction in the absence of the dedicated retraction ATPases PilT and PilU. Here, we utilize this model system to characterize the factors that influence motor-independent retraction. We find that freshly extended pili frequently undergo motor-independent retraction, but if these pili fail to retract immediately, they remain statically extended on the cell surface. Importantly, we show that these static pili can still undergo motor-dependent retraction via tightly regulated ectopic expression of PilT, suggesting that these T4P are not broken but simply cannot undergo motor-independent retraction. Through additional genetic and biophysical characterization of pili, we suggest that pilus filaments undergo conformational changes during dynamic extension and retraction. We propose that only some conformations, like those adopted by freshly extended pili, are capable of undergoing motor-independent retraction. Together, these data highlight the versatile mechanisms that regulate T4P dynamic activity and provide additional support for the long-standing hypothesis that motor-independent retraction occurs via spontaneous depolymerization. IMPORTANCE Extracellular pilus fibers are critical to the virulence and persistence of many pathogenic bacteria. A crucial function for most pili is the dynamic ability to extend and retract from the cell surface. Inhibiting this dynamic pilus activity represents an attractive approach for therapeutic interventions; however, a detailed mechanistic understanding of this process is currently lacking. Here, we use the competence pilus of Vibrio cholerae to study how pili retract in the absence of dedicated retraction motors. Our results reveal a novel regulatory mechanism of pilus retraction that is an inherent property of the pilus filament. Thus, understanding the conformational changes that pili adopt under different conditions may be critical for the development of novel therapeutics that aim to target the dynamic activity of these structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Triana N. Dalia
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Nicolas Biais
- Biology Department and Graduate Center, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Laboratoire Jean Perrin, UMR 8237 Sorbonne Université/CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Ankur B. Dalia
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Abstract
Biofilms are structured communities formed by a single or multiple microbial species. Within biofilms, bacteria are embedded into extracellular matrix, allowing them to build macroscopic objects. Biofilm structure can respond to environmental changes such as the presence of antibiotics or predators. By adjusting expression levels of surface and extracellular matrix components, bacteria tune cell-to-cell interactions. One major challenge in the field is the fact that these components are very diverse among different species. Deciphering how physical interactions within biofilms are affected by changes in gene expression is a promising approach to obtaining a more unified picture of how bacteria modulate biofilms. This review focuses on recent advances in characterizing attractive and repulsive forces between bacteria in correlation with biofilm structure, dynamics, and spreading. How bacteria control physical interactions to maximize their fitness is an emerging theme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenike Maier
- Institute for Biological Physics and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany;
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